Web Chats for English Teachers
We are pleased to invite you to participate in a series of Web chats on English teaching methodology, organized by the US Embassy in Lima, Peru. Join us from a computer with audio and internet access through https://statedept.connectsolutions.com/peru; choose the option “Enter as a Guest”, register yourself entering your name and city (Example: Marcela – Lima) and click on “Enter Room”.
* If you want to submit your questions in advance, click on the link above and enter or write to
relolima@state.gov.
Please provide your name, city, and country.
Program:
WebchatSpeakerDateTime
Easy and Effective Speaking and Listening Activities:
Are you looking for fresh ideas to get your students talking and interacting with each other? In the upcoming web chat, we will model speaking and listening activities that are easy, effective, and engaging. We will provide tips for creating a comfortable class environment, modifying activities for mixed levels, giving clear directions, and teaching pronunciation. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and share ideas. Vicky Holdridge, Senior English Language Fellow Oct 27
Oct 29
(*)4pm – 4:45pm
8:30am-9:15am
Using Learner Centered Communicative Methodology for Teaching English: Student Engagement through Reading
The Communicative Approach to language teaching and learning emphasizes real communication to promote learning. Students are encouraged to use English in tasks that are meaningful to them and as a means of expressing themselves. How can we as teachers design lessons to create an active, student-centered classroom where the students’ interests and needs are taken into consideration? Vivian Leskes, English Language Specialist Nov 10 4pm – 4:45pm
Using Learner Centered Communicative Methodology for Teaching English: Communicative Conversation ClassesVivian Leskes, English Language Specialist Nov 128:30am - 9:30am
(*) Webchat is repeated both dates
Bios:
Vicky Holdridge, Senior English Language Fellow, Peru
Vicky Holdridge holds a Masters in Teaching from the School for International Training. She has ten years of experience teaching English and training teachers, and is the co author of a text book series called Interactive English. Her specialty is creating easy, effective, and engaging class activities. Vicky is now the Senior English Language Fellow here in Peru, and looks forward to collaborating with teachers and sharing ideas.
Vivian Leskes Ward, English Language Specialist
Vivian Leskes Ward is an English Language Specialist with the US Department of State and Professor of ESL at Holyoke Community College, Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA, where she has worked for nineteen years and served as Chair of the Department of Language Studies. In 2008 she was an American Fulbright Senior Scholar at Irkutsk State Linguistic University (IGLU), in Irkutsk, Siberia, Russia where she lectured English teachers and modeled current methodology in language instruction in the United States. In addition to three years of teacher training work in Russia, she has conducted trainings in Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Indonesia. Professor Leskes is a student of languages as well as an English teacher. She speaks Spanish, has intermediate skills in French, and has been studying Russian since 2002. Her book of essays, Lost in Siberia, will be published by Haley’s, Athol, Massachusetts at the end of 2010.
Additional resources on Using Learner Centered Communicative Methodology for Teaching English:
Hsu, J. (2004). Reading without teachers: Literature circles in an EFL classroom.
Paper presented at the Cross-Strait Conference on English Education. Education Resources Information Center.
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED492558
Vivian Leskes’ Merlot website on the Learner-Centered Classroom:
http://contentbuilder.merlot.org/toolkit/html/snapshot.php?id=86502000118142
Marcela Raffo
RELO Assistant
Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
US Embassy, Lima-Peru
