Proceedings of The 8th International Conference on New Approaches in Education
Year: 2024
DOI:
[PDF]
The English Accent Network: Unite in Accents, Empower in English
Alexey Shakhin
ABSTRACT:
In today’s globalized world, English is the primary language for international communication. It is crucial for ESL students to be exposed to a variety of English accents. Unlike traditional resources that allow users to select and listen to specific accents, our innovative platform facilitates live interactions with both native and non-native speakers. This is achieved through participation in each other’s online lessons, creating an immersive learning experience. Our network operates in a simple and straightforward manner. Teachers join our free Facebook group and provide a brief introduction, preferably in video format, so everyone can see them and hear their accents. When a teacher wants to expose their students to that accent, they contact the corresponding group member and invite them to join an online class. In exchange, they offer a similar collaboration opportunity. With 30+ years of experience in the linguistics industry, having reached fluency in four languages, I see huge potential of our network for both teachers and learners.
Benefits for students:
– Enhanced communication abilities;
– Practical application in real life, such as working with international businesses or traveling;
– Improved listening and comprehension skills;
– Increased cultural appreciation and understanding of diversity and more.
Advantages for teachers:
– Distinguish yourself as an ambitious and innovative educator;
– Effortlessly increase your professional value and earning potential;
– Prepare students for exams by exposing them to a variety of accents
(e.g., IELTS Listening uses 10 specific accents);
– Provide practical tests for students to hone their listening and speaking skills;
– Offer a unique experience that the majority of students have never encountered;
– Reward diligent students with exclusive learning opportunities;
– Improve student retention by offering unparalleled resources;
– Expand your global network, creating personal and professional connections worldwide.
Our workshop will answer a lot of questions teachers ask themselves before joining, including:
– Which accents should I expose my students to and why?
– What is the optimal session duration?
– What are the best topics to discuss?
– Am I supposed to evaluate the English level of my collocutor?
– Can I lose a student by participating in this kind of collaboration?
– Can non-native teachers join the English Accent Network?
– Do I need to have a degree to join?
– How is this network better than language exchange platforms?
– Why is such a valuable tool being offered at no cost?
Meet Julia. She is one of my students, born in Russia and residing in the UAE. She has demonstrated remarkable enthusiasm, and we recently celebrated our 100th lesson. After several 30-minute sessions with the USA, the UK and Switzerland, she described her experience as “exciting and beneficial.”
Attendees of this workshop will leave with a powerful new tool that can be applied immediately.
Note: The length of this presentation can be adjusted to 30, 45, or 60 minutes.
Links:
• Concept Overview
• EAN Facebook Group
• My Personal Site
• 6-Minute Overview of My Professional Experience
• 50+ Video Reviews from Students Worldwide
keywords: Cross-cultural exchange, Immersive learning, Innovative teaching methods, Linguistic diversity, Teacher collaboration