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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. Using Guided, Corpus-Aided Discovery to Generate Active Learning

   In: English Teaching Forum 2008, Volume 46, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   This article shows how English teachers can provide careful guidance for students to use a corpus to research, discover, and reflect on the grammatical and sociolinguistic aspects of English. The author introduces the idea of using a corpus in teaching English and offers several important online resources for English language corpora. The author provides a rationale for corpus-based teaching and gives two examples of how to guide students in exploring linguistic features of English.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. Multi-Modal Writing: Promoting Digital Literacy in the English Language Classroom

   In: American English Webinars Format(s): MP3, Text

   This webinar discusses how multi-modal writing uses more than just words to communicate–it encourages students to use audio, video, photographs, and drawings to supplement their writing in meaningful ways.

7. Written Peer Response in L2 Writing

   In: English Teaching Forum 2003, Volume 41, Number 1 Format(s): Text

   This article argues that peer reviews of student writing should be done in writing and orally, as opposed to only in writing or only orally. Peer reviewing usually addresses the organization and style of student writing. The author discusses eight advantages to managing a peer-review process this way.

8. Creating Meaningful Web Pages: A Project-Based Course

   In: English Teaching Forum 2002, Volume 40, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   This article describes a nine-week course in Web design that can guide students in the production of an electronic project. It discusses the importance of project-based courses in language teaching since they offer learners an opportunity to be creative, control their own learning, and produce something tangible. The article addresses the benefits and difficulties of teaching such a course.

9. English Prime as an Instructional Tool in Writing Classes

   In: English Teaching Forum 2003, Volume 41, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   This article discusses a variety of ways to incorporate E-Prime, the idea that all forms of the verb “to be” need to be replaced in writing and speaking. The author shows how this can force ESL and EFL students to improve their writing and make them to spend more time with their essays, to think critically about acceptable grammar and vocabulary, and to search for new vocabulary.

10. English Grammar and Technical Writing

    Format(s): Text

    English Grammar and Technical Writing is a textbook for international students who are studying science, medicine, or technology.

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