Today I’d like to do some meta-blogging by writing about not some specific blogs — you can find a list of my favourite blogs on the right — but about specific posts I often go back to. They inspire me, help me, give me practical ideas, so I want to share them with you, hoping they will be as useful to you.
1. James Taylor’s 150 ELT blog post ideas for when you’ve hit writers block
This is definitely a blogger’s paradise and the inspiration for countless posts on this blog (including this one). If you feel you are stuck for ideas, you can always find something on this amazing post. Not everything might be relevant for you, but out of 150 ideas I’m sure you’ll find something to write about.
2. Cecilia Nobre’s Useful tips on how to build rapport when you’re not John Keating from Dead Poets Society
Rapport is something I sometimes give for granted, but I learnt at my own expenses that I shouldn’t. Now when I start a new course, I always go back to Cecilia’s tips and try to put them into practice.
3. Anthony Ash’s General Introduction to the Cambridge Delta
This is the blog post that convinced me I should try Delta. It gives you all the essential information you need to decide if this qualification is for you. Plus, not being official Cambridge material, it has a more personal take which I really like.
4. Sandy Millin’s How I got a distinction in the Delta Module 1 exam
Essential tips on how to approach the exam. The things your Delta tutor probably won’t tell you but that will help you get your head around the exam. Life saving!
5. Mike Astbury’s Word formation – a game to practise noun suffixes and Word Formation 2 – Adjectives
I love these games and often use them with my FCE prep classes. I love how they are playful but not too much, adapting perfectly to both teenagers and adults.
6. Gemma’s Evidence-based reflective practice
This is the summary of a meeting Gemma attended, but it’s actually very useful in shaping my own self-reflective practice. The idea of keeping a journal of ‘evidence’ on which to base your future teaching and your CDP is simple but spot-on for me.
7. Gosia’s Personalised plans for summer self-study
This is a wonderfully useful post on how to help your learners ‘stay connected’ to English during the summer break. I used it last year and plan to use it every time there is a long break from lessons. I think the ideas are brilliant and easily adaptable to my teaching environment.
I hope you’ll go on and read these articles, and maybe share some of your favourites on your blog or in the comments section below.