What Are We Really Measuring in Speaking?
Assessing speaking has always been one of the more demanding aspects of language teaching, not because it is unclear what…
Category: Teaching Tips
Fluency or Accuracy? The ELT Identity Crisis No One Can Ignore
In 1985, two influential accounts of second-language acquisition placed different demands on the language classroom. Stephen Krashen argued that acquisition…
The effects of teacher talk on students’ oral production skill: Tikur Anbessa secondary school in focus
In today’s globalised world, the influence of language on people’s day-to-day lives is very great, especially English, as it is…
From the textbook to authentic communication: Practical ways for more engaging activities in EFL teaching
In my own teaching practice, the coursebook has for many years been the main point of reference for lesson planning.…
Building Speaking Skills away from Stress
Imagine this: It’s three weeks before the B2 speaking exam. A student who has barely uttered a complete sentence in…
How the Heck Do I Teach Reading to people who do not read?
You walk into your class with a plan. Not just any plan, a proper one. Pre-reading, while-reading, post-reading. Skimming, scanning,…
Engaging the Teenage Mind: Interactive Strategies for Language Learning
Teaching a foreign language to teenagers has been one of the most dynamic and rewarding experiences of my career. It’s…
Global Chatmates: Teaching Teens Beyond Borders
In a small rural high school in southern Greece, a bold idea took root—what if teenagers could transcend borders and…
VIEWPOINTS: From quiet to confident
QLS’s Approach to Boosting Teen Conversational Skills Have you ever stepped out your teen classroom for a minute or two…
Creating spaces for conversations
Some thoughts behind the scenes Our teacher events at LanguageCert start with questions and big ideas; we want our teaching…