Professional Documents
Culture Documents
SIG
Issue 24
Summer 2009 Issue 24
Committee
Coordinator: Mike Solly
Deputy Coordinator: Maureen Ellis
Newsletter Editor: Claudia Connolly
Assistant newsletter Editor: Xiabing Wang
Website manager: Nik Peachey
Discussion moderator:Muhammad Iqbal
Price 4.50 Free for GISIG members ISSN: 1026-4310
G L O B A L IS S U E S
In te g ra tin g g lo b a l e d u c a tio n in to la n g u a g e te a c h in g
S IG
IATEFLs Global Issues Special Interest
Group (GISIG) was created in 1995 and aims
to provide a forum among ELT practitioners to
stimulate awareness and understanding of
global issues, and to encourage the development of global education within language
teaching.
Occasional other publications, for example proceedings of and papers from our
events.
Social networking:
http://global-issues.ning.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gisig/
How to join
Individual membership of IATEFL costs 43
(with reduced student and retired rates). This
includes free membership of one Special Interest Group (e.g. the Global Issues SIG) and the
associated membership benefits listed above.
If you are already a member of IATEFL but not
a member of GISIG, SIG membership costs
Letter from
the coordinator
Dear Colleagues,
jointly with the BC and a representative from GI SIG, and there was also
a GI SIG reporter at the event (see
article in this edition of the newsletter).
Global Issues SIG also played a significant role at IATEFL Cardiff, with
the second event of the year being a
Pre-Conference event (run jointly
with Teacher Development SIG)
which was a very practically based
day long event on overcoming difficulties in teaching in different and
challenging contexts, a lively Open
Forum, several presentations on
Global Issues by committee members, and a leading role in an
IATEFL signature event (Equal Opportunities and Diversity in ELT:
Getting it right). In addition it was of
course, as ever, an excellent opportunity to gather ideas and opinions for
future activity for the SIG.
Content
Editor
P.7
Samantha Deans
P.9
Neil Mc Beath
P.11
Nik Peachey
P.14
David Valente
P.15
Claudia Connolly
P.19
Michael Berman
P.22
Xiaobing Wang
P.24
Getting it Right,
Xiaobing Wang
P.25
Global issues is always looking for articles, book reviews and teaching material from individuals who are interested in sharing their diversity and experience within ELT. Send your articles to: claudiarichardson@wanadoo.fr
Claudia Connolly
claudiarichardson@wanadoo.fr
SIG
Full page
GI
SIG
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Half
page
100
Quarter
page
50
Inside
front
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Inside
back
250
Back
page
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IATEFL
Global Issues
Aims
To equip learners with the knowledge, skills and values which can
help them confront both local and
global problems.
To assist in the exchange of information and ideas surrounding issues within ELT such as peace, justice and equality; human rights and
social responsibility; globalization
and world development; social identity; and the role of the English language and English Language Teaching in the world.
Redefining:
Bill Templer, one of our members has
suggested the following to help us redefine our aims:
We seek a more global and socially inclusive perspective within ELT, sensitive to
local diversity. We hope to empower
learners to become more critical citizens. To this end, we strive to exchange
ideas and information on a broad array of
social issues, including education for
peace, justice, and equality; human
rights, social responsibility and social
change; globalization and a sustainable
environment. We explore ways to improve
EFL teaching and learning among the
world's social majorities, where often
only minimal resources are available, and
to integrate inventive high-tech approaches wherever possible.
Pair less confident learners with more confident learners. Stronger readers, for example, can read vocabulary cards aloud
while the less confident reader listens and
finds the appropriate card or image giving
both learners a sense of knowledge and
achievement.
Summary
Providing differentiated worksheets and support
strategies (sentence or vocabulary cues, having
access to examples and so on) allows learners to
work towards the same outcomes, rather than
having a whole class working on different things.
Differentiation increases motivation, interest and
relevance while providing more opportunities for
achievement and success.
If you would like to try out some of the teaching materials mentioned here, please contact Sam directly at
While there is a huge industry devoted to the publication of EFL materials, there seems to be much samanthadeans@hotmail.com
less in the way of ESOL resources. As the number of ESOL students grows, so does the need
for ESOL appropriate materials.
More and more publishers are beginning to produce teacher resource books based on existing
EFL textbooks.
Such resource books have
adapted, simplified activities based on the exercises in the original course books. Until more of
these photocopiable resources are available,
teachers may have to continue adapting tried and
tested ELT materials.
Biodata
Samantha Deans teaches English at the British
Council in Paris, France. She has taught EFL
and ESOL in Germany, Japan, the USA and the
UK. She is interested in materials development
10
Today, few people involved in education would disagree with those sentiments. They are the essence of
reigniting and retooling. When I began teaching EFL,
in 1974, however, Richards comments would have
been close to heresy.
In those days, the Royal Society of Arts Certificate in
the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language to
Adults was based on what Richards (1998; 46) describes as the noncompatible view, which is based on
the belief that a particular teaching conception is valid,
and that others are unacceptable and should be discouraged. The RSA beliefs were firm. Good teaching was presentation-practice-production. No language
other than English should ever be used in the classroom. Choral drilling was effective. The RSA Certificate was a highly esteemed qualification(Richardson
1977), and its holders needed no further training.
I, however, wanted to make it a career, and so I abandoned the RSA approach. I took a years sabbatical
leave and taught for one of the Association of Recognised English Language Schools. I also took the Trinity College Diploma in TESOL, which was more rigorous than the RSA Certificate. I had to study compulsory phonetics, and take an oral examination as well
as a practical teaching test but I passed.
IATEFL, TESOL Arabia and the Materials Development Association provide further logistic support, as
do their Special Interest Groups (SIGS). Now we have
a choice of professional journals, SIG Newsletters, online SIG communities, the cyber-journal Humanizing
Language Teaching, and Daves ESL Caf. In 1974,
there was only the English Language Teaching Journal
and IATEFL, falsely described by my RSA Certificate
tutor as an organization for senior academics only!
a sort of round table at which only Chomsky, Halliday,
Quirk, Leech, Svartik, Greenbaum and Crystal would
be welcome.
1000.
Given the exponential rate at which EFL has developed globally, and the criticism that its expansion has
aroused in some quarters (Phillipson 1992) surely neilmcbeath@yahoo.com
there should have been far more delegates? The increase just quoted represents an annual gain of only
25 people a year. Why do so few EFL teachers join
professional associations? Or, perhaps more cogently,
why do EFL teaching associations currently attract so
few practitioners?
References.
Could it be that EFL is in the position described by
McCourt (2005) where those who actually teach, the
practitioners who interact with students on a daily basis, are left behind? These people are the backbone of
the profession, but the rewards go to those who leave
the classroom, and move into administration. Tennant
(2008) points out that there is something seriously
flawed about a system that allows beginners to be
taught by inexperienced teachers. I would suggest that
there is something equally flawed that promotes good
teachers out of the classroom, and into managerial
positions for which they may have shown no aptitude.
Linguistic Imperialism.
Richards, Jack C. (1990.) The Language Teaching Matrix. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press.
Richards, Jack C. 1998. Beyond Training.
bridge University Press.
Oxford.
Cambridge
Cam-
These so-called teachers perpetuate the myth that Tennant, Adrian. (2008) Why are we standing on our heads?
any speaker of a language can also teach it. They also IATEFL Voices 205 P. 19
short-change their students, offering simplistic views
of language, and rules of doubtful validity, frequently based on prescriptive attitudes to language
which are not supported by any data. Most importantly, however, they depress salaries for ALL teachers, and in particular for those non-native speakers
from the host nation; people who have trained and
qualified only to find that their efforts go unrewarded.
The RSA ladies of the 1970s have retired. The professional demands on EFL teachers have been transformed almost beyond recognition, and there is a network of support to retool serving teachers and reignite
their motivation. If, however, we do nothing to protect
13
Nik Peacheys
blogs
This is my
small contribution to
that goal
had observed more broadly while living in Thailand, whether taking the plane, sky train or socialising with Thais - reading outside of academic /
professional environments for pleasure, i.e.
extensive reading, is neither widespread nor
commonplace in Thai society. Many children and
teenagers do not acquire good reading habits
from parents / carers further exacerbating the
challenges facing English language teaching in
primary and secondary schools, which as
Mackenzie (2009) highlights, include:
a good IELTS score required for further / higher education abroad and for
some Thai university programmes
By David Valente
Socio-cultural / wider educational background These reasons are shared by many parents / carers worldwide and being a good reader is clearly
essential to being a key player in todays globalIn early 2008, I took a 10-hour bus trip from
ised world, where English has become a lingua
Bangkok to Nongkhai, in the north-east of Thaifranca (Jenkins, 2007) for educational advanceland. During the journey, I curiously glanced
ment and international business, as Ellis (2004:1)
around to see how many of the travellers on the
maintains, to be active and informed citizens our
full coach were reading, and, if so, what materipupils need reading skills. As English teachers
als. I noticed quite a few texting on their mobiles,
of young learners, I believe it is crucial that we
others skimming newspapers while I (the only
take our broader educator remit seriously and
non Thai onboard) was the sole person reading a
act as agents of change to enable our learners to
book. This anecdotal example confirmed what I
15
international view
global citizenship
intercultural dialogue
International View
To develop these three strands I applied the British Councils mainstreaming approach by embedding key aspects of global awareness
throughout the English language syllabus. We
cannot lose sight of the fact that we are first and
foremost language teachers and, rather than delivering one-off, stand alone lessons on aspects
of global awareness, we need to build them into
the language and skills focus of a lesson series.
In this way, learners are developing their linguistic
ability while simultaneously increasing their global
awareness. This follows the principles of up-todate thinking on how children learn and contemporary YL teaching, including cross-curricular and
whole-learning approaches. Embedding global
awareness within language and skills focus also
ensures challenging issues around equality and
diversity, for example, are presented within the
scope of the learners according to their ages
and language levels.
is aware of the wider world and has a sense of My class consisted of fourteen Thai female and
their own role as a world citizen
male teenagers aged between 12 and 14. As a
result of parental / carer pressure, they attended
respects and values diversity
English class throughout the academic year every
Friday evening after a long week at school. Per has an understanding of how the world works
haps not surprisingly, they lacked motivation and
interest in the set coursebook which did not ap is outraged by social injustice
peal to their ages or cultural backgrounds. Both
participates in the community at a range of lev- informal oral feedback (during reflective reviews)
els, from the local to the global
and formal written feedback (during mid course
surveys) indicated they preferred a more fun
is willing to act to make the world a more equi- approach to learning related to their interests
table and sustainable place
which they identified as sports, music, celebrity
lives, ICT and design. All members of the group
takes responsibility for their actions
stated that they were not very interested in literature or reading texts in general. This lack of interest is highlighted by Ellis (ibid) who explains how,
some [learners] may be reluctant readers in their
Intercultural Dialogue
first language so tackling a novel in a foreign language with perhaps 200 or so pages of dense
For the British Council (2008:3), intercultural dialogue recognizes that:
16
I was therefore faced with the multi-layered challenge of meeting their parents / carers expectations of improved reading skills; my pedagogical
obligation to enable my learners to access reading materials and inspire them to read for pleasure; my educator remit to raise their global awareness, all the while making sure the lessons remained fun and relevant to my teens interests
Im sure this is a familiar scenario for those of you
who teach teenagers worldwide!
An integrated approach
songs, raps
and chants
intercultural
language
dialogue
systems
global citizenship
international
view
Extensive
Reading Material
teamworking
drama /
role plays
a reading
challenge
skills
diversecity2008@googlemail.com
Biodata
David Valente is a tutor for the Cambridge ESOL
CELTYL / CELTA awards. He is currently a Senior Trainer on a CLIL project with British Council,
Qatar. His special interests include whole language learning and intercultural dialogue in ELT.
References
British Council (2009) Equal Opportunities and Diversity The Handbook for Teachers of English
www.teachingenglish.org.uk/try/resources/books/equalopportunities-diversity-handbook
18
Teaching
Human Rights
with Children
By Claudia Connolly
Why the story book?
Story telling is a shared, whole class event which
engages childrens attention and imagination.
They can also develop language skills in a holistic
way. The story book is flexible to different intelligences and learning styles and it can bring embedded social values to the heart of the classroom. It works with aspects of emotional intelligence that of relating to others and this lesson
plan shows how empathy can be encouraged.
The following lesson plan uses the book:
19
Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives
Grammar:
20
Questions:
Example:I need my family. Invite all the students who have the same need to step into
the circle and say: so do I!
Peace
Continue:
I need my dog! So do I !
I need my friends! So do I!
Home
What can you see?
(You might want to extend this activity to designing a poster as a visual reminder for the
class) .
21
The Doctor
Lukman
That is good advice. In gratitude for it I will instruct you of the most sure remedy for a headache. As soon as you have a headache, lie down
on a highway, rolling yourself into a ball, pressing
your head to the ground and closing your eyes.
Simply lie motionless, trying to sleep, not paying
attention to anything. After about an hour the
headache will pass completely.
By Michael Berman
Thank you friend, said the snake, and it crawled
into the bushes, in order to instruct all the snakes
of the remedy for headaches.
On one occasion a snake crawled to him and began to beg him, I frequently have terrible headaches, cure me! Lukman agreed to help him, but
at the same time he asked whether he knew a
remedy for toothache. If it is not possible to
soothe the tooth with medicine, then it is necessary to pull it out, since there is nothing worse
than this suffering, answered then snake.
Pre-listening: Have you ever stopped to ask yourself why illnesses exist? Once upon a time there
was a cure for every known illness but unfortuYou can pull a tooth with something similar to my nately many of them got lost. How did this come
head, with a contraption that would be able to about? In groups write a story to explain how this
open and close.
happened.
22
***
www.Thestoryteller.org.uk
23
Place your
advert
here
Book Review
A course book
for the Chinese
market
By Xiaobing Wang
The New Standard English series are the
most popular English textbook for primary
and middle school students in China. The
first eight books for senior school students
are compulsory teaching materials for the
senior high students. The eight books for
senior schools have some problems in regard to equal opportunities and diversity.
Firstly, 80% of the materials in these books
are about the United States and Britain, and
none is about Africa or any other developing
countries in Asia except China. In one typical
case, a module called War and Peace, the
reading passages are WWII Normandy
Landing and Saving Private Ryan, as well
as a speech by Winston Churchill without
mentioning any other countries or events.
Secondly, religions in the world and China
are missing in the textbooks. Christianity is
closely related to the development of English. And world religions and belief systems
are also critical issues in today's world. Students should be exposed to these issues for
a better understanding of global issues.
Finally, the publishing company offers online
audio and video materials and PPT for
teachers to download. But a considerable
number of the teachers outside urban centers don't have the internet access and cant
make use of those supporting materials.
In a word, both of the policy makers and publishing companies need to take equal opportunities and diversity into account for the
benefit of the teachers and students.
24
Biodata
Xiabing Wang's is studying an MA in
TESOL, in the Institute of Education,
University of London. She is currently
executive officer in the Students Union
and chair of the TESOL SOCIETY in IOE.
Before coming to London, she taught
English in secondary schools in China
for 8 years. She is a member of IATEFL
and was invited to give a presentation
on Dilemmas Facing Chinese Female
English Teachers at IATEFL, Exeter, the
article was later published in the VOICE
magazine.
Getting it Right,
British Council and Global Issues Sig
diversity-and-equal-opportunity-elt-
25
signature-event
Session 1: Fiona Bartels-Ellis OBE
Head of Equal Opportunity and Diversity,
British Council
Interviews: You can also listen to recorded buy-in from ELT practitioners, culture sensitivity, and lack of guidance or support such
comments from a selection of delegates
as absence of EO&D in training and coursebooks. The good news is that the British
Council has introduced the Diversity Assessment Framework (DAF) in order to monitor
EO and D in its ELT operations.
Session 1and 2
Fiona Bartels Ellis is Head of Equal Opportunity and Diversity at the British Council. She
is a member of the Higher Education Academy and the Professional Mediators Association. In 2002 Fiona received a Mainstreaming Diversity Award from the European Federation of Black Women Business
Owners and in June 2005 was awarded an
OBE at the Queens Birthday Honours for
her equality and diversity work. In July 2008
she won the Ghana Professional Achievers
(GPA) Award for humanitarian services to
the UK and Ghana.
Session 3
Equal Opportunity and
Diversity in ELT
connecting with Disability
Session 4
Session 5
28
29
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advert
here
30