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1. 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.

2. An Integrated Skills Lesson Plan for "Just Off Main Street" by Elmaz Abinader

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

   This lesson plan is designed for high intermediate to advanced English language learners. Based on an authentic, contemporary essay by an accomplished American writer, the lesson plan includes tasks and activities designed to improve students’ English language skills as well as increase their understanding of American culture. The lesson includes pre-, during, and post reading activities to improve comprehension, learn new vocabulary, and make connections beyond the text. Websites of interest and useful questions for discussion or writing are included.

3. Politeness is More than "Please"

   In: Teaching Pragmatics Format(s): Text, Website

   This lesson teaches politeness strategies in English.

4. Teacher’s Desk of the United States Department of Agriculture

   Format(s): Website

   Learn about agricultural research, strengthen reading skills, stimulate creative thinking. For a range of student levels.

5. Children’s Web Portal

   Format(s): Video, Website

   The official kids’ portal for the student and teacher pages of various U.S. Government agencies.

6. SWELL: A Writing Method to Help English Language Learners

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

   Social-interactive Writing for English Language Learners (SWELL) is collaborative writing based on Topping’s Paired Writing Method. The method was changed to meet the needs of English language learners. In both methods, pairs are formed according to proficiency, pairing a more advanced student (a Helper) with a less advanced one (a Writer). The author describes the steps of generating ideas, drafting, reading, editing, best copy, and evaluating. Features of SWELL include using students’ linguistic knowledge (L1), balancing fluency with mechanics, and promoting explicit teacher instruction.

7. Lesson Plan: Going Green

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

   The lesson plan, “Going Green,” allows students to develop research and problem-solving skills on the theme of environmental conservation. The lesson includes a glossary of environmental terms. It uses a learner-centered approach as learners work in groups to determine their topic, the vocabulary they want to learn, how to collect information, how to report it (qualitatively or quantitatively), and what action to take based on the results. Students report their findings and action plan in a poster presentation. Creative writing, a debate, or a "green fair" are optional extensions.

8. Classroom Activities

   In: English Teaching Forum 2012, Volume 50, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   This "Classroom Activities" features three stand-alone language-learning activity related to the theme of summer.

9. Transforming the Whole Class into Gossiping Groups

   In: English Teaching Forum 2002 (Volume 40, Number 1) Format(s): Text

   This article discusses various communicative purposes displayed by speakers of a language, including focusing on the topic of gossiping as a universal language function and exploring ways to exploit our human tendency for gossip to provide language fluency practice. The author provides two different interactive gossip activities that can be used in the classroom to help students speak more fluently. Included are step-by-step details for each lesson plan and each activity.

10. Promoting Solidarity in Short Interactions

    In: Teaching Pragmatics Format(s): Text, Video, Website

    This lesson in Teaching Pragmatics aims to raise awareness of and give practice in using strategies of relexicalisation for descriptive accounts and for promoting solidarity in short interactions. A sub-goal is to provide students with interesting and natural vehicles for vocabulary development, recycling and revision.

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