The educational choices available to children are evolving rapidly with apps, online courses, digital games, recordings and videos becoming easily accessible. However, amidst this technological advancement, human evolution has not suddenly accelerated, and the primary aim for teachers remains unchanged - helping children make sense of the world and leaving their mark on it.
Here are five essential ways we can achieve that for every child, regardless of their circumstances, whether it's teaching English or fostering everyday learning and education.
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Paying attention to what we're doing is something that we have to re-learn. Very young children?pay great attention to the smallest of things. Washing their hands takes forever as they want to?focus on the soap, doing up shoelaces can become a half-hour activity, or an interesting pebble on the?road can make a quick trip to the shops a very long one.
So, what happens is that we then start?teaching children to hurry up. ‘Hurry up, come on, quickly, now - put on your coat NOW!’ are part of?every parent’s repertoire. And we have to do it because we know what the children don’t - that the bus won’t wait for us, that school starts at a certain time and that people will be kept waiting if we don’t?hurry up.
Therefore paying attention has to be re-learnt and we need to lead the way. We have to pay attention to?the children, what they are saying and doing, and then we have to resist the temptation to do too?many things at once. And, most importantly, we have to give our children enough time to let?things sink in.
We have so many ways of describing skills now; soft, hard, thinking, critical, communication - the list?goes on. In some ways, these descriptors are useful as they make us more aware of the particular?skills of a child, but there is still often a gap between knowing how a child is skilled and how that can?be useful to the child.
Let’s take a classic example; one of the main qualities people often think of as?connected to nursing is a skill for caring, showing compassion and being a good communicator.?Yes, that is important, but the main skill needed to be a nurse is dealing competently, practically?and non-judgmentally with bodily fluids. So, yes, we absolutely need to make sure that we are?educating our children to become skillful in various ways but we also need to think about how those?skills are transferable.
One of the most significant changes of the past 40 years is how we can access information. Gone are the?days of one version of an encyclopedia or whatever your teacher knew; now we have online data,?crowdsourced reports, scores of different formats - everything is a click and a swipe away.
So how can?we help with this? First, we have to get children interested enough in a topic to want to find things?out for themselves. Then we must guide them through what is true and what might not be. And?then our main job is showing them that they can add to the tree of knowledge. It’s constantly growing,?and they can lengthen the branches, help fruit grow, and even dig up the roots and plant the tree?elsewhere.
Thinking creatively, thinking ‘out of the box’ and seeing new possibilities can and must be?nurtured in our children. We can use our imagination in traditionally creative ways such as writing, artwork, music and drama, but perhaps even more importantly we can use it in ‘unseen’ ways. We?can unlearn banal responses and consider what we really think; in other words we can ‘think for?ourselves’. Again this skill is needed more than ever when surrounded by seemingly?wise thoughts in social media memes. The nature of memes is that they look definite, as if they are?true. They might be and they might not. We can decide when we use our critical and creative?thinking skills.
We can use imagination to find solutions to problems and we can use it to make our own everyday realities?more exciting and life-enhancing. Whatever we do, if we have a positive image of ourselves doing?it, the task becomes more meaningful and rewarding. And in a practical sense in the classroom, we?can bring language learning to life. Imagining and play acting the situations where the language we are?learning might be called for; in a restaurant, at an airport or meeting new friends. It can be a great method to teach English to kids, keeping them engaged and actively involved.?
Support comes in many forms. First concrete support, such as providing a desk and materials for children to?do their homework. This is something that teachers need to be aware of; do the children have that?at home? It’s not a question of finance - not everyone can afford a separate room and the space for a?desk - but it is a question of realizing that a dedicated, quiet space is needed. For example a cleared?kitchen table at certain times of the day. It’s worth bearing this in mind if parents say their?children never focus on homework. Look at the practicalities before any attitude issues.
The most important form of support we can give is ‘being there’ for our children. Knowing that?someone wants you to do well, is there for you through your mistakes and successes, and?empathizes with both. Someone who ‘has your back’ when you need help and is glad for you when?you do well; that gives our children a powerful sense of security. And we can flourish when we feel?secure.
By implementing these above points, we can equip children with the tools they need to understand the world, pursue their passions and make a positive impact on their lives and others.?
As demographic shifts and technological advancements reshape the global workforce, the gap between the skills people have and the skills they need continues to widen. This "skills chasm" is particularly evident in language learning, where traditional education systems often fail to keep pace with the demands of the modern economy.
With the continuous evolution of AI tools, it has become more critical to incorporate AI into our teaching practices. AI has the transformative power to improve our teaching methods, tailor learning experiences, and increase student engagement.
To give you a taste of our webinar 'Teaching in the age of AI: 7 tips for preparing for an educational evolution'. We'll cover seven tips designed to prepare you for an educational evolution with AI.
The first step in integrating AI into your teaching practice is deciding your approach. Are you an AI methodologist who practices based on theory or an AI experimentalist who develops theory based on practice? Both paths are valid, but it's crucial to choose one to avoid inertia. Understanding AI's basics and experimenting with different tools will help you find your footing.
AI should be seen as a thought partner and assistant, not a replacement. Use AI to enhance your creativity and efficiency. For example, if you're stuck on creating a warm-up activity, ask AI for ideas. Treat AI as a helpful assistant to handle tasks you find time-consuming or less enjoyable, allowing you to focus on what you love about teaching.
Understanding AI's capabilities and limitations is essential. AI learns from the data we provide, so it's crucial to feed it accurate and relevant information. Developing empathy for AI means understanding how it processes information and how to give clear instructions to get the best results.
AI can help cover all aspects of language learning, including:
Move beyond simple substitution and augmentation of tasks with AI. Aim for modification and redefinition of your teaching methods. For instance, use AI to create interactive and personalized learning experiences that were previously unimaginable.
AI offers new teaching possibilities that break away from traditional constraints. Embrace these opportunities to redefine your pedagogy. Think about what is now possible with AI that wasn't before and how you can leverage these capabilities to enhance learning.
Use AI to develop formative assessments that provide continuous feedback. These assessments should help students understand their progress and guide you in improving your teaching strategies. AI can generate rubrics, provide instant feedback, and help track student performance over time.
To help you integrate AI into your teaching practice, here are some practical tips and challenges:
1. Experiment with AI tools: Find tools for creating text, audio, images, and video. Create activities using these tools to see how they can enhance your lessons.
2. Develop custom AI applications: Create custom GPTs for specific tasks, such as generating rubrics or formative assessments.
3. Engage students with AI: Design activities where students use AI to generate content, evaluate AI-generated work, and reflect on their learning process.
4. Focus on formative feedback: Use AI to provide continuous, formative feedback to students, helping them understand their strengths and areas for improvement.
Integrating AI into your teaching practice is not just about using new tools; it's about transforming your approach to education. By embracing AI, you can create more engaging, personalized, and effective learning experiences for your students. As you embark on this journey, remember that the goal is to enhance your teaching, not replace it. Embrace the challenges, experiment with new ideas, and let AI help you become the best educator you can be.
Ready to dive deeper into the world of AI in education? Watch our webinar, 'Teaching in the Age of AI: 7 Tips for Preparing for an Educational Evolution'. Discover how AI can augment teaching, personalize learning, and boost engagement. Delve into the AI-first pedagogy, ethical considerations and practical strategies to make your classroom more effective, engaging, and innovative.
Engaging in conversations, especially in a language that isn't your first, can sometimes be daunting. Whether English isn’t your first language or you’re just looking to improve your conversational skills, having a few handy phrases up your sleeve can make a world of difference. Here are seven essential phrases that can help you navigate conversations in English with greater ease and confidence.
