Slides of my talk are available here in pdf format.

Working hard or hardly working? How attitudes and life-skills can affect language learning

English Language Teaching is increasingly looking beyond language. Recent global trends, such as 21st Century Skills and Mindsets for learning reflect the importance now being given to the role of non-linguistic skills and attitudes. What is being said specifically? The first part of the talk provides an overview. The next thing to consider will be the local context. The trends mentioned above originate in the USA; how directly relevant are their findings for teachers and students in Vietnam? The second part of the talk will address this question, and will seek to find an optimized, ‘glocalized’ approach with the strengths of local culture and educational traditions at its heart. The final part of the talk will focus on the implications for our teaching, specifically with regard to classroom management and task design. I will share a number of practical techniques ideas and which can be tried out in the classroom by teachers looking to bring the best out of their students.