Plenary Presentation
by Nick Michelioudakis
Social Psychology and ELT: Peak Moments
‘A moment can be worth a thousand minutes’
Social Psychology and ELT: Peak Moments - ‘A moment can be worth a thousand minutes’
When it comes to human memory, some moments are more equal than others. Psychologists have discovered that ‘peak’ moments – and the way something ends – disproportionally colour our perception of events. There are four key elements which can help us create ‘peak’ moments in class:
Elevation: Any moment which rises above transient pleasure and can provide memorable delight. A poem, a text based on a painting, a moving ad can all create this feeling.
Pride: Engaging students in tasks which help them create something or perform exceptionally well. Mini-projects with Web 2.0 tools are particularly well-suited for this and in some cases only take minutes.
Insight: Moments which can rewrite our students understanding of the world – a realisation which changes the way they see something. Content matters and should not just be ‘catchy’ topical texts but useful knowledge (and preferably counter-intuitive too).
Connection: Activities which help students bond – moments which are strengthened because they are shared with others. From sharing a personal memory to disclosing something about yourself, such tasks can make students feel they belong and boost class cohesion.
Sometimes, such ‘Peak Moments’ arise by themselves – and it is the teacher’s job to grasp the opportunity and make the most of them. More often than not however, they need to be created. In this session we will demonstrate how this can be done by means of four easy, practical activities.
Short Bio:
Nick Michelioudakis (B. Econ., Dip. RSA, MSc [TEFL]) has worked as a teacher, examiner and trainer for many years. He has given talks in numerous countries and he has written extensively on Methodology, though he is better known for his ‘Psychology and ELT’ articles in which he draws on insights from such disciplines as Marketing, Management and Social Psychology. He is particularly interested in student motivation and humour (he has his own YouTube channel – ‘Comedy for ELT’). You can visit his blog at www.michelioudakis.org.
‘A moment can be worth a thousand minutes’
Social Psychology and ELT: Peak Moments - ‘A moment can be worth a thousand minutes’
When it comes to human memory, some moments are more equal than others. Psychologists have discovered that ‘peak’ moments – and the way something ends – disproportionally colour our perception of events. There are four key elements which can help us create ‘peak’ moments in class:
Elevation: Any moment which rises above transient pleasure and can provide memorable delight. A poem, a text based on a painting, a moving ad can all create this feeling.
Pride: Engaging students in tasks which help them create something or perform exceptionally well. Mini-projects with Web 2.0 tools are particularly well-suited for this and in some cases only take minutes.
Insight: Moments which can rewrite our students understanding of the world – a realisation which changes the way they see something. Content matters and should not just be ‘catchy’ topical texts but useful knowledge (and preferably counter-intuitive too).
Connection: Activities which help students bond – moments which are strengthened because they are shared with others. From sharing a personal memory to disclosing something about yourself, such tasks can make students feel they belong and boost class cohesion.
Sometimes, such ‘Peak Moments’ arise by themselves – and it is the teacher’s job to grasp the opportunity and make the most of them. More often than not however, they need to be created. In this session we will demonstrate how this can be done by means of four easy, practical activities.
Short Bio:
Nick Michelioudakis (B. Econ., Dip. RSA, MSc [TEFL]) has worked as a teacher, examiner and trainer for many years. He has given talks in numerous countries and he has written extensively on Methodology, though he is better known for his ‘Psychology and ELT’ articles in which he draws on insights from such disciplines as Marketing, Management and Social Psychology. He is particularly interested in student motivation and humour (he has his own YouTube channel – ‘Comedy for ELT’). You can visit his blog at www.michelioudakis.org.
