Shiv on Learning

Continuing our discussion on benefits for students my next port of call is the classroom and how practising English in what is essentially an artificially constructed environment may not be the best place to do this.

Classroom is an artificial environment:

In the average classroom there is usually some standard equipment; chairs, desks, perhaps a projector or computer and maybe even an IWB.  So when teachers do role-play activities there is a lot of imagining for the students to do, as there isn’t a train station or cafe or gallery in the classroom.  In a virtual world you can go and visit the gallery, buy a train ticket and go to the theatre.  You don’t need to imagine it you can be there so the time can be spent producing language you have learned and not pretending to be the barman.  The environments in English City are created with the CEF in mind so that all the sessions can have the ALT Can Do statements as the basis for student discussion.

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Students in class having to imagine a scenario like checking into a hotel

Students actively participating and checking into a hotel in English City.

By

Jessica Driscoll