Contents

News and views

• Brexit update – what has the effect been on the ELT industry?
• Language plateaus – how should teachers help students who have reached a plateau?
• Office jargon – should we be teaching business buzzwords?

Exercise of the month

Warmer – Expert

Step 1: Start by nominating a student to be the class expert.

Step 2: Tell the rest of the class that they need to form some questions to ask the expert.

Step 3: Choose a topic for the expert. It does not need to be something they know much about, and it often works better if they don’t know anything.

Step 4:  Let your students ask their questions, and encourage the expert to give full, extensive answers. Do not correct mistakes at this point, but just monitor and take notes.

Step 5: When the questions have finished, go through any errors or emergent language with the class.

Note: This game works really well because it allows students to be creative and spontaneous while practicing tricky question forms, and it provides the opportunity for extensive error correction and specific language practice.

Word of the month

Reflective teaching – the way in which teachers can analyse their own classes to help themselves develop professionally. 

Interview

David Crystal OBE talks about language variations, the importance of Shakespeare and how we should all think about grammar.

Q&A

1. How should I plan for a multi-level class?
2. Is getting a job the best way to learn English?
3. What’s your favourite word to teach and why?