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 MoreSearch and Share exercises enhance learning resources
Explore with Search and Share worksheets Photo Source: Photo taken by Nicola Sapiens De Mitri “In any field, find the strangest thing and then explore it.” -John Archibald Wheeler (1911-2008) American theoretical physicist We live in a world full of wonderful resources from books to television to the internet. These resources remain invaluable to encourage our students to immerse...
Read MoreDuolingo: learning through translation
Effective language-learning program with a unique approach “We come together from across the world at varying language levels with the same goal in mind – to learn. Curiosity, questioning, and cultural understanding are something we celebrate.” -Duolingo Guidelines Why do so many people yearn to learn English and other languages? The reasons–whether for work, friendships, travel or...
Read MoreSpring ESL: “One Stop Connection to ESL, EFL, ELD, ELT, and ESOL instructional materials”
Book center hosts a wealth of ELL materials “Spring Book Center strives in three basic principles: Service, Responsibility and Lower Prices.” -Spring ESL We live in a Golden Age for teaching English. We can find resources from around the globe to fit the needs of the language learners in our classrooms. Yet this overwhelming plethora of choices can cause headaches. Where do you go to find...
Read MoreInfinite English App supplements ESL speaking, listening skills
Photo source: iTunes screenshot Using Infinite English to practice reading text, passages aloud “For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” -Aristotle (384 B.C.E.-322 C.E.) Greek philosopher Do your students use phone apps to learn English? For those looking to sharpen their speaking, pronunciation and listening skills, Infinite English from Vocefy Inc....
Read MoreBetween life and death: Zombie nouns privilege pretentious vocabulary at the expense of simple clarity
The nominalization of nouns creates abstract, dry and often misleading language “Simplicity is the glory of expression.” -Walt Whitman (1819-1892) American poet Sometimes, it’s fun to play with the English language and transform its adjectives, adverbs and nouns into more complex-sounding words. Playing with word forms can both emphasize a key concept and add an academic tone. Like many other...
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