The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast: Recent Episodes
The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast
A podcast for reflective practice for teachers of English around the world Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherthinkaloud/support
On this episode, guest Angela Tribus Ramos shares her perspective on teaching networking, considering all of the cultural nuances involved in this challenging skill. From reducing anxiety around small talk to Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and, yes, our passion for birding 🦆🦅🦉you’re sure to come away with oodles of practical takeaways.
📚 Resources:
- Name Coach
- Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture
- Hofstede Comparison Tool
- “Conversation Dominoes” Activity
- Informational Interview Best Practices
- Critical Thinking Cheat Sheet
Connect with Angela on LinkedIn!
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How do you sustain your professional development as an educator? In this episode, guest Yulia Kharchenko shares a framework she and her colleagues have developed to ensure future teachers are prepared for future challenges in the teaching profession… 🎧
📚Resources:
- Article: Reflective Practice for Language Teachers (Farrell, 2018)
- Article: Reflective practice framework for TESOL teachers: one teacher's reflective journey (Farrell & Kennedy, 2019)
- Article: Reed, M., Kharchenko, Y., & Bodis, A. (forthcoming). Sustainability in English language teacher education: Preparing teachers for an unknown future. In M. Riazi & N.A. Nazari (Eds.), Adaptable English Language Teaching: Reconsidering Established Practices and Frameworks. Routledge.
- Episode: A Holistic Approach to PD (with Ramin Yazdanpanah)
Connect with Yulia on X or LinkedIn!
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How do you create a welcoming atmosphere for all students? 🌈 In this episode, guest Kim Carroll shares insights on how to make our classrooms safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ individuals worldwide.
📚Resources:
- Webinar: Making Space for All: LGBTQ+ Awareness and Engagement in the English Language Classroom (RELO Andes)
- Article: Exploring LGBT Lives and Issues in Adult ESOL (British Council)
- Article: It’s Not in the Curriculum: Adult English Language Teachers and LGBQ Topics (Rhodes & Coda, 2017)
- Padlet: Making Space for LGBTQ+ Students (Kim Carroll)
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We’re just recovering from our week in Tampa, Florida, for the TESOL 2024 Convention. And wow, what a week! 🌴 In this episode, we reflect on our experience, share snippets from other conference attendees, and take the pulse of the field of TESOL. Watch on YouTube or Spotify for the full effect! 🎥
⭐ Check out our Reflective Practice Starter Kit!
🤓 Read our blog post: Maximizing Your Conference Experience.
🎧 Further listening:
- E25 – Handling conflict in the classroom (with Joe Voigts)
- E34 – Trauma-sensitive practices (with Sherry MacKay)
- E48 – Bring your teaching alive with ChatGPT (with Jeff McIlvenna)
- E51 – 2024 Friends of the Podcast: AI in ELT
- E53 – Teachers as Advocates: You can do it too! (with Rosemary Colón)
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Have you engaged in advocacy efforts as a language teacher? ✊ In this episode, guest Rosemary Colón talks about her experience at the 2023 TESOL Advocacy & Policy Summit and shares entry points for teachers to find their footing as advocates for English language learners.
advocacy #multilinguallearners #teacheradvocates#ELT #TeachEnglish #ESL #EFL #TESOL #Teaching #Education #LoveTeaching #GlobalELT #Teacher #English #LanguageLearning
Advocacy Tools & Resources:
- TESOL International's Advocacy Page
- Office of English Language Acquisition
- Migration Policy Institute
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In this episode, guest Anna Ayrapetyan, a university professor in Armenia, walks us through her innovative approach to get students practicing speaking outside of the classroom: podcasts! 💡Learn about her process, receive recommendations for implementing this project in your context, and hear a snippet from a few of her students!
ProjectBasedLearning #PBL #Podcasting #PodcastingForLanguageLearning #PracticeSpeaking #ELT #TeachEnglish #ESL #EFL #TESOL #Teaching #Education #LoveTeaching #GlobalELT #Teacher #English #LanguageLearning
🎧 On this episode:
- Episode 38: Incorporating music in ELT (with Heather and Ece of English as a Singing Language)
- Episode 52: Stop hovering! (with Miriam Plotinsky)
- Episode 27: Why we love project-based learning
Questions for reflection:
- Have you ever had students create podcasts to reach a learning objective?
- How have you integrated student-led podcasting into your teaching context?
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Happy New Year, everyone! 🌟 We’re kicking off 2024 with a special video episode: Friends of the Podcast - AI in ELT! Featuring voices from new and old friends. 🥰Listen and join the conversation about #AI and English language teaching, from why teachers are wary of it to creative ideas on how to use it for teaching. 💡 Watch on YouTube or Spotify for the full effect. 📽️
🎧 On this episode: E48 - Bring your teaching alive with ChatGPT (with Jeff McIlvenna)
🤖 AI Tools & Resources:
- AI for Education, Prompt Library
- Guidebook on Prompting for Language Learning
- PDF.ai
- Brisk Teaching
- Twee
- Bing Image Creator
- Amira Learning
- 99Math
🥰 Old friends:
- Alex Tang: E46 - Challenging inequities toward multilingual teachers
- Anna Ayrapetyan: E40 - TESOL Special 2023!
- Dustin Steichman: E43 - Culture through stories (with Dustin Steichmann of Sandman Stories Presents)
- Ekaterine Pipia: E47 - CLIL & team teaching: sweetening the pill
- Heather McNaught & Ece Ulus: E38 - Incorporating music in ELT (with Heather and Ece of English as a Singing Language)
🌱 New friends:
- Anne Haggerson
- Kim Carroll
- Kyla McMillan
- Johanna Gleason
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Episode 50…can you believe it?! 🌟 We’ve nested some fun bloopers into this reflective episode, in which we think back on our personal developments and podcast highlights from 2023. Listen to the very end (after the theme music) for one last little surprise. 😜 Wishing happy holidays to all! ☃️
🎧 On this episode:
- E46 - Challenging inequities toward multilingual teachers (with Carine Saucillo and Alex Tang)
- E44 - Global citizenship: Opening the view to the possible (with Brantley Turner)
- E48 - Bring your teaching alive with ChatGPT (with Jeff McIlvenna)
- E38 - Incorporating music in ELT (with Heather and Ece of English as a Singing Language)
- E42 - Stop hovering! (with Miriam Plotinsky)
- E43 - Culture through stories (with Dustin Steichmann of Sandman Stories Presents)
Friends of the Podcast: AI in ELT 🤖
We need you! We want to know how you have started to use AI in your classroom. Tell us, and get featured on our annual Friends of the Podcast episode,where we integrate the voices of our listeners from around the world, to be released in early 2024. How to contribute:
Step 1: Reflect on the following questions and how you would answer them:
- Tell us your name, pronouns, and country.
- What’s your teaching context? What’s your role? Who are your students?
- Have you used AI? If not, why not? What’s your hesitation?
- If you answered yes above, what have been your favorite 1-2 tools so far? What are the pros and cons?
- Describe an activity you’ve tried in your classroom using this/these tool/s. How did it go? What tips do you have for implementing it?
Step 2: Access our WhatsApp group and record your answer as an audio memo. Alternatively, you can email us an audio file of your answers at teacherthinkaloud@gmail.com.
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In this episode, guest Amy Joy Rovirosa, the creator of @your_fav_english_teacher, tells us about what it takes to get your English language teaching YouTube channel off the ground and how learners can leverage YouTube for greater language gains. Complete with excerpts from her fantastic videos! Watch the episode video on our YouTube channel or Spotify for the full effect. 📽️
✔️ Follow Your Favorite English Teacher:
- TikTok
- YouTube
📽️ On this episode:
- How to Hedge in English | Useful Vocabulary to Improve your Academic English
- English Vocabulary about Social Issues: 20 words you need to know
- What are American Weddings like? | Attend an American Wedding with Me!
⭐ Check out Amy Joy’s E-Book!
Questions for reflection:
- Do you have a favorite YouTube teacher?
- Have you ever tried starting your own YouTube channel?
Friends of the Podcast: AI in ELT 🤖
We need you! Episode 48 is just the beginning of our exploration of AI on the podcast. We want to know how you have started to use AI in your classroom. Tell us, and get featured on our annual Friends of the Podcast episode,where we integrate the voices of our listeners from around the world, to be released in early 2024. How to contribute:
Step 1: Reflect on the following questions and how you would answer them:
- Tell us your name, pronouns, and country.
- What’s your teaching context? What’s your role? Who are your students?
- Have you used AI? If not, why not? What’s your hesitation?
- If you answered yes above, what have been your favorite 1-2 tools so far? What are the pros and cons?
- Describe an activity you’ve tried in your classroom using this/these tool/s. How did it go? What tips do you have for implementing it?
Step 2: Access our WhatsApp group and record your answer as an audio memo. Alternatively, you can email us an audio file of your answers at teacherthinkaloud@gmail.com.
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In this episode, guest Jeff McIlvenna talks through his approach to using ChatGPT in the English language classroom, from amplifying teacher creativity to personalizing student learning. This is the first of many more episodes we hope to bring to you on this ever-evolving topic.
🎓 For further exploration:
-
ElliiCon2023 Playlist
- Chat GPT’s Bias Against Non-Native Speakers
Friends of the Podcast: AI in ELT 🤖
We need you! Episode 48 is just the beginning of our exploration of AI on the podcast. We want to know how you have started to use AI in your classroom. Tell us, and get featured on our annual Friends of the Podcast episode,where we integrate the voices of our listeners from around the world, to be released in early 2024. How to contribute:
Step 1: Reflect on the following questions and how you would answer them:
- Tell us your name, pronouns, and country.
- What’s your teaching context? What’s your role? Who are your students?
- Have you used AI? If not, why not? What’s your hesitation?
- If you answered yes above, what have been your favorite 1-2 tools so far? What are the pros and cons?
- Describe an activity you’ve tried in your classroom using this/these tool/s. How did it go? What tips do you have for implementing it?
Step 2: Access our WhatsApp group and record your answer as an audio memo. Alternatively, you can email us an audio file of your answers at teacherthinkaloud@gmail.com.
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Don’t forget to take your vitamins! In this episode, Shey and Anna speak with friend of the podcast Ekaterina Pipia about her experience facilitating an exciting project with @PH_Int at @ibsu1995 in Tbilisi, Georgia, in which civics, technology, and English language came together into a harmonious, healthy concoction… 💊
🎧 Further listening: Episode 2 - Shut up and let them talk!
📚Further reading: What is CLIL?Bridge Education Group.
Questions for reflection:
- What’s your experience with CLIL?
- Have you ever taught on a team? What was it like?
- What challenges did you run into and how did you overcome them?
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We’re back! Just a light little topic for our first episode after our summer break… 😜Don your social justice caps, kick into your critical lens, and prepare to reflect as Shey and Anna explore the challenges and strengths of multilingual teachers, commonly referred to as non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs), with research collaborators and super-ELT-stars Alex Tang and Carine Saucillo. 🌟Listen now!
🎧 Further listening:
-
Episode 17 – The benefits of formal TESOL training
-
- Episode 18 – Book Review: Race, Empire, & English Language Teaching References & resources
Lin, A. & Motha, S. (2020). Curses in TESOL: Postcolonial desires for colonial English. In R. Arber, M. Weinmaan & J. Blackmore (Eds.), Rethinking Languages Education: Directions, Challenges and Innovations. London: Routledge.
World Englishes: An Introduction. Purdue Online Writing Lab.
Kirkpatrick, A. (2014). World Englishes. In C. Leung & B.V. Street (Eds.), The Routledge Companion to English Studies.London: Routledge.
Ma, L.P.F. (2012). Strengths and weaknesses of NESTs and NNESTs: Perceptions of NNESTs in Hong Kong. Linguistics and Education, 23, 1-15.
Questions for reflection:
- How have you seen bias against multilingual teachers play out in your teaching context?
- If English is your first language, how will you use your privilege to stand up for multilingual teachers worldwide?
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In this episode, Anna and Shey look at how the landscape for professional development evolved over the course of the pandemic and learn how international colleagues continue to reap the benefits of increased hybridity and other “forced habits” post-pandemic… Listen now!
A huge thank you to our contributors for this episode! We love reflecting with our listeners!
Reflect on your PD with our tool:
PDF Printout
Interactive Quiz
SAMR and Bloom’s Taxonomy: Assembling the Puzzle, Puentedura for Common Sense Media, 2014.
PostPandemic #ProfessionalDevelopment #CPD #CPL #ESL #EFL #ELT #ReflectiveTeaching #TeachEnglish #ReflectivePedagogy #ESL #EFL #Teaching #Education #LoveTeaching #GlobalELT #Teacher #English #LanguageLearning #ReflectivePractice
Questions for reflection:
- How has your approach to PD evolved since the pandemic?
- What “forced habits” have altered your PD for the better?
- What ideas in the episode podcast resonated most with your experience?
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/teacherthinkaloud/support
“Global citizenship can happen in our back yard.” 🏠🌏 In this episode, Shey and Anna plunge head-first with guest Brantley Turner—East Asia Education Director for Dwight Schools—into what it means to cultivate a global mindset, how to teach it in a culturally responsive way, how to navigate the discomforts of a globally-minded worldview, and much more… Listen now!
Questions for reflection:
- What does global citizenship mean to you?
- How do you infuse global citizenship into your curriculum?
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/teacherthinkaloud/support
Not much represents a culture better than its stories. In this episode, Anna and Shey chat with Dustin from Sandman Stories Presents about storytelling, teaching, and cross-cultural understanding. Listen and travel the world through folklore! 🕯️
🎧 Listen to Sandman Stories Presents on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
🌍 On this episode: Episode 133: Ghana–Morning Sunrise, Honourable Minu, Why The Moon and The Stars Receive Their Light From The Sun (W.H. Barker 1917).
💙 Follow @StoriesSandman on Twitter for more storytelling ideas!
Stories for kids:
- Piggie and Elephant Stories, Mo Willems
- Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis
- The Riverside Anthology, Douglas Hunt
- Dan Santat (Illustrator)
- Lane Smith (Illustrator)
Stories for adults:
- Beneath the Moon, Yoshi Yoshitani
- Modern Love, The New York Times
- May Newsletter and June Newsletter | Subscribe to The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast’s newsletter for more book ideas!
Free literature online:
- Project Gutenberg
- Archive.org
Questions for reflection:
- How do you use stories in your classroom?
- How can you support learners’ intercultural communicative competence through stories in your learning context?
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/teacherthinkaloud/support
E42 - Stop hovering! (with Miriam Plotinsky)
Are you a helicopter teacher or a hover-free teacher? In this episode, Shey and Anna chat with author Miriam Plotinsky about her book Teach more, hover less: How to Stop Micromanaging Your Secondary Classroom, and explore ways to implement an approach to teaching that is truly student-centered.
Further listening:
Explore strategies for augmenting student talk time: E2 - Shut up and let them talk!
For an exploration of efficient lesson planning: E8 - Sometimes you plan, sometimes you don’t
For a discussion around increasing collaboration and learner accountability with peer review activities: E19 - The why and how of peer review
For a discussion about project-based learning and its use in increasing learner autonomy: E27 - Why we <3 project-based learning
To see how you can better support students dealing with trauma: E34 - Trauma-sensitive teaching (with Sherry MacKay)
Mentioned in the episode:
Funds of Knowledge, L. Moll (2015)
Teach more, hover less: How to Stop Micromanaging Your Secondary Classroom, M. Plotinsky (2022).
Lead like a Teacher: How to Elevate Expertise in Your School, M. Plotinsky (2023).
Reflection Questions:
- What have you done to ensure your classroom is driven by student engagement and choice?
- How do you avoid being a helicopter teacher to your students?
Share your thoughts and get featured on a future episode! Email us at teacherthinkaloud@gmail.com, or connect with us via social media.
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E 41- Media Literacy 102: Disinformation, propaganda, and conspiracies... oh my!
Media literacy is an essential skill in our world today and one that needs to be addressed in the English language classroom! 🎯 In this episode, Anna and Shey discuss some of the greatest challenges our students face in the digital era, including discerning the reliability of a source, noticing propaganda techniques, and contending with trolls and bots!
Further listening:
E39- Media Literacy 101: Bias and perspective-taking
Resources:
⭐ 10 Activities to Boost Media Literacy (downloadable resource) ⭐
Above the Noise, PBS
- Media & Tech Playlist
- Can You Win an Argument with a Conspiracy Theorist? (2019)
Disinformation Nation
- How Propaganda Works
News Literacy Project
Project Look Sharp
- CRAAP Test Worksheet
Fact-checking websites:
- Factcheck.org
- Politifact
- Snopes
On social media bubbles:
- TED Talk: Beware online “filter bubbles” (Eli Pariser)
- TED Talk: Free yourself from your filter bubbles (Joan Blades and John Gable)
- Article: How to confront bias without alienating people
Mentioned in the episode:
- ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) Ad. 2008.
- Moon landing conspiracy theories, debunked. Royal Museums Greenwich.
- Twitter bots surfaced during Chinese protests. Who’s behind them remains a mystery. NPR, 2022.
What are your favorite strategies for introducing media literacy in your classroom?
Share your thoughts and get featured on our follow-up episode! Email us at teacherthinkaloud@gmail.com, or connect with us via social media.
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We had such a wonderful time at TESOL 2023 in Portland and enjoyed meeting new and old friends there. Like last year, we wanted to bring a small piece of the conference to you. In this video episode, Anna and Shey share their reactions to the 2023 TESOL Convention, integrating ideas from a variety of other conference attendees and friends they encountered at the conference. Listen and (re)live the experience! ⭐
We want to hear from you! For our upcoming episode on professional development in the post-pandemic world, we’re looking for your ideas on how PD has changed for you. Where are you on your professional development journey? How has your PD evolved since the pandemic started? 🎙️To be featured, submit your responses via voice memo or written text at bit.ly/pod_friends, or by commenting on social media.
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Further listening:
- E25 - Handling conflict in the classroom (with Joe Voigts)
- E30 - Drama in the classroom: beyond the role play (with Richard Silberg)
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Media literacy is an essential skill in our world today. 📰 But how can we tackle it in the English language classroom? 🎯In this episode, Anna and Shey chat about strategies they’ve used to develop learners’ critical thinking about the media—from an exploration of self-identity and personal lenses to perspective-taking exercises, role play, and analyzing biased language in headlines and on TikTok. 👓
What are your favorite strategies for introducing media literacy in your classroom? Share your thoughts and get featured on our follow-up episode! Email us at teacherthinkaloud@gmail.com, or connect with us via social media.
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Further listening:
E25 - Handling conflict in the classroom (with Joe Voigts)
⭐ See you at TESOL 2023! We’re super psyched to go to TESOL in Portland, Oregon this year! As usual, we’ll have a strong presence there, and we’d love to connect with you at one of our sessions or for an informal chat. We hope you’ll join for one or both of our sessions:
- Thursday, March 23, 3-3:45 PM – PD in the Post(?)Pandemic World – Hyatt Regency Portland, Willamette 8
- Friday, March 24, 9-10:45 AM – Strategies for Cultivating Media Literacy in the EL Classroom – Oregon Convention Center, E 146
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E 38 - Incorporating music in ELT (with Heather and Ece of English as a Singing Language)
In this episode, Anna and Shey speak with Heather McNaught and Ece Ulus (of the podcast English as a Singing Language) about why teachers should consider incorporating music into language instruction. 🤗
Further listening:
English as a Singing Language
References & resources
Sing Out Loud Word Play, American English
Temperley, David (2022). “Music and Language.” Annual Review of Linguistics 8, 153–70.
Questions for Reflection:
- How have you integrated music into your English language classroom?
- What is your favorite song to teach and why?
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We’re back!!! In this special episode, Anna and Shey discuss and react to contributions from some of our Friends of the Podcast. Listen and join the conversation about teaching contexts around the world. 🌎🌍🌏 Many thanks to all of our friends who contributed to this episode. 🙏
On the episode:
- English as a Singing Language: https://singinglanguages.wixsite.com/home
- Sandman Stories Presents: https://sandmanstoriespresents.wordpress.com/
- Glocally Connected: https://glocallyconnected.org/
- ESL with TLC: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ESLwithTLC
Further listening:
- Episode 35 - Be brave enough to say “I don’t know” (with Lina Jurkunas)
- Episode 18 - Book Review: Race, Empire & English Language Teaching
- Episode 13 - The Delicate Dance of English
Questions for Reflection:
- Which Friend of the Podcast resonated most with you?
- What’s your teaching context like? Tell us in the YouTube comments or on social media!
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We are still (blooper) reeling from 2022... See what we did there?! 😆 Have a laugh at our expense as you ring in the New Year with our 2022 Bloopies! (Warning: This episode contains explicit language.)
💌 Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/.
💞 Share an episode with a friend.
👋 Reach out with episode requests or ideas.
🙏 Donate or purchase resources or merchandise.
We are thankful for all of the wonderful support we’ve received from listeners this year, and wish you the best in 2022!
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We’ve talking about assessment design and rubrics…but what about equity in assessment? In this episode, Anna and Shey speak with Albert Shaheen about his dive into equitable assessment and grading practices. 🤗
Further listening:
Listen to the first two episodes in this mini-series:
- E31 – The beauty of assessment
- E33 - Long live the rubric!
References & resources
Blum, Sarah (2020). “Ungrading in a Pandemic - And the Rest of the Time Too.” Podcast Episode.
Blum, Sarah (2020). Ungrading: Why rating students undermines learning (and what to do instead). West Virginia University Press.
Feldman, Joe (2018). Grading for Equity: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How It Can Transform Schools and Classrooms. Corwin.
Hammond, Zaretta (2014). Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. Corwin.
Stommel, Jesse. https://www.jessestommel.com/
Questions for Reflection:
- What equitable forms of assessment have you introduced in your classroom?
- Has our conversation with Albert inspired you to try anything new?
- How can you find creative ways to bring this spirit of equity to your classroom assessment?
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The pandemic was a challenging time not just for teachers, but also for administrators. In this episode, Shey and Anna speak with Lina Jurkunas about the challenges she faced in taking on her new role as IEP director during the pandemic and the lessons she’s learned about leadership along the way. 🦸🏼♀️
💜 Friends of the Podcast! 💜 We’re working on a new, exciting episode format where we integrate the voices of our listeners from around the world! 🎙️Would you like to be featured? Check out our Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages to learn how, and submit your responses at bit.ly/pod_friends.
Further listening:
For our conversation focused on teachers’ pandemic experiences, listen to Episode 6 - Teaching & PD through the pandemic.
Questions for Reflection:
- What lessons have you taken out of the pandemic?
- What kind of support and mentorship has been most helpful?
- What do you think is the future of English language teaching?
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It’s not always easy to recognize #trauma in our students, since everyone responds to trauma differently. In this episode, Shey and Anna speak with guest Sherry MacKay about how to define trauma, how it might appear in our classrooms, and how teachers can be sensitive to students experiencing trauma.
💜 Friends of the Podcast! 💜We’re working on a new, exciting episode format where we integrate the voices of our listeners from around the world! 🎙️Would you like to be featured? Check out our Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages to learn how, and submit your responses at bit.ly/pod_friends.
References & resources
Dana, Deb (2020). Polyvagal exercises for safety and connection. W.W. Norton & Company.
Mate, D.G. (2018). In the realm of hungry ghosts. Vermilion.
Porges, S. W., Porges, S. W., & Porges, S. W. (2011). The polyvagal theory: Neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation. First Edition; the pocket guide to the polyvagal theory: The transformative power of feeling safe. first edition. W.W. Norton & Company.
The Polyvagal Theory, Nerd Nite.
The Vicarious Trauma Toolkit, Office for Victims of Crime
Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Viking.
Further listening:
For a discussion about supporting your students through challenging moments, listen to Episode 6 - “Teaching and PD through the pandemic” and Episode 21 - “Addressing current events in the classroom”
Questions for Reflection:
- How has trauma manifested itself in your classroom?
- How do you address trauma in the classroom?
- What recommendations or resources would you suggest for a new teacher?
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherthinkaloud/support
How do you feel about #rubrics? 🧐 In this episode, Shey and Anna dive into why teachers should be using rubrics for objective assessment, how different kinds of rubrics serve distinct purposes, and ideas for making rubric design and implementation feel less daunting.
💜 Friends of the Podcast! 💜We’re working on a new, exciting episode format where we integrate the voices of our listeners from around the world! 🎙️Would you like to be featured? Check out our Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages to learn how, and submit your responses at bit.ly/pod_friends.
References & resources
Can Do Descriptors. WIDA
Types of Rubrics. University of Minnesota, Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition.
Further listening:
For a discussion about assessment, listen to Episode 31 - “The beauty of assessment”
Questions for Reflection:
- What is your experience with using rubrics?
- What kinds of rubrics do you gravitate to?
- What’s your longest-living rubric?
- Do you have any tips for teachers looking to use them more often, or integrate them for the first time?
Rubrics #Assessment #ESL #EFL #ELT #ReflectiveTeaching #TeachEnglish #ReflectivePedagogy #ESL #EFL #Teaching #Education #LoveTeaching #GlobalELT #Teacher #English #LanguageLearning #ReflectivePractice
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Teaching grammar: You either love it or you hate it... 😍😡 In this episode, Shey and Anna speak with friend of the podcast, Amir Houssein Khoobru, about his relationship to grammar and geek out about communicative approaches to grammar teaching.
💜 Friends of the Podcast! 💜We’re working on a new, exciting episode format where we integrate the voices of our listeners from around the world! 🎙️Would you like to be featured? Check out our Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages to learn how, and submit your responses at bit.ly/pod_friends.
References & resources
Teacher’s Corner: Teaching Grammar for Communicative Competence. American English.
Schmidt, R. (2010). Attention, awareness, and individual differences in language learning. Singapore: National University of Singapore, Centre for Language Studies.
Controlled Practice and Free Practice. ITTT Glossary.
Further listening:
For a discussion about errors and error correction, listen to Episode 4 - To err is human.
For our discussion of the importance of function over form, listen to Episode 30 - Drama in the classroom.
Questions for Reflection:
- What are your thoughts on teaching grammar?
- Do you love it or hate it?
- What kinds of communicative grammar activities have you used?
grammar #teachgrammar #grammarteaching #ESL #EFL #ELT #ReflectiveTeaching #TeachEnglish #ReflectivePedagogy #ESL #EFL #Teaching #Education #LoveTeaching #GlobalELT #Teacher #English #LanguageLearning #ReflectivePractice
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Perhaps the title of this episode doesn’t fully correspond to your feelings about assessment; regardless, classroom assessment is something we need to face up to! 💯 In this episode, Shey and Anna unpack their relationship to assessment. Listen and learn what teachers are saying about summative and formative assessment and to review some of the key concepts of assessment.
💜 Friends of the Podcast! 💜 We’re working on a new, exciting episode format where we integrate the voices of our listeners from around the world! 🎙️Would you like to be featured? Check out our Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages to learn how, and submit your responses at bit.ly/pod_friends.
References & resources
- Carr, N. (2011). Designing and Analyzing Language Tests. Oxford University Press.
- “Making Meaningful Assessments.” AmericanEnglish.org.
- “A Brief History of the SAT, America’s Most Popular College Entrance Exam.” BestColleges.com.
- “The History of the SAT.” Manhattan Review.
- Rosalis, J. & Walker, T. (2021) “The Racist Beginnings of Standardized Testing.” National Education Association.
Further listening:
- For an alternative form of assessment, listen to Episode 27 – Why we ♥ project-based learning.
- For our discussion of flexible deadlines, listen to Episode 7 - Building Rapport on Day 1.
Questions for Reflection:
- What is your relationship to assessment?
- How do you balance validity, authenticity, reliability and practicality as a teacher?
- How do you make formative assessment truly valuable for your students?
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherthinkaloud/support
E30 - Drama in the classroom: beyond the role play (with Richard Silberg)
We’ve all used role plays in class, but have we truly explored what drama can unlock for language learners? 🔓 In this episode, Shey and Anna chat with Richard Silberg about how drama has become a central part of his practice as an English language teacher and how teachers can get started using simple drama techniques.
🍂 Fall Donation Drive 🍂If you like our episodes and can spare a little change this season, we hope you’ll support us through one of our options at teacherthinkaloud.com/support-us. A little love goes a long way. 🤎💛
References & resources
Silberg, R. English Language Teaching and Drama. (Richard’s website!)
Flynn, R. (2017). Tableau Classroom Drama Activities.
Kelan, D. (2009). In Their Own Words: Drama With Young ELLs.
Dr. Ian Andrew McDonald’s LinkedIn Page
Questions for Reflection:
- How have you used movement and drama techniques in your classrooms?
- What drama-related activities have you tried? How did they go?
- How has drama enriched your students’ learning experience?
- What would you add to Richard’s ideas and resources?
Bonus! 🍸
Richard’s Spanish Negroni Cocktail
2 parts Mezcal (or Gin)
1 part Campari
½ part Amontillado Sherry
½ part White Vermouth
A few dashes of Orange Bitters
Stir with ice and pour into cocktail glass
Garnish with fresh orange peel 🍊
Yummm…
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What are your favorite TED Talks for teaching? In in this episode, Shey and Anna go through their list of top 10 TED Talks for teaching. Listen for ideas on which talks to use and how to use them.
Intercultural Competence and Identity
- The Danger of a Single Story, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (19 mins)
- Don’t ask where I’m from, ask where I’m a local, Taiye Selasi (16 mins)
- How language shapes the way we think, Lera Boroditsky (14 mins)
- Weird or just different, Derek Sivers (3 mins)
- On being wrong, Kathryn Schulz (18 mins)
Kathryn Schulz’s book, Being Wrong
Recipes for Success
- 10 ways to have a better conversation, Celeste Headlee (11 mins)
- Grit: The power of passion and perseverance, Angela Lee Duckworth (6 mins)
- Try something new for 30 days, Matt Cutts (3 mins)
- Inside the mind of a master procrastinator, Tim Urban (14 mins)
- Every kid needs a champion, Rita Pierson (8 mins)
“Why Procrastinators Procrastinate”on Tim Urban’s blog, Wait but why?
Additional Resources
TED Ed
Questions for Reflection
- How do you use TED talks in your language classroom?
- What’s your favorite TED talk and why does it resonate with you?
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Professional development can feel overwhelming! In this episode, Shey and Anna interview Ramin Yazdanpanah on his approach to PD, teacher well-being, and life. Find your center with us in this episode. 🌼
Recommended Reading:
Dweck, C. S. (2022). Mindset: New Psychology Of Success. Ballantine Books.
James, C. (2021). Atomic Habits. PENGUIN UK.
Mercer, S., & Gregersen, T. (2020). Teacher Wellbeing. Oxford University Press.
Resources & Communities:
American English Teacher’s Corner: Website
American English Teacher’s Corner: Facebook page
Institute for the Professional Development of Adult Educators (IPDAE)
The Teacher Think-Aloud PLN
Questions for Reflection:
- How do you approach your own professional development?
- What kinds of PD opportunities do you participate in?
- How do you cultivate your practice in a way that honors all parts of you?
- How do you avoid the overwhelm that comes with this profession?
- How do you integrate mindfulness into your life and classroom?
- What communities of practice are you a part of?
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherthinkaloud/support
We're back from our summer break! Gear up for the new school year and consider weaving project-based learning into your curriculum. In this episode, Anna and Shey discuss why they love project-based learning and provide some examples of projects they and other listeners have implemented in the past. 💕
Download Shey's E-Newspaper Curriculum ⭐ ready to be used in your classroom!
References & Resources:
Buck Institute for Education (n.d.). What is PBL? PBLWorks.
Riel, S. (2020). Cultivating Advanced Integrated Skills with PBI. TESOL Connections, TESOL International Association.
Valenzuela, J. (2022). A Simple, Effective Framework for PBL. Edutopia.
Questions for reflection:
- How have you integrated project-based learning in your work?
- What challenges or successes have you encountered?
- What fresh ideas do you want to try out for the upcoming school year?
Join us for our upcoming Teacher Think-Aloud PLN events! Every month we’ll facilitate a conversation around best teaching practices and the topics that matter most to you. 🎓 Register here: https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/pln.
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherthinkaloud/support
Teachers are amazing, carrying with them a plethora of transferable skills that others can learn from or that they can apply to different facets of life and work. In this episode, Shey and Anna share some of the takeaways their non-educator listeners have taken from the show and celebrate the incredible skills educators bring to the table.
Questions for reflection:
- What can people learn from educators?
- What are some skills that teachers have that you think would transfer well into other disciplines?
Join us for our Teacher Think-Aloud PLN launch event, July 25, 2022, 8 AM Pacific on Zoom! 🎉 Every month we’ll facilitate a conversation around best teaching practices and the topics that matter most to you. Register here: https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/pln.
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherthinkaloud/support
At some point, we've all handled conflict in our classroom---among students, between a student and the teacher... In this episode, Shey and Anna speak with guest Joe Voigts about his approach to conflict in the classroom, from handling disagreements among his Israeli and Palestinian students in Jerusalem to butting heads with his high-schoolers on the South Side of Chicago.
Listener quote:
"There were times that students treated me disrespectfully. I knew that they were teenagers and if I had reacted harshly, the situation would have been so much worse. What I did was to pretend I hadn't heard what had been said. I continued the lesson and when the class ended, I asked that student to stay for a couple of minutes. I talked to him and he felt sorry for what had happened. The consequence of this reaction of mine was so positive. That student was so happy that I didn't say anything to him in front of the eyes of his friends and he turned to the most active student in the class." - Amir
References & Resources:
High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out, Amanda Ripley
The Power of Storytelling to Build Cross-Cultural Connections Joe Voigts, TESOL
The Restorative Practices Handbook: For Teachers, Disciplinarians and Administrators, Bob Costello & Ted Wachtel
Questions for reflection:
- How do you feel when conflict comes up in the classroom?
- What general advice would you give to teachers for handling conflict when it arises?
- What strategies can you suggest for handling conflict in a positive and productive way?
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In a world overrun by social media, why not use them to make learning engaging? In this episode, Shey and Anna discuss the pros and cons of social media in the classroom and present an objectives-based framework and examples for unleashing their potential as tools for learning. Check out our episode-related resources, our blog post on the topic, and Anna's handy-dandy resource for integrating social media into your classroom, on Teachers Pay Teachers.
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Performance reviews and observations by supervisors are a common practice in the world of education, but whether they contribute to our growth as teachers depends on a multitude of factors. In this episode, Shey and Anna discuss some of their best and worst experiences with observations, and they shed light on what makes observations successful, from both the observer's and the teacher's side. What have your best and worst experiences been? What makes observations effective in your view? Check out our episode-related resources.
Also, take a look at our Twitter poll to see our audience's responses to the question of whether they enjoy performance reviews.
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Questionable title choice...but reviewing should be fun! And, more importantly, effective. In this episode, Shey and Anna discuss some of their strategies for making reviewing engaging and beneficial. How to you make reviewing a success? Check out our episode-related resources and Anna's fun sentence combining review activity.
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Should English language teachers take it upon themselves to discuss current events in the classroom? TL;DR - Yes! But how? In this episode, Shey and Anna explore the different considerations to take into account when breaching news topics, from students' proximity to news events to media literacy to language proficiency. Check out our episode-related resources.
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We're exhilarated and exhausted after TESOL 2022! In this episode, Shey and Anna recount their key takeaways from the conference and share the thoughts and voices of other conference participants they interviewed in Pittsburgh. What ideas did you come away with? Check out our slide deck from our presentation, "The Power of Podcasting: How to Launch an ELT Podcast." Power to the people!
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Why is peer feedback important, and how can we use it to facilitate learning? In this episode, Shey and Anna discuss their experience with peer feedback and recommendations for implementing it effectively in the classroom. Check out our episode-related resources, and our easily adaptable peer review packet on Teachers Pay Teachers.
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In this episode, Shey and Anna review Dr. Suhanthie Motha's 2014 book, Race, Empire, and English Language Teaching: Creating Responsible and Ethical Anti-racist Practice, and discuss some of their top takeaways from the book. Click here for more episode-related resources.
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In this episode, Shey and Anna chat about the benefits of their own TESOL training and the intersection of formal training and experience. Click here for episode-related resources.
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Are you as wrapped up in toxic productivity as we are? Listen in and reflect on how you can set goals to lead a happy, healthy life of work and play as we head deeper into the new year. We want YOU to be our accountability partners. Click here for episode-related resources.
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Holy cow, we've come a long way in 2021... Enjoy some ridiculousness and revel in our blunders at the end of this crazy year. We'll be back in 2022!
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How do you keep your passion for teaching alive despite everyday challenges and points of frustration? How can you tell if your disenchantment with the craft is temporary and burnout inspired, or an indicator of a lack of fulfillment or misalignment with your future goals? Beat the end-of-term slump with us as we discuss how to reclaim our zest for teaching. Click here for episode-related resources.
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How do you go about incorporating diverse voices and realities in your curriculum? What strategies do you use to ensure that diversity is represented in your classroom? Just in time for Thanksgiving, in this episode we discuss approaches to representing more than just our own perspectives and experiences in the classroom. Click here for episode-related resources.
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How do you acknowledge the connection between language and power in your classroom? How do you avoid imposing cultural norms associated with learning English? How do you highlight the validity of English as it is taught and spoken across the globe? In this episode, we touch upon the intersection of race and English’s world dominance, names and identity, white saviorism, the unicorn of “standard English”, and more. Click here for episode-related resources.
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Do you find that you rely on implicit or explicit strategies more for teaching vocabulary, and what factors do you consider in deciding? What are your most trusted and creative strategies for teaching vocabulary? In this episode, we review the foundations of vocabulary learning and teaching. We'll be following up with more practical strategies and considerations! Click here for episode-related resources.
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What does intercultural communicative competence (ICC) mean to you? How do you teach ICC in the classroom? In this episode, we reflect on the importance of teaching culture and ICC, and we create a foundation for beginning to do so in the classroom. There is, of course, much more to say on this topic, and we promise to create more and bring some great practical tips. But for now, let's all get on the same page. Click here for episode-related resources.
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What routines or activities do you draw on frequently? In this episode, we discuss some of our favorite routines to keep our classes effective and efficient, to maximize learning, and to maintain our own sanity. Click here for episode-related resources.
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If this is your first year teaching, this episode is for you! We’ve compiled a list of top tips for new teachers. Listen, learn and reflect. For a summary of our tips, check out our episode-related resources.
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What do your lesson plans usually look like? How do you lesson plan efficiently while staying creative? In this episode, we explore different philosophies of lesson planning, establish the absolute essentials, and discuss ways to both stay fresh but not let lesson-planning take over your life. Click here for episode-related resources.
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What are some of your go-to strategies for building rapport on the first day or in the first week of class? How do you maintain the rapport that you've built? In this episode, we explore ways to create a collaborative and supportive classroom culture from Day 1 through the rest of the term. Click here for episode-related resources.
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How have your PD preferences shifted during the pandemic? How has participating in PD through the pandemic informed your teaching? In this episode, we explore the perspectives of listeners around the world on the transition to online teaching and changes to professional development opportunities during the pandemic. Click here for episode-related resources.
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Let's talk about recasts! Do you like to correct in the moment or after the fact? What kind of oral feedback do you find most effective? In this episode, we dive into some old-school second-language acquisition and break down different kinds of oral corrective feedback. Click here for episode-related resources.
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What's your philosophy when it comes to corrective feedback? What's your stance on errors? In this episode, we discuss the significance of errors and how that impacts our approach to oral feedback. Click here for episode-related resources.
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Do you plan your questions before a class? What kinds of questions do you rely on? How do you scaffold questions? In this episode, we consider questioning techniques, types of questions and the responses they might yield. Click here for episode-related resources.
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What percentage of the time do you think you spend talking in a class, on average? How do you go about reducing your own talk time in class? In this episode, we consider the balance between teacher talk time (TTT) and student talk time (STT), as well as strategies for increasing opportunities for STT. Click here for episode-related resources.
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How often do you stop and reflect on your own teaching? What does reflective teaching look like for you? What do you gain from it? In this episode, we seek to understand the underpinnings of reflective pedagogy and what it looks like in our classrooms. Click here for episode-related resources.
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Welcome to The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast, a podcast for reflective practice for teachers of English around the world. In this pilot episode, Anna and Shey introduce themselves and the purpose of this podcast. For more information, visit teacherthinkaloud.com.
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