Hi everybody!! Who loves winter? Who thinks that it’s the best season? Who thinks that it’s sooo much better than summer because you wear more clothes and that’s it? On the contrary, if it’s sooo hot... you feel exhausted, angry all the time, tired, sticky, etc, etc… well… the answer will be…

 

Today I want to share with you a fantastic piece of news that I had received four weeks ago. The Head from one of the school where I work told me that I was going to have a new course, a new group of students. Let me tell you that I felt soooooo good that I couldn’t believe it. It was one of those moments when you feel that you are doing a good job and people see it. It was amazing.

So, on Monday I went with my flashcards, markers, copies, etc to the school to meet this new group. They were in 1^st year. I felt butterflies in my stomach because you don’t know what’s going to happen until you are there.

The students were great, they were so enthusiastic and eager to participate. I love them. The second and third class I made flashcards with questions and they have to match them with the correct answer (some answers were missing so they have to do the flashcards) and we also played the cd and complete the course book. Again, they were so excited and they seem to enjoy the class a lot.

I am so grateful and I always try to do my best and to show my students that I care about them. I want to prepare my classes thinking about them and to see that the effort has its rewards… it’s marvellous.  

I think that if we (teachers) concentrate on planning our classes, knowing our students’ needs and giving our very best… that’s it.

Right?

What method do you prefer?

Hi everybody! How are you? I was thinking about the different methods that teachers had to teach a language in the 1970s and 1980s. Do you think that they were the same methods that we have today?... nop… they don’t.

There were four methods which called my attention...

The first one is community language method.

I think that we may use this method nowadays in some schools at the beginning of the class. We may called it "circle time". I remember that I worked in this way in a school with 2nd grade students. We sat in a circle and they told me what they did during the weekend or something that they wanted to share with the class. 

Another method is The Silent Way where the teacher says as little as possible. It's a student-centered method. 

The Silent Way

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUPPGrnrJv4&feature=youtu.be

As you can see in the video the teacher mimes all the actions and let the students talk and answer.

Another method is Suggestopaedia where students' environment is essential. Students should be confortable and relaxed so the affective filter is lowered.

There are three main parts: 

1) oral review

2) presentation and discussion of the new material

3) listen to relax music while the teacher reads the new material

I use music in my classroom and I can say that students enjoy listening to instrumental music. They are relaxed and after some classes they get accustomed to it.

The last method is Total Physical Response where students respond physically to the language they hear. Here is a video to show you one activity using this method.

Total Physical Response 

https://youtu.be/6x9Cr1hU9to

I hope you enjoy my post and I think that many teachers today use some of this methods in their classrooms.  What do you think? Do you use some techniques of this methods?

Welcome to my blog!

Let me introduce myself first.. I'm Evangelina (better known as Eva) from Escobar. 

My mother Elena is from Italy and my father was Argentinian (he died in 2007- remember that in that year something strange happened in Escobar.. it snowed. Well he died that day, 9th July) I have to brothers and I'm the youngest ...

This is my father and I 

I live with my "husband" and I don't have pets or kids.. I work in two schools and I'm finishing the Teacher Training College. 
I have two favourite places in the world.. My house and the beach.
I'm one of those people who prefer to stay in her house and whatch tv or just relax than going out every weekend. 
And the beach... well... I just love the beach. 

Can you share with me your favourite places in the world and tell me why. I'm really looking forward to reading your comments