Author: Laura Stoutenburg

A college professor and accredited TESL trainer for more than 20 years, Laura Stoutenburg, holding an M.A., has taught and developed curricula for a variety of topics, with her work including language assessment in China and Canada. Before joining Teaching and Learning as a consultant, Laura coordinated Conestoga’s TESL Certificate and English Language Studies programs. She specializes in matters related to Intercultural Teaching and language acquisition, and is available at the Kitchener Downtown Campus.

November 23, 2022

Oral Assessments: Benefits, Drawbacks, and Considerations

Reading Time: 6 minutes This tip discusses factors to consider when deciding whether to add an oral exam as a course assessment.

Assessing Learning/Creating Assessments/Student Focused Assessment/Teaching

August 11, 2022

Teaching in a Wide Classroom

Reading Time: 4 minutes This tip will provide suggestions for making the best use of wide classrooms with two projectors on side-by-side whiteboards, particularly if the first set of rows is close to the front wall so that students at each end of the first row will likely only be able to fully see one whiteboard.

In-person/Lesson and Course Planning/Teaching

January 21, 2022

Jigsaw

Reading Time: 3 minutes A versatile group learning activity in which students become the “experts” and teach each other.

Active Learning and Engagement/Group Work/Teaching

November 25, 2021

Preparing to Teach While Wearing a Mask

Reading Time: 7 minutes As we get ready for our in-person classes, how can we prepare to teach so that everyone can hear and process what we say? This teaching tip gathers advice and suggestions from experts in hearing and education for some no-tech practices and some-tech-enabled practices to help ensure maximum clarity in the classroom.

In-person/Teaching

September 2, 2021

Creating a Rubric

Reading Time: 6 minutes If you are seeking a clear, efficient framework for marking assessments, follow these guidelines to create an assessment rubric.

Assessing Learning/Rubrics and Marking/Teaching

August 31, 2021

Trauma Informed Teaching

Reading Time: 6 minutes As we begin our teaching each semester, we welcome strangers into our class whose past experiences are unknown to us. Over time, it sometimes becomes clear that a student is struggling with the impact of life experiences on the student’s ability to learn. This teaching tip will provide a research perspective and practical suggestions to help make your class a welcoming environment for students with trauma in their past (or present).

Accessible Learning/Teaching

July 16, 2021

Review and Reflection and How to Assess Them: Part 2

Reading Time: 3 minutes Part 2 of a two-part teaching tip on assessing review and reflection as skills includes suggestions to help students build their ability to reflect both as learners and as practitioners in their field.

Assessing Learning/Creating Assessments/Lesson and Course Planning/Teaching

July 16, 2021

Review and Reflection and how to Assess Them: Part 1

Reading Time: 6 minutes In part 1 of a two-part teaching tip on assessing the professional skills of reflection/review, reflection is defined and explained in a historical context.

Assessing Learning/Creating Assessments/Lesson and Course Planning/Teaching

May 18, 2021

Students from India: Help Them to be Successful

Reading Time: 5 minutes How can you best prepare for cohorts of students from India? This Teaching Tip aims to help you find out.

Teaching/Teaching International Students

April 13, 2021

Marking Dilemmas

Reading Time: 5 minutes During challenging times, how should we proceed with grading in order to balance academic rigour and fairness with care and understanding for our students? This teaching tip helps you to manage a number of marking dilemmas you may experience.

Assessing Learning/Assessment Challenges/Rubrics and Marking/Teaching

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