Location Matters for EFL Teachers: Modifying English Content to Match Local Context
“To know and not do is to not know.” – ancient Jewish proverb Directing a private international high school in Vietnam last year provided many lessons. English might be the subject, but the context, as so often, became paramount. As English teachers, we often begin by asking simple questions as we prepare our classes. Who are our students? What do they expect from their English...
Read MoreINTESOL Conference on ESL Teachers and Technology Offers Practical Tips
From assigning audio journals and monitoring classroom conversations to videotaping mock interviews and analyzing YouTube videotapes, Indiana ESL teachers heard presenters share practical tips and favorite lessons at an outstanding INTESOL conference today. Several INTESOL presenters also lead workshops and shared materials and techniques to incorporate the internet, radio, and other authentic...
Read MoreHave You Added Informational Interviews to Your Advanced ESL Class Yet?
A broad consensus exists among adult educators, especially ESL instructors, that we should take every possible opportunity to focus on job interview skills in our English classes. During these difficult economic times, however, I would suggest that ESL and even EFL instructors working with college and university students also should focus on practical employment skills. Videotaping practice...
Read MoreMaking Accurate, Sound Comparisions in ESL/EFL Conversation Classes
ESL teachers, especially working with oral skills and pronunciation, face a difficult task. Is there a single, correct form of English that should be taught? Should all English speakers sound like Americans or British? What if EFL students plan to study in Australia or Canada? The question is far more complicated than many English pronunciation instructors admit. How do you say that again? Which...
Read MoreWhat Does Success Mean? What Definition Works for You?
Sometimes the simplest questions create the best conversations. What does success mean? What definition are you using? How is that definition working for you? After a hectic summer teaching English and directing a private high school English program in Vietnam, I’ve been asking myself these questions quite a bit. I learned many lessons, deepened a close friendship with two old friends, met...
Read MoreStandardized Exams: Ends or Means?
We Just Want a High TOEFL Score! Students often need solid TOEFL scores to study abroad, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Naturally, this need – and ambition – often makes reaching a certain number on the TOEFL exam as the goal of their English studies. Unfortunately, sometimes these imperfect standardized exams – all attempts to measure...
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