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1. Student-Centered Teaching in Large Classes with Limited Resources

   In: English Teaching Forum 2007, Volume 45, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   The authors shares suggestions for instructors who teach large classes (from 50-80 students) with minimal resources. The challenges of managing the classroom, using pair and group work effectively, and working with limited resources are addressed. The authors suggests ways to take attendance quickly, to reduce written work to grade, to start and stop communicative activities, and to keep motivation high when students work at different speeds. Suggestions were tested by action research. Two classrooms are described.

2. A Story-Based Framework for a Primary School Classroom

   In: English Teaching Forum 2007, Volume 45, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   These two story-based lesson plans were designed to address the lack of motivation and interest by students in a sixth grade English class in Greece. The lessons appeal to young learners who want to be creative and imaginative by making learning entertaining. The animal stories are authentic texts, not graded readers, with helpful visuals. They can be used with a holistic approach and provide a springboard to learning grammar and structure and to recycle vocabulary. Predicting and concentration are some of the thinking skills involved.

3. Building a Class Library Using Local Folktales

   In: English Teaching Forum 2003, Volume 41, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   In areas of the world such as Nigeria where reading is not a central part of the culture, teachers may face a shortage of reading materials. One way to address this problem is by asking students to create their own reading materials. The activity described in this article focuses on a way students can engage in process learning by writing down oral folktales. Because students work in groups, they must communicate with each other in English to write and prepare their book. Students produce a tangible object from their learning that can be used to build a reading library.

4. Individualizing Learning Through Self-Directed Projects

   In: English Teaching Forum 2003, Volume 41, Number 3 Format(s): Text, Image / Poster / Maps

   This article discusses the use of self-directed projects to develop learner independence in academic settings. It describes and gives examples of how self-directed projects are integrated into a teaching situation at Arabian Gulf University. The article discusses how getting students involved in doing self-directed projects can lead to a gain in confidence in their ability to manage their own learning and progress in becoming independent language learners.

5. Maximizing the Benefits of Project Work in Foreign Language Classrooms

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

   There are many benefits to using project work in the classroom, such as student autonomy, increased content knowledge, and motivation. This article gives ten steps for structuring project activities to maximize these benefits, using a case study on project-based learning in an English preparatory program in Turkey. Also included are recommendations for writers on how to include project-based learning in their materials.

6. Word Bricks- Parts of Speech

   In: Activate: Games for Learning American English - Word Bricks Format(s): Text

   In Part of Speech, teacher gives the players a specific pattern to use, and their sentences must follow this pattern. Students use Word Bricks to build sentences individually, in pairs, or in small groups. This activity is great for lower proficiency level students, as it provides scaffolding to help students generate a correct sentence.

7. Designing Lessons for EFL Listening Comprehension Classes

   In: English Teaching Forum 2007, Volume 45, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   To keep students motivated, the author outlines several principles for developing listening comprehension lessons. When learners focus on a clear learning objective, retention improves. Other recommendations include keeping the same topic and objective for several activities and selecting relevant, authentic material with a clear layout and pictures to help with prediction. The author discusses appropriate teaching methods, such as variety and effective questioning.

8. Reading Logs: Integrating Extensive Reading with Writing Tasks

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

   This article informs instructors about blending reading logs into writing tasks. Several benefits are discussed, including clarifying objectives of reading and providing opportunities to respond to reading, building critical literacy, and monitoring student progress. The article describes how to develop an extensive reading project for advanced students that includes both comprehension and vocabulary strategies. Details include how to structure and format the reading logs as well as assessment procedures.

9. Word Bricks - Sentence Race

   In: Activate: Games for Learning American English - Word Bricks Format(s): Text

   Sentence Race is a fast-paced, exciting game that gives students a chance to think quickly in English as they try to earn points by building well-formed sentences using Word Bricks.

10. Guess What?- You Don't Say

    In: Activate Games for Learning English - Guess What? Format(s): Text

    "You Don’t Say" is a game that encourages students to use alternative sentences and descriptions as they describe a topic without saying certain words – an excellent activity for vocabulary and fluency practice.

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