Just been chatting to the head of CELTA teacher training, Jill Drower - she has just been working on an activity that sounded to all intents and purposes like a ‘hard copy Blog’.

She was explaining how she was collating a scrapbook with any interesting bits of language that she comes across (from radio, TV, overheard conversations) and is going to reflect on  it and then incorporate into lessons.

I talked to her about the nature of Blogs and that (i think) they work well for people who are quite self-reflective already and like putting ideas down clearly in print.

I had already considered the benefits of blogging for CELTA trainees but feedback I’ve recieved so far from trainers has pointed out that the courses are so intense already that asking trainees to keep a blog would just be too much! Maybe in time blogs will be par for the course but they’re not ready just yet!

Still, Jill seemed very intrigued by the blog idea and we’ll arrange a lesson time when I can support her in class with twitter for example.

 That’s the key with this PET project I think – to show and tell teachers what’s out there and see if they think it would work in their class. Most people are familiar (more of less) with Web2 terms – they just need to see examples and try and appreciate the possible ways in which they could be exploited. My hanging out in the SCR is proving useful!

 Follow up conversation – 14th Jan

Had really good meeting with Jill today and we discussed a variety of possibilities where Web2 technologies could be used on CELTA courses – both as admin tools and as a form of assessment.

Students have to complete an self-reflective assignment where they make notes about what they have learnt from TP sessions and observing EHWLC teachers – Jill wants to turn this formerly note writing assessment into a Blog assessed assignment. I think this woudl be ideal especially as they have just started the PT Jan – June course so trainees will have a bit more time to reflect than on the month intensive course.

Jill is an assessor herself and has never seen this assignment being approached in this way so it would be great to use this as a selling point for EHWLC Celta! (even tho there are a few general EFL bloggers out there!!)

I  also suggested that the current Teacher in Training (TinT) also tried the Blog format to keep a record of their thoughts and experiences over the course – Jill is goign to suggest it and see if they are up for it.