Stay up-to-date with ELT trends and ideas with articles from experts and teachers in the field.

Articles

<p>Task-based learning (TBL) is a communicative approach to language teaching. Similar to project-based learning (PBL), it allows students natural opportunities to practice their language skills.</p>

<p>In this post, I&rsquo;ll look more closely at what TBL is and how to use this approach in class.</p>

<h2>What is task-based learning?</h2>

<p>Essentially, TBL involves giving students a task to complete and supporting them with their English throughout. The task can be pretty much anything as long as it necessitates communication and has a clear goal.</p>

<p>For example:</p>

<ul>
	<li>creating a poster</li>
	<li>comparing two pictures</li>
	<li>producing a video</li>
	<li>writing a newsletter or blog</li>
	<li>finding a solution to a problem</li>
	<li>performing a play</li>
</ul>

<p>TBL can also be referred to as:</p>

<ul>
	<li>TBLT: task-based language teaching</li>
	<li>TBI: task-based instruction</li>
</ul>

<h2>What are the benefits of using a task-based learning approach?&nbsp;</h2>

<p>There are many benefits to using TBL in the classroom. Here are a few:&nbsp;</p>

<h3>1. Life skills</h3>

<p>Task-based learning supports the acquisition of life skills such as critical thinking, digital literacy, communication, teamwork, and creativity. These 21st-century skills are highly sought after by employers and will help learners succeed.</p>

<h3>2. Real-life tasks</h3>

<p>TBL gives students the chance to develop their life skills by providing real-world tasks. What better way to let students apply their learning than to give them a work- or life-related scenario or activity. For example, they could create a detailed itinerary for an upcoming trip or plan their own TV show.</p>

<h3>3. Student-centered</h3>

<p>Task-based learning is a learner-centered approach that allows lessons to be designed especially for student needs or interests. If learners are particularly interested in Harry Potter, you could have them create a mythical creature, design a magical classroom, or solve the problem of a broken broomstick.</p>

<h3>4. Communicative</h3>

<p>As TBL requires learners to collaborate on a task, it is naturally communicative. As students work together, they&rsquo;ll be using their language skills to share ideas, negotiate, make plans, and give opinions. As they do this, certain language features will emerge naturally, which you can note down and discuss later.</p>

<h2>What are the stages of a TBL lesson?</h2>

<p>As with all teaching methodologies, TBL can be used and adapted depending on teaching context and learner needs. It has a few distinct stages, but you don&rsquo;t need to be strict in following them.</p>

<h3>1. Pre-task</h3>

<p>As with most lesson introductions, this is a chance to introduce the topic, brainstorm ideas, and give instructions. It can also be helpful to pre-teach any useful vocabulary and let students ask any questions that they might have. You could also give them an example of a completed task or some ideas for inspiration.</p>

<h3>2. Task</h3>

<p>This is the part where students actually do the task. As tasks can be complex, there are three stages to this:</p>

<ul>
	<li>Task</li>
	<li>Planning</li>
	<li>Reporting</li>
</ul>

<p>The <strong>Task</strong> stage is when students work together in pairs or small groups. The teacher can monitor and take notes of examples of interesting communication. There is no need to correct students&rsquo; language at this point as the purpose is fluency, confidence building, and task completion.</p>

<p>The <strong>Planning</strong> stage is when students get ready to tell others about their task. Students make notes of what they&rsquo;d like to share (e.g., their findings, how they did the task, how they solved any problems that arose, etc.) and decide how they will present the information. They may wish to allocate speakers or scribes. At this stage, the teacher can be available to give advice on language or reporting skills.</p>

<p>The <strong>Reporting</strong> stage is when students present their work to the class. This could be through a presentation, a poster, a video, a report, or any other communicative method. Students can then give each other feedback, discuss each other&#39;s&nbsp;tasks, ask questions, and perhaps even vote for the best piece of work. The teacher can facilitate these discussions, provide language advice, and give feedback.</p>

<h3>3. Language focus</h3>

<p>The final stage of the lesson is an analysis and practice of the language. The teacher can share some interesting examples of emergent language that the students used throughout the lesson. Students can also make suggestions for other useful language. They can then add these words and phrases to their notebooks and practice them.</p>

<p>Here are some Ellii sections and lessons that you may want to use to try out TBL:</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/group-projects" target="_blank">Group Projects</a>: These are similar to task-based learning, though generally carried out over a series of class sessions.</p>

<p><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2149-nelson-mandela-poster-part-1" target="_blank">Nelson Mandela Poster - Part 1</a> and <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2150-nelson-mandela-poster-part-2" target="_blank">Nelson Mandela Poster - Part 2</a>: Show students these posters as inspiration and then ask them to create their own. They could choose another person to feature in the poster or give them a theme to focus on (e.g., One day our planet will&hellip;).</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/current-events" target="_blank">Current Events</a>: Show students one of these videos (or ask them to choose one). Their task could then be to re-write the voiceover with a different new story, role-play the events, write a news article, or interview someone.</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Have you tried task-based learning in your classroom? What ideas and tips can you share with us? We&rsquo;d love to know.</p>
</blockquote>


Task-Based Learning: An Introductory Guide

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<p><strong>Social-emotional learning </strong>(SEL, also known as socio-emotional learning or social and emotional learning)&nbsp;is a common educational approach. It aims to provide students with the skills and opportunities to reflect on their learning and how to apply it to their own lives, manage emotions, be empathetic, and think critically.</p>

<p>In this post, I&rsquo;ll explore the approach in more detail and share some ways to incorporate it into the classroom.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>What exactly is social-emotional learning?&nbsp;</h2>

<p>SEL is an approach to learning that aims to help all learners succeed. It equips them with essential skills and provides a supportive learning environment and community to help them do this.</p>

<p>When we think about what helps us succeed, we might consider skills, confidence, motivation, support networks, and a positive mindset. SEL incorporates these into the classroom by allowing students to interact with new information in a variety of ways.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>What are the five main components of SEL?&nbsp;</h2>

<p>The <a href="https://casel.org/">Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)</a> aims to make SEL a key educational approach.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The <a href="https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/what-is-the-casel-framework/">CASEL Framework</a> has five key competencies at its core. These are:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/academic-subjects/social-emotional-learning/self-awareness">self-awareness</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/academic-subjects/social-emotional-learning/self-management">self-management</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/academic-subjects/social-emotional-learning/social-awareness">social awareness</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/academic-subjects/social-emotional-learning/relationship-skills" target="_blank">relationship skills</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/academic-subjects/social-emotional-learning/decision-making" target="_blank">responsible decision-making</a></li>
</ul>

<p>Let&rsquo;s look at each one a little more closely.&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Self-awareness&nbsp;</h3>

<p>This competency relates to the ability to recognize and understand our emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. In terms of language teaching, this could be introducing&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/collections/academic-subjects/communication-skills/expressing-emotions" target="_blank">feelings</a><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/academic-subjects/communication-skills/expressing-emotions/feelings" target="_blank"> vocabulary</a>, doing a lesson on <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/practicing-mindfulness-in-the-classroom" target="_blank">mindfulness</a>, or exploring <a href="https://ellii.com/collections/everyday-topics/health-safety/mental-health" target="_blank">mental health</a> or <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3786-personality-types" target="_blank">personality types</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ellii has a collection of <a href="https://ellii.com/collections/academic-subjects/social-emotional-learning/self-awareness">Self-Awareness</a>&nbsp;content here.</p>

<h3>Self-management</h3>

<p>Self-management refers to the ability to control our emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. For example, having an awareness of how certain situations make us feel and how we can adapt and control our behaviors can help us&nbsp;succeed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Some suitable topics for the language classroom might be:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4505-imposter-syndrome" target="_blank">imposter syndrome</a> and how to overcome it</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1836-stress" target="_blank">stress</a>, its triggers, and how to manage it</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1233-bad-habits" target="_blank">bad habits</a> and advice to stop them</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3675-study-skills" target="_blank">study skills</a> and avoiding <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3715-procrastination" target="_blank">procrastination</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1229-road-rage" target="_blank">road rage</a> and how to prevent it</li>
</ul>

<p>Check out these <a href="https://ellii.com/collections/academic-subjects/social-emotional-learning/self-management">Self-Management</a> resources on Ellii.&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Social awareness</h3>

<p>This strand focuses on having an awareness of the diverse beliefs, cultures, and backgrounds of people around the world. It also aims for a shared empathy, tolerance, and understanding of these differences. To do this, you can include topics about diversity, equity, and inclusion such as neurodiversity, LGBTQ+, age, gender, race, disability, and religion.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here are some suggested <a href="https://ellii.com/collections/academic-subjects/social-emotional-learning/social-awareness">Social Awarness</a> materials compiled by Ellii.</p>

<h3>Relationship skills</h3>

<p>This fundamental aspect of SEL aims to support learners to initiate, build, and maintain trusting, strong, and positive relationships. These relationships can be from a range of diverse backgrounds and include friends, family, coworkers, community, and other social connections. Students can be supported to communicate confidently, listen actively, collaborate effectively with others, and solve problems and conflicts amicably.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This compilation of <a href="https://ellii.com/collections/academic-subjects/social-emotional-learning/relationship-skills">Relationship Skills</a> resources provides a variety of options for your classroom.</p>

<h3>Responsible decision-making&nbsp;</h3>

<p>Making responsible decisions is crucial to being a kind and respectful member of any community. In SEL, students can be given various scenarios and case studies to evaluate and consider the ethical implications and solve problems using critical thinking skills. To support learners to make responsible decisions, we can offer them information to analyze, facts to consider,&nbsp;and opinions to discuss. We can also encourage them to find creative, open-minded solutions to real-world problems.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In this <a href="https://ellii.com/collections/academic-subjects/social-emotional-learning/decision-making">Decision-Making</a> collection, you&rsquo;ll find news stories, projects, debates, and discussion starters covering a range of global issues including <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3764-pandemic-puppies" target="_blank">Pandemic Puppies</a>, <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3650-vaccine-skeptics-change-their-minds" target="_blank">Vaccine Skeptics</a>, <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3376-cancel-culture" target="_blank">Cancel Culture</a>, <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3356-tearing-down-statues" target="_blank">Tearing Down Statues</a>, <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1269-surveillance" target="_blank">Surveillance</a>, and <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2743-taking-a-knee" target="_blank">Taking a Knee</a>.</p>

<h3>What are the benefits to SEL?</h3>

<p>Over the years, research has found many benefits to social-emotional learning for students of all ages. It has been found to increase academic attainment as well as student empathy, relationships, confidence, and the ability to manage mental health. It also encourages lifelong learning and participation in local community activities and causes. This in turn can build stronger communities and give individuals more fulfilled lives.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Overall, incorporating SEL into the curriculum is a simple and effective way to develop well-rounded individuals and support students to succeed academically and in life.&nbsp;</p>

<p>You may also be interested in this&nbsp;post&nbsp;about SEL:</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/warm-up-activity-for-social-emotional-learning">Rose, Bud, Thorn: A Warm-Up Activity That Promotes SEL</a></p>

<p>For more on SEL, check out&nbsp;<a href="https://casel.org/">CASEL</a>.</p>

<blockquote>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-89dd9688-7fff-ccdf-795a-0f5266c06b2d">How do you incorporate SEL into your classroom? Have you tried any of the resources recommended here? We&rsquo;d love to hear from you.</b></p>
</blockquote>


A Quick Guide to Social-Emotional Learning

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<p>&quot;Mediation&quot; is one of many words in English with dual meanings. To most people, it describes&nbsp;a method of resolving a conflict between two or more parties using a neutral mediator to assist in discussions and find a mutually agreeable resolution.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In language teaching, it is a bridge between understanding. This blog post explores what mediation is, why it&rsquo;s important, and how to include it in the ELT classroom.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>What is mediation?&nbsp;</h2>

<p>Mediation refers to the ability to understand, summarize, and explain information to others. In terms of teaching, it&rsquo;s a great way to ensure learners have understood a lesson, but it&rsquo;s also an important <strong>life skill </strong>for students. It&rsquo;s a real-life communication skill that will help them<strong> succeed in life and work</strong>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>No matter what roles our students play, they&rsquo;ll need to use <strong>mediation skills</strong> to explain (often complex) things to others. For example:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>a parent explaining to their child why they need to brush their teeth&nbsp;</li>
	<li>a doctor communicating a diagnosis to a patient</li>
	<li>a teacher expressing the difference between present perfect and past simple</li>
	<li>a chef sharing the instructions for a recipe</li>
	<li>a friend showing how to progress to the next level in a video game&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<p>Yet there is more to mediation than expressing complex information in a simple way. The <strong>Common European Framework of Reference</strong> (CEFR) includes examples of skills around mediating texts, concepts, and communication. For example:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>relaying and <strong>rephrasing</strong> information to others</li>
	<li><strong>taking notes</strong>, <strong>summarizing</strong>, and translating information</li>
	<li><strong>comparing</strong> and <strong>critically evaluating</strong> information</li>
	<li><strong>collaborating</strong> in a group&nbsp;</li>
	<li>being aware and <strong>adapting</strong> to <strong>cultural differences</strong></li>
	<li>understanding <strong>disagreements</strong> and finding a <strong>resolution</strong></li>
</ul>

<p>You can read the full&nbsp;CEFR list here: <a href="https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/Images/664965-mediation-what-it-is-how-to-teach-it-and-how-to-assess-it.pdf" target="_blank">Mediation: What it is, how to teach it, and how to assess it</a></p>

<h2>Why is mediation important?&nbsp;</h2>

<p>When I first started teaching over 20 years ago, the focus seemed to be on teaching learners four skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Over time, the language classroom has grown to support learners in developing a multitude of 21st-century skills:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>critical thinking</li>
	<li>intercultural communication</li>
	<li>digital skills</li>
	<li>employability&nbsp;</li>
	<li>social-emotional skills</li>
	<li>mental health awareness</li>
	<li>translanguaging (and cross-linguistic mediation)</li>
	<li>mediation</li>
</ul>

<p>By incorporating mediation into our classrooms, we give students the opportunity to enhance their communication skills for the real world.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>How can I incorporate it into class?&nbsp;</h2>

<p>The good news is that you&rsquo;re probably already doing this. As I write this blog post, I&rsquo;m <strong>researching</strong>, <strong>collating</strong>, and <strong>rephrasing</strong> information from other sources to explain mediation in a simple way. In short, I&rsquo;m mediating information about mediation!&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a similar way, think about many of the activities you do in class most days. Many activities typical of the language classroom involve resolving a gap in communication where students support each other to find and clarify meaning.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For example:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>reading two different texts and explaining them to another student&nbsp;</li>
	<li>checking answers to comprehension questions in pairs</li>
	<li>researching information and presenting it to the class&nbsp;</li>
	<li>discussing ideas for a group project and how to implement them</li>
</ul>

<h2>Examples of mediation activities</h2>

<p>Let&rsquo;s have a look at Ellii&#39;s&nbsp;lesson on <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2527-distracted-driving" target="_blank">Distracted Driving</a>.&nbsp;(Available in print and digital formats.)</p>

<p>The warm-up questions allow students to link to their previous knowledge, express opinions, and collaborate to construct meaning with peers.</p>

<p><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2527-distracted-driving" target="_blank"><img alt="Ellii's distracted driving lesson screenshot" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3786/content_Screen_Shot_2024-05-30_at_1.15.30_PM.png" /></a></p>

<p>Students then work together to construct meaning of <strong>vocabulary</strong>,&nbsp;<strong>read a text,&nbsp;</strong>and complete <strong>comprehension questions</strong>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>These comprehension questions allow learners to relay and <strong>check specific informatio</strong>n, <strong>process the text</strong>, <strong>take notes</strong>, <strong>translate to their first language,</strong> and <strong>break down complex information</strong>. Working in <strong>pairs</strong> provides an opportunity to support each other, communicate, and <strong>create a shared understanding of the text</strong>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The lesson ends with a <strong>discussion</strong> and <strong>critical thinking</strong> activities. These prompts provide students with the opportunity to relate the text to their own experiences, discuss challenging debate topics, and express their <strong>personal responses</strong> to the text.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2527-distracted-driving"><img alt="Discussion questions Distracted Driving" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3787/content_Screen_Shot_2024-05-30_at_1.15.42_PM.png" /></a></p>

<p>For further exploration, teachers can launch an interactive <a href="https://ellii.com/gather/ellii-polls" target="_blank">Ellii Poll</a><strong> </strong>on <a href="https://ellii.com/gather/ellii-polls/distracted-driving" target="_blank">this topic</a> that students can participate in by scanning a QR code on their smartphones.</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/gather/ellii-polls/distracted-driving" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3788/content_Screen_Shot_2024-05-30_at_1.16.03_PM.png" /></a></p>

<h2>Further reading&nbsp;</h2>

<p>You&rsquo;ll find more about mediation in these blog posts:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/6-english-language-teaching-trends-in-2023" target="_blank">6 English Language Teaching Trends in 2023</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-simplify-complex-tasks-with-visual-prompts" target="_blank">How to Simplify Complex Tasks with Visual Prompts</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/translanguaging-embracing-the-power-of-multilingualism-in-your-classroom" target="_blank">Translanguaging: Embracing the Power of Multilingualism in Your Classroom</a></li>
</ul>

<p>I also highly recommend Riccardo Chiappini and Ethan Mansur&rsquo;s book entitled <a href="https://www.deltapublishing.co.uk/book/activities-for-mediation-9783125017443" target="_blank">Activities for Mediation</a>. And this comprehensive resource from the <a href="https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/mediation" target="_blank">CEFR</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<blockquote>
<p>What experience do you have with mediation? How do you incorporate it into the classroom? We&rsquo;d love to hear from you.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Mediation: The What, Why & How Explained 

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<p>Over the past two years, I&#39;ve written 50 blog posts for Ellii!&nbsp;</p>

<p>Fifty blog posts sounds like an overwhelming number, yet when you break it into a post every couple of weeks, it was all very manageable. Plus, I had a lot of fun researching and writing each one.&nbsp;</p>

<p><b>Here are some of my top posts:&nbsp;</b></p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/speaking-at-an-elt-conference-top-tips-for-successful-presentations" target="_blank">Speaking at an ELT Conference: Top Tips for Successful Presentations</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-use-videos-in-class" target="_blank">4 Ways to Use Videos Effectively in Class</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/3-end-of-term-activities-for-students" target="_blank">3 Awesome End-of-Term Activities for English Learners</a></li>
</ul>

<p>In this post, I&rsquo;ll explore <strong>the benefits of blogging</strong>, some of <strong>my favorite ELT blogs</strong>, and some <strong>tips for starting</strong> your own.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><b>Benefits</b></h2>

<h3>1. Personal development</h3>

<p>One of the things I have enjoyed most about blogging for Ellii is having an excuse to <em>swot up on*</em>&nbsp;a certain topic. In ELT, there are always new techniques, activities, or methodologies to explore. Writing a blog is an added motivation boost to do this.&nbsp;</p>

<h3>2. Sharing expertise</h3>

<p>Blogging is a great way to set yourself up as an industry expert. You can share your research, classroom ideas, and best practices with the world. Plus, when others comment on your posts, you can make new connections and find out more about that topic.&nbsp;</p>

<h3>3. Profile raising&nbsp;</h3>

<p>Blogging is a non-intimidating way to raise your profile. When I first started out with my own blog, I didn&rsquo;t have the confidence to vlog or deliver a webinar. Blogging allowed me to gently try engaging with the ELT world online. I was able to edit my work and get my messaging right before posting. When people started complimenting and sharing my posts, this gave me more motivation to try other ways to share my skills. And of course, this led to more writing, training, and blogging work.&nbsp;</p>

<h3>4. Enjoyment</h3>

<p>Blogging is fun, therapeutic, and reflective. There have been weeks when I&rsquo;ve been stressed by other projects. However, I often find that sitting down for a couple of hours to focus on writing can help relieve that stress. It&rsquo;s two hours of deep focus on one subject and an opportunity to process&nbsp;information in a new way.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>My favorite ELT blogs</h2>

<p>There are a lot of fabulous blogs out there for English language teachers. I can&rsquo;t name them all so I&rsquo;ll give you my top four bloggers, and I hope that you add the ones I&rsquo;ve missed in the comments!</p>

<h3>Sandy Millin</h3>

<p>Sandy Millin is an ELT author, trainer, and blogging legend. If you ever have <em>FOMO**</em> about a conference, chances are Sandy attended and wrote extensive notes! Her blog covers almost every imaginable topic and has guest posts from many ELT experts.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://sandymillin.wordpress.com/">sandymillin.wordpress.com</a>&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Peter J. Fullagar</h3>

<p>Peter is one of my ELT heroes. He has recently published a fantastic book entitled <em><strong>Existence</strong></em>. It does what every ELT coursebook should be doing&mdash;representing rather than omitting LGBTQIA+ identities. His blog posts date back to 2008 and range from inclusion, to well-being, to Virginia Woolf.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://peterjfullagar.co.uk/">peterjfullagar.co.uk</a></p>

<h3>Peter Clements&nbsp;</h3>

<p>Peter is an EAL teacher, author, and consultant. His impressive back catalogue of blog posts and ELT publications will leave you wondering whether he invented an infinite time-making machine! He&rsquo;s also created some fantastic lessons for Ellii, such as this <strong>Discussion Starters</strong> lesson on <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4101-influencers" target="_blank">Influencers</a> and this <strong>Academic Vocabulary</strong> lesson on <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4185-the-digestive-system" target="_blank">The Digestive System</a>.</p>

<p><a href="https://eltplanning.com/">eltplanning.com</a></p>

<h3>Rachael Roberts</h3>

<p>I&rsquo;m a big fan of Rachael Roberts. I wouldn&rsquo;t be the confident, business-minded ELT professional that I am today if it weren&#39;t for her! Her blog is full of essential entrepreneurial advice such as negotiating contracts, marketing yourself, and managing work&ndash;life balance.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://earnlearnthriveinelt.com/free-stuff/">earnlearnthriveinelt.com/free-stuff</a></p>

<h2>Tips for&nbsp;starting your own blog</h2>

<p>The hardest thing about starting your own blog is getting started! My top tip would be to just put your fingers on a keyboard and see where they take you!&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here are some other tips for blogging:</p>

<h3>1. Start for free</h3>

<p>There are a lot of options when it comes to choosing your blogging platform. Wordpress, Wix, Weebly, and Squarespace are all common hosting providers. Free sites tend to have advertisements, but when you&rsquo;re just starting out, this is perfectly reasonable. Once you&rsquo;ve built up a following you can consider other options. You could also get started by sharing longer posts on Instagram, Linkedin, or Facebook.&nbsp;</p>

<h3>2. Feel the fear and blog anyway</h3>

<p>I was terrified the first time I wrote a blog post. I think I proofread it at least ten times! I&rsquo;m pretty sure I also asked a couple of friends to read it too. Now I&rsquo;m not so worried about a misplaced comma or one tiny little typo. No one really cares about that! And if they do, they&rsquo;ll most likely send a friendly private message so you can quietly update it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The ELT world is blessed to have so many supportive people working together to improve student experiences. You&rsquo;ll be pleasantly surprised by the encouraging feedback you get.&nbsp;</p>

<h3>3. Collaborate</h3>

<p>You might need a bit of extra motivation to get started. I often find that collaborating with someone can be the extra nudge I need.<b> </b>Ask your contacts if they&rsquo;d like to write something with you, or if they&rsquo;d like you to write an article or blog post for them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can find ideas for blogs and magazines that are always looking for articles here:&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/beyond-teaching-elt-careers-to-keep-you-motivated">Beyond Teaching: ELT Careers to Keep You Motivated&nbsp;</a></p>

<h3>4. Write about what you know</h3>

<p>Everyone has a valuable experience to share with the world. It&rsquo;s much easier to write about something you know well&nbsp;than to research something completely new. If you have been trialing new techniques to teach literacy, write about that. There are always other teachers interested in sharing best practices and learning new approaches.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Blogging can also be a fantastic way for students to use their language skills. Here&rsquo;s a lesson plan you might want to check out: <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1828-how-to-write-a-blog-post " target="_blank">How to Write a Blog Post</a>. You can also share these <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/categories/for-students" target="_blank">blog posts that are made for EL students</a> and encourage them to practice leaving comments.</p>

<h3>Glossary</h3>

<p>*swot up on<em>: to study intensely </em>(British English)</p>

<p>**FOMO: fear of missing out</p>

<blockquote>
<p>What benefits, bloggers, and top tips would you add to this post? We&rsquo;d love to know your thoughts and recommendations.&nbsp;</p>
</blockquote>


The Benefits of Blogging: A Guide for Teachers

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<p>English language teaching is a rewarding career. You get to meet interesting students from around the world, learn about their cultures, and maybe even live in new places.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In order to find your first job, teach effectively, stay motivated, and progress in your career, you&rsquo;ll need to dedicate yourself to continuous professional development. CPD is an essential part of any career, and there are many options for English language teachers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In this blog post, I&rsquo;ll explore the essential professional development courses for ELT professionals.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Before I start, I should clear up some of the acronyms:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>ELT - English Language Teaching</li>
	<li>TEFL - Teaching English as a Foreign Language</li>
	<li>TESOL - Teaching English as a Second Language&nbsp;</li>
	<li>ESOL - English for Speakers of Other Languages</li>
	<li>ESL - English as a Second Language</li>
</ul>

<p>In general, ELT is the umbrella term of TEFL, TESOL, ESL, and ESOL. TEFL tends to focus on teaching English in a country where the first language is not English (e.g., South Korea).&nbsp;</p>

<p>TESOL, ESL, or ESOL refers to teaching English in a country where the first language <em>is</em> English. In the UK, you&rsquo;d be teaching ESOL, whereas in the US, Canada, and Australia, you&rsquo;d be teaching ESL.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>1. Initial teacher training&nbsp;</h2>

<p>If you&rsquo;re starting out in English language teaching, you might want to see if you actually like it first! There are <em>tons</em> of introductory TEFL/TESOL courses available both online and in person.&nbsp;</p>

<p>These courses are often 120 hours and include essentials such as basic teaching&nbsp;theories, classroom activities, and grammar. However, it&rsquo;s unlikely that they will qualify you for a paid teaching role.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Most employers will require you to have:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>a bachelor&rsquo;s degree from university (any subject)</li>
	<li>a certificate in ELT (which includes observed classroom practice)</li>
	<li>a proficient level of English&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<p>These introductory modules are a great starting point, though, or even as a review for practicing teachers.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>2. Certificate in ELT</h2>

<p>Alongside a university-level degree, this is the minimum certification level you will need to secure a job as a language teacher. Although there are many providers, it&rsquo;s essential to check that classroom practice is included in the certification.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The most common certificates in ELT (which include observed classroom practice) are:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/teaching-english/teaching-qualifications/celta/" target="_blank">The Cambridge CELTA</a>:&nbsp;Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.trinitycollege.com/qualifications/teaching-english/CertTESOL" target="_blank">The Trinity CertTESOL</a>:&nbsp;Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages</li>
</ul>

<p>Both of these certificates are available online and face-to-face. They include:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>language awareness</li>
	<li>learner profiling</li>
	<li>classroom management</li>
	<li>lesson planning&nbsp;</li>
	<li>learning methodologies</li>
</ul>

<p>Each course takes 200 hours and can be pretty intense, whether you opt for the one-month intensive or part-time options.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>3. Diploma in ELT</h2>

<p>Once you have a few years of post-certificate teaching practice, you&rsquo;ll be ready to develop your skills with a diploma. Again, the most well-respected providers are Trinity College London and Cambridge University.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.trinitycollege.com/qualifications/teaching-english/diptesol" target="_blank">Trinity College DipTESOL</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/teaching-english/teaching-qualifications/delta/" target="_blank">Cambridge DELTA</a></li>
</ul>

<p>Much like the Trinity and Cambridge certificates, both are available as:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>online or face-to-face</li>
	<li>intensive or part-time</li>
</ul>

<p>Each has a research, written, exam, and observed teaching practice component. They are both designed to deepen your skills and knowledge as an ELT professional.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>4. Master&rsquo;s degrees</h2>

<p>In general, most ELT professionals do master&rsquo;s level degrees after completing certificates or diplomas. However, it is possible to skip straight to this level with the right entry qualifications.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There are countless master&rsquo;s level options. The program&nbsp;you choose will depend on your location, the cost, your interests&nbsp;and career goals, and whether you prefer to study online or in person.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Some master&rsquo;s programs are research-focused, allowing you to investigate a particular area of interest. Others follow a specific curriculum.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Common master&rsquo;s degrees for language teaching professionals include:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>MA - master of arts&nbsp;</li>
	<li>MEd - master of education</li>
</ul>

<p>These can follow more distinct subjects such as applied linguistics, TESOL, or learning technologies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To find out more about master&rsquo;s programs, search online for universities or subjects that interest you. You could also seek recommendations from peers or colleagues.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>5. PhDs</h2>

<p>This is the highest qualification for ELT professionals. Gaining a doctorate can take many years of dedicated study, but can be worth the effort.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It can be a good option if:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>you have a specific area of interest you&rsquo;d like to research</li>
	<li>you&rsquo;d like to advance a certain aspect of language teaching</li>
	<li>you want to explore your master&rsquo;s research topic more</li>
	<li>your goal is to secure a university-level role</li>
</ul>

<p>Finding the right PhD program will take time. The application process is rigorous, and you&rsquo;ll need to submit initial research to be accepted. You&rsquo;ll also have to show strong academic and research skills.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To find out more about PhDs:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>search online for universities that interest you</li>
	<li>search for funding opportunities and scholarships</li>
	<li>speak to other academics for advice</li>
</ul>

<h2>6. Other courses</h2>

<p>I&rsquo;ve covered most of the common routes for English language teachers. However, there are many other options.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here are some examples:&nbsp;</p>

<h4><strong>Teaching Young Learners</strong></h4>

<p>Trinity College London offers the TYLEC, or Teaching Young Learners Extension Certificate. This certificate supports teachers to deepen their practice with specifically teaching learners aged 7&ndash;16. You can find out more <a href="https://www.trinitycollege.com/qualifications/teaching-english/TYLEC" target="_blank">here</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>NILE</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://www.nile-elt.com/" target="_blank">Norwich Institute of Language Education</a> offers MA programs, CELTAs, and DELTAs as well as a range of other courses, including:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>Learning Differences &amp; Inclusion&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Management</li>
	<li>Materials Development</li>
	<li>Testing &amp; Evaluation</li>
	<li>Teaching English for Academic Purposes</li>
	<li>Content &amp; Language Integrated Learning</li>
</ul>

<h3>7. Independent courses</h3>

<p>With the rise in online learning, many ELT experts have created group programs and online courses in very niche areas. For example:&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Clare Hayward</strong> offers training on <a href="https://hayward-elt-training.com/about/">how to use Canva</a> to create classroom materials.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Michelle Worgan</strong> provides teacher development on <a href="http://www.michelleworgan.com/ " target="_blank">inquiry-based learning</a>.</p>

<p><strong>Katherine Bilsborough and John Hughes</strong> have a course on <a href="http://www.writingeltmaterials.com/  " target="_blank">materials development</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Emily Bryson </strong>(that&rsquo;s me) has courses on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.emilybrysonelt.com/">graphic facilitation and sketchnoting for ELT</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>I list more of these opportunities in my <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/teacherpreneur" target="_blank">Teacherpreneurs</a> post, such as coaching, financial management, podcasting, neurodiversity, and publishing academic research.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<h2>8. Ellii.com resources</h2>

<p>If taking on a whole new training course leaves you feeling overwhelmed, Ellii has plenty of other professional development options for you:&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Blogs</strong>: Ellii has countless&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog">blog posts to help you deepen your knowledge of language teaching</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Webinars</strong>: The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@elliiteachers">Ellii for Teachers YouTube channel</a> has a comprehensive selection of webinars, training videos, and demos.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ElliiCon</strong>: Ellii has hosted a few&nbsp;<em>free</em> online conferences with ELT experts from all over the world. You can catch up on previous years at Ellii&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@elliiteachers" target="_blank">YouTube channel</a>&nbsp;for teachers.</p>

<blockquote>
<p>What professional development courses have you taken? What are your CPD goals? We&rsquo;d love to know here in the comments.</p>
</blockquote>


Getting Started & Moving Forward: Professional Development for ELT 

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<p>As the world gets smaller with technology, teacherpreneurism is becoming more common. Merging the terms &quot;teacher&quot; and &quot;entrepreneur,&quot; teacherpreneurs are teachers who set themselves up in business.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In this post, I&rsquo;ll explore how to become a teacherpreneur and give examples that&nbsp;will inspire you on your journey.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><b>1. Have an idea that solves a problem</b></h2>

<p>The key to success is to find something that your ideal customer NEEDS. If you offer something that improves their lives, saves them time, or helps them achieve their goals, you&rsquo;re on to a winner.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Think about your skills, experiences, and passions. Then consider how you might use these to give your customers something that they couldn&rsquo;t live without.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It&rsquo;s also important to know exactly who your ideal customer is and tailor your offering to them.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><b>2. Make yourself visible</b></h2>

<p>You&rsquo;re not going to sell anything if no one knows you (or your company) exist! Successful teacherpreneurs know how to market themselves and their products.&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can raise your profile by:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>speaking at conferences and online events</li>
	<li>blogging or vlogging</li>
	<li>posting on social media</li>
	<li>building an email list</li>
	<li>starting a podcast</li>
</ul>

<h2><b>3. Find your niche</b></h2>

<p>There&rsquo;s a lot of competition out there, so you need to find a way to stand out. And if you&rsquo;re going to devote a lot of time to your teacherpreneurial ventures, you&rsquo;ll want it to be something you love. Find something you&rsquo;re good at&nbsp;and raise your profile doing it until you&rsquo;re recognized as one of the top experts in your field.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><b>4. Get a coach or accountability buddy</b></h2>

<p>As a freelancer or teacherpreneur, you may feel like you don&rsquo;t really know where to begin or what to focus on. A business coach can be the supportive line manager that helps you do this (but that you pay for)! They don&rsquo;t come cheap, but they will help you hone your idea, market yourself, and stay on track.&nbsp;</p>

<p>If you can&rsquo;t afford a business coach or aren&rsquo;t ready to pay for one, many offer group programs or free taster challenges.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For example, Rachael Roberts at <a href="https://earnlearnthriveinelt.com/">Earn Live Thrive</a> frequently runs a &quot;Festival of Freelancing,&quot; which is packed with tools to set up your business, plan your marketing, write engaging emails, and overcome negative mindset gremlins. She also has lots of free business-related guides on her site.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://olakowalska.com/">Ola Kowalska</a> is another business coach who is bursting with enthusiasm. Her podcast, <em>Get Richer Teacher</em>,&nbsp;is definitely worth downloading if you&rsquo;re in need of guidance and inspiration. Her website is also full of free guides, blogs, and info to get you started.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Alternatively, find a friend with a similar ambition and team up with them to be accountability buddies. You can offer each other constructive criticism and insights to business plans, social media strategies, and&nbsp;a gentle nudge to stay motivated.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>5. Look for inspiration&nbsp;</h2>

<p>Look at what others are doing and think about what it is that makes them successful. Perhaps they&rsquo;ve found the perfect problem to solve or maybe they&rsquo;re absolutely brilliant at marketing themselves and attracting customers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here are some ELTpreneurs that inspire me:&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Ben Buckwold, CEO of Ellii:&nbsp;</h3>

<p>I couldn&rsquo;t write a blog post for Ellii about teacherpreneurism without mentioning our very own CEO, Ben Buckwold! Ben was a teacherpreneur before it was cool! In December 2002, he returned to Canada after years of teaching in Japan. His dream was to set up a subscription-based site offering teachers ready-to-use lessons on every imaginable topic. And so ESL Library, which is now Ellii, was created. And we all know how much it improves teachers&rsquo; lives around the world!</p>

<p>Here&rsquo;s the full story: <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/looking-back-on-20-years-of-ellii" target="_blank">Looking Back on 20 Years of Ellii</a>. You might also appreciate his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vhmgjB8UM0" target="_blank">2024 TESOL speech</a>, which talks about Ellii&#39;s journey as a long-term sponsor of the international convention.</p>

<h3>Marek Kiczkowiak, Academic English Now</h3>

<p>Marek has found the perfect problem to solve&mdash;and he solves it to a consistently high standard.&nbsp;</p>

<p>His company, <a href="https://academicenglishnow.com/" target="_blank">Academic English Now</a>, helps academics&nbsp;get published in high-impact research publications. This helps them achieve their goals, gain recognition in their field, and secure tenured positions.&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Ann Margaret Smith, ELTWell</h3>

<p><a href="https://eltwell.com/" target="_blank">Ann Margaret Smith</a> is one of the leading voices on inclusive language teaching. She has created numerous support packs for learners with specific learning differences and neurodiversities. Her course on supporting learners with neurodiversity is one of the most informative and important professional development courses I have ever done.&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Nicola Prentis, The Chilled Investor</h3>

<p>It is often said that you don&rsquo;t go into English language teaching for the money. But if you&rsquo;re reading this post, perhaps you&rsquo;re looking for other routes to financial security. <a href="https://chilledinvestor.com/" target="_blank">Nicola Prentis</a> is an ELT professional who coaches people to make their money work for them &quot;instead of the other way round.&quot; Her courses support other ELTers to make educated financial choices about pensions and investments, to retire earlier, and to work less.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Laura Wilkes, TESOL Pop &amp; Communicating for Impact</h3>

<p><a href="https://communicating-for-impact.com/" target="_blank">Laura</a> has been creating some of the most popular ELT-related podcasts for years. She now wants to share her expertise with other ELT professionals. Creating a podcast can help you share your knowledge with the world and build strong relationships with your audience. And Laura is the perfect person to show you how.&nbsp;</p>

<blockquote>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-cc339a55-7fff-232a-775d-f093bf0e5599">What tips would you add to this list? Would you like to be a teacherpreneur? Are there any other teacherpreneurs that inspire you? We&rsquo;d love to know your thoughts and ideas. </b></p>
</blockquote>

<p>And if you&rsquo;d like to introduce entrepreneurism into your classes, here are some lessons:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1681-internet-entrepreneurs" target="_blank">Internet Entrepreneurs</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4061-entrepreneurs-simple-past" target="_blank">Entrepreneurs -&nbsp;Simple Past</a></li>
</ul>


How to Be a Teacherpreneur

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<p>Anyone who does the same job for a long time will have their highs and lows in motivation. This is no different, if perhaps even more common, for teachers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>If there&rsquo;s one thing I&rsquo;ve learned from over 20 years in English language teaching, it&rsquo;s that variety is the key to staying motivated. Taking on a new project, signing up for professional development, or changing roles at work are all great ways to keep the passion for teaching alive.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In this post, I&rsquo;ll take a look at&nbsp;different pathways you could explore to move upwards or sideways, or to just reignite your love of educating.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Teacher training</h2>

<p>Every teacher has diverse and valuable experiences, skills, and knowledge to share with the world. If you&rsquo;ve carried out some research, trialed something new, or are just absolutely fabulous at a certain aspect of teaching, you can bet others will want to know.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Getting into teacher training can sometimes be daunting, but it is also very rewarding. It can be nerve-racking sharing your skills to&nbsp;rooms full of experienced professionals. However, it&rsquo;s always wonderful to see those techniques being interpreted in different ways&nbsp;and adapted for different contexts.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>To get started, you may want to gain confidence by delivering sessions for your team. You could also look for online or face-to-face conferences.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here are some blog posts you might find useful:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/speaking-at-an-elt-conference-top-tips-for-successful-presentations">Top Tips for Successful Conference Presentations</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/speaking-at-an-elt-conference-demystifying-the-application-process" target="_blank">Speaking at an ELT Conference: Demystifying the Application Process</a></li>
</ul>

<h2>Leadership &amp; management</h2>

<p>This is often the obvious pathway for many careers. Leading a team or managing a school has many benefits.&nbsp;Perhaps the most attractive advantage is increased salary. However, it can also allow you to use and develop your skills to their full potential.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For example, directors of studies and senior lecturers can be responsible for:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>recruitment &amp; induction</li>
	<li>marketing</li>
	<li>team building</li>
	<li>curriculum development</li>
	<li>client liaison</li>
	<li>sales &amp; promotion</li>
	<li>human resources</li>
</ul>

<p>These are just a few of the skills you could gain in a role as an academic manager. Of course, with these responsibilities can come additional stress. Plus, you&rsquo;d also need to consider whether you&rsquo;d miss being in the classroom.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Research in academia</h2>

<p>Academic research leads the way for advances in teaching methodology. Getting a job as a university lecturer isn&rsquo;t easy, though. First, you&rsquo;ll need to get a PhD. You&rsquo;ll also need to get your research published in peer-reviewed industry journals.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, there are other ways to get involved in research. You could sign up for a diploma or a master&rsquo;s degree in TESOL. It&rsquo;s likely that these will have at least one research module.</p>

<p>An alternative is to do some action research. This is when you identify a problem or area of teaching practice you&rsquo;d like to explore and then trial different approaches to it in your classroom.</p>

<p>You can find more information&nbsp;in this <a href="https://www.emilybrysonelt.com/action-research-a-sketchnote/ ">active research sketchnote</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="action-research" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3687/content_Ellii_Doing-action-research-sketchnote-Emily-Bryson.png" /></p>

<h2>Blogging &amp; writing</h2>

<p>Writing articles for ELT magazines and blogging can be a fun <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4928-side-hustles" target="_blank">side hustle</a>. If you enjoy writing, it&rsquo;s a great way to share your expertise with the world and build your online presence.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To get started, you&rsquo;ll probably need to contribute on a voluntary basis first. Publications such as <a href="https://www.iatefl.org/get-involved">IATEFL Voices</a>, <a href="https://www.hltmag.co.uk/">Pilgrims Humanising Language Teaching</a>,&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.natecla.org.uk/content/566/Language-Issues-The-ESOL-journal">Language Issues</a>&nbsp;(NATECLA) are always looking for articles.&nbsp;</p>

<p>If you&rsquo;d prefer to get paid, do some online networking with the marketing teams in larger ELT organizations. You could also contact <a href="https://www.modernenglishteacher.com/write-for-us" target="_blank">Modern English Teacher</a>, which offers a small payment&nbsp;for articles.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Having your own blog is a clever way to be invited to write articles for other organizations. I wouldn&rsquo;t be here writing this post for Ellii if Tara hadn&rsquo;t seen one of my own posts.</p>

<h2><b>Materials development</b></h2>

<p>If you love creating your own resources and aren&rsquo;t overly motivated by money, this could be a good route for you. In general, ELT content writers and editors tend to earn about the same as teachers. Contrary to myth, this pathway isn&rsquo;t paved with gold!</p>

<p>However, developing content that engages learners can be really enjoyable. You get to work with international teams, meet new people, and add a little piece of you to language classes. I personally also find it quite therapeutic.&nbsp;</p>

<p>If you&rsquo;d like to explore this route, I&rsquo;d recommend developing your own bank of resources. You can then share these online to build your profile or use them as samples to apply for work. You could also sell them on educational marketplace sites.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To get started, follow experts in the field like <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhugheselt/" target="_blank">John Hughes</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinebilsborough-eltwriter-eltteachertrainer/" target="_blank">Katherine Bilsborough</a>, who run their own <strong>materials development training </strong>course. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/atenajuszko/" target="_blank">Atena Juzsko</a> often shares jobs posts too. And <a href="https://www.publishingprofessionals.co.uk/" target="_blank">Freelance Publishing Professionals</a> is a membership organization that post regular materials development opportunities and advice. They also host frequent training and networking events.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here&rsquo;s a sketchnote I did for their <strong>ELT Freelancers AwayDay</strong>.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="networking sketchnote" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3688/content_Ellii_networking-tips-sketchnote-Emily-Bryson.png" /></p>

<h2><b>Publishing, sales &amp; marketing</b></h2>

<p>I often feel that this route can be overlooked by teachers looking for a new career path. However, every ELT publisher has a variety of roles that require industry knowledge.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Working in sales and marketing can mean trips to conferences in other countries. It can also bring opportunities to visit schools in various locations. You&rsquo;ll need enthusiasm, presentation skills, and a love of socializing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>If this interests you, check out the vacancies pages of ELT organisations.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><b>Teacherpreneur</b></h2>

<p>It&rsquo;s becoming ever more possible to create your own job. Choose your niche, promote yourself, and build a variety of products and income streams.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Being a teacherpreneur means you could get paid for what you&rsquo;re most passionate about. This could be:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>creating materials&nbsp;</li>
	<li>teacher development (e.g., podcasting, graphic facilitation, financial or digital literacy skills)</li>
	<li>teaching a particular niche of student (e.g., artists, soccer players, activists)</li>
</ul>

<p>So that&rsquo;s just a few ideas of different roles you can have in ELT. It&rsquo;s not just about teaching! Look around for inspiration and opportunities!</p>

<blockquote>
<p>What roles are you most interested in? What other opportunities are there? Any advice to share on how to get started in these pathways? We&rsquo;d love to hear your ideas.&nbsp;</p>
</blockquote>

<p>If you&rsquo;d like to support your students to consider their own careers, here are some Ellii lessons and collections:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/everyday-topics/jobs-employment" target="_blank">Jobs &amp; Employment</a> (Collection)</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/gather/ellii-polls/career-pathways">Career Pathways</a>&nbsp;(Ellii Poll)</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2099-how-to-write-a-resume " target="_blank">How to Write a Resume</a>&nbsp;(Lesson)</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1815-jobs " target="_blank">Jobs</a>&nbsp;(Lesson)</li>
</ul>


Beyond Teaching: ELT Careers to Keep You Motivated

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Learn how to make the most of your Ellii subscription with tips from our publishing team.

Teaching with Ellii

<p>There are many reasons to bring environmental matters into the ELT classroom:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>2023 was the warmest year on record.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Greenhouse gas levels are rising.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Ice caps and glaciers are melting.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Sea levels are rising.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>The number or extreme weather events has increased.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<p>This may sound like a scary list, but that is exactly why climate change is&nbsp;an important topic to discuss in class. These things are&nbsp;happening to the planet we live on right now and, consequently, the environment is&nbsp;a subject of global importance.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Including green-themed lessons in the ELT classroom can raise awareness of the climate crisis and inspire learners to make tiny changes to Earth.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In this post, I&rsquo;ll explore some ways to do this:&nbsp;</p>

<h2>1. Follow green ELT accounts</h2>

<p>One of the best ways to get ideas for greening your classroom is by following the experts. I always feel inspired by the content on <a href="https://eltfootprint.org/" target="_blank">ELT Footprint</a>, <a href="https://green-action-elt.uk/" target="_blank">Green Action ELT</a>, and <a href="https://renewableenglish.com/" target="_blank">Renewable English</a> socials. I also love being part of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/eltfootprint/" target="_blank">ELT Footprint </a>Facebook group, where I can share my own ideas, ask questions, and find out about events.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<h2>2. Take action</h2>

<p>Some of the best opportunities for students to learn English happen outside of the classroom. This can provide a chance for learners to use their language skills to work together towards a shared goal. For example:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>visiting a site of environmental importance (e.g., a recycling plant)</li>
	<li>attending a&nbsp;green event (e.g., a conference, rally, or concert)</li>
	<li>organizing a fundraiser (e.g., creating a recipe book to reduce food waste)</li>
	<li>creating something with upcycled materials (e.g., a greenhouse from plastic bottles)</li>
	<li>taking part in a community cleanup (e.g., a gardening event or litter pickup)</li>
	<li>starting a green-themed petition (e.g., to have more bicycle lanes)</li>
	<li>Plant something (e.g., trees, vegetables, fruit)</li>
</ul>

<h2>3. Get inspired</h2>

<p>At Ellii, we absolutely love Ali Waters, daughter of ELT green guru Harry Waters. This unstoppable human has a mission, and she is on track to succeed. On her 11th birthday, Ali launched the #1millionlitterpick challenge. The goal is to collect and recycle one million pieces of plastic litter.</p>

<p>To get involved, get your students to collect as much litter as possible. Then count it and log it on &quot;Ali&rsquo;s Map&quot;&nbsp;app. You could also take photos&nbsp;and share your own successes with the world. This will spread the word, help Ali to achieve her goals, and make the world&nbsp;a cleaner, shinier place.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Learn all about <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/one-in-a-million-plastic-litter-challenge">Ali&#39;s one-in-a-million mission</a> in this post.</p>

<p>Here are some Ellii lessons you could use to introduce the theme of litter:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3308-ocean-garbage " target="_blank">Ocean Garbage</a>: Discussion Starters</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1212-garbage-solutions" target="_blank">Garbage Solutions</a>: Discussion Starters</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1246-composting" target="_blank">Composting</a>: Discussion Starters</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1281-food-waste" target="_blank">Food Waste</a>: Discussion Starters</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4219-throw-it-out " target="_blank">Throw It Out!</a>: Photo Prompts</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1462-plastic " target="_blank">Plastic</a>: Famous Things</li>
</ul>

<h2>4. Encourage debate &amp; discussion</h2>

<p>As with any topic of global importance, students will bring their own experiences and opinions to class. It&rsquo;s important to give them the opportunity to share their ideas in an open and respectful way.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/gather/ellii-polls" target="_blank">Ellii Polls</a> are a great way to do this. They allow learners to anonymously share their views <em>and</em>&nbsp;they provide supported discussion questions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Take this poll on <a href="https://ellii.com/gather/ellii-polls/water-conservation" target="_blank">Water Conservation</a>, for example:&nbsp;</p>

<p>Students <strong>scan the QR code</strong> to get started and then enter their name. Once everyone has joined the poll, the teacher can start the sequence of questions, discussion starters, and vocabulary.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Ellii Poll QR Code Example" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3610/content_Screen_Shot_2024-02-23_at_11.00.49_AM.png" /></p>

<p>Students answer a question and then&nbsp;stop to discuss the responses, which they can see on the teacher&#39;s screen.&nbsp;After the responses come in, you could take the opportunity to encourage discussion around:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>whether students are surprised by the results</li>
	<li>students&rsquo; feelings about the results</li>
	<li>possible reasons for the results</li>
	<li>how to change the results</li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="Ellii Poll Question example" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3611/content_Screen_Shot_2024-02-23_at_11.02.07_AM.png" /></p>

<p>After the initiating <strong>yes/no question</strong>, you can&nbsp;continue the poll sequence to cover vocabulary input, agreeing and disagreeing, and more in-depth discussions.</p>

<p><img alt="Ellii Poll Vocabulary" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3612/content_Screen_Shot_2024-02-23_at_11.03.15_AM.png" /></p>

<p>Next, students get a chance to <strong>agree or disagree</strong> about a set of statements related to the topic.</p>

<p><img alt="agree or disagree example in an Ellii Poll" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3615/content_Screen_Shot_2024-02-23_at_12.16.23_PM.png" /><br />
<br />
After that, students see&nbsp;further poll questions that allow them to <strong>elaborate.</strong></p>

<p>&nbsp;<img alt="Ellii Poll questions" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3613/content_Screen_Shot_2024-02-23_at_11.04.36_AM.png" /></p>

<p>Finally, if your students seem interestsed in the topic, you can find related lessons at the end of the poll. Note that the polls are free for anyone to use; however, the lessons&nbsp;require a paid subscription.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
<img alt="Related lessons in Ellii Polls" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3614/content_Screen_Shot_2024-02-23_at_11.14.03_AM.png" /><br />
<br />
If you like the sound of this, you can check out Elli&rsquo;s ever-growing bank of<a href="https://ellii.com/gather/ellii-polls " target="_blank"> poll topics</a>.</p>

<p>Here&rsquo;s a few green ones to get you started:&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/gather/ellii-polls/food-waste" target="_blank">Food Waste</a><br />
<a href="https://ellii.com/gather/ellii-polls/water-conservation" target="_blank">Water Conservation</a><br />
<a href="https://ellii.com/gather/ellii-polls/climate-change">Climate Change</a>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>5. Browse the collections</h2>

<p>Finding ways to incorporate green issues into the classroom is simple when you have Ellii. All of the awesome environmentally themed lessons you can use in class are in&nbsp;this <a href="https://ellii.com/collections/global-issues/the-environment">Environment</a> collection. There is also a collection that curates Ellii&#39;s content with&nbsp;the UN&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/collections/global-issues/sustainable-development-goals" target="_blank">Sustainable Development Goals</a>&nbsp;in mind.</p>

<blockquote>
<p>How do you include green topics in your classes? What tips and teaching ideas would you add?&nbsp;</p>
</blockquote>


Greening the ELT Classroom: Tips & Teaching Ideas

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<p>This time last year, I wrote a post on what 2023 might bring for the ELT world. Making predictions about anything is a bold move, so I enlisted the help of other ELT professionals to ensure I stepped outside my own ELT bubble.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/6-english-language-teaching-trends-in-2023" target="_blank">The top trends of 2023</a>, as outlined in my post, were:&nbsp;</p>

<ol>
	<li>Green ELT</li>
	<li>DEIB: Diversity, equity, inclusion &amp; belonging</li>
	<li>Virtual reality</li>
	<li>Mediation</li>
	<li>Life skills</li>
	<li>Task-based teaching, learning &amp; assessment</li>
</ol>

<p>Overall, I feel these trends in ELT were indeed hot topics throughout 2023, especially in terms of climate care and inclusion. I noticed a lot of conferences that I spoke at had themes related to inclusion&nbsp;or the environment.&nbsp;</p>

<p>You may notice that one huge trend was missing!? Any ideas?&nbsp;</p>

<h2><b>The trend I missed!</b></h2>

<p>As I mentioned, predicting anything can be an impossible task, and I don&rsquo;t think anyone could have predicted the impact artificial intelligence has already had on our industry.&nbsp;</p>

<p>ChatGPT was released shortly after I submitted my post. I missed it! But in some ways, I like that the biggest trend of 2023 didn&rsquo;t make it to the list. I feel like its omission makes it stand out more and it makes me wonder what 2024 will hold&mdash;and what I&rsquo;ll have missed in this post!&nbsp;</p>

<p>So, here are some potential trends for 2024 that some wonderful participants of the <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/groups/3460329/" target="_blank">ELT Professionals LinkedIn</a> group, which I highly recommend joining, and I are tentatively predicting.</p>

<h2><b>Trends to watch in 2024</b></h2>

<h3>1. Artificial intelligence</h3>

<p>There&rsquo;s no denying that AI&nbsp;will continue to thrill, bamboozle, and delight us in 2024. Around the world, ELT professionals are using it to prepare lessons, create activities, and reduce workload wherever possible. Language learners are also using AI to support their learning via intelligent translations, linguistic advice, and checking (and hopefully not doing) their homework!&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Roz Weitzman on ELT trends" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3542/content_Screen_Shot_2023-12-19_at_2.43.53_PM.png" /></p>

<p><strong>Humanity &amp; Technology in ELT</strong>&nbsp;was the <strong>ElliiCon</strong> theme this year, so if you&rsquo;d like more info and tips on using AI&nbsp;in the classroom, here are some useful links:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1mxLSUQDvw&amp;list=PLP0N5nuiA3aOIoCMzz9RNamAKTpqXQTvQ&amp;ab_channel=ElliiforTeachers%28formerlyESLLibrary%29" target="_blank">ElliiCon2023 YouTube Playlist</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-prevent-students-cheating-with-ai">How to Prevent Students from Cheating with AI</a><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-prevent-students-cheating-with-ai " target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/10-practical-ways-teachers-can-excel-with-ai">10 Practical Ways Teachers Can Excel with AI&nbsp;</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/developing-learner-autonomy-with-ai">Developing Learner Autonomy with AI&nbsp;</a></li>
</ul>

<h3>2. Well-being</h3>

<p>It seems that Ellii has their finger on the pulse when it comes to ELT trends.<b> </b>ElliiCon has covered a lot of both AI- and well-being-related topics.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In many ways, well-being and emotional intelligence are part of the diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging trend, which continues&nbsp;on from 2023. Classrooms that are accessible, celebrate diversity, and allow self-expression make students feel welcomed and promote mental health.</p>

<p><img alt="Philip Saxon on ELT trends" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3544/content_Screen_Shot_2023-12-19_at_2.57.02_PM.png" /></p>

<p>I couldn&rsquo;t agree more with Philip Saxon&rsquo;s comment that AI&nbsp;is &quot;not more important than Emotional Intelligence or Mental Health.&quot;&nbsp;Students learn better and teachers teach better when they feel good. Language learning is more successful with positive well-being.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here is a sketchnote from Dr. Katie Welch&rsquo;s ElliiCon2022 session on addressing social-emotional needs.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Katie Welch self-care" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3541/content_Dr_Katie_Welch_final.jpg" /></p>

<p>You can watch the <a href="https://youtu.be/wA53ad4GloU?si=SIWtfqvkJ9GD8Sxe" target="_blank">full session</a> here.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here are some previous blog posts on the topic, which contain links to lesson ideas, activities, and other useful resources:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/the-importance-of-growth-mindset-for-learning-teaching">The Importance of a Growth Mindset for Language Teaching</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/activity-to-boost-confidence-and-well-being">A Quick Activity to Boost Confidence and Well-Being</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-promote-mental-health-in-the-classroom">5 Ways to Promote Mental Health in the English Language Classroom</a></li>
</ul>

<h3>3. Diversity, equity, inclusion &amp; belonging</h3>

<p>DEIB remains a hot topic. As language teachers, it&rsquo;s important that we make our learning spaces as accessible as possible to all our learners.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here&rsquo;s why:&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Diversity:</strong>&nbsp;Our learners are diverse! We teach students from all over the world. Our learners bring a delightful variety of languages, cultures, beliefs, religions, world views, and interests to class. It&rsquo;s important that we celebrate these differences and value each and every individual.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Equity:</strong> While equality is treating everyone the same, equity aims to support those who need it&nbsp;most in order to achieve an equal outcome. In the classroom, this means providing additional support or making small adaptations for learners with specific learning differences&nbsp;or those with developing literacy or digital skills.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Inclusion: </strong>The UK Equality Act 2010 has nine protected characteristics: age, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, disability, race, religion/belief, sex, and sexual orientation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The act aims to prevent discrimination against each of these differences. In class, it&rsquo;s important to be aware of these differences and ensure each is included and represented within the learning materials. This promotes understanding, empathy, and respect.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Belonging: </strong>Creating a welcoming atmosphere where students feel included, respected, and represented ensures a feeling of belonging. This in turn boosts confidence, well-being, and a desire to get involved in classroom life and learning.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here are some additional resources that may be of interest:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/inclusive-festivities-valuing-every-learner-s-holidays">How to Value Every Learner&rsquo;s Holidays</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/supporting-students-with-adhd">Supporting Students&nbsp;with ADHD</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/accessibility-supporting-english-learners-with-dyslexia">Supporting English Learners with Dyslexia</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/accessibility-supporting-blind-low-vision-learners">Supporting Blind &amp; Low-Vision Learners</a></li>
</ul>

<h3>4. Green ELT&nbsp;</h3>

<p>This topic continues to trend in ELT. Organizations like ELT Footprint, Renewable English, and Green Action ELT are doing a wonderful job of raising awareness and a platform for teachers to share resources and teaching ideas.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Around the world, we are seeing unprecedented extreme weather, pollution, and rising temperatures. This directly impacts the lives of many of our learners and can induce climate anxiety.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Including environmental matters in the ELT classroom can help educate learners on social responsibility and give them the skills to discuss sensitive, real-world, global topics.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Complementary to green issues, we are also seeing more discussions and resources around the UN Sustainable Development Goals. These 17 goals aim to make the world more sustainable in terms of preservation of natural habitats, climate change, education, health, and wealth distribution.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here are some posts and resources that may interest you:</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/the-what-why-and-how-of-sustainable-development-goals">The What, Why &amp; How of Sustainable Development Goals</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2214-earth-summit-project">Earth Summit Project</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/health-matters/2090-organic-food" target="_blank">Organic Food Lesson</a></li>
</ul>

<h3>5. ELF pronunciation</h3>

<p>English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) is not a new concept, but it seems to be growing in popularity in recent years. It refers to the usage of English as a common language for communication.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Lewis Lansford on ELT trends" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3545/content_Screen_Shot_2023-12-19_at_2.44.07_PM.png" /></p>

<p><a href="https://www.ijscl.net/article_36105_6713d9d790e7fccd42fd819f22d2abef.pdf" target="_blank">Over 80% of communication in English takes place between so-called &quot;non-native&quot;&nbsp;speakers</a>. For example, someone whose first language is German speaking to someone whose first language is Arabic.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ELFpron</strong> refers to using pronunciation that is globally intelligible as opposed to aiming to sound like a &quot;native&quot; speaker. It uses a range of language models to support learners in understanding diverse accents from around the world.&nbsp;</p>

<p>I use the terms &quot;native&quot;&nbsp;and &quot;non-native&quot;&nbsp;in quotations, as there is some discussion around what these terms really mean. Am I a &quot;native&rsquo;&quot; speaker&nbsp;even though&nbsp;I had to modify my language from regional Scots to a more globally intelligible form of English when I first started teaching? Is my Polish best friend a &quot;non-native&quot;&nbsp;speaker although she has lived in the UK for 20+ years, speaks with a Northern Irish accent, and has completed a degree at a UK university?&nbsp;</p>

<p>In many ways, ELFpron is the inclusive way to teach pronunciation. It allows students to embrace their accents and the diverse accents of English language users all over the world.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here are some resources to use in class:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3170-pronunciation-rules-hard-soft-g " target="_blank">Pronunciation Rules: Hard &amp; Soft G</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3173-pronunciation-rules-hard-soft-c " target="_blank">Pronunciation Rules: Hard &amp; Soft C</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/phonics-stories">Phonics Stories</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/tesol-2023-takeaways-on-teaching-pronunciation">TESOL 2023&nbsp;Takeaways on Teaching Pronunciation</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<h3>6. ELT careers</h3>

<p>As remote teaching is growing, there is also a growth in teacherpreneurs. More teachers are going solo and creating their own businesses delivering online classes&nbsp;or providing resources for other teachers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There&rsquo;s also a lot more discussion online about teacher equity, fair working conditions, and having a clear path for development and progression.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Joanna Szoke on ELT trends" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3546/content_Screen_Shot_2023-12-19_at_2.44.15_PM.png" /></p>

<p>Business coaches such as <a href="https://earnlearnthriveinelt.com/" target="_blank">Rachael Roberts</a> and <a href="https://olakowalska.com/" target="_blank">Ola Kowalska</a> are leading the way in supporting ELT professionals to succeed in their freelance and entrepreneurial journeys. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-prentis-%F0%9F%92%B8-64a46b27/" target="_blank">Nicola Prentis</a> aims to help demystify financial planning and support teachers to make their money work for them.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://teflworkersunion.org/" target="_blank">The TEFL Workers&#39; Union</a> is also building its audience and membership&nbsp;as it strives to enhance the working conditions of TEFL professionals around the world.&nbsp;</p>

<blockquote>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-c7016889-7fff-b4af-d4f4-28e41483249b">What are your thoughts on these ELT trends for 2024? What have I missed this time around? We&rsquo;d love to hear your ideas.</b></p>
</blockquote>

<p>If you&#39;d like to read or contribute to the LinkedIn thread, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7137453051019235328?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop " target="_blank">you can access it here</a>.</p>


ELT Trends to Watch in 2024

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Find useful resources and tips for teaching English with interactive apps and sites.

EdTech

<p>In the age of artificial intelligence, this is the million-dollar question:</p>

<blockquote>
<p>How can we prevent our students from cheating with AI tools?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>AI tools such as <strong>Google Bard</strong> and <strong>ChatGPT</strong> are freely available for everyone to use (and abuse).&nbsp;Within seconds, these tools can write emails, create stories, and give lists of useful vocabulary, so it&rsquo;s no wonder that students may be tempted to use AI&nbsp;to cheat on their language learning assignments.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In this blog post, I&rsquo;ll explore some ways to ensure learners use AI&nbsp;responsibly.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>1. Teach them to use it to help them learn</h2>

<p>I have been using ChatGPT recently to help me learn Spanish. I have found it invaluable as I can ask it to give me translations, corrections, linguistic tips, example texts, explanations, and even regional differences or recipes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>I have never used AI&nbsp;to write an email, text, or homework assignment for me because I am aware that doing so would not help me learn. This is much like if a teacher gives students the answer without allowing them the opportunity to find it for themselves.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Teaching students to develop their AI&nbsp;skills will help them to use it to aid learning and will reduce the risk of misuse.&nbsp;</p>

<p>I&rsquo;ve outlined some ways to develop learner autonomy and support language development using AI&nbsp;in this blog post: <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/developing-learner-autonomy-with-ai">Developing Learner Autonomy with AI</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>2. Make them aware of the consequences</h2>

<p>I often found that when my students submitted work that was not their own, I could immediately tell.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here&rsquo;s why:</p>

<ul>
	<li>Two (or more) students made exactly the same mistake&nbsp;(e.g., incorrect spelling).</li>
	<li>The work had no errors at all or minimal errors.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>They had used above-level language&nbsp;(e.g., a beginner using the word &quot;submit&quot;&nbsp;or the past perfect progressive).</li>
</ul>

<p>If the suspicious work was word-processed, I&rsquo;d often find myself copying and pasting it into a search engine to see what appeared. On occasion, I discovered that students had copied and pasted from websites.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tools such as <a href="https://www.turnitin.com/" target="_blank">Turnitin</a> and <a href="https://www.grammarly.com/" target="_blank">Grammarly</a> can also detect plagiarism, but sadly can&rsquo;t yet tell if a text has been generated by AI.&nbsp;</p>

<p>I always found that making students aware of the consequences of cheating&nbsp;and how teachers can identify it had a strong impact. Not only might they fail or be removed from the course if they get caught, but also their language learning will remain at the same level, which is a big motivator for many learners.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At the end of the day, learners who cheat are only cheating themselves.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>3. Focus on the process</h2>

<p>One of the best ways to prevent learners from cheating is by designing assignments that make it impossible!&nbsp;</p>

<p>Some ways to do this are:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>Incorporating unique contexts or case studies that are not readily available online</li>
	<li>Personalizing tasks so that students must write about themselves</li>
	<li>Providing real and local examples where students need to add their own thoughts and ideas</li>
	<li>Using a combination of assessment tasks (e.g., presentations, blogs, interviews)</li>
</ul>

<p>At ElliiCon2023, Dr. Amin Davoodi advised teachers to use process writing strategies to ensure learners submit their own work. This involved:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>Writing a first draft of their work and submitting it to an AI&nbsp;tool for feedback</li>
	<li>Responding to the feedback and creating a second draft&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Submitting the final piece, drafts, and a copy of the AI&nbsp;prompts and responses&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<p>The students are then learning to use AI&nbsp;to support their learning&nbsp;and the teacher is also reassured that the work is original.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here is a sketchnote summarizing the key points of Dr.&nbsp;Davoodi&rsquo;s webinar:</p>

<p><img alt="Dr. Davoodi ElliiCon2023 session sketchnote by Emily Bryson" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3466/content_Dr_Amin_Davoodi.jpg" /></p>

<p>It was absolutely fabulous, and I highly recommend you watch the full session to find out more (and why fridges can be scary)!</p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P_cwm_Hyc-8?si=ExY6g8JzN7oA84vx" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>You can watch other <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1mxLSUQDvw&amp;list=PLP0N5nuiA3aOIoCMzz9RNamAKTpqXQTvQ&amp;ab_channel=ElliiforTeachers%28formerlyESLLibrary%29 " target="_blank">AI-themed ElliiCon2023</a> sessions on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@elliiteachers" target="_blank"><strong>Ellii for Teachers</strong></a> YouTube channel. <strong>Subscribe</strong> so you don&#39;t miss a helpful video!</p>

<h3>Related</h3>

<h4><strong>Lessons</strong></h4>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1679-artificial-intelligence">Artificial Intelligence</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/that-s-news-to-me/4579-when-chatbots-get-it-wrong" target="_blank">When Chatbots Get It Wrong</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/that-s-news-to-me/4500-tutoring-with-chatgpt" target="_blank">Tutoring with ChatGPT</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4468-ai-generated-content">AI-Generated Content</a></li>
</ul>

<h4>Blog Posts</h4>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/10-practical-ways-teachers-can-excel-with-ai" target="_blank">Ten Practical Ways Teachers Can Excel with AI&nbsp;</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/developing-learner-autonomy-with-ai" target="_blank">Developing Learner Autonomy with AI&nbsp;</a></li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
<p>What experience do you have of cheating and AI? What are your top tips for preventing it? We&rsquo;d love to hear your ideas.</p>
</blockquote>


How To Prevent Students from Cheating with AI

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<h1>&ldquo;So, what&rsquo;s your story?&rdquo;</h1>

<p>How does one even begin? I suppose the context would be the biggest factor here, and, of course, your audience.</p>

<p>Are you giving some background information to a job interviewer? Are you getting to know your new colleagues in a lunchtime meeting? Maybe you&rsquo;re on a first date.</p>

<p>As educators, we know how critical it is to consider all of these elements (e.g., audience, tone, purpose) when telling a story. Storytelling is one of the things I enjoy teaching the most, actually, because it affords me the opportunity to see&nbsp;students&#39; wheels turning and to be there for some of my learners&rsquo; aha moments.</p>

<p>Storytelling skills take practice to develop and hone. We can sometimes neglect these skills in favor of more functional types of writing&mdash;like the essay or email (though these also contain an element of storytelling).</p>

<p>While equipping students with traditional skills remains crucial, there&#39;s an increasing recognition of the importance of fostering 21st-century skills to prepare them for an uncertain future. Among these skills, storytelling stands out as a powerful tool that not only engages learners, but also nurtures their creativity.</p>

<h2>Storytelling: An age-old art</h2>

<p>Storytelling is as old as humanity itself. Long before the advent of the written word, our ancestors communicated knowledge, culture, and experiences through stories. It&#39;s a fundamental aspect of the human experience, deeply ingrained in our DNA. And in the 21st century, storytelling remains a cornerstone of effective communication and education.</p>

<h2>Enter AI: A double-edged sword</h2>

<p>Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation have revolutionized many aspects of our lives. From virtual assistants to self-driving cars, AI is everywhere. While such technological&nbsp;advancements offer previously unimagined convenience and efficiency, they also raise concerns about the future of human work. As educators, we must prepare our students for a job market that is constantly evolving and increasingly dependent on AI.</p>

<h2>Why storytelling matters</h2>

<p><strong>Creativity:</strong> Storytelling encourages students to think creatively. When crafting a story, they have to imagine characters, settings, and plots. This imaginative process keeps their creative faculties sharp and active.</p>

<p><strong>Emotional Intelligence: </strong>Stories often revolve around characters and their emotions. By engaging with stories, students develop empathy and emotional intelligence, skills that are essential in the real world, where they&#39;ll interact with diverse people and cultures. One lesson that I particularly love is&nbsp;called <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4193-think-inside-the-box">Think inside the Box.</a> This &ldquo;wordless&rdquo; story, while developed for younger learners, leaves it up to the student to decide what the characters are communicating.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Critical Thinking: </strong>Analyzing stories helps students sharpen their&nbsp;critical thinking skills. They learn to question motives, dissect plot twists, and evaluate outcomes. These skills are invaluable when navigating the complexities of today&#39;s world. Our <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/detective-series-1">Detective Series</a>&nbsp;is one resource that helps improve critical thinking skills.</p>

<p><strong>Effective Communication: </strong>Storytelling develops&nbsp;students&#39; ability to express ideas clearly and persuasively. In a world saturated with information, effective communication is a highly sought-after skill. Ellii&#39;s <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/discussion-starters">Discussion Starters</a> and <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/mini-debates">Mini-Debates</a>&nbsp;are&nbsp;a good place to start honing these skills.</p>

<p><strong>Adaptability:</strong> Being able to adapt to life circumstances and reinvent yourself has never been a more important skill. Stories often revolve around overcoming challenges and change. Through storytelling, students learn that change is not something to be feared, but rather something to be embraced and navigated.</p>

<h2>Incorporating storytelling in the classroom</h2>

<p><strong>Digital Storytelling:</strong><em> </em>Leverage technology to enable students to create multimedia stories. They can combine text, images, audio, and video to craft compelling narratives. Our <a href="https://ellii.com/resources/photo-prompts">Photo Prompts</a> section can help launch creative ideas and debate, especially our new Photo Feuds&nbsp;prompts. Our <a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/silent-clips">Silent Clips</a>&nbsp;videos could also be used as storytelling prompts.</p>

<p><strong>Storytelling Workshops: </strong>Organize storytelling workshops or invite guest storytellers to inspire and guide your students. If they can&#39;t come in person, many would love to present virtually.</p>

<p><strong>Cross-Disciplinary Approach: </strong>Encourage students to apply storytelling in various subjects, from science to history. This interdisciplinary approach enhances their problem-solving abilities.</p>

<p><strong>Peer Feedback:</strong> Foster a culture of constructive feedback where students share and critique each other&#39;s stories. This enhances their communication skills and helps them learn from one another. Give students something to <em>listen for </em>in each story&nbsp;and then report back.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Real-World Application: </strong>Connect storytelling to real-world scenarios. For instance, challenge students to come up with stories around social issues or entrepreneurship, encouraging them to think about solutions creatively.</p>

<h2>As the story unfolds...</h2>

<p>As educators, it&#39;s our responsibility to prepare students for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. Storytelling is a powerful tool in this endeavor. It keeps creativity alive, nurtures essential skills, and equips students to thrive in the current&nbsp;world&nbsp;and in the world that is about to be changed forever by AI. By embracing storytelling in our classrooms, we empower our students to become not just consumers of technology, but also creators and innovators who shape the future.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The Stories We Tell

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<p>If&nbsp;there&rsquo;s one thing I&rsquo;ve learned in my two decades of teaching English, it&rsquo;s that within every class there will be students with diverse needs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Some learners will be strong at reading and writing&nbsp;while&nbsp;needing additional practice with speaking and listening. Others will speak completely fluently but may struggle to write. Then there are the learners who are super organized and self-directed&nbsp;versus those who arrive late and ask to borrow a pen.</p>

<p>As teachers, it&rsquo;s highly unlikely we&rsquo;ll ever have a class of students who are all at exactly the same level and learn at the same pace, so it&rsquo;s essential we figure out&nbsp;some easy ways to adapt our lessons to challenge every learner.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The good news is that we don&rsquo;t need to prepare multiple lesson plans for just one class.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here are some super simple ways to differentiate your lessons without additional preparation.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>1.&nbsp;Give options</h2>

<p>Letting students choose their tasks gives them control over their learning and allows them to set their own pace.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In each class, there are likely to be &quot;fast finishers.&quot; These are learners who you always expect to finish quickly. It can be a challenge to find them something to do while&nbsp;they wait for other learners.&nbsp;</p>

<p>One option I&rsquo;ve found useful is giving students a &quot;difficult&quot; or &quot;very difficult&quot;&nbsp;option. For example, if students have ten&nbsp;comprehension questions on a reading text, the &quot;difficult&quot; option would be to answer five, while the &quot;very difficult&quot;&nbsp;option would be to answer ten.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This way, every learner feels that they have completed the task. By using &quot;difficult&quot;&nbsp;and &quot;very difficult&quot;&nbsp;instead of &quot;easy&quot;&nbsp;and &quot;difficult,&quot; each learner also has the perception that they have achieved something worthwhile.&nbsp;</p>

<p>An alternative to this is having some students work on the &quot;odd&quot;&nbsp;(e.g., 1, 3, 5) task numbers while others complete the &quot;even&quot;&nbsp;tasks. Fast finishers can then go back and complete both odds and evens.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>2.&nbsp;Create an on-the-spot&nbsp;extension task</h2>

<p>When I know some of my learners need a little more time to complete a task&nbsp;but other&nbsp;learners have already finished, I quickly think of different extension tasks for the fast finishers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This doesn&rsquo;t mean coming to class with piles of worksheets (though I have found it helpful to have a few <a href="https://ellii.com/resources/grammar-usage" target="_blank">Ellii printables</a> at the ready on occasion).&nbsp;Here are a few extension&nbsp;ideas that can be used:&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<blockquote><strong>Extension Activities</strong>

<ul>
	<li>Read the text in pairs to each other</li>
	<li>Rewrite the text about themselves (e.g., changing <em>he/she/they</em> to&nbsp;<em>I</em>)</li>
	<li>Make questions for the rest of the class to answer later</li>
	<li>Add <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2966-vocabulary-cards" target="_blank">new words to their vocabulary</a> notebooks</li>
	<li>Research more information on the topic (and report back to class)</li>
	<li>Write a few sentences, a blog, a&nbsp;<a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2559-writing-assessment-sequencing" target="_blank">timeline</a>, or a summary based on the text</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>

<h2>3. Facilitate peer learning</h2>

<p>I often find that students learn best from each other. When learners have the opportunity to explain something to others, they gain confidence in their knowledge and added understanding and memorization. Likewise, learners who receive support from other learners often benefit from an explanation in their first language or simply a new perspective or a simplified definition.&nbsp;</p>

<p>My students love it when I say &quot;Okay, you are a teacher now. Can you help the other students finish their work?&rsquo;&#39; You can see a certain pride from all learners, knowing that they are helping each other and supporting themselves.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When grouping students, consider the mix of abilities. You may wish to have a group of fast finishers working on a more challenging task&nbsp;while learners who need a little more support work on something else. Or it might be helpful to have stronger students support those who take a little longer.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>4.&nbsp;Get digital</h2>

<p>One of the beauties of using Ellii content is that every lesson can be delivered in a number of ways. It&rsquo;s perfect for face-to-face, online, or blended learning.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It&rsquo;s also super easy to assign tasks to individual learners or whole class groups, either for homework or as an extension activity in class. View the video below for a quick demo.</p>

<p>This is a great way to give fast finishers an additional challenge and boost their digital skills.&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wE-g6Db8ZQ0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<blockquote>
<p>How do you adapt your lessons to support the diverse needs of your learners? We&rsquo;d love to know! Please share your ideas in the comments.&nbsp;</p>
</blockquote>

<p>If you liked this post, you may also be interested in these topics:&nbsp;</p>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/supporting-students-with-adhd">Supporting Students with ADHD</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/accessibility-supporting-blind-low-vision-learners">Supporting Blind &amp; Low-Vision Learners</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/accessibility-supporting-english-learners-with-dyslexia">Supporting English Learners with Dyslexia</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/a-quick-guide-to-universal-design-for-learning">A Quick Guide to Universal Design for Learning</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/tips-for-developing-students-digital-literacy">8 Tips for Developing Students&#39; Digital Literacy</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/support-english-learners-from-refugee-backgrounds">6 Ways to Support Learners from Refugee Backgrounds</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/inclusive-festivities-valuing-every-learner-s-holidays">Inclusive Festivities: How to Value Every Learner&rsquo;s Holidays</a></li>
</ul>


The Power of Differentiation: Effective Strategies to Support Learners with Mixed Abilities

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