Edit Teaching - Homework

Oh, this is a very touchy aspect of our teaching...


When have we innovated in homework assignments? We generally have the same language structure for homework instructions, "do pages x and z, ex. A, B and C for next class".

In our edit teaching mode, what if we did it differently for a change?

Some ideas:

• Ask your students how they could practice what they've learned and make a list on the board; decide as a group for two or three options the students can choose from. Give choices!

• Find exciting ways in which students can practice, but still have fun and create things, not just reproduce! Here's an article I wrote a while ago for the Young Learners and Teens IATEFL SIG that can give you some clues. 

• Create a google docs with a situation (based on the topic or language structure the students have been studying) and invite students to add their thoughts, sentences, solutions, images. Make it a learning mosaic. 

• From time to time, include parents and family members as part of the homework carrying out. It must be something simple and enjoyable for the family. Check this article. 

How about moving from boredom to creation, engagement and a smile in our students' faces?

Any other ideas to shake the homework world and still make it meaningful and effective?


Other ideas for small changes in the classroom:

#editteaching 1: Music Playlist 
#editteaching 2: Box
#editteaching 3: Color
#editteaching 4: Dice
#editteaching 5: Word Harvesting

Featured Blog - If the Ship Sinks, We Have the Survival Kit!

I've known these creative minds for some time now, and they are just pure inspiration. Vinicius, Marina and Vânia are very talented teachers whom I'm lucky enough to have been working with for a number of years. They are tireless, fearless educators who inspire others and keep their students engaged through activities that enhance students' creativity, critical skills and willingness to speak English in a light-hearted, warm learning environment.

After having presented their brilliant ideas in International Conference, they've become bloggers with simple, but very effective activities for the classroom.

Take a snapshot of this balloon activity, for example:
http://iftheshipsinks.blogspot.com/2011/04/baloons-sentences.html

or the Name Six activity.

Simple and brilliant, isn't it?

Every week, a new activity for you to test in your classroom.
Thanks, Marina, Vini and Vânia, for being so generous with our educational community.

http://iftheshipsinks.blogspot.com

Warm-up or Follow-up? Just Do it!

Mission Amy is a blog I follow for inspiration. It makes me want to do things. It makes me feel like moving, taking action.


One of Amy's questions to her community of readers was the following?

What are your Do's, Don'ts and Duhs?

Here is the result she compiled and the present she gave back to the community: a blog to whomever wants to feed it. Motivational, as always, reading all the life statements the readers wrote.

Now, what if we did this in class with our students? A simple question, just some minutes in class to write their answers. Afterwards, students might create a class poster, a collage, a scrapbook page to become a class album, a digital collage in Glogster, post-its on Wallwisher or Squareleaf, a video...Let you and your students go wild!