ABOUT ME
The mediocre teacher tells.
The good teacher explains.
The superior teacher demonstrates.
The great teacher inspires.
― William Arthur Ward
I remember my first day of "real" teaching. I had just graduated from a high-quality BA TESOL program, and thought I knew a LOT about teaching English. I had taken courses on teaching methods, linguistics, and a host of other subjects designed to help me become a great teacher. I was so excited! So, how did it go, you ask? Well, it was the WORST day of my life! I discovered I knew nothing about actually teaching, and I felt so overwhelmed, I seriously considered quitting right then and there. Thankfully, I didn't. I stuck it out and I learned a lot in those few months about what actual teaching requires.
That experience motivated me to help other new teachers. I mean, I love teaching, and I have had a very rewarding career so far. Imagine if I had decided to quit?! I decided I would work to help other teachers have much better experiences in their classroom and catch the vision of helping students succeed. As you can see, I am passionate about helping teachers become great and inspire their students! That’s why I do what I do. What is it I do, you ask? Keep reading!
Teacher Training
Teach English Now!
I am the co-designer of one of the world’s largest TESOL certificate programs, called Teach English Now! There are currently over 100,000 learners enrolled in our program, which consists of 8 courses covering many aspects of teaching English to speakers of other languages. Our certificate program courses use engaging stories and innovative methods to motivate learners. Below is a “trailer” and an example clip from our course on teaching reading that will give you an idea of how engaging and innovative our courses are.
I also conduct workshops helping teachers integrate technology into their teaching. Below is a video of the beginning of a workshop I conducted for K-12 teachers:
I also regularly present at international conference for teachers. Below are a few photos from conferences I’ve participated in over the last few years. If you want to know more about the presentations I've given at conferences, you can check out my presentations page.
At the TESOL Arabia 2012 Conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
At the TESOL International Association Annual Convention
At the TESOL International Association Annual Convention
Presenting a Pre-Conference Workshop at the TESOL Arabia Conference 2012 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
With Engineering professors from Vietnam as part of the Higher Engineering Education Alliance Program (HEEAP)
At the TESOL Arabia 2012 Conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
At the TESOL Arabia 2012 Conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
At the TESOL Arabia 2012 Conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
At the TESOL Arabia 2012 Conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
At the TESOL Arabia 2012 Conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Receiving the TESOL Arabia Professional Service Award in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Presenting at the TESOL Arabia 2012 Conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
I have also written a few books, book chapters, and articles about using technology. I just recently published a book called 50 Ways to Teach Online: Tips for ESL/EFL Teachers, available as an e-book and paperback. This book contains over 50 tips to help you design, build, and teach your course in a way that engages and motivates your learners. If you have ever thought about teaching online, you should check it out.
Most of the articles I've written focus on using technology for teaching English, but a couple focus on other aspects of technology, such as using technology to improve your time management and professional development. Below you can see the covers and information for some of the books I've contributed to. If you want to know more about what I've written, you can visit my publications page.
Shewell, J. (2014). Teachers’ use of, and attitudes toward, educational technology in English language classrooms. In M. Dodigovic & P. Davidson (Eds.), Attitudes to technology in ESL/EFL Pedagogy (pp. 16 - 35) Dubai: TESOL Arabia.
Shewell, J. & Coombe, C. (2011). Seven way technology can make you more effective. In C. Coombe, L. Stephenson & S. Abu-Rmaileh (Eds.), Leadership and management in English language teaching (pp. 293-301). Dubai: TESOL Arabia.
Shewell, J. (2010). Webquests: Frequently asked questions and answers. In M. Al-Hamly, P. Davidson & I. Fayed (Eds.), Computers in English language teaching (pp. 79 – 86). Dubai: TESOL Arabia.
Davidson, P., Shewell, J. & Moore, W. J. (Eds.). (2008). Educational technology in the Arabian Gulf: Theory, research, and pedagogy. Dubai: TESOL Arabia.
Shewell, J. (2008). Making the mix work: Effectively integrating technology into the curriculum. In P. Davidson, J. Shewell and W. J. Moore (Eds.), Educational technology in the Arabian Gulf: Theory, research, and pedagogy (pp. 383 – 396). Dubai: TESOL Arabia.
Teacher Resources
eslactivities.com
Another of my passions is providing resources to help teachers become great. One of these resources is a website, eslactivities.com, which provides tools for teachers to create BINGO cards, crossword puzzles, games and other online and paper-based activities to use with their learners. The site currently gets about 15,000 visitors per month.
Perception of Spoken English (POSE) Test
I also have an interest in pronunciation pedagogy and theory. While working on my Masters degree in TESOL at Brigham Young University, I designed and built the Perception of Spoken English, or POSE, Test. This is a diagnostic test that helps learners find problem areas in their ability to hear specific sounds and patterns in spoken English. There is a number of studies that indicate a person’s ability to hear specific sounds and patterns is closely connected with their ability to produce those same sounds and patterns. Teachers can use the POSE Test to determine which problems their students have and can then decide how best to help their students improve their pronunciation based on the results of the POSE Test.
There is a section for students and a section for teachers
A screenshot of the VOWELS section.
A screenshot of the CONSONANTS section.
A screenshot of the WORD STRESS section.
A screenshot of the INTONATION 1 section.
A screenshot of the INTONATION 2 section.
A screenshot of the SENTENCE STRESS 1 section.
A screenshot of the SENTENCE STRESS 2 section.
