International Association of Technical English Trainers

09 October 2010

To view the webinar recording, fully paid-up IATET members go to the member login area at http://www.iatet.com The IATET webinar was a part of the 3rd Virtual Round Table Conference http://www.virtual-round-table.com/profiles/blogs/iatet-international

Topic: Tech activities that worked

Content: Situation, needs, purpose, method, result, good and bad, recommendations

Five presentations between 6 to 10 minutes. After the presentations the audience had the opportunity to post questions to the presenters. The Q & A session was followed by a discussion on using technology in the ESP classroom.

Moderated by Cornelia Kreis-Meyer, IATET Vice President

1. Vicki Hollett - IATET Regional Coordinator North America

Pictures and things.

How a bad day in the technical English classroom led to lots of great days – and some ideas for harnessing picture power.

2. Genevieve Besser - IATET Member

Technical vocabulary for players

Tap the technical expertise of course participants and use it in a matching game, a classroom quiz, a group quiz and impromptu talks to make learning technical vocabulary easier.

3. Björn Sauerhammer - IATET Member

Using Lego or Duplo in order to help technical English students practise giving instructions.

Using graph descriptions as an example to show how to Integrate the Cornelson PEP Package into a technical English training.

4. Duncan Baker - IATET Regional Coordinator United Kingdom

Simulation or Role Play?

Our students are here for a very limited period – 1 week is typical. They don’t have time to learn English for purposes other than those that are crucial to them. So role plays – outside their normal sphere of competence – are of very limited use. Simulations which put them in the driving seat are very powerful learning tools. But they can put us, the trainer, well outside our comfort zone. How to cope? All will be revealed!