TEXTBOOKS

It is well known that most of the teachers only use the textbook for preparing their classes.

From our point of view, coursebooks are not the only option that gives aid and security especially for new teachers. It is necessary complementary materials.

We recommend that teachers should develop their own teaching materials since on this way, teachers can easily capture the attention of the students, and it develops the imagination and creativity.

Textbooks deskill teachers and rob them of their capacity to think professionally and respond to their students. They always follow a regular pattern: they read a text, then they answer some questions, then they discuss, then they write a letter, and so on, and it may lead to routine. Apart from that, they fail to contextualize language activities, fail too when presenting realistic and appropriate language, foster inadequate cultural understanding, fail to address discourse competence or teach idioms, etc.

Therefore, a textbook should never be the only material used in class. A teacher should provide individual remedial work or further exercises. Nowadays, using them or not is a personal option. The relevant point is how we use them in case we choose one. It is important to find a balance between the pre-designed material and the pupil’s needs and interests.

A non-exclusive use of it complemented by all what our imagination may provide may be a good option.

Finally, we consider that textbooks have the following advantages and disadvantages:

Disadvantages or problems:

• It is not a source of knowledge. On them we can’t find all the information that we want.

• The majority of the times, it doesn’t connect with the interests and needs of the pupils.

• It is really boring. In all of the units we can find the same type of activities (they always follow a regular pattern).

• Working without them is very motivating for children, and frequently the use of authentic materials produce intrinsic motivation.

Advantages:

• It is not time consuming.

•  Is a guide for both teachers and students.

• Therefore, we consider that a textbook should never be the only material or resource used in class. It’s really important to find a balance between the pre-designed material and the pupil’s needs and interests.

SCENARIO

You have been assigned to teach a new course and have been told that it is very important to take down the names of all students who attend each class. Last term, you circulated a paper and asked all students to write down their names. However, you found that you had more names written down than students attending the day’s class. The term before, you called out the name of the students enrolled in the course and noted who was present and who was absent. This method did not make you very happy because it took a long time at the beginning of the course and you could not note late arriving students. What are some different ways that you can keep attendance this term? 

What can you do?

We think that the teacher could put a mural in the wall in which will appear photos of all students of the class and the days of the week. So, when children break into the class, they have to put a green stick in their photo and in the day of the week.

Also, the teacher could put a poster in which appear a house and the school. So, when children come in to the class they have to put in the school their photo that they should take it from a box. 

This is an example:

TOP 8 COMPONENTS OF A WELL-WRITTEN LESSON PLAN

As new teachers, we should plan our lessons every day taking into account this eight components or at least the following stages: 

*Warm-up

*Presentation

*Controlled practice

* Free practice 

*Feedback

HOW TO PLAN AN ESL/EFL LESSON

1. Select target structure or function by deciding what students need to focus on considering past lesson and future goals.

2. Select materials to be used: Do you want to use your course book, outside materials or do you want to invent something special for this lesson.

3. Divide the lesson into four areas: warm-up, introduction of materials, class work, summary.

4. For the warm-up section of the lesson choose something that will activate target area. This section can include a simple discussion, reading, a joke, etc.

5. To introduce material choose an exercise that will focus on the target area. These materials can be inductive (student discover for themselves) or deductive (teacher "teaches" the new material.

6. Have students work on the material through using a variety of language recycling techniques. These can be spoken, written, games, etc.

7. To summarize the lesson use an open form of language recycling such as class discussion to allow students to ask any questions they may have.

8. Once you have decided on your materials and strategy, write a short outline using bullets. This will help you keep track of where you are going.

9. Assign homework by choosing materials that will further recycle the target structure or function studied in class.

10. Keep a copy of your lesson plan. As you continue to teach these old plans will come in handy when having to prepare a lesson at the last moment!

Tips:

* Keep you lesson focused. Don't try to do too much.

* It is usually best to underestimate student capabilities. If you overestimate and plan too much you might rush your students and hamper their learning experience. 

GLOGSTER!

From our point of view, Glogster is a useful and amazing tool to create, share digital posters and produce intrinsic motivation. Also, we as teachers could use this tool as a support in an oral exposition, presentations about a topic, etc.

Besides, we can teach students to use this resource, so in this manner they will be autonomous and responsible of their own learning (learner-centred approach).

Moreover, learners can work with this tool in order to develop their creativity for instance, when they do projects and their digital competence, do presentations about a topic given by the teacher or a topic of their interest or just to introduce the vocabulary of a unit.

Above all, this digital poster is more interesting than the typical ones and also you can add videos or music in them. we think that it is a different way to use technologies in class.

 In terms of the skills that it can develop:

• Writing: using the creation of texts as a vehicle.
• Reading: if you have to insert a text, you will have to select and classify the information.
• Listening: through the audio and the video you can add as well.
• Speaking: you can record yourself, even dealing with your errors if after that, you listen what you’ve done.

Here, we attach our glogsters! We hope you like it :)

http://www.glogster.com/yolandam/pinboard-glog-carnival/g-6l11sbgtcv28b34o7u6r8a0

 http://www.glogster.com/juliarg-55/flypaper-glog-by-juliarg-55/g-6l0m9qvihn6871pag9ahsa0

http://www.glogster.com/martaleon/hobbies/g-6l13njpsst3a4if75mhdha0

http://www.glogster.com/luciague/british-food/g-6l11tj3vujmrnpmmc2jhca0

http://www.glogster.com/laurarg-23/places-i-would-like-to-visitalbum-glog-by-laurarg-23/g-6l1623n65o9p1570ied1ca0

CLIL

What's CLIL? What do you need to know about CLIL?

A CLIL is an educative situation in which a language is used to teach a subject. 

• Teachers are NOT native speakers.
• There is no a single model for CLIL.
• CLIL is flexible.
• The content is the starting point of the planning proccess.

The 4Cs curriculum

There are four guiding principles upon which a CLIL programme can be built.

• Content: Is the subject or the project theme.
• Communication: Language is the conduit for communication and for learning. Interaction, using language to learn.
• Cognition: Engage learners in higher older thinking skills, in order to develop and effective CLIL. 
• Culture: Self and others awareness/citizenship.

TEACHING AND LEARNING VOCABULARY