017 Learning the Teacher

Adrian wonders if asking "Any Questions?" at the end of a stage or of the lesson is any use.

"There is more to be learned from any good teacherthan the subject taught.”Jim found this quote in a sci-fi novel (The Litany of theLong Sun by Gene Wolfe) and wonders what Adrian thinks of it.We discuss good (and bad) teachers we have known and wonder whether the main thing most children learn in a lesson is …  the teacher.

Jim talks about some of the issues he raised in his IATEFL2026 talk, focussing on how “learner-centred” has been misunderstood and the potential for more “learning-centred” teaching. He also discusses how “upgrade” is a more powerful concept than “correct”.Jim gets over enthusiastic and Adrian hardly gets a word in!

Some recent research suggests that physical movement (e.g. writing by hand or walking around) actively helps us to learn and be more creative. We consider what the implications might be for our language classrooms.Should we be discouraging keyboard use? How can we “take a conversation for a walk”?Find out more about the walking research by googling: “Marily Oppezzo walking” Find out more about the handwriting research by googling: “Audrey van der Meer Handwriting”Adrian mentions Earl Stevick. Stevick (1923-2013) was a linguist and teacher who had a profound influence on ELT in the 1980’s with his suggestions as to how we could adopt more “humanistic” approaches in the classroom.

Should we mourn the lost age of ELT photocopying (and the even more ancient Roneo Gestetners)? Has the era of handout-driven teaching come to an end?Is “heads up” to an IWB better than “heads down” to a handout?Plus ... there’s a bit of nostalgia for the creativity of DIY handouts

What do teachers think will happen when they say "Pay attention" to a learner? What does the learner have to do in order to "pay attention"? And what is attention anyway? How does it connect to "engagement" and "presence?If you have a question, suggestion or comment we'd love to hear from you. Write to: [email protected]

Recent interesting research about whale and chimp language starts us wondering about question asking and communication in the language classroom. Can whales have a conversation?What stops chimps asking questions?Does repetition still have a role to play?

What makes karate classes so different from language teaching lessons? What does this suggest about the value of learner-centredness, choice, decision-making and self-discipline? Should we approach different types of classroom subject in different ways?Who has the power in a classroom? Who decides the goals and the route? If you have a question, suggestion or comment we'd love to hear from you. Write to: [email protected]

Adrian worries about whether he should have praised his four-and-a-half year old grandson's map-reading skills. He relates this to his own attitude to praise, encouragement and feedback in the classroom.Should we praise in class? Or does praising reduce the learner's ability to recognise and value their own achievements?If you have a question, suggestion or comment we'd love to hear from you. Write to: [email protected]

What do we miss when we speed through our coursebook pages? Does a “fast lesson” reduce the quality of experience for teachers and learners? Is there time in our busy classrooms for “slow learning”?Could going slow actually be pacier and less boring than going fast?The article Adrian refers to is at: Slow learning - by Alexandra Mihai - The EducationalistIf you have a question, suggestion or comment we'd love to hear from you. Write to: [email protected]