Recognizing and Seizing the Teachable Moment

All medical educators have experienced "teachable moments" during their career, and most can likely share examples of these moments from both training and their role as educators. In addition, most if not all have faced a situation in which an educational opportunity fell short or was missed entirely. This View from the Association of Pediatric Program Directors is designed to help pediatric medical educators recognize these teachable moments and feel better prepared to seize them when they arise. First, the authors collate definitions of the "teachable moment" from a variety of sources into 1 coherent definition, using common themes of shared responsibility between educator and learner, spontaneity, consideration of the learning environment, and expanding teaching into other applications. Next the authors provide methods to help educators capitalize on teachable moments when they occur, including discussing goals and expectations, building a culture of error, anticipating common errors made by learners, withholding the answer, managing time effectively, and practicing mindfulness. Numerous examples are described to further understanding. By employing these tactics, both educators and learners can maximize their ability to utilize teachable moments in a variety of clinical settings.

English as a foreign language teacher training needs and perceived preparedness to include dyslexic learners: The case of Greece, Cyprus, and Poland

This study examines the effect of demographic variables on the beliefs of teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) about their preparedness to include dyslexic learners in mainstream classrooms in Greece, Cyprus, and Poland and identifies their professional development needs. Statistically significant multivariate analysis effects were obtained for country, training, teaching experience with dyslexic learners, and school type. Unlike overall teaching experience and completed level of education (degree), the type of teaching experience with dyslexic EFL learners (direct contact and personal involvement in teaching) seems to shape the perception of teacher preparedness to successfully include these learners. Other interesting tendencies were identified such as between-country differences concerning sources of prior professional knowledge on EFL and dyslexia as well as preferences for particular modes of training. The paper highlights the demand for professional training on EFL and dyslexia as this was confirmed across the three countries.