Welcome to Issue 44!
Welcome to the 44th edition of the IH Journal and thank you for reading. Our Spring 2018 edition has the usual blend of articles covering a range of interests in ELT, so there should be something for everyone.
We start, as ever, with younger learners. Only one article this time and in it columnist Xana de Nagy captures the zeitgeist with a look at the alternative 3Rs: recycle, reuse, reduce. She includes some good activities to try in the YL classroom, each with the overall aim of raising awareness of sustainability. With this issue ever more pressing as we move further into the 21st century, there is food for thought for all YL teachers (and teachers in general!).
In our teacher training section this month, Daniel Xerri looks at how teachers find their professional voice. In the other teacher development article, Lara Panzini reports on the use of a group professional development interview scheme in the Modern Language department of IH London. These interviews are usually carried out individually and so it was interesting to read Lara’s innovation. Groupwork is a key component of any ELT classroom, so why not bring it into the teacher development room too?
Moving into the classroom, Aaron Bell kicks off our new ELT Bitesize style of article, with a report on using a board game in a class. Bitesize pieces will be around 750 words long and give a detailed account of a specific classroom idea that you apply in your classes. Aaron’s article is an excellent start, giving a good report of using the game Settlers of Catan with his lower level pre-teen learners. We also have Christopher Redmond look at fluency development, using a speaking game with a class of lower-level South Korean learners. Why not earmark both ideas as something to try this term?
In technology and management, Shaun Wilden shines the spotlight on the IHWO’s webinar events. The Teacher Online Conference took place in May 2018, and we’ve also seen the valuable webinar series focused on teacher wellbeing in March, so follow-up on Shaun’s piece by checking out the links he provides. Linking to IH’s training work, Mark Lawrence gives us a report of his positive experience on the IH London Academic Management course. Sandy Millin rounds of the section with some advice for managers working with new teachers. Sandy reports on some things she hears new teachers say and how she responds to encourage them.
In Modern Languages, Anette Igel writes about using laptops in German classes, something not just for younger learners or teens. In Voices, Alan McGuire looks at some stresses for new teachers, an article which would pair nicely with some of the webinars Shaun discusses (see above). Mike Bridge changes the topic somewhat, reporting on some recent changes in English and what this might or might not mean for us as language teachers. Languages change all the time, so how important is it for us to stay current?
Last but not least for our columnists, David Petrie continues his always interesting focus on exams by looking at how negative models can in fact be positive for learning. We then conclude this edition with Bernardo Morales reviewing The CELTA Teacher Compendium by Rachael Roberts. Bernardo was a colleague of mine at my first IH job in Costa Rica many years ago and so it is personally gratifying to work with him again in the Journal.
Finally, we say goodbye to columnists Jamie King (teacher training) and Maureen McGarvey (management). I’d like to thank both for their excellent contributions to the Journal, which you can find in the back issues on the site. It’s not just a thank you to Jamie and Maureen, however. As ever, a big thank you to all our writers and readers. We’ll publish again in the autumn and so I’ll take the opportunity now to wish everyone a successful summer. See you in October and happy reading!
Chris Ożóg