The Climate Crisis has the power to evoke the widest spectrum of emotions you can possibly imagine, from anxiety and fear to hope and empowerment. These feelings profoundly impact how we approach the topic in educational settings. In a recent webinar with National Geographic Learning, I explored strategies for addressing
Category: Very Young Learners
Confronting Climate Change Education in ELT
Our world faces a number of challenges, and for many people, the most serious global issue is climate change, driven by the unsustainable use of the planet’s resources. But what does climate change have to do with English language teaching (ELT)? At first glance, ELT might have little to do
Self-Directed Professional Development with National Geographic Learning Webinars
More and more is being written about self-directed professional development (SDPD) as teachers (and indeed all professionals) start taking their professional development into their own hands. SDPD garnered more interest during the pandemic, as teachers began turning to resources outside their institutes to help them rethink how they taught and
Meeting the Challenges of Teaching Literacy to Very Young English Learners
When you are four years old, it can be intimidating to walk into a classroom for the first time and be expected to learn to read and write in English. You hear unfamiliar sounds, your favorite animal or food is called something different, and you are unsure how to act. Can
An Educator’s Perspective: Lessons learned in preparing multilingual students to study in English
In November of 2022, National Geographic Learning hosted two panels titled ‘The Evolving World of English Learning: A School’s-Eye View‘ featuring the perspective of several educators. Following the discussions, the panelists reflected on the question ‘What are the most important lessons you’ve learned in preparing multilingual students to study some
The Evolving World of English Learning
“We’re trying to find a balance between just knowing stuff and knowing how to apply the knowledge into effective learning and things to do in life.” Coordinator, Private High School, Mexico BACKGROUND In 2021, we spoke with over 60 people in 19 countries at different schools teaching kindergarten to high
Social and Emotional Learning Activities for Very Young Learners
In my recent webinar about multidisciplinary learning in English classes with very young learners, I asked participants which range of skills they thought were the most important in the preschool classroom. About 20% voted for Social and Emotional Skills, in addition to the majority who voted for it as part
Visible Thinking Routines in the ELT Classroom
As English language teachers and educators on the path of enrichment, we’re always on the lookout for new ideas and activities that we can incorporate into our classrooms to enrich our students’ learning experience. In the past, I would spend hours trawling my favorite ELT resource sites looking for that
A Checklist for Encouraging Family Engagement
There is no doubt about the important role that parents and caregivers play in their children’s school lives. Researchers have been telling us this for decades but up until now it has been much easier for teachers to just “get on with it” and for families to “leave us to
Bridging the Gap Between Home and School
This is the blog post to read if you are a school manager, coordinator, or freelance teacher looking to build stronger relationships with parents and caregivers. Read on to learn practical ways to build trust, confidence, and establish a genuine partnership between home and school. Introduction We have long known