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1. The Cotton Club

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

   This one-page piece details The Cotton Club, one of the most glamorous dance and music clubs in New York City in the 1920s and 1930s. The Cotton Club was located in Harlem, which in the 1920s was an African-American residential and cultural business center in New York. The club had 30 to 50 chorus girls who danced and sang and were only hired if they were beautiful and very tall. Although the singers and dancers were almost all black, the audience was almost all white, which was a sign of the racial American society at the time.

2. Great Nicknames of Jazz

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

   The last of a three-piece article describes many of the nicknames that leading American Jazz musicians had. A nickname is a name that a person earns in addition to their given name. For example, Edward Ellington was called “Duke” by his friends and family when he was a child because he acted like a member of a royal family. Musicians like Lady Day, Duke Ellington, and Dizzy Gillespie were leaders in the Jazz music culture.

3. The Lighter Side

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

   This "Lighter Side" begins with a contest to name a Jazz song. The answer is "Georgia On My Mind." Although there is an American state called Georgia, Georgia is the name of a girl for whom the song was written in 1930. In the second section of "The Lighter Side," definitions and uses of the word Jazz are given.

4. Individualizing Learning Through Self-Directed Projects

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

   This article discusses the use of self-directed projects to develop learner independence in academic settings. It describes and gives examples of how self-directed projects are integrated into a teaching situation at Arabian Gulf University. The article discusses how getting students involved in doing self-directed projects can lead to a gain in confidence in their ability to manage their own learning and progress in becoming independent language learners.

5. Adapting Textbook Activities for Communicative Teaching and Cooperative Learning

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

   This article discusses how textbooks can be adapted to include more communicative and cooperative activities in language classes, especially for teachers who are cautious about using Communicative Language Teaching and cooperative learning. It describes how small modifications can be made with minimal extra preparation, with results that help change textbook exercises into more communicative, authentic activities.

6. The Mediational Role of Language Teachers in Sociocultural Theory

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

   This article describes a sociocultural view of interaction, in which teachers construct knowledge with learners. Language is a mediating factor in cognitive development. The article discusses Vygotsky and the Zone of Proximal Development. According to Vygotsky, students are capable of doing more with guidance and support than they can alone. This principle leads instructors to scaffold material just beyond the leaner’s level. When teachers and students have meaningful interaction, learning is enhanced.

7. Teacher Resources

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

   Two publications are summarized. First, Controversies in Applied Linguistics, edited by Barbara Seidlhofer, clarifies the issues that are at the center of controversies. The book explores and analyzes the arguments and “subcontroversies” in a neutral manner. The book does not require previous knowledge of the arguments. The second book is Linguistic Genocide in Education—or Worldwide Diversity and Human Rights? by Tove Skutnabb-Kangas. It discusses the dying off of minority languages and the importance of language diversity.

8. Passion for Life!

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

   In “Passion for Life,” the author promotes the use of drawing to make the classroom a positive and pleasant place. This technique can help even shy students become active. After reading the poem “Life” by Mother Teresa, students choose their favorite line from the poem and draw a picture to represent it. Secondary students are asked to learn the poem by heart.

9. Teacher Supervision: Moving Towards an Interactive Approach

   In: English Teaching Forum 2003, Volume 41, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   Supervision is a standard part of most language programs. However, teachers often respond negatively to supervision. Adopting a teacher-centered, democratic, clear, and systematic model for supervision will create a positive supervisory experience and result in vital professional development. One model that fits this description is clinical supervision. The author's detailed guidelines for implementation of this model are flexible enough to allow for local adaptation.

10. Microteaching

    In: English Teaching Forum 2003, Volume 41, Number 4 Format(s): Text

    This brief article introduces the reader to the microteaching procedure. Teachers in training will prepare a short microlesson of five to ten minutes in length for normally fewer than ten students. Students may be real or trainees. The lesson is videotaped and discussed with colleagues and/or supervisors. The teacher then reteaches the lesson. This help teacher reflect and grow as well as consult with peers. Suggestions for preparation and teaching of microlessons are provided.

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