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Beyond Proficiency: Nurturing Critical Thinking Skills in the EFL Classroom

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

Develop a shared understanding of what it means to “think critically," and examine why teachers should devote time to helping students develop a critical thinking mindset.

Effective Grammar Teaching: Balancing Input and Output

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

This session, "Effective Grammar Teaching: Balancing Input and Output," aims to help you enrich classroom time by examining how to incorporate the practice of real language into grammar lessons.

English Teaching Forum 2007, Volume 45, Number 2

Format(s): Text

This special issue focuses on developing thematic learning units in EFL classrooms. The process for utilizing the five-step system is discussed in detail, and six separate lesson plans are included.

Module 3: Integrating Skills

In: Shaping the Way We Teach English: Successful Practices Around the World Format(s): Text, Video, Website

This Module of the Shaping the Way we Teach English Series contains a lesson plan and accompanying video that is focused on the use of language skills together in social interaction.

The Use of Ethics in the EFL Classroom

In: English Teaching Forum 2004, Volume 42, Issue 4 Format(s): Text

If students are not meeting their goals, it may be that the reason is non-linguistic. Motivation is an important factor that teachers need to consider. The writer argues that carefully chosen ethics cases can motivate timid students to speak out by removing their fear of making mistakes and by encouraging them to talk about heart-felt beliefs. Since ethics cases may not have clear right and wrong answers, this sets them apart from other discussion topics. Debate will foster critical thinking skills.

Module 4: Pairwork/Groupwork

In: Shaping the Way We Teach English: Successful Practices Around the World Format(s): Text, Video, Website

This Module of the Shaping the Way we Teach English Series contains a lesson plan and accompanying video that is focused on pair and group work.

PBS Kids

Format(s): Website

PBS Kids helps to educate young learners in creative and fun ways. The educational content is aimed at children, with many interactive games and activities to aid in learning.

Abstracts from Other Journals

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

In “EAP Issues and Directions,” Ken Hyland and Liz Hamp-Lyons consider elements EAP researchers and teachers face. The challenges and academic needs of EAP, for both students and teachers, are addressed, along with solutions to those challenges. Teaching writing within the legal profession when the student is also an ESL/EFL student is the main topic of “Developing Legal Writing Materials for English Second Language Learners: Problems and Perspectives” by C. N. Candlin, V. K. Bhatia, and C. H. Jensen. The article includes an analysis of textbooks and suggested customized resources.

Climbing Grammar Mountain: An Interactive Learning Experience

In: English Teaching Forum 2005, Volume 43, Number 4 Format(s): Text

This article describes a grammar game that is an enjoyable way for students to correct sentences. In Climbing Grammar Mountain, best suited for secondary and university students, learners compete in teams to “climb” a game board. They earn needed equipment in the form of sentences. If a student can correctly state whether a sentence is grammatical, s/he is able to proceed, with bonus points for correcting an incorrect sentence. The game board, sample sentences, and instructions for teachers and students are included along with suggestions for adaptations.

Internet TESL Journal (iTESL-j)