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1. NASCAR: An American Sport and Pastime

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

   This article, written for students, is about NASCAR, a popular auto racing sport in the United States. It offers the history of the sport, interesting pictures, and a piece on the importance of a pit crew. There is also a profile of Jeff Gordon, a popular and winning driver. Also included are a list of NASCAR vocabulary and websites of interest, an overview of the sport and its rules, and information on three legendary drivers.

2. Unpublished

   Women in Sports

   In: English Teaching Forum 2001, Volume 39, Number 1 Format(s): Text

   This article outlines the history of women in sports. It includes a discussion of important female athletes, female participation in the modern Olympics, and Title IX in the United States. The piece concludes by giving sketches of the accomplishments of several important female athletes-- "Babe" Didrickson Zaharias, Wilma Rudolph, Joan Benoit Samuelson, and Jackie Joyner-Kersey.

3. The Lighter Side: Tenpins

   In: English Teaching Forum 2011, Volume 49, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   “Tenpins” is a bowling-themed activity that requires learners to finish ten words that include the letters “ten."

4. VOA Podcast: "42" Tells the Story of Jackie Robinson's Major League Breakthrough

   In: VOA Podcasts: Shows in Special English Format(s): MP3, Website

   Learn about Jackie Robinson in this podcast from VOA Learning English. Learn English as you read and listen to a weekly show about people in America, including study in the U.S. Stories are written at the intermediate and upper-beginner level and are read one-third slower than regular VOA English.

5. A Lesson Plan Speaking (and Writing) of Sports

   In: English Teaching Forum 2005, Volume 43, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   This lesson plan offers several sports-related photographs and classroom activities that use the pictures for individual, pair, or group work. The activities include a sentence-combination task, structured writing questions, open-ended writing tasks, a charting task, and questions for a whole-class discussion. The author gives suggestions for making the tasks easier or more difficult for multiple levels.

6. From da Vinci to Recumbent... Velocity and the Velocipede

   In: English Teaching Forum 2001, Volume 39, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   This reading on bicycles is appropriate for intermediate to advanced students. The author traces the history of the bicycle back to the nineteenth century and describes major innovations in the technological development of bikes. Modern bicycle technology and impacts are also discussed. The article presents the etymology of the word bicycle and then offers translations into other languages, illustrating that in many cases a relationship to the root of the original word remains. Additional websites of interest are also included for further reading or follow up activities.

7. Bowling: Entertainment for All Ages

   In: English Teaching Forum 2011, Volume 49, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   This feature article on bowling is written for learners. Bowling has changed in recent years and is growing in popularity once again. The article includes the history of bowling and recent trends, such as cosmic bowling, virtual bowling, efforts to make bowling appeal to kids and more. At the end of the article, readers will find bowling vocabulary, a list of related websites, and a section on “Bowling Basics.”

8. Classroom Activities

   In: English Teaching Forum 2011, Volume 49, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   This section presents three stand-alone learning activities related to the theme of bowling. A game for upper beginners is useful for sentence formation and vocabulary review on any topic. Intermediate learners can practice with imperatives by giving and following instructions on how to bowl. The final activity asks intermediate learners to engage in focused listening or reading. Extension possibilities are included for each of the three activities.

9. 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.

10. Harmonious Learning: Yoga in the English Language Classroom

    In: English Teaching Forum 2011, Volume 49, Number 4 Format(s): Text

    The author discusses the connection between yoga and language learning. Body position as well as visualization and guided imagery can introduce language in an enjoyable way. The lessons are modeled after a Total Physical Response (TPR) approach. The benefits of yoga in the classroom include reducing anxiety, helping students focus through silence, and embedding language in tasks. The author answers frequently asked questions and provides sample activities and suggested resources.

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