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1. Week 1 - Reflecting on Hidden Cultural Rules (Part One)

   In: Integrating Critical Thinking Into The Exploration Of Culture Format(s): Text, Video

   This week’s Teacher’s Corner encourages students to think critically about the unspoken rules and expectations of different cultures.

2. The Lighter Side: Stage Directions

   In: English Teaching Forum 2015, Volume 53, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   Stage directions describe characters’ emotions or actions; they help actors interpret scripts.

3. “What would happen if…?” Chain Stories

   In: Teacher's Corner: Conditionals Format(s): Text

   Students use oral or written conditionals to develop a series of related “cause and effect” events. The chain of events will create a short, often funny, story!

4. Reader's Guide

   In: English Teaching Forum 2015, Volume 53, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   This guide is designed to enrich your reading of the articles in this issue. You may choose to read them on your own, taking notes or jotting down answers to the discussion questions below.

5. Teacher's Corner: A Story of Design Thinking in the Classroom

   Format(s): Text

   Design thinking is a concept that has received growing attention in the United States in recent years. This approach to problem-solving is also valuable for turning our classrooms into spaces that prepare our students to solve meaningful challenges in the world in addition to learning English language skills. In this month’s Teacher’s Corner, we explore the concept of design thinking and consider how we can implement it in our teaching and classroom.

6. Activity: Public Debate

   Learn about the importance of public debate. Develop speaking, listening and note-taking skills through participating in a debate.

7. Techniques for Students New to the Language Lab

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

   This article presents techniques that can be used in the university language lab to improve listening and speaking skills. The article describes several tasks for pairs and groups. Lessons begin with a popular English song and a warm up activity. Materials expose students to the formal and informal language of native speakers and fluent non-native speakers. Drills, stories, songs, and conversations make the language lab a beneficial resource. An initial session highlights the unique aspects of spoken language.

8. 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.

9. Learn English Activity: Numbers, Months, Days, and Years

   In: VOA Classroom Activities Format(s): Website

   Learn your numbers, days, months and years with this activity. Level: beginner.

10. Learn English Activity: Small Talk

    In: VOA Classroom Activities Format(s): Website

    In this Business English activity learn about Small Talk.

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