Teaching Matters: Observing and Leading Class Discussions
“The true spirit of conversation consists in building on another man’s observation, not overturning it.” —Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton (1803–1873), British novelist/politician What do you do while students are having conversations or talking in pairs? Do you have a “formula” for taking notes? Do you focu… The post Teaching Matters: Observing and...
Read MoreTeaching Matters: Creating Student-Centered Materials for Your English Classroom
“Be curious, not judgemental.” —Walt Whitman (1819-1892), American poet What makes classroom materials “student-centered”? How do fluency-focused materials help create a livelier learning environment? While the web allows English teachers to individualize instruction to an astonishing degree, teache… The post Teaching Matters: Creating Student-Centered...
Read MoreTeaching Matters: The Art of Teaching “Unplugged”
“The art and science of asking questions is the source of all knowledge.” – Thomas Berger (1924-2014), American novelist What is teaching “unplugged?” How does this approach enhance language learning for students? What kinds of activities can English teachers implement that reflect this style… The post Teaching Matters: The Art of Teaching...
Read MoreThe Value of Playback: Recording Student Presentations and Making Good Mistakes in Real-time
“Don’t sweat the small stuff, and it’s all small stuff.” – Dr. Richard Carlson (1956-), bestselling American author and psychologist Creating a classroom atmosphere of tolerance, understanding, and constructive criticism remains a constant challenge. How do you help your ESL students recognize their… The post The Value of Playback: Recording Student...
Read MoreNow available: Compelling Conversations Vietnam bilingual supplement comes to Amazon Kindle!
“The mind is not a vessel that needs filling but wood that needs igniting.” —Plutarch (45-120), ancient Greek biographer and essayist Learn, work and dream in English! We are proud to release Compelling Conversations – Vietnam: Supplementary Bilingual English-Vietnamese Conversation Questions for Vietnamese Learners of English. A bilingual companion to last year’s...
Read MoreWorksheet: Express Opinions and Improve Critical Thinking with Consumer Product Reviews
“A man’s most valuable trait is a judicious sense of what not to believe.” — Euripides (485-406 B.C.E.), ancient Greek playwright Why use consumer product reviews as a teaching tool? How does this exercise benefit English language learners? Which skillsets are strengthened as a result? The giving and receiving of gifts has become a central feature of Christmas, Hanukkah,...
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