PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE DIARY

Music is a very important part of English classes that not only can be considered as one more teaching resource to make the sessions more dynamic but also as a motivator that both students and teachers can take advantage of in order to practice vocabulary and grammar while having a fun time. That's why in this entry, for you to don't have to stick to the same old worksheets even again, I will share with you seven popular songs easy to sing-along to teach specific grammar topics: 1. Meghan Trainor - Me too (Second conditional)  If I was you, I'd wanna be me too I'd wanna be me too I'd wanna be me too If I was you, I'd wanna be me too I'd wanna be me too I'd wanna be me too 2. Gotye - Somebody that I used to know (used to) No, you didn't have to stoop so low Have your friends collect your records and then change your number I guess that I don't need that though Now you're just somebody tha...

Hello, guys. Last week, for my interculturality class, I did very insightful research about discrimination, its different ramifications, and the effects that it has in our country. From racism to homophobia, I dived into the main types of discrimination that, unfortunately, are still prevalent in Mexico, and that reflection was what eventually led me to think about our role as teachers to tackle these types of intolerant behaviors in the classroom. How can we contribute to avoid these attitudes in a country where it is so normalized to make fun of someone because they are somehow different from us ? In this entry, I will share with you four ways to raise awareness of diversity in a language classroom and foster an environment of tolerance of respect among your students:  1. Make every student feel heard: When allowing participation, let every single one of your students share their opinion with the rest of the class. Be fair and equitable. During the discussion, you could...

Hey, guys. How are you? What are you up to these days? Let me tell you a little bit about me. During this quarantine, I've faced several issues to stay focused and get my homework done as, at the moment, I'm taking online classes and that slightly complicates everything considering I'm less than one year away from my college graduation. Among essays, professional practices and a lot of readings, it's been challenging to adapt to this new learning (and also teaching) style; nevertheless, I've come to realize that organization is everything in these tough times so I decided to take this entry to share some hacks on how to navigate through this intense but intriguing online-student life without dying in the attempt: Set a schedule : Have a moment to decide what hours you are going to use to finish all your pending assignments. It is better if you wake up early in the morning as you can have more chances to divide your time more realistically and get more job don...

Hey, guys. A few weeks ago I read a small article about bilingualism and, from the perspective of a language educator, I found it extremely interesting for many reasons so I wanted to share with you a small summary with the most important points regarding learning two languages at an early age. As teachers, I think it's important to know that theory establishes solid parameters of what a child or an adult can accomplish in a language classroom, especially with the youngest ones, and that is something, I reckon, that can be useful in class with our students if we really want to help them reach a proficient level. Let me tell you a little bit more about it. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, bilingualism can be defined as "the fact of being able to use two languages equally well", something that is a reality for millions of kids all around the world, particularly second-generation immigrants in English-speaking countries. This bilingualism can open many doors for...

Hey, guys. This week I've taken a few extra training sessions at work about some other online tools and today I want to share  with you some resources and extra tips to step up your game in the online classroom. Now, all the following tools are from Google, which means that they are completely free and available when you need them, and, despite they may seem pretty basic, they can be wonderful and save you a lot of time and trouble: Google Docs:  It can be used to teach live or just assign tasks and homework when needed  Different levels of interaction can be applied (individually, in pairs, in teams) Excellent for writing skills development, even though it can be used for other purposes  Good for collaborative and communicative tasks  Gives students a space to develop creative and critical thinking Google Slides: Good for presentations and even mini projects It can be used for teaching and learning As Docs, this app is...

Hello, there. This week I want to pick up on the issues of giving an online class, as I've witnessed how many of my colleagues (and even some of my superiors) keep struggling with adapting to this new mode of education. Recently, I've taken some training sessions and researched a little bit more about the topic as I'm preparing to give my very first online class and I want my students to feel as comfortable as they usually were in the face-to-face sessions. The situation that we are living right now is very uncertain and difficult to ignore, so I really think that we need to consider that, as teachers, we have the power to provide our students a little safe zone where they can forget for a moment about everything that is happening right now and focusing on being productive. Without further ado, here are a few extra tips on how to take your online classes to the next level:  1. Consider your resources: Where will you teach? In an online document? A social media grou...