Bookings now closed
The NATECLA Midlands Spring Half Day Conference, promises to be an unmissable day in the ESOL training calendar:
All ESOL practitioners - from managers and researchers to teachers and trainees - are invited to join us for an innovative programme of practical workshops and networking opportunities.
Workshop titles:
- Exploiting web-based sources for homework by Jo Gakonga
- Making in-class writing fun by Rachael Roberts
- Teaching basic literacy to ESOL learners – where do I start? by Judith Kirsh
A resources exhibition will also be available on the day.
Exhibitors - find out more about our sponsorship opportunities,
Programme
This exciting programme will focus on some of the key challenges facing ESOL practitioners today, including teaching learners with beginner literacy needs, making in-class writing fun and embedding ICT into the ESOL classroom.
13:00 - 13:30 - Registration, coffee and resources exhibition
13:30 - 14:45 - Workshop 1 (choices below)
14:45 - 15:15 - Coffee break and resources exhibition
15:15 - 16:30 - Workshop 2 (choices below)
Workshop choices - available for both sessions
Teaching basic literacy to ESOL learners – where do I start?
Are you fairly new to teaching ESOL learners who have very little literacy in English or any other language? How can you help them to develop reading and writing skills at a basic level? In this session, we’ll begin with an experiential activity to help you analyse what’s involved in ‘reading’. I’ll present a brief overview of possible approaches and theories of literacy learning, followed by a closer examination of a highly successful teaching method - the ‘language experience’ approach. After watching a video of a teacher using this approach with a learner, you’ll have an opportunity to consider how this technique could be used in your own teaching context.
About Judy Kirsh
Judy has nearly 30 years experience in the field of English Language Teaching as a teacher, teacher-trainer, external examiner, consultant and materials-writer. Recently, she has been working with Learning Unlimited on various EIF projects, having previously worked at LLU+ on a range of projects and courses including the development of the Citizenship materials for ESOL learners, ESOL subject specialist modules, combined and blended learning ESOL/Literacy DTELLS and the highly-acclaimed ‘Teaching Basic Literacy to ESOL learners’ course, to name but a few. Judy developed CPD modules for the British Council ESOL Nexus project and has also worked as a CELTA trainer. She is currently a trustee and former co-chair of NATECLA.
Making in-class writing fun, Rachael Roberts
Often when students are writing, they’re heads down, working on their own. This may be useful, but not necessarily ‘fun’. Teachers generally prefer their students to be heads up, out of their books and firmly in the classroom together, interacting .
But if we therefore always get students to write at home, and leave class time for something more interactive, in what sense are we teaching them how to be better writers? So, how can we make writing in class more attractive, more fun? Essentially this is about making writing every bit as communicative as speaking.
In this session, I look at what I think are the key ingredients for a successful, and fun, in class writing activity, giving lots of practical examples- some of which we’ll get to try out.
About Rachael Roberts
Since 1989 Rachael has worked as a teacher, teacher trainer and materials writer in both ELT and ESOL contexts. She started her career abroad, in Portugal, Brazil and Poland, then returned to the UK, where she spent ten years at Solihull College, before becoming a tutor on the ESOL Level 5 qualification at Warwick University. Currently Rachael spends most of her time writing teaching materials, but still teaches from time to time at Warwickshire College. She also spends rather too much time
on Twitter (@teflerinha) and on
her website, www.elt-resourceful.com writing posts on different aspects of materials writing and teaching .
Exploiting web-based sources for homework
Giving learners websites and video links for reading and listening outside class is a great way of increasing their exposure to natural English models but how can you support their learning? In this talk, we’ll look at a couple of free tools that allow you to annotate websites and video material and make them more learner-friendly.
About Jo Gakonga
Jo has been teaching since 1989 and training teachers since 2000 and has worked in a range of countries including Taiwan, the Czech Republic, Kenya and Switzerland. She has a DELTA, a PGCE and an MA, a website at www.elt-training.com and is the co-author of IELTS Foundation, published by Macmillan. Jo is also a CELTA trainer and assessor and has recently been involved with writing and editing the new Cambridge English CELT-S course. She is really interested in initial teacher preparation and the potential of the internet for language learning, teacher training and continuing professional development. She has three children, three chickens and a very patient and long-suffering husband.