 Following
her BA degree in languages at Durham University, England
in 1989 Shelley Vernon took a TEFL qualification
and became a teacher. She taught in language schools
in the UK and privately around the world for several
years.
Having
been largely bored to death herself while in school
Shelley was determined not to put her own students through
the same desperate clock-watching and she always strove
to prepare fun, stimulating classes that pupils would
enjoy and remember. She taught using a variety of methods,
including the driest textbooks imaginable, which called
for large amounts of creativity in order to make lessons
more interesting. However it was only when she started
to teach children French as a second language in 1999
that she really discovered the joy of teaching.
She
created a method from her experiences to share with
other teachers. She has since shared her ideas with
thousands of teachers around the world, bringing enthusiasm
and a love of learning into the classroom, as well as
great results. Shelley's approach concentrates on enhancing
listening and speaking skills through language games
which involve repetition and through fluency
activities which have genuine communicative
value rather than artificial conversation.
She
created her best-selling "101 English Language
Games for Children" and followed this up with badly
needed resources for preschool children, including games
and a curriculum laid out in twenty illustrated stories.
Having taught preschool children at a Montessori nursery
Shelley knows exactly what a teacher needs to
do this successfully and stories are a stunningly
useful element. Her ESL Games and Activities for Adults
are also highly praised by teachers around the world.
In
addition to her degree in foreign languages, Shelley also holds a
university degree in music (2000) from Canterbury Christchurch College.
Shelley lives in France with her husband, who is a ski instructor in
Val d'Isere. She sings in two choirs, loves classical music, and enjoys
keeping fit with skiing, yoga and walking her adorable cocker spaniel.
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