How a Video Yearbook Creates Great Memories & Promotes an ESL Program

January 29, 2011

My friend, Felix Wöhler, Director of English Encounters recently shared his school’s 2010 video yearbook with me. It’s an amazing example of:

  • How to capture excellent memories for your students
  • How to promote a language school with the use of video (without any hint of a hard sales approach)
  • How to use digital media to showcase your work.

Check it out. It’s worth watching. English Encounters 2010 Video Yearbook.

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

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Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Be positive in all your marketing materials – avoid negative words

January 24, 2011

There’s a theory that says if you project negativity, you will get negativity in return. So if you fill your marketing materials with rules and regulations about what students must not do and what the program will not provide, chances are you will not attract very many students.

Review your marketing materials looking for negative words – “no”, “not”, “never”, “can’t”, “won’t”, “shouldn’t”, “don’t”, etc. Then, change the sentences to give them a positive spin. For example, “Classes are no larger than 15 students” can be changed to, “Your class will have a maximum of 15 students.”

Another classic example: “Don’t hesitate to contact us” can be changed to a positive statement, starting with a strong action verb: “Contact us today to reserve your place in our course!”

Precisely because our schools often have strict policies and procedures, we find ourselves mentioning what can’t be done and what is not allowed. We need to remember that marketing materials are not the same as application and registration forms, policies, procedures or waivers. It’s important that every document serve its purpose. Marketing materials are meant to generate interest and make students want to take part in your courses. Tell your students what you will provide, what they will experience and what they can expect. Focus on a having a positive, simple, upbeat tone, filled with action verbs.

Fill your marketing material with positive, energetic words and you are likely to generate positive feelings in your prospects. That could lead to an energetic, “Yes, sign me up!”

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This post is adapted from “Idea # 12: Be positive in all your marketing materials – avoid negative words” in 101 Ways to Market Your Language Program

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

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Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

The shocking thing my student said

December 16, 2010

At the end of our last Spanish class for the semester, a few of the students stayed behind to chat and visit for a few minutes. They were an excellent group and had interacted well throughout the semester. Many of them thanked me for a good class, which I always appreciate.

One student, Sam, we’ll call him, said something I’ve never heard before and it shocked me in a way that few comments from a student have in 16 years of teaching.

“You’re the first instructor at university to learn my name,” he said. “I really appreciate that.”

I reeled in disbelief.

“What year are you in?” I asked.

“Third year,” he replied. “I’m on schedule to graduate next year.”

“What’s your major?” I probed further.

“Sciences. This is the only class I’ve ever had that has fewer than 100 people in it. None of the other profs learn our names. I suppose they can’t with that many students.”

I nodded in agreement. My classes have grown in size since I started teaching and with 35 students this year, it took me longer than usual to learn everyone’s name.

He went on to say, “I want to be a science teacher, but not here. I want to work in a place where I can get to know my students. This place is a factory.”

Not wanting to enter a discussion on the state of post-secondary institutions today, I simply remarked that I thought he had many qualities that would make him a good teacher.

He’s got good, solid grades and comes to class on a regular basis. He’s interested and engaged, polite and congenial. He’s got a decent work ethic and works well with other students in class. His classmates like him and he gets along with just about everyone. He’s not a super-duper genius, and nor is he a complete trouble maker. That’s part of the trouble, I suppose. Not being at the far end of either side of the scale, he gets lost in the crowd.

How sad… this student pays thousands of dollars a year in tuition for higher education and even as he approaches graduation, almost no one knows his name. As educators, we make a powerful connection with our students when we learn their names (or at least try).

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

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Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

My favorite sites to make your own crosswords

November 30, 2010

I love using crosswords in language classes. They’re an excellent way to get students thinking about the vocabulary they’re learning, to challenge them and to help them recall words from memory. Here are a few of my favorite online sites where teachers can make crosswords for free or very little cost:

Armored Penguin Crossword maker – Multilingual. Love this site!

Teach-nology Crossword maker – A site especially for teachers.

Variety Games.com – This site is a little more complex in how the words and clues are put together, but once you get the hang of it, it’s great.

Tools for Educators: Crossword maker

The Teachers’ Corner.Net – They ask for a linkback to their site.

ESL Galaxy Crosswords – This site has pre-made crosswords, available by themes. The pages have colorful backgrounds, too.

I’ve also heard about an $8 app for Mac Users: KrossWords (a shareware app written by Jerome Foucher), though I haven’t tried that one myself.

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

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Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Language Learning: Restaurant visit counts as experiential learning

November 22, 2010

This semester one of my classes as a beginner-level Spanish class for adults. I’m not a native speaker of Spanish so to add an element of experiential learning to the course, we went to a local Mexican restaurant. I arrived first and spoke with the restaurant manager, requesting that our waiter speak only Spanish to the group.

As it turned out, our server was a recent immigrant from Peru. He really did speak very little English, so it was the perfect opportunity for the students to practice in a realistic environment. This is a photo taken by one of the students. At the end of the table, you see our gracious and funny server. That’s me in the purple sweater, with the glasses.

I’ve gone with classes to restaurants before. There is always a learning component, but it has nothing to do with structure or grammar. It’s about thinking on your feet and communicating ideas and information in real time, with a native speaker.

It’s about feeling the panic that sweeps over your entire being when you go blank as you realize that someone has just spoken to you and you don’t understand one word of what they’ve just said. And you’re expected to say something intelligent in response, but the words you thought you knew seem to have spontaneously combusted in your brain, leaving only fragments of gibberish. It’s about learning to become comfortable with the discomfort that is inevitable when learning a second language as an adult learner… and learning to smile, laugh and cope. It’s about learning you really can do it.

Of course, being a class of adult learners, they had the option of ordering grown-up beverages. Here’s our toast to a successful course and a wonderful learning experience. Gracias a todos. ¡Qué clase más enérgica y talentosa!

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

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Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

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