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Establishing Textual Authority and Separating Voices: A New Approach to Teaching Referencing

In: English Teaching Forum 2011, Volume 49, Number 2 Format(s): Text

This article provides practical reasoning and tools for the ESOL teacher to better teach source referencing. The author argues that students from around the world are taught different concepts for using sources. Students often assume texts present truths that do not require analysis. Many cultures teach students to memorize texts and repeat them to show mastery and shared knowledge. The author addresses plagiarism and provides classroom exercises.

Peace Corps Teaching and Learning Resources

In: Peace Corps Teacher Training Resources Format(s): Website

Peace Corps provides many resources to help teachers develop courses on a variety of teaching and learning topics such as water, health, the environment, and other community issues.

Understanding and Teaching Generation Y

In: English Teaching Forum 2012, Volume 50, Number 1 Format(s): Text

This article responds to the challenges of teaching Generation Y students, who are tech-savvy and feedback-dependent visual learners. Because "Gen Y" students are less likely to engage with traditional classroom teaching methods, this article is helpful in identifying specific activities teachers can employ to utilize students' attraction to digital media, multi-tasking, and a sense of global purpose.

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.

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.

Contextualizing Teacher Training through Needs Analysis and Reflexivity

In: English Teaching Forum 2023, Volume 61, Number 2 Format(s): Text

Experienced teacher trainers Jimalee Sowell and Kevin McCaughey offer “suggestions teacher trainers might implement to improve their understanding of the local teachers they work with as well as ways of knowing the self and how the self interfaces with local contexts.” The article describes methods of needs assessment and discusses techniques for examining and understanding the self, all in the context of enhancing teacher training and professional development.

The E-pet: Enhancing Motivation in E-portfolios

In: English Teaching Forum 2009, Volume 47, Number 1 Format(s): Text

The authors wanted to make EAP portfolios more engaging and personal for students, so they introduced an e-pet to accompany the online portfolio program. The e-pet (much like a tamagotchi) grows from an egg into adulthood when the students interact with it through portfolio submissions. Teachers reported that students were enthusiastic about the e-portfolio and the e-pet. Student questionnaires showed a similar trend, with several students saying that the e-pet made the portfolio project motivating. The article includes directions for e-portfolio design.

Building Fluency through the Repeated Reading Method

In: English Teaching Forum 2011, Volume 49, Number 3 Format(s): Text

This article discusses the success of Repeated Reading (RR) within EFL classrooms, illustrating three techniques of RR that can be used to develop students’ fluency, comprehension skills, and reading self-esteem. After providing a background on the RR method, the author explains the techniques step by step and suggests activities. The techniques include classic oral repeated reading (ORR), Paired repeated reading (PRR), and Reader’s Theater (RT).

Developing Pragmatic Competence in the EFL Classroom

In: English Teaching Forum 2004, Volume 42, Issue 3 Format(s): Text

Pragmatic competence is an important part of communicative competence, yet it is often insufficiently addressed. This article outlines a program of four lessons on the speech acts of openings and closings. Lessons examine dialogues for cultural differences regarding forms of address, abruptness, expected responses, and so on. Students also consider pre-closing phrases, ways to express politeness, and formality. Finally, students expand an artificial dialogue to make it more realistic. Activities include translation, pair work, creative writing, class discussion, and role play.

Peace Corps World Wise Schools – Themes