Monika Bigaj-Kisala

7 Free Online Courses in August

August 2, 2022 /0 Comments/in Free Online Courses, Inspirations, Learning, Teaching /by Monika Bigaj-Kisala

You may think August means you’re in the middle of your summer break, but with every day the shadow of the upcoming school year grows more and more menacing. That’s why I thought you could use a short course that will help you prepare for the challenges. So, this time I found a batch of free courses that will encourage you to take care of your mental health and review some important teaching skills – so that all those back to school vibes won’t make you (overly) sad.

7 Free Online Courses in July

June 28, 2022 /0 Comments/in Free Online Courses, Inspirations, Learning, Teaching /by Monika Bigaj-Kisala

There are so many things you can do in July – swim, hike, eat fresh fruit, enjoy summer break (if you have one)… But if you feel like developing your skills and abilities, I want to share some cool online courses that are really enjoyable and you can learn something new between all those exciting summer activities.

Food in the Classroom: Delicious Challenge

June 7, 2022 /0 Comments/in Inspirations, Learning, No-prep lesson plans, Teaching, Tools /by Monika Bigaj-Kisala

Bringing real food to the classroom may turn out to be a challenge, especially when you think of all the things that could possibly go wrong – allergies, accidents, poisonings… Ugh!
However, I want to share the ideas that worked well for me and my students – we all had a lot of fun and nobody was hurt.

Summer Songs and Stories: lesson idea

June 7, 2022 in Inspirations, No-prep lesson plans, Teaching, Teaching Online, Tools /by Monika Bigaj-Kisala

Songs seem to be a popular option for summer classes, and fill-in-the-blanks activities are probably the most popular forms of exercises to include songs in an EFL lesson. However, you can make your students use songs to create new stories, and that’s how they work not only on their receptive, but also productive language. And they still have a lot of fun!

7 Free Online Courses in June

May 31, 2022 /1 Comment/in Free Online Courses, Inspirations, Learning, Teaching, Teaching Online /by Monika Bigaj-Kisala

I believe you are already thinking about your summer break, aren’t you? And yet here I am with a batch of online courses! Before you shrug off any idea of self-development, take a look at the classes you may take up this summer – and that’s the point, actually: I have picked 7 courses that are not only free but also self-paced, which means you can learn something new whenever you feel like it.

End of the course activities

May 24, 2022 /0 Comments/in Inspirations, No-prep lesson plans, Teaching, Teaching Online, Video /by Monika Bigaj-Kisala

Do we really need end of the course activities? Well – yes. If we want our students to reflect on what they’ve learnt and focus on their short- and long-term goals, those activities can be really useful.
I want to share some simple activities that require no preparation and bring a lot of fun in the classroom.

Effective homework

April 26, 2022 /0 Comments/in Inspirations, Teaching, Teaching Online, Video /by Monika Bigaj-Kisala

It’s not easy to make your students actually do the homework. I believe that effective homework should be:
a) short
b) relevant
c) engaging
d) fun
And I have some simple homework ideas your students will enjoy!

The Power of Useless (TED-based lesson plan)

April 12, 2022 /0 Comments/in Inspirations, Learning, No-prep lesson plans, Teaching Online /by Monika Bigaj-Kisala

I believe we all need a bit of pure fun – especially now. And one of the first people that comes to my mind when I think of joy is Simone Giertz, a woman who makes robots that are useless – and while it may sound somewhat absurd, I think you will enjoy my simple yet highly educational lesson plan.

7 Free Online Courses in April

April 5, 2022 /0 Comments/in Free Online Courses, Inspirations, Learning /by Monika Bigaj-Kisala

This March was a really draining month, so the courses I’ve found focus on what I, and a lot of the people I know, need most: mental help. We’re facing a humanitarian crisis, and all of us, especially those educators who work with kids and teens might need all the help possible. So here are some short courses that might actually help you – and your students.

Breathe In, Breathe Out: 5 Breathing Activities for Teachers and Students

March 29, 2022 /2 Comments/in Inspirations, Teaching, Teaching Online, Tools /by Monika Bigaj-Kisala

As you know, I’m a fan of mindfulness, but I know some of the exercises take time. That’s why I thought about various breathing activities – they’re short, easy to implement in a daily schedule (or in a classroom), and they really work!

About Monika Bigaj-Kisala

Entries by Monika Bigaj-Kisala