When I was originally asked to be the host on the TES MFL Staffroom Forum, I nearly fell off my chair! To say I was flattered would be the understatement of the year and I've been grinning ever since.
As part of the site revamp, The TES plan to have 'expert hosts' on all their fora to encourage debate and resolve queries.
This is not to say that I will be able to answer every single question ever posed about learning and teaching modern foreign languages since the year dot. However, I will do my best to help out with any issues I do have experience in (as I've been doing for the last few years on this blog).
Having used language fora since the end of the last century, I know that they are a great way of developing one's own professional development and learning from like-minded colleagues as are blogs and Twitter too. The strength of any online community is the willingness of its members to share their ideas. In vibrant ones, regular posters can become recognised as experts in their given fields over time because of the helpful feedback they give.
To single out individuals as hosts is perhaps too formal for some. I do appreciate this point of view, but not to the extent of turning down this fantastic opportunity which I see as somewhat of a busman's holiday as I already read posts on a daily basis via RSS as well as visiting the forum to check out replies to interesting threads.
It's also lovely to officially return to the site having previously written eighteen posts for the TES ICT blog and air my Times Educational Supplement category again.
So if you'd like to ask me something, just start the title of your message Dear Joe and I'll see what I can do to help.
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