Teaching and Trekking

By Peace Corps Volunteer Laura Layton, Chiriquí, Panamá   Summer English Course Teachers (2019): Ashley, Ingris ,  Brianys ,  Laura (me),  Cristibelle , and Melanie In this article, I share resources and suggestions for how to organize your class to maximize student learning and engagement and lower your stress from planning.  Are you an English as a Second or Foreign Language teacher looking for ways to improve your class organization and increase student engagement? Do you find yourself overwhelmed with the task of lesson planning for your class? If so, you're in the right place. In this blog post, I'll provide you with valuable resources and practical suggestions to help you optimize your class organization for better student learning outcomes. By implementing these strategies, you'll not only reduce your stress levels but also attract more students to your class. So, let's dive in and discover how to take your English class to the next level! ...

by Peace Corps Volunteer Laura Layton, Chiriquí, Panama   Four Corners: Cuatro Esquinas Materials: 4 sheets of paper, tape, markers   Tape a paper in each corner of the room: agree, strongly agree, disagree, strongly disagree. Make a statement and have students walk to the corner to show their opinión about the statement. The students can discuss their opinions with other students in their corner and later, students from each corner should share with the class.   Quiz–Quiz–Trade: Preguntar-Preguntar-Intercambiar   Materials: index cards and markers Each student receives a card with one word in English and the same word translated in Spanish. (This activity may be done with phrases and questions as well). Students must walk around the room while they are listening to music, and when the music stops, they need to find a partner quickly.   In pairs, each student reads the word, phrase or question in English (or shows the image) on their card to...

Last year in Chiriqui, G78 Teaching English, Leadership and Life Skills (TELLS) volunteers planted the seed with the Ministry of Education (MEDUCA) and Panama Bilingue to offer English workshops for teachers of the  multigrado  schools within the province. It wasn’t until their Close of Service (COS) that we were finally able to turn their idea into a reality. The goal? To provide such teachers with the tools to increase English instruction and usage in the  multigrado  classroom. Playing the traditional game of Telephone to practice listening and speaking skills in English In June, we offered a 5-hour workshop in each of 3 regions so that all multigrado teachers in Chiriqui had the ability to attend. Panama Bilingue and the Ministry of Education (MEDUCA) staff took on the responsibility of setting dates, times, and locations, as well as sending out the invitations, encouraging participation, and maintaining attendance li...

Chiricanos Witness Snowfall by Laura Layton Many volunteers only dream of the opportunity to one day bring their best friends and counterparts from site to their hometown in the United States. There is only so much one can say to describe where they are from, but words never suffice. A few months ago, I lived out my dream by sharing my hometown first-hand with seven members of my community of El Palmar, Chiriquí, playing the role of tour guide, host, and cultural bridge. Last school year I assisted with an after-school English course for a group of teachers at my elementary school in site. The course was offered to all grade level teachers in an effort to make the school completely bilingual. When teachers graduated from the course, they received the opportunity through Panama Bilingue to spend their summer studying in the United States or Canada. To my surprise, seven of teachers from the course were chosen to study at Stockton University in New Jersey, only 30 minut...