Discover what's new or coming soon, including upcoming lessons and resources and product feature updates. 

Announcements

<h1>Introducing Individual Student Assignments</h1>

Great news, teachers!

As of today, you can now select which individual students receive specific assignments within any class.&nbsp;

<h3>Here&#39;s how it works:</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Click on a lesson, video, or flashcard set in your Prepping or Teaching lane within any of your classes</li>
	<li>A modal will open with your assignment preferences for that lesson&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Click the &quot;Students&quot; tab in the top navigation of the modal</li>
	<li>Switch the setting from &quot;All students&quot; to &quot;Some students&quot;</li>
	<li>Select the students you want to assign the lesson to&nbsp;and remember to hit &quot;Save&quot; inside the modal before closing it</li>
</ul>

Only the selected students will see the assignment inside their class dashboard.

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We know that a lot of you have been asking for this feature for a while now. So thanks for your patience, and we hope it&#39;s a big help!

All the best, 
Ben :)

Founder, CEO at Ellii

Introducing Individual Student Assignments

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Tour around the ELT conference circuit as our team shares conference highlights and session reviews.

Conferences

<blockquote>
This September 14 and 15, Ellii is&nbsp;hosting&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/conference/2023">ElliiCon2023</a>&mdash;a free two-day virtual conference to explore the intersection of technology and traditional teaching. Learn how to maintain human connections with your students in the age of AI while incorporating practical tech tools that can free up more time for the crucial aspects of learning. This article is part of a series of posts introducing our 2023 conference&nbsp;speakers.
</blockquote>

<h2>Meet Dr. Amin Davoodi</h2>

Dr. Amin Davoodi is an assistant professor of bilingual and ESL education at the University of Texas Permian Basin. He earned his PhD in curriculum and instruction with a specialization in ESL, technology, and teacher education from Texas A&amp;M University in 2021. His research interests include educational equity, TESOL, robot-assisted learning, innovations in teaching, and bilingual education. Dr. Davoodi is widely recognized for his exemplary work with pre-service teachers and English language learners, having received numerous awards. His 18 years of teaching experience, combined with his international accreditation as a teacher trainer, has enabled him to train ESL and EFL teachers from more than 25 countries. Dr. Davoodi has captivated audiences around the world as an active researcher and keynote speaker, delivering inspiring speeches and presentations in numerous countries including the US, Mexico, Iran, Turkey, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Egypt.

<h2>Presenter Q &amp; A</h2>

We are grateful that Dr. Davoodi found time to share these thoughts with the&nbsp;#Ellii team ahead of ElliiCon2023 to help us get to know him better.&nbsp;

<blockquote>
Ellii: The theme of ElliiCon2023 is&nbsp;Humanity &amp; Technology in ELT: Striking a Balance in the Age of AI. In your opinion, is AI a friend or foe&nbsp;of English language teachers? How do you think AI will impact our learners?
</blockquote>

Dr. Davoodi:&nbsp;In my opinion, AI can be both a friend and a valuable ally for English language teachers, especially when approached with a humanistic perspective. AI has the potential to enhance language teaching and learning experiences by providing personalized and interactive opportunities for students. It can offer immediate feedback, adapt content to individual needs, and create engaging learning environments that cater to various learning styles. However, the key lies in striking a balance between the benefits of AI and the human touch that educators provide. AI should never replace the role of teachers but should rather complement and amplify their efforts. English language teachers possess unique qualities, such as empathy, emotional intelligence, and the ability to create meaningful connections with students. These human aspects cannot be replicated by AI.

AI&#39;s impact on learners will likely be profound. It can help students overcome traditional barriers like time and location constraints, making learning more accessible. AI can offer personalized learning pathways that adapt to students&#39; strengths and weaknesses, fostering a sense of ownership and engagement. Moreover, AI can analyze vast amounts of data to identify learning patterns, helping educators tailor their instruction to meet specific student needs. However, we must also be cautious. The ethical and socio-cultural dimensions of AI need careful consideration. Ensuring data privacy, avoiding biases in algorithms, and maintaining a focus on human values and diversity are crucial. Moreover, fostering compassionate educators who guide students through their language learning journey with empathy and understanding will be indispensable, even in an AI-enhanced environment.

In conclusion, AI can be a friend to English language teachers when harnessed thoughtfully. It can amplify our teaching and provide unique learning opportunities. Nonetheless, educators should always stand at the forefront, nurturing the human aspects of learning that AI cannot replace. This balance will ensure that AI enhances education while upholding the values of empathy, compassion, and individualized support that are fundamental to effective language teaching.

<blockquote>
Ellii: What topic will you be focusing on at ElliiCon this year? Can you share a few key points that you plan to touch on?
</blockquote>

Dr. Davoodi:&nbsp;At ElliiCon this year, my keynote presentation will focus on &quot;Practical Strategies for Empowering Language Learning with Humanistic Approaches to Technology and AI: Nurturing Compassionate Educators.&quot; The central theme of my talk is to explore how educators can effectively leverage technology and AI in language teaching while maintaining a humanistic perspective. Here are a few key points I plan to touch on:

Revolutionizing Language Education: I will discuss how the integration of technology and AI has the potential to revolutionize language education by providing students with personalized, interactive, and engaging learning experiences. This transformation can lead to improved learning outcomes and increased student engagement.

Humanistic Approach: I&#39;ll emphasize the importance of approaching technology and AI from a humanistic perspective. It&#39;s crucial to align the development of these tools with pedagogical principles that prioritize student well-being, emotional connection, and holistic development.

Compassionate Educators: I&#39;ll delve into the role of educators as compassionate guides in the technology-enhanced learning landscape. Fostering empathy and compassion remains paramount, even as technology becomes more prominent in education. I&#39;ll discuss strategies for educators to nurture these qualities and create meaningful connections with their students.

Practical Strategies: I will provide practical strategies that educators can implement to integrate technology and AI into their teaching practices. These strategies will be geared towards creating a harmonious balance between technological tools and the human touch in the classroom.

Enhanced Learning Outcomes: I&#39;ll highlight how prioritizing compassion and empathy in technology-integrated teaching can lead to improved learning outcomes. Students are more likely to engage deeply with the learning process when they feel understood, supported, and valued by their educators.

Easy-to-Use Technology: I will offer insights into integrating easy-to-use technology tools that seamlessly fit into educators&#39; teaching routines. These tools can enhance learning experiences without overwhelming teachers or students.

In essence, my presentation aims to bridge the gap between technology and humanistic education, demonstrating that the two can coexist to empower language learning. I look forward to discussing these key points and providing educators with actionable strategies to embrace the benefits of technology and AI while remaining true to the values of compassion, empathy, and holistic student development.

<blockquote>
Ellii: What&#39;s one thing that you would like ElliiCon attendees to know about you before attending your&nbsp;session?
</blockquote>

Dr. Davoodi: Before stepping into my session at ElliiCon, I invite attendees to embark on a captivating voyage through the chapters of my life. Hailing from Kermanshah, Iran, I grew up in a Kurdish family that gifted me the remarkable ability to become a simultaneous bilingual in Kurdish and Persian. However, it was my fascination with English that truly kindled my journey.

Imagine a young version of me, around five&nbsp;or six years old, fully engrossed in the captivating world of the iconic video game, Mario. Little did I anticipate that these pixelated adventures would ignite a lifelong passion for language learning. The curiosity that stirred within me was sparked by a seemingly straightforward message at the end of each level: &quot;Thank You, Mario, But Our Princess Is in Another Castle.&quot; With no one around me fluent in English, I was unrelenting in my determination to unravel the mystery behind those words and breathe life into their meaning.

Fast forward to today, where I stand as an assistant professor of bilingual/ESL education at the University of Texas Permian Basin. My journey has encompassed the domains of language, culture, and education. Driven by my zeal, I embarked on a self-guided expedition to master English, which eventually carried me across oceans to the United States, where I commenced my PhD&nbsp;pursuit in 2016. My resolute commitment led me to successfully complete my doctoral odyssey at Texas A&amp;M University in 2021.

Across these passages, one truth has crystallized: I am not solely a teacher; I am an eternal learner. With a unique perspective as someone who learned English as a second language, I&#39;ve gained insights into the excitement, challenges, and transformations that language learning entails. So, as you venture into my ElliiCon session, know that you&#39;re engaging with an individual who not only understands both the learner&#39;s and educator&#39;s perspectives, but also brings 17 years of immersive teaching and teacher training experience across the world. Together, let&#39;s explore practical strategies that empower language learning through humanistic approaches in the age of AI, and let the journey of learning continue, for all of us, indefinitely.

<h2>Attend Dr. Amin Davoodi&#39;s #ElliiCon2023 Session</h2>

At #ElliiCon2023, Dr. Davoodi will be presenting on practical strategies for empowering language learning with humanistic approaches to technology and AI.&nbsp;Join this session on September 15 from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm CDT.&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/conference/2023" target="_blank">Register for ElliiCon2023</a>.&nbsp;It&#39;s&nbsp;free! You can also connect with Dr. Davoodi after his presentation at our&nbsp;Presenter Q&amp;A&nbsp;Table.

<img alt="Dr. Amin Davoodi's ElliiCon2023 session description" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3350/content_dr-amin-davoodi_ElliiCon2023-session.jpg" />

ElliiCon2023 Speaker Spotlight: Dr. Amin Davoodi

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<div class="white-box">
This September 14 and 15, we&rsquo;ll be hosting&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/conference/2023" target="_blank">ElliiCon2023</a>&mdash;a free two-day virtual conference to explore the intersection of technology and traditional teaching. Learn how to maintain human connections with your students in the age of AI while incorporating practical tech tools that can free up more time for crucial aspects of learning.

This article is part of a series of posts introducing our 2023 conference&nbsp;speakers.
</div>

<h2>Meet Russell Stannard</h2>

Russell is a multi-award-winning educational technologist known for his work in using technology to enhance feedback, online teaching, and blended or flipped learning. Russell currently works as a consultant on educational technology for Kings&#39; College London and as an associate trainer for NILE&#39;s MA program. His YouTube channel,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKjOFIFE0q71IJ4GFx4brng" target="_blank">Teacher Training Videos</a>, has more than 70,000 subscribers.

<h2>Presenter Q &amp; A</h2>

Q. The theme of ElliiCon2023 is&nbsp;Humanity &amp; Technology in ELT: Striking a Balance in the Age of AI. In your opinion, is AI a friend or foe&nbsp;of English language teachers? How do you think AI will impact our learners?

Q. What topic will you be focusing on at ElliiCon this year? Can you share a few key points that you plan to touch on?

Q. What&#39;s one thing that you would like ElliiCon attendees to know about you before attending your&nbsp;session?

<iframe allow="autoplay *; encrypted-media *; fullscreen *;" height="600px" src="https://www.videoask.com/cfqq0urojy872z9hye64tw5goxw0qv7m8obkr9cw" style="border: none; border-radius: 24px" width="100%"></iframe>

<blockquote>
&quot;There are many, many opportunities with AI to do things that we perhaps couldn&#39;t do before in language learning.&quot;

&mdash;Russell Stannard
</blockquote>

Join us at ElliiCon2023!

Want to attend Russell Stannard&#39;s presentation?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.airmeet.com/e/0ee877b0-e369-11ec-b1b2-394b94cc9521" target="_blank">Register for ElliiCon2023</a>&nbsp;(it&#39;s&nbsp;free!). This talk will take place on Friday, September 15 from 11:15 am to 12:15 pm CDT.&nbsp;Russell&nbsp;will focus on some of the AI experiments and tests he has been running with groups of teachers and students. He&#39;ll also share creative ideas around a few key AI tools that he believes really work for language learning.

<img alt="Russell Stannard ElliiCon 2023" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3351/content_Russell-Stannard_ElliiCon2023-session.jpg" />

#ElliiCon2023 Speaker Spotlight: Russell Stannard 

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<blockquote>
This September 14 and 15, Ellii is&nbsp;hosting&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/conference/2023">ElliiCon2023</a>&mdash;a free two-day virtual conference to explore the intersection of technology and traditional teaching. Learn how to maintain human connections with your students in the age of AI while incorporating practical tech tools that can free up more time for the crucial aspects of learning. This article is part of a series of posts introducing our 2023 conference&nbsp;speakers.
</blockquote>

<h2>Meet Angela Tribus Ramos</h2>

Angela Tribus Ramos&nbsp;is the associate director of English Language Programs and senior oral communications specialist at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. At Brandeis, Tribus Ramos plans, develops, and oversees all ELP services for the International Business School. She also provides consultations for graduate students, visiting scholars, postdoctoral fellows, and other ELLs at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management. She is a member of the Global Brandeis working group, whose aim is to identify and promote pathways that emphasize social justice as a primary goal of international education.

Angela is also a returned Peace Corps volunteer, and she has taught English to speakers of other languages in Ecuador, China, Costa Rica, and the US. Her research interests include communicative functions of language, nonviolent communication, and teaching speaking.

<h2>Presenter Q &amp; A</h2>

To help you get to know Angela, Lise (our ElliiCon host) posed a few&nbsp;questions using&nbsp;VideoAsk! We hope you love his&nbsp;video responses. You can click on each one in the video below.&nbsp;

<ol>
	<li>The theme of ElliiCon2023 is&nbsp;Humanity &amp; Technology in ELT: Striking a Balance in the Age of AI. In your opinion, is AI a friend or foe&nbsp;of English language teachers? How do you think AI will impact our learners?</li>
	<li>What topic will you be focusing on at ElliiCon this year? Can you share a few key points that you plan to touch on?</li>
	<li>What&#39;s one thing that you would like ElliiCon attendees to know about you before attending your&nbsp;session?</li>
</ol>

<iframe allow="autoplay *; encrypted-media *; fullscreen *;" height="600px" src="https://www.videoask.com/cb4nt1vo0x6vh2gtsqo8z3yf3f5ou4thkaibeec8" style="border: none; border-radius: 24px" width="100%"></iframe>

<h2>Attend Angela&#39;s #ElliiCon2023 Session</h2>

At #ElliiCon2023, Angela will be presenting on strategies for meaningful conversation. Join this session on September 15 from 2:45&nbsp;pm to 3:45 pm CDT. You will learn all about how to help learners gain confidence in their English&nbsp;conversations.&nbsp;Interested in attending Angela&#39;s session?&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/conference/2023" target="_blank">Register for ElliiCon2023</a>.&nbsp;It&#39;s&nbsp;free! You can also connect with Angela after her presentation at our&nbsp;Presenter Q&amp;A&nbsp;Table.

<img alt="Angela Ramos ElliiCon2023 session" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3323/content_Teaching-Humanity-7-strategies-for-meaningful-conversation_ElliiCon2023_Angela-Tribus-Ramos.png" />

#ElliiCon2023 Speaker Spotlight: Angela Tribus Ramos

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Learn how to make the most of your Ellii subscription with tips from our publishing team.

Teaching with Ellii

Hey, great teachers!

We&#39;ve made it simpler to share videos and flashcards with your students. You can now assign any video, flashcard category, or flashcard set to your students directly on your Lesson Planner. It&#39;s super easy. Here&#39;s how it works:

<ol>
	<li>Click Add to class&nbsp;under any video or flashcard category title.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Select a class to put the media in.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Go to that class and drag the item to your Teaching lane when you want your students to have access. They will have instant access to the media.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>When you&#39;re done with that content, move it to the Taught lane and it will no longer show up as an assigment.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Any flashcard categories or videos you share with your students will permanently show up in their Media tab for future access anytime.&nbsp;</li>
</ol>

Here&#39;s a video to show you in more detail.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="564" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/849221802" width="640"></iframe></div>

Assigning Videos & Flashcards to Students

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<h2>Introducing Study Packs!</h2>

Hey there! 👋 We&#39;ve released a new feature at Ellii called <a href="https://ellii.com/packs">Study Packs</a> that we think you&#39;re going to love!&nbsp;Typically, teachers using Ellii look for one lesson at a time to plan out their own customized curriculum. However, sometimes you just need a bundle of materials already curated for a specific need. So we built Study Packs as a way to easily assign a small collection of lessons in one simple click. Our Publishing team (who knows the content inside and out) puts these packs together, and every week they make and release new packs.

<h3>Here&#39;s how it works:</h3>

<ul>
	<li>A Study Pack will typically have between 4 and 6 ready-made lessons that are woven together with a common focus such as a target structure, a situational theme, or a discussion topic.</li>
	<li>We post these packs of lessons in a Study Pack index where you can quickly filter the packs by level or type.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>When you see a pack you like, you can instantly move it to your Lesson Planner to assign it to a class.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Once the pack is assigned, you can choose whether your students have immediate access to all of the lessons, or you can choose to release one lesson at a time.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

That&#39;s it. It&#39;s now super easy and super convenient to find curated collections of content and assign them all at once. Watch the video to see it in action. We hope you love it!

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="564" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/849109840" width="640"></iframe></div>

Introducing Study Packs

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Stay up-to-date with ELT trends and ideas with articles from experts and teachers in the field.

Articles

If&nbsp;there&rsquo;s one thing I&rsquo;ve learned in my two decades of teaching English, it&rsquo;s that within every class there will be students with diverse needs.&nbsp;

Some learners will be strong at reading and writing&nbsp;while&nbsp;needing additional practice with speaking and listening. Others will speak completely fluently but may struggle to write. Then there are the learners who are super organized and self-directed&nbsp;versus those who arrive late and ask to borrow a pen.

As teachers, it&rsquo;s highly unlikely we&rsquo;ll ever have a class of students who are all at exactly the same level and learn at the same pace, so it&rsquo;s essential we figure out&nbsp;some easy ways to adapt our lessons to challenge every learner.&nbsp;

The good news is that we don&rsquo;t need to prepare multiple lesson plans for just one class.&nbsp;

Here are some super simple ways to differentiate your lessons without additional preparation.&nbsp;

<h2>1.&nbsp;Give options</h2>

Letting students choose their tasks gives them control over their learning and allows them to set their own pace.&nbsp;

In each class, there are likely to be &quot;fast finishers.&quot; These are learners who you always expect to finish quickly. It can be a challenge to find them something to do while&nbsp;they wait for other learners.&nbsp;

One option I&rsquo;ve found useful is giving students a &quot;difficult&quot; or &quot;very difficult&quot;&nbsp;option. For example, if students have ten&nbsp;comprehension questions on a reading text, the &quot;difficult&quot; option would be to answer five, while the &quot;very difficult&quot;&nbsp;option would be to answer ten.&nbsp;

This way, every learner feels that they have completed the task. By using &quot;difficult&quot;&nbsp;and &quot;very difficult&quot;&nbsp;instead of &quot;easy&quot;&nbsp;and &quot;difficult,&quot; each learner also has the perception that they have achieved something worthwhile.&nbsp;

An alternative to this is having some students work on the &quot;odd&quot;&nbsp;(e.g., 1, 3, 5) task numbers while others complete the &quot;even&quot;&nbsp;tasks. Fast finishers can then go back and complete both odds and evens.&nbsp;

<h2>2.&nbsp;Create an on-the-spot&nbsp;extension task</h2>

When I know some of my learners need a little more time to complete a task&nbsp;but other&nbsp;learners have already finished, I quickly think of different extension tasks for the fast finishers.&nbsp;

This doesn&rsquo;t mean coming to class with piles of worksheets (though I have found it helpful to have a few <a href="https://ellii.com/resources/grammar-usage" target="_blank">Ellii printables</a> at the ready on occasion).&nbsp;Here are a few extension&nbsp;ideas that can be used:&nbsp; 
&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote>Extension Activities

<ul>
	<li>Read the text in pairs to each other</li>
	<li>Rewrite the text about themselves (e.g., changing he/she/they to&nbsp;I)</li>
	<li>Make questions for the rest of the class to answer later</li>
	<li>Add <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2966-vocabulary-cards" target="_blank">new words to their vocabulary</a> notebooks</li>
	<li>Research more information on the topic (and report back to class)</li>
	<li>Write a few sentences, a blog, a&nbsp;<a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2559-writing-assessment-sequencing" target="_blank">timeline</a>, or a summary based on the text</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>

<h2>3. Facilitate peer learning</h2>

I often find that students learn best from each other. When learners have the opportunity to explain something to others, they gain confidence in their knowledge and added understanding and memorization. Likewise, learners who receive support from other learners often benefit from an explanation in their first language or simply a new perspective or a simplified definition.&nbsp;

My students love it when I say &quot;Okay, you are a teacher now. Can you help the other students finish their work?&rsquo;&#39; You can see a certain pride from all learners, knowing that they are helping each other and supporting themselves.&nbsp;

When grouping students, consider the mix of abilities. You may wish to have a group of fast finishers working on a more challenging task&nbsp;while learners who need a little more support work on something else. Or it might be helpful to have stronger students support those who take a little longer.&nbsp;

<h2>4.&nbsp;Get digital</h2>

One of the beauties of using Ellii content is that every lesson can be delivered in a number of ways. It&rsquo;s perfect for face-to-face, online, or blended learning.&nbsp;

It&rsquo;s also super easy to assign tasks to individual learners or whole class groups, either for homework or as an extension activity in class. View the video below for a quick demo.

This is a great way to give fast finishers an additional challenge and boost their digital skills.&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wE-g6Db8ZQ0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

<blockquote>
How do you adapt your lessons to support the diverse needs of your learners? We&rsquo;d love to know! Please share your ideas in the comments.&nbsp;
</blockquote>

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in these topics:&nbsp;

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/supporting-students-with-adhd">Supporting Students with ADHD</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/accessibility-supporting-blind-low-vision-learners">Supporting Blind &amp; Low-Vision Learners</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/accessibility-supporting-english-learners-with-dyslexia">Supporting English Learners with Dyslexia</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/a-quick-guide-to-universal-design-for-learning">A Quick Guide to Universal Design for Learning</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/tips-for-developing-students-digital-literacy">8 Tips for Developing Students&#39; Digital Literacy</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/support-english-learners-from-refugee-backgrounds">6 Ways to Support Learners from Refugee Backgrounds</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/inclusive-festivities-valuing-every-learner-s-holidays">Inclusive Festivities: How to Value Every Learner&rsquo;s Holidays</a></li>
</ul>

The Power of Differentiation: Effective Strategies to Support Learners with Mixed Abilities

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<blockquote>
This September 14 and 15, Ellii is&nbsp;hosting&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/conference/2023">ElliiCon2023</a>&mdash;a free two-day virtual conference to explore the intersection of technology and traditional teaching. Learn how to maintain human connections with your students in the age of AI while incorporating practical tech tools that can free up more time for the crucial aspects of learning. This article is part of a series of posts introducing our 2023 conference&nbsp;speakers.
</blockquote>

<h2>Meet Nik Peachey</h2>

Nik Peachey is a two-time British Council ELTons award winner for innovation in English language teaching. He&rsquo;s also the founder and director of pedagogy at PeacheyPublications, a publishing company that designs digital learning materials for English language classrooms.

<h2>Presenter Q &amp; A</h2>

<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/elliicon2022-nik-peachey" target="_blank">Nik Peachey</a> was a popular speaker at last year&#39;s ElliiCon, and we are thrilled that he agreed to come back to offer&nbsp;more great ideas and tools this year. Nik was kind enough to share&nbsp;a few&nbsp;thoughts with the #Ellii team ahead of ElliiCon2023 to help us get to know him better. (View <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biu9XIYq45s">last year&#39;s session with Nik Peachey</a> here.)

Ellii: The theme of ElliiCon2023 is&nbsp;Humanity &amp; Technology in ELT: Striking a Balance in the Age of AI. In your opinion, is AI a friend or foe&nbsp;of English language teachers? How do you think AI will impact our learners?

Nik: I certainly think that AI can be a friend of language teachers. It can save us so much time in so many ways from lesson planning to creating materials that are personalized and differentiated for our students&#39; needs. It does require us to step outside of our comfort zone, but for me that&rsquo;s always been an exciting place to be. That&rsquo;s where we can really grow. It can also be a great friend for students. They can literally make it into a friend that they can chat to in English and that can talk back to them and support and encourage them. It can open up so many ways for students to practice and learn language and find out more about the world.

Ellii: What topic will you be focusing on at ElliiCon this year? Can you share a few key points that you plan to touch on?

Nik: In my talk, I&rsquo;ll be looking at how AI can be used with students to help them prepare for pair work in the classroom. I&rsquo;ll be sharing some prompts that will enable students to practice interviews, role-play real-life situations, cowrite scripts, get feedback on their writing, and immerse themselves in the world of literature. So come along and see how this new technology can really engage our students.

Ellii: What&#39;s one thing that you would like ElliiCon attendees to know about you before attending your&nbsp;session?

Nik: Even though I&rsquo;ve been working with educational technology in English language teaching for more than 25 years now, I still consider myself to be a humanistic teacher. My real interest is in people&mdash;their culture and their creativity&mdash;and what technology can do to enable and empower teachers and students to engage in expressing those parts of their lives.&nbsp;

<h2>Attend Nik Peachey&#39;s #ElliiCon2023 Session</h2>

At #ElliiCon2023, Nik Peachey will be presenting on ChatGPT as a tool for flipped learning. Join this session on September 14 from 11:15 am to 12:15 pm CDT.&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/conference/2023" target="_blank">Register for ElliiCon2023</a>.&nbsp;It&#39;s&nbsp;free! You can also connect with Nik Peachey after his presentation at our&nbsp;Presenter Q&amp;A&nbsp;Table.

<a href="https://ellii.com/conference/2023" target="_blank"><img alt="Description of Nik Peachey's ElliiCon2023 presentation" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3324/content_ChatGPT-as-a-tool-for-flipped-learning_ElliiCon2023_Nicholas-Peachey.png" /></a>

#ElliiCon2023 Speaker Spotlight: Nik Peachey

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<blockquote>
This September 14 and 15, Ellii is&nbsp;hosting&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/conference/2023">ElliiCon2023</a>&mdash;a free two-day virtual conference to explore the intersection of technology and traditional teaching. Learn how to maintain human connections with your students in the age of AI while incorporating practical tech tools that can free up more time for the crucial aspects of learning. This article is part of a series of posts introducing our 2023 conference&nbsp;speakers.
</blockquote>

<h2>Meet Dr. Charles Browne</h2>

Dr. Browne is a professor of applied linguistics and TESOL in the English Department of Meiji Gakuin University, where he runs the EFL teacher training program as well as the graduate and doctoral programs. He is a specialist in second language vocabulary acquisition and extensive reading, especially as they apply to online learning environments. He is also the CEO of <a href="http://www.charlie-browne.com" target="_blank">Charlie Browne Company</a>, which helps online language-learning companies develop science-based learning platforms, gamified teaching approaches, and content.&nbsp;

<h2>Presenter Q &amp; A</h2>

To help you get to know Dr. Browne, Lise (our ElliiCon host) posed a few&nbsp;questions using&nbsp;VideoAsk! We hope you love his&nbsp;video responses. You can click on each one in the video below.&nbsp;

<ol>
	<li>The theme of ElliiCon2023 is&nbsp;Humanity &amp; Technology in ELT: Striking a Balance in the Age of AI. In your opinion, is AI a friend or foe&nbsp;of English language teachers? How do you think AI will impact our learners?</li>
	<li>What topic will you be focusing on at ElliiCon this year? Can you share a few key points that you plan to touch on?</li>
	<li>What&#39;s one thing that you would like ElliiCon attendees to know about you before attending your&nbsp;session?</li>
</ol>

<iframe allow="autoplay *; encrypted-media *; fullscreen *;" height="600px" src="https://www.videoask.com/cywh6o6e73jcqxd761aifm1jhsitvhpkpx053vmu" style="border: none; border-radius: 24px" width="100%"></iframe>

<h2>Attend Dr. Browne&#39;s #ElliiCon2023 Session</h2>

At #ElliiCon2023, Dr. Browne will be presenting on gamified learning of vocabulary. Join this session on September 14 from 2:45 pm to 3:45 pm CDT. You will learn all about the New General Service List and how to make it fun and challenging to learn essential vocabulary.&nbsp;Interested in attending Dr. Browne&#39;s session?&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/conference/2023" target="_blank">Register for ElliiCon2023</a>.&nbsp;It&#39;s&nbsp;free! You can also connect with Dr. Browne after his presentation at our&nbsp;Presenter Q&amp;A&nbsp;Table.

<a href="https://www.newgeneralservicelist.com/"><img alt="Charles Browne #ElliiCon2023 session" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3313/content_Charles-Browne_Session.png" /></a>

#ElliiCon2023 Speaker Spotlight: Dr. Charles Browne 

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Registration Is Open for #ElliiCon2023

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Learn tips on how to teach grammar and usage from our editors and grammar experts. 

Grammar & Usage

Indefinite pronouns are words that refer to nonspecific people, places, things, amounts, or ideas. They help us express generalities rather than specifics. Unlike personal pronouns, which refer to a known noun, indefinite pronouns are intentionally vague.&nbsp;

<h1>Ambiguity &amp; context</h1>

The very nature of indefinite pronouns brings ambiguity to language. Without a clear antecedent, the referent becomes open to interpretation. For example, consider the following sentence: &quot;Someone left their umbrella behind.&quot; Here, we don&#39;t know who that &quot;someone&quot; is, making it impossible to determine the gender or identity of the umbrella&#39;s owner. The absence of a specific antecedent makes indefinite pronouns both versatile and challenging.

<h1>Common indefinite pronouns</h1>

Let&#39;s explore some frequently used indefinite pronouns:

<img alt="Common indefinite pronouns" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3269/content_Common-indefinite-pronouns.png" />

<h1>Tips &amp; tricks</h1>

<h2>1.&nbsp;Function &amp; form</h2>

Indefinite pronouns can be used in both the&nbsp;subject position&nbsp;and the object position within a sentence. Unlike personal pronouns (I/me, she/her, they/ them, etc.) whose form changes depending on their function, indefinite pronouns stay the same regardless of their role in the sentence.

<ul>
	<li>Someone left the door open. (subject)</li>
	<li>I met someone from Nigeria yesterday. (object)</li>
	<li>Anyone who buys a lottery ticket has a chance of winning. (subject)</li>
	<li>Maria doesn&#39;t know anyone at her new school. (object)</li>
</ul>

<h2>2. Subject-verb agreement</h2>

a. Indefinite pronouns that end in -one, -body, and -thing are usually treated as singular. Each&nbsp;also takes a singular verb.

<ul>
	<li>I rang the doorbell, but nobody was home.</li>
	<li>Everybody knows that I hate eggs.</li>
	<li>Someone is&nbsp;knocking at the front door.</li>
	<li>Everything is&nbsp;already in the car, and we are ready to leave.</li>
</ul>

b. Both, few, many, others, and several always&nbsp;take a plural verb.

<ul>
	<li>Many of the students drive to school, but others walk or take the bus.</li>
	<li>Both of my sisters like to write poetry.</li>
	<li>Many are called, but few are chosen.</li>
	<li>Several of my friends live in my neighborhood.</li>
</ul>

c. Depending on the context, some indefinite pronouns can be either singular or plural.&nbsp;These include all, any, none, and some. If one of the indefinite pronouns in this group is referencing an uncountable noun, a singular verb is used. On the other hand, if the pronoun&nbsp;is referencing a countable quantity, the verb is&nbsp;plural.

<ul>
	<li>All of the fruit is rotten.</li>
	<li>All of the children are sick.</li>
	<li>None of the story was true.</li>
	<li>None of my answers were correct.</li>
</ul>

Note:&nbsp;When all is followed by a relative clause, it takes a singular verb.

<ul>
	<li>All that matters is your happiness.</li>
	<li>All that happened that night has been forgotten.</li>
</ul>

<h2>3. &quot;Else&quot;</h2>

Unlike most other pronouns, indefinite pronouns can be modified by an adjective. The adjective most commonly used to modify these pronouns is else. Else&nbsp;is placed after&nbsp;the indefinite pronoun, and we use it&nbsp;to refer to people, places, or things in addition to the ones we&#39;ve already mentioned.&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>After I ordered a salad and a cup of coffee, the server wanted to know if I wanted&nbsp;anything else.</li>
	<li>If Amir can&#39;t give me a ride to work, I&#39;ll ask someone else.</li>
	<li>We invited my family and close friends&nbsp;to our wedding, but no one else.</li>
</ul>

<h2>4. Referring back to &quot;somebody&quot; &amp; &quot;someone&quot;</h2>

In most cases, we don&#39;t know if&nbsp;someone or somebody is&nbsp;a male or female. To acknowledge this ambiguity, we often use the&nbsp;plural pronoun they to refer back to (singular)&nbsp;someone/somebody in everyday spoken English.

<ul>
	<li>As I was walking across the parking lot, I noticed that somebody left their headlights on.</li>
	<li>When you first meet someone, it is considered rude to ask them how old they are or how much money they&nbsp;make.</li>
</ul>

<h1>Summary</h1>

Indefinite pronouns add depth and versatility to our language. They&nbsp;allow us to generalize our statements so that we can include a wider range of individuals or situations. By employing these pronouns, we can express ideas, experiences, or beliefs that apply universally. For instance, saying &quot;Everyone appreciates kindness&quot; or &quot;Nobody likes to be left out&quot; helps us address shared experiences without singling out particular individuals. As a result, we can avoid&nbsp;making assumptions and judgments about specific people or groups.

&nbsp;

<div class="whiteBox">
<h2>Related Lesson</h2>

<h2 class="circleThumb"><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1625-pronouns-2"><img alt="Pencil and paper" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3261/content_88_Nouns-and-Pronouns.png" /></a></h2>

<h2><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1625-pronouns-2">Grammar Practice Worksheet: Pronouns 2</a></h2>
</div>

Indefinite Pronouns

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No matter who your learners are, it&rsquo;s likely that they are learning English to improve their life chances. They may be hoping to secure their dream job, further their education, or communicate confidently with English users from around the world.&nbsp;

In order to do so, they&rsquo;ll also need to develop&nbsp;digital, work, academic, critical thinking, problem-solving, and/or intercultural communication skills.&nbsp;

These are just a few key &quot;life skills,&quot;&nbsp;also known as:

<ul>
	<li>soft skills</li>
	<li>21st-century skills</li>
	<li>transferable skills</li>
	<li>essential skills</li>
	<li>functional skills*</li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
<a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4467-talking-to-a-tax-preparer" target="_blank"><img alt="life skills focus tag on Ellii" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3255/content_Screen_Shot_2023-06-22_at_2.56.20_PM.png" /></a> 
*Ellii previously used the Focus tag&nbsp;&quot;functional&quot; for content that focuses on these types of essential skills for newcomers to English-speaking countries. In 2023, we adopted the term &quot;life skills,&quot; which is more universally recognized due to its literal meaning.&nbsp;
</blockquote>

You will find many useful sections for teaching life skills on Ellii&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/lessons">Lesson sections page</a> under the heading English for Newcomers. Alternatively, browse these ready-made collections: <a href="https://ellii.com/collections/everyday-topics/jobs-employment">Jobs &amp; Employment</a>, <a href="https://ellii.com/collections/casas-competencies">CASAS Competencies</a>, <a href="https://ellii.com/collections/linc" target="_blank">LINC Themes</a>, <a href="https://ellii.com/collections/clb-competencies">CLB Competencies</a>, and <a href="https://ellii.com/collections/academic-subjects/social-emotional-learning">Social-Emotional Learning</a>.

In this post, I&rsquo;ll explore ways to incorporate &quot;life skills&quot;&nbsp;into your English language lessons.&nbsp;

<h2>1. Identify key skills</h2>

Every learner and teaching context is different. It&rsquo;s important to first find out what skills your students need, or want, to develop. If they&rsquo;re young learners, you may want to focus on creativity, emotional intelligence, team building, and time management. However, if you&rsquo;re teaching learners who are soon to go to university, your focus may be on self-directed learning, presentation skills, academic writing, and digital literacy.

This <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2224-goal-setting-can-do" target="_blank">Goal-Setting</a> graphic organizer is a good way to support students to identify which skills they have and which skills they would like to develop.&nbsp;

<h2>2. Encourage self-reflection&nbsp;</h2>

Having clear goals and a plan for how to achieve them makes success more likely.&nbsp;

Likewise, the ability to identify progress, strengths, and areas for improvement is invaluable for self-development.&nbsp;

This <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2370-weekly-reflection">Weekly Reflection</a> form can help learners get into the habit of doing this. It can also help them develop their study skills, note taking, planning, time management, and self-direction.&nbsp;

You may also like this road-mapping activity I created for my book, <a href="https://wayzgoosepress.com/emily-bryson/" target="_blank">50 Ways to Teach Life Skills</a>. Creating a visual representation of a five-year plan can help make the goals within it seem more achievable.&nbsp;

The beauty of this journey-mapping tool is that it can be used for future or past events. Students can also draw this road map and use it to reflect on all the things that have happened over a period of time.&nbsp;

<img alt="Emily Bryson's Journey Map" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3266/content_Road-Map-2.jpg" />

<h2>3. Use authentic scenarios</h2>

When learning to communicate in English, students need to navigate a multitude of interactions.&nbsp;

For example:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1745-asking-for-help" target="_blank">Asking for Help</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1744-expressing-confusion">Expressing Confusion</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2327-offering-sympathy">Offering Sympathy</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2106-reporting-a-missing-item">Reporting a Missing Item</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1746-making-excuses">Making Excuses</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4415-asking-for-time-off">Asking for Time Off</a></li>
</ul>

Each of these requires its own unique vocabulary, grammar, and useful phrases. Giving learners the opportunity to practice these interactions in a controlled and supportive environment will give them the confidence to use them outside of the classroom.&nbsp;

Ellii has identified 41 <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/functional-english" target="_blank">Functional English </a>targets&nbsp;and created a resource for each. There are video assessments in many of the digital lessons (also viewable in the <a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/dialogues/functional-english-assessment">Media Gallery</a>).

<h2>4. Try role-plays</h2>

Role-plays are excellent ways to build confidence with communication skills. They&rsquo;re also perfect for integrating problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, and team building.&nbsp;

Give students a scenario that allows them to develop their identified skills&nbsp;or let them work together to create their own. You can challenge them further by adding some additional problems to solve.&nbsp;

For example, if they are role-playing how to complain in a restaurant, you could give students an emotion to act out (e.g., a tired waiter, a frustrated&nbsp;customer) or an unexpected challenge (e.g., the customer forgot their wallet).&nbsp;

If you&rsquo;d prefer something more scaffolded, you&rsquo;ll find plenty of ready-made scenarios to practice in Ellii&#39;s <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/role-plays" target="_blank">Role-Plays</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/everyday-dialogues" target="_blank">Everyday Dialogues</a> sections.

<h2>5. Projects, projects, projects</h2>

Integrating projects into your classroom allows students to organically practice a multitude of skills. It also provides the opportunity to get involved with the local community, explore an environmental issue, raise funds for a good cause, or create a campaign.&nbsp;

Whatever project you choose can develop a multitude of skills such as those needed to create and deliver presentations, vlog, and blog. Learners will also learn the value of&nbsp;teamwork and negotiation as they refine their decision-making skills.&nbsp;

Try some ready-made&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/group-projects" target="_blank">Group Projects</a> from Ellii.&nbsp;

<a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/group-projects" target="_blank"><img alt="Ellii's Group Projects for ESL learners" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/3259/content_Screen_Shot_2023-06-26_at_2.37.45_PM.png" /></a>

<h2>6. Get creative with assessments</h2>

Traditional assessments have their place and can be a useful benchmark for student progress. However, stepping away from quizzes can allow for more natural use of language. It can also make learners more relaxed and meet their learning preferences more closely.&nbsp;

Try assessment tasks such as <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/mini-debates" target="_blank">debates</a>, <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/6-steps-for-conducting-an-interview-in-english">interviews</a>, <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3029-the-language-of-presenting">presentations</a>, <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1828-how-to-write-a-blog-post">blogs</a>, or <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/takeaways-from-tesol-2022-project-based-learning">group projects</a>. These could allow for the use and development of multiple skills.&nbsp;

<blockquote>
What life skills do your learners need to develop? How do you incorporate them into your classes? Share your ideas with the Ellii community!
</blockquote>

<h2>Related Posts</h2>

If you enjoyed this blog post, you may also like these:&nbsp;

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/takeaways-from-tesol-2022-project-based-learning">Takeaways from TESOL 2022: Project-Based Learning</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/5-ways-to-supercharge-your-students-study-skills">5 Ways to Supercharge Your Students&#39; Study Skills</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/tips-for-motivating-language-learners-to-set-and-achieve-goals">Tips and Resources for Motivating Language Learners to Set and Achieve Goals&nbsp;</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/creative-ways-to-set-personal-academic-goals-with-students">Creative Ways to Set Personal &amp; Academic Goals with Students</a></li>
</ul>

6 Tips for Incorporating Life Skills into Your English Language Lessons

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These posts are written for learners of English themselves. Find learning tips and ideas for learning English.

For Students

Listen and read along.

<div class="ckeditor-html5-audio" style="text-align: center;">
<audio controls="controls" controlslist="nodownload" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/3257/camping-post.mp3">&nbsp;</audio>
</div>

When summer arrives and the weather gets warm, people all around the world&nbsp;eagerly pack&nbsp;their bags, hop in the car or on a bus or train, and head into nature for some quality camping time. But not all camping experiences are alike! Here are a few questions to consider before you venture outdoors&nbsp;so that you can have the best possible experience,&nbsp;whether you prefer glamping or roughing it.

<h2>How &ldquo;outdoorsy&rdquo; are you really?</h2>

Some people love sleeping under the stars. Others prefer spending time outside without forsaking the&nbsp;creature comforts of modern amenities. The good news is that both perspectives are valid. If the thought of sleeping outside among the critters makes your skin crawl, consider renting a yurt with electricity, heating, and air-conditioning&nbsp;or maybe a trailer with its own cooking facilities. On the other hand, you might be someone who thrives on reconnecting with the wilderness. For you, a single pup tent or hammock might be enough!

<h2>Who&rsquo;s invited?</h2>

When you imagine yourself camping, who are you with? Since camping isn&rsquo;t everyone&rsquo;s cup of tea, it&rsquo;s a good idea to invite people who will enjoy the experience. Your high-maintenance cousin might not be the best person to pitch a tent with, no matter how well you get along.

<h2>What&rsquo;s your ideal setting?</h2>

Maybe you live in a rural area with plenty of great camping spots around. If you&rsquo;re more of a city slicker, however, you might have to drive a couple of hours to get to your location of choice. Decide how far you&rsquo;re willing to go&nbsp;and what sort of environment you&rsquo;d prefer. Do you want a lake or river to swim in, or are you more focused on finding great hiking trails? Do dense forests make you nervous&nbsp;or are you a fan of the shade they provide?

Considering these questions&nbsp;before you set out will help you have a better overall camping experience. If you have any camping stories to share, go ahead and post them in the comments. We&rsquo;d love to hear them!

<h2>Vocabulary</h2>

<ul>
	<li>glamping: a luxurious version of camping&nbsp;(&quot;glamour&quot; + &quot;camping&quot;)</li>
	<li>rough&nbsp;it: to live without the usual comforts of everyday life</li>
	<li>creature comforts: small luxuries that make you comfortable</li>
	<li>critters: small animals that live outside</li>
	<li>make your skin crawl: to give you a creepy, uncomfortable feeling</li>
	<li>pup tent: a small tent for one&nbsp;person</li>
	<li>not one&#39;s&nbsp;cup of tea: something one doesn&#39;t enjoy</li>
	<li>high-maintenance: needing a lot of special attention</li>
	<li>city slicker: someone who lives in an urban enviroment</li>
</ul>

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