Perhaps one of the most controversial topics I have ever been called upon to examine is that of the thinking machine. The dominant fear amongst skeptics is one of an artificial takeover via physical altercations, of technology over man. The imagery of science fiction may flood our minds; graphic depictions such as those featured in the popular Terminator...
SEL for ESL (Social and Emotional Learning for English as a Second Language AND English Language Teaching)
Social and Emotional Learning. Is this a new term? Maybe so, in terms of giving it a definition and offering practical ideas on how to implement it. But if teaching languages means anything, should it not be to empower students with skills for...
Natural ecosystems are threatened, and human life is endangered because of our unwise choices. The natural environment is bleeding, while at the same time there is a rapid destabilization of the global climate, due to the reckless exploitation of nature and human interventions.
Unfortunately, the ecological disasters in our shared "home" multiply at an...
`I haven't opened it yet,' said the White Rabbit,
`but it seems to be a letter, written by the prisoner to--to somebody.'
`It must have been that,' said the King,
`unless it was written to nobody, which isn't usual, you know.'
Lewis Carroll: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
I’m a proud language teacher!!! I truly am!!! By the time my students...
The formal integration of English in the pre-primary level of education in Greece has been met with mixed reactions, as a significant number of caregivers and teachers are concerned about the familiarization of preschoolers with English as a Foreign/Second Language (EFL / ESL). Given the recent emergence of the field, teachers strive to select the most...
When I was a child, my friends and I had two educations. We had school, and we also had ‘play education’. We played in mixed-age neighbourhood groups almost every day after school, often until dark. We played all weekend and all summer long. We had time to explore in all sorts of ways, and also time to become bored and figure out how to overcome boredom...
What we already know about children 2-6 years old is that they are noisy, fussy, stubborn and on top of many other adjectives, cute, lovable, sensitive, they love exploring… and most of the times they don’t want to follow a coursebook. So, why not let them create their own?
How many times have we been invited to teach toddlers and in general preschool...
INTRODUCTION
Recent approaches to the teaching – or rather the development – of learners’ reading skills have seen considerable emphasis placed on inquiry-based learning. Inquiry-based learning is an active learning approach centred around learners’ own interests, and hence fosters conducting research, asking questions and exploring. As such, this...
Do you know the scene in Monty Python’s “The Life of Brian” where a crowd has gathered outside his house and are chanting as one?
Brian tells them they don’t need to follow a leader; that they are all individuals, they are all different to which they reply all together: “Yes, we’re all individuals! We’re all different!” Then a lone voice pipes up from the...
