ELTMentor News
Here’s our weekly digest of forum comments, upcoming dates and other snippets of useful information.
Welcome to Edith our latest member of the programme. Edith is just starting out in teaching with some tutoring and about to take the CELTA. I know you will all make her welcome and support her as she begins her new career!
Last week’s webinar
Here is the link to last week’s webinar on Classroom dynamics and classroom management.
http://www.wiziq.com/online-class/607030-classroom-management-and-dynamics
You can listen on the site or download.
I am working my way through the others a redoing them as Powerpoint so I can share them with you in a better format.
The Forum
Don’t forget to use the forum for sharing ideas, asking for help or posting successes!
Can anybody who hasn’t yet please post up a short bio?
Here’s the link again:
If you haven’t managed to find the forum yet let me know.
#eltmentor
This is set up but we didn’t manage to use it last time. I think we need a dedicated twitter session we will do one in our half-day workshop which is happening on 17th of this month (next Saturday) I had planned 2 to 6 UK time we’ll have a break in the middle). I’m finalising the timetable for this and will send it out this weekend.
As we are a small group I can shift this day and/or time is it isn’t convenient. I know for some of you it is short notice – let me know.
(Sign up to twitter, then sign up to tweetdeck and post a comment there. If you need any help with this let me know).
#eltchat
For those of you who would like to follow #eltchat but haven’t signed up to twitter and would prefer to ‘lurk’ and observe before taking the plunge, you can observe #eltchat on Tweetchat.com. Here is the link:
When you get to the site add eltchat to the # box. You can then sit back and watch the action! If you want to contribute you can sign in but this is really the best place for smart lurking :-0
#eltchat is held on Wednesdays at 12.00 and 21.00 UK time – but the # is in use at all times so you can check in anytime to see what is going on.
Useful articles
Linguists Examine Obstacles to Native-Like Proficiency in Foreign Language Acquisition
Just for fun, some guidelines put out by the British Tourist Authority (Visit Britain) on how to behave towards foreigners who come for the Olympics next year.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/video/2010/aug/11/visitbritain-advice-tourists
Gapfillers
Don’t forget to give me feedback if you use the site for yourself or with students. Also if you have suggestions they’re always welcome 🙂
We’re running a very special offer (extended to September 15th) so learners can really get going with their English practice in September £50 ($80) for a whole year and we’ve added lots of goodies too – so please let your students know. The subscription reverts to £175 ($280) after that date.
Here is some more information on this you can pass the link on 🙂
Just a reminder that we do offer a school licence so if your school has advanced students (if wants to use it for teachers) this is possible – just let me know.
We can also syndicate content which means we can deliver straight to your school site or intranet.
Half-day training September 17th 2.00 to 6.00 UK time
I want to do a session on twitter and also have you do short presentations. I think we’ll do just 10 minutes each with up to 10 powerpoint slides. Choose a topic from ELT anything at all. Let me know if you have any questions about this. It will be VERY informal so don’t worry.
I’m thinking about the platform as WIZIQ is not so easy with multiple presenters – anybody got any other suggestions? Maybe Elluminate as Marcia is an expert with this!
I’ll start a topic on the forum and we can add questions or suggestions
I also want to have a Q&A to finish the day.
Need help with anything?
If anybody else needs help with anything just post in the forum, or on twitter or email me or message in Gapfillers. I am really pleased that you are using the forum – let’s get more things posted to discuss.
Until next week
Berni