TESOL 2013 Highlights – Day 3 – Part 1

Criteria to Guide Topic Selection in ELT Materials Development. Deborah Gordon, Laurie Blass, and Jenny Bixby led a session that benefited both the classroom teacher and the full-time materials writer. Whether you are designing in-house materials or working for a publisher, it is important to understand why a purely subjective choice of topics is not likely going to be as successful as a criteria-based evaluation system for topic selection. Deborah began by identifying some of the influences on topic selection, such as the market and standards. Jenny observed how high-interest topics are subjective and change over time, but we also have “evergreen” topics, for example, food or relationships, which are addressed from different angles over the years. Laurie warned how a topic may look good to you, but may not be exactly right for your students. Deborah later used a cupcake analogy to emphasize that last point: As materials writers, we must look past the sweet cupcakes and look for the shiny apples.

The trio listed points to focus on when making a topic selection: (1) students’ interests, (2) students’ needs, (3) relevance for the students, (4) course objectives, (5) and how well a given topic provides a context for the teaching points. They warned against “topic fatigue” and the need to choose topics that are neither too broad or too narrow. They also raised the point of “shelf life” in the case of a book. How long will it be until the next edition comes out? Will the topic have relevance over the next, say, 6 years?

Their overreaching principles were stated as questions. (1) Does this topic use the students’ time well? (2) What is the take-away for the student? Deborah urged us to find the “nutrition” in our materials by identifying content as worthy of discussion,  text structures and vocabulary as useful, and content as conducive to critical thinking.

The three experienced authors then offered a 5-point rating system that could be customized for each writing project, big or small. They shared a long list of criteria-defining questions, which participants got to discuss in pairs. We were asked to identify the four that we considered most important. One of the questions I circled was “Is the topic something students can relate to or have experience with?” While I still feel relevance is important, I should also have circled “Is the topic culturally or politically controversial?” I appreciated hearing insights from other participants. Some were from different parts of the globe, so perspectives on cultural factors were shared. Two Brazilian teachers said that they were able to address a very wide range of topics with their young adults. For teachers from other countries, the number of taboo topics was a lot higher.

Thank you to Jenny, Laurie, and Deborah for giving us all something to take away from this 7:30 session!

More Day 3 highlights to come!

TESOL 2013 Highlights – Day 2 – Part 2

Subconsciously Held Bias: Exposing the Myth of Racial Colorblindedness. Aram deKoven of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire was Friday’s keynote speaker. Dr. deKoven focused on how people, including experienced educators, have biases, many of which are used subconsciously to interpret situations.  A quick vocabulary activity demonstrated how our minds are wired to make associations. Dr. deKoven explained that our biases can be explicit or implicit.  It is important to understand that once a sensation is subconscious, we cannot modify it or control its affects.  As educators, we must recognize how biases can negatively affect students and their performance. If students are aware of biases held against them due to race, gender, etc., then their performance can only improve when those social pressures are lifted. Dr. deKoven explored the concept of identity and the possible sources of subconscious messages. He drove home the point that education holds the key to liberation and that teachers are some of the first gatekeepers. We can help students succeed when we have positive first impressions of them. Teachers can support learners through a warm climate, a challenging amount of input, opportunities for greater student response, and detailed feedback. Dr. deKoven suggested participants take a social attitudes test through Project Implicit.

A Balancing Act? Materials Writers, Publishers, Classroom Teachers and Researchers. The Materials Writers Interest Section assembled a panel of experts, and though there were unavoidable last-minute changes in the lineup, the session allowed for an honest, productive discussion on how perspectives, needs, and wants get balanced as textbooks get written and published for classroom use. Christina Cavage, the new MWIS co-chair, introduced each speaker for this academic session.  Irene Schoneberg of Hunter College spoke first, and began by noting how both teachers and materials writers each have their own balancing act to perform. Many aspiring materials writers were in attendance, and I hope they appreciated some of the frank insights this experienced author shared. Irene emphasized that schedules matter to publishers and explained how the marketing team and development editor (DE) make final decisions, which are influenced by market feedback. In the case of art, publishers have to make decisions partly based on the art budget.

Keith Folse inspired many with his humorous narrative of his road to becoming a materials writer. In the early days, he was simply a young teacher in the making who saw a need that was not being met, so he created the materials that were in demand at his school. Prompting by a supervisor put him in contact with a publisher and he grabbed their attention. That early publication remains in print today.

Pierre Montagano was a delightful addition to the panel. This marketer from Cambridge University Press addressed trends and truths about publishing today. Some of the trends? Video is replacing print. Adult gadget ownership is increasing. More courses are going online. As for the truths, Pierre observed how this new generation of learners and teachers doesn’t like to read instructions. They learn by doing. This form of impatience forces publishers to create platforms that are intuitive. Also, Pierre pointed out that while technology has a definite “cool” factor, we must always determine a purpose for any technology brought into the classroom. He used stimulating visuals to prompt reflection on concepts in publishing, such as the marriage between marketing and editorial.

Nick Robinson rounded up the group with his dynamic perspective as an independent publishing professional. He has not only authored books, but now works to represent other authors, making matches between writers and publishers. (You can find him on LinkedIn.) Nick discussed options of self-publishing, which he recognizes as a possible route for niche markets, and the use of open platforms, like English360. Some of his points supported the online trends mentioned by Pierre.

Thank you to all four speakers for sharing their helpful insights.

Day 3 highlights to come!

TESOL 2013 Highlights – Day 2 – Part 1

Mobile Learning for the 21st Century. At 7:30 bright and early on Friday morning, Susan Gaer of Santa Ana College gave an informative session on how to integrate mobile technology into language learning. She had participants begin with the same activity she uses with students early on in a course. We partnered up and used her guided questions to discover the features on our phones. As Susan noted, this paired talk saves the teacher the challenging task of trying to explain features on different types of smart phones. In our session, partners sometimes helped owners discover features they didn’t even realize they had. Susan’s questions also teach basic vocabulary: video, vibrate, text message, audio recorder, and more. The questions also help basic students review yes-no questions in the simple present. Does your cell phone have a camera? – Yes, it does. / No, it doesn’t. Another great tip was to use a photo as an ice breaker/ warm-up. Have students choose one photo (from their vast collections) and share it with a partner. Comments and questions naturally follow.

Susan wisely addresses cell phone etiquette with a set of questions about appropriate use in various settings. She uses these questions both at the beginning and ending of a course. She aims to teach students that in addition to being an instrument of communication, the cell phone is a learning device. One suggested activity has students write about a time they saw a cell phone being used inappropriately. (Susan has offered samples of student writings on her website.  Her students have signed releases, so you are free to use the texts in your own classes as models.)

Susan also recommended the use of mass text messaging through programs like Remind101. This free site allows teachers to stay in touch with students via daily messages, homework reminders, and other notifications. Susan has sent questions to students over the weekend and used their short replies to prepare a customized lesson for Monday’s class.

The use of photos was also discussed, and Susan used the clever term “instant photo gratification,” which is possible through sites like Photobucket, Flickr, and Google+. Her favorite lesson plan with photos is based on an activity about favorite clothes. Students use photos of favorite items in their closets and activate related vocabulary through presentations.

Making the most of her 45 minutes, Susan fit in a demonstration of online polling with Poll Everywhere. Instant audience feedback keeps votes anonymous but shows results as the votes are counted. Susan has had success using instant polls as warm-ups. As students enter the classroom, the key question and voting instructions are already on the board/ screen. The results lead into the start of the lesson.

Kudos to Susan for sharing so much in such a little time! She has also generously posted her handout and her presentation slides online (in PowerPoint and in Keynote).

More highlights to come!

TESOL 2013 Highlights – Day 1 – Part 2

Creating and Choosing the Best Materials for Speaking and Pronunciation. Before my own 12:00 presentation on Thursday, I was able to sit in on the first half of this wonderful intersection between the Materials Writers and the Listening-Speaking-Pronunciation Interest Groups. Steve Jones, the new MWIS co-chair, organized an amazing panel. I benefitted from two speakers’ insights before I had to make an early departure. First, Judy Gilbert, a respected authority in the field, shared her recommendations for teaching individual sounds and intonation. Key was her belief that the sounds S and D at the end of words are relatively more important than other sounds, like the infamous TH. Why? Because -s and -d endings are grammar signals, and their absence can cause miscommunication. She stated that in the early stages of learning English pronunciation, approximate sounds are fine, and it is not worth worrying too much over accuracy. For comprehension, “something like hissing” is good enough for a final -s, and “some kind of stop” is good enough for a final -d. Accurate voiced and unvoiced sounds can be attained later. Judy then explained the importance of intonation as the carrier of individual sounds. She went on to to present her Prosody Pyramid, which places a thought group at the foundation and the peak vowel (stressed vowel) of the focus word at the top of the pyramid. Peak vowels are the only critical vowel sounds. If students try to pronounce more than one focus word within a thought group, Judy explained, the system disintegrates and the speaker’s message or tone can be misunderstood. I appreciated Judy’s celebration of choral repetition, clarifying that students benefit from focused, quality repetition. Choral speaking at a natural rate helps learners overcome inhibitions and maintains rhythm. Judy demonstrated use of body movement to help students internalize contractions (open arms = full form > close arms = contracted form) and use of the a kazoo to comprehend the contrast of a focus word with the other words in a thought group.

Tamara Jones from the British School of Brussels followed and agreed with Judy’s emphasis on “listener friendly” pronunciation. Tamara presented her Prosody Package: word stress, speech groups, rhythm, focus, linking, and intonation. Her talk gave teachers ideas for integrating pronunciation practice of those six features into lessons based on our favorite go-to textbooks. For example, she recommends asking students to mark thought groups with slashes on texts written for reading practice. She has students read the given text along with her, and together they all use a large down-sweeping motion of one arm and a “shoook!” sound effect to mark each pause – - Tamara also believes in the value of body movement in the effort to internalize pronunciation. Among her numerous suggestions is the activity of mirroring actors in short dramatic pieces (TV, film). Tamara listed guidelines to ensure the activity would be effective: 1. Have students mirror actors of the same gender (i.e., male students mirror male actors). 2. Don’t allow use of cartoons or animated films. 3. Screen the clips students wish to use to ensure their choices are appropriate (e.g., don’t allow them to choose a film segment with a long fight scene). Tamara has filmed her students mirroring and asked them to watch their own performances. I appreciated other insights, among which was the idea that intonation errors are more dangerous than grammar errors because incorrect intonation can send the wrong message about tone.  Tamara observed that we usually spend significantly more time correcting students’ grammar errors, and yet we want our students to have control over the message they’re sending through accurate intonation.

Language Teaching Insights from Other Fields. This session showcased an exciting and soon-to-be-released TESOL publication edited by Christopher Stillwell. The 14 (yes, fourteen!) presenters shared highlights from their respective chapters. What participants got was a buffet of insights and tips drawn from other professions.

1. A former restaurant reviewer advised us to wield our power judiciously. For example, a harsh critique can shut down a writer in the classroom.
2. A martial arts instructor suggested we disguise repetition (not unlike the teachings of Tamara Jones and Judy Gilbert, by the way). This black belt/ ESL teacher advised us to use a variety of tools and settings to encourage repetition in order to master a particular skill.
3. A former manager observed that incentives must be valued by the student and must be achievable. The goal of the teacher should be to get students to perform their best.
4. Next to speak was a former TV commercial producer, who shared ways to make a lesson memorable. The tip: Know your core message and find the story to tell it. Teachers need to identify elements of a story to capture students’ interest.
5. A former business professional explained the usefulness of forcing judgment and disagreement through questions in order to promote production, particularly fast-paced conversation.
6. A former bartender highlighted the need to build rapport and know students’ names and needs. He encouraged teachers to remain positive since our mood can affect our students.
7. Speaking of moods was a nice transition to the tips presented by a positive psychologist, who places importance on being happy, healthy people. We learned the benefits of having students write a “Gratitude Journal.” As they recreate a happy state with words, they are producing language.
8. We also heard from a project manager, who placed importance on making lesson objectives S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely).
9. A gamer shared his insights from the RPG (role-playing games) world. The strategy of giving a good setup and encouraging students to assume a persona allows for richer production.
10. An experienced public speaker and toastmaster gave the simple but important tip to tailor your message to your audience.
11. A former learning disabilities specialist reminded us of the struggles learners face, and she suggested always doing review of the previous lesson, taking a multi-sensory approach, and practicing positive, non-judgmental teaching.
12. A former document designer warned us of cultural differences in the materials we create. Documents can shape attitudes.
13. A social activist suggested activities such as writing a letter of critique to the author of a fairy tale that has gender stereotypes. Alternatives were rewriting the tale and having a debate over the tale as-is.
14. Finally, a once-upon-a-time hopeful actor taught us the role of improvisation: You can’t say no. In other words, teachers have to find ways to keep the flow going.

Day 2 highlights to come!

TESOL 2013 Highlights – Day 1 – Part 1

TESOL is off to a great start! Here are some Day 1 highlights.

Make Your Own Board Game. At 7:30 bright and early in the morning, Jordan Gusich of University of Arkansas showed an eager group of teachers how to make original board games using Microsoft Publisher. His tutorial demonstrated how easy it was for those familiar with Microsoft Word to create templates using various shapes (mostly arrows) and text boxes. Microsoft Publisher is a part of the Microsoft suite, but for those looking for alternative software, there are LibreOffice (free, open-source) and Google Drawing. Jordan has used his game boards to break the ice at a first lesson, to serve as a prewriting/ brainstorming activity, to review grammar, and more. He explained that teachers have the option of setting the rules and writing in the text (questions or tasks); however, he found it highly productive to allow students the opportunity to create their own games. Much communication, negotiating, and creativity flow from that group activity. Students come up with time limits, questions, tasks, and even their own game pieces. In this short session, I also picked up some new tricks like using control/ left click / drag/ release to duplicate an inserted shape. Thanks, Jordan! His helpful, idea-packed handout is available on his website.

The Project of Critical Intercultural Communication. Thomas Nakayama, an invited speaker and professor of Communication Studies from Northeastern University, delivered an engaging presentation to a very full arena mid-morning. He gave information and prompted reflection on issues pertaining to culture. Professor Nakayama began with a brief history of Intercultural Communication, highlighting key events, such as the Foreign Service Act of 1946, which contributed to the training of Foreign Service workers prior to departure. Attendees learned the difference between a culture-specific approach and a culture-general approach. The latter seeks a general framework to be applied to any culture. We were also encouraged to go beyond viewing culture as something static. Professor Nakayama asserted that culture is also very dynamic; it is something we live and shape, and it keeps changing. As his talk moved away from the traditional approach (focusing on a culture-specific information) toward a critical approach, he raised questions like “How and why do cultures come into contact?” Key issues of communication, power, and contexts were explored. I like to ponder the implications of his observation that people can have different amounts of power when they come into contact. Professor Nakayama explained that political, social, and historical contexts shape our cultural experiences. His dialectical approach to culture asks, “What in the past shapes the present and future?” It also recognizes the contrast between public and private conversation about cultural values and the influence the former (in the form of public debate) can have on the latter. Thank you, Professor Nakayama, for the insights…too many to recall in this short space.

More to come!

TESOL Convention 2013

Another snowstorm is heading to New England, but weather permitting, I will fly to Dallas, Texas on Tuesday in order to attend the annual TESOL convention. Visit the TESOL site for registration info and access to the online program. If you aren’t able to attend, there will be webcasts for some presentations. As in previous years, I hope to share some of the convention highlights here on my blog.

If you are attending, I hope to meet some of you there. Here are some of the places I plan to be.

• On Wednesday I’ll be at the Leadership Luncheon in the afternoon, and in the evening at 5:30 I’ll attend the Materials Writers-IS social event at City Tavern.
• On Thursday I will be presenting with Christina Cavage at 12:00 in Room D174 of the Convention Center. Our presentation is titled Moving Grammar Instruction Online: The Approach of the Next Generation, and we will talk about Pearson’s newest grammar series. Click here to learn more about Next Grammar Grammar and my contributions. In the evening, I plan to attend the MWIS Business Meeting at 5:30.
• On Friday I will join other members of the Book Publications Committee to present I Want to Write a Book! Getting Published with TESOL. at 2:00 in room C145.
  
• On Saturday I will make the most of my final day by taking in sessions in the morning and afternoon.

Let the fun and learning begin!

Fun Lessons with Funny TV Ads

The connection between language and culture is very evident in TV ads, especially funny ones. What’s the humor? Is it funny to everyone? What exactly is the message and who is it intended for? These questions can lead to very thoughtful discussions.

There are a number of sources from which you can select appropriate commercials for your students. Here are just a few to get your search started:

• Very Funny Ads
• Best Ads Ever (click on Funny Ads)
• TV ads View
• YouTube (You can find single ad videos and videos with a collection, for example, Super Bowl Ads.)

What can you do with the ads? Follow-up speaking or writing activities balance the listening practice done when students view the ads.

1. Discuss the intended message. Work in infinitives of purpose or conditional clauses. Example: (Based on an Old Spice ad.) The man says that Old Spice can be used to attract ladies. If you use Old Spice, you’ll smell great and be more attractive.

2. Discuss the intended audience. Work in relative clauses. Example: (Based on an Eggo Waffles ad.) The audience can be anyone who loves breakfast. They want to convince people that their waffles are the kind of food (that) people love and fight over.

3. Discuss symbolism. Teach appropriate vocabulary: represents, stands for, signifies, symbolizes, suggests, reflects, or  makes us think of. Example: (Based on Fed Ex ad.) I think the dominoes represent the idea of delivery. You send something at one point, and Fed Ex takes your package to another. The paths stand for all the possible routes. The music suggests an upbeat attitude, so the company wants us to believe they’re happy to do their work.

4. Write dialog when none exists. Review punctuation for direct speech and offer a short list of appropriate reporting verbs for the ads you select. Example: (Based on a Yorkie candy bar ad.) The man enters the the home, tired but proud. He announces, “I’m home.” His wife looks at him and then back at her magazine. “Can you take them to the kitchen, hon?” she says in a bored voice.

5. Do voiceovers or re-enact ads. Find an ad with a short text, such as this other Eggo Waffles ad. Have students work together to transcribe what the narrator says.  Help them practice reading smoothly and at the right time and pace.  You can have students take turns being the narrator as you play the video on mute.  Another idea is to have them perform the dialog they wrote for a silent ad (see number 4 above).

Suggestions: You can select one video and base your lesson around that, or you can create a playlist of several videos which students should be able to access before and/or after the lesson. For example, if you practice using relatives clauses with one ad in class, you can assign additional videos to be watched outside of class for students to write about using relative clauses. Who is the intended audience for each ad? At the next lesson, ideas can be shared and additional work with those same ads can be done as a whole group.

Alternative ideas:

1. You can work with more serious TV ads, but the good ones are hard to find. Here’s one about safe driving by Sussex Safer Roads. It would really prompt students to explain the action on the screen using the simple present and present progressive. The symbolism is clear and should touch on universal values.

2. Students can create their own ads. Infomercials promote collaboration. Click for more details.

Professional Development through Video

With the annual TESOL convention around the corner, many of my thoughts lately have centered around professional development. I’ve already mentioned webinars that can benefit us teachers. This week I’d like to highlight another type of resource. I’ve received a few requests for teacher training videos recently. I’ve only dabbled in that area in the past, so before I consider how exactly I could meet this current demand, I thought I should list some quality video resources already available.

• [FREE] Pearson ELT Videocasts. This is a small but growing collection of videos that cover both broad and specific topics, from the use of technology to successful lesson plans. Featured teachers include Jeremy Harmer and Jamie Keddie.

• [FREE] Lessonstream.org. Jamie Keddie has produced a whole lot more on his own site (formerly TEFL Clips). Here you’ll find a generous offering of classroom activities, modeled by Jamie himself.  His style is clear, simple, natural, and fun. The numerous ideas are nicely organized by level, learner type, topic, time frame, language aim, and materials.

• [FREE] TeacherTube. This resource is not limited to ESL/EFL, but you can filter your search and find videos on topics such as the stages of language acquisition (defined and illustrated) and videos modeling warm-up activities.

• [FREE] Shaping the Way We Teach English by UOregon. This is a well-made teacher training series produced in cooperation with the University of Oregon. The creators describe it as a 14-module series that builds a pedagogical foundation and improves classroom practices. David Deubelbeiss (M.Ed, B.Ed) offers a free Basic TEFL Certificate Course based on this video series.

• [Subscription] TEFLVideos. This site also makes professional development on-demand. You can watch a few free clips demonstrating dos and don’ts in the classroom as well as strategies for teaching specific skills, like vocabulary and reading. Through a subscription, members can watch a mock interview to prepare for a job search. If you already have a job, but want to know what other job choices are like, there’s a video showing the life of an EFL teacher in Shanghai, China.

Scratching Our Heads over Idioms and Common Sayings

I find that students love to ask about idioms and common sayings they come across. Idioms especially lend themselves to fun lessons, but where exactly should they fit in? How should we teach them?

Idioms are common in conversation and they appear quite often in the news, so encounters with them outside class are inevitable online and offline. However, students need to be cautioned about idiomatic expressions. Some believe that using a lot of idioms will help their speech sound more natural. The danger, however, in overloading one’s speech with idiomatic expressions is that it can backfire and make one sound unnatural. Who colors each and every sentence with an idiom? And do you really use a proverb in every conversation? No. Otherwise you might come off sounding like the narrator reading the moral to the story.

Furthermore, students need to understand the importance of appropriacy when learning this kind of vocabulary. Many idioms are informal. Stating a proverb can be interpreted as advice or judgment, neither of which may be welcomed in certain relationships.  Our students need multiple encounters with idioms and proverbs to understand when to use them and with whom to use them.

“Multiple encounters” does not mean overloading our lessons with common expressions. I recall having to teach from a textbook on idioms in the past, and it presented long lists of expressions. What I found was that none of the fabricated contexts could recreate an authentic encounter. Students struggled to retain the language because of the sheer amount, and they also failed to grasp all the nuances without further instruction or supplemental materials. Idioms and proverbs are likely best learned through natural encounters, for instance, as part of song or film you are using for listening practice or within the headline of an article you are using for reading and discussion.

In  my YouTube videos, I’ve experimented with different approaches to teaching common idioms and sayings. My practice is generally to limit one tutorial to three key expressions. Any more could lead to information overload. Also, when possible, I include conversation with a guest speaker. In an upcoming lesson on idioms, I have no guest speaker, but I fully exploit my context by filming on location and connecting each expression to an activity.

Want a hint where I filmed my upcoming vocabulary lesson? Read this old posting.

Click here for ideas for providing communicative and controlled practice with idioms.

Getting a Handle on English as a Foreign Language

Every teacher brings something of value to the classroom, yet all of us teachers have at least one area in which we can improve. I have my own set of goals that I’m working toward. Along the path of professional development, I like to look around and see if there’s some way I can assist other teachers. I’ve benefited from others’ experience over the years, so I feel it’s important to give back to our ELT community.

Lately I’ve been receiving requests from non-native speakers of English teaching EFL in schools and universities in different countries. Their communication with me increases my understanding of the challenges they face and the resources they seek. Here are some ideas I’d like to share with those in this group who have yet to feel sure-footed in their teaching:

• Learn the expressions you need most and learn them well. Some newer EFL teachers struggle to decrease the use of L1 in their classrooms and increase the use of L2. Some elementary school teachers in non-English speaking countries face the challenge of a broad curriculum, and English is just one of several subjects they must teach. To help bring more English into EFL lessons, I answered the request of a few teachers and created a set of basic Classroom Instructions. I use a simple listen-repeat pattern, but I hope the collection of videos will help those in need of common classroom language.
• Rehearse key points of a presentation. Any presenter knows that the key to delivering something smoothly is practice. When faced with a new topic to teach, try giving your explanation out loud at home. You might also be able to find other teachers’ presentations online and compare their wording to yours.
• Let online resources support your teaching, not encroach upon it. There are rich resources available today. You can bring in audio and video materials to aid your instruction and expose students to other models.  However, be careful not to overuse a resource. You are the teacher, and you must remain the main source of instruction in your own classroom. (Click to read a related post on the pronunciation of the teacher.)
• Be confident that you are a competent facilitator in EFL instruction. As a learner of English yourself, you have heightened awareness of the process of learning English. You are in tune with the challenges your students face. Your own proficiency in English can inspire students, and your continued study of the language can serve as a model. You may feel you lack fluency in some respect, but you have certainly mastered enough and care enough to guide your learners’ progress. In truth, your knowledge of English grammar and vocabulary can surpass that of many native speakers.
• Find support among your colleagues. Hopefully, we can all find support and give support when needed. It’s very upsetting to hear stories of language learners being criticized or teased by spouses, coworkers, or classmates. It breaks my heart even more to learn how one English language instructor has caused hurt and embarrassment by criticizing another instructor’s proficiency in English. If we cannot support one another, how can we create a positive learning experience for our students? Let’s all remember the value of positive feedback and constructive criticism done with sensitivity and respect.