In the first of two blog posts about teaching C2-level students, Alex Warren explores the challenges of teaching students at this proficiency level and how developing “noticing” skills can create a springboard for more appropriate, effective, and impactful communication.
English is a useful tool that will enable our students to communicate internationally. When communicating with people from different language backgrounds, students will inevitably also be communicating with people across cultures. This means communicating with people who might have different norms, different behaviors, and different communication styles from what they
Don’t press play (yet!) Using authentic video to develop communication skills? Don’t press play until you do three things! When I started teaching in the 1990s, I believed in the power of authentic video — news reports, documentaries, TV shows, films — to engage learners and bring real English into
We invited educators from around the world to share their questions about teaching teen English language learners. Dr. Jodi Crandall is here to provide answers! Jodi is a Professor Emerita and Co-Director of the MA TESOL Program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She is also a Series Editor
Bringing Learning to Life: Reflections from the Boiling River, Part 3 My friends can’t believe some of the things I get up to thanks to the connections I make through my work at National Geographic Learning — from tagging red-footed falcons in Hungary to getting top photography tips from National
More and more English language educators understand the importance of focusing not only on developing our learners’ linguistic competence, but also on helping them use English to connect with people who have different perspectives, beliefs and behavioural norms from their own. The push to help students develop global competence by the
In the constantly evolving landscape of English language teaching, the necessity to focus on real-life communication over rote learning has gained much more prominence in recent years. Many researchers and practitioners have emphasized vocabulary acquisition and its role in fostering fluency and natural language use. This blog post explores the
When you hear the term ‘mediation’, what words come to mind? Perhaps you might think of words such as negotiation, conflict, or resolution. In the common understanding of the term, the ‘mediator’ is a neutral third party in a situation of conflict who helps each party define the issues, see
The ability to communicate clearly and collaborate with others are two of the most important skills for today’s learners. These skills need to be developed through consistent practice, so it’s important to provide plenty of opportunities for learners to speak and work with others in class. Below are some ideas
Children are naturally curious, with an enormous appetite for learning about the world. When it comes to teaching English, we can tap into this curiosity by providing a window to amazing facts, people and places. The key is doing this in a way that is truly meaningful for young learners,