Advanced Search: Resources

1. A Paradigm Shift: From Paper-and-Pencil Tests to Performance-Based Assessment

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

   This article describes how The Language Center at the Espirito Santo Federal University changed from using traditional pencil-and-paper tests to performance testing, based on authentic tasks. The change was prompted because people thought that their testing did not reflect a communicative approach to language teaching. The Assessment Project lasted for two years; the author discusses its participants, goals, stages (including pilot testing), and results. Content and construct validity improved, leading to positive washback. Learning objectives and criteria for passing were clarified.

2. The Law of Life

   In: To Build a Fire and Other Stories Format(s): Text

   In this story from To Build a Fire and Other Stories, an old and blind Alaskan Native man listens to the sounds of his tribe preparing to migrate to find food and thinks about the law of life: all things must die.

3. Laughing All the Way: Teaching English Using Puns

   In: English Teaching Forum 2013, Volume 51, Number 1 Format(s): Text

   This article describes four categories of English puns—soundalike puns, lookalike puns, close-sounding puns, and texting puns—and suggests how they can be incorporated into English language classrooms.

4. Poems About Identity and Self

   In: Poetry Format(s): Text

   Are you a poet looking for inspiration? Check out these poems about identity written by learners from around the world!

5. Unpublished

   Global Comic Stories

   In: Teaching with Comics and Graphic Novels Format(s): Text

   In this section, you’ll find the published anthology from the AE Global Comics Virtual Exchange Program. At a later date, two more anthologies will be added to this section.

6. Teacher's Corner: Comic Books for Learning

   Format(s): Text

   Comic books are a pleasure to read, but they can also be a great resource in the English classroom!

7. El Paso

   In: American Rhythms Format(s): MP3, Text

   In the song El Paso, folk/indie singer, songwriter and internet sensation Danielle “Ate the Sandwich” Anderson thinks back on the experiences she had in El Paso. Listen online or download the MP3.

8. Teaching Weak Forms

   In: English Teaching Forum 2003, Volume 41, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   This article describes a pronunciation concept referred to as the weak form, a compression of sounds used to keep the rhythm of spoken English. The author uses the word “that” as an example. Stressing or not stressing the word “that” when reading aloud the sentence “John thinks that man is evil” changes the meaning. Reading “that” as unstressed is an example of the weak form. The author provides examples of how to teach the weak form to provide students with better spoken English and better comprehension.

9. Developing Sight Word Recognition and Vocabulary

   In: Teacher's Corner: Literacy Development for True Beginners Format(s): Text

   Texts written in English are made up of many of the same words. These words are called high-frequency words because they appear so often. Sometimes these words can be tricky for beginners because their spelling patterns may not follow typical English phonics rules.

10. Poems About Nature

    In: Poetry Format(s): Text

    Read poems that students from around the world wrote about nature. Download these student poems!

Pages