Dear ELTA members,

Warm greetings at the very beginning of the new school year! We hope that you have had a wonderfully lazy summer and are now looking forward to a fresh ELT start. The summer has perhaps been relaxing, but by no means eventless!

We are starting off the new school year with so many amazing pieces of news we want to share with you! This August our Association became a full-fledged member of TESOL, one of the largest English language teachers' associations in the world. Have a look at the welcome message at this link!  

What's more, we are proud to have Ms Radmila Popovic, whom you might know as one of your professors at the University, a teacher trainer, former ELTA Board member, presenter (the list is much much longer!), give a plenary at the 2008 IATEFL Conference in Exeter! A wonderful interlude for a new school year, wouldn't you say?

And it doesn't end there! There is a number of delightful ELT treats to look forward to in this school year, one of which is certainly the ELTA monthly Newsletter! To give it the focus it deserves, the ELTA Board and Editors thought long and hard how to make it even more appealing to you.

One of the ideas is to stroll through different regions with our monthly Guest Editors providing a different outlook on topics and events. Our September Guest Editor focusing on writing is Tatjana Glusac from Novi Sad. In October, we will be visiting Nis with Milica Savic and hear her story about translation. In November, Marijana Djordjevic will give us a tour of ELTA Regional Partners' Associations.

Would you like to help us with the choice of topics for next year’s issues and see it for yourself how much fun it is to be a Guest Editor? What else would you like to find in the Newsletter/MELT? Have a look at the questions at the end of this Newsletter and tell us how you feel by sending us an e-mail at melt@elta.org.yu. Together, let us embark on a journey into another wonderful ELT year with equally wonderful Newsletters.

On behalf of ELTA & the team of Editors,

Maja Simrak-Grbic
ELTA President

British Stereotypes Reinforced?
The YETI  2007 London experience
By Hajnalka Vereš
When I was first informed by the British Council that I was one of the six young lucky English teachers to travel to the UK in the scope of the YETI 2007 programme, after jumping for half an hour out of happiness and excitement, I started to think about what the biggest benefit from this journey would be: being able to listen and talk to native speakers? Read the whole article (MS Word 1.55MB)

EATAW for the 4th time
By Bojana Petrić
In the last decade, there has been a growing awareness of the importance of writing in higher education and of the need to devote more attention to the teaching of academic writing. Read the whole report (MS Word 256KB)

Discovering Ireland: I Felt More Than Welcome!
By Sanja Čonjagić
Contrary to wide-spread belief, I am prompt to claim that all the nice things in life do not necessarily happen to somebody else. Not until this year’s ELTA Conference was I convinced of that, but then, being awarded a full scholarship for two-weeks Teacher Refresher Course in Dublin School of English in July, I unexpectedly got the indisputable proof to support this thesis. Read the whole article(MS Word 126KB)

26 September 2007, 1815 – 2000
British Council premises
Hot Corner Workshop for English Language Teachers
‘Teaching Writing’
Presenter: Tatjana Glušac
Writing is by many considered to be the most difficult language skill to teach and master. The aim of the presentation is to share with colleagues the results of a research Tatjana Glusac carried out among junior high school students that helped her define the necessary steps  English language teachers need to take so as to improve teaching writing and thus help students master this language skill. Writing activities that will follow were designed based on the writing trend recommended by the most widespread and best-known American organizations for the improvement of writing.
For all information and applications contact Sanja Eric at sanja.eric@britishcouncil.org.yu

27 September 2007, 1815 – 2000
British Council premises
Happy Hour for English Language Teachers
‘CLIL – how to start’
Presenter: Nataša Jonović
Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) has become the umbrella term describing both learning another (content) subject such as physics or geography through the medium of a foreign language and learning a foreign language by studying a content-based subject. Natasa Jonovic will present some of the basic CLIL characteristics.
If interested, please apply at sanja.eric@britishcouncil.org.yu

29 September 2007, 1000 – 1400
British Council premises
Seminar for English Language Teachers
‘YETI 07 - Fun in the Classroom’
Presenters: Hajnalka Vereš, Gordana Čanak
2007 Yeti Program participants are sharing their experience gained in King’s School, London. Apply to seminars@elta.org.yu book your place, and use the opportunity to up-date your teaching technique! Ms Hajnalka Veres and Ms Gordana Canak will make the event worthwhile.

Click here for the upcoming events worldwide.

Writing Starts with Thinking
by Marija Kovač
Most students would agree that writing lessons are the most boring ones. And they are, too, if the students don't see the need to use their brains, but only adapt layouts which had already been given. Try to tickle your students' minds by making them think about their writing. Read the whole article (MS Word 35.5KB)

Beyond Writing
by Tatjana Glušac
Having been awarded the Hubert H. Humphrey 2006/2007 Fellowship for professional development, I left for the U.S. with the mind set that I wanted to devote the year to second/foreign language teaching methodology.However, after a month and a half of familiarizing myself with what there was for me to explore and learn, and just before I started realizing my IPP (Individual Program Plan), it became clear to me that something else was drawing my attention. Read the whole article (MS Word 31.5KB)

What is the European Day of Languages?
by EDL Team
The European Day of Languages (EDL), a Council of Europe initiative, is held annually on the 26 September to celebrate language and cultural diversity. The Day was first celebrated in 2001, the European Year of Languages and involves more people every year. Read the whole article (MS Word 31KB)

Tides and Ebbs
by Nenad Knežević
Home at last. Although I have two more weeks of summer break left, everything seems over already. The rest of it will probably be spent on going through the motions, anticipating the new school year.Croatia was great, shopping in Zadar as good as ever. Read the whole article (MS Word 73KB)

Why Writing Matters
by Tatjana Glušac
How much do our students write? How important is it that they learn to write in English? How much do we, English language teachers, write? Should we set an example for our students? Why has writing even in one’s mother tongue, let alone in a second or even foreign language, always been somehow neglected? Read the whole article (MS Word 43KB)

Living in a City Can Sometimes Be a Nightmare
by Jovan Grubić
Early one morning I woke up and got ready for school. It was mid December, so it was pretty cold, dark and wet outside. In spite of feeling bad I knew I had to be in front of school in about thirty minutes.I ran down the stairway and rushed through the gate into the street. A few moments later, I started living a nightmare. Read the whole article (MS Word 25.5KB)

Erica Jong At American Corner, Belgrade
by Ana Đurđevac, Milica Milojčić, Iva Lazović, Sonja Manojlović
The famous American authoress Erica Jong gathered us at the American Corner Belgrade on Thursday June 14 th, 2007. Everybody has probably heard of her  as well as of her novels, poems and articles. Read the whole article (MS Word 30KB)

A Volunteer's Story
by Jovana Dadić
I first found out about ELTA Conference through my English teacher in the high school I attend, (XIV Belgrade Grammar School), Mrs. Sladjana Sretenovic-Jovanovic. She asked me if I would like to volunteer on the 5th ELTA conference and I gladly said “yes” although at that time I wasn’t really sure what I was supposed to be doing, what the conference was about. Read the whole article (MS Word 27KB)

Teacher Resources
by Tatjana Glušac
Read the whole article (MS Word 26KB)

Teaching Ideas
by Tatjana Glušac
Ask students to draw a map of their lives from birth to present. Tell them to make sure they put hills and valleys to show their life changes. Ask them to share the map with some students in the class. While listening to a person telling their life story, those who are listening can ask the student questions so as to indicate what needs to be clarified/exemplified later in writing. Read the whole article (MS Word 97KB)

Using the Discovery Technique for Teaching Grammar: Article, Tips and Activities
by Adrian Tennant
Grammar can either be taught explicitly or implicitly. When we talk about an explicit approach to grammar we are talking about stating directly, usually at the beginning of a particular activity, what the grammar is. For example, “Today we are looking at the third conditional.” On the other hand an implicit approach to grammar is one where the students are ‘led’ to the grammar through a series of steps – this is what is meant by the ‘discovery technique’. Read the whole article (MS Word 58.5KB)

A Teacher's Guide to Wikis
by Marija Kovac
First of all, I hope you are not one of those teachers who think a computer is an enemy. Because it is not! It is a device which can, with the use of some tools, be the best teaching assistant you have ever had. If you already love Google, ELT sites and on-line dictionaries, you will simply adore wikies! Read the whole article (MS Word 51KB)

Writing about WRITING
by Leonora Molnar
I remember, when I was in school I never liked writing tasks… They always had a predetermined topic which was never interesting enough for me. I was just sitting over my notebook, for hours and hours trying hard to think about some content with which I would complete the task. Read the whole article (MS Word  44KB)

Writing Like Pizza
by Patricia Bell
As teachers we must approach each lesson as though we are willing to do it ourselves. If we teach reading we must read. If we teach writing we must write. We do not have to be the best at it, but we must at least do what we ask of our students. A teacher, as writer, is a daunting task. How can we expect to guide our students through the writing process, if we do not do it ourselves? Read the whole article (MS Word 37.5KB)

Writing With Young Learners
by Tatjana Glušac
Divide students in groups of 5-6. Give each group some construction paper, and ask them to draw and cut out (individually) whatever they want- something they like to eat/drink/do (an ice-cream, a ship, etc.), something that reflects their feelings (a heart, etc.), or anything else they wish. When they finish, give each group a large sheet of paper and ask them to agree on how to arrange individual items on the sheet so as to make a picture. Read the whole article (MS Word 24KB)

Fun Facts About Writing
by Tatjana Glušac
Israel and the UK are leading the world with per capita new titles per year.
For the second time in 20 years, the UK overtook the U.S. in 2006 as far as the number if titles published per year is concerned. Read the whole article (MS Word 60 KB)

Steps to Writing Well by Jean Wyrick
by Tatjana Glušac
For anyone interested in writing himself/herself and/or teaching writing, Steps to Writing Well is a must to have. It is one of those books I never separate from. Read the whole article (MS Word 33.5KB)

Plurilingualism in Europe and Its Implications
by Michael Byram
Plurilingualism is a concept developed in the Common European Framework of Reference of the Council of Europe. It refers to the capacity of individuals to ‘speak’ (i.e. one or more of: converse, read and write) two or more languages or language varieties to differing degrees and for changing purposes throughout their lives. Read the whole article (MS Word 53.5KB)

Writing Tips
by Carolyne Ardron
There are many activities on the British Council's site for young learners LearnEnglish Kids which can use with your learners to help them develope their writing skills.The range from writing poems, making stories, reading and sending book and film reviews and sending ecards to family and friends. Read the whole article (pdf document 106KB)

Recipes
by Sylvia Pisarski Onušić
Healthy food. Read the whole article (MS Word 41KB)

An Interview with Terry Payne
by Irena Miladin
Read the whole article (MS Word 111KB)

Share your thoughts with us! Send us your comments and suggestions – here are some guidelines to help you:

1.What are your favourite sections of Newsletter / MELT and why?
2.What do you think about this issue?
3.Any further comments or ideas regarding Newsletter / MELT?

All suggestions are welcome at melt@elta.org.yu.
We would hereby like to thank all the contributors and encourage them, and all of you, to continue making our newsletter fantastic as it is! The contributors should follow the guidelines for writing articles, fill in the submission form and forward it together with the article to melt@elta.org.yu.