Tag Archives: student motivation

Creating Losers: Rethinking Games And Competitions

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Crying_babyConsider the following quotes and decide which statement is more aligned with your views of learning:

(A) “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.” – Napoleon Bonaparte

(B) “Competition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further, but cooperation, which is the thing we must strive for today, begins where competition leaves off.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Suffice it to say that I guess you all know where I’m going with this post! To what extent would you agree that competition is ‘healthy’ in the classroom?

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Correcting Student Composition: Teacher Mindsets And Student Egos

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As a follow-up to my last post on using correction codes, I thought it was appropriate to look at little deeper into the whole task of correcting students’ work, especially in terms of how teachers relate to doing this ‘chore’.

Having spoken to many teachers over the years, not just EFL teachers, I get the fact that probably that correcting papers, especially at home, is probably very low on the totem pole of reasons why one decides to become a teacher. Still, it is a vital function of the teacher, and moreover, one that directly impacts our students’ creative efforts. So, we should tread lightly and give some thought to our mindset when doing this.

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A Call To Action: Kick Ass Ecology

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Note: The following article was written by our dear colleague & friend, Steve Vassilakopoulos.

A Call to Action: Kick Ass Ecology (It’s more than just a classroom task!)

As teachers of English, the de facto international language, what we should be doing is teaching our students the English they will need to help save the environment and the future of mankind. Now that’s a pretty noble mission, wouldn’t you say? A pretty important reason for our students to communicate with others in other countries, eh? After being in the business of teaching English for almost 25 years, I would have to say that we teachers in this country are still mostly required to prepare students for exams and activities that have to do with the environment are mostly considered useful because there might be a reading passage in one of the exams or perhaps it might be one theme for the speaking part of any given exam.

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Taking Charge: Classroom Management

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The Thinker Musee RodinBefore you read any further, ask yourself the following questions and answer them honestly.

Are you teaching English until you find something more fulfilling or interesting to do with your life, that is, how seriously do you take this profession?

What do you love and hate about this job?

What qualities do you share with other teachers you admire?

What is your ‘Achilles heel’ as far as being a teacher is concerned?

What would you like to be doing in 5 years time as regards this profession?

The previous questions were basically designed to help you determine whether it is worth your while to read any further. What is meant, in other words, is that classroom management is something needs thought, reflection and action, something that anyone who wishes to provide something of value to teaching must pay serious attention to. Anyone who is not serious about EFL would not and should not be concerned about classroom management issues.

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Proficiency Exams, Teen Magazines, and Car Reviews

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Here’s a look at the power of giving students a ‘real reason’ to write, and the reeling negative effects of teaching too many ‘exam classes’. Some years ago, I was working with an upper-intermediate level exam class here in Greece, composed primarily of young teenagers who would attempt to take various C1 (advanced) level exams that year, and to be honest for no good reason, except that it was a ‘certificate’ plastered bump on the way to C2 (proficiency) level exams.

Now in all actuality my role was limited as I was mainly asked by the school’s director to sit in with the class once a week and help develop their oral skills… of course, for test purposes. As I recall, the students were fairly sharp and most concerned about passing the upcoming exam, albeit less concerned about learning the language to use in any real meaningful way. Nevertheless, motivation is motivation no matter how small. As I always say, never look a gift horse in the mouth.

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