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1. Amazing Animals

   In: English Teaching Forum 2007, Volume 45, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   “Animals” is a three-part lesson plan for young learners with a zoo animal theme. The first lesson is full of activities to describe animals, with Simon Says, guessing games, and learning stations. The second lesson is about desert animals, but other types of animals could be chosen depending on student interest. This lesson teaches prepositions of place. The final lesson, using the Language Experience Approach, leads up to a trip to the zoo (real or virtual). The class constructs a story of their experience and reads it together. Animal flashcards are included.

2. 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.

3. Using Practice Posters to Address EFL Challenges

   In: English Teaching Forum 2007, Volume 45, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   Practice posters, with pictures and captions, are useful for controlled practice of vocabulary and structures in an EFL context. The author has found many advantages of using posters with beginners in a high school setting. Student led review gets students active, increases autonomy and improves confidence. The use of small groups is effective with multi-language classes and frees the teacher to monitor interactions. Other benefits include increasing English use, limiting mistakes, decreasing discipline issues, helping with pronunciation and appealing to a variety of learning styles.

4. Theory and Research

   In: Teacher's Corner: Online Learning Format(s): Text

   To start this month’s Teacher’s Corner we will investigate the opportunities and pitfalls of online learning.

5. Week 2 - Making Expectations Clear

   In: Creating a Positive Classroom Community Format(s): Text

   The success of a class can depend on the transparency of its expectations and outcomes. When expectations and outcomes of a course are unclear, both students and teachers can become frustrated and struggle with the course.

6. Raising Phonological Awareness: A Task that benefits Language Learners with and without Learning Disabilities

   In: Teacher's Corner: Strategies for Teaching Students with Disabilities Format(s): Text

   Teachers are tasked with many roles in the language classroom. In addition to teaching language, many must also act as cultural interpreters, counselors, disciplinarians, motivational speakers, and more.

7. Tea Time

   In: English Teaching Forum 2002, Volume 40, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   This article is about tea, the world’s most popular drink. It presents the stories, descriptions, recipes, and poems submitted by Forum readers all over the world in response to a tea survey conducted by Forum.

8. News and Notes

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

   “News and Notes” consists of an introduction to an Internet-based newsletter called “ESL Mini-Conference Online” and a conference announcement organized by WorldCALL in 2003.

9. The Lighter Side

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

   The Lighter Side consists of two puzzles. “Alaska!” is a crossword puzzle using vocabulary related to various subjects. “A Capital City Puzzle” focuses on finding the capital cities of major countries.

10. The Lighter Side

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

    The theme of this issue's "The Lighter Side" is the old west. It includes the song “Home on the Range,” history related to the tune, and a word find puzzle. This activity is appropriate for intermediate to advanced learners. Answers are included.

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