January 4, 2010

Teaching Without Speaking

Elaine Smokewood, a professor of English at Oklahoma City University, was robbed of the ability to talk and travel to class by Lou Gehrig's disease. But adversity—and technology—have made her a better teacher, she says.

Comments

1. louisekraz - January 11, 2010 at 11:43 am

Thanks for the amazing lesson about what really counts in teaching.

2. laoshi - January 13, 2010 at 10:18 am

Constructivist methods in teaching English can be effective, but Dr. Smokewood needs to be more honest. Whilst begging the rest of us to reflect on our possible over-use of theatrics, she is actually producing an attention-grabbing spectacle in the classroom. With her voice synthesizer and "projector thing"(as her student calls it), Smokewood is simply blowing smoke, no pun intended.