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1. 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.

2. 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.

3. MA KINGS ENS EOF WORDS

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

   This article, "Making Sense of Words", stresses the importance of vocabulary because of its role in communicative competence. Corpus linguistics has changed the way we consider vocabulary teaching, from isolated words to language chunks and fixed expressions. It has shown us differences between spoken and written English. This article looks at what it means to know a word and the principles and techniques to develop vocabulary. The author recommends teaching vocabulary explicitly, including collocates and word parts. He encourages teachers to update their own knowledge of how to discuss and approach vocabulary.

4. Western Culture and the Teaching of English as an International Language

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

   This article considers the role of culture in the teaching of English as an International Language. There are differing views on whether to include cultural topics in the teaching of English. Educational leaders in some countries have voiced concern over a form of colonization that occurs when Western culture is presented as better than the students’ local culture. The article examines ways that approved textbooks from Chile, Morocco, and Japan present Western values and characters, and suggests that texts could present more characters from countries where English is a second language.

5. Why and How to Teach Collocations

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

   One of the key developments in vocabulary teaching stems from Michael Lewis’s Lexical Approach, which considers language as chunks of words combined for meaning. These frequently occurring word combinations are called collocations. This article points out a number of problems that result from learning words in isolation. Work with meaningful phrases can help improve students’ comprehension and comprehensibility. The article includes reading and listening activities to raise awareness of collocations as well as writing and speaking activities.

6. Developing Pragmatic Competence in the EFL Classroom

   In: English Teaching Forum 2004, Volume 42, Issue 3 Format(s): Text

   Pragmatic competence is an important part of communicative competence, yet it is often insufficiently addressed. This article outlines a program of four lessons on the speech acts of openings and closings. Lessons examine dialogues for cultural differences regarding forms of address, abruptness, expected responses, and so on. Students also consider pre-closing phrases, ways to express politeness, and formality. Finally, students expand an artificial dialogue to make it more realistic. Activities include translation, pair work, creative writing, class discussion, and role play.

7. Towards Better Group Work: Seeing the Difference between Cooperation and Collaboration

   In: English Teaching Forum 2010, Volume 48, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   The author explains the difference between cooperation and collaboration in the classroom. Cooperation is students working together (each with individual tasks) for an end product, while collaboration is students interacting to create knowledge. The author discusses the strengths of collaboration and the teacher’s role. Also provided are guidelines for successful collaboration, sample activities, and frequently asked questions, such as what to do when students have emotional reactions to the group work.

8. Health and Fitness

   In: English Teaching Forum 2007, Volume 45, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   The theme of health offers a variety of language-learning possibilities. This three-part lesson plan for young learners can be adapted to other audiences. It includes a reading, a dialogue, and a listening script. The first lesson asks learners to analyze lifestyle choices and give advice. The second lesson takes students to a sporting goods store, where they consider the language they need to talk with a sales clerk. The third lesson is about food choices, including ways to prepare foods. A follow-up activity researches how a famous athlete stays healthy.

9. Using Replacement Performance Role-Plays in the Language Classroom

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

   Replacement performance role plays are a different type of role play. Rather than memorizing or writing a dialogue, this activity asks learners to listen and consider other possible responses. Students decide which character will be replaced and what they will do differently. Even shy learners or ones with lower proficiency levels can be involved because it is less overwhelming than writing a dialogue. The activity develops pragmatic competence and critical thinking skills. Popular TV shows can be used.

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