It’s the end of 2018 but my year in ELT has only just begun having just joined the team here at Cambridge University Press. Reading through the World of Better Learning blog posts for 2018 has been insightful. I was pleasantly surprised by the volume of interesting articles on a variety of topics. It’s been difficult to select my 5 top favourites, but here goes…
What we know about the teenage brain and what it means for teachers by Nicola Morgan
Having studied psychology at university, Nicola Morgan’s teenage brain blog was a clear favourite. I’m not a teacher myself, but I do have an interest in how the psychology of self can impact on people’s lives, their behaviours and habits. I believe understanding how the brain functions is important to understanding how students learn and the impact the physical changes of adolescence can have on learning. This will be an interesting read, especially for those who are new to psychology.
Five things you only learn when you start teaching by Leonardo Esperanca
I found this blog inspiring and motivational, reading such positive learnings and experiences from teachers. Five educators talk about their best learning experiences since they started teaching. With all the challenges that teachers face, I’m sure it’s difficult to always keep the enjoyment but this blog introduces some interesting tips and takeaways, with a video compilation at the end.
Readaxation and the power of reading for pleasure by Nicola Morgan
I set myself a goal this year to read more novels but finding the time is sometimes difficult – a classic excuse. In this article, Nicola reminds us of the importance of reading for pleasure for our mental health, general knowledge, stress levels, and other benefits. Apparently “Reading for pleasure has a dramatic impact on life outcomes” according to the Literature Review by the UK’s Reading Agency. Nicola also includes some tips on how you can make your students read more.
English pronunciation can you spot the odd one out by Cristina Cabal
An interesting article from Cristina Cabel on why English pronunciation can be so difficult, even for English speakers. Did you know English has 44 sounds which is over 10 more than Spanish or Japanese? There is also a fun interactive pronunciation quiz to test your knowledge at the end. Even as an English first language speaker, I must admit, I didn’t get them all right.
Activity for learning English through food by Rosana Almeida
Because who doesn’t love food and talking about it! Rosana Almeida introduces a classroom activity that uses recipes as a textual genre for pupils to see the usage of the English Language and develop their comprehension and oral skills. This activity can also be used to motivate students about healthy habits.
I’m looking forward to learning more about the world of ELT and contributing myself to the World of Better Learning in the future. See you in 2019.
If you’re interested in reading more of our favourite articles and why we love them, why not read A year in review – Part 6 where Hannah shares her 2018 highlights from the World of Better Learning.