Two kinds of knowing: ‘Knowing’ as in a cognitive, intellectual knowledge. And ‘Knowing’ as in ‘knowing in your bones’, ‘lived experience’ perhaps, or realization. Adrian Underhill offers a neurological term: ‘proprioception’ to contrast with cognitive knowing in pronunciation. Proprioception is a perception and awareness of the position and movement of the body. This kind of […]
Pron is a physical activity, it makes sense to start by locating it physically. Adrian Underhill does this by taking the class on a ‘jungle walk’ – visualising the tongue as a leaf tumbling through a jungle in which the lips, teeth and palate represent trees etc.
Start with the chart. Lesson One. From the beginning. That is Adrian Underhill’s answer, for very good reasons.
I’m in the first week of a 2-week course with Adrian Underhill! Although I’ve read his book and various articles, and watched his workshops online, it is a different experience working with the man himself. As if I’d had a sketch and he’s added shading and colour. He is a generous, humanistic teacher who answers […]
I’m setting myself a challenge this academic year to do as many CPD courses as I can. It’s been 20 years since I did my DELTA, 10 since I finished my Masters, and 3 years since I moved to teaching online and I feel like I could use some input.
Just a short note to describe the benefit of addressing stress. One of my students, whose spoken English is actually pretty good, goes to pieces when asked to speak at length in class. He stammers, he loses his place, he apologies.
Doing presentations with the pre-sessional students is difficult online. For an in-person presentation we could check the students’ notes. Online there is a greater temptation for students to read from a script.
This year we’ve started using Academic Reading Circles. They’ve really worked. Not just in training students to read texts more carefully but in giving them the opportunity to participate in seminar-type discussion afterwards. The students really enjoy them.
I’m working on another pre-sessional course this summer for a British university. I love pre-sessionals, for me it’s the only time of year I work with other teachers. The students are great too, usually very focused and excited at the prospect of studying abroad. This year we need to focus on fluency in speaking. We […]
My favourite first day getting to know you activity.