Role-play in English Language Teaching

What is role-play?
Role-play is any speaking activity when you either put yourself into somebody else's shoes, or when you stay in your own shoes but put yourself into an imaginary situation!

Imaginary people - The joy of role-play is that students can 'become' anyone they like for a short time! The President, the Queen, a millionaire, a pop star …….. the choice is endless! Students can also take on the opinions of someone else. 'For and Against' debates can be used and the class can be split into those who are expressing views in favour and those who are against the theme.

Imaginary situations - Functional language for a multitude of scenarios can be activated and practised through role-play. 'At the restaurant', 'Checking in at the airport', 'Looking for lost property' are all possible role-plays.

Why use role-play? 
It is widely agreed that learning takes place when activities are engaging and memorable. Jeremy Harmer advocates the use of role-play for the following reasons:

• It's fun and motivating

• Quieter students get the chance to express themselves in a more forthright way

• The world of the classroom is broadened to include the outside world - thus offering a much wider range of language opportunities

In addition to these reasons, students who will at some point travel to an English-speaking country are given a chance to rehearse their English in a safe environment. Real situations can be created and students can benefit from the practice. Mistakes can be made with no drastic consequences.

Tips on successful classroom role-play 
Prepare for success
Role-play is possible at elementary levels providing the students have been thoroughly prepared. Try to think through the language the students will need and make sure this language has been presented. Students may need the extra support of having the language on the board. I recently did a 'lost property office' role-play with elementary adults and we spent time beforehand drilling the structures the students would need to use. When the role-play began the students felt 'armed' with the appropriate language. At higher levels the students will not need so much support with the language but they will need time to 'get into' the role.

Copywriting vs. English Literature

Writing comes in all shapes and sizes. Copywriters come to the job with all sorts of writing experience, formal and informal. I’m an English Literature graduate, so when I started my job at Mantra three months ago I thought I knew at least a bit about the age old art of writing. Turns out, I wasn’t completely right.

Copywriting isn’t so much a steep learning curve as a steep learning Everest. I’m still finding my feet on its rocky terrain. For me, I feel those hours spent in university lectures were more of a help than a hindrance. But learning this new kind of putting pen to paper has proven to me that writing academically and copywriting are two very different beasts.

A few weeks ago, one of our copywriters harked back to his years as a seasoned hack, Copywriting vs. Newspapers. What were the differences? Did one come out on top? Inspired, I sat down and thought about the differences between writing copy and writing essays. What has getting out of the library and into the office taught me?

Feeling chatty? Go for it.

Four years of writing everything out properly and showing off my eloquent and erudite grasp of the English language (see what I did there) had me out of practice for writing less formally. Studying English, your work becomes about arguing your points with an unshakeable confidence of language, always showing off your well-developed vocabulary.

When it comes to copywriting, more and more businesses are keen to come across as their consumer’s friend rather than a lecturer. It’s all very well to be able to talk about epistemologies, discourse or narratology. But for most copywriting clients, the knack for writing friendly, chatty – and above all, readable – copy is a skill worth its weight in gold.

Tip for ex-students? You’re probably always writing more formally than you think you are. I’ve lost count of the number of times our senior copywriter has told me to get more casual in my copy.

achievement test                                                                                        diagnostic test 

1.a test designed to assess the                                                              1.a test designed to solve the 
    achievement in any subject based                                                        exact difficulty faced by learners 
on a set of objectives.                                                                                  in achievement test. 

2.wide content area.                                                                                2.focus on difficult area. 

3.complex items.                                                                                      3.simple items. 

4.total score is important.                                                                        4. no scoring. 

5.quantitative in nature.                                                                           5.qualitative in nature. 

6.no attention to minute details.                                                              6.attention to minute details 

7.fixed time limit.                                                                                        7.no time limit. 

8.follow norms.                                                                                          8. no norms 

9.specified number of test items                                                             9.test items repetitive. 

10. independent test.                                                                              10.always follows an t 
 
                                                                                                                     achievement test.

Assessment Tools

These tools are for immediate use with students in the classroom. They are suitable for use in many different contexts and are aimed at improving assessment practices. A range of schools across Victoria have used some of these tools and their feedback and suggestions for use are included.

The tools are grouped under the following headings:

Graphic organisers - tools to visually represent thoughts, ideas, knowledge and concepts. They help to organise thoughts and to promote understanding. This section contains sample graphic organisers and some examples of how they were successfully used by schools for various purposes.

Review and reflection tools - enable students to review and reflect on their knowledge, progress, and what they have learnt and achieved during a unit, topic or project. Some tools are specifically designed for early years students.

Feedback tools  - enable students to provide feedback on their work and performance. It also includes strategies for teachers to increase the wait time when asking questions in class.

Rubrics - printed sets of criteria for assessing knowledge, performance or product and for giving feedback. The following tools are examples of rubrics and how they are used in schools.

Tools for planning and auditing assessment practices

The following tools can be used by teachers and school leadership teams when planning and auditing their assessment practices:

Familiarisation and discussion tools - help develop a common understanding of assessment in a school and are designed to familiarise teachers with formative assessment and the purpose of assessment for learning, as learning and of learning.

Audit tool (PDF - 39Kb) - supports discussion on current assessment approaches in schools and audit these against the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS).

Teaher Support Resour

Autism

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people. It also affects how they make sense of the world around them.

It is a spectrum condition, which means that, while all autistic people share certain difficulties, their condition will affect them in different ways. Some autistic people are able to live relatively independent lives but others may have accompanying learning disabilities and need a lifetime of specialist support. People on the autism spectrum may also experience over- or under-sensitivityto sounds, touch, tastes, smells, light or colours.

Asperger syndrome is a form of autism. People with Asperger syndrome are often of average or above average intelligence. They have fewer problems with speech but may still have difficulties with understanding and processing language. Our website has more information about Asperger syndrome, or you can order a leaflet from our online shop.

How do autistic people see the world?

Autistic people have said that the world, to them, is a mass of people, places and events which they struggle to make sense of, and which can cause them considerable anxiety.

In particular, understanding and relating to other people, and taking part in everyday family and social life may be harder for them. Other people appear to know, intuitively, how to communicate and interact with each other, and some autistic people may wonder why they are 'different'.

About autism

Autism is part of the autism spectrum and is sometimes referred to as an autism spectrum disorder, or an ASD.

The three main areas of difficulty which all people with autism share are sometimes known as the 'triad of impairments'. They are:

• difficulty with social communication
• difficulty with social interaction
• difficulty with social imagination.

These are described in more detail on page 2.

It can be hard to create awareness of autism as people with the condition do not 'look' disabled: parents of autistic children often say that other people simply think their child is naughty; while adults find that they are misunderstood.

Dyslexia

Dyslexia has been around for a long time and has been defined in different ways. For example, in 1968, the World Federation of Neurologists defined dyslexia as "a disorder in children who, despite conventional classroom experience, fail to attain the language skills of reading, writing, and spelling commensurate with their intellectual abilities." The International Dyslexia Association offers the following definition of dyslexia:

"Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge."

Dyslexia is the most common learning disability in children and persists throughout life. The severity of dyslexia can vary from mild to severe. The sooner dyslexia is treated, the more favorable the outcome. However, it is never too late for people with dyslexia to learn to improve their language skills.

Dyslexia can go undetected in the early grades of schooling. Children can become frustrated by the difficulty in learning to read. It is important to note that other problems can disguise dyslexia such as a child may:

• Show signs of depression and low self-esteem
• Have behavior problems at home, as well as at school that often manifest
• Become unmotivated and develop a dislike for school, and their success may be jeopardized if the problem remains untreated

Causes of Memory Loss and Other Related Problems

Alzheimer's disease 

Sometimes I forget things. Should I be concerned?

Everyone forgets things. How many times have you lost your car keys or forgotten the name of a person you just met?

Forgetfulness tends to increase with age, but there's a big difference between normal absent-mindedness and the type of memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Normal aging and memory loss

Normal age-related memory loss doesn't prevent you from living a full and productive life. You just need more time to remember a name or make lists of things you plan to do. You're aware that you're forgetful and may even joke about it.

People with memory loss due to something other than normal aging may feel that something's not quite right, but they're unable to pinpoint what's bothering them. Rather than call attention to a memory lapse, they may become more withdrawn or try to hide their mistakes.

Alzheimer's disease and memory loss

Memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease gets worse over time, but it certainly isn't the only symptom of the disease. Some of the earliest signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease include:

• Asking the same questions over and over.
• Difficulty remembering common words when speaking.
• Mixing up words — saying "bed" instead of "table," for example.
• Being unable to complete familiar tasks, such as following a recipe.

Other early signs include:

• Misplacing items and putting them in the wrong places, such as putting a wallet in the refrigerator.
• Getting lost on familiar streets.
• Going through sudden changes in mood or behavior for no clear reason.
• Becoming less able to follow directions.

Causes of memory loss that can be reversed

Many other medical problems cause symptoms similar to Alzheimer's. That's why it's so important to consult a doctor if you've noticed memory failures or unusual mood swings in yourself or in someone close to you. Possible causes of reversible memory loss include:

Medications

Sometimes, a single medication causes side effects similar to Alzheimer's disease symptoms. Drug interactions, which sometimes occur in people taking a number of medications, can also cause confusion and forgetfulness. Medications that can affect your memory include:

• Pain medication
• Blood pressure medications
• Sedatives

Be sure to give your doctor a list of all medications you use, including herbal remedies and over-the-counter items.

Motivation
Motivation is a theoretical construct used to explain behavior. It represents the reasons for people's actions, desires, and needs. Motivation can also be defined as one's direction to behavior, or what causes a person to want to repeat a behavior and vice versa.A motive is what prompts the person to act in a certain way, or at least develop an inclination for specific behavior.According to Maehr and Meyer, "Motivation is a word that is part of the popular culture as few other psychological concepts are."

Incentive theories: intrinsic and extrinsic motivation

Motivation can be divided into two different theories known as Intrinsic (internal) motivation and Extrinsic (external) motivation.

Intrinsic motivation

Intrinsic motivation has been studied since the early 1970s. Intrinsic motivation is the self-desire to seek out new things and new challenges, to analyze one's capacity, to observe and to gain knowledge.^[5] It is driven by an interest or enjoyment in the task itself, and exists within the individual rather than relying on external pressures or a desire for reward. The phenomenon of intrinsic motivation was first acknowledged within experimental studies of animal behavior. In these studies, it was evident that the organisms would engage in playful and curiosity driven behaviors in the absence of reward. Intrinsic motivation is a natural motivational tendency and is a critical element in cognitive, social, and physical development.Students who are intrinsically motivated are more likely to engage in the task willingly as well as work to improve their skills, which will increase their capabilities.Students are likely to be intrinsically motivated if they:

• attribute their educational results to factors under their own control, also known as autonomy or locus of control
• believe they have the skills to be effective agents in reaching their desired goals, also known as self-efficacy beliefs
• are interested in mastering a topic, not just in achieving good grades

Advantages: Intrinsic motivation can be long-lasting and self-sustaining. Efforts to build this kind of motivation are also typically efforts at promoting student learning. Such efforts often focus on the subject rather than rewards or punishments.

Disadvantages: Efforts at fostering intrinsic motivation can be slow to affect behavior and can require special and lengthy preparation. Students are individuals, so a variety of approaches may be needed to motivate different students. It is often helpful to know what interests one’s students in order to connect these interests with the subject matter. This requires getting to know one’s students. Also, it helps if the instructor is interested in the subject.

Extrinsic motivation

Trina (2016) Extrinsic motivation refers to the performance of an activity in order to attain a desired outcome and it is the opposite of intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation comes from influences outside of the individual. In extrinsic motivation, the harder question to answer is where do people get the motivation to carry out and continue to push with persistence. Usually extrinsic motivation is used to attain outcomes that a person wouldn't get from intrinsic motivation.Common extrinsic motivations are rewards (for example money or grades) for showing the desired behavior, and the threat of punishment following misbehavior. Competition is an extrinsic motivator because it encourages the performer to win and to beat others, not simply to enjoy the intrinsic rewards of the activity. A cheering crowd and the desire to win a trophy are also extrinsic incentives.

Social psychological research has indicated that extrinsic rewards can lead to overjustification and a subsequent reduction in intrinsic motivation. In one study demonstrating this effect, children who expected to be (and were) rewarded with a ribbon and a gold star for drawing pictures spent less time playing with the drawing materials in subsequent observations than children who were assigned to an unexpected reward condition.However, another study showed that third graders who were rewarded with a book showed more reading behavior in the future, implying that some rewards do not undermine intrinsic motivation. While the provision of extrinsic rewards might reduce the desirability of an activity, the use of extrinsic constraints, such as the threat of punishment, against performing an activity has actually been found to increase one's intrinsic interest in that activity. In one study, when children were given mild threats against playing with an attractive toy, it was found that the threat actually served to increase the child's interest in the toy, which was previously undesirable to the child in the absence of threat.

CURRENT PROBLEMS OF INDIAN EDUCATION

The main issues and challenges of contemporary Indian education are as follow. The fore most issue is the unsatisfaction of youth. Teachers are unable to satisfy the youth by their knowledge and methods of teaching their knowledge level and education system is not providing the satisfaction and due to this the youth stands against the teachers and system.

The second reason is discipline in schools and colleges. This reason is given of our so called leaders and social contractors. Who instigates the youth time to time for their own benefits.

Third can be the problem of unemployment. Some of our educators think that now this problem is an issue for education system but when a youth looks his or her brother or sister unemployed even after getting bachelor or post graduate degree , they are unemployed, this give the birth to a revolt.

As above we discuss a fact comes out which is our next issue. That is education is but not for knowledge our education guides students to get good marks not to get knowledge our teachers emphasis on the marks or how they will complete their syllabus not on providing new knowledge to students. Next should come the policy of state and central government about the education. Education is a subject on which state band central government both can make rules and regulation, in some matters state government says that it is the work of central government and central government says it is the work of state government and between these two authorities our education suffers. If we talk about the mass there is great unawareness about the education if some child emphasis on going to school and there are many unemployed person or a person who could not get any government job who say “hum ne teer mar liye jo tu marle ga.” These types of people should know that education is a way to get a job. But education is for knowledge and that should be our target.

Poverty can be next issue or a challenge to which our education system is facing. Nowadays the cost of getting education is very high so poor of our society find themselves lost in getting education.

Political unwillingness is also a great challenge for our education system. Politicians think that they got five years to fulfill their wishes. Matters of education are just kept in pending.

Casteism creates a wall between lower class and upper class. Once I was in another college there I saw a teacher taking fee from the students (you will say what is surprising in this in most of the schools teacher takes fee from the students). But when a student came to give fee, the teacher asked to put the amount on the table. That boy put the amount on the table and went. When I asked about the matter, the teacher replied I was busy in some other work so I could not take the amount in hand. But reality was different, that boy belonged to SC category and that was untouchable for the teacher… This happens in our schools and in colleges.

Dearness is another challenge for the education system. Fee of colleges and schools is rising day by day with public schools raising their fee structure in every session but the wages of laborer is not increasing at the same speed. So poor people find themselves unable in admitting their children in those schools. And government schools do not compete with the public schools or CBSE schools.

The next challenge is our corruption which has become the right of all government officers and whole system. In many schools it is found that the fund which was sending to the school disappeared on the way.

Privatization of education is great issue. Some learned people say that government officials take higher salaries but not work according to that. But in private institutes teachers remains in very critical conditions which is not good for the education system.
Next issue can be the issue of unawareness of teachers about the methods and techniques of teaching. Even they are not interested in these. Teaching is the profession in which a teacher needs to polish his /her knowledge day by day. And because it is the profession daily updating of methods and techniques is compulsory. I think this is the demand of the profession but our teachers are so rigid that they don’t want to change themselves.

Next can be according to me, the issue of character of teachers. Our teacher’s character is going downwards. A teacher is the only person who can change the direction of the society. He is the person who is the center point of any education system. This influences much our society than any other part of the society. This effects much our education than all the above points. But nowadays news in different form can be read in newspapers that a teacher kidnapped his /her students or a teacher raped his student. And due to this many students left their schooling on the mid way.

Philosophy

History of Educational l nitiatives in Kerala 

 Educational expansion in Kerala has a long history and it is unique in many respects. Educational initiatives of both the public and the private agencies during the last two centuries not only made the state the most literate one but also placed the state well ahead in gender and spatial equity'. How could Kerala, one of the lowest rated states in terms of per capita income attain such a position? What were the historical, sociological and institutional factors that led to the emergence of educational institutions in Kerala? What were the objectives and functions of education in its initial phase and how far it changed in the present educational scenario? An attempt is made in this chapter to examine the above questions by reviewing the government and private initiatives in education during the last two centuries in Kerala. This is being examined under two headings: educational initiatives (1 ) during the pre-independence and (2) the post-independence period. 

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ESL Cafe

Dave's ESL Cafe

Dave Sperling's ESL Cafe, is a popular resource for the ESL community and is well known among ESL/EFL professionals. The website, which has been in existence since 1995, has slowly grown to be one of the largest resources for ESL/EFL teachers far and wide. Dave can be credited with creating one of the first substantial resources for ESL/EFL teachers and creating a benchmark for the newer ESL sites that are joining the ESL community online.

Dave's ESL Cafe ease of access is no doubt one of the main reasons for the website's success over the past 8 Years. Looking for an ESL Job? The ESL Job center has many jobs from all over the world to browse. Want the latest opinions and information on teaching conditions? Make your way over to Dave's ESL Cafe job discussion forum. Need information on what preparation you need before teaching ESL? Drop in on the ESL Teacher training forum for some advice. Need ideas for ESL Lesson Plans visit any one of the various ESL Teacher discussion groups to discuss the latest trends and ideas.

Hypothesis

What Is a Hypothesis?

Imagine you have a test at school tomorrow. You stay out late and see a movie with friends. You know that when you study the night before, you get good grades. What do you think will happen on tomorrow's test?

When you answered this question, you formed a hypothesis. A hypothesis is a specific, testable prediction. It describes in concrete terms what you expect will happen in a certain circumstance. Your hypothesis may have been, 'If not studying lowers test performance and I do not study, then I will get a low grade on the test.'

The Purpose of a Hypothesis

A hypothesis is used in an experiment to define the relationship between two variables. The purpose of a hypothesis is to find the answer to a question. A formalized hypothesis will force us to think about what results we should look for in an experiment.

Kurt Lewin – ‘Field Theory Rule’

Each article demonstrates Kurt Lewin’s continuing relevance today by using examples from both the archive and from more recent projects. This second instalment in the series addresses Lewin’s ‘field theory rule’.

Introduction to Series

A single orientation to organisational change and consulting limits leaders, managers and consultants as they respond to contemporary pressures on real life organisations. The Tavistock Institute stands for matching the unique, practical issues of a particular sector or organisation with approaches that apply an integration of the social sciences. We emphasize principles that can guide action as the specifics evolve and the actors change.

Some notions central to the Institute’s ‘house style’ can be traced back to our early decades when founding staff members were influenced significantly by the work of Kurt Lewin [See ‘Kurt Lewin at the Tavistock Institute’. This series of articles summarises four such principles and illustrates them with an example from the archives and from a more recent project. The four, inter-related principles are:

1. Dynamic approach

2. Field theory

3. Contemporaneity

4. Constructive method

Psychology - Persons with Disabilities

Definition of Persons with Disabilities

• A Person with Disabilities designation identifies a person with a physical or mental impairment who is significantly restricted in his or her ability to perform daily living activities either "continuously or periodically for extended periods" and, as a result of these restrictions, requires assistance with daily living activities. Assistance could come from another person, an assistance animal or an assistive device.
• The legislation establishes a disability "designation" which is maintained unless a review is required due to exceptional circumstances (i.e., the ministry has been supplied with inaccurate or new information). If, during the review, additional information from a health professional is needed, the person will be asked to submit a new physician and/or assessor report.
• The legislation focuses on functional limitations, which makes the definition of disability consistent with human rights case law.
• The criteria specifically address those individuals with mental health disorders.
• The criteria also include those with episodic illnesses by acknowledging that restrictions to daily living activities can be continuous or periodic for extended periods.

Psychology - Gagne's Hierarchy of Learning

Robert Gagne (1916–2002) was an educational psychologist who pioneered the science of instruction in the 1940s. His book "The Conditions of Learning," first published in 1965, identified the mental conditions that are necessary for effective learning.

Gagne created a nine-step process that detailed each element required for effective learning. The model is useful for all types of learning, but this article focuses on applying it to training your team in a work environment. You can see these nine steps in Figure 1, below. (We'll explore these in detail later in this article.)

Figure 1: Gagne's Nine Levels of Learning

Phylosophy - Kothari Commission

Kothari Commission

Indian Education Commission (1964-1966), popularly known as Kothari Commission, was an ad hoc commission set up by theGovernment of India to examine all aspects of the educational sector in India, to evolve a general pattern of education and to advise guidelines and policies for the development of education in India. It was formed on 14 July 1964 under the chairmanship of Daulat Singh Kothari, then chairman of the University Grants Commission. The terms of reference of the commission was to formulate the general principles and guidelines for the development of education from primary level to the highest and advise the government on a standardized national pattern of education in India. However, the medical and legal studies were excluded from the purview of the commission.The tenancy of the commission was from 1964 to 1966 and the report was submitted by the commission on 29 June 1966.

Phylosophy - Vedic Education

Concept of Vedic Education

Development:- Man is the most intellectual being in the creation. He is endowed with the power to receive knowledge, to think, to imagine, reflect & speculate about his past as well as his future. Down through the ages knowledge has been handed down from the matter of this master to discipline & this master to discipline & thus from generation to the next. In this hierarchy of education, the Vedas are the first to revealed, the other being evolved from them.

Max Muller said, " one thing is certain namely, that there is nothing more primitive more ancient that the rymus of the Rig Veda, whether in India or in whole Aryan world. Being Aryan in language they thought, the rig Veda is the most ancient of our books.
Vedic education is the mirror of all the edul. System of culture of India lies in the Vedas. There are four Vedas in number:

1. Rig Veda
2. Sam Veda
3. Yajur Veda
4. Athar Veda.