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English Teaching Forum 2014, Volume 52, Number 3
Is a dog really a person’s best friend? In this issue, dogs are the subject of the feature article, classroom activities, and The Lighter Side.

Articles by contributors explore assessment literacy, the use of locally relevant authentic materials, a paragraph-first approach to academic writing, and entrepreneurship and student motivation.

Format: Text
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U.S. Subscriptions: English Teaching Forum is exempted from the Congressional restriction on distribution of Department of State-produced materials in the United States. U.S. residents who want to order the printed edition can order from the U.S. Superintendent of Documents.

Table of Contents

Assessment Literacy: Building a Base for Better Teaching and LearningExpand

This article presents principles and practices of effective assessment, outlining seven key concepts—usefulness, reliability, validity, practicality, washback, authenticity, and transparency—and demonstrating how to apply them in creating an exam blueprint. The article also discusses the importance of providing feedback after a test has been given, how to create an exam file for further reflection, and basic statistics for testing.

Author: Dawn Rogier
Format: Text
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International Subscriptions: English Teaching Forum is distributed through U.S. Embassies. If you would like to subscribe to the print version of English Teaching Forum, please contact the Public Affairs or Cultural Affairs section of the U.S. Embassy in your country.

U.S. Subscriptions: English Teaching Forum is exempted from the Congressional restriction on distribution of Department of State-produced materials in the United States. U.S. residents who want to order the printed edition can order from the U.S. Superintendent of Documents.

Meeting EFL Learners Halfway by Using Locally Relevant Authentic MaterialsExpand

The author defines and describes authentic materials and discusses their benefits—citing the Input Hypothesis and the Output Principle in support of such materials—as well as some challenges of using authentic materials. Five categories of authentic materials are presented, and sources for materials and ways to use them in the EFL classroom are also explored.

Author: Catherine Thomas
Format: Text
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International Subscriptions: English Teaching Forum is distributed through U.S. Embassies. If you would like to subscribe to the print version of English Teaching Forum, please contact the Public Affairs or Cultural Affairs section of the U.S. Embassy in your country.

U.S. Subscriptions: English Teaching Forum is exempted from the Congressional restriction on distribution of Department of State-produced materials in the United States. U.S. residents who want to order the printed edition can order from the U.S. Superintendent of Documents.

A Paragraph-First Approach to the Teaching of Academic WritingExpand

This article begins by evaluating how academic writing is taught in EFL/ESL contexts—historically, the sentence has been seen as the basic element of written communication; that puts the emphasis on grammar. An alternative approach, which regards the paragraph as the basic element in academic writing, puts organization ahead of grammar. The author espouses this approach and provides a series of writing activities that use it.

Author: David Gugin
Format: Text
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International Subscriptions: English Teaching Forum is distributed through U.S. Embassies. If you would like to subscribe to the print version of English Teaching Forum, please contact the Public Affairs or Cultural Affairs section of the U.S. Embassy in your country.

U.S. Subscriptions: English Teaching Forum is exempted from the Congressional restriction on distribution of Department of State-produced materials in the United States. U.S. residents who want to order the printed edition can order from the U.S. Superintendent of Documents.

Entrepreneurship and Student MotivationExpand

This article describes a three-week project-based unit on entrepreneurship conducted with students in communications classes in an Academic English context. A detailed road map of the project is given, starting with an introduction and ending with final presentations and poster sessions. Students were motivated by their own interests in business and by the assignment to create a new business venture of their own. A handout for replicating the project accompanies the article.

Author: Julie Vorholt and Erica Harris
Format: Text
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U.S. Subscriptions: English Teaching Forum is exempted from the Congressional restriction on distribution of Department of State-produced materials in the United States. U.S. residents who want to order the printed edition can order from the U.S. Superintendent of Documents.

Canine Companions and HelpersExpand

This feature article highlights dog breeds that are popular in the United States and explores the health benefits and services that dogs provide to people. The article also discusses dog shows and dogs in popular culture.

Author: Phyllis McIntosh
Format: Text
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U.S. Subscriptions: English Teaching Forum is exempted from the Congressional restriction on distribution of Department of State-produced materials in the United States. U.S. residents who want to order the printed edition can order from the U.S. Superintendent of Documents.

Classroom ActivitiesExpand

This section presents three stand-alone English language-learning activities related to dogs.

1. “Bingo!,” for beginner and above students, will allow students to review vocabulary, grammar, or other language items using a game format.

2. “A Man’s Best Friend,” for upper beginner to intermediate students, provides practice of vocabulary and listening skills and an opportunity to write and present a paragraph describing a human or animal friend.

3. “Getting Out of the Doghouse,” for intermediate and above students, encourages students to employ creativity and problem-solving skills and to use a dog-related idiom in writing and speaking activities.

Author: Heather Benucci
Format: Text
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U.S. Subscriptions: English Teaching Forum is exempted from the Congressional restriction on distribution of Department of State-produced materials in the United States. U.S. residents who want to order the printed edition can order from the U.S. Superintendent of Documents.

The Lighter Side: "Dog Tricks"Expand

In this puzzle, readers use clues to fill in commands that someone might give to a dog.

Format: Text
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Subscriptions: English Teaching Forum is distributed through U.S. embassies. If you would like to subscribe to the print version of English Teaching Forum, please contact the Public Affairs or Cultural Affairs section of the U.S. Embassy in your country.

U.S. Subscriptions: English Teaching Forum is exempted from the Congressional restriction on distribution of Department of State-produced materials in the United States. U.S. residents who want to order the printed edition can order from the U.S. Superintendent of Documents.