Advanced Search: Resources

1. Using Letters to Tell Stories in the EFL Classroom

   In: English Teaching Forum 2011, Volume 49, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   This article discusses how letter writing can be used as authentic language use. An activity for beginners involves an exchange of letters of introduction between the instructor and students. This serves a socially meaningful interactional purpose. The second activity is the construction of an story, one in which the plot is expressed in a series of letters. The writer suggests using letter exchanges for this creative writing project after using books such as The Color Purple. Letter writing is one way to enable and empower students to tell their own stories.

2. Instant Feedback for Learner Training: Using Individual Assessment Cards

   In: English Teaching Forum 2002, Volume 40, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   This article presents the idea of using student assessment cards to train students to adopt efficient learning strategies. It discusses how individual assessment cards allow each student to see how well he or she is progressing at any point in the course. The article describes what a student assessment card is and provides detailed guidelines, including descriptions of the content on each side of the card, and about when and how to use these in the language classroom.

3. Save the Lofty Trees

   In: English Teaching Forum 2005, Volume 43, Number 1 Format(s): Text

   This is a script for a play called “Save the Lofty Trees,” intended for students use in ESL classrooms and is intended for young learners. This play gives students a chance to take part in group work by acting out the various scenes of the script. This will provide students with opportunities to use their skills and build fluency.

4. A Plan for Using - "Save the Lofty Trees" by Leslie Mills

   In: English Teaching Forum 2005, Volume 43, Number 1 Format(s): Text

   The author describes how to use the play “Save the Lofty Trees” in a classroom. The plan offers six activities that will promote student interaction, involving guided imagination, brainstorming, group-work, creative movement, and an interactive read through. This lesson plan is intended for young learners and addresses all learning styles.

5. A Reading Programme for Elementary Schools

   In: English Teaching Forum 2005, Volume 43, Number 1 Format(s): Text

   This article provides ways to create a positive attitude toward reading through a structured reading program. The article argues that reading programs should include increased reading materials via libraries, fund-raising, and other various collection ideas. The author emphasizes the importance of motivating and structured activities, parental involvement, and various teaching techniques, followed by promises and rewards. This helps young learners create a positive attitude towards reading.

6. Story Theater

   In: English Teaching Forum 2005, Volume 43, Number 1 Format(s): Text

   This article introduces an interactive and engaging classroom activity entitled Story Theater. The goal of this activity is to provide students with a text to read aloud as they act out the storyline using props and special effects. The purpose of Story Theater is to aid fluency and memorization and to provide students with a chance to use the language and their imaginations. This activity can be used with all ages and all English proficiency levels. The author includes examples of effective Story Theater lessons.

7. What Mary Shelley Never Wrote: Using Basic Computer Skills to Enhance Student Writing

   In: English Teaching Forum 2003, Volume 41, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   This article describes an inspired, well-managed process writing class project for intermediate language learners. The author used Mary Shelley’s book Frankenstein as a creative writing tool in class to develop writing and computer skills. Students read and discussed the book. Working in a collaborative format, students wrote a short story sequel to the novel and offered revision advice in a workshop format. The sequels were then compiled and shared with beginner language learners. The author pointed out that the sense of audience was also established with this project.

8. Near-Peer Tutoring in an ESOL Music Project

   In: English Teaching Forum 2004, Volume 42, Issue 2 Format(s): Text

   This article describes how near-peer tutoring was used to foster a supportive, learner-centered environment in an adult ESOL setting. Students from beginning and advanced classes worked together to learn a song to perform at a year-end ceremony. The task involved vocabulary, pronunciation, intonation, and comprehension. Benefits of the music project included building relationships, breaking the routine, and lowering students’ affective filters. The project allowed the adults to be self-directed, empowered them to critique themselves, and gave them a sense of accomplishment.

9. Stimulating Writing through Project-Based Tasks

   In: English Teaching Forum 2005, Volume 43, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   As students often see writing in any language as a challenging task, it can be hard to encourage motivation to practice writing in the language-learning classroom. This article offers project-based tasks as a way to motivate students with relevant and interesting topics. The author discusses the principles of project work and explains the process approach to composition, followed by detailed lesson plans for writing a problem/solution essay and the expected outcomes of this project.

10. Becoming a News Reporter: A Case Study in Project-Based Learning

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

    This session, "Becoming a News Reporter: A Case Study in Project-Based Learning," presents an example project in which students created television-style newscasts about community issues; participants consider how to overcome challenges associated with PBL and how to develop meaningful project ideas for their own teaching contexts.

Pages