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Week 4 - Reflecting on News

In: Teacher's Corner: Media Literacy Format(s): Text

This week, students will work together to create posters that communicate key issues and questions in news sources.

Week 4 - Successfully Navigating Intercultural Interactions (Part 4)

In: Integrating Critical Thinking Into The Exploration Of Culture Format(s): Text

Each week of this month’s Teacher’s Corner has required students to reflect and think critically in order to deepen their understanding of culture and how it can affect interactions. This week, students will apply their experience and knowledge to figure out how to make intercultural interactions successful, even if they are challenging.

Week 4 - Strategy Four: Collaborative Learning

In: Teacher's Corner: Promoting Learner Engagement Format(s): Text

Student collaboration is an important engagement tool. This week, we’ll see how Think-Pair-Share can be used creatively to promote engagement.

Week 3 - What Happens Next?

In: Teacher's Corner: Teaching Critical Thinking Skills Format(s): Text

This week, use comics in your classroom to build both language and critical thinking skills.

Week 3 - News Media Observation Jigsaw

In: Teacher's Corner: Media Literacy Format(s): Text

This week’s jigsaw activity will allow students to analyze what they observed and share ideas with classmates.

Teaching Techniques: Teaching Descriptive Writing through Visualization and the Five Senses

In: English Teaching Forum 2015, Volume 53, Number 2 Format(s): Text

This technique could be useful for teachers in a variety of EFL teaching contexts, from primary school to university, and can be used with a wide range of texts that are particularly vivid and that stimulate the senses.

Week 2 - Vocabulary Building Strategies

In: Teacher's Corner: Teaching Beginners Format(s): Text

Vocabulary development is an important part of teaching English to beginners. Students not only need to learn new words, but they also need multiple opportunities to interact with the new vocabulary in order to recall and use the words independently.

Using Progressive I-Can Statements to Promote Learner Confidence in Writing

In: English Teaching Forum 2010, Volume 48, Number 4 Format(s): Text

Language learners may sometimes feel shy and unsure of their abilities and may not be able to see what they are able to do. The authors found that writing I-can statements (e.g., I can write the names of foods in English) can be a good way to build confidence. Students use their I-can records to assess their own progress. The authors offer a starting point for teachers by presenting ideas for tasks such as copying words, writing signs, and writing about the weekend.

What is English for Specific Purposes?

In: English Teaching Forum 2003, Volume 41, Number 2 Format(s): Text

This article gives examples of the lessons the author learned from years of teaching ESP. She learned to investigate authentic material thoroughly before making assumptions about learner needs. She tells of occasions on which she relied on the input from textbook writers and job supervisors who made errors in analyzing what students most needed in their language classes. She discussed a learner-focused style, which follows the theory that career development and language development follow the same path, from specific and technical to context- and experience-based.

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.