Embedding English is crucial to help learners communicate properly with the world. So many times what people put on social media comes back to haunt them, through basic spelling errors or grammatical mistakes.
There is, without doubt, such an abundance of incorrect spelling and grammar on social media and that has crept in to the vernacular of young people, that we as tutors need to work twice as hard to ensure learners are aware of the correct way to write and speak.
I have worked hard to ensure my lessons embed functional English. I have observed English tutors to gain ideas about topics they are covering and how I could embed them in my starter or plenary activity. The advantage of this is I know I am developing skills that will help students within their subject areas and in their lives.
Furthmerore, introducing new words to learners is one of the most rewarding things you can do as a teacher. Many learners have a vast vocabulary by the time they reach 16, however, there are still many technical words you can bring to their attention. This is empowering to students, as they are able to understand new information. It is also surprising, as many learners think they "know it all", so giving that element of surprise catches learner's attention. Finally, it is engaging, as it gives learners a new way of expressing themselves.
I pride myself on a high level of English ability and set high expectations of English for learners, including correcting spelling, grammar and punctuation. I bring these high expectations into lessons and hopefully, this will influence learners.
