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1. Becoming a News Reporter: A Case Study in Project-Based Learning

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

   This session, "Becoming a News Reporter: A Case Study in Project-Based Learning," presents an example project in which students created television-style newscasts about community issues; participants consider how to overcome challenges associated with PBL and how to develop meaningful project ideas for their own teaching contexts.

2. Gardening: A Growing Activity

   In: English Teaching Forum 2011, Volume 49, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   This article discusses the history of gardening in America, from the Great Depression to the present. The author points out two different categories; Urban Gardening and Eco-Friendly Gardening, both of which serve various purposes. Also included is a glossary of terms related to gardening as well as a list of websites that discuss gardening.

3. 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.

4. Mind Mirror Projects: A Tool for Integrating Critical Thinking into the English Language Classroom

   In: English Teaching Forum 2009, Volume 47, Number 1 Format(s): Text

   Students often have difficulty 'reading between the lines.' This article suggests the use of mind mirror activities as a tool to improve students' critical thinking and learning skills (e.g., analysis, categorization, clarification, inferencing). The author describes a successful five-day group project from his own classroom that ended in students sharing their work through poster presentations.

5. Using Story Boxes in Language Learning

   In: English Teaching Forum 2009, Volume 47, Number 1 Format(s): Text

   This article outlines how to bring stories alive through the use of story boxes (or bags). The author suggests that teachers use easy-to-find materials such as shoeboxes or pizza boxes. These can be filled with a variety of small surprise items related to the content. The teacher or the students can find items for these boxes. Story boxes can easily be moved and stored. They can be used in identifying themes or for vocabulary and grammar exercises, and they work well with learners of all ages.

6. Digital Stories: A 21st-Century Communication Tool for the English Language Classroom

   In: English Teaching Forum 2014, Volume 52, Number 1 Format(s): Text

   This article lays out a 12-week digital storytelling project, describing the process in detail, including assessment, and pinpointing issues and challenges as well as benefits the project affords English language students.

7. Entrepreneurship and Student Motivation

   In: English Teaching Forum 2014, Volume 52, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   This article describes a three-week project-based unit on entrepreneurship conducted with students in communications classes in an Academic English context.

8. Supporting Language Learning Using Smithsonian Online Museum Resources

   In: American English Webinars Format(s): Text

   This webinar explores strategies for finding and using visual resources to tell a story.

9. 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.

10. Student-Produced Video: Two Approaches

    In: English Teaching Forum 2008, Volume 46, Number 2 Format(s): Text

    This article introduces the idea of using video production to engage second language learners in learner-centered, project-based learning activities to motivate them to learn and participate through writing, directing, acting in, and editing a movie. The authors describe two projects. In the first project, four pairs of students each created a three-minute film. In the second project, all eight students worked together to create one long movie. The advantages and disadvantages of both approaches were discussed.

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