How do you flip your English class? What homework activities do you use to spark lively small group discussions in class?
How do you create lively small group discussions in your English class? What homework do you find most likely to spark student-led conversations? Are you interested in flipping your ESL class so English language learners collect information outside of class and share the information inside the class? ELT researchers consistently recommend that students talk at least 70% of class time, but many...
Read MoreWhy We Wrote Compelling American Conversations for Intermediate American English Language Learners
“America needs new immigrants to love and cherish it.” – Eric Hoffer (1902-1983), American writer and longshoreman Compelling American Conversations: Questions and Quotations for intermediate American English language learners explicitly emphasizes American English, speaking skills, and democratic values. The primary audience remains newcomers to the United States, recent and...
Read MoreAsk Your English Students to Review TED.Com videos – and Create Compelling Conversations
How can you encourage your advanced ESL students to develop their speaking skills and tap their interest in our rapidly changing world? Create compelling classroom assignments that respect their intelligence, engage their curiosity, and model great speaking skills. Let your students be hunters, gathers, and presenters of new information to their classmates! Adding a homework assignment that...
Read MoreConversation Tip #10: What brings you here?
Sometimes a simple, flexible question can create compelling conversations. “What brings you here?” remains one of my personal favorites. Many job interview experts like this question because it allows applicants to explain their motives. In fact, the open-ended question almost forces applicants to clearly focus on their goals. The question works even better for far less stressful...
Read MoreHappy New Decade! How Will We Change? Will We Discuss Change in Our ESL Classes?
As the decade ends, this 2008 Did You Know videofor a Sony conference seems more relevant than ever. With quick factoids and fast edits, it shows how radically our world is changing. How do we prepare students for a world full of new technologies, new jobs, and new challenges? 2008 Sony Conference Video on Change Did you notice how dated this celebration of technological possibilities felt with...
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...
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