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1. Getting Students to Speak Up: Classroom Atmosphere Is Key

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

   The author describes a challenge that is familiar to many language teachers: trying to get students to speak up independently, share thoughts, and participate authentically in the target language. The article includes general and specific tips for creating a comfortable, communicative classroom environment.

2. To Correct or Not Correct? Ideas for Subtle Error Correction During Speaking Tasks

   In: American English Webinars Format(s): Text, Video

   This webinar presents techniques designed to correct students’ grammar without interrupting the free flow of speech or the lesson.

3. Motivated to Work: The Power of Choice Boards

   In: English Teaching Forum 2023, Volume 61, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   Teaching Technique

4. Reciprocal Teaching: A Useful Tool in Increasing Student-Talking Time

   In: English Teaching Forum 2004, Volume 42, Issue 2 Format(s): Text

   Reciprocal Teaching (RT) can be used to increase student talk time and improve communicative competence. This strategy uses paraphrasing, reported speech, question formation and concept-checking to promote dialogue. As students move from short responses toward longer conversations (or language for transactional purposes), their fluency and retention increase. These “long turns” provide important practice. The author also emphasizes the importance of prompts for lower-level students. The article includes examples of each strategy as well as several axioms of reciprocal teaching.

5. Using Group Work Effectively to Increase Student Speaking Time in Class

   In: American English Webinars Format(s): Text, Video

   This webinar, “Using Group Work Effectively to Increase Student Speaking Time in Class” explores several new warm-up activities and grouping strategies.

6. Teaching the World's Children: ESL for Ages Three to Seven

   In: English Teaching Forum 2005, Volume 43, Number 1 Format(s): Text

   This article discusses teaching English as a second language to very young learners. The authors talks about how important it is for children to have a wide variety of experiences when building language and literacy. The authors explain how the use of various environments, including learning centers, block centers, art or sand tables, writing areas, science and technology centers, and even libraries, can help shape the way a child learns language as well as improve other skills.

7. Hands-on Language Learning with Mobile Devices

   In: American English Webinars Format(s): Text, Video

   This, session "We Like to Move It! Hands-on Language Learning with Mobile Devices," introduces mobile language learning activities that require no internet connection.

8. Classroom Management Idea Book

   Format(s): Text, Website

   A manual and idea book on how to manage classrooms, produced by the Peace Corps (PDF).

9. Shall We Dance: Team Teaching as Supervision in the English Language Classroom

   In: English Teaching Forum 2005, Volume 43, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   This article compares team teaching to a dance in which leadership shifts from partner to partner. It argues for the use of team teaching as an effective and motivating means of professional development. The author shares his experience in team teaching and offers a list of steps that can be used to establish and maintain team teaching that is effective for both the professionals and their students, such as when to involve students and when to trade roles.

10. Livening Up College English Classes with Games

    In: English Teaching Forum 2009, Volume 47, Number 3 Format(s): Text

    This article discusses the use of games in teaching college-level English as a second language (ESL) classes. It describes how teachers can use games such as Taboo to change the direction of teaching from being teacher-centered to student-centered. The article addresses problems such as classroom management and the time spent adapting or creating games and presents useful tips for teachers to consider related to the use of games as a teaching tool.

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