English as a foreign language teacher training workshops and seminars for EFL teachers at the Santiago de Cali University in Cali, Colombia topics of interest in ELT

1. TEACHER DEVELOPMENT
SEMINAR TOPICS SURVEY
Prof. Larry M. Lynch

2. TEACHER DEVELOPMENT
SEMINAR TOPICS
• Short Class Activities
• Using Drama
• EFL Learning Games
• Vocabulary
Development
Techniques
• Listening
Comprehension
• Using Short Stories
• Giving Presentations
• Creating Materials
• Using Art & Pictures
• EFL Teacher
Certification
• Using Songs
• Writing Skills

3. SHORT CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
Would you like to increase the
dynamics of your classroom? Do
you need to fill in “blank” time spots
occasionally? Want to motivate a
class full of sluggish students? How
about reinforcing a grammar or
other teaching point using an activity
to aid memory and retention? This
workshop is designed to address
each of these situations and more.
Participants will learn and practice a
number of short dynamics, as well
as adapting or creating some of
their own.

4. CREATING MATERIALS for the
EFL CLASSROOM
Teachers of EFL, English as a Foreign
Language, are almost constantly strapped for
time and fresh materials to use in their English
classes. If they teach in a non-English
speaking country, the situation can reach
critical proportions quickly and often. With the
advent of the internet, however, authentic
readings in English are now only a few mouse
clicks away. But what to do with these snippets
of information can be perplexing – even
overwhelming, especially to fairly new,
inexperienced EFL teachers. ESL, English as
a Second Language teachers in an English-
speaking country usually have a much easier
time of getting materials. But, let’s look at a
short historic passage of authentic English and
explore some ways it could be used and re-
used multiple times for a variety of didactic
purposes.

5. EFL LEARNING GAMES
Who doesn’t love playing games?
If we could apply playing games to
language learning then learners
might practice more on their own by
playing games designed to reinforce
language learning and production
skills while having some fun. Just
don’t spoil the process by telling the
learners that they’re really practicing
language learning skills development
– just let them have their fun!
Participants will learn and practice a
number of language learning skills
development and practice games, as
well as adapting or creating some of
their own.

6. USING SONGS TO TEACH EFL
Are you students sometimes bored in
spite of your best efforts? Are you
looking for some new and different
techniques? Could you use a learning
activity that would really wake them up?
Would you like to get and keep the
students’ interest? Even have them
helping you? Then try this classroom-
tested technique by using student-
selected songs to teach listening
comprehension. Almost everyone loves
music. It is a part of our language and
life from before birth onwards. So, why
not include music and songs in
language learning as well? Participants
will learn and practice a number of ELT
techniques for selecting and
incorporating songs and music into their
EFL classroom.

7. VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
TECHNIQUES
When English or foreign language
learning students ask you,
“Teacher, what can I do to learn
more words faster?” Here’s an
answer that will serve you and
them handsomely. Create your
own vocabulary building activities,
exercises, games and puzzles to
boost learners’ vocabulary in
record time. Not sure how to go
about it? No problem. This highly
effective, intensive participation
workshop is designed to step you
through some suggestions for
dynamic vocabulary-building
activities that are immediately
applicable to your EFL classroom.

8. USING DRAMA in the EFL CLASSROOM
You needn’t have advanced level
students nor graduate Thespians to
incorporate Drama effectively into
the EFL classroom. You do need
some knowledge of techniques and
activities to do so however. You’ll
get these and hands-on practice in
abundance during this participating
workshop during which all
attendees will have the opportunity
to prepare and perform skits and
short dramatic activities
immediately adaptable to their EFL
classrooms. “To be or not to be?”
“Go ahead, make your day” with
this fun, action-filled session.
“Oscars” will be awarded for the
best “performances”.

9. DEVELOPMENT of LISTENING
COMPREHENSION SKILLS
Of the four basic English language skills,
reading, writing, speaking and listening,
the most difficult to acquire is listening
comprehension. It is also the one skill
which cannot be “taught”. In evaluations
that university English and foreign
language institute EFL students must take
at least three times a semester, the area
which is most critical and the one in which
they experience the greatest difficulty is
listening comprehension. But just what
makes listening comprehension so
difficult? There are clusters of factors
which can affect the difficulty of language
listening tasks. This ears-on workshop
covers what theses factors are, how they
affect listening comprehension skills and
ways to minimize their impact using
examples and exercises.

10. EDUCATIONAL WRITING and
PUBLISHING for EFL TEACHERS
Think you need a PhD to be able to write
and publish in the field of teaching English
as a Foreign Language? Think again.
There are scores of publishers and
markets looking for your classroom
experiences, teaching ideas, popular
activities, class room research results and
more. Your opinions, experiences and
ideas count much more than you might
currently imagine. In this day session,
you’ll learn to explore the many
possibilities open to practicing EFL and
foreign language teachers worldwide.
Whether American or British English is
your standard, there’s a wide range of
publishing opportunities available to you
starting right at home.

11. EFL Teacher Certification
The Whos, Whats, Whens,
Wheres, Whys and Hows of EFL
teacher Certification will be
examined, discussed and applied
to the teachers at your facility.
What are the levels of
certification? Where and how can
teachers get certified? What
value does it have? From the
TKT to the TESOL Diploma,
delta, MA and beyond, attendees
will get the latest information on
qualifications in their field.

12. PREPARING and GIVING ELT
PRESENTATIONS
If I can speak before an
audience, then believe me, so
can you. All it takes is some
knowledge of your topic –
which you DO have, don’t
you? A bit of technique, which
you’ll be getting some pointers
on during this intensive
workshop, some guided
practice beforehand and you’ll
do just fine. This workshop will
provide you with some
important tips and techniques
for preparing and giving a
dynamic, well-received
presentation before a live (and
critical) audience.

13. Using Short Stories in the
classroom
Everyone loves a good story. Griots or storytellers
are honored and highly respected in many societies
and cultures. How short stories can be incorporated
into the EFL classroom to aid in the learning and
acquisition of English for your learners is a critical
topic that will be explored in detail. Stories can
promote learning vocabulary, idioms and
expressions and grammar. It is frequently used to
develop improved reading and listening
comprehension skills, facilitate speaking and oral
fluency among language learners. This workshop
will show how and where to get an endless supply of
fascinating stories and exactly how they can be used
in the classroom for maximum effectiveness.

15. Key Concepts in Testing,
Evaluation and Assessment
This workshop delves into the issues of
what makes an effective, accurate
assessment and how teachers can
prepare more effective tests,
evaluations and assessments for their
EFL learners. Included are types of
tests and their purpose, why tests are
important, exercise types that can be
used and formal vs. informal testing
criteria. A variety of tests are reviewed
and an examination of tests used at
your facility will be conducted to create
a series of more effective tests for your
learners.

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Seminar Topic
SEMINAR TOPICS PREFERRED
Short Activities
Drama
Games
Listening
Vocabulary
Short Stories
Presentations
Art
Creating Mat'ls.
Certification
Songs
Writing

17. Specialized Seminar Topics
• Language Learning Disabilities
• Virtual EFL Teaching
• Preparing Effective Evaluations
• Improving Reading Comprehension