Speaker
Description
Preparing for EFL writing tasks can be extremely challenging for learners with insufficient background knowledge or language skills. To improve their writing skills, EFL teachers must design various activities, of which the use of pictures throughout a pre-writing activity is efficient when useful vocabulary, idioms, and sentence structures are contextually provided and will be utilized for the writing task. Grounded in Dual Coding Theory (Paivio, 1986) and SLA principles (Krashen, 1985; Swain, 1985), this workshop will demonstrate how pictures or images can serve as prompts and scaffold language production by sequencing ideas for the writing task. Furthermore, vocabulary and grammar can also develop while learners’ critical thinking skills are triggered by the pictorial illustrations. Pictures, when appropriately used, can improve their descriptive and narrative writing skills and allow the teacher to develop not only a wide variety of tasks but also a sequence of tasks.
Biography
Đinh Văn An (BA) is an EFL teacher at PTC Language Center in Nha Trang, Vietnam. With over six years of experience teaching English to young, adolescent, and adult learners, he specializes in fostering learner motivation, engagement, collaboration, and inclusive learning environments through innovative methods. As a frequent presenter at PTC workshops and forums, he actively shares strategies for creating dynamic and interactive classroom environments. His research interests include student-centered teaching, technology-integrated learning, inclusive pedagogy, and strategies to enhance classroom participation and motivation.
