Mapping our reflection
A handout that researchers (esp. PhD students) may find useful for helping them to identify more and less useful reflective practices that they are engaging in. In Microsoft Word format, so you can edit it for your requirements if necessary. Click here.
English Club Resource Books
Two resource book that were developed for use in English Clubs across the Global South for the British Council English Connects project. They require no resources other than chalkboard and chalk, some paper, learners and their creativity!
- Our English Club Resource Book: Written by contributors from 10 countries across Africa (Benin, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, DRC, Gabon, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Senegal) during a materials development workshop, with facilitation and editing support by me.
- English Club Resource Book: 10 further units written by myself, also for the British Council English Connects project.
Three short video introductions
Here are 3 short videos (10-12 minutes each), completed for the University of Warwick TREE Project, intended primarily for teachers working in mainstream secondary and primary education:
Promoting teacher reflection literacy: Two tools
These tools were derived from my research into Schön’s ‘reflection-in-action’ (i.e. teacher interactive cognition). Slides from the related talk are here.
A framework for project-based learning
As interest in project-based learning in language teaching increases, here are two potentially useful resources for use in workshops or discussion groups. Always be critical, creative and adapt what you find here to your needs - just because it works like this for me, doesn't mean it will necessarily work the same for you!
- Framework for project-based learning in TESOL
- Overview of PBL, including a working definition and some hopefully useful tips for getting started.
Two tools for informal classroom research
These two tools are designed for teachers with little or no prior experience in conducting research. They are useful when you feel there is a 'problem' or 'challenge' in the classroom and you want to understand more.
- 'Buddy' observation form: For when you feel a colleague may be able to help by observing your class.
- Student focus group interview form: For when you feel that your students may be able to help you understand the problem more.
Let's discuss the translation method (workshop for Indian secondary teachers of English)
This workshop invites participants to share and explore how they help their learners to understand highly challenging (often literary) texts common in English language curricula across India. It shares a range of potential strategies to support learning in such classes, and encourages participants to reflect on their practices critically. The slides here hopefully provide a 'map' for the workshop, delivered at the AINET 2020 Conference in Hyderabad. Handout here.
Teacher interactive reflection: Two useful resources
Taken from my paper in Teaching and Teacher Education (see here) that empirically investigates Schon's reflection-in-action, these two resources are offered as tools for studying the formative impact of teacher interactive reflection (reflection while teaching), and for developing teacher reflection literacy - the ability to identify, describe and discuss reflective practices coherently:
In-service workshops: What, how and why?
This workshop, prepared for use in the Warwick in Africa programme, looks critically at important features of INSET workshops, particularly those delivered within educational programmes aimed at introducing change to experienced teachers. The workshop is experiential and includes meta-reflection ('loop input') on how the features of the workshop mirror those being recommended. Designed for teacher educators working in low-resource contexts. Use the slides to work out the stages. Feel free to adapt to other not-for-profit projects, with acknowledgement of source.
3 useful inputs/workshops to help experienced teachers on CELTA and CertTESOL courses
For teacher educators working on Cambridge CELTA and Trinity CertTESOL courses, 3 input sessions and materials for adaptation and use in the training classroom. All are Word documents to enable adaptation. Feedback is always welcome.
- Using L1s to support learning - Workshop plan
- Using L1s to support learning - Handout A
- Using L1s to support learning - Handout B
- Models and norms in ELT - Workshop plan
- Models and norms in ELT - Handout A
- Critical appropriation of CELTA for our current or future teaching contexts - Workshop plan
- Critical appropriation of CELTA - Handout A
Video stimulated recall as a research and reflective tool in language teacher education
A pilot study for a larger research project on teacher interactive reflection, part of the University of Warwick ViLTE (Videos in Language Teacher Education) project. View the video here. Read the description of the approach used here. Access the initial report (Mann et al. 2019: Video in Language Teacher Education) on the ViLTE project here:
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/video-language-teacher-education
The Activity Cycle
A visual reference handout and workshop activity useful with pre-service trainees in sessions on classroom management within a learner-centred approach. See my blog posting on this topic for suggestions on how to use the resources.
CAP / CAPE (Context, analysis, practice) Model for Lesson Planning
Materials (pdf) for teachers and teacher educators on the lesson structuring framework. All resources are free to download and use as you see fit. Feedback is always gratefully received:
- CAP - Initial information for teachers and trainee teachers
- CAP - Alternative lesson shapes
- CAP as a lens for interpreting different planning models
Articles on the CAP model:
UNICEF / VSO Bangladesh - Child-centred Methodology Cascade Initiative
Materials to be used in the MOPME/UNICEF Child-centred Methodology (CCM) initiative, due to be cascaded to 500 schools nationwide in 2015/16 with support of VSO Bangladesh Primary Education Advisors:
Teaching Large Classes
A resource originally created for a teacher education project in Africa. It identifies key challenges in teaching large classes and helps teachers to explore potential solutions in primary and secondary school contexts (any subject). Shared here for use and adaptation by teacher educators, or self-study by teachers. Commercial use (e.g. publication) prohibited:
National Academy of Primary Education Bangladesh - Using DPEE Manuals
Resources developed for NAPE workshop on Child-centred Learning (2015) as part of a UNICEF/MOPME initiative in Bangladesh. Suitable for a workshop for Primary Teacher Training Instructors (PTIs) on facilitating participatory training using the DPEd manuals:
UNICEF Malawi / MOEST - Child-centred Methodology Training Project
The following resources are part of the UNICEF Malawi / MOEST project to cascade child-centred learning methodology in both pre-service and in-service teacher education in Malawi. Both will open as Microsoft Word documents for editing. Both are under 2Mb in size.
The following resources are sample lesson plans for integrating child-centred resources into TTC pre-service training in Malawi.
Teaching and Learning Materials Manual - UNICEF Kenya
A useful manual that supports teachers who work in low-resource environments. Includes details on how to make and use a Pocketboard:
Delta Downloads
10 free photocopiable lessons for the ELT classroom, some with cultural focuses, and others... just enjoyable lessons on things I like! Originally
produced for the Delta Downloads section of the Delta Publishing website from 2015 to 2016 – all now free. Click on the title to download:
1. Notting Hill Carnival – Fact or fiction? Reading, discussion and creative writing on a carnival in London.
2. Halloween Riddle Maze A fun team game. By matching riddles and their solutions, learners progress through the maze.
3. Moon colony A problem-solving task in which learners make decisions to ensure the success of a moon colony.
4. Will the real Father Christmas please stand up? A jigsaw reading and discussion activity exploring exactly who Father Christmas is.
5. Brit-slang – the Board Game A fun game involving questions about aspects of slang and jargon commonly used in the British Isles.
6. Meet the parents Role play activity, as per the famous film. Feel free to break the gender stereotypes implied!
7. Amazing chocolate A quiz about everyone’s favourite food… well, mine, at least. Also provides practice of a variety of passive structures.
8. The Brexit debate – Should we stay or should we go? A little out of date, but useful for language practice! Spoiler alert – we went. :( 😦
9. The most important animals on the planet A 3-text jigsaw reading activity about an animal we all need, but often overlook… any ideas?
10. Are you a successful language learner? Learners interview and score each other's language learning strategies.
Resources for English teachers in Telangana, India
Two handouts for workshops conducted in Yellareddypet Mandal and Sircilla District.
Everyday challenges and eclectic solutions (Sircilla). Click here to download.
Increasing confidence & effectiveness in speaking English (Yellareddypet). Click here to dowload.
Effective differentiation through cooperative learning
Resource for supporting teachers in secondary and adult classrooms working with mixed-ability classes. Part of a workshop I've developed on cooperative learning for the English language classroom. Click here to download.
Peer Needs Analysis
A useful photocopiable resource with a range of activities that can help you help your learners to share and understand their needs and challenges in the ELT classroom. Click here to download.
Drill tables
A useful resource for helping students to manipulate the form structure of new tenses quickly, useful preparation for freer communication in the classroom. Click here to view and download.
Translanguaging resources for the EFL/ESL classroom
Materials to compliment teacher development workshops on translanguaging and translingualism. Please share feedback to help to develop the resources further:
- Jason's magic translator (on Google Drive). Remember you'll need to be logged in using a Google account in order to save the document, after which you'll be able to edit the language codes to suit your class. Click here.
Sentence pelmanism games for the EFL/ESL classroom
A simple idea to help your learners to remember question and answer pairs or statements and responses. Try them out, then create your own cards for whatever language or topic you are teaching. See my blog for more details on how to use the cards:
How to pronounce English place names 2017
Here is the worksheet for use in class with your students. See my blog for more details:
Using stories to teach grammar: The Farmer and the Fortune Teller 2017
Here is the worksheet from one of my favourite 'grammar stories' for you to download and try out with your learners. The answers are all in the text!
Traffic lights: A free resource for correcting errors and checking understanding 2017
Here are the templates for my blog posting on this topic:
Remember to print in colour if possible (if not, your students can colour them in), cut up and glue. Keep them in a box, and get a 'traffic lights monitor' to distribute and collect at the start and end of each lesson. If you get time, drop me an email to let me know how it went.
Teaching English in large classes: A sociocultural approach 2016
Resources for my webinar for British Council English Agenda that investigates the challenges and potential pathways toward solutions for teachers of English working in large classes:
Sharing our intentions with our learners - Workshop at London School of English, 2016
Resources for a workshop conducted at London School of English that explored different ways and potential advantages of making our intentions/aims explicit to learners:
Translingualism and translanguaging - what do they mean for TEFL... if anything? - International House, London 2015
Resources related to a workshop facilitated at IH London on the subject of translingual practices and the possible implications for ELT:
Multilingual language learning for Algerian teachers - BC Algeria 2015
Ideas for activities contributed by Algerian teachers, including translation activities, comparative analysis of languages and some fun games too!
Lesson plan pro forma
A lesson plan pro forma to accompany my 2015 ELT Journal article: Affordance, learning opportunities and the lesson plan pro forma.
Why lying is the best policy... to get learners speaking - IATEFL 2015 / English UK 2015
Ideas and activities for developing higher order thinking skills and imagination through deception-based games.
Have I got a dragons' den for you? - English UK, London 2014
Ideas and activities for creating classroom activities from television and radio game shows.
Accuracy and Fluency - IATEFL Liverpool 2013
Practical ideas and a draft framework for helping language learners to achieve both simultaneously.
Prepare for Aptis - Exam Practice Materials
Improve your English as you prepare for the British Council Aptis exam using these materials:
Pronunciation Learning Cards
A resource for teachers of English language pronunciation
See the following article on Pronunciation Learning Cards:
Rwanda: Teaching Resources
Resources for Rwandan teachers implementing child-centred teaching methodology
Phonics Resources for Eritrean Teachers
Resources for teachers in Eritrea teaching English literacy through phonics