Bio:
Bob Nguyen has taught English language skills for over a decade in the US, Japan, Ethiopia, and Türkiye. He graduated from the California State University of Sacramento with an MA in TESOL in 2019 and is currently an English Language Fellow working at Ege University School of Foreign Language in Izmir, Türkiye teaching preparatory students and facilitating teacher training. He spends long hours trying to invent the online version of in-class activities and focuses on educational technology, online classrooms, project-based learning, and connecting with students and teachers through engaging and meaningful education.
Title and Abstract of the Talk:
A Metaphor for Language Learning and Teaching Through Boxing
Metaphors can help learners create deeper connections with new ideas and processes. By finding similarities between two or more concepts, seemingly difficult tasks can become more approachable. What metaphors can you apply to language learning and teaching? In this presentation, I look at my experiences of teaching English and facilitating teacher training through the analogy of my boxing practice, a sport often maligned in the public eye. By the end of the presentation, the audience will hopefully leave the presentation with their own metaphor for language learning, a better understanding of best practices to master a skill, and a different view of a misunderstood sport.