Alabama-Mississippi
Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages
AMTESOL has a new mailing address! AMTESOL PO Box 360122 Hoover, AL 35236
PCI Workshop D
Thursday, January 16, 2025
1:00 - 4:00pm
Montgomery, Alabama
Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center
Supporting Language and Content: Interactive Peer-to-Peer Oral Techniques (IPOTs)
Sorry, due to its popularity, this Workshop is at capacity. Please choose Workshop A, B, or C.
​
Have you been wanting to incorporate more speaking into your lessons? However, whenever you try getting students to talk, hardly anyone talks. If so, this session is for you. Here you will learn to promote speaking by using Interactive Peer-to-Peer Oral Techniques (IPOTs). At all ages and language levels, learners are less inhibited to speak when interacting one-on-one with a peer (while no one else is watching). During paired IPOTs, half of your students speak with a partner while the partner listens, and then the roles are reversed. During this session, you will have an opportunity to experience several IPOTs first-hand. In fact, while participating in our five favorite IPOTs (gap-filling tango, turn and tell, concentric circles, parallel lines, add-to-the-circle), you will find yourself speaking a language you probably never knew existed.
​
In this session, you will also learn about using IPOTs to help ALL students — English learners and native English speakers — develop academic language in targeted content areas. The presenters will share how the district-wide use of IPOTs in Florence City Schools from 2011 to 2014 was instrumental with implementing the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP). More recently, Florence teachers have used IPOTs to guide students with developing their ability to use academic oral discourse to demonstrate knowledge and apply skills in mathematics and other content areas.
​
As the session reaches closure, you will participate in the Hot Onion and Roaming Reporter IPOTs for reflecting on what you have learned and for brainstorming how to apply IPOTs in your classroom. Just like when we first experienced IPOTs, you will leave this session feeling empowered at using IPOTs to support students in developing language and content.
Presenters
Carol Behel, Ed.D.
Carol Behel teaches ESL at Weeden Elementary, Florence City Schools (AL). Carol was the 2019-20 Alabama Teacher of the Year. Originally from Guatemala, she taught Spanish and German before becoming an ESL teacher and facilitator. She is National Board certified and holds one degree (BS) from the University of North Alabama and three degrees (MA, Ed.S. and Ed.D.) from the University of Alabama. After learning about IPOTs in 2010, Carol spearheaded the promotion of IPOTs within the Florence school district.
Monica Farris, Ed.D.
Monica Farris teaches ESL at Weeden Elementary, Florence City Schools (AL). Also from Guatemala, Monica taught Spanish and French before becoming an ESL teacher. She is National Board certified and holds an undergraduate degree and Ed.S. from the University of North Alabama, a master's degree from the University of Alabama at Huntsville, and also an Ed.D. After learning about IPOTs at the 2010 AMTESOL conference, Monica shared this idea with Carol and other Florence colleagues.
Erica Skidmore, Ed.S.
Erica Skidmore teaches ESL at Pick Elementary in Auburn City Schools (AL). She holds an undergraduate degree from Jacksonville State University and two ESL graduate degrees (MA and Ed.S.) from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. After using IPOTs for many years as an elementary teacher in Etowah County, Erica now uses them as an ESL teacher in Auburn.
Jess Nelson, Ed.S.
Jess Nelson teaches ESL at four schools in St. Clair County (AL). He holds an undergraduate degree from Jacksonville State University and two ESL graduate degrees (MA and Ed.S.) from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. After having experienced IPOTs in his graduate courses, Jess has used IPOTs in three school districts and at all grade levels (K-12).