In 2009, I posed the question, “Is it all right for the teacher to use the student’s native language?” (See post.) In that post, I recalled a work experience early in my teaching career when I caved in to the school’s request that I hide my knowledge of Russian. I’d be surprised by this request…
Tag: TESOL
The Impact of a TESOL Convention
I’m still running from conference room to conference room (and sometimes from the TCC to the Marriott). It’s the last day of TESOL 2024. I wish there were three of me so that I could attend all the sessions I’m interested in, but sadly I have to make my final selections. I’m happy to say…
TESOL 2019 Highlights: Tips for Teaching Communication and Culture
Two different sessions in Atlanta addressed skills that are challenging to acquire and teach: humor competence and political correctness. The first was a poster session presented by John Rucynski of the Language Education Center at Okayama University in Japan. I made it a point to arrive promptly as I knew an interesting topic could gather…
TESOL 2019 Highlights: Ludicrous Lawsuits That Engage Learners
TESOL is in full swing, and I’ve attended a number of informative sessions. I’ll do my best to share valuable take-away over the next few weeks. Let’s start with the well-thought-out approach to listening and speaking presented by Takako Smith of University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Takako teaches within PIESL (Programs in English as a Second Language). In…
Heading to TESOL 2019!
I’ll be heading to Atlanta, Georgia this week for the annual TESOL Convention. I hope to meet new and old colleagues. Please stop by the Materials Writers’ Booth in the Expo Hall on Wednesday from 3:30 to 4:30 and say hi! I’ll be presenting twice on Friday, March 15. 9:30 – 10:15 a.m. Creating…
TESOL 2018 Highlights: My Take-Away from Different Presenters
I had to cut my TESOL experience short this year due to the overlap with the Easter holiday, but I’m happy that I still managed to pack some take-away thoughts with me. I always jot down lots of notes at sessions I attend, and then I reflect on them back at home when I’ve had…
TESOL 2018 Highlights: Creativity Through Collaboration
For the second year in a row, Mary Allegra of University of Carabobo in Venezuela enticed me into the Electronic Village with her session title. Last year she co-presented in the EV about Quizizz (read post). This year she teamed up with her colleague Monica Fernandez to demonstrate possibilities with Google Slides. Their session was…
TESOL 2018 Highlights: Online Tools for ELLs
Visiting the Electronic Village at the annual TESOL convention is a must for me. Even a single visit can result in the discovery of a few different resources. The title of one presentation this year immediately caught my attention: Three Powerful Online Tools for Skills Development. The presenter, Silvia Laborde of Alianza Cultural Uruguay-Estados Unidos…
Join Me in Chicago: TESOL 2018
Hello everyone! I hope to see some of you in a few days at the annual TESOL convention. I’ll be presenting at two different times this year: Teaching and Technology: How Many Different Hats Can Teachers Wear? Wednesday, March 28, 2018 at 9:30 AM Location: N128 (McCormick Place, North Building) Interest Section: Video and Digital Media…
More Tech Tools for Building Vocabulary and Reading Skills
It’s often amazing how much information teachers are able to share within their short presentations at the Electronic Village at TESOL each year. Back in Seattle, I was fortunate to sit at the computer station with Bridget Green of Gonzaga University. Through her talk Focus on Vocab and Reading with Profilers, Sizers, and Rewordify I learned about several…
TESOL 2017 Highlights: Smart Ways to Use Smartphones
My mind is stirring in excitement from all that I learned at the 2017 TESOL Convention. I love learning from my colleagues, and this year there was no shortage of ideas in the Electronic Village. I plan to share a number of posts based on my frequent visits to EV workshops. At one EV Technology Fair,…
TESOL 2017 Highlights: The Take Away from the Top
As usual, the convention has been one exciting whirlwind. I attended some very useful talks and took plenty of notes, so it will take a number of posts to share my highlights with you. Let’s start at the top…meaning the keynote speakers. Dudley Reynolds, our 2016-2017 TESOL President, spoke on Professional English Language Teachers in…
English with Jennifer 