jargon) the special aspects and problems of teaching, learning and
assessment in the TESOL discipline.
7 Don’t write the introduction yet! The introduction to a portfolio is
extremely important. There is no second chance to make a good first
impression! You can only write a really good introduction when you know
exactly what you’re introducing, so leave the introduction until you’ve more
or less finished everything else in your portfolio. You can, of course, write a
draft introduction, but this is probably best as a bullet-point list, or a
mindmap sketch.
8 Write (or polish) the reflective pieces about each section of secondary
data. You may already have written some of these, such as your analysis of
learner feedback on a course, or your discussion of the planning of the
learning outcomes for a new course element. However, now is the time to
make sure that all of these ‘primary’ parts of your portfolio will hang
together nicely, and will be written in the same overall style and voice.
9 Get other people’s feedback. Another pair of eyes is always useful. Show
bits of your portfolio to colleagues, friends and contacts in other institutions
if you can. Ask them to scribble liberally over anything where it could be
worth you having second thoughts, or further explanations. Also ask them
also not to hesitate in pointing out typographical or grammatical errors: it is
always easier for someone else to find them than for us to spot our own!
10 Now write the introduction. It also helps enormously to present first a
good contents page, based on the draft index you started out with. Try to
make sure that your portfolio is easy for any reader to navigate. Make it easy
for your readers to tell the difference between your primary data, and the
backup examples that are there as supporting data. It is normally better to
collect together all of the primary data (your reflections, analyses, action
plans, and so on) at the front of the portfolio, with all of your secondary data
(illustrating your work in teaching, learning, and assessment) thereafter.
This makes it clear that your readers are intended to read the primary data
and scan the secondary data, especially if they have limited time to give to
your portfolio.47 Managing your time
Time management skills are not only connected with effectiveness and
efficiency, but are closely related to the quality of your life. Stress is less likely
to be associated with having too much to do, than with the feeling that there is
not enough time to do it all in. Often teachers have much of their time
predetermined by their teaching timetables and assessment commitments. But
even if only a fraction of your working time is under your control, we feel the
following tips will help you to make it more productive.
88 500 TIPS FOR TESOL