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1. Picture This – Same & Different

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

   Same & Different provides students with the opportunity to use their background knowledge about the items on the 'Picture This' cards to create descriptions that compare and contrast two items on a card.

2. Writing about a Peacemaker

   In: English Teaching Forum 2021, Volume 59, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   The authors use peace education as a framework to present an assignment in which students read and write about a peacemaker “to reflect on the meaning of peace and how it can be achieved.”

3. Media Circles: Lively, Learner-Led Lessons

   In: English Teaching Forum 2020, Volume 58, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   This article gives suggestions for applying the concept of literature circles to audiovisual media rather than to literary works as a way to support learner autonomy and interaction with the target language.

4. Using “Place Mats” as a Prewriting Activity for Opinionated Essays

   In: English Teaching Forum 2021, Volume 59, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   Here’s a way to get students talking while at the same time preparing them to write opinionated essays: using “place mats” as a starting point for expressing, sharing, and supporting opinions.

5. Vocabulary Jigsaw Review

   In: English Teaching Forum 2022, Volume 60, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   The authors present a step-by-step guide to playing this group-based, interactive game in which learners use clues to find previously studied vocabulary. The game can be played with advanced-beginner learners and can be adapted for more-advanced learners.

6. Story 14: Do You Speak English?

   In: Why English? Comics for the Classroom Format(s): MP3, Text

   The stories in Why English? Comics for the Classroom – written by teenagers and young adults – will appeal to learners of all ages. These stories provide an enjoyable opportunity to increase vocabulary, reading comprehension, listening, speaking, and writing.

7. Motivating Student Reading through Post-Reading Book Creation

   In: English Teaching Forum 2022, Volume 60, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   The authors explain the importance of reading with a purpose—in this case, learners create a new book based on a text they have just read (or listened to).

8. National Geographic Kids

   Format(s): Website

   National Geographic Kids is a page full of games, activities, photos, videos, stories, and fun facts for children to learn about the the world. The NG Kids pages are designed for children to access independently or work with a parent or teacher.

9. Using Cooperative Learning to Facilitate Alternative Assessment

   In: English Teaching Forum 2002, Volume 40, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   This article discusses the use of cooperative learning, an instructional strategy that utilizes group work to structure classroom interaction, to facilitate alternative assessment in the second or foreign language classroom. It highlights the importance of cooperative learning in assessment because assessment includes both linguistic and non-linguistic objectives, and meeting these objectives requires continuous and performance-based assessment. The article offers seven examples of cooperative assessments and shows how they can be used.

10. 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.

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