My first workshop and webinar - Experiences I want to make again and again

In the last few weeks I was really busy with my lessons but I made time for my first workshop and webinar.

1) Workshop - Teaching Teenagers: 4 Skills + 1 at the TESOL Italy's 39th National Convention

In this workshop I talked about how we can engage teen learners and how to create fun lesson plans which integrate the four linguistic skills, and at the same time, allow the students to learn job skills. I shared with the audience my series of lessons called "If I were a... JOB". The example I used was If I were a... mayor. 

However, before handing out my own lesson plan I showed them this slide and I asked to create their own lesson plan. While they were working in small groups I supervised and I noticed that the most difficult part was to integrate the skills with the aims. So I told them, "Be creative, don't be afraid of trying something new and you'll see that you and your students will have a lot of fun"!

Over the last few lessons my teen students and I have also tried out to be TV reporters and real estate agents and I hope to share my lesson plans soon with you. 

2) Webinar - Games in the English classroom hosted by Jason R Lavine (Fluency MC) and WizIQ.

I'd never been fond of teaching online because I'd always thought it was not my cup of tea but yesterday I completely changed my mind. I'd always believed I couldn't have enough interaction with the audience in a webinar but I was terribly wrong! Yesterday I had the chance to meet teachers from any part of the world and I was able to share my ideas with them. Moreover, at the end of webinar some of them even contacted me on social networks and we continued our conversation about teaching issues. 

I loved having this webinar also because I could talk about something I usually do with my students in my language studio. Playing games is so important to me because they add variety to the lesson, they make students feel relaxed and less worried about mistakes and finally we have a lot of fun!

If you wish to see the slides and the webinar recording please enroll here ;-)

https://www.wiziq.com/…/88643-games-in-the-english-classroom 

I'd like to thank once again Jason for giving me this fantastic chance and introducing me to the world of online teaching!

Back to teach - Ready for a new adventure

After a long time here I am back again. My dream about having a larger studio where my students and I could feel more comfortable has just come true.

In a couple of weeks I am going to take up my lessons again and I'm ready to share my ideas and experiences with you, my dear followers.

During the summer I went on picking up new strategies, approaches and methods.
I read some interesting (e)books such as The Practice of English Teaching from which I learnt more and more about how to teach the four linguistics skills and Learning to Go by Shelly Sanchez. If you like me love teaching by using mobile device you must read it, you will get fantastic ideas.

Plus, I attended most of the excellent webinars hosted by the  iTDi Summer School MOOC for English Teachers.
I was impressed by Shelly and Sylvia Guinan who inspired me a lot in their session about being an EduHero. I totally agree with them when they say we are model heroes our students must follow to get better and better results not only in learning English but also in all the other aspects of their lives.

In Shelly's words,

"It is important as EduHeroes that we inspire our students to also go on heroic journeys. We need our learners to feel like heroes, that it is their duty to care about the world. We need to inspire them to learn math, science, languages, writing, and literacy not to take tests, but because by obtaining these skills along their hero journeys they will be able to find cures, get closer to living in a peaceful world, lead meaningful lives, and solve world issues like hunger, poverty, and illiteracy. The only way that we will raise heroes is if we, their teachers, impart to them this mission and let them know we believe that each one of them has the ability and strength to be a hero if they just choose to endure the journey and learn the skills". 

(Read here Shelly's post)

We share our mission/adventure with our students because teaching and learning can't exist without each other. Our human touch is crucial because students are individuals and we have to treat them with care and respect. We need to support them in their learning adventure with patience without getting angry or upset with them if they cannot achieve their goals immediately. 

Learning means loving, getting involved, trying, making mistakes, falling down and getting back up again. 

For this reason I'd like to dedicate this song to my past, present and future students. Are you ready for a new adventure? I am ;-)