Category Archives: Teacher Education

Video Describing How Children Learn Language

04 Tuesday Oct 2016

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In the childlab of the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig, Germany, the linguists examine among other things, how babies and children process language. They want to know which steps are necessary to understand words and sentences.
They measure the brain activity of children by means of electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). By this, the scientists can create an image of the brain in a playful atmosphere. In some studies, they also play just with the children. For example, the researchers show three-year-olds two images with different situations and tell a little story that fits into one of the two images. The child then chooses which image matching the story.

Source:Language research: Worth talking about (parent site)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5P0leTAd-o

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Worth talking about | Max Planck Society

04 Tuesday Oct 2016

Posted by in On-Line Publications and Sites, Teacher Education

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Narrating, explaining, discussing, persuading, instructing – what humans do with language goes far beyond the mere exchange of information. Without language there would be no business or politics, religion or science, law or poetry. However, the phenomenon of language holds many mysteries: What is the origin of this uniquely human aptitude? How does our native language influence us, and which characteristics has language developed in the different corners of the world? An overview of some important language-related research is presented here.

Source: Worth talking about | Max Planck Society

Language Log Site Has it All

02 Sunday Oct 2016

Posted by in English Learners' Page, Lessons_Advanced Level, On-Line Publications and Sites, Teacher Education, Teachers' Page

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If you really want to know something about a language, then the Language Log site is a great place to start your investigation!  If you can think of a topic related to language learning, teaching, or usage that it doesn’t cover, I would love to know what it is!  In fact, I challenge you to try to come up with a question it can’t answer.

Source: http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/

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Kindergarten Children with Disabilities Gain Social Skills with ELLs in Classroom

17 Saturday Sep 2016

Posted by in Creating Inclusive Lessons, Teacher Education

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English Language Learner Classmates and the Classroom Social Skills of Students with Disabilities (click on title to open article)

The article above describes social skills improved for kindergarten children with a disability when more English language learners were in the classroom with them.  While English language learners’ social skills didn’t change as a result of having children with a disability in their classroom.  As a result, researchers concluded that schools should focus attention the characteristics of students who perform well and not as well in classroom settings to see if their is a pattern, and then to work on strategies that will help all students do well.

Source: Teachers College Record Volume 117 Number 7, 2015, p. 1-40
http://www.tcrecord.org ID Number: 17960, Date Accessed: 9/16/2016

Assistive Technology Tools Help ESL Learners Read and Write

03 Saturday Sep 2016

Posted by in English Learners' Page, Teacher Education

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Below are signed that students may benefit from using technology in the classroom:

  • Students who are deemed lazy or not paying attention can be empowered by technology to improve their focus and may become less frustrated by their language barriers.
  • If ELL/ESOL students can access assistive technology literacy tools and are allotted time to use them, they can improve their confidence and make reading and writing gains.
  • Using these tools, students who could not write a single word wrote detailed paragraphs and students who did not want to read a book became engaged readers.
  • Teachers who use assistive technologies will motivate students who are eager to demonstrate what they know.

View Jo Belyea-Doerrman’s complete research paper at http://www.jobdoer.net/doerrman/TAR.cfm

Source: Assistive Technology Tools Help ESL Learners Read and Write

So, You Think You Can Teach ESL? | An ESL, education, and teaching blog

22 Wednesday Jun 2016

Posted by in On-Line Publications and Sites, Teacher Education, Teachers' Page

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The creator of the website below, Ketan Hein, is a TESOL-trained educator who has taught in South Korea since 2009.  A quintessential teacher, Mr. Hein’s curriculum vitae lists science, math, social studies, physical education and art courses in addition to the common English language subjects.

He, like me, wants to provide a site where English teachers can learn from each other and share ideas for improving education systems and teaching methods.  His site certainly provides such an opportunity.

Source: So, You Think You Can Teach ESL? | An ESL, education, and teaching blog (click to open)

Awesome Teacher Education Site

20 Monday Jun 2016

Posted by in Creating Inclusive Lessons, Lesson Ideas, On-Line Publications and Sites, Teacher Education, Teachers' Page

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ANCD Think Teach Lead

ASCD is a global community dedicated to excellence in learning, teaching, and leading. Comprising 125,000 members—superintendents, principals, teachers, and advocates from more than 138 countries—the ASCD community also includes 54 affiliate organizations.

Our diverse, nonpartisan membership is our greatest strength, projecting a powerful, unified voice to decision makers around the world.

NOTE: Most resources are for member access and registration is not free. The site does offer a free trial membership and some materials for free.

This is one of the best international continuing education sites I’ve seen for English language teachers.  If you agree, please consider sharing this site with your colleagues. 

Source: English Language Learners – Videos, Articles, Resources, Experts

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New Strategy for Teaching Reading & Writing Skills

17 Friday Jun 2016

Posted by in Teacher Education, Teachers' Page

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This series of lessons helps explain why learning to read is often more challenging for people who are naturally good at analyzing problems, developing categories and performing detail-oriented tasks.  They tend to be good at math and science, which requires the above-mentioned skills.  Reading instruction often excludes explanations for the many “exceptions” to spelling and pronunciation rules, which are explained on this site.  The instructor provides excellent materials and resources that fill-in the gaps left by traditional teaching methods that cover only some rather than all English words.