Learner Oriented Teaching

Games in the Classroom Teachers and researchers have moved away from the separation of linguistic skills as the best and only way to instruct students learning other languages. Today, more emphasis is being placed on purposeful games in the classroom which create a more carefree and fun environment for its learners. This method, when carefully chosen, produces confidence, creates competition and teammanship, and promotes a desire to win the prize...which is fluency of a 'once' strange language. In the end, everyone wins, since the goal is fluency of a foreign language with a teacher who becomes the hero, because she makes her lessons meaningful and entertaining at the same time. Games can be wonderful communicative device in the classroom setting and should be a central part of educating...  [Read more]

Australia and New Zealand constitute a large geographic area encompassing a huge variety of climates, topography and environments. The most immediately striking thing to the visitor is that the seasons are the reverse of those experienced by the northern hemisphere. The other curiosity is that water goes down the plughole the other way around. That not the only thing that’s unusual ‘down under’. Indeed, one is dealing with an entirely new world, only recently populated by non-indigenous peoples. There is an enterprising air about the new world, as well as a ‘can do’ attitude. With this said, people never hesitate to set aside their work worries in favour of ripping the scab off a few tubes, and getting the barbeque going on the beach; and a jolly fine time can be had by all....  [Read more]

Teaching Styles We all learn in different ways, and similarly, as teachers we tend to have different ways of teaching which come more naturally for us. As teachers, we need to be aware of what our particular style is, but we should then try to adapt the way we teach to fit the needs of our students as well. There are many different categorizations of teaching styles, but rather than discuss the ways styles are categorized, I will simply summarize the ones most commonly referred to. Probably the most traditional one is the direct instruction style. Direct instruction is very teacher-centered, and provides for little if any student-teacher interaction or group interaction. The teacher is the focus of attention and provides all the information necessary for the student to excel in...  [Read more]