Advanced Search: Resources

1. Raising Cultural Awareness in the English Language Classroom

   In: English Teaching Forum 2013, Volume 51, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   This article discusses how teachers can incorporate cultural knowledge into English language classes, exploring elements of culture, intercultural phenomena, and high-context and low-context cultures.

2. Teaching Prepositions to Very Young Learners: The Case of On

   In: English Teaching Forum 2006, Volume 44, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   The author discusses the benefits of applying cognitive linguistics, L1 acquisition, and neo-Vygotskian (Vygotsky) approaches to the teaching of a second language to young learners, using the example of teaching the preposition “on.” The author briefly reviews how prepositions are taught to adult learners and the challenges of teaching prepositions to young learners. The author then discusses two different meanings of “on” and how Total Physical Response (TPR) activities can be used to help young learners distinguish different meanings of “on.”

3. Beyond Film: Exploring the Content of Movies

   In: English Teaching Forum 2007, Volume 45, Number 1 Format(s): Text

   This article looks at the use of movies in the language-learning classroom. The author promotes the use of the movie “To Kill a Mockingbird” due to its content, which involves poverty, racial inequality and mental illness, and to the availability of websites related to its use in English classrooms. The author highlights six scenes for understanding the movie, pre-viewing, while viewing, and post-viewing activities, as well as suggestions for Internet follow-up. An example WebQuest is included.

4. Promoting Genre Awareness in the EFL Classroom

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

   The author introduces genre awareness, a concept from ESP (English for Specific Purposes) and EAP (English for Academic Purposes), and relates it to its potential use in the EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classroom. She explains genre awareness as the ability to use the communication tool that is most appropriate for the purpose and audience. She recognizes several challenges to using genre awareness curriculum in the EFL classroom. Finally, she presents several useful genre awareness classroom exercises.

5. Writing for the World: Wikipedia as an Introduction to Academic Writing

   In: English Teaching Forum 2010, Volume 48, Number 1 Format(s): Text

   This article outlines a unit in which students write an article for Wikipedia as a way to learn and practice academic writing. Students learn how to use secondary sources in their writing as well as master a new genre with appropriate conventions and word choice. With this activity, students are encouraged to build academic writing skills in an interesting and public way. The author provides an explanation of Wikipedia as well as a step-by-step lesson plan with sample assignment sheets.

6. The Lighter Side: Two Activate Games Puzzles

   In: English Teaching Forum 2024, Volume 62, Number 1 Format(s): Text

   These two puzzles are based on new Activate games found in this issue of English Teaching Forum (Volume 62, Number 1), but the game boards are not necessary for solving the puzzles: (a) unscrambling a board-games conversation between two students and (b) using logic to find out which games four friends played. Can you solve both?

7. Good Instruction-Giving in the Second-Language Classroom

   In: English Teaching Forum 2017, Volume 55, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   Teachers often take instruction-giving for granted, although it is a useful skill for all teachers. The author provides criteria for successful instruction-giving habits and gives suggestions that English language teachers can use to improve their instruction-giving in the classroom.

8. Try This: The Great Mini-Debate

   In: English Teaching Forum 2017, Volume 55, Number 1 Format(s): Text

   Debates remain popular in English language courses, and this activity gives students a low-stress opportunity to develop their speaking debating skills; seven debate themes, with suggested topics, are provided.

9. The Challenge of Spelling in English

   In: English Teaching Forum 2008, Volume 46, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   This article addresses the topic of spelling in American English. It discusses the popularity of spelling contests in American schools, and then explains why spelling is so hard. The author then argues how important it is to understand these factors to improve spelling accuracy. The article concludes by identifying the difficulties of language learning and implications for English teaching.

10. A Mindful Gratitude Exercise for the English Classroom

    In: English Teaching Forum 2023, Volume 61, Number 1 Format(s): Text

    Monica Flores Rojas describes a technique based on mindfulness—and more specifically on gratitude practice. The practice can have a positive impact on learners’ well-being while also providing opportunities for them to express their gratitude in English. The technique is recommended for learners at the intermediate level and above.

Pages