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1. Authentic Video in the Beginning ESOL Classroom: Using a Full-Length Feature Film for Listening and Speaking Strategy Practice

   In: English Teaching Forum 2004, Volume 42, Issue 1 Format(s): Text

   Using film in the classroom can be effective with beginning English learners. A full-length film offers continuous context to discuss humor, culture, and language functions, real-life communication with images and non-verbal cues, increased retention due to activating the right hemisphere of the brain, and the lowering of students’ affective filters. The authors include a lesson based on their experience teaching listening and speaking skills using the movie “What about Bob.” Assessment techniques and potential problems are considered.

2. From Passive Participant to Active Thinker

   In: English Teaching Forum 2005, Volume 43, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   This article discusses how, through materials development, teachers can help students think critically and feel comfortable enough to be active participants in class. The author suggests adapting materials to be more relevant to the interests and needs of students in a particular context. Another suggestion is to create materials that help students connect their thoughts and feelings to the language they are learning. The author includes techniques to promote critical thinking and learner autonomy.

3. Using Comic Strips in Language Classes

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

   The author believes that using comic strips in language-learning classes has three main benefits. First, comic strips motivate younger learners. Second, they provide a context and logically connected sentences to help language learning. Third, their visual information is helpful for comprehension. The author argues that comic strips can be used in exercises of reading and other skills areas. The author provides four activities that use comic strips.

4. U.S. History Topics

   Format(s): Website

   A variety of U.S. history resources, provided by the Federal Resources for Educational Excellence.

5. Lesson Plan: Using Journalism Skills in the Language Classroom

   In: English Teaching Forum 2006, Volume 44, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   This lesson plan contains four activities based on the theme of newspapers and journalism. It includes a lesson to familiarize students with newspapers, journalistic writing, interviewing, and creating a class newspaper. The activities can be used as individual lessons or a larger project of creating a class newspaper.

6. Implementing Content-Based Language Instruction in your Classroom

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

   "Implementing Content-based Language Instruction in Your Classroom" examines the needs of teachers who are currently using or interested in content-based language instruction (CBI) in the classroom.

7. Animating Your Instruction: Using Comics and Graphic Novels in the English Language Classroom

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

   "Animating Your Instruction: Using Comics and Graphic Novels in the English Language Classroom" explores the popularity of illustrated stories among teachers and students alike and offers suggestions on how to use them to “animate” your classes.

8. Developing Grammar Proficiency Through Communicative Activities

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

   This session, "Developing Grammar Proficiency Through Communicative Activities," explores key principles associated with communicative grammar instruction.

9. CyberSchoolBus

   Format(s): Website

   The U.N. CyberSchoolbus is a free educational resource for teachers and learners. In addition to resources about U.N. countries and programs, there are also lesson plans and activities related to peace education, poverty, human rights, discrimination, the environment, and much more.

10. Promoting Authentic Language Use with Tasks

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

    This session, "Promoting Authentic Language Use with Tasks," explores Tasked-Based Language Teaching by introducing the four criteria of tasks, presenting task types, and sharing examples of successful classroom tasks.

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