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discussio

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1. How to survive?
2. Joining the team and making a project together
3. What if ....... ?
4. Peer assessment.
5.

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1.Projects
2. Comparisons
3. Debate Club
4. Dilemma Solving
5. Role-playing: court
6. Election

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A fantactic resource to develop creativity

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A fantactic resource to develop creativity

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Welcome to the website. If you're here, you're likely looking to find random words. Random Word Generator is the perfect tool to help you do this. While this tool isn't a word creator, it is a word generator that will generate random words for a variety of activities or uses. Even better, it allows you to adjust the parameters of the random words to best fit your needs.

The first option the tool allows you to adjust is the number of random words to be generated. You can choose as many or as few as you'd like. You also have the option of choosing words that only begin with a certain letter, only end with a certain letter or only begin and end with certain letters. If you leave these blank, the randomized words that appear will be from the complete list.

Another option you have is choosing the number of syllables of the words or the word length of the randomized words. There are also ways to further refine these by choosing the "less than" or "greater than" options for both syllables and word length. Again, if you leave the space blank, the complete list of randomized words will be used.

You have the option of choosing the types of words you want to be displayed using the "Word Type" dropdown. The default is "All" which is a curated list of thousands of the more common English words. You can also opt to only display nouns, verbs, or adjectives from this curated list. If you want to choose from all the words out there, you can choose "Extended" which is a list that includes over half a million different English words.

If you're interested in random words in languages other than English, you can choose the "Non English" word type. Doing so will give you the option to generate words in ten different languages other than English. This includes Spanish words, Hindi words, Arabic words, German words, Russian words, Chinese words, Japanese words, Korean words. Latin words, or Italian words. You simply need to choose the language and then words from that language will randomly appear with each refresh of the page.

Once you have input all of your specifications, all you have to do is to press the Generate Random Words button, and a list of random words will appear. Below are some of the common ways people use this tool.

Games

This tool can be useful for games like Pictionary or MadLibs. Since the words are random, this helps to keep a game like Pictionary fair for all those playing. For a game like MadLibs, it can help kids improve their vocabulary by generating words they may not have ever considered to fill in the blank spaces. The tool has the potential to help with any word game that doesn't require a specific word.

Creative Writing

For those who write, this tool can be an excellent device to aid in the creative writing process. By using the tool to create 5 random words, a writer could then attempt to use all of them in a single paragraph. Longer random word lists could be incorporated into a short story. Since the writer doesn't know which words will appear, creativity must be used to successfully incorporate all the words. To make the challenge even more difficult, the writer could try to use the words in the exact order they were generated. In this way, writers can challenge their creativity to push their writing skills.

Spelling and Vocabulary

This tool can be an excellent way to improve vocabulary or practice for spelling bees. If an unfamiliar word appears, looking up the meaning will help students increase the number of words they know. Working with a partner, students can test each other on the spelling for the randomized words generated.

Name Inspiration

If you need to create a name for a product, an event, a band or for anything else, this tool can be quite helpful. As you consider names, generate a number of random words and see how they impact what you have already come up with. Inputting unique words you may not have considered can spark additional creativity to eventually help you produce the perfect name for your project. If you're looking for good character names or baby names, you might be interested in our random name generator.

The above list is not comprehensive. There are literally hundreds of ways the Random Word Generator can be used. Please feel free to share the way you use this tool, and we always welcome suggestions on how we can improve it to serve you better. We are also interested in new word generators you'd be interested in us creating. Many of the tools on this website came from ideas from people like you who contacted us. Please take the time to explore the other random generators we have available which can be found in the right sidebar of the page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common word?

What is a random word?

What is the most random word?

Is every word in English in your random word generator?

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Generate random words, nouns, verbs, adjectives, letters, phrases, sentences or numbers to brainstorm and create new ideas at Random Word Generator.

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Wheel of Names

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Is the wheel truly random?

Yes, but don't just take our word for it. We are so confident in our code that we built a tool to let you prove it yourself. You can run 10,000 spins in seconds and see the results.
Run 10,000 Spins
How We Guarantee Randomness: To ensure genuinely unpredictable results, this site does not use the standard Math.random() function. Instead, the wheel's physics are driven by crypto.getRandomValues(), a specialized, high-security function built into modern web browsers. This cryptographically secure function uses high-entropy sources from your operating system, like hardware timings, mouse movements, and keyboard delays, to generate truly unpredictable results.

This secure random number isn't just used to pick a winner from a list. It's used within the physics simulation of the wheel, ensuring the outcome is genuinely random and impossible to predict.

How Come I Got the Same Result Twice? This is a great question, and it's actually a normal part of true randomness. Think of it like flipping a fair coin. It's entirely possible to get "Heads" three times in a row. Each spin of the wheel is a completely new, independent event. Past results have zero influence on the next outcome.

If you want to make sure that a winner doesn't get picked again, remove the winner after each spin by clicking the Remove button.

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Free and easy to use spinner. Used by teachers and for raffles. Enter names, spin wheel to pick a random winner. Customize look and feel, save and share wheels.

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Working with images we can develop our LL' creativity, imagination, critical thinking , apart from language skills. A wonderful article to add to the topic

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All of our children are expected to make predictions while reading. Here's a look at the curriculum objectives:

KS1: Predict what might happen on the basis of what has happened so far
KS2: Predict what might happen from details stated and implied

So, this can be as simple as asking the question, 'What do you think is going to happen next?', quickly followed with, 'Why?'.

However, we need to make explicit the additional skills needed to be able to do this. To be able to predict, you need to be able to read and understand what has happened, and is currently happening. You need to be able to retrieve and infer ('details stated and implied'), combine this with your knowledge of the world, weigh up probability, and make a sensible prediction of the next outcome. It might come naturally to many, but it's worth breaking it down to look at what's involved.

I've selected these images because they are 'in the heart of the action'. They allow for discussion around what has just happened, to use inference to work out additional information, and then a discussion of what might happen next. Here's a useful resource (aimed at Upper Key Stage 2, but could be used with children of all ages to introduce the language) for thinking about possibilities: Making predictions - modal verbs and adverbs. After teaching children how to predict, and how to answer questions, move them on to doing this with text.

When teaching prediction, it really does come back to the simple question:
What do you think is going to happen next, and why?
Just remember what else is needed to answer that question.
Note: In SATs papers, this question will come in several forms, such as, 'Will Taylor change his behaviour on future visits to the field?' or, 'Based on what you have read, what does the last paragraph suggest might happen to the explorers next? Use evidence from this paragraph to support your prediction.'

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The Prediction Collection - Once Upon a Picture

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All of our children are expected to make predictions while reading. Here's a look at the curriculum objectives: KS1: Predict what might happen on the basis of what has happened so far KS2: Predict what might happen from details stated and implied So, this can be as simple as asking the question, 'What do you think is going to happen next?', quickly followed with, 'Why?'.

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Knowing our LL better can help to cater better for their needs

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BRAIN TEASERS TO DEVELOP CREATIVITY, IMAGINATION , CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING

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BRAIN TEASERS TO DEVELOP CREATIVITY, IMAGINATION , CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING

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A brainteaser is a type of riddle that makes one think outside the box. Some brainteasers are easy, some are a little harder, and some can really make you ponder for a while. Often, when you finally hear the answer, you feel ignorant or silly, because it should have been obvious to you. However, brainteasers are fun. Therefore, we keep testing ourselves and hoping we get better at solving them.

Our collection of brainteasers includes brainteasers for kids and for adults. Those for adults have some longer, more complicated brainteasers to challenge your mind. We close with a collection of brainteasers without answers, so that you can test your ability to solve brainteasers.

Related: 203 Fun Riddles for Kids with Answers

Brain Teasers for Kids

Kids love brainteasers, as long as they do not get too frustrated trying to figure them out. Our collection of brainteasers for kids takes that into consideration. Most of the answers are fairly obvious if kids listen carefully and think for a moment. Adults will have fun sharing these with their children, teachers with their students, and kids with their friends.

A family lives in a large tower apartment building, 10 floors high. Every day their son takes the elevator from the family's apartment on the 10th floor to the ground floor and goes to school. When he returns in the afternoon, he uses the elevator to get to the fifth floor, and then uses the stairs for the remaining five floors. Why?

Brainteasers entangle the mind of the reader and make him forget his worries, at least for a while. Many adults find brainteasers work well as stress relievers. We have two lists of brainteasers for adults. One has longer brainteasers that are more difficult. The other has normal brainteasers for adults. Try out selection to relax and have fun.

Longer Brain Teasers for Adults

A lift is on the ground floor. There are four people in the lift including me.
When the lift reaches first, floor, one person gets out and three people get in.
The lift goes up to the second floor, 2 people get out 6 people get in.
It then goes up to the next floor up, no-one gets out but 12 people get in. Halfway up to the next floor up the lift cable snaps, it crashes to the floor. Everyone else dies in the lift. How did I survive?

A man walks into a restaurant and the waiter says, "Good day, Admiral."
Why did the waiter call the man an Admiral?

Your dad tells you that he will pay you $6.00 an hour for the 6 seconds that you take to wash your hands before dinner.
How much did you make for washing your hands?

Brain Teasers with Answers

Although these brainteasers are not as hard the previous ones, they still present a challenge. These brainteasers prepare you for our last group, where answers are not provided immediately!

How to Find Answers for Brain Teasers

Brain Teasers with Answers

Now that you have read our collection, here are some good brainteasers without their answers for you to try.

What 5-letter word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it?

Find a number less than 100 that is increased by one-fifth of its value when its digits are reversed.

A bat and a ball cost $1.10. The bat costs one dollar more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?

What letter comes next in the following sequence? D R M F S L T_

How many times can you subtract the number two from the number fifty?

In British Columbia, you cannot take a picture of a man with a wooden leg. Why not?

Can you think of a common word that contains double C, double S and double L? Can you think of a second one?

What number comes next in the following sequence? 2 4 8 10 20 _

Without it, I am dead. If I am not, then then I am behind. What am I?

If you wrote all of the numbers from 300 to 400 on a piece of paper, how many times would you have written the number 3?

You are in a place called Jack's World and there is only one law. There is a mirror, but no reflection. There is pizza with cheese, but not sausage. There is pepper, but no salt. There is a door, yet no entrance or exit. What is the law?

I come in different shapes and sizes. Parts of me are curved, other parts are straight. You can put me anywhere you like, but there is only one right place for me. What am I?

What is black when you get it, red when you use it, and white when you are all through with it?

It goes in dry, it comes out wet, the longer it is in, the stronger it gets. What is it?

I have no eyes, no legs, or ears, and I help move the earth. What am I?

A truck is stuck under a bridge and the driver cannot get it out. A man walks by and stops to help. He easily gets the truck unstuck. How did he do it?

How much dirt is there in a hole that is 3 feet deep, and 6 inches in diameter?

What makes more as you take them?

When can you add two to eleven and get one as the correct answer?

A man went into a party and drank some of the punch. He then left early. Everyone at the party who drunk the punch subsequently died of poisoning. Why did the man not die?

Short

45 (1/5 of 45 = 9, 9 + 45 = 54)

The ball costs 5 cents. One dollar more than 5 cents is $1.05, the sum of which is $1.10.

D - each letter represents one note in the diatonic musical scale: Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do

After that, you would be subtracting from 48.

You cannot take a picture with a wooden leg; you need a camera.

Unsuccessfully.

22 (the sequence alternates +2, x2)

Ahead

120 (100 threes in the hundreds place + 10 threes in the tens place + 10 threes in the ones place)

Everything (each word) in Jack's World must contain double letters.

A jigsaw puzzle piece

Charcoal

A tea-bag

An earthworm

He let the air out of the tires.

None, because a hole and contains no dirt!

Footsteps

When you add two hours to eleven o'clock, you get one o'clock.

The poison from the punch came from the ice cubes. When the man drank the punch, the ice was fully frozen. Gradually, as the ice cubes melted, the poison was released into the punch.

Brainteasers are popular for a number of reasons:

Brainteasers help you improve your concentration and logical thinking.

Brainteasers are good for sharing at parties and with friends.

Brainteasers are fun!

For additional fun, try making up a few brainteasers of your own. Think of unusual relationships and situations, and then pose them to your family and friends. Brainteasers never get old! Puzzle on!

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100 Brain Teasers With Answers for Kids and Adults - IcebreakerIdeas

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A brainteaser is a type of riddle that makes one think outside the box. Some brainteasers are easy, some are a little harder, and some can really make you ponder for a while. Often, when you finally hear the answer, you feel ignorant or silly, because it should have been obvious to you.

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TEACHING 21st C Skills

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A checklist for self-assessment on listening outside the classroom. A brilliant example from "The Learning Strategies Handbook" by Anna Uhl Chamot and a group of authors

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You can check this book on strategies for self-assessment

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You can check this book on strategies for self-assessment

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Types of Assessment tasks

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contributed by Laura Reynolds

While assessment gets all the press, we often misunderstand effective feedback for learning.

When feedback is predominately negative, studies have shown that it can discourage student effort and achievement (Hattie & Timperley, 2007, Dinham). In my experience, the only thing I knew is that I hated public speaking and I would do anything possible to get out of it. As a teacher, most of the time it is easy to give encouraging, positive feedback.

However, it is in the other times that we have to dig deep to find an appropriate feedback response that will not discourage a student's learning. This is where the good teachers, the ones students remember forever in a positive light, separate themselves from the others.

A teacher has the distinct responsibility to nurture a student's learning and to provide feedback in such a manner that the student does not leave the classroom feeling defeated. Here you will find 20 ideas and techniques on how to give effective learning feedback that will leave your students with the feeling they can conquer the world.

20 Ways to Provide Effective Feedback

1. Feedback should be educative in nature.

Providing feedback means giving students an explanation of what they are doing correctly and incorrectly. However, the focus of the feedback should be based essentially on what the students is doing right. It is most productive to a student's learning when they are provided with an explanation and example as to what is accurate and inaccurate about their work.

Consider using the concept of a 'feedback sandwich' to guide your feedback: Compliment, Correct, Compliment.

2. Feedback should be given in a timely manner.

When feedback is given immediately after showing proof of learning, the student responds positively and remembers the experience about what is being learned in a confident manner. If we wait too long to give feedback, the moment is lost and the student might not connect the feedback with the action.

3. Be sensitive to the individual needs of the student.

It is vital that we take into consideration each student individually when giving feedback. Our classrooms are full of diverse learners. Some students need to be nudged to achieve at a higher level and others need to be handled very gently so as not to discourage learning and damage self-esteem. A balance between not wanting to hurt a student's feelings and providing proper encouragement is essential.

4. Ask the 4 questions.

Studies of effective teaching and learning (Dinham, 2002, 2007a; 2007b) have shown that learners want to know where they stand in regards to their work. Providing answers to the following four questions on a regular basis will help provide quality feedback. These four questions are also helpful when providing feedback to parents:

What can the student do?

What can't the student do?

How does the student's work compare with that of others?

How can the student do better?

5. Feedback should reference a skill or specific knowledge.

This is when rubrics become a useful tool (single-point rubrics, for example). A rubric is an instrument to communicate expectations for an assignment and a useful way to provide effective feedback for learning. Effective rubrics provide students with very specific information about their performance, compared to an established range of standards. For younger students, try highlighting rubric items that the student is meeting or try using a sticker chart.

6. Give feedback to keep students 'on target' for achievement.

Regular 'check-ins' with students let them know where they stand in the classroom and with you. Utilize the '4 questions' to guide your feedback.

7. Host a one-on-one conference.

Providing a one-on-one meeting with a student is one of the most effective means of providing feedback. The student will look forward to having the attention and allows the opportunity to ask necessary questions. A one-on-one conference should be generally optimistic, as this will encourage the student to look forward to the next meeting.

As with all aspects of teaching, this strategy requires good time management. Try meeting with a student while the other students are working independently. Time the meetings so that they last no longer than 10 minutes.

8. Feedback can be given verbally, non-verbally, or in written form.

Be sure to keep your frowns in check. It is imperative that we examine our non-verbal cues. Facial expressions and gestures are also means of delivering feedback. This means that when you hand back that English paper, it is best not to scowl.

9. Concentrate on one ability or skill.

It makes a far greater impact on the student when only one skill is critiqued versus the entire paper being the focus of everything that is wrong.

For example, when I taught Writer's Workshop at the elementary level, I would let students know that for that day I was going to be checking on the indentation of paragraphs within their writing. When I conferenced with a student, that was my focus instead of all the other aspects of their writing. The next day would feature a new focus.

Utilize this strategy when grading papers or tests to provide effective feedback for learning. This strategy allows you the necessary time to provide quality, written feedback. This can also include using a rotation chart for students to conference with at a deeper more meaningful level. Students will also know when it is their turn to meet with you and are more likely to bring questions of their own to the conference.

11. Educate students on how to give feedback to each other.

Model for students what appropriate feedback looks like and sounds like. As an elementary teacher, we call this 'peer conferencing.' Train students to give each other constructive feedback in a way that is positive and helpful. Encourage students to use post-it notes to record the given feedback.

12. Ask another adult to give feedback.

The principal at the school I taught at would often volunteer to grade history tests or read student's writing pieces. You can imagine how the student's quality of work increased tenfold! If the principal is too busy (and most are), invite a 'guest' teacher or student teacher to critique work.

13. Have the student take notes.

During a conference over a test, paper, or a general 'check-in,' have the student do the writing while you do the talking. The student can use a notebook to jot down notes as you provide verbal feedback.

14. Use a notebook to keep track of student progress.

Keep a section of a notebook for each student. Write daily or weekly, dated comments about each student as necessary. Keep track of good questions the student asks, behavior issues, areas for improvement, test scores, etc. Of course, this requires a lot of essential time management but when it is time to conference with a student or parent, you are ready to go.

Returning papers and tests at the beginning of class, rather than at the end, allows students to ask necessary questions and to hold a relevant discussion.

16. Use Post-It notes.

Sometimes seeing a comment written out is more effective than just hearing it aloud. During independent work time, try writing feedback comments on a post-it note. Place the note on the student's desk the feedback is meant for. One of my former students had a difficult time staying on task but he would get frustrated and embarrassed when I called him out on his inattentive behaviors in front of the class.

He would then shut down and refused to do any work because he was mad that I humiliated him. I resorted to using post-it notes to point out when he was on task or not. Although it was not the most effective use of my time, it really worked for him as a way to provide effective feedback for learning.

17. Give genuine praise.

Students are quick to figure out which teachers use meaningless praise to win approval. If you are constantly telling your students 'Good Job' or 'Nice Work' then, over time, these words become meaningless. Make a big deal out of a student's A+ on that vocabulary test. If you are thrilled with a student's recent on-task behaviors, go above and beyond with the encouragement and praise.

Make a phone call home to let mom or dad know how thrilled you are with the student's behavior. Comments and suggestions within genuine feedback should also be 'focused, practical, and based on an assessment of what the student can do and is capable of achieving' (Dinham).

18. "I noticed...."

Make an effort to notice a student's behavior or effort at a task. For example; "I noticed when you regrouped correctly in the hundreds column, you got the problem right." "I noticed you arrived on time to class this entire week." Acknowledging a student and the efforts they are making goes a long way to positively influence academic performance.

19. Provide a model or example.

Communicate with your students the purpose of an assessment and/or feedback. Demonstrate to students what you are looking for by giving them an example of what an A+ paper looks like. Provide a contrast of what a C- paper looks like. This is especially important at the upper learning levels.

20. Invite students to give you feedback.

Remember when you finished a class in college and you were given the chance to 'grade' the professor? How nice was it to finally tell the professor that the reading material was so incredibly boring without worrying about it affecting your grade? Why not let students give you feedback on how you are doing as a teacher?

Make it so that they can do it anonymously. What did they like about your class? What didn't they like? If they were teaching the class, what would they do differently? What did they learn the most from you as a teacher? If we are open to it, we will quickly learn a few things about ourselves as educators.

Remember that feedback goes both ways and as teachers, it is wise to never stop improving and honing our skills as teachers.
20 Ways To Provide Effective Feedback For Learning; A version of this post first appeared on opencolleges.edu.au;

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20 Ways To Provide Effective Feedback For Learning

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One way to provide effective feedback for learning is a 'feedback sandwich' to structure your feedback: Compliment, Correct, Compliment.

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50 Ways to Measure Understanding

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by Terry Heick

How do you measure what a student understands?

Not give them an assessment, score it, then use that score to imply understanding. Rather, how do you truly 'uncover' what they 'know'-and how 'well' they know it?
The Challenge Of Outcomes & Standards-Based Assessment
First a preface: itemizing ways to measure understanding is functionally different than students choosing a way to demonstrate what they know-mainly because in a backward-design approach where the learning target is identified first, that learning target dictates everything else downstream.

If, for example, a student was given a topic and an audience and was allowed to 'do' something and then asked to create something that demonstrated what they learned, the result would be wildly different across students. Put another way, students would learn different things in different ways.

By dictating exactly what every student will 'understand' ahead of time, certain assessment forms become ideal. It also becomes much more likely that students will fail. If students can learn anything, then they only fail if they fail to learn anything at all or fail to demonstrate learning anything at all. By deciding exactly what a student will learn and exactly how they will show you they learned it, three outcomes, among others, are possible:

1. The student learned a lot but not what you wanted them to learn

2. The student learned exactly what you wanted them to learn but failed to demonstrate it in the assessment

3. The student failed to learn

But what if you, as a teacher, have been misled?

For an analogy, consider a car. If we want the car running at its best-to be safe to operate, to start when we want to go somewhere, to attain the fuel efficiency that we want, to look and smell the way we want, etc., we need data about those conditions. The look and smell are easy enough, and the fuel efficiency is a matter of math. The reliability is a little more abstract-cut and dry but the product of many other maintenance factors and so requires more abstraction to predict. And the safety bit? Equally abstract-and subjective, to boot.

Imagine being concerned about the reliability of the car (as anyone would be), so you developed tests that could be used to predict the future likelihood that the car would start. (It's at this point that I'm realizing I could've chosen a much better analogy, but I'm sticking with the car/starting thing. Sorry.) So imagine giving a bunch of tests to predict today whether the car would start tomorrow. It makes sense on paper because we want to monitor that idea, but it seems a little wasteful, right?

And it gets wasteful fast when you consider the possibility that the car may fail test after test after test and still continue to start. This means that the tests we developed to predict whether or not the car would start likely measured something but not what we wanted them to measure. The tests were bad and the data misleading and any conclusions drawn accordingly invalid.

In an outcomes-based and data-driven circumstance, the data and the decisions made using that data are everything. If that data is misleading, it's not hard to realize that we will be misled-as teachers and learners-too.
First, Determine The Purpose Of The Assessment
If all students are all going to have their height and weight measured, a common standard makes sense; If students are all going to have their attractiveness measured, any kind of 'standard' is creepy.

Measuring knowledge and mastery of competencies and skills isn't quite as subjective as 'beauty,' but isn't anywhere close to as cut and dry as height and weight. We can give the same test that measures the same thing in the same way for all students and do no damage really-provided we are all on the same page that we're not measuring understanding but rather measuring performance on a test.

In a perfect world, we'd have countless ways to measure that understanding-all valid, universally understood, engaging to students, etc. In pursuit, I thought it'd make sense to brainstorm different ways to measure understanding. Some will be more or less useful depending on content areas, grade levels, student motivation, etc., not to mention what the purpose of the assessment is.

Do you need a snapshot?

Do you need to measure mastery or growth?

Do you want it to be flexible for a variety of learners or more binary-you either pass or you fail?

Do you want students to be able to return to the assessment periodically or is this a one-shot kind of deal?

Is the assessment for the teacher or the student?

If you're not clear about why you're assessing (and what you're going to do with the data the assessment provides) you're wasting a lot of time, energy, and resources-your own and that of the students.

With that mind, see below for 50 ways to measure understanding. Some are assessment forms (e.g., exit slips), some are models (e.g., Bloom's Taxonomy) and some are more frequently thought of as teaching strategies (e.g., Socratic Discussion).

50 Ways To Measure Understanding

Assessment Forms For Measuring Understanding

These can be thought of as reasons to test

In 6 Types Of Assessment, we offered up exactly that-six 'kinds' of tests that imply the purpose of and standard for the assessment.
1. Norm-Referenced Assessments
Norm-referenced assessments are assessments used to compare students to one another rather.
2. Criterion-Based Assessments
A criterion-based assessment assesses a student's performance against a clear and published goal or objective. This is in contrast, for example, to a test that students hope to 'do well on' but without a clear and concise objective and/or without clear performance standards for that objective.
3. Standardized Assessments
A standardized assessment is any assessment containing elements that are the same for all students universally. The perceived benefit is that standardization ensures all students are being weighed equally and that there is a common 'bar' for students to be measured with.
4. Standards-Based Assessment
A form of standardized assessment, a standards- based assessment is one that is based on an academic content standard (e.g., ' Determining an author's purpose...').
5. Personalized assessments
While these aren't necessarily 'different' kinds of assessments, they do reflect different reasons to assess.
6. Pre-Assessment
Pre-assessment is any kind of evaluation, analysis, or measurement of student understanding that occurs before the teaching/learning process begins.

The purpose of pre-assessment varies-it can be to help plan lessons and activities, revise curriculum maps, create personalized learning pathways for individual students, help inform grouping strategies, plan future assessments, etc.
7. Formative Assessment
Formative assessment generally occurs during the teaching and learning, though it's not that simple and a better way to think about formative assessment is to consider that it provides data to form and inform the teaching and learning on an ongoing basis. A common example of a formative assessment is a quiz. Types of quizzes? Pop quizzes, planned/scheduled quizzes, timed quizzes, and so on.

This can also be thought of as 'diagnostic assessment,' and is ideally the most common form of assessment in K-12 learning environments (because the purpose is to measure understanding to better create future learning experiences).
8. Summative Assessment
A summative assessment is any assessment done when the 'teaching is done.' This makes the process of 'summative assessment' a curious thing unless there are no more opportunities to teach and learn (like the end of a school year).
9. Timed Assessment
This one is self-explanatory-any assessment that is time-bound is a timed assessment (though technically that timing can be minutes or even years depending on the nature and purpose and scale of the assessment.

Timed Assessments can also be combined with other forms-a timed project or timed essay, for example. The idea is the constraint of time somehow shapes the scope of the test and the performance of the student.
11. Untimed Assessment
Untimed assessments are less common than timed assessments if for no other reason than the scheduled-nature of modern education necessitates it.
12. Open-Ended Assessment
In contrast to a timed, standards-based and standardized assessment, an open-ended assessment is generally designed to provide a proving ground for the students to demonstrate knowledge, skills, and competencies. Through open-ended assessment, student autonomy, creativity, and self-efficacy play a larger role in their performance.

Due to the nature of this approach, the mindset of the learner is crucial. Without confidence, ownership, and a clear sense of how and what they might demonstrate what they know, learners can feel uncertain-and worse, may fail to 'show what they know' and misinform future planning of learning experiences because of this 'failure.

A learning blend is an example of an open-ended assessment.
13. Game-Based Assessment
A game-based assessment is often technology-based (e.g., video games), but an athletic contest can be considered game-based assessments as it's the performance within a given set of rules that determines what the learner knows and can 'do.'
14. Benchmark Assessment
Benchmark assessments evaluate student performance at periodic intervals, frequently at the end of a grading period. Can predict student performance on end-of-the-year summative assessments.
15. Group Assessment
Group assessment is what it sounds like it might be-assessment done in a group with (at times) varying roles and responsibilities.

Obviously, a design challenge is Group Assessment is to know exactly what you're assessing as social dynamics and individual roles and responsibilities can obscure the analysis of student learning.

Different Assessment Forms For Measuring Understanding
These can be thought of as 'types of tests' 16. Short Responses Tests
Example: Short, written or verbal responses to questions or prompts

17. Extended Responses (On-Demand, Essays, etc.)

Example: Like the above but longer-anywhere from a few paragraphs to entire research essays
18. Multiple-Choice Tests
Not sure this needs explaining-multiple-choice assessments are great for providing data but are highly dependent on the quality of the questions and responses-and even then favor highly-literate and motivated students over others.
19. True-False Tests
If you're good at creating very nuanced True/False assessment items, they can challenge students with a strong grasp of content by forcing them to closely consider whether something is 'true' or not. True/False assessments can also be useful for struggling or 'hesitant' students because the barrier to answering is so low (like a multiple-choice assessment) but there are only two 'answers' to choose between.

Tip: You can allow students to revise the true or false statement until it seems true to them based on what they know. The changes they make can go a long way in helping to diagnose what they're misunderstanding.
20. Matching Items
The strength of matching items is that they're simple to create, complete, and score-and well-designed, can be surprisingly effective in uncovering what students know. The challenge with these kinds of assessments is that they do very little to demonstrate depth of understanding and are only useful with certain kinds of content.

21. Performance & Demonstration (i.e., watching the student attempt to demonstrate understanding/competency/skill in real-time)

Example: Watching a student try to hit a free throw in basketball or make a specific pass in soccer, etc. It doesn't have to be athletic-based, however. Students can also demonstrate the effect of gravity on planetary orbits or how propaganda works, etc.
22. A Visual Representation
Example: Students can create a visual representation of the water cycle-how it works, all the forms it takes, its benefits, the physics of the process, etc. What is visualized is obviously part of the assessment.

They could also create one for the use of transitional phrases in writing-what they do, when they're used, what their effects are, etc.
23. Analogies
Analogies are underrated assessment tools; students can 'answer' analogies you create, modify them to create new meanings, explain why an analogy you create is wrong, or create their own analogies to demonstrate understanding.

Example: If you wanted to assess a student's understanding of thesis statements, you could have students 'answer' an analogy you create by completing the analogy.
Thesis Statement: Essay:: Company:________ (mission or slogan) 24. Concept Maps
25. Graphic Organizers (like analogies, these are also very underrated ways to measure understanding)
26. A Physical Artifact
27. A Question (i.e., a student asking/revising a question as a form of assessment)
28. A Debate 29. A Conversation/Group Discussion/Socratic Discussion 30. Question Stems
See here for examples of question stems for critical thinking. You can also let students create their own stems and quiz/test one another.

31. Role-Playing (e.g., role-playing historical figures to assess biographical knowledge-this is similar to #21)

32. QFT Session
33. Observable Metacognition
This non-traditional assessment form is asking to (somehow 'watching' the student think about their own thinking an using it to 'measure' understanding

34. Self-Assessment (where the student evaluates their own understanding with or without the help of the teacher)
35. Peer-Assessment 36. Expert Assessment
This one is obviously better suited to more skilled and knowledgeable learners (in high school and college, for example.) An example of Expert Assessment is a talent show like American Idol

Any kind panel evaluation (where a third party chooses one or more of the above forms) that seeks to evaluate and measure understanding where the assessment and feedback depend on the specific and often narrow expertise of the panel itself is an 'expert assessment.'
37. RAFT Assignments
RAFT is a common ELA activity that stands for Role Audience Format Topic (or Theme/Thesis/Tone). I hesitated to put this on the list because it's best-suited to English-Language Arts/Literature/Writing/Literacy and is hard to explain it's utility as an assessment tool even in that narrow domain.

The idea here is to alter elements of an activity or assignment to force students to think critically to complete it, and it doesn't have to be 'RAFT'-you can frame anything in any number of ways. (If you've never used RAFT before, you're probably best off skipping this one until you're more familiar with it. Email me if you have any questions.)

Example: Students studying the Declaration of Independence can revise it for a specific audience or communicate the same ideas in a different format or tone (rather than the letter/political tone of the original).
38. A Challenge
Creating a challenge for students to complete in order to demonstrate understanding is another non-traditional form of assessment but can be useful to engage hesitant learners or bring out the best in gifted students. Gamification is useful in challenge-based assessment.
39. Teacher-Designed Projects
Create a project that produces a 'thing' whose quality will or will not demonstrate student understanding.
40. Student-Designed Projects
The same as above but the student designs the project (likely with the teacher). This will confuse a lot of students-you'll know fast if this is going to be useful for your purpose for assessment or not.
41. Self-Directed Learning
By supporting the student to reflect on, prioritize, plan, and complete their own learning experiences on their own, students will inherently have their understanding measured.

Self-Directed Learning is a form of open-ended assessment-you can see one of the self-directed learning models I created here.

Frameworks & Assessment Models For Measuring Understanding

These can be thought of as ways to frame the thinking about the content being assessed in the test
42. Bloom's Taxonomy 43. The TeachThought Learning Taxonomy 44. UbD's 6 Facets Of Understanding 45. Marzano's New Taxonomy 46. Assessing 'Transferability'
It is common for assessments to be standardized, universal, and practiced in those standardized and universal forms (for example, a multiple-choice assessment with a set number of items and a standardized amount of time to complete).

This is great for norm-referencing, but a terrible way to truly measure what a student understands-and the strength and depth of that understanding. That's where transfer of understanding comes in. You can read more about different kinds of learning transfer.
47. A Graded Assessment
This is the most common form of formal assessment-one that is scored, feedback is given, and data is shared (even if only via a letter grade).
48. An Ungraded Assessment
This is less common than graded assessments-which is strange because the most useful purpose of assessment is to provide data to revise planned instruction. Feedback is also useful, but the scoring, grading, and communication of a grade can take time, distract learners emotionally, and most critically obscure data about that understanding.

That's not to say that assessments should never be graded, but scoring, documenting a score, then communicating that score to students, parents, colleges, etc., significantly alters the tone, scale, and reach of that assessment. It becomes more like a public performance than a way to measure understanding.
49. Feedback-Only Assessment
Learning Feedback-only Assessment is similar to ungraded but focused intently on providing detailed feedback to individual learners to help them mastery the standard, competency, or skill.
50. Pass/Fail Assessment
While feedback can be given, time limits can be imposed, and various taxonomies can be used, the primary characteristic of pass-fail assessment is that letter grades and points are generally not given and the standard for performance is binary-that is, the standard either was or was not met.

An athlete trying to vault over a 6-meter bar is participating in a kind of 'pass/fail' assessment in that they either will or will not clear the bar.
51. Ongoing 'Climate of Assessment'
A 'Climate of Assessment' is a personal favorite of mine.

In this approach, critical and complex ideas and skills are constantly revisited and iterated upon in various ways, forms, and contexts while supplemented by less complex/quicker-to-master content. Assessment is frequent, playful, clear, compelling, and always formative.
52. Snapshot of Assessment
This is an assessment of what the student seems to know at that moment based on that given assessment form. These can be misleading but useful if they're preceded and proceeded by additional snapshots in the aforementioned 'climate of assessment.'
53. A Measurement Of Growth Over Time
In this kind of assessment, mastery isn't measured-nor are students compared to one another (as they are in norm-referenced assessments).

Instead, the focus is on far the student has (or has not) 'come.' One strategy here is grading backward. This approach, while complex, is naturally differentiated for each student, has a positive tone, and makes it much more difficult to 'fail' unless the student actually literally atrophies in terms of skills and understanding.
54. Concept Mastery
This kind of assessment is mainly distinguished by what's being assessed-the focus here is a grasp of concepts and ideas rather than skills and competencies (like the item below).
55. Competency & Skill Mastery
Many academic standards combine concepts and skills-which is fine because that's often what the 'real world' is like.

But when you're trying to troubleshoot student achievement and evaluate what they actually, truly understand (versus how they did on the test), being able to separate what they 'know' and what they can 'do' can make remediation more efficient-and make the student feel better about their own 'lack of mastery' because they are able to see what they do and don't know, what they can and cannot do, etc., which is more precise and comforting than 'I missed the question' or 'I failed the test.')

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by Terry Heick How do you measure what a student understands? Not give them an assessment, score it, then use that score to imply understanding. Rather, how do you truly 'uncover' what they 'know'-and how 'well' they know it?

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What are the types of assessment tasks ? 

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What are the types of assessment tasks ? 

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AnswerGarden " What are the types of assessment tasks ?

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AnswerGarden is a new minimalistic brainstorm tool for online brainstorming, real time audience participation and classroom feedback.

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Compare formative and summative assessments

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CEFR and Language Assessment

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ASSESSMENT for LEARNING. Portfolios

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A brief history of European Language Portfolios

What are Language Portfolios?

The problems with Language Portfolios

Using Language Portfolios with young learners

A brief history of European Language Portfolios
Teachers and learners have been working with Language Portfolios since the mid 1990s, and between 1998 and 2000 various ELP models were piloted in Europe.

There has been much literature written about them and there are lots of interesting examples. In the year 2001, which was also the European Year of Languages, The Council of Europe launched ELPs throughout Europe.

Many adult and young learner course books now contain features of language portfolios such as passport activities and learner checklists while many classrooms have learner portfolios stored on their shelves.

What are Language Portfolios?
They are a collection of individual students' work put together in a file or ring binder. They belong to the student and can be updated as language learning continues by adding to and taking away pieces of work.

Language Portfolios are made up of three parts:

1. The Passport
This contains factual information about the language learner. It gives a history of the learners' language learning experiences which in this case refer to learning English.

It may also contain any certificates or qualifications which show the learners' level in an internationally transparent manner. For our young learners this may mean a certificate they received from a summer camp they attended or a qualification they got from taking an English exam at school or in any other English language centre. It may also include a ticket to a theatre production in English, a film they saw or a trip abroad to an English-speaking country. See Working with passports

2. The Language Biography
This is a personal history of the learners' language learning experience. For example it may include a short narrative about the summer camp which they went on and for which they have included the certificate in their passport section.

It also includes self-assessment materials, such as the learner checklists and any aims that learners have for the future. These aims might be passing a specific exam, attending a course and feeling well prepared for it or being able to speak English to a visitor. See Working with biographies

3. The Dossier
This is a collection of course work which shows learners' level of English. It may include corrected class or homework, tests and exams or any other piece of work which illustrates where the learner is at. In this part of an LP, a learner may include voice or video recordings or any part of project work which they have done.

Download portfolio activities 55k

Advantages of using them
There are many advantages for teachers and learners.

They enhance learners' motivation by providing something personal and tangible which they can build up and develop over the course.

They help learners to reflect on their own learning and achievement by asking them to make choices, review, compare and organize their own work.

They enable learners to look for new cultural experiences by opening their eyes to the possibilities available to them. Part of portfolio work involves 'show and tell' sessions where learners talk about their experiences and look at other portfolios.

From a teacher's point of view, portfolios lead to greater learner autonomy since they involve self assessment, learner responsibility and parent involvement.

Learners can work in their own time on different sections of the LP.

The problems with Language Portfolios
From my experience there are a couple of considerations when using LPs.

First of all with large groups the storage of portfolios can be problematic. Of course, learners can look after them themselves but this always means there are lots of students who forget or lose their portfolio. I have found it is better to store them in class and only allow them home occasionally throughout the year. In this way it means they are readily at hand for parent interviews and of course class time.

Secondly, as a teacher portfolios involve the provision of the folder and the organisation of the contents, which can be quite time consuming. However, once I had made templates for the three sections, found an attractive folder and decided on the topic to work on, learners could work at their own pace and the sessions ran themselves.

Using Language Portfolios with young learners
I have always had very positive feedback from parents who have shown great interest from the start.

Whenever working on portfolios I have sent a letter to parents at the start of term, briefly explaining what an LP is and the reasons for working with them.

I have asked parents to look for any 'realia' that their children could bring into class which would help them talk about a language / cultural experience. Children have brought in photos, leaflets to interactive museums, theatre tickets and magazines and comics in English.

Obviously not all children get so involved and by the end of the course there can be quite a difference in the contents of LPs. However, I always make time in portfolio sessions to help individuals who have been absent or fallen behind in their work so that each LP is reflective of the level of its owner. Other learners can finish off pieces of work or start on new topics.

Throughout the course, learners have personalised their LPs by including photos, decorating the front cover and preparing an individual passport page. In this way the notion of 'ownership' has been a motivating force.

Finally, at the end of term students take their LP home where they can be kept intact or used the following year to build on and update.

Further reading
Peter Lenz & Gunther Schneider: European Language Portfolios. www.coe.int/portfolio
Council of Europe Standard (C.O.E.): What your language level means.

Malisa Iturain, Teacher British Council YL Centre, Barcelona

This Article was first published in 2007

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A brief history of European Language Portfolios What are Language Portfolios? The problems with Language Portfolios Using Language Portfolios with young learners A brief history of European Language Portfolios Teachers and learners have been working with Language Portfolios since the mid 1990s, and between 1998 and 2000 various ELP models were piloted in Europe.

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We teachers get the opportunity to participate in workshops, seminars or training sessions to improve teaching skills on regular basis. Effective use of eye contact is part of 'classroom management' techniques which every teacher should learn.

Eye contact is a very important non-verbal teaching technique, which not only enhanced students' attention in the classroom but also helps teachers in the attainment of desired student results.
Efficient use of eye contact in the classroom as a non verbal teaching tool:

In classroom, eye contact performs a very significant function as non-verbal communication.

Eye contact makes so much difference: if students feel that the teacher is actually talking and engaging with them, they are more likely to engage with teacher and listen what they're saying.

Eye contact also helps to convey that all-important enthusiasm and passion that can bring the topic to life.

Teachers can use eye contact for the enhancement of learning of the students in various ways. Wainwright also highlighted six different functions of eye contact: seeking information; showing attention and interest; inviting and controlling interaction; dominating, threatening and influencing others; providing feedback during speech; and revealing attitude.

Teachers often complain about discipline, about lack of attention, about the use of L2 in the classroom and many other problems, many of which amount to a breakdown in communication between teacher and students or between students themselves. It is well known that speech is only one part of communication, yet teachers often forget about or underestimate the importance of non-verbal communication in their own and their students' performance.

One aspect of non-verbal communication is the use of the eyes to convey messages. The eyes are a powerful tool for both the teacher and the learner, yet much classroom time is spent with eyes firmly fixed on the book, the board, the floor, the window, or roaming randomly around the teaching and learning environment.

Teachers working in all disciplines in secondary schools have always been advised to develop 'the look' as part of their teaching persona. 'The look' ranges from 'be quiet please', through 'I'm not going to tell you again' to 'don't mess with me, sonny', and in this respect is seen as having a disciplinary function. Meanwhile, the business world has accepted eye contact as an important component of achieving success in giving presentations and improving rapport between representative and client, while these days it is possible to find many websites offering advice on how to forge personal relationships through the judicious use of eye contact.

Researchers and practitioners in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) have brought the notion of body language and eye contact back to the attention of language teachers, but largely in the context of providing clues to the nature of the learner rather than in terms of a teaching tool.

Establishing a management role in the classroom involves eye contact from the outset.

Be in your classroom before your learners, and welcome them individually with a combination of eye contact and their name as they enter the room.

Talk to your learners, not to the book, the board or the screen.

Eyes can set the tone of a lesson. As the lesson starts, walk around the room looking to check whether the learners are ready -- books out, pens and paper handy, mobile phones off.

If not, eye contact should suffice to rectify the situation. Try teaching part of a lesson without saying anything. This should remind you of how important paralinguistics is as well as helping to control your teacher talking time.

Good eye contact does not mean staring or gazing. Many learners are likely to find this uncomfortable and consequently avert their own eyes and lose concentration. Neither does good eye contact mean eyes darting from learner to learner around the room -- this has no effect whatsoever.

It is recommended that there should be three to five seconds eye contact for non-verbal communication to take place. Watch your learners as well as listen to them, particularly while they are performing tasks. Look for signs of being bored or being lost.

Encourage your learners to make eye contact while they are working together in pairs or groups. Start by training them to listen to each other using non-verbal responses only.

Research shows that there is a strong link between the amount of eye contact people receive and their degree of participation in group communication -- in the number of turns taken in a group conversation for example.

The NLP(Neuro-Linguistic Programming) approach to eye contact is holistic and individualistic, but is soundly based on the premise that good eye contact increases rapport. Save time and effort with specific messages delivered by eye and facial expression.
Show praise, encouragement often, and disapproval occasionally.
Remind learners that they ought to know an answer or that they could provide a response if they tried.
Use eye contact as a correction technique.
Nominate and invite responses by eye. If the nominee is not watching, someone will give him/her a nudge.
Eye contact is, fundamentally, time and effort saving. Teachers can use their body movements, eye contact, facial expressions; smile; anger; frown, pitch of voice, and spatial distance for better understanding of the concepts of students. In the classroom setting eye contact of the teacher, as non-verbal cue, is very vital and directly affects the learning of the students in addition to the classroom management. Eye contact is a tool of teaching, which a teacher can use very efficiently and effectively for the enhancement and achievement of students' learning outcomes (SLOs)

More reading and useful links:

* Eye contact as an efficient non verbal teaching technique

* Eyes Talk Hongshen ZHANG Fujian University of Technology

* The Importance of Eye Contact in the Classroom

* * Non verbal communication (An article at 'Teaching English-BBC)
Body Language- Speaking without words

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Efficient use of eye contact as a non-verbal teaching tool

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We teachers get the opportunity to participate in workshops, seminars or training sessions to improve teaching skills on regular basis. Effective use of eye contact is part of 'classroom management' techniques which every teacher should learn.

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lino is an online web sticky note service that can be used to post memos, to-do lists, ideas, and photos anywhere on an online web canvas. lino is a completely free service that runs on all popular web browsers.

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lino is an online web sticky note service that can be used to post memos, to-do lists, ideas, and photos anywhere on an online web canvas. lino is a completely free service that runs on all popular web browsers.

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lino is an online web sticky note service that can be used to post memos, to-do lists, ideas, and photos anywhere on an online web canvas. lino is a completely free service that runs on all popular web browsers.

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Success criteria - consistent with the outcomes

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Success criteria - consistent with the outcomes

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"Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day" - Henri Nouwen

Are you moving too fast to enjoy life? Are you caught up in problems and struggles? Are you pressing forward on automatic, burning the candle at both ends.

Joyful living takes commitment. It asks us to be awake and aware in the moments of our lives. It invites us to stem the momentum of our habits so we can reclaim peace, appreciation, wonder, awe, presence.

Do you want to master the art of joyful living? Integrate these 10 steps in your life, and the seeds of joy will flourish endlessly.

Bring silence and stillness into your life If we turn down the volume on all the noise in our lives, we discover the amazing fact that silence and stillness are already here. We become relaxed, grounded and clear, and stress begins to melt away. How can you bring silence into your life? When can you stop and be still?

Clean up Clean up your clutter, it is a joy zapper. If there is anything you are procrastinating about, anything you can easily fix, anyone who drags you down, pay attention. Don't wait or settle for good enough. Carve out the time, figure out a solution, and clean it up. You are making the space for joy, peace, and happiness to illuminate your life.

Mind your own business Do you want to be unhappy and frustrated? Then try to not control things you can't actually do anything about. Like other people or most situations or the past or future. Let the story go, and see what is actually true in your direct experience. Bring compassion right into the places where it is needed most. Diligently work on the areas where you get stuck, and joy will naturally shine through you.

Live in Generosity, not in lack. So many of us want attention, love, and understanding. We live in a state of lack, thinking that life can begin if only we get what we think we need. Consider that you may not actually need what you think you need. It might just be an old story that has outworn its welcome. Instead of living in lack, contemplate generosity. Give out to others what you want or need. Pull out the stops in offering attention, interest, and caring. Your sense of lack will be transformed into fullness. Believing you have enough becomes love overflowing.

Use your senses Life is so abundant right before our very eyes. Slow down and take the time to see, hear, taste, touch, and smell. Eating an apple becomes a sensual delight, doing the dishes a symphony.

Recognize what is working It is so easy to focus on problems and unhappy feelings. They grab our attention and won't let go like a dog feasting on a juicy bone. Take stock of what is working in your life. Is your living situation a good one? Do you know people who you love and appreciate? Do you enjoy your daily runs or a good home-cooked meal? Simply look around you, and you may be surprised by the bounty that is already present.

Live in forgiveness If a grudge is interfering with your joy of life, then it requires your loving attention. Don't let the minutes tick by while you live in self-righteousness or regret. Neutralise the stories from the past, and make the choice to live joyfully now.Then live in amends. If you feel wronged by someone or you hurt another, deal with it. Don't let it fester. Make a lifestyle of living free from hurts and grudges. You will feel strong, clear, and empowered.

Learn from life experiences Sometimes the road of life is a bumpy one. If you want to master joyful living, be open to learning from the challenges that life brings you. Be honest about what buttons get pushed and recognize when you have dropped into a hole that you can't seem to find your way out of. Difficult life experiences are designed to show us the areas in our lives where we are not yet free. Use these situations well for your own liberation. You might have noticed that the teachings come until we understand the lesson. If there is a self-defeating pattern playing out in your life, slow it down so you can become conscious of what you are doing. Then make different, better choices with your eyes wide open.

Be pleasant No matter what is going on in your life, show up in an open, good-natured way. No one likes a Negative Nancy. Stop complaining, and instead be patient, open, kind, and agreeable in your day-to-day life.

Move in the direction of joy Every moment offers a choice. Take a look at your life, and it will show you what you value. Are you choosing stress, conflict, and unhappiness? Joy provides the perfect barometer for navigating through life. All you need to do is recognize what brings you joy, then follow it. Simple, right? Make room in your life for what is positive, light, and life-affirming. You will have mastered the art of joyful living.

Do you live joyfully? Where do you get stuck? What other suggestions do you have? I'd love to hear...

"We can choose to live in Joy. It is not Joy that makes us grateful.

It is gratitude that makes us joyful"

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"Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day" - Henri Nouwen Are you moving too fast to enjoy life? Are you caught up in problems and struggles? Are you pressing forward on automatic, burning the candle at both ends.

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In ELT interaction patterns are the different ways learners and the teacher can interact in the class.

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Teachers' Wellbeing: How to make stress your friend

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Teachers' Wellbeing: How to make stress your friend

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How to Make Stress Your Friend | Kelly McGonigal | TED

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7 Classroom Management Mistakes—and the Research on How to Fix Them

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Whether our emotions get the best of us, or we fall into familiar but unproductive habits, here are 7 common classroom management mistakes, and what the research suggests you should do instead.

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Mentimeter on the Favourite Interaction Patterns

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Mentimeter on the Favourite Interaction Patterns

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AnswerGarden " Classroom management includes:

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AnswerGarden is a new minimalistic brainstorm tool for online brainstorming, real time audience participation and classroom feedback.

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Group 1 - No 1,2,
Group 2 - No 3,4
Group 3 - No 5,6

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Lesson Model
Group 3 TTT

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Test, teach, test (TTT) is an approach to teaching where learners first complete a task or activity without help from the teacher. Then, based on the problems seen, the teacher plans and presents the target language. Then the learners do another task to practise the new language.

Example
The learners, who have not studied phrasal verbs, are given a text and asked to find examples. They are able to do this but not to deduce meaning. The teacher plans a lesson to help learners develop this, and then asks them to do a similar activity.

In the classroom
TTT is a useful approach as it enables teachers to identify the specific needs of learners concerning a language area and address this need suitably. It can be particularly useful at intermediate levels and above, where learners may have seen language before, but have specific problems with it, and also in mixed level classes to help identify objectives for each individual.

Further links:
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/mini-talks

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Test, teach, test (TTT) is an approach to teaching where learners first complete a task or activity without help from the teacher. Then, based on the problems seen, the teacher plans and presents the target language. Then the learners do another task to practise the new language.

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LESSON MODEL
Group 2 TBL

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Task-based learning is an approach to language learning where learners are given interactive tasks to complete. In order to do this, they need to communicate. Once the task is complete, then the teacher discusses the language used.

Example
The learners plan an itinerary for a guest who is coming to stay with their teacher. They research places to visit and timetables. They prepare a written schedule and a short guide. Once the task is completed, they discuss some of the language that has been important with the teacher.

In the classroom
Tasks can provide an organisational structure for a teacher who believes in the Communicative Approach. Tasks provide meaningful communication and an opportunity to acquire language through real language use. Task-based learning may become more appropriate at higher levels.

Further links:
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/a-task-based-approach
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/unit-9-task-based-learning
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/task-based-speaking
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/blogs/jane-willis/grammar-based-teaching-task-based-teaching-making-shift
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/criteria-identifying-tasks-tbl

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Task-based learning is an approach to language learning where learners are given interactive tasks to complete. In order to do this, they need to communicate. Once the task is complete, then the teacher discusses the language used. Example The learners plan an itinerary for a guest who is coming to stay with their teacher.

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It means presentation, production and practice. The practice stage aims to provide opportunities for learners to use the target structure. Criticism of this paradigm argues that the freer 'practice' stage may not elicit the target language as it is designed to do, as in this meaning-based stage, students communicate with any language they can. It is not clear that forcing students to use certain structures to communicate in a practice activity will necessarily mean they will use these structures spontaneously later.

Example
The teacher presents and illustrates the communicative purpose of a new structure 'If I was you...' for advice. Then learners use prompts to complete sentences with the correct forms of the verbs. They practise by giving each other advice.

In the classroom
Despite current doubts about the usefulness of the practice stage in the PPP model, it is still a common framework to find in classes and in materials.

Further links:
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/planning-a-grammar-lesson
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/checking-understanding
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/a-task-based-approach
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/blogs/david-petrie/david-petrie-space-spontaneity

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It means presentation, production and practice. The practice stage aims to provide opportunities for learners to use the target structure. Criticism of this paradigm argues that the freer 'practice' stage may not elicit the target language as it is designed to do, as in this meaning-based stage, students communicate with any language they can.

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JAMBOARD
Flipped Classroom

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Flipped Classroom Group 34 - Google Jamboard

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The version of the browser you are using is no longer supported. Please upgrade to a supported browser. Dismiss

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Flipped Classroom

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Simple lesson template 1

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Formative assessment on types of motivation

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Formative assessment on types of motivation

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Ken Wilson with 10 practical tips how to motivate learners

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Ken Wilson with 10 practical tips how to motivate learners

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What makes your students want to come to your class? This seminar, with Ken Wilson, outlines ten ways to create an atmosphere that makes them want to do just that.

You can read a report of the seminar here.

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What makes your students want to come to your class? This seminar, with Ken Wilson, outlines ten ways to create an atmosphere that makes them want to do just that. You can read a report of the seminar here.

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Teaching during Covid-be it online, hybrid, or in person-has brought about a whole new level of stress.

And you must find a way to combat it.

Or it will eat you up inside. It will douse that little light of yours. It will manifest itself in health problems, familial friction, and unhappiness.

Not to mention the bane of toss-n-turn insomnia.

The good news is that you don't have to put up with it. You don't have to stand by and watch it happen to you. With a little discipline, releasing the pressure valve isn't so hard.

You must, however, embrace the wisdom of putting the oxygen mask on yourself first. After all, when you're tired, irritable, and impatient, you aren't much good to anyone.

In that spirit, what follows are ten ways to slow down, de-stress, and get a dreamy night's sleep.
Box Breathing
The Navy SEALs famously use box breathing to calm themselves before and after missions. It clears the mind, slows the heart rate, and improves performance.

The way it works is simple: Breathe in through your nose for a count of four. Hold for a count of four. Exhale for four. Hold for four. Repeat 5-6 times or do it every couple of hours to keep stress at bay.
Breath Holds
When you breathe into the bottom half of your lungs you trigger the parasympathetic system, which causes relaxation and feelings of well-being.

But when you're already feeling stressed-out, it isn't easy to do.

One sure way to get yourself under control is to hold your breath after exhaling. Hold for a count of five on each exhale until your breathing becomes relaxed and you begin feeling calm.
Sunshine
Moderate exposure to the sun has many physical benefits including better immune system and stronger bones. But what many don't know is that it's also good for your mental health.

Sunlight can lower blood pressure (and hence calmness), improve your mood, boost brain function, and help you get more restful sleep, especially if you have daily morning exposure.

It also releases serotonin, which is the feel-good chemical. Just a few minutes a couple times a day can do wonders, especially if you're staring at a screen for hours on end.
Walk
Any form of exercise is a powerful antidote to stress and depressive feelings. However, walking may be the best of all because it's low impact and easily accessible.

Plus, it gets you outside and away from the stressors in your life.

Walking has been shown to lessen feelings of anxiety, stress, and depression, increase self-confidence, and improve the quality of your sleep. It's also a potent fat-burner.

Take your daily walk after the workday is over and all those annoyances that seemed like such a big deal at the time will melt away.
Simplify
No matter what your school or district throws at you, or how much has been heaped onto your plate, you can always better deal with it by simplifying.

Take a close look at everything you're doing-from your preparation to the content of your lessons-and shrewdly discard anything and everything you don't absolutely need.

For the average teacher, there is a lot to get rid of. After making your cuts, see if you can go even further, simpler. Uncomplicate down to the coal and ice.

Not only will you be happier and calmer, but you'll be a better teacher.
Decide First
This is one of the most powerful stress relieving strategies I've ever come across. And though incredibly simple, it works like magic. Here's how it works:

Before school begins, find a comfortable chair to sit in. Close your eyes. Breathe deeply and let your mind go blank. Just sit and enjoy the nothingness.

When the time feels right you're going to make a very important decision:
"No matter what happens today, I will remain calm both inside and out."

Amazingly, you will. You may have the best day of teaching since the pandemic began. Do it every day, and over time, being calm will be a habit you couldn't change if you tried.
Visualize
You may want to combine this strategy with the one above as well as with one of the breathing exercises. The way it works is that you're going to visualize yourself handling stressful situations with calmness, even pleasantness.

See your students misbehaving or technology going on the fritz, or anything else that has gotten under your skin, and then watch yourself staying cool and handling it all with aplomb.

Be the portrait of peace.

Much like decide-first strategy, and without any additional effort, when real incidents come up you'll automatically behave the way you visualized.
Break
It doesn't matter whether you're in class or teaching online, it pays to take frequent breaks throughout the day in order to get away from teaching (and learning).

You can use your breaks as a social time for you and your students or to lead your class in light stretches. If it's a bathroom or snack break, then listen to some music.

Shoot for something fun, like the music of your youth.

Frequent breaks loosen tight muscles, refresh tired minds, and remind you that teaching isn't that important. Make each break about keeping your perspective and embracing simple moments of joy.
Start Early
One key to reducing stress is to finish your day early enough to have time to gear down. This may require you to get up earlier in the morning or, as mentioned above, simplify your work.

Nearly everyone needs several hours of downtime before going to bed. This doesn't necessarily mean chilling out on the sofa-although it can-but you do need to get mentally away from teaching.

Read a book. Play with your kids. Work on a project. Have an, ahem, adult beverage.

The worst thing you can do is to prep for the next day of teaching in the evening. Better to be less prepared and energetic than over-prepared and in need of sleep.
Don't Look Back
Once you're finished for the day, it's important that you leave it all behind until the next morning.

This takes practice and may include shutting down your computer, doing your breathing exercises, or immediately going for a walk.

Turn your attention to something else entirely as soon as possible to avoid obsessive or cycling thoughts about work. Just let it go. Having something to look forward to, no matter how simple, is key.

Treat yourself. Live your life.
An Opportunity

Marcus Aurelius, the emperor of the Roman Empire from 161-180 and stoic philosopher, believed that obstacles can be a powerful impetus for making positive changes in one's life.

He wrote:
The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.
Although not a stoic, I believe this to be true and have certainly seen its power in my own life.

However, it only works if you accept its truth rather than the alternative, which is defeat, wallowing in feeling sorry for yourself, and playing the blame game.
There is always a way.
But that way takes action. It takes discipline and commitment. It takes a refusal to accept your plight.

It takes using the hassles and obstacles as an opportunity to better yourself and overcome in spite of. It takes grabbing hold of what has everyone else so up and arms about and thriving in its midst.

It takes going over, under, and around.

To win in the end.

If you haven't done so already, please join us. It's free! Click here and begin receiving classroom management articles like this one in your email box every week.

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10 Ways To Slow Down And Sleep Well After A Long Day Of Teaching - Smart Classroom Management

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Teaching during Covid-be it online, hybrid, or in person-has brought about a whole new level of stress. And you must find a way to combat it. Or it will eat you up inside. It will douse that little light of yours. It will manifest itself in health problems, familial friction, and unhappiness.

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1. Features

2 Teaching Implications
(what it means for our successful teaching; choice of activities, modes of interaction,materials, tools etc)

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1. Features

2. Teaching implications (what it means for our successful teaching(what it means for our successful teaching; choice of activities, modes of interaction,materials, tools etc)

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1. features

2 teaching implications (what it means for our successful teaching(what it means for our successful teaching; choice of activities, modes of interaction,materials, tools etc)

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Physical changes in pre-teens

For girls, you might start to see early physical changes from about 10-11 years - but this can happen as young as 8, or as old as 13. Physical changes in puberty include:

breast development

changes in body shape and height

growth of pubic and body hair

the start of periods.

For boys, physical changes usually start around 11-12 years - but this can happen as young as 9, or as old as 14. Physical changes include:

growth of the penis and testes (testicles)

change in body shape and height

erections with ejaculation

growth of body and facial hair

changes to voice.

Emotional changes in pre-teens

You might notice that your child shows strong feelings and intense emotions at different times. His moods might seem unpredictable, and these emotional ups and downs can lead to increased conflict. This is partly because your child's brain is still learning how to control and express emotions in a grown-up way.

At the same time, your child might be more sensitive to your emotions. But while she's getting better at understanding other people's emotions, she might sometimes misread facial expressions or body language. So she might react in unexpected ways.

Your child is likely to be more self-conscious, especially about his physical appearance and changes. Adolescent self-esteem is often affected by appearance, or by how children think they look. As your child develops, he might compare his body with those of his friends and peers.

And your child might go through a stage of acting without thinking. Your child's decision-making skills are still developing, and she's still learning that actions have consequences and even risks sometimes.

Your child's body is maturing physically, but his brain development, thinking skills and emotional development are happening at their own speeds. What you see on the surface doesn't always match what's happening on the inside.

Social changes in pre-teens

Young people are busy working out who they are and where they fit into the world. So you might notice that your child is searching for identity. For example, she might be trying out new or different clothing styles, music, art, friendship groups and so on.

Seeking more independence is common. For example, your child might want to walk to the school bus stop by himself, or he might want to spend more time with friends. Your child might want more responsibility too, both at home and at school.

Your child might be more likely to look for new experiences, even risky ones. At the same time, your child is still developing control over her impulses. This has a lot to do with the way your child's brain is changing in these years.

Your child is likely to be thinking more about 'right' and 'wrong'. He'll start developing his own values and morals, and he'll question things more. But your words and actions shape your child's sense of right and wrong.

You'll probably find your child is influenced more by friends, especially when it comes to behaviour, sense of self and self-esteem.

And your child might be starting to develop and explore a sexual identity. This might include a new interest in romantic relationships and attractions to peers or celebrities.

The internet, mobile phones and social media can significantly influence how your child communicates with her peers and how she learns about the world.

Staying connected with your teenage child can be an important part of supporting your child's social and emotional development.

Changes in pre-teen relationships

Your child's relationships with family and peers will undergo dramatic changes and shifts. But maintaining strong relationships with both family and friends is important for healthy social and emotional development.

You might notice that your child wants to spend less time with family and more time with his friends and peers. Your child's friends are more likely to influence his short-term choices, like appearance and interests. Your influence is important on your child's long-term decisions, like decisions about career choices, values and morals.

There might be more arguments with you. Some conflict during these years is normal, as children seek more independence. It actually shows that your child is maturing. Conflict tends to peak in early adolescence. Even if you feel like you're arguing with your child all the time, it isn't likely to affect your relationship with her in the longer term.

And it might seem like your child sees things differently from you now. This isn't because he wants to upset you. It's because he's beginning to think more abstractly, and is questioning different points of view. At the same time, some children find it difficult to understand how their words and actions affect other people. This will probably change with time.

Through all of this, a strong relationship with you is an important foundation for building your child's resilience.

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For girls, you might start to see early physical changes from about 10-11 years - but this can happen as young as 8, or as old as 13. Physical changes in puberty include: breast development changes in body shape and height growth of pubic and body hair the start of periods.

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How we can motivate our students: Teacher Talk

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How we can motivate our students: Teacher Talk

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Watch David Petrie, Adam Simpson, Lizzie Pinard, Chia Suan Chong, Anthony Gaughan, David Dodgson and Rachael Roberts discuss areas such as establishing learning objectives, giving activities

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Intrinsic motivation - surprise, surprise...

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Intrinsic motivation - surprise, surprise...

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RSA ANIMATE: Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us

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by TeachThought Staff

We've talked about the definition of intrinsic motivation in the past. We've also talked about some basic ways to improve student motivation.

This time, it's Mia MacMeekin 's turn to speak to you about the same, but through gridded, blocked, and easy to read infographics. The graphic starts with a definition for both intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation, then offers 27 verbs that can help promote that magic stuff that is characterized by curiosity, effort, engagement, and academic success.

Some were a little iffy-'praise' and 'milestones' seemed a little closer to extrinsic motivation. But the vast majority are useful to consider as you design units, lessons, and activities this school year.

Our favorites?
5. Create a grade free lesson 7. Challenge students to come up with new solutions to old problems 8. Encourage creative ways to accomplish the same task 22. Create a trusting atmosphere 23. Create a class vision 24. Engage in community service 27 Ways To Promote Intrinsic Motivation In The Classroom

27 Ways To Promote Intrinsic Motivation In The Classroom; 27 Ways To Promote Intrinsic Motivation In The Classroom

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27 Ways To Promote Intrinsic Motivation In The Classroom

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by TeachThought Staff We've talked about the definition of intrinsic motivation in the past. We've also talked about some basic ways to improve student motivation. This time, it's Mia MacMeekin 's turn to speak to you about the same, but through gridded, blocked, and easy to read infographics.

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Mentimeter "What motivates you?"

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Interact with your audience using real-time voting. No installations or downloads required - and it's free!

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Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education