18/06/2018
An English teacher from Coahuila, Mexico has won a training course in Cambridge, thanks to her innovative approach to encouraging children to learn English.
Ana Maria Guemes Morales, who teaches English impressed experts at Cambridge Assessment English with an original classroom activity with a sporting theme. The activity was aimed at her students who were preparing for the Cambridge English A2 Flyers exam. Ana’s activity - ‘Can sports be a lifesaver for us? – involved students researching their favourite sport and athlete, focusing on health and family benefits. The students created posters, took part in role-plays, recorded advice videos and, at the end of the activity, created a mock TV sports panel with parents invited to watch their performance.
Ana noted how this activity developed the children’s ability in reading, writing, speaking and listening in preparation for the A2 Flyers exam, and also encouraged skills such as logical thinking, communication and collaboration.
Cambridge Assessment English Global Product Manager Schools Angela Wright, part of the judging panel, commented: ‘Ana’s classroom activity was really creative and a great way to motivate students. Lots of young people can relate to sports so it provided the perfect platform for a really inspiring classroom activity that helped children practise their speaking skills and build confidence.’
Her idea beat submissions from teachers all over the world to win the 2018 Cambridge English Schools competition. Ana wins a two-week residential course at the Bell Teacher Campus in Cambridge, UK.