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1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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).

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. Lesson Plan: Create Your Own Sporting Event

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

   This lesson plan, for intermediate learners, has students use their knowledge of sports, build their sports vocabulary, practice sport-related verbs, and create a written and visual presentation of a sporting event they create. The author provides a list of activities for individual, small group, and whole class work.

7. Classroom Activities

   In: English Teaching Forum 2011, Volume 49, Number 1 Format(s): Text

   This section presents three stand-alone learning activities related to the theme of knitting. A lesson for upper beginners uses the topic of knitting to teach clothing-related vocabulary. A lesson for intermediate learners uses an essay on knitting circles for a paragraph-ordering activity. An advanced lesson helps students understand idioms related to knitting. The lesson plan includes printable idiom cards.

8. Fun with Weather

   In: English Teaching Forum 2007, Volume 45, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   This three-part weather-themed lesson for young learners connects weather, clothing, and feelings vocabulary. The target structures covered are: asking about the weather; comparing weather; using the modal auxiliary, should; and the question word, when. The lessons utilize all four skills and include such activities as going outside, singing, journaling, dressing a toy puppy, role play, and letter writing. Flashcards, riddles, a song, reading material, a listening script, and a sample letter are included.

9. Lesson Plan: Quilting with Language

   In: English Teaching Forum 2006, Volume 44, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   This lesson plan contains four activities based on the cultural content of quilts. It includes activities for teaching vocabulary and grammar, speaking, writing, and a dicto-comp activity (in which there is both dictation and composition).

10. Implementing Humor Instruction in English Language Teaching

    In: English Teaching Forum 2021, Volume 59, Number 3 Format(s): Text

    The authors demonstrate the importance of understanding kinds of humor that differ across cultures and offer clear suggestions for teaching three kinds—verbal irony, memes, and satirical news—with examples that can help students develop humor competency and enhance their twenty-first-century skills, including digital and media literacy.

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