Laughter and learning can work together

I have been teaching English for 25 years. I have taught my twin daughters English and now they are studying English at universities and are getting ready to become translators. Having spent such a long time with students of different ages I am convinced that laughter and learning can work together better than learning without laughter. Incorporating games into your class sessions allows students to use the skills they are learning while at the same time, be amused and have the opportunity to cooperate with other students. Games help create friendly, respectful competition and encourage students to use language rather than to focus on the rules of the English language. Most games are planned so that allow students to use language and work together as a team. I especially like Whisper Circle. To play the game you should divide students into groups of six or seven and give a sentence to one of the students who then returns to his group and whispers the sentence to the person to his right who repeats the process until the seventh student says the sentence out loud.

Teaching by Asking Instead of by Telling

Have you ever happen to fail through with getting the right answers  even if it seems to you that you explained the rules perfectly, you showed all the pictures and played all the games, you used all the methods possible and still there’s no response? Sure you have. It happens from time to time to all of us. In this case I use Socratic Method. I like using it explaining and revising Grammar. The point is getting students involved and excited only by asking them questions. Every time I use this method I see my Ss fully participated and absorbed in the material. It may seem doubtful that questions and only questions can arouse curiosity and serve as a logical stepwise guide that enables students to make up decisions on complex topics with their own thinking and insights, but it is so.

Boring stuff at school

I absolutely agree with many of my colleagues that lots of teenagers are getting distracted from boring stuff at school. On the one hand, it is obvious that something should be done with school structures, children’s motivation and assessments. On the other hand, I do not think that our school system is the same as it was 15 or 20 years ago. A lot has been changed during this period: pupils, teachers, teaching technologies… Although ringing bells, separate facilities, age groups still exist, individual studying and student-centered technology have also appeared. It is true that we must think about our children’s cultural identity and life values, which are not measured by standardized testing.

In fact, it is always difficult to change (our habits, methods, system), but it is a necessity of modern life.  I also try to develop myself by studying and using new technologies such as critical thinking, for example. And I wonder what effects would be if the learning we value would not be reduced to usual grades.

Semantic Gradients

     
      Semantic Gradients are a way to broaden and deepen Ss understanding of related words. Ss consider a continuum of words by order or degree. Semantic gradients often begin with antonyms, or opposites, at each end of continuum.

            This strategy helps Ss distinguish between shades of meaning. By enhancing their vocabulary ,Ss can be more precise and imaginative in their writing. Semantic gradients provide opportunities for Ss to discern shades of meaning by building on what they already know.

As Ss arrange the words in their list, they can discuss and justify their ordering.

1.                 To differentiate, Ss can be given the topic and all the words on index cards or sticky notes with the left and right degrees already determined. Ss then have to place the rest of the words in order.

Example: depressed                   upset                indifferent

                  neutral                       happy                  glad

2.              Ss can be given the topic  and all the words on index cards or sticky notes and a black line to place all the words on (in order).

3.                 Ss can be given a topic and a group of Ss can generate a list of words related to the topic and then place the words in order on the line.

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