Macmillan Education Webinars
1.Thom Kiddle – Principles and practices in asynchronous online learning
Agenda
This webinar will look at principles and practices in asynchronous online learning – that is, online learning activities that students do at a time of their own choosing in a virtual learning environment (VLE), and which is supported by tutors and/or pre- programmed feedback. We will look at activities which are commonly available in VLEs, the benefits of including asynchronous activities in online learning, and tutor competences for managing and support asynchronous learning.
About the Speaker
Thom Kiddle has worked at NILE since 2011, after moving back to the UK from Chile where he was head of academic research and educational technology at the Chilean-British University.He has previously worked in Portugal, the UK, Australia and Thailand in language teaching, teacher training and language assessment.He has a Master’s degree in Language Testing from Lancaster University and the Cambridge Delta, and his role at NILE involves strategic and organisational management, and training and consultancy in a range of areas including testing and assessment, learning technologies, materials development and language teaching methodology. Thom is also treasurer and founding director of AQUEDUTO – the Association for Quality Education and Training Online; webmaster for the Testing, Evaluation and Assessment Special Interest Group of IATEFL; and Vice Chair of the Eaquals Board of Trustees.Thom is also a plenary speaker at IATEFL 2020.
Date & Time: 25.03.2020 01:30pm & 05:00pm
2. Laura Patsko – Moving your instruction online – fast!
Agenda
Due to the escalating COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, many teachers worldwide find themselves suddenly required to work from home and/or teach online. We can’t expect to become experts overnight, but we can learn the basics and continue to do a good job if we pool our ideas and keep in mind the learning principles behind our courses and resources. In this webinar, we’ll look at some of the challenges teachers are currently facing, we’ll honestly confess and address some common fears and anxieties, and – most importantly – we’ll share some practical ways in which we can continue to achieve quality teaching and learning despite today’s extraordinary circumstances.
About the Speaker
Laura Patsko is a Language and Learning Consultant who spends a lot of her professional time these days developing digital learning content and tools! She is an experienced teacher, trainer and researcher, specializing in teacher education, pronunciation and ELF, and is author or co-author of several books, chapters and articles on these topics. She tweets as @lauraahaha and @blackbirdLXD.
Date & Time: 26.03.2020 01:00pm & 07:00pm
3. Chia Suan Chong – Doing the Communicative Approach Online: Motivating students to speak
Agenda
As more and more of us move our language teaching online, we become more aware that virtual classrooms may be useful for teaching discrete grammar or vocabulary items and focusing on accuracy, but getting students to be communicative online can be a challenge. As teachers of the communicative approach, we know that we can only learn to speak a language by speaking it. So how can we get students to feel engaged enough to speak and communicate when they’re learning English online? Can online group classes still provide the interaction and the speaking practice that face-to-face classes offer? Chia explores some practical ideas to motivate students to communicate in their online classes and encourages participants to share their own online teaching ideas in this interactive webinar.
About the Speaker
Chia Suan Chong is a writer, communication skills trainer and a teacher trainer. She is the author of Successful International Communication, and was English Teaching Professional’s award-winning resident blogger between 2012 and 2019. Currently based in York, Chia regularly conducts training online via webinars and also helps corporations to have more effective virtual communication and virtual meetings. Chia writes regularly for the British Council and their Learn English website and holds a DELTA and a Masters in Applied Linguistics and ELT.
Date & Time: 31.03.2020 12:00pm & 06:00pm
3. Scott Thornbury – P is for Performance
Agenda
In the literature on second language acquisition, performance is typically contrasted with competence – with the implication that competence is a pre-condition for performance. I.e. we should learn the rules of language before applying them. This is a distinction that has been challenged more recently, in the light of so-called ‘usage-based’ views of language acquisition, which argue that using IS learning. ‘Performance’, of course, retains its original, non-specialist, senses of production, play and drama – not to mention ‘performativity’. I will argue that these many meanings can be bundled together to create a truly performance-based methodology.
About the Speaker
Scott Thornbury Scott Thornbury has taught and trained in Egypt, UK, Spain, and in his native New Zealand. His writing credits include several award-winning books for teachers on language and methodology, including Uncovering Grammar, Beyond the Sentence, and The New A-Z of ELT (all Macmillan). He blogs at https://scottthornbury.wordpress.com
Date & Time: 01.04.2020 12:00pm & 06:00pm
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