Advanced Search: Resources

1. A Tale of Two Animals

   In: English Teaching Forum 2007, Volume 45, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   An Indonesian fable is the theme of this three-part lesson for young learners. Students practice with the past-tense verbs used in the fable. By listening, reading and ordering the sentences, and copying a paragraph of the story, students become very familiar with the fable. The lessons finish with homework to write a play based on the fable. Students may select and perform the best play from their group.

2. Adbusting: Critical Media Literacy in a Multi-Skills Academic Writing Lesson

   In: English Teaching Forum 2008, Volume 46, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   This article provides 10 reasons why it is important to do critical media analysis in the second language classroom and describes how a process-writing approach can be used for this in a university writing class. The authors explain how to prepare a lesson plan and the idea of an “Adbuster.” They then describe 10 stages in the lesson plan that involve different activities that blend the themes of an advertisement with the stages of the writing process.

3. Lesson Plan: Exploring Michigan

   In: English Teaching Forum 2009, Volume 47, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   The lesson plan “Exploring Michigan” provides information on things to see and do in Michigan. It has three parts: a warm-up, the main activities that cover the four skills, and follow-up activities to further practice the content of main activities. The lesson aims to practice expressions of preference and persuasion. At the same time, the learners plan things to do on a trip to Michigan while creating and presenting an itinerary for a trip to Michigan, and then for a visit to their own country.

4. Dictionary.com

   Format(s): Website

   Dictionary.com has several sub-pages, including Thesaurus, Word Dynamo, Quotes, Reference, and Translator. There are a variety of educational activities and resources on each of these pages, filled with interesting ways for teachers and students to learn.

5. Using Progressive I-Can Statements to Promote Learner Confidence in Writing

   In: English Teaching Forum 2010, Volume 48, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   Language learners may sometimes feel shy and unsure of their abilities and may not be able to see what they are able to do. The authors found that writing I-can statements (e.g., I can write the names of foods in English) can be a good way to build confidence. Students use their I-can records to assess their own progress. The authors offer a starting point for teachers by presenting ideas for tasks such as copying words, writing signs, and writing about the weekend.

6. A Process Genre Model for Teaching Writing

   In: English Teaching Forum 2005, Volume 43, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   This article considers three different approaches to the teaching of writing: the product approach, the process approach, and the genre approach. After explaining the different approaches, the author uses recent research to suggest a combination of the genre/process approaches in the composition classroom. A lesson plan is provided.

7. Classroom Techniques: - English for Fools

   In: English Teaching Forum 2005, Volume 43, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   This article describes a lesson that can be used on April Fool’s day to bring humor to the classroom. The writer explains how the translation of proverbs about fools can be used for a discussion and offers ideas about the teaching of these proverbs, such as exploring themes or looking at the definition of “fool” in each saying.

8. Deep Impact Storytelling

   In: English Teaching Forum 2001, Volume 39, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   The authors discuss the importance of storytelling for giving a course depth. They outline ways to help teachers deepen the impact of storytelling through language and thinking activities that include shadowing, summarizing, student retelling, action logging, and creating newsletters. The authors include a story split into assigned readings and sequenced homework and classroom activities. They found that using these activities increases student comprehension, negotiation of meaning, and feelings of community.

9. Teaching ESL Versus EFL

   In: English Teaching Forum 2005, Volume 43, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   The author argues for different teaching approaches in EFL vs. ESL settings. He points out the differences in student motivation and suggests how to select different activities for the two contexts (with examples of relevant activities). He gives guidelines for the appropriate role of L1 in each classroom, and explains how the two classroom cultures differ (for example, in term of the learning styles of the students). He argues that keeping in mind these differences will help educators make more effective decisions for their students.

10. An American Poetry Project for Low Intermediate ESL Adults

    In: English Teaching Forum 2001, Volume 39, Number 4 Format(s): Text

    This article discusses the author’s poetry unit, developed to expose her ESL students to American literature. Students wrote journals about poems they read and were assigned a poem about which to write a composition. The author required her students to memorize and perform one poem. While teaching the unit, the author and a colleague kept a dialog journal of their experience and insights. Both the student reactions and their dialog journals yielded positive results, allowing the author to make several recommendations for using poetry in the ESL classroom.

Pages