Description
Articles by contributors discuss cultural awareness in the English language classroom, English for Specific Purposes, designing test-preparation classes, and cooperative classroom management.
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This article discusses how teachers can incorporate cultural knowledge into English language classes, exploring elements of culture, intercultural phenomena, and high-context and low-context cultures. Activities offered by the author to raise cultural awareness include web quests, role plays, cultural observations, and culture journals.
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Text (PDF)The authors espouse the need for negotiation in designing and delivering English for Specific Purposes (ESP) programs. Such negotiations take into account learners’ needs as well as structural limitations of the context and candid assessment of ESP providers. The article explores lessons from the field and the importance of needs analysis.
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Test-preparation classes that focus on skills will benefit students beyond the test by developing skills they can use at university. This article discusses the purposes of various tests and outlines how to design effective test-prep classes. Several practical activities are included, and an appendix provides information on common standardized tests of English.
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This article discusses techniques for organizing large classes to allow smooth transitions from whole-class discussions to individual and group work. Topics discussed include how to form groups, keeping track of groups, using colors to organize students, setting expectations, and establishing consequences.
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Boats are the subject of this feature article, which explores such topics as the age of steamboats, commercial boats, recreational boats, boating vocabulary, and the Mississippi River in American literature.
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This section presents three stand-alone English language-learning activities related to boats.
- “Going to School by Ferry boat,” for upper beginner and intermediate students, allows learners to practice listening to language about an everyday routine and to learn transportation vocabulary.
- “Classifying Boats,” for intermediate students, teaches learners about boat types and their features and helps them develop classifying skills and write a classifying essay.
- “Mapping the Mississippi River,“ for intermediate students, provides practice with vocabulary related to boats and rivers.
Format: Text
This puzzle requires unscrambling the names of various boats and using designated letters to solve a riddle.