This is a workshop for teachers at the Mongolia University of the Humanities, first given on Sept. 23, 2011.

PDF Slides

Handout

Download presentation here.

In this presentation, I shared my impressions of living as a foreigner in Russia and working as a member of faculty at a Russian university. In it, I first shared relevant details of higher education in the United States which helped to shape the context within which I garnered my understanding of the the nature of higher education and how I defined it.

Then, I shared some of the things I noticed about higher education in Russia which I found particularly interesting and which also led to a series of “culture bumps” with my students and colleagues.

Finally, I detailed a series of adjustments I made after my first semester which helped me to better fit in to the system of which I was now a part.

Here is the link to a presentation I wrote about the history and culture of Alabama, my native state. I gave it first at the Arkhangelsk American Corner in April, 2011.

Download abstract here.
Download PowerPoint here.
Download handout here.

Format: Workshop
Time: 60-90 minutes
Title: “A Postmethod Pedagogy: Challenges, Opportunities and Empowerment”
Target Students: Beginner to advanced, any age group

Summary
In this workshop, teachers will explore the nature of the Postmethod Condition as it relates to their unique teaching situation. Then, participants will develop classroom strategies that best suit: 1) their unique teaching environment, 2) their own skills and experience and 3) the needs and expectations of their students.

Abstract
With the ever-widening variety of topics and areas of research in the field of TESOL, one recurring theme is that of the greater importance given to the role played by the language teaching context over specific classroom methods. Thus, there is more discussion of the local political, social and cultural aspects of language teaching than, for example, whether or not The Silent Way is or is not an effective teaching practice.

What does this mean for the EFL teacher? The Postmethod Condition posits that the modern teacher, now working in a professional environment which has long since cast off its devotion to uncovering and espousing the “perfect method,” must now be equipped to evaluate her own teaching environment and modify her classroom approach accordingly. This means the development of a series of teacher-selected microstrategies (classroom activities) based on a series of universal macrostrategies (general classroom/learning goals). For example, while a macrostrategy may be to encourage students to engage in meaningful interaction in English in the classroom, the corresponding microstrategy could be a small group task designed and implemented by the teacher which encourages students to do this.

Such microstrategies should take into account and complement: 1) the unique teaching environment, 2) the teacher’s own skills and experience and 3) the needs and expectations of the students. Indeed, a Postmethod Pedagogy may empower teachers and provide greater emphasis on the specific learning environment, but it also places an enormous amount of pressure and responsibility on teachers who may or may not have the confidence or skills required for such an undertaking.

In this workshop, participants will first explore the Postmethod Condition, how it came about and what it means to them. Then, using their own teaching context as a starting point, participants will identify those aspects of a Postmethod Pedagogy which they find most relevant and begin to create a contextual framework upon which they can attach a series of their own teaching strategies which are best suited to their students.

Format: Workshop
Time: 60 minutes
Title: “Tasks, Content and Learning Styles: Foundations for Skills Integration”
Target Students: Beginner to advanced, any age group
Equipment required: Laptop, multimedia projector and speakers

Summary
In this workshop, participants will briefly explore learning styles, content-based instruction and task-based learning as means by which teachers can more successfully encourage learners to integrate the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing for creative interaction in the classroom.

Abstract
There is much discussion regarding the importance of skills integration in the EFL classroom, and for good reason. Successful and creative use of listening, speaking, reading and writing has been proven to help learners develop their language skills better than isolating skills individually through rote memorization or basic information recall activities.

What, then, distinguishes such successful language classrooms from others? How do teachers create an atmosphere where, not only do learners feel comfortable and able to combine the language skills in a manner that most closely resembles real-world communication?

The first answer is to take advantage of our learners’ individual learning styles. If a lesson includes activities that take advantage of different learning styles, be they visual, aural, reading/writing or kinesthetic. Injecting such variety is more engaging and allows for far greater learning opportunities which are both interesting and engaging.

Second, the use of relevant real-world content in lessons is a effective means generating authentic language between students. Students often find such content more interesting than that which they find in textbooks and are more willing to use the target language as they enrich their understanding and express their opinions on a particular topic or issue.

Finally, the teacher must create an organized and deliberate context within which learners explore their content and exploit their learning styles. This can be done tasks, an approach to classroom interaction for which the teacher has prepared a series of steps to be carried out by students. These include several opportunities for students to listen, speak, read and write creatively in the target language.

Participants will come away from this short workshop with a clear understanding as to how they can easily create a classroom environment in which learners not only feel as if they can and should integrate language skills, but also one in which they will want to.

Download abstract PDF here.

Download PowerPoint presentation PDF here.

Format: Workshop
Time: 90 minutes
Title: “Reflective Teaching: Strategies for Self-Improvement and Adaptation”
Target Students: Beginner to advanced, any age group

This is a co-presentation with SPELTA member Alexandra Antipova.

What is a reflective teacher? Generally speaking, a reflective teacher is an educator who is in a continual process of learning, experimenting and adjustment. The reflective teacher devotes time and energy to a variety of activities whose purpose is perpetual self-improvement as an educator and language learning professional. In this workshop, participants will work towards a definition of reflective teaching and explore several strategies and activities which foster it. Such approaches which we will explore include observation, journaling, peer discussions and student feedback.

Then, teachers will begin to analyze and develop their own reflective teaching practices, with the focus being on the understanding that each teacher and each learning environment is unique and that such differences constrain the reflection process. This can also help the educator to develop a set of coping and adaptation strategies which will make the teaching/learning process more enjoyable and effective for all involved.

At a recent workshop I conducted at the American Corner here in St. Petersburg, I talked with a group of teachers about tides of change and innovation in education, specifically in Russia. I shared an experience of my own: ten years ago, when I was in graduate school at the American University in Washington, DC, Communicative Language Teacing (CLT) was still all the rage. We were taught to hep students learn English by providing them with a series of examples from real-world communicative situations such as asking for directions, ordering a pizza, etc., and ask them to practice and create their own similar dialogs and/or texts.

In recent years, however, CLT has been gradually replaced by Task-based Instruction (TBI), in which students are given problems to solve and/or projects to complete during which they are expected to develop real-world skills of conversation and text-creation independently. This is a very brief explanation, but you get the point.

In essence, what I told my participants was that all this hullabaloo about CLT was basically out of style and considered ineffective. I was, fortunately, able to change my approach, do some reading and experimenting in the classroom and have thus bought into TBI in recent years.

My point is that change is inevitable. Without it, our profession stagnates. So, I asked my participants to share with me some of the most drastic changes in education in Russia in last 20 years or so, I expected to hear mostly stories of upheaval related to the dissolution of the USSR, but instead got an earful of disdain for the new Unified Government Exam, a new single college entrance exam which now must be taken by every Russian student who wants to attend a university.

This new exam, in a traditional top-down fashion, has altered the very way English is taught in the classroom. Teachers have told me that they tend to go in one of two directions (you can guess which one is more common): 1) They can teach their students English as best they can and assume that their proficiency will serve them well on the exam or 2) they can teach to the test.

In addition to change from the outside (like the new exam), we talked about change from within and the usefulness of having dynamic schools in which teachers work together to decide on the direction they will take when faced with possibilities for innovation and change. As such as participants liked this idea, they admitted mostly that it is not very common. Teachers generally do not feel like they have enough power over the cirriculum in the school to effect much change on the local level.

But we also talked about the usefulness of joining a teachers’ association such as the St. Petersburg English Language Teachers’ Association, if only as a measure towards lessening the feeling of utter isolation that many teachers in this city experience. It is all to easy to feel like one is teaching on an island in their classroom, but if we are members of an association and are encouraged to share ideas and stand on each other’s shoulders, than our profession is improved and we are reminded of the reasons why we became teachers in the first place: to help others.

Finally, we worked together to write a list of ways that we can either 1) better cope with change in education and 2) effect the kind of change that we feel is beneficial to our profession. Here are some of the best answers:

1. More public teacher-training workshops in the city

2. More frequent continuing education opportunities within the schools.

3. Greater acceptance and encouragement of ideas from new teachers.

4. Joining a teachers’ association.

5. Familiarizing one’s self with the needs of L2 speakers of English in the modern world.

6. More travel opportunities for teachers.

7. More academic partnerships between Russian and foreign universities.

8. Frequent workshops on using technology in the classroom.

9. Better equipment in the classroom (basic and new technology).

10. Better access to online research databases for learners.

Watch the presentation here:

Download PowerPoint here.

Download handout here.

What is the statement of purpose?

College applications are generally very dry and impersonal representations of a person’s scholastic achievements and abilities. The personal statement is designed to breathe life into an otherwise lifeless and unoriginal college application.

Basically, the statement of purpose is a way for you to put a face on your application, give it personality and allow the admissions officials to better judge your application as a whole based on what kind of person you are, not just what kind of student you are.

How important is it?

College admissions departments typically say that it is extremely rare for a statement of purpose to be the sole reason an applicant is either admitted or denied admittance to their institution. Some estimates claim that fewer than five percent of all statements of purpose play a major role in the final admittance decision.

However, that does not mean the document is unimportant. Rather, a good statement of purpose can add to and enhance an already good application. Likewise, it can make an otherwise unremarkable application a bit more enticing. Poorly done, a statement of purpose can also make a decent application look not so good. It is important to think of this step as only part of the whole. Don’t stress too much about it. But don’t be cavalier about it, either.

What do colleges look for in a statement of purpose?

Most large universities receive thousands of applications every year. And each of these contains a statement of purpose. So think about it, yours will be only one of these thousands upon thousands of statements they will have to read. If you were one of these readers, what would you look for? My guess would be that you want one that is honest, original, concise, interesting and revealing. You want it to be different. You want it to make you laugh (or at least smile). You want it to make you think. You want it to accurately describe the applicant. We are all unique. So should our writing be.

This may be surprising, but most colleges do not look for statements of purpose that list achievement after achievement and show off how smart or academically accomplished the applicant is. This may not be logical. But think about the other applicants. That is what they will be writing about, how their test scores were so high, their teachers loved them so much, their classmates looked up to them as models of achievement. Yours should stand out from these. Do not be afraid to discuss your weaknesses or your shortcomings. Do not be afraid to talk about times you have failed or made mistakes. You are not perfect. If you were, you would not need to go to college. Be honest. You are human. Let your statement of purpose reveal that.

So how do I write it?

My best piece of advice is this: Write a story about yourself. Do not worry about the structure of academic writing. There are no such rules for this kind of text. Try to think of a time in your life that revealed your true personality. Perhaps it was a difficult time with your family, or a problem with a friend. Perhaps it was the time you did very poorly at school and you had to deal with shame from your family and teachers as you tried to become a better student. It can be any difficult situation you faced, and doesn’t even have to be one where you succeeded. Failure can reveal a person’s true character sometimes better than success. Because how we deal with failure is just as important as how we deal with success. Remember this.

When writing, remember that your reader will be evaluating your statement based on how it predicts your future success in and after completion of the program for which you are applying. You may not need to spell this out exactly, but what you write must reveal your personality in a way that proves you are the right candidate.

In addition, do not repeat yourself. Use simple sentences and short words. Be direct and straightforward with your language. English is a simple language, and when someone uses it to make overly complex writing with long and difficult words, it can sometimes come across as pretentious or arrogant.

Make sure you do your own writing! Do not ask a friend to write it. Do not borrow words from samples you find in books or on the Internet. If you do this, it will be obvious to the people reading your application. It is OK, however, for you to ask a friend to read your statement and make comments on it, or to ask a native speaker to check it for grammar and spelling mistakes. But it must be your own work.

If you are having trouble thinking of what to write, I suggest you sit by yourself in a quiet place and write about anything. Just pick up a pencil and begin writing. What you produce here will not be your statement of purpose, but it may help you to generate ideas. Try to write nonstop. Don’t make corrections. Don’t try to be neat. This is a kind of thinking with a pencil. And the results may surprise you. Very often, students of mine who are having trouble thinking of a topic for a writing assignment find that they get their best ideas when they do an exercise like this.

But most important: Relax! This is only one piece of the puzzle. And it’s not as monumental a piece as you think. If you are honest and you write something that is personal, it will be easier than you think. Good luck.

Download PowerPoint PDF here.

Download PowerPoint Show (with audio) here.

Format: Plenary

Time: 20 minutes

Title: “Technology and Second Language Writing: New Perspectives on Identity and Process”

Target Students: Beginner to advanced, any age group

With the advent of new technology and online resources for second language writers, educators not only must grapple with their own adaptation to the new digital landscape, but also with how best to encourage learners to use it to the fullest potential.

The current popular trend towards a combination of the guiding concepts of process and genre in the L2 writing classroom has revolutionized writing instruction in recent years. The next step may be to formally integrate the use of technology in writing instruction as a step in the writing process.

This can be in the form of requiring students to submit assignments electronically, thereby allowing the teacher to type longer and more detailed comments and return them instantly by email.

Teachers can also help students in the most effective use of the Internet as a source of information for writing assignments, allowing for classroom time in which students explore and evaluate different kinds of online sources from news feeders to Wikipedia.

But assignment requirements can also encourage students to utilize software that provides assistance in such areas as word collocation, grammar and lexical density. Indeed, technology may completely alter the way in which teachers give students feedback on their writing assignments.

This plenary presentation will explore new opportunities for technology-assisted L2 writing development and how teachers can themselves become effective purveyors of technology in the writing classroom.

Each summarizing workshop is about one hour. See below for details of each session.

Download PowerPoint and handouts here.

Session 1: Reading Strategies for Summarizing
In this workshop, participants will explore various approaches to reading which enhance students’ skills in summarizing. The workshop will focus on basic pre- during- and post-reading strategies that improve overall reading comprehension and enable students to identify the following: 1) organizational patterns, 2) main ideas and 3) the most important details in a text, all of which are invaluable for paraphrasing and constructing summaries. We will also look at the value of extended reading and student-selected texts in enhancing students’ global reading skills.

Session 2: Writing Strategies for Summarizing
In part two of this workshop series, teachers will look at approaches to writing in the English language classroom which promote the development of summarizing skills. We will discuss the currently popular process/genre model of teaching writing and how it applies to paraphrasing and summarizing. Teachers will discuss the value of modeling and scaffolding the skills of effective writing as a means of increasing a student’s overall independence as a learner and his fluency in constructing identity through academic writing. We will also look at the role digital writing plays in the writing classroom and how teachers can take advantage of their students’ already high level of electronic fluency.

Session 3: Building Summarizing Lessons and Tasks
In this final workshop, teachers will use the concepts explored in the previous two sessions to decide how best to put together tasks and lessons which will help improve students’ skills and promote their autonomy. The focus will be on task-based instruction combined with pair and group work to foster a community of learners in the classroom. This community, through the integration of skills, constructs its own meaning and relies on each other and themselves for their continued development and emergence as independent learners. We will look at such summarizing-specific aspects as selecting texts, building and sequencing tasks and developing scoring rubrics for assessment.