the ESL Garden logo
I facilitate teaching workshops for conferences, schools, and informal groups of teachers. These participatory workshops emphasize brainstorming and group work so that answers come from the teachers – not from the facilitator. All workshops are provided on a sliding-scale basis. (ad hoc groups of teachers especially encouraged!)


Affected Development
1 to 2 hours
Focuses on the importance of positive affect – or happiness – in learning. We survey the latest research before exploring how to encourage happiness in the classroom to promote English language learning.

Bad Teacher
2 hours
Introduces how to look into your teaching practice to both improve your teaching and feel better about it. We review techniques for creatively inquiring into your instruction and moving forward with improving your own teaching – and your fellow teachers'.

Creating Classes with Moodle
1 to 2 hours
Surveys teaching English with Moodle – everything from planning the class to creating effective online curriculum to the differences between Moodle and commercial online instruction products.

Free Software for Curriculum Development
1 to 2 hours
Introduces several powerful – and free – software suites for editing digital photographs, audio and video. These programs help teachers create professional-quality curriculum at absolutely no cost. We introduce the software before “kicking the tires” on them.

Teaching English with Social Justice Stories
1 to 2 hours
Covers how to promote English language learning through social justice ESL stories (such as the 100 stories on this website): True stories about how civil rights leaders, athletes and everyday people helped changed the world for the better. We cover different ways to incorporate these stories into your curriculum and how best to teach them.

Year 1: Career Paths for New ESL Teachers
1 hour
Describes different trajectories for ESL teachers today. We review everything from adult schools to community colleges, academic and vocational ESL, curriculum development and teaching abroad. We also cover the practical questions of growing as a teacher, staying inspired by your teaching practice, and finding a job.
©2009 The ESL Garden  |  Last updated 06-16-2009  |  Design by SharlaGillard.com