With that in mind, here’s my homage to (or copy of!) her idea. I’ve started using this apple shaped drinks coaster in a one to one class. What do you think I’m using it for? How would you use it in your classes?
Update: So here’s how I use it. My student has a particular pronunciation problem that, despite drilling and other pronunciation activities keeps recurring. The student can deal with the problem when they think about it, but in other activities it gets forgotten and comes back.
I leave the apple on the table between us. Rather than interrupting her or even saying anything at the end of the sentence when the problem has occurred, I wait until the sentence is over and then calmly put my hand on the apple. The learner knows this is my signal to go back and try the sentence again, and they know exactly what the problem is. By doing this, I’m minimising the interruption as much as I can while dealing with the issue.
If anyone can remind where I got this idea from, I’d be grateful!
The Teacher James 