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1. Two Writing Activities for Extensive Reading

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

   These activities promote writing fluency and self-monitoring as well as skills such as getting started with writing and skimming. Students demonstrate understanding of their extensive reading. Timed repeated thinking and writing is similar to free-writing. It includes brief cycles of writing and reflecting. In each cycle, students start their writing over. A similar activity involves cycles of skimming, writing, and thinking. For variation, students can start from where their last writing left off or choose the most important point as a starting place for the next writing turn.

2. Teaching Reading to Speakers of Non-Romanized Languages

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

   This article offers tips for teaching reading to speakers of non-Romanized languages. The author explains how initial lessons of the text “Let’s Read: A Linguistic Approach” by Bloomfield and Barnhart can be modified to address challenges that many Asian and Middle Eastern EFL learners face. The lessons address the alphabet, linking letters to sounds, and focusing on vowels in beginning reading. Rhyming and minimal pairs build connections between symbols and phonetic values. The lessons build a foundation for future reading. Teachers of any age group may find this article useful.

3. Developing Pragmatic Competence in the EFL Classroom

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

   Pragmatic competence is an important part of communicative competence, yet it is often insufficiently addressed. This article outlines a program of four lessons on the speech acts of openings and closings. Lessons examine dialogues for cultural differences regarding forms of address, abruptness, expected responses, and so on. Students also consider pre-closing phrases, ways to express politeness, and formality. Finally, students expand an artificial dialogue to make it more realistic. Activities include translation, pair work, creative writing, class discussion, and role play.

4. Building Consensus on Teacher Assessment

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

   This article proposes a collaborative workshop for teachers and teacher trainees to identify their preferred methods of Teacher Assessment (TA).TA refers to the evaluation of teachers. Some examples are observation by colleagues or supervisors, videotaping class, and feedback from students. The pros and cons of various TA instruments and formats are discussed, including how threatening they are perceived to be. Participants also consider what should be included in their professional portfolio. It can be rewarding to involve stakeholders in the process.

5. Telephone Conversation Openings

   In: Teaching Pragmatics Format(s): Text, Video, Website

   This lesson aims to develop awareness and understanding of the nature of telephone conversation openings from a social, interactional perspective.

6. Requesting the Main Point in the Classroom

   In: Teaching Pragmatics Format(s): Text, Video, Website

   This lesson in Teaching Pragmatics aims to help students learn how to request the main point.

7. Keeping Discipline in the Classroom

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

   This article discusses the challenges of keeping order in the classroom and provides suggestions for fostering an environment of mutual respect. The article looks at what students expect of teachers as well as temporary games and long-term strategies that students use to take control from the teacher. Some practical solutions to discipline problems include keeping students’ attention, establishing clear rules together, and addressing discipline problems by using nonverbal and verbal cues before reacting to the problem.

8. E-mail Requests

   In: Teaching Pragmatics Format(s): Text, Video, Website

   This lesson in Teaching Pragmatics aims to help students develop appropriate written request strategies.

9. Just Off Main Street

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

   “Just off Main Street” is for learner use and is an account of the writer’s experience as an Arab American. It opens with a description of the writer’s childhood and the cultural divide between life inside and outside the home. Readers will be drawn into the vivid description of daily life. The article looks at the challenges of being bi-cultural, of keeping home life separate, of being “exoticized,” of becoming comfortable and proud of one’s heritage, and of finding community. The article provides opportunities for discussions of culture, identity, and activism.

10. What do you think? Requesting Responses from Professors

    In: Teaching Pragmatics Format(s): Text, Video, Website

    This lesson in Teaching Pragmatics aims to help students develop appropriate written request strategies.

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