Author of How to Write Inclusive Materials, Tyson Seburn, talks about a disruptive approach to building greater empathy and inclusion in the language classroom. In this interview, Tyson walks through the five stages of the disruptive approach and suggests topics, questions, materials and activities we can use for each lesson stage.

Defining a Disruptive Approach

• Tyson defines a disruptive approach as integrating marginalised voices' experiences into lessons to raise awareness and foster inclusivity.

Identifying Unfair Social Norms

• Tyson highlights unfair social norms, like beach access barriers for disabled individuals or discriminatory dress codes. Educators can empower students to recognise and challenge these injustices by discussing relevant themes.

Situating Social Norms

• Tyson recommends using visual aids and critical questions to deepen students' awareness of social inequalities. By presenting scenarios such as beach access or dress codes, educators prompt discussions on societal norms.

Bringing in Authentic Experiences

• Tyson stresses the importance of incorporating real experiences of marginalised individuals to nurture empathy and comprehension among students.

Building Personal Connections

• Encouraging empathy, Tyson prompts students to engage personally with the challenges faced by marginalised communities, fostering solidarity and understanding.

Working Towards Solutions

• Tyson emphasises collaborative problem-solving to address social injustices, engaging students in meaningful language practice while advocating for positive change.

Tyson Seburn (MA EdTech & TESOL, University of Manchester) is a lecturer and assistant director of an EAP foundation year at the University of Toronto and a tutor on Oxford TEFL Barcelona’s Trinity DipTESOL course. He has volunteered on local and international teacher association committees, most recently as IATEFL TDSIG Coordinator. His personal and professional experiences inspired his interest in Queer and racialised ELT experiences and, thus ways to better practices and materials. He is the author of Academic Reading Circles (2015) and How to Write Inclusive Materials (2021). He is @seburnt everywhere online. Search #howtoinclusive on social platforms for more.

REFERENCES

1. Seburn, T. (2021) How to Write Inclusive Materials. ELT Teacher 2 Writer

TRANSCRIPT

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Thanks to our kind guest, Tyson Seburn.

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Founder of Fluent Language, Kerstin Cable, discusses the difference between teaching and coaching. Kerstin walks through key elements of her language habit system, which focuses on a cycle of planning, tracking, reviewing and goal setting to set learners up for success.

Defining Coaching

• Coaching focuses on understanding the learner's goals and empowering them to find their own solutions.
• Kerstin emphasises the importance of autonomy in the coaching process, allowing learners to make decisions and take ownership of their learning journey.

The Power of Habits

• Kerstin discusses the significance of habits in language learning, drawing from Gretchen Rubin's framework.
• She highlights the effectiveness of small, consistent actions over grand, unsustainable efforts.
• Kerstin shares her experience developing a language habit system and its evolution.

Flexibility and Adaptability

• The habit system allows for flexibility and adjustment based on individual needs and preferences.
• Kerstin emphasises the importance of understanding one's motivations and adjusting habits accordingly.

Applicability Across Contexts

• Laura reflects on her own language learning journey and the shift from traditional methods to a habit-based approach.
• Kerstin explains how the habit system can be tailored to various goals and contexts, whether for citizenship exams or personal enjoyment.

Kerstin Cable is a language learning coach, speaker, and podcaster living in England. She is the woman behind Fluent Language.

Kerstin is the author of more than 15 books and courses for language learners, co-founder of AI Language Club and the Women in Language conference, and creator of the Fluent Show podcast.

She is a native German speaker who hails from the beautiful Moselle valley. Kerstin studied six languages in Germany and has added 4 more so far, including her language crush, Welsh. Kerstin is a popular speaker at universities and events, and has been featured on BBC World Service, in Süddeutsche Zeitung, Bloomberg Businessweek and The Cut.

REFERENCES

1. Cable, K. (2021) Language Coaches: What they are and how to work with them
2. The Fluent Show - a podcast about loving, living and learning languages
3. Rubin, G. (2020). The Four Tendencies. Two Roads

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Founder of Pronunciation with Emma, Emma Walker, addresses myths surrounding teaching pronunciation, from misconceptions about the skills we need as teachers to common mixups between accent and pronunciation.

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Myth 1: Certain Teachers Can't Teach Pronunciation

Emma emphasises the importance of mindset shifting among teachers, learners and the wider community. Teachers who speak English as a second language can still effectively teach pronunciation and provide an inspiring role model for learners.

Myth 2: Accent Equals Pronunciation

While accent and pronunciation are connected, they are not the same. Emma illustrates the distinction with practical examples and highlights the importance of intelligibility.

Myth 3: Pronunciation Lessons Are Limited to Short Activities

Emma challenges the misconception that pronunciation lessons can't fill an entire class. She recommends resources and materials that can be adapted for advanced learners, providing clarity in pronunciation instruction.

Emma Walker has been teaching for over 15 years and decided to focus on helping English learners improve their pronunciation and listening skills after noticing that many of her students (who were living and working in the UK), were struggling to understand other people in the UK. She started making videos on social media back in 2018 and has amassed a following of over 1 million English learners and over 22 million views. Emma is also a copywriter and ghostwrites social media content for some of the biggest ELT companies. Visit Pronunciation with Emma to learn more.

REFERENCES

1. Baker, A. (2006) Ship or Sheep? Book and Audio CD Pack: An Intermediate Pronunciation Course. Cambridge University Press; 2nd edition
2. Baker, A. (2006) Tree or Three? An Elementary Pronunciation Course. Cambridge University Press; 2nd edition
3. Hancock, M. (1995) Pronunciation Games. Cambridge University Press
4. Hancock, M. (2017) English Pronunciation in Use. Cambridge University Press

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Producer: Laura Wilkes

Editor: Haven Tsang

Thanks to our fun guest, Emma Walker

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Teacher and materials writer Silvina Mascitti shares three lesson plans from her library of free materials at EFL Creative Ideas. Silvina walks through the various lesson stages for each lesson and shares insights into how she uses the materials with her adult learners.

Lesson Structure

Silvina outlines her typical lesson structure: before, while, and after framework focusing on meaningful language points. Each lesson includes engaging activities such as discussion questions, visuals, and follow-up tasks to reinforce learning.

Lesson 1: Are you a Foodie? (A2 Elementary)

Silvina introduces a relatable lesson on food, utilising an advert and visual elements to engage low-level students. Lexical focus includes phrases like "sounds fancy" and "looks good," with a follow-up task on discussing dining experiences.

Lesson 2: The Power of Surprise (B1 Intermediate)

This lesson adapted from Psychology Today encourages discussion on surprise, with activities including mind maps and reading comprehension tasks. Lexical focus includes words related to self-confidence, with a follow-up role-playing scenario.

Lesson 3: Memories (B2 Upper-Intermediate)

Designed for higher levels, this lesson integrates visual elements and discussions on memories. It includes excerpts from Marcel Proust's work and connects to Maroon Five's song "Memories," with activities including vocabulary mind mapping and discussions on childhood memories.

Silvina Mascitti is an enthusiastic, qualified teacher of English and materials writer from Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has worked in ELT for more than 20 years. She taught English in schools and companies in Argentina. She got a Fulbright scholarship and taught Spanish at a university in the USA. Currently, she lives in Spain and teaches adults online. She also creates materials for her own lessons and shares them for free on her website EFL Creative Ideas. Silvina also works as a freelance materials writer for highly-recognised platforms and language schools.

REFERENCES

Lesson 1: Are you a foodie?

Lesson 2: The power of surprise

Lesson 3: Memories

TRANSCRIPT

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Producer Laura Wilkes

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Thanks to our lovely guest, Silvina Mascitti.

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Retired teacher Chris Starling shares a few of his favourite works of literature that inspired him as a linguaphile and educator. We hope Chris' book list inspires you to continue the conversation by sharing your favourite titles with your teaching community and in the comments section on the TESOL Pop website.

Discussion of "Slouching Towards Bethlehem" by Joan Didion:

• "Slouching Towards Bethlehem" is a collection of 1960s journalism by Joan Didion, offering a critical look at the counterculture movement.
• Chris appreciates Didion's style and personal approach to journalism, which invites readers into her world and provides insightful commentary.
• Favourite quote: "This is the California where it is possible to live and die without ever eating an artichoke…"

Discussion of "Fugitive Pieces" by Anne Michaels:

• Chris describes "Fugitive Pieces" as a powerful exploration of memory, personal history, and self-construction set against the backdrop of the Holocaust.
• He praises Anne Michaels' poetic writing style and the depth of insight each reading offers.
• Favorite quote: "The past is never dead, it's never even past."

Discussion of "Bleak House" by Charles Dickens:

• Chris highlights Charles Dickens' storytelling prowess in "Bleak House," emphasising its intricate plot and rich character development.
• He discusses Dickens' use of symbolism, particularly the fog, to represent societal issues and interconnectedness.
• Favourite quote: "Fog everywhere... Fog in the eyes and throats of ancient Greenwich pensioners."

ABOUT

Chris qualified as a librarian and then as a teacher of English, careers he followed with pleasure for over 30 years although he was drawn away from the librarianship side quite early. His longest service, over 20 years, was in a school where the students had over sixty home languages.

REFERENCES

1. Didion, J. (1968) Slouching Towards Bethlehem. Farrar, Straus and Giroux
2. Michaels, A. (1996) Fugitive Pieces. McClelland & Stewart Ltd.
3. Dickens, C. (1852-1853) Bleak House. Bradbury & Evans

Links to later editions of these title can be found on the TESOL Pop website.

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Founder of Charlie's Lessons shares three key questions to remember when choosing technology for your teaching context.

Core Set of Tools

Charlie emphasises the significance of technology in his daily routine, relying heavily on the Google suite of apps for communication and organisation. He highlights the role of technology in facilitating communication with teachers, students, and school administrators.

Integration of AI (Artificial Intelligence)

The conversation shifts to the integration of AI in educational settings, with Charlie acknowledging its potential in catering to students' specific needs. However, he underscores the importance of testing and refining AI-generated materials to ensure their suitability for classroom use.

Tips for Choosing Technology

Charlie offers practical advice for educators navigating the vast array of available technologies, focusing on factors such as cost-effectiveness, ease of use, and unique functionalities. He emphasises the need to assess whether a particular technology addresses specific teaching challenges or merely adds to the existing toolkit.

ABOUT

Charlie, originally from Bath, ventured into TEFL in Thailand before teaching in South Korea. Despite intending to go to Japan, he settled for South Korea for a year in Busan. With 3 years of experience, he pursued a CELTA course at Bath College, enabling him to teach in Europe. Arriving in Cadiz, Spain in 2012, he later moved to Seville before returning to Cadiz as Director of Studies of Foreign Languages at CLIC IH Cadiz. With a DELTA qualification, he shares teaching experiences and educational technology expertise through his website and YouTube channel, injecting humour into his endeavours.

Learn more about Charlie's work by visiting his YouTube channel here.

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Writing Tutor and Coach, Paul Duke, shares what distinguishes a good piece of writing from a great one and how coaching can help learners become great writers.

Teaching vs. Tutoring vs. Coaching

Paul explains the differences between teaching, tutoring, and coaching, emphasising the focus on introducing subject matter, improving existing skills, and achieving specific goals, respectively.

Characteristics of Great Writing

Paul highlights the importance of precision, clarity, persuasiveness, and engagement in great writing, emphasising its power to change the reader's thinking and entertain.

Tips for Developing Writing Skills

Paul shares tips for coaches to help students develop writing skills, including thoughtful analysis of strengths and weaknesses, customised programs, targeted feedback, and iterative revision.

ABOUT

Paul is a Canadian English teacher, writer, content creator, and coach who works with writers to develop and enhance their skills. In addition to being the co-host of the Trouble With Writing Podcast, he is also known on Youtube as The Grammar Detective. On that channel, he hosts the weekly livestream Hard-Boiled English Live, and the web series English Weirdness. Recently, he has launched a brand new Youtube channel focused on English writing skills called The Writing Workshop.

Learn more about Paul's work by following him on LinkedIn here.

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Teacher Samvidha Srinath talks about using clips from popular TV shows in her classes, the benefits it brings to her teenage learners, and how she uses the material in class.

Advantages of Using Authentic Media:

Samvidha explains how using clips from films and TV shows in the classroom motivates and engages students. Authentic material also exposes students to the target language and various topics covered in the media. Examples from Samvidha's classes, including the TV show "Young Sheldon," illustrate the effectiveness of using relevant media.

Selecting Appropriate Material:

Samvidha shares her top priorities when choosing media for language classes, emphasising cultural appropriateness and relevance to students, and matching the material to students' language proficiency levels.

Implementation Strategies:

Differentiated materials and support are essential for addressing the diverse needs of learners in the classroom.

Long-term media use (2 to 4 months or a school semester) allows for deeper engagement and language production from students.

ABOUT

Samvidha is currently training to become a teacher at secondary school level and specialises in teaching languages. She not only loves teaching, but is also a passionate language learner herself. She is fluent in five languages and is learning Korean and Japanese. 

Apart from this, Samvidha is also a writer and blogger. She runs her own blog called books and coffee (BOCO for short) where she writes about language learning, education and everything else she’s passionate about.

To learn more about Samvidha's work, visit her blog.

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Founder of PolCa Languages, Ania Karwowska, discusses myths surrounding dyslexia and language learning. Ania draws from research to address three prevalent myths and what we can do instead to support learners.

Myth 1: Dyslexic-Friendly Fonts

Ania debunks the idea that specific fonts are more accessible for dyslexic learners. She emphasises that dyslexia is a neurological condition and not a vision issue. Thus, alternative fonts do not effectively aid dyslexic learners in reading. Ania stresses the importance of teaching reading skills rather than relying on fonts.

Myth 2: Color Overlays

Similarly, Ania explains that colour overlays do not alleviate dyslexia-related challenges in reading. She clarifies that dyslexia is rooted in brain function and recommends focusing on structural language approaches to address dyslexic learners' needs.

Myth 3: Specific Teaching Methods

Ania highlights the misconception that specific teaching methods are superior for dyslexic students. She advocates for a structured approach to language learning, emphasising phonological aspects. Ania discourages methods that oversimplify reading or attribute dyslexia to vision issues.

Tips for Teachers

Ania provides practical advice for teachers working with dyslexic students. She suggests starting with a needs analysis, identifying areas of difficulty in writing, and focusing on fundamental language structures. Ania stresses patience, gradual implementation of changes, and fostering open dialogue with learners.

ABOUT

Ania is the founder of PolCa Languages, where she shares her research and learning on dyslexia in bilingual children.

She is also an English Philologist, Orton Gillingham and Phonographix educator, as well as the mother to a bilingual dyslexic son.

To learn more about Ania’s work, visit her website.

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Teacher Educator Kate Semerenko talks about the important role learner feedback has in helping us develop our courses, materials and teaching practice. Kate shares how to gather feedback and how best to implement it.

KEY TALKING POINTS

Importance of Collecting Feedback

Kate highlights the importance of collecting feedback from learners throughout the course rather than waiting until the end. She emphasises that gathering feedback helps in understanding learners’' needs, improving teaching practice, and ensuring learners feel comfortable and valued.

Creating a Safe Space for Feedback

Kate suggests creating a safe atmosphere in lessons where learners feel comfortable expressing their feelings and opinions. By encouraging open dialogue and assuring learners that their feedback is valued, teachers can create a conducive environment for constructive feedback.

Ways to Collect Feedback

Various methods for collecting feedback are shared, including anonymous surveys like Google Forms, reflection at the end of lessons or courses, and informal one-on-one chats with learners. These approaches provide opportunities for learners to share their thoughts and feelings openly.

Implementing Feedback

Kate suggests analysing feedback, identifying actionable changes, and creating an action plan for implementation. She emphasises the importance of implementing changes gradually, monitoring their effectiveness, and seeking further feedback to ensure continuous improvement.

Building Trust and Dialogue

The episode closes with a discussion about the importance of conveying feedback changes to students, fostering trust, and encouraging ongoing dialogue. Teachers can strengthen teacher-student relationships and create a supportive learning environment by building a culture of open communication and demonstrating responsiveness to feedback.

ABOUT

Kate is a CELTA and Delta-qualified EFL professional who has been teaching English for more than 10 years. 

She’s taught general English to all age groups in one of the biggest English schools in Ukraine. She's experienced in preparing students for international exams and in creating modular courses, such as literature and soft skills for teenagers. Kate has also trained and mentored teachers through facilitating practical workshops.

Kate now works as a freelancer and helps teachers become their better selves by sharing her experience on Instagram, providing consultations and observations, and designing specific courses and workshops for teachers.

Follow Kate on Instagram at kate_the_teacher

TRANSCRIPT

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