Mind Mapping for Helping Natural Language: Tools

I have been fascinated with mind mapping since I first read  Tony Buzan's   book on this topic many years ago.  

This is a strategy that helps students quickly relate a central word or concept. The mind forms associations almost instantaneously and 'mapping' allows them to write their ideas quicker, using only words or phrases.


Read more about at Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Mind Mapping for Helping Natural Language

Online Authentic Videos for meaningful ESL learnin...

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Online Authentic Videos for meaningful ESL learning:

One of the most difficult issues to work without published English course books is to find good videos (and listenings) adapted for the ESL ...

With the help of my colleague Patricia Meneses, an awesome Art CLIL teacher and teacher trainer, we did a research in Internet on web pages, You Tube channels or Vimeo channels with videos, short films or commercials suitable to be used in the class with elementary, pre-intermediate and intermediate students.

Is there any Difference Between Doing Projects and Project Based Learning?

I’ve been posting a lot about PBL (Project Based Learning) and Teaching English as a Second Language: 

But there is a big difference between doing projects in the class and learning through projects. The main goal of a project is the final product, while project-based learning main goal is the process.

Read more about at Cockroaches and Ladybugs blog.  

Games about Dinosaurs, Birds and Mammals...

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Games about Dinosaurs, Birds and Mammals...:

Some days ago I was surfing the net in search of some information for a project about dinosaurs we are planning in the school. I landed in...

How do cultural differences affect the English Language Learners Ability to Succeed in School?..

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: How do cultural differences affect the English Language Learners ...:

I’ve been teaching in a CAEP School* for two years and primary ELL’s show cultural differences that really affects how they respond, act and...


"People's cultures are a huge part of their life. It has a huge effect on how they see the world, and how they do activities and work in their life".

Is that CLIL or what?

I have received some comments and questions about what’s CLIL and what’s not and, especially about the definition of "language showers"...  it seems to me that this is an aspect not clearn enough!

Is teaching a subject in a foreign language CLIL? Are immersion programmesCLIL? Are “language showers” CLIL? Are “workshops” or modulesCLIL?

Have a look at the following article and decide by yourself if you are doing CLIL or not!

Cockroaches and Ladybugs Blog

Web 2.0 tools... How to choose the right one?

Start working with Web 2.0 tools in the classroom can be a hard and painful process that can lead to throw in the towel, before getting some...

How to build our “Web 2.0 Tool Kit”? You won't want to teach a lesson with a technology part if you don't feel confident using technology.

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Web 2.0 tools... How to choose the right one?: