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1. Making Reading Fun: Engaging Pre-Reading Activities for ELLs

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

   This session, “Promoting Reading Fluency with the ACTIVE Framework,” explores the six elements of the ACTIVE reading framework, designed to systematically enhance reading skills in the EFL classroom. We’ll demonstrate practical, adaptable activities for each framework component!

2. The Line Between: Questions, Responses, and Critical Reading

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

   This session, "The Line Between: Questions, Responses, and Critical Reading," introduces the Question-Answer Relationship (QAR) framework for building readers’ confidence in locating information in a text and turning to themselves to answer questions that require thinking beyond the text.

3. Reading Up-Close and Personal: Connection-Making and the Classic American Short Story

   In: English Teaching Forum 2024, Volume 62, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   Authors Spencer Salas and Bernadette Musetti use the O. Henry story “Transients in Arcadia” (available on the American English website) to illustrate how readers can make a text more meaningful by connecting it to themselves, to other texts, and to the world.

4. Lesson Plan: Reading, Writing, and Performing Poetry

   In: English Teaching Forum 2006, Volume 44, Number 1 Format(s): Text

   This lesson plan contains poetry-related activities that aim to help students read and interpret English poetry, and write their own poems. The activities are introduced in each of the following parts: talking about poetry, understanding poetic devices, interpreting poems, using poetry for language acquisition, writing original poems, performing poetry, and organizing poetry slams.

5. Plays for Reading

   Format(s): Text

   Plays for Reading uses drama as a vehicle for students to practice reading, listening, and speaking. Students become actors interpreting the written text, and the English classroom becomes a rehearsal hall with the focus placed upon putting on a play.

6. An Integrated Skills Lesson Plan for "For Life's Sake" by Linda Hogan

   In: English Teaching Forum 2004, Volume 42, Issue 4 Format(s): Text

   This lesson plan is for use with “For Life’s Sake.” After introducing the topic of Native Americans in class discussion, students read the article and identify unfamiliar vocabulary. Students may then read again and discuss comprehension questions. Post-reading activities build vocabulary, including idioms, and utilize dictionary and scanning skills. Questions to make connections beyond the text may be used for discussion or writing assignments. There are other projects that integrate language skills, such as writing a poem, considering family customs, and doing Internet research.

7. The Gift of the Magi and Other Stories

   Format(s): Text

   This collection of short stories by O. Henry gives the reader a wonderful selection of characters from the United States of 100 years ago.

8. The Green Door

   In: The Gift of the Magi and Other Stories Format(s): Text

   This story is about Rudolf Steiner, a "true adventurer" who is always ready to try something different.

9. Being People

   Format(s): Text

   Being People is a collection of short stories and poems that draws upon the multicultural nature of American society.

10. PBS Learning Media

    Format(s): Website

    PBS LearningMedia™ is the go-to destination for instant access to tens of thousands of classroom-ready, digital resources including videos, games, audio clips, photos, lesson plans, and more!

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