This webinar is a featured component of the American TESOL Institute’s Teaching Children English Certification. Attendees will gain insights directly applicable to specialized certification in young learner education.
Speaker: Jason R. Levine (Fluency MC)
Date: Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM EST
Location: Click to Join on Zoom
Understanding the “Leader of Children”
The word “pedagogy” carries a history of “tough love.” In Ancient Greece, the Paidagogos was not the professor at the podium, but the person who made sure the student actually made it to the podium without getting into trouble along the way. Essentially, the first pedagogues were part bodyguard, part life coach, and part “human GPS.”
In this session, renowned ELT specialist Jason R. Levine explores how the literal meaning of pedagogy—”leading a child”—continues to shape our modern educational frameworks. If you have ever felt like your job is 20% teaching grammar and 80% leading your students through a linguistic wilderness, you are simply honoring your Greek roots.
Modern Methodologies: Who are you leading?
A central theme of our discussion will be the “Best Fit” for different learners. We will break down which modern pedagogies actually work for your specific classroom demographic:
Best for Children (Pedagogy)
- Total Physical Response (TPR): Excellent for young learners; it utilizes physical movement to react to verbal input, mirroring natural first-language acquisition.
- The Direct Method: Focuses on total immersion and visual aids, bypassing the need for complex meta-linguistic explanations that children aren’t ready for yet.
- Gamification: Integrating game-design elements to maintain the high engagement levels required for shorter attention spans.
Best for Adults (Andragogy)
- Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT): Highly effective for adults who need immediate, practical results (e.g., “How to conduct a business meeting” or “Negotiating a lease”).
- Communicative Language Teaching (CLT): Focuses on functional interaction. Adults typically want to use the language as a tool for social or professional connection rather than just memorizing rules.
- Translanguaging: A respectful, asset-based approach that allows adults to use their existing vast knowledge of their native language to “scaffold” their English learning.
Key Discussion Points
- The Historical Pedagogue: A look at the Greek roots pais (child) and agogos (leader) and why the original role focused more on character and guidance than academic facts.
- The “Pedant” Trap: Understanding the shared etymology of “pedant” and how to avoid becoming the teacher who is so obsessed with the “how” that the students forget the “why.”
- Practical 2026 Strategies: Connecting historical “guidance” to high-energy, modern TESOL methodologies that bridge the gap between theory and the classroom floor.
Why Attend?
Jason R. Levine brings his signature energy and creative training methods to this deep dive into educational theory. Whether you are an experienced teacher or seeking your Teaching Children English Certification, this webinar offers a fresh perspective on the “art and science” of teaching. You will leave with a better understanding of your identity as a guide—and perhaps a bit more sympathy for those ancient Greeks who had to carry all the books.
