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1. Lesson Plan: Cultural Crossroads: Hawaii and Beyond

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

   This content-based lesson plan is about ethnic/cultural heritage and diversity in Hawaii. It also encourages students to explore their own cultures. The author includes four activities (listening and speaking, small group discussion, place-based group work, and role play). Ideas are also provided for multi-session lessons that encourage students to revise and communicate.

2. 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.

3. The Formeaning Response Approach: Poetry in the EFL Classroom

   In: English Teaching Forum 2009, Volume 47, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   This article discusses the use of poetry-based activities in the English as foreign language (EFL) classroom. It claims that poetry exposes learners to content-rich materials. It presents the Formeaning Response approach, which combines language elements with personal responses to poetry, and offers activities that motivate students to attend and respond to both the form and the overall meaning.

4. Lesson Plan: Exploring Michigan

   In: English Teaching Forum 2009, Volume 47, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   The lesson plan “Exploring Michigan” provides information on things to see and do in Michigan. It has three parts: a warm-up, the main activities that cover the four skills, and follow-up activities to further practice the content of main activities. The lesson aims to practice expressions of preference and persuasion. At the same time, the learners plan things to do on a trip to Michigan while creating and presenting an itinerary for a trip to Michigan, and then for a visit to their own country.

5. New York, New York

   In: English Teaching Forum 2008, Volume 46, Number 1 Format(s): Text

   This article describes New York City. It presents information about its history, immigration process, geography, architecture, rivers, bridges, famous buildings and parks, famous neighborhoods, arts and entertainment, and tourist attractions and activities. The article also provides useful websites about New York City. It ends with a text about the United Nations Headquarters in midtown Manhattan.

6. Scaffolding Linguistics and Intercultural Goals in EFL with Simplified Novels and their Film Adaptations

   In: English Teaching Forum 2008, Volume 46, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   This article argues that exposure to culture will help students develop complex linguistic and cultural skills. The authors discuss the use of graded literary readers, audio resources, and films. They present a detailed description of the implementation and results of two simplified novel modules in an EFL program.

7. The Intercultural Approach to EFL Teaching and Learning

   In: English Teaching Forum 2008, Volume 46, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   This article discusses the teaching of intercultural awareness together with language in foreign contexts. Following a brief discussion of what culture means, the author presents a three-stage intercultural approach for teaching EFL students. For each stage, the author explains the goals and provides five activities as examples. As a follow-up, the author shares challenges for this approach and possible solutions.

8. 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.

9. The Reflective Portfolio: Two Case Studies from the United Arab Emirates

   In: English Teaching Forum 2004, Volume 42, Issue 1 Format(s): Text

   This article explains the benefits of using portfolios, an alternative assessment tool, to assess writing. The author identifies the characteristics of alternative assessment. Portfolios evaluate student progress over time and can include revisions. They are based on activities that show what students can do with language. Portfolios emphasize strengths and involve reflection by the student. Case studies show how portfolios were used in English courses at two universities. The authors advise allowing time for reflection and training in self-evaluation.

10. English Magazines = Motivation + Improved ESL Writing Skills

    In: English Teaching Forum 2004, Volume 42, Issue 1 Format(s): Text

    Creating and editing a magazine in English is a challenging and motivating type of portfolio assessment. It encourages student fluency and freedom by allowing students to choose their own topics for writing. It is real communication for a real audience and requires students to take responsibility for their own writing. It can also make the teacher’s job more enjoyable. The article describes a magazine-editing project for an intermediate university writing class. The students performed well on the national writing examination.

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