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1. Sing Out Loud! Wordplay: Music Resources for English Language Teachers

   In: American English Webinars Format(s): Text, Video

   This session, "Sing Out Loud! Wordplay: Music Resources for English Language Teachers," shares a new resource you can find on the American English website—diverse, music-based instructional materials that include free, downloadable audio tracks, videos, and classroom-ready activities. These low-prep activities are student-centered and fun for both teachers and learners!

2. Using Visible Thinking Routines in the Language Classroom

   In: American English Webinars Format(s): Text, Video, Website

   This session "Using Visible Thinking Routines in the Language Classroom," introduces visible thinking routines that can enrich communicative dynamics, stimulate productive engagement, and foster insightful expression–a valuable addition to any language teacher’s instructional toolbox!

3. Spot the Problem! (reprinted from Teaching Pragmatics)

   In: English Teaching Forum 2003, Volume 41, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   This lesson plan considers pragmatic violations of openings, closings, and requests. These humorous role plays involve continuing a conversation when one person is trying to end it, being overly direct, and providing an overly informative answer to the greeting “How are you?” Textbooks may lack complete openings and closings, so it is worthwhile to spend time on post-openings and pre-closings. Politeness in English may be problematic for EFL learners because of the lack of grammatical forms that mark it.

4. The Lighter Side of TEFL: Shaggy Dog Stories

   In: The Lighter Side of TEFL, Volume 1 Format(s): Text

   This section of The Lighter Side of TEFL focuses on shaggy dog stories, which are long-winded tales that gradually work up to a surprise ending. This section has an audio component.

5. An Integrated Skills Lesson Plan for "For Life's Sake" by Linda Hogan

   In: English Teaching Forum 2004, Volume 42, Issue 4 Format(s): Text

   This lesson plan is for use with “For Life’s Sake.” After introducing the topic of Native Americans in class discussion, students read the article and identify unfamiliar vocabulary. Students may then read again and discuss comprehension questions. Post-reading activities build vocabulary, including idioms, and utilize dictionary and scanning skills. Questions to make connections beyond the text may be used for discussion or writing assignments. There are other projects that integrate language skills, such as writing a poem, considering family customs, and doing Internet research.

6. A Lesson Plan Speaking (and Writing) of Sports

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

   This lesson plan offers several sports-related photographs and classroom activities that use the pictures for individual, pair, or group work. The activities include a sentence-combination task, structured writing questions, open-ended writing tasks, a charting task, and questions for a whole-class discussion. The author gives suggestions for making the tasks easier or more difficult for multiple levels.

7. The Time is Now

   In: American Rhythms Format(s): MP3

   Travis Haddix’s song 'The Time is Now' is another soul-searching examples of blues music. Download this song or listen online.

8. Champion

   In: American Rhythms Format(s): MP3

   In this song, Hawaiian singer and pastor David “Kawika” Kahiapo plays the slack key guitar (ki ho’alu). Download the song or listen online.

9. Breakfast Lunch and Dinner

   In: American Rhythms Format(s): Text

   Jazz musician Kermit Ruffins performs along with a talented group of children in Breakfast Lunch and Dinner. Download the song and classroom activities.

10. Activate Games for Learning English - Guess What?

    Format(s): Text

    Guess What? cards can be used for a variety of games in the classroom to provide an opportunity for students to practice making descriptions in English and to learn English vocabulary.

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