What does “grammar” mean? Usually we equate the teaching of Grammar with the teaching of Syntax. However Grammar is defined as the total knowledge of a language and as such it is much more than Syntax. When we talk about grammar, Phonology, Morphology, Semantics, and Pragmatics also need to be considered. This common equation of grammar = syntax has contributed to the...
Beginning a new school year in Peru: We want to make the most out of it without “dying” in the attempt, don´t we? So, why not try a Poka-Yoke mentality to design classes and activities? Before going into the Poka-Yoke thinking, let’s explore a probable familiar situation. What was our experience like last year?
Last year is gone, but some experiences remain...
Flashcards, cassettes, DVDs, overhead projectors, chalk, blackboards, posters, wall chart papers, magazines, newspapers…. Are you familiar with them all? And what about these ones: Hotmail, Yahoo, SMART Board, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp? The shift from the first series to the second one has not taken very long. But you don’t have to get overly anxious: before we have mastered...
By Carmen Hurtado What is Metacognition? Considered as the key to success for EFL learners, it refers to the mental process described as “thinking about thinking”. That is, what makes learners master their knowledge and learning process. It is also understood as a regulatory system that helps learners understand their cognitive performance by allowing them take charge of their own learning....
Teaching pronunciation is still the “ugly duckling” in our English courses. To begin with, instructors seem to be fond of grammatical rules, but unfortunately those are the only rules that our students are exposed to. But what about phonological rules? As a matter of fact, when I have asked a teacher to explain just one phonological rule as a...
What makes students listen to us teachers, pay attention, and carry out the exercises we prepare? Motivation?
The immediate answer may be YES! And we may quickly say that to motivate kids means to grant rewards such as happy faces, candies, more points, etc. Nonsense!! First, answer this: Is there anything that you love doing? singing? dancing?, or anything that you will do for...
