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1. Down in the Valley

   In: Sing Out Loud Traditional Songs Format(s): MP3, Text, Image / Poster / Maps

   This song in the Sing Out Loud Traditional Songs collection is about a prisoner in the Birmingham jail.

2. Meeting Learners' Academic Needs

   In: English Teaching Forum 2001, Volume 39, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   This article suggests that language teachers can learn from the ideas of educators who work outside the field of language teaching. The author examines learner needs and discusses how the they can be met in his teaching context. The learner needs addressed in this article are the need to feel secure and important, the need to understand the learning goals, the need for time to integrate learning, the need to understand the learning process, and the need to receive feedback.

3. Picture This – Word Strings

   In: Activate Games for Learning American English: Picture This Format(s): Text

   Word Strings provides students with practice forming phrases and sentences, using vo­cabulary words from a Picture This card as a starting point. This game works best in groups.

4. Teaching Jazz Chants to Young Learners

   Format(s): Text, Video

   Teaching Jazz Chants to Young Learners is a video-based teacher training resource available on DVD that presents one compelling technique for teaching English pronunciation, intonation, and sentence stress: the jazz chant.

5. Using Songs to Teach English

   Format(s): MP3, Video

   This webinar, “Using Songs to Teach English” explores the myriad of ways songs and music can help create a classroom that is happy, interactive, and intellectually challenging. The presenter will introduce some effective techniques for incorporating music and song in the EFL and ESL classroom.

6. Smithsonian for Educators

   Format(s): Website

   Links to educator pages from the Smithsonian museums such as the American Art Museum and the Portrait Gallery.

7. Module 7: Learning Strategies

   In: Shaping the Way We Teach English: Successful Practices Around the World Format(s): Text, Video

   This Module of the Shaping the Way we Teach English Series contains a lesson plan and accompanying video that is focused on language learning and communication strategies.

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. 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. From Passive Participant to Active Thinker

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

    This article discusses how, through materials development, teachers can help students think critically and feel comfortable enough to be active participants in class. The author suggests adapting materials to be more relevant to the interests and needs of students in a particular context. Another suggestion is to create materials that help students connect their thoughts and feelings to the language they are learning. The author includes techniques to promote critical thinking and learner autonomy.

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