1) SUMMARIZE

This method incorporates many skills: reading, listening, speaking, vocabulary, and writing. Students must thoroughly analyze and understand a section of the reading, and only by working together can they understand the entire reading.
Instructions:

• First, assign a paragraph of the reading to each student. If you have a lot of students, assign the paragraph to a pair of students instead.
• Explain that each student (or pair) will be responsible for relating the information from their paragraph in their own words.
• Have students silently read through their paragraphs.
• If you want, get them to write out their summaries, but I usually prefer to have them give an oral, and more natural, summary.
• To help them and their classmates understand the reading well, have each student (or pair) choose 3-5 vocabulary words that they are unfamiliar with.
• Have each student (or pair) define their vocabulary words (via a dictionary: English-to-English is best) and write out each definition in their own words.
• Get each student to write down an example sentence for each word; this will ensure that they’ve truly understood the word.
• Once all the students are finished their reading and vocabulary, have each student (or pair) present their vocabulary and their summaries (in the order of the original reading).
• Then, in pairs or as a class, answer the comprehension questions and correct them before you let the students see the entire reading.

Many of the ESL-Library lessons are formatted in short paragraphs that are ideal for using this method (for example, in Famous People, Famous Places, Famous Things, Holidays, etc.). I usually have students write their words and definitions on the board for their classmates to see and copy down, but I get students to read their example sentences out loud as it usually takes too long to have them write those out, too.

2) CUT UP & REARRANGE

This works best for short readings or dialogues. This method ensures that students think very carefully about the meaning of each sentence.
Instructions:

• Divide students into small groups or pairs.
• Hand out a cut-up version of the story or dialogue.
• Have students try to arrange the sentences in order. It helps to tell them which sentence is first.
• Encourage them to tell each other why they think a particular sentence comes next.
• Circle through the groups, pointing out sentences that are not in the correct position. (It helps if you bring the original around with you for easy reference.)
• To make it fun, you could have a prize for the team or pair that finishes first.

ESL-Library has a whole section with dialogues that are all ready to cut up! Check out our Traveling in English section.

3) READ OUT LOUD

This technique easily turns a reading exercise into a listening exercise for a bit of variety. Students listen to you, the teacher, read aloud as a class activity.
Instructions:

• First, read through the comprehension questions as a class.
• Read the story out loud.
• Give students a few minutes to answer what questions they can.
• Read the story out loud a second time.
• Give students a bit more time to answer the questions. Then correct them as a class (and hand out the reading for reference or self-study, if desired).

Alternatively, read the story out loud twice in a row, and have students try to answer questions in pairs before correcting in order to incorporate some speaking. To make it even more communicative, higher-level students can pair up and each read half the story aloud to the other, then try to answer the questions together. If students are reading out loud, you can circulate and correct their pronunciation as needed, or note some common pronunciation errors to go over as a class at the end of the activity.

Share

What are some other ways to make reading lessons interactive that work well for you? It would be great if we could share our preferred methods in the comment section below!

Read on, my friends, read on… Tanya

Victoria Day is celebrated annually in Canada on the last Monday before May 25th. It celebrates Queen Victoria’s birthday. In Canada, this holiday is often thought of as the unofficial beginning of summer.  The long-weekend is affectionately known as “May Two-Four”.  Learn a brief history about Queen Victoria and this Canadian holiday through today’s mini-podcast. This podcast is an audio preview of the reading from our NEW lesson plan. The Victoria Day lesson plan comes with vocabulary review, a reading, comprehension questions, pair work, and a family tree activity. Students do a little research in order to compare three famous Victorias. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Coming soon…Memorial Day.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, Holiday or Health lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 114th episode.

Check out last week’s podcast on Mother’s Day.

Digital cameras have made it possible for us to document every moment of our lives. We sometimes take ten copies of the same picture, and many times we never look at these pictures again. Mobile phones have made it possible for us to take and store more photos than we need. We can also instantly share them with our friends and family members. The technology is impressive, but what about the pictures? Photojournalist Nick Danziger recently challenged people to take fewer pictures. In fact, he wants people to try taking just one picture per day.

Authentic Materials

Do you enjoy using authentic materials in the classroom? BBC’s 60-second idea to change the world has some great discussion topics. If your learners carry mobile devices, this topic is sure to get them talking. Here are a few questions to discuss after you read a bit more about Nick’s idea. You can also listen to the idea in a 1-minute podcast where a few members of the BBC debate whether or not it’s a good idea to put this extreme limit on amateur photographers like you and me.

• Why does Nick think people take too many pictures?
• What do speed and alcohol limits have to do with this idea?
• What would this limit on gadgets do to help change the world?
• What if you could only keep one picture instead of only take one picture? Would that change your opinion of Nick’s idea?
• Would you miss important moments in life if you could only take one picture? Which ones?
• Would you buy a gadget that only allowed you to take one picture a day?

Debate topic:

The world would be a better place if gadgets only allowed people to take one picture per day.

“So instead of taking dozens of photographs to get that one decisive moment, people will – for once – have to concentrate and think and compose the picture properly.” ~ Nick Danziger

Related in the ESL-Library

Mini-Debates
Flashcards: Electronics and Gadgets
Discussion Starters: Social Media
Previously in Something to Talk About: Police Auctions – For or Against?

Related in the ELT Blogosphere
How to Make the Most of your Digital Camera (for English learners by an English language teacher)
Ideas for using ELTpics in the classroom

“Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work.” ~ Gustave Flaubert

Learning online can be an incredible journey but at some point you may feel overwhelmed with the surplus of information and resources. You may feel very excited about a resource you come across, but want to access that resource at some other date. Perhaps, you are teaching your students how to research online and they want to bookmark and create notes on websites. Many free webtools exist to help us quickly save, bookmark, categorize, store, and share information. These tools are very advanced and store our information in the cloud. Our information and the way we organize it is stored in cyberspace so that we have access to it when we connect to the Internet. Below are ways that I use this technology to keep me organized wherever I go. I hope the following tips and resources will help you and your students keep organized.

Googlize It!

Jump on the bandwagon and get a Google account if you haven’t already. Google has so many tools that keep you organized and save you time. I will list a few of my favorites and how to use them. Learn more about each and download them here.

G-mail – Make the switch to g-mail. It has so many features and ways to keep organized. You can keep emails in various folders, star those that have priority, and filter emails into folders by keywords. The search feature is amazing and quick. Plus, the interface continues to get more intelligent and integrates with various Google apps and tools. For example, when my email has a date, my gmail will often pick that up and give me options to schedule that event on my Google Calendar. Another feature I enjoy is how easy it is to create contacts and categorize them. Next to each email, on the right-side, I can see an image of the contact if they are on GooglePlus or have a Google Profile, I can add them to circles, chat with them, or edit their details. My Android smartphone automatically syncs these contacts with their information and images.

Google Drive – If you haven’t already, make the switch from Google Apps to Google Drive. You have to sign-up for it and it will take a few days to be accepted. Once you do, you will have access to a storage platform that goes wherever you install it. It allows you to create and store text documents, PDFs, slide presentations, videos, spreadsheets, forms, surveys, and more! You can categorize the files in folders and give links to anyone you want to have access to them or edit them. The search feature is very advanced with many options. The best feature, though, is that whatever is on your Google Drive goes everywhere you go because you can install Google Drive on your desktop, mobile device, or laptop. You can even offline documents.

Google Chrome – This is my browser of choice, because it doesn’t matter what computer I use I just have to download the browser and login to have access to my bookmarks, favorite sites, and more. I carry my browser wherever I go with my preferred settings. Often, it will even remember passwords and login details for those I have previously allowed. This saves me a lot of time and aggravation when I cannot use my laptop. There are many customization options so I can personalize the background and make it look nice. Also, it has a very user-friendly interface that shows me clickable thumbnails of the places I visit the most. I can download several apps that tell me the time in all time zones, give me access to my bookmarks, and so much more. I can quickly install bookmarklets of the various online tools I use and they will be easily accessible in my browser’s toolbar.

Google Calendar – Create events and send yourself and students reminders. You can create and share various calendars with students and their parents. You can create a calendar for each class. One of the best features is that you have the option to send yourself and your students alerts a week/day/hour in advance. The alerts will pop up on your mobile device or you can choose to text the alerts to any mobile device to remind students and their parents of important events (like a parent-teacher meeting) or homework.

Bookmarklet It!

A bookmarlet is a tiny icon that can be dragged and dropped into most browsers. Many online tools like Diigo, ScoopIt, Pinterest, and Delicious have bookmarklets. When you click that icon, you will be able to use the features of that tool quickly. For example, when I click my Diigo bookmarklet, a small box pops up and I am able to quickly bookmark a website, add tags, categorize it, and share on social networks.

Bookmark It!

There are several free webtools that allow you to quickly bookmark, organize, and share resources. This means you have access to your bookmarks wherever you have Internet access. When you bookmark on any platform (a laptop, a friend’s computer, your mobile device), it automatically saves it to be accessed anywhere. Great bookmarking tools include Diigo, PearlTrees, LiveBinders, ScoopIt, Pinterest, Delicious, 19Pencils, MentorMob, and Magzinr. The best one of these, however, is Diigo. Diigo has so many options to get you organized and save you time. Additionally, you can bookmark from your mobile device with the free app and it has a bookmarklet. It allows you to create notes and highlight information on websites you bookmark. You can easily share your resource on social networks like Twitter and Facebook. You can set Diigo to create automatic posts on your blog of all the links you bookmark for the week or you can autobookmark any links you retweet or favorite on Twitter. The hashtags become the tags that categorize the information.

Go Mobile!

Your mobile device is your bestfriend when it comes to organization. Download free apps like Evernote, DropBox, Diigo, Google Drive, PowerDocs, and more to stay organized.The trick is to download the free apps that are linked to the organizational tools you already use online. This way you have all the information available on all your devices. Below is a description of two these apps.

Evernote has a desktop and online app as well as a mobile app. Create text, photo and audio notes that auto-synchronize your notes to your Mac or PC. Makes text within snapshots searchable. Add, sync, access, and share files (PDF, Word, Excel, PPT, and more) among the different versions of Evernote. Free version available on iPhone, iPod, Android, and Blackberry.

Dropbox has a desktop and online app as well as a mobile app. It gives you 2 GB of storage for free to upload photos, videos, documents, presentations, and audio. You can make these private or public (provides you a link to share for others to download). Save photos and videos taken with your phone’s camera, share and send files via email, or copy and paste links to share with another app. Export files to other apps and favorite them for offline viewing. Free version available on iPhone, iPod, Android, and Blackberry.

More Resources

For more tips on how to help with organization, check out my post, Tips and Tools to Manage Your Twitter Time and Nicky Hockly’s great post, Not Waving but Drowning!

What are your favorite organization tools?

Be sure to bookmark ESL-Library’s Lesson Plan Calendar for supplementary material ideas you can use each month. Find links to lessons on special events, birthdays, holidays, and more. ESL-Library subscribers also receive a special file folder system to keep track of lesson plans and flashcards that they use for each class.

If you want to receive more of Shelly’s tips for online resources for teaching English, then subscribe!

About Shelly

Shelly Sanchez Terrell is a teacher trainer, author, and international speaker. She is the host of American TESOL’s Free Friday Webinars and the Social Media Community Manager for The Consultants-E. She has co-founded and organized the acclaimed educational projects, Edchat, ELTChat, The Reform Symposium E-Conference and the ELTON nominated Virtual Round Table language and technology conference. Visit her award winning blog, Teacher Reboot Camp, for resources for effective technology integration. Keep an eye out for her book, The 30 Goals Challenge for Educators published by Eye on Education. Find her on Twitter, @ShellTerrell. She has taught toddlers to adults English in various countries including the US, Germany, and Greece.

Mother’s Day is celebrated in many countries throughout the world. Spring is a common time to celebrate Mother’s Day, though many countries celebrate on different dates. In Canada and the US, Mother’s Day is celebrated this coming Sunday. In elementary schools, kids are busy creating poems, crafts, and cards for their moms. As with many other holidays, Mother’s Day dates back to ancient times. Learn about the history of Mother’s Day through today’s mini-podcast. This podcast is an audio preview of our Holiday lesson plan. The Mother’s Day lesson plan comes with vocabulary review, a reading, comprehension questions, pair work, and idiom practice. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Coming soon…Victoria Day.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, Holiday or Health lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 113th episode.

Check out last week’s podcast on Maple Syrup.

English Tutor on Tour

They are sitting around a table in the kitchen, cracking jokes and laughing uproariously. All men, and most of them have muscles bulging out of their shirts. They are from Italy, Finland, Brazil, China, Germany, Mongolia, and Russia. They are laughing about something that happened during a rehearsal onstage today. These are the artists from Cirque du Soleil’s show, Totem. They are all speaking English, though for none of them is it a first language.

I witnessed this scene a few months ago, and spent a lot of time thinking about it. Why English? And what does it feel like, for each of them, to be in an environment where everyone around them speaks English with some level of difficulty?

These questions have become more pronounced for me as I have evolved into an English tutor on tour. As the wife of an artist, many of my students are fellow wives, who find themselves adrift as they accompany their husbands around the world. For these women, English feels like a hobby, and not a necessity; they spend as much time as possible surrounded by their families and tour friends, with whom they can speak their native languages.

A few of my students are artists themselves. The biggest obstacle I have with them is that all week long they are speaking English poorly, with other poor speakers. No one corrects their mistakes, and they reinforce each other’s bad habits. My one or two hours a week just doesn’t feel enough to counter this.

With nearly all of my students, the other problem I face is that academics do not come naturally to them. These are athletes – and families of athletes – of the highest order. Since very young childhood, athletics have been their complete preoccupation, with school a distant second. Study habits are nonexistent.

But after that, we are grappling with the same problems of ESL students everywhere: grammar, spelling, common mistakes. They want to be able to communicate more clearly, because there is nothing more frustrating than being unable to make yourself understood. And so we study – in the kitchen, in the tent, outside at the picnic tables between the shows. And in the meantime, the 11 different tour languages continue to circulate on site, making for a truly diverse circus community.

Shana Kennedy

[If you teach English in an untraditional setting, and would like to write a guest post for ESL-Library, please contact the team.]

Can you compare or modify a word like “unique”?

It was brought to my attention recently that a teacher using our site disagreed with the use of “the most unique” within one of our lessons. This led me to do a bit of research regarding this “unique” dilemma.

What do the style guides think?

The Chicago Manual of Style (16th ed.) agrees with our subscriber. It states the following:

“An adjective that, by definition, describes an absolute state or condition is called incomparable. It cannot take a comparative suffix and cannot be coupled with the comparative terms more, most, less, or least. Nor can it be intensified by words like very, largely, or quite” (2010, 226).

On the other hand, the Copyeditor’s Handbook argues that it depends on how you interpret the meaning. It explains this difference in the following way:

“There are also disputes about whether certain adjectives and adverbs are absolute (that is, they cannot be used in the comparative or the superlative and cannot be modified by the intensifier very). As Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage points out, each generation of usage experts proposes its list based on its notions of semantics and logic…Unique also means ‘distinctive’ or ‘unusual,’ and these meanings certainly admit comparison and intensification” (Einsohn 2011, 370-1).

Both the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary and the Oxford Canadian Dictionary agree that “unique” has two meanings:

1) only one (and therefore can’t be modified or compared)
2) unusual (and therefore can be modified or compared)

So does it all depend on how you interpret the meaning of “unique”?

What do others think?

I recently came across two examples where “unique” had been modified. I saw a post on my Facebook newsfeed from SfEP (the Society for Editors and Proofreaders in the UK), who posted an article from flavorwire.com entitled “Incredibly Unique Bookmobiles around the World.” Also, when I was watching American Idol (my guilty pleasure) on April 25, I heard Jimmy Iovine say that the way Freddy Mercury used to sing was “so, so unique.” Like it or not, modifying and comparing absolute adjectives like “unique” seems to be commonplace.

What do I think?

Personally, I don’t have a problem with using “very unique” or “more/most unique.” For example, I would be fine with the following sentence:

“Gotye and Kimbra are two artists with very unique singing styles, but I think that Gotye’s style is more unique than Kimbra’s.”

I fall into the category of people who use “unique” to mean “unusual,” so I don’t see anything wrong with emphasizing “unique” or using it comparatively or superlatively. But since I follow the Chicago Manual of Style when editing for ESL-Library, I do feel a bit at odds with this situation.

What do you think?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Would you have a problem using “very unique,” “more unique,” or “the most unique”? Or, if it’s your first time considering this dilly of a pickle, what do you think now?

May your days be filled with rainbows and unique-orns,

Tanya

Tanya Trusler loves helping others improve their communication. She spent over 10 years teaching ESL to students of all ages, levels, and nationalities. She has recently made the switch to editing, and is now a freelance editor in Vancouver, BC. She joined the ESL-Library team in January 2012, and is happily putting her teaching and editing skills to good use. Find her on Twitter, @PixieT12.

May is often the month when people start cleaning out their garages, sheds, and cottages in preparation for summer. But what about your teaching space? By this time of year, you may be feeling overwhelmed with the paperwork, craft materials, and resources that have accumulated in your classroom. Pinterest is a great place to find organizational tips. If you sign up for a free account, you can begin organizing the projects and activities that you want to try next year! Use search words such as “teacher and organize” to explore tips for organizing your classroom. Be sure to follow lots of different teachers to find boards that will be of use to you. Organizing your computer and online space is also important. Check out our guest post about Evernote and Dropbox, or review a few of the responses to the #ELTChat Blog Challenge on teachers’ favorite bookmarking tools. Stay tuned for some more ideas on our blog later this month, and don’t forget to use our handy Lesson Plan Calendar.

Thank you!

We’d like to say a big thank you to the team  of teachers and moderators that organized The Virtual Round Table conference. This  was an excellent (FREE) learning opportunity again this year. It took place online from April 20-22. If you missed it, don’t worry! There are over 30 hours of recordings that you can watch.  If you think you’ll be giving presentations in the future, we highly recommend Joe McVeigh’s presentation on improving your online presentation skills. It may even inspire you to be a presenter next time the Virtual Round Table conference rolls around.

New Lesson Plans this Month

• Everyday Dialogues: At The Barber’s
• Famous Things: Maple Syrup
• Holidays: Victoria Day
• Tiny Conversations: Requesting Help
• American Presidents: Andrew Johnson and Ulysses S. Grant

May Features

Holidays – Golden Week: Four public holidays take place during Golden Week in Japan. Students learn about each special day and practice writing out a day planner. “Gold” idioms are introduced.

Holidays – Cinco De Mayo: You don’t have to be Mexican to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Students learn some myths about Mexico and play a Mariachi version of Hangman!

Famous Places – Mount Everest: On May 29, 1953, Edmund Hilary became the first man to climb the world’s tallest mountain.  Try our famous places lesson plan to learn more about the Himalayan mountain range on the border between Nepal and Tibet.

Holidays – Mother’s Day: Although the traditional role of mothers has changed over the years, the role of nurturing and caring for families remains. Students learn about how mothers are honored around the world. (May 13)

Mini-Biographies – The Dionne Quintuplets: These Canadian quints were famous before they were born! Your low-level learners will enjoy reading about Anette, Cecile, Emile, Marie, and Yvonne.  (Born May 28, 1934)

Every Day is a Holiday – World No Tobacco Month:This annual global event reminds the public about the dangers of tobacco use. Each year a new global theme is introduced.

Join a Debate with our Editor

ESL-Library’s new editor Tanya has joined our blogging team. In her first grammar related post, Tanya asks teachers to ponder the following question: How unique is “unique”?. Are you comfortable using the word “unique” in more than one way, or do you prefer to use it solely as an absolute adjective? Check out Tanya’s blog post, and take a moment to weigh in.
Happy teaching!

Sincerely,
The ESL-Library team

Do some of your students have a sweet tooth? Have you ever taken them to the sugarbush? Today’s podcast is from our Famous Things section. It features a reading from our NEW lesson plan on Maple Syrup. The full printable lesson plan includes pre-reading tasks, vocabulary review, comprehension questions, and pair activities. Your students will write out a procedure for making pancakes. They will also create a dialogue between a teacher and a field trip guide. The topic was requested by a subscriber. We love filling your requests! Keep your ideas coming. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Famous Things lessons here.

Go to this lesson.

Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 112th episode. Next time your eager students ask for extra listening practice, just share this link!

The ESL-Library staff is proud to welcome Tanya Trusler to the blogging team. Tanya is our NEW editor. She is responsible for editing and proofing new materials and content for Red River Press. This year Tanya will also be helping us adapt some of our current lesson plans in order to make them accessible for your lower-level students. With her extensive experience in the ESL industry, Tanya is an excellent asset to our team. We are very excited to add her voice to our blog!

Hello Teachers

Hello all! I thought it might be nice to introduce myself before we sink our teeth into the grammar-related blog posts I plan to write.

I’ve been the editor at ESL-Library.com since January 2012, and I’m enjoying it immensely. It’s the perfect place to combine my teaching experience with my editing skills. I’ve always had a passion for helping others improve their communication; it started with tutoring French to kids way back in high school. After graduating from Simon Fraser University with a BA in Linguistics and a Certificate in TESL, I moved to New Zealand for one year to teach ESL. After that, I accepted a job at GEOS Language Academy in Vancouver, BC, where I spent the next eleven years (minus one year spent living in Amsterdam, NL) teaching students of many different ages, levels, and nationalities. I especially loved teaching TOEIC (business English test prep) and TOEFL (university entrance test prep).

While at GEOS, I met the lovely and talented Tara Benwell, who, as many of you know, is the Media Director and a materials writer for ESL-Library.com. We worked together for two years, and have been friends ever since. It’s so great to be working with her again, even though we’re many provinces apart now.

During my last two years teaching English, I was also editing academic papers for a client who was doing a master’s degree in psychology, and I caught the editing bug. I finally decided it was time to switch careers and to focus my love of grammar and communication on editing, so I’ve spent the past year completing an Editing Certificate at SFU. Now I’m truly enjoying being a freelance editor — it’s like I was born to do this!

Joining the Blogging Team

I’m excited to start blogging for ESL-Library.com. I plan to do at least two blog posts a month, focusing on teaching tips and contentious grammar points. Let’s get some good debates going! My aim is to make my blog posts useful and interesting for you, so I invite you to do one or more of the following (in the comments section below):

• introduce yourself
• let me know of any grammar points you find difficult to explain to students
• let me know of any questions you may have about teaching (multi-level classes, classroom management, etc.)
• let me know of any aspects of the English language that may confuse, annoy, or amaze you

In the words of my illustrious ex-colleagues, let’s get grammared!
Tanya

About Tanya

Tanya Trusler loves helping others improve their communication. She spent over 10 years teaching ESL to students of all ages, levels, and nationalities. She has recently made the switch to editing, and is now a freelance editor in Vancouver, BC. She joined the ESL-Library team in January 2012, and is happily putting her teaching and editing skills to good use. Find her on Twitter, @PixieT12.

Many people don’t take the time to notify police that they’ve been robbed. They think the police won’t do anything about it! The truth is, police often recover stolen property but have no idea who it belongs to. The stolen goods end up sitting in a storage facility for up to a year. Some police forces hold an annual auction to sell off all of the unclaimed goods. A recent police auction announcement in an Ontario newspaper sparked an interesting debate.

One commenter wrote: “In other words, I may be able to find some of the items that were stolen during a break-in at my parents home while they were at the hospital with my dying brother.”

Another defended the event: “The money goes right back to police fuel, vehicle maintenance, uniforms, duty equipment etc. Its not like they go buy a keg of beer and hold a huge party after the auction.”

Do you enjoy using authentic materials in the classroom? Share this article with your learners. This is a great topic for a classroom debate. Here are a few questions to discuss after you read the article.

• What do you call a person who calls out prices in an auction?
• Do you think police should donate unclaimed goods rather than sell them?
• How should profits from this type of auction be used?
• Why don’t citizens report some crimes to police?
• How is the word “outfit” used in this sentence?
  

  Jutzi expects hundreds of bargain hunters to attend, including families looking to outfit everyone with bikes.

• What does this type of event say about the Canadian police force?

Debate topic:

Try holding a mini-debate on this topic in your classroom. Assign half of the class to be “For” this idea, and the other half to be “Against” this suggestion.

Police should donate unclaimed goods to low-income families instead of holding an auction.

Related in the ESL-Library

Mini-Debates
The Case of the Missing Ring

Are your students practising  adverbs of time? Are you looking for supplementary resources to use in class? Practicing grammar in context is a great way for students to learn how to use it properly. Today’s podcast is from our “Adele’s Blog” series in our Grammar Stories section. It features a reading from three blog posts written by “Adele”. Are you familiar with this series?  In this series, Adele’s blog readers (your students) can listen to the posts as they read along. In this episode, Adele has written an About Page for her blog. She has also written about her gymnastics team, and her life as a vegetarian. You can pre-teach adverbs of time and then use the stories, or use the stories as a preview to your lesson about adverbs of time. The ESL-Library also has grammar practice worksheets that you can use to teach adverbs of time. Your students can practice reading the stories out loud or even recording them for pronunciation practice. The worksheet that goes with this podcast includes three stories, three question sets, and an extra writing activity. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Grammar Stories here.

Go to this lesson.

Go to our Grammar Worksheets section.

Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 111th episode. Next time your eager students ask for extra listening practice, just share this link!

Do you enjoy using authentic materials in the classroom? Share this article with your learners. This is a fun activity for all levels and ages of learners. Here are a few activities you can do before and after reviewing the kids’ bucket list from the Globe and Mail.

• Think of 10 things every child should do before becoming a teen.
• Compare your list with a partner’s list. Did you have any of the same ideas? Are there any of your partner’s ideas that you would exchange for one you picked yourself?
• Read the list of 50 things a child should do before age 12. Which ones did you do as a child? Which ones do you wish you had done?
• Record your bucket lists and share them with younger kids at your school.
• Discuss this topic: Do you agree that children need to get back out into nature? What can parents do to encourage outdoor play?

Related in the ESL-Library

Discussion Starters: Suburbia
Health Matters: Centenarians

Are you superstitious? What are some superstitions in your country? This week’s podcast is all about superstitions. This is a fun topic to talk about in multicultural classes! We’ve had many requests from subscribers for a lesson plan on this topic. Visit ESL-Library to print out the NEW Superstitions lesson plan that goes with today’s podcast. This lesson comes with vocabulary review, a reading, comprehension questions, and discussion questions. We also invite you to challenge your students to guess why 13 is an unlucky number. After they guess, they can do some research. Share your students’ guesses and findings with ESL-Library, and we’ll post them on our blog! Preview all of ESL-Library’s Discussion Starters lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please get in touch.

Coming later this month: Adverbs of Time

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, Holiday or Health lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 110th episode.

Check out last week’s podcast The Titanic

“We are born into a box of time and space. We use words and communication to break out of it and to reach out to others.” — Roger Ebert

Language learning involves community. Learners need to be able to take the vocabulary and skills they learn in the classroom and apply them in real world contexts. They need to be able to interact with other language learners and participate in real conversations. I’ve been an English teacher for over a decade and have tried to find the best way to get my students to be able to practice language outside the classroom. One of the most effective ways is to get the students to use online tools that foster communication in English. As a language teacher, you can get your students to use these websites to participate in discussions or collaborate on projects. In this way, the students are applying what they learn in class to specific tasks. I hope the following tips and resources will help you plan these tasks.

10 Collaborative Tools and Tasks

These are some of the most effective and free collaboration tools I recommend and a few ideas on what your language learners can do with them.

Wiggio- Learners can work effectively on group projects with this online web application that is also available as a free mobile app. Learners can schedule to-do lists, upload files, collaborate in real-time in editing a text document, vote on ideas, collaborate in an online whiteboard, and much more. Learners are invited into specific groups that only they can access so the privacy is great. They can communicate with each other by either replying to emails or the threads that are in the discussion forum. Wiggio can be used for group projects.

Google Plus- Learners can have a 10 way video chat by using the free hangout feature. Learners can watch a Youtube video and discuss it while video chatting. They can also chat with each other through text or play a game. Use this tool to have learners participate in debates, analyze a short advertisement, or discuss the lyrics and cultural elements of a music video. For more ideas, check out this resource and check out our great database of mini-debates.

Facebook Groups- Facebook is the most popular social network so chances are your learners are already set-up on here. This means they do not have to register so they are more likely to use this social network. For more ideas, check out this resource.

Vokle- Learners can use this video platform to conduct interviews and the other classmates can type in comments or questions in the chat box. This is in real-time. Check out our database of everyday dialogues that can be practiced on this platform.

Edmodo- Learners can collaborate in a private, secure environment. They post discussions through the threaded feature that looks similar to Twitter and Facebook. They also can upload pictures, links, videos, and more. Find more about using Edmodo with language learners using this resource.

Twiddla- This is an online collaborative whiteboard. Students can post documents, brainstorm, view a website, and so much more in real-time. Students don’t have to register. They just click a button then are given a room link for others to join. The learners can even talk to each other while they work using the live audio feature. Check out lesson database for ideas.

Posterous Spaces- This is the easiest way to blog. Learners can send audio, video, images and text just by posting an e-mail address. What is included in the e-mail will be posted to the website after approved by the teacher. Students can create e-portfolios.

Google Docs- Learners collaborate in real-time in editing a text document, spreadsheet, or slide presentation. There are chat and comment functions that make it easy for learners to communicate. Use this tool to have your learners brainstorm or create concept maps. They might also use this to create their own short presentations like a Pecha Kucha or Ignite presentation.

Wikis- A wiki is a website that can be modified by students and teachers. Students can post writings, videos, presentations and more. Wikis even come with a plagiarism checker and various embedding tools. Embed tasks for your learners to accomplish or have your learners create e-portfolios of their language learning in class. For more ideas, check out this resource.

Skype- Students can speak with peers worldwide through this video conferencing and chatting tool. They can practice role-plays or teach each other about their various countries and talk about their traditions. For more ideas, check out this resource and our database of everyday dialogues that can be practiced on this platform.

What other collaborative activities can you think of?

If you want to receive more of Shelly’s tips for online resources for teaching English, then subscribe!

Shelly Sanchez Terrell is a teacher trainer, author, and international speaker. She is the host of American TESOL’s Free Friday Webinars and the Social Media Community Manager for The Consultants-E. She has co-founded and organized the acclaimed educational projects, Edchat, ELTChat, The Reform Symposium E-Conference and the ELTON nominated Virtual Round Table language and technology conference. Visit her award winning blog, Teacher Reboot Camp, for resources for effective technology integration. Keep an eye out for her book, The 30 Goals Challenge for Educators published by Eye on Education. Find her on Twitter, @ShellTerrell. She has taught toddlers to adults English in various countries including the US, Germany, and Greece.

Much of what Stephen Haff has accomplished was inspired by his loathing of standardized tests. As a public school teacher, it devastated him that his students were spending most of their time preparing for tests that “terrified” them. He opened “Still Waters” as an alternative school and a safe haven. Stephen told us: “Instead of a curriculum I have a routine. But the routine is flexible.” His approach is to let students learn on their own time in their own way. Stephen shared an inspiring story about an ESL student named “Angel” who was labeled as “verbally deficient”. Angel was hesitant to join Stephen’s group, but was told that he could pick up a pen whenever he was ready. For a while, Angel did his own thing while the others wrote and shared their writing. Then one day, when the timing was right, Angel joined the group and started writing and sharing. “All of a sudden he had a great hunger for learning English.”

10 Things Stephen Haff said that I Wrote Down

1. If a student seems hesitant to write anything, just sit near him for a while.  If nothing comes, write “hi” and see what happens.
2. Teach children mindfulness. Start with ten deep breaths once a day. Challenge them to eat a piece of fruit as slowly as possible. Trace both thumbs slowly with one fingertip before diving into a new activity.
3. If kids don’t know what to write, just tell them to write what they notice.
4. As parents and educators we have to “let go of the idea that learning has to happen in a certain order.”
5. “I’m bored” often means “I’m tired”, “I’m hungry” or “I’m hurt by what someone just said.”
6. A child’s internal schedule of when they need to know something is different than an adult’s. The American school system doesn’t demonstrate faith in a child’s ability to learn.
7. Natural homework is the best kind. (Interestingly, Stephen is not against doing traditional homework for a child if the child has already demonstrated that she knows how to do the questions.)
8. The role of the parent/educator should always be to guide rather than control. Learn to take pleasure in being patient, and teach children to do the same.
9. When students answer too quickly, remind them that they haven’t taken any time to think about it.
10. Everybody can teach their own children.

The thing that first drew me to Stephen’s talk was our  shared aversion to standardized testing. Prior to becoming a material writer for ESL-Library, I worked part-time writing standardized practice tests for TOEIC and TOEFL textbooks. It was while training other writers how to develop these tests that I realized I could no longer stomach this kind of work. I knew in my heart that teaching other writers how to create distractors that would fool language learners on multiple choice tests ( the kind that most native speakers would have trouble with) was not my calling.  I’ll never forget the day I buried my TOEFL manual beneath my bed and vowed to never open it again. I committed to finding other ways to use my writing skills to teach, and have never looked back.

At the recent TESOL convention I met someone who worked for another publisher.  He took one look at the materials in our Discussion Starters section and said: “You’re allowed to have a lesson plan on tattoos?” I told him that our subscribers come from all over the world; teachers pick and choose the supplementary materials that are suitable for their own students. Not only that, they request the materials students want, and we develop them. We have grammar based worksheets and activities, but we also have mini-debates and discussion starters based on current events and topics that interest young adults.

Stephen’s talk reminded me of a recent conversation I had with an ESL-Library subscriber who requested that we add quizzes or tests to our Detective Series. When we added the additional materials, she thanked us saying that the quizzes helped her convince her administrator that the series was appropriate to use in class.

If you are a parent or teacher and you ever get the chance to hear Stephen Haff talk, don’t miss it. Whether or not you agree with all of his ideas, you will undoubtedly walk away with something to think about.

April 22nd is Earth Day, and we have collected a large selection of lesson plans and resources to help you teach English while talking about the environment.  Don’t wait for the big day. There are twelve lesson plans to pick from, so think about what your students are interested in, and try a few different ones. Last year many subscribers wrote to thank us for our collection.

“Very inspiring and refreshing topics to use in the classroom. These are topics that students should know these days. Thank you.” ~ESL-Library Subscriber

This month also marks 100 years since the ill-fated voyage of the Titanic (April 15, 1912). One of our subscribers put in a special request for a new Famous Things lesson plan on the Titanic. We’re developing it now, and hope you’ll give it a try as soon as it’s in the library. Don’t forget to check out our Lesson Plan Calendar for all of our suggested lesson plans for April. Most of our new materials are requested by teachers, so don’t be shy! Let us know what you need! Contact us via phone, email, Facebook, or twitter.

We’d like to say a big thank you to all of the teachers who visited us at the TESOL conference in Philadelphia last month. Many teachers attended our session and stopped by our booth. We met teachers from Brazil, Cambodia, India, the US and even Mongolia. Read more about our TESOL 12 experience here.  If you were unable to attend the IATEFL or TESOL conference last month, there is another conference you can attend this month. The Virtual Round Table conference will be held online from April 20-22. This is a FREE conference for professional development. Many of the speakers are teachers and publishers that you would see at a large convention like TESOL. Visit the website to find out more!

New Lesson Plans this Month

• Discussion Starters: Superstitions
• Everyday Dialogues: At The Guidance Counselor’s
• Famous Things: The Titanic (Coming mid-month.)
• Grammar Stories: Adverbs of Time (Adele’s blog series)
• Tiny Conversations: I Don’t Understand

In the works: The English App

At the TESOL conference we gave teachers a sneak preview of something NEW that we are working on for learners. We will soon be offering web based mini-courses for self-study. These online practice pages will be based on content from the ESL-Library. If you or your students are interested in the launch, add your email address here.

April Features

Earth Day – Lesson Collection: April 22nd is Earth Day. We’ve put together a collection of English lesson plans with green themes from our Lesson Plan Library. Enjoy these ready-made lessons to celebrate what we consider to be the most important day of the year…

Famous People – Yuri Gagarin: April 12th is Cosmonautics Day in Russia. This day honors Yuri Gagarin, the first person to orbit the earth in a spacecraft. (April 12, 1961)

Holidays – Golden Week: Four public holidays take place during Golden Week in Japan. Students learn about each special day and practice writing out a day planner. “Gold” idioms are introduced. (April 30-May 5)

Famous People – Shakespeare: The Bard is known as the greatest English writer of all time. Shakespeare’s plays include comedies, tragedies, and histories. You can try this lesson in French or Spanish too. (Born in April 1564, Died April 23, 1616)

Teaching Tip

Are your students embarrassed about their accents when speaking in English? Guest blogger Peter Martin has an idea for you. Check out his recent post: Teaching English Through Another Language for a fun way to help your students lighten up on language learning.

Happy teaching!

Sincerely,
The ESL-Library team

The 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster takes place on April 14th, 2012. A few of our subscribers requested a lesson plan on the Titanic to mark this historic anniversary. Our team (including a writer/researcher, editor, artist, and manager) worked hard to fill this request in time for the anniversary. Today’s podcast offers an audio preview of our “Titanic” lesson plan. Visit ESL-Library to print out the Titanic lesson that goes with today’s podcast. This lesson comes with vocabulary review, a reading, comprehension questions, discussion topics, speaking and writing practice, and a class research project. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Famous Things lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please get in touch.

Related in the ESL-Library
Is there anything good about Cruise Ships?
The Panama Canal
World Oceans Day

Coming later this month: Adverbs of Time

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, Holiday or Health lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 109th episode.

Check out last week’s podcast Walk To Work Day

A recent article in the the guardian featured the Top 5 Regrets of the Dying. According to a palliative care nurse in Australia, people on their death beds typically wish they hadn’t worked so hard. Do you enjoy using authentic materials in the classroom? Do your students need to practice expressing regrets? Share the article with your students. You can paraphrase the intro for them and just focus on the list of regrets. Here are a few questions to get your students talking after reviewing the regrets.

• What is palliative care?
• What are the top five regrets of the dying? (Dying people often wish that…)
• What does the  list say about unfulfilled dreams?
• What does the list say about suppressing feelings?
• What do the dying say about silliness?
• What are your greatest regrets from your childhood (or teenage years)?

“All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.” Bronnie Ware, Palliative Nurse

Discussion question: What do the dying men mean by a “treadmill of a work existence”?

Teach your students different ways of expressing regret:

• I wish I had…
• I wish I hadn’t…
• If only I had…
• If only I hadn’t…
• I regret …
• I’ll always regret
• One of my biggest regrets is …
• I missed out on …

Related Lessons in the ESL-Library

Retirement Party (Warmup)
Third Conditional (Grammar Practice Worksheets)
Past Perfect (Grammar Practice Worksheets)
Happiness (Health Matters)
Centenarians (Health Matters)
Dr. Death (Jack Kevorkian) (Famous People)
Retirement Savings (Discussion Starters)
Caring for the Elderly (Mini-Debates)
Cancer (Health Matters)

On Day 1 we left our booth in care of our neighbours for an hour, and Ben gave an impressive presentation about using ESL-Library to engage teen and adult learners. He shared information about our small, dedicated Red River Press team, and demoed how teachers can use the ready-made lesson plans and flashcards to supplement their curriculums. He also shared a few sneak previews about what’s coming up in the summer and fall. My favourite part was when Ben talked about the making of our Chilean Miner lesson plan. This brought back some great memories, and made me feel very proud to be part of a team that brings materials to teachers in a timely manner. Over 5000 teachers downloaded this lesson plan in the first ten hours. We published it a few minutes after the last miner was rescued, and made it free for all. Ben talked about how some teachers shared their 33 Things We’re Thankful For lists (an exercise from the lesson), which we published on our blog.

Back at the booth Ben and I spoke with hundreds of teachers, administrators, and authors from all over the world. Many satisfied subscribers, including Erica from Harvey High School in Ohio and Cara from Columbia University (pictured left), came by to tell us how happy they are with the ESL-Library. One teacher came by to tell us how much fun her students had with the “Chatterbox” warmup we posted on our blog. Another came by to beg us for more mini-debates! We received many requests for lower level versions of our Famous People, Places, and Things lessons. This is one of the reasons we go to this convention every year, as we focus on building our library based on teacher requests. We also demonstrated how to use the flashcard library, the podcasts, and the lesson plan calendar.  Finally, we exchanged twitter handles and promised to stay in touch in a variety of ways.

“I think most of these things make lazy teachers, but this one (ESL-Library) is very helpful.” Daniel Loges, a subscriber who stopped by our booth at TESOL.

If you’ve ever worked in an exhibition hall, you know how hard it can be to get away to grab a coffee, or take in a presentation. This year I insisted on slipping away to a few sessions. I enjoyed a great presentation called Vocabulary Revisited, by American professor Frances Boyd. Frances started out by having us write down a list of body parts in our second language. She gave us two minutes, and I was ashamed to only get nine words down before the time was up (most were spelled incorrectly). It was great to be in the learner’s shoes again. Frances spoke about chunking, sorting, and helping students become proud “collectors” of vocabulary. She stressed the importance of frequent short practice, repeated exposure, and learning words inside out. She also talked about teaching students to become “fluent guessers” by showing them how to dissect vocabulary.  The most interesting part for me was about helping learners change their attitude so that they can learn to take control of their own learning journeys. Over the weekend I took this approach while teaching my daughter how to ride a two-wheeler. We set up 8 fifteen-minute focused lessons, and by the end of the 4th she was riding on her own. (We had tried many times before, but her attitude and focus this time made all the difference.) Can you help your students learn that vocabulary building is a lifelong project? One idea Frances shared is to invite them to create (and revisit often) lists of words that they know, half-know, or don’t know at all!

I also enjoyed a well-attended session by Brazilian teacher (and PLN member) Carla Arena, titled “Making Waves Through Online Circles of Learning.” Carla invited participants to expand their learning toolkits. She spoke about several professional development tools that are in my own toolkit, such as twitter, Facebook, and Scoop.it. She also introduced some tools that I’d love to learn more about such as the Learning2gether Wiki and the Electric Village Online.  Carla’s enthusiasm for online collaboration and learning has helped convert many technophobes around the world. She reminded teachers that they can’t wait for their institutions to pay for professional development. The best story from this session was about a tech savvy teacher from Carla’s school who used to lend her flash drive (full of self-created presentations and materials) to any teacher who asked. Over time the school  built a wiki that all 2000 teachers could add to and share. One of my favourite lines from Carla’s presentation was, “You don’t need to join twitter. Just search. You’ll see people are talking about serious stuff!”

In addition to meeting teachers, attending sessions, building a toolbox,  and giving teachers a free trial of our digital library of materials,  I got a new T-shirt! This was not any ordinary shirt, ‘nor was it something I won in a TESOL raffle. This was an #ELTChat shirt that came all the way from Glasgow, Scotland, special delivery from Alex Williams of Oxford University Press. Like the Facebook miracle I shared at the beginning of this post, this gift arrived thanks to twitter. Just prior to the TESOL conference, I was virtually attending #IATEFL via Glasgow Online (Check out all of the recorded interviews and sessions!). During one of the symposiums I noticed some of my favourite tweechers were wearing #ELTChat shirts. I wished I had one to wear at the TESOL conference. (Twitter is not popular with TESOL attendees, and I figured a T-shirt might speak louder than words.) Within minutes of my twitter request, a special delivery had been arranged. OUP’s social media guru was on his way to Philly from Glasgow and offered to bring a shirt to me. Though I never got the chance to run “Rocky-style” up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum, I did come back to Canada feeling ready to “go the distance” in my work as an ELT materials writer, online teacher/admin, and social media director/curator. Attending a teaching conference fills me up every time.

If you were unable to attend any of the local or international teaching conferences this season, it’s not too late! Check out the Virtual Round Table web conference from April 20-22. It’s free and you can learn, share, and connect with hundreds of other teachers (in your pajamas).

Finally, I’d like to get it in writing that we’ll be wearing ESL-Library T-shirts, jeans, and comfortable running shoes to the next TESOL conference. (Ben promised.)   Next year’s TESOL conference is in Texas! Are you in?

Related:
TESOL 11 in New Orleans By Ben Buckwold
TESOL 10 in Boston By Tara Benwell

Walk To Work Day takes place on the first Friday of April in the US. Other countries observe a similar day at other points during the year. Today’s podcast offers an audio preview of our “Walk To Work Day” lesson plan. Visit ESL-Library to print out the Walk To Work Day lesson that goes with today’s podcast. This lesson comes with vocabulary review, a reading, comprehension questions, discussion questions, and a class survey. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Every Day is a Holiday lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Related in the ESL-Library
Health Matters: 10 Surprising Facts about the Heart

Coming next week …Superstitions

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, Holiday or Health lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 108th episode.

Check out last week’s podcast April Fool’s Day

That said, the distinction is a fine one, and many students aren’t too concerned about it. They want to speak well, and they want to make the sounds that native speakers do. Even if older ESL students will never perfectly achieve this, the goal is a good one, so I seek to help them. But I try carefully not to reinforce any self-consciousness they have about their pronunciation, any ideas they may hold that their speech sounds silly or stupid. So I direct their attention elsewhere as much as I can.

One thing I do is somewhat counterintuitive: I show my students YouTube videos of people speaking Spanish (since they’re native Spanish speakers). But the videos I show are ones I know they’ll enjoy and which will relax them, making them un-self-conscious and letting them think about pronunciation without stressing over their own.

One such video immediately went viral (at least in the Spanish-speaking world) when it was posted a month ago. “Qué difícil es hablar el español” is by two brothers, both musicians from Bogotá, Colombia (by chance where I live; I’ve never met them and don’t know anyone who knows them). In the first few minutes of the video the brothers sing in thick gringo accents: “Kay deefeeseel es ablarr el esspanyooul!” Native Spanish speakers recognize this silly accent right away, and they enjoy listening to it.

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A second video I share in class isn’t meant to be funny, but I use it to similar effect. In 1958 American singer Nat King Cole recorded a version of the old Cuban song “Quizás Quizás Quizás.” Cole sings the song beautifully—except for his accent, which is gringo through and through.

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Playing these videos draws my students’ focus to the American, gringo accent, which is an accent they’d like to have. But they get to listen to the accent in their own language for a few minutes, helping them see it in a new light, and in a relaxed setting. There’s nothing stressful about watching the videos; if anything, students have a lot of fun with them. And they get to hear what Americans speak like, except in their own language, giving them a short break from English, usually very welcome at the end of a long class or week.

Have you ever done something like this in class? Whether you teach to Spanish speakers or any other students, do you have similar videos you use for this purpose?

About Peter

Peter F. Martin was born and raised in New York City.  As an undergraduate at Yale University, he devoted himself to journalism, working as a writer, photographer, and editor for The Yale Globalist and the Yale Daily News. Peter first taught English while in college, teaching a weekly writing course to inmates at the Cheshire Correctional Institute in Cheshire, Connecticut. His work as an editor for campus publications required him to teach writing technique daily, correcting small mistakes and helping writers construct sentences, paragraphs, and pieces better.  He moved to Bogotá, Colombia, and has been working there as an English teacher and editor since. Peter blogs and shares his writing and photography on his website, peterfmartin.com

April Fool’s Day pranks aren’t as simple as they used to be! These days pranksters use various methods to fool the masses, including email, tweets, Facebook updates, product launches, and YouTube videos. Check out this week’s podcast for examples. In our related lesson plan, students learn about trickery, including The April Fish. Visit ESL-Library to print out the April Fool’s Day holiday lesson that goes with today’s podcast. This lesson comes with vocabulary review, a reading, comprehension questions, pair work, and idiom practice. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Related in the ESL-Library
WarmUp: You’re Pulling My Leg

Coming soon…Superstitions

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, Holiday or Health lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 107th episode.

Check out last week’s podcast Don’t Forget to Floss!.

Last October, Russia’s prime minister, Vladimir Putin,  announced his plans to swap roles with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. How was this possible? A new Russian law changed the presidential term limit from two four-year terms to two six-year terms.

Despite anti-Putin protests, Vladimir Putin won the vote by a landslide, and will be Russia’s president until 2018. Our Lesson of the Week is our  Famous People lesson plan on Vladimir Putin (NOW updated).

Check out our full collection of Famous People English Lesson Plans.

We have English lesson plans on a lot of Famous People in our library. What we don’t have are lesson plans on virtual people. Hatusune Miku, a computer generated pop star, is selling out concerts in Japan. In addition to being projected on stage for a live audience, her shows are played in cinemas, and streamed live for online audiences. According to this Huffington Post article, some online polls suggest that the singer should be the headliner for the opening ceremony at the London Olympics!

Are you looking for something fun to talk about in class? Do you enjoy using authentic materials? Share this article with your students from the Huffington Post: Hatsune Miku Sells Out Shows in Tokyo. Note that the video on this page is no longer available. If you want to show your students video of this virtual pop star, try this source.
Here are a few questions to get your students talking after reading the article and showing the video clip.

• Why do you think this virtual pop star appeals to fans?
• How is anime different from other types of art?
• How does this pop star make music? (Your students may need to do a little research.)
• Is this the future of music?
• How do you think real pop stars feel about Miku?

“She never misses a beat, fluffs a line or messes up a step. But then she doesn’t really exist.” Chris Meyers, Reuters

Discussion question: How does Miku compare to a real artist who lip-syncs at live events?

Our Famous People section features many  full-length lessons on real-life pop stars. If your students are interested in celebrities, be sure to check out this section.

Related Lessons in the ESL-Library

Madonna (Famous People)
Michael Jackson (Famous People)
Whitney Houston (Famous People)
Talent (Discussion Starters)
Fashion Trends (Discussion Starters)

Our Health section is full of lessons based on lists. Our Dental Care lesson features a list called 5 Reasons to Floss. Visit ESL-Library to print out the health lesson that goes with today’s podcast. This lesson comes with a warm up, a reading, a vocabulary review, comprehension questions, listening practice, a role-play, and an activity where your students will create a poster for a dentist’s office. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Health lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Related in the ESL-Library
Everyday Dialogues: Going to the Dentist

Coming soon…Superstitions

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, or Holiday or Health lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 106th episode.

Check out last week’s podcast on Cocoa Fields.

A picture of Lady Gaga in one of her crazy costumes might be enough to get your students talking, but why is this celebrity such a conversation piece? Is there more to Lady Gaga than her unique look? Oprah Winfrey recently sat down with this unique pop star to find out more about her. According to Lady Gaga, the interview with Oprah will be the last one for a while. Do you enjoy using authentic materials in the classroom? Are your students interested in celebrities? Share this clip with your students from the Huffington Post: Lady Gaga, Oprah Interview
Here are a few questions to get your students talking after watching the video clip.

• What does “to outdo yourself” mean?
• Why does Lady Gaga talk about a hallway?
• What does Lady Gaga “shut off” in order to increase her creativity?
• In what ways are Lady Gaga and Oprah similar?
• In what ways are Lady Gaga and Oprah different?

“For being different, it’s easy. But to be unique, it’s a complicated thing.” Lady Gaga

Discussion question: What’s the difference between being “different” and being “unique”? What makes Lady Gaga “unique”? Is Oprah “unique”?

Teach your students some new words to describe Lady Gaga, such as: kooky, odd, quirky, whimsical, wild, bizarre, abnormal, out in left field, eccentric, whacky, ridiculous…Show some Lady Gaga costumes to practise or introduce these and other adjectives.

Our Famous People section features a full-length lesson on Oprah Winfrey. If your students are interested in Oprah, be sure to print out this lesson.

Related Lessons in the ESL-Library

Oprah Winfrey (Famous People)
Madonna (Famous People)
Talent (Discussion Starters)
Fashion Trends (Discussion Starters)

St. Patrick’s Day: For Beginners
St. Patrick’s Day: For Intermediate
Luck: Discussion Starters
WarmUp: Four Leaf Clover
St. Patrick’s Day: Podcast
Famous Things: Beer

Stay tuned. We will soon be adding a new lesson on superstitions.  This is always a fun topic in a language classroom! Share a good luck superstition from your own country, and we may include it in our upcoming lesson plan.

If you’ve taken some time to browse through our library, you probably know that ESL-Library is very interested in Human Rights issues. This week’s podcast offers an audio preview of our NEW Discussion Starters lesson plan on child slavery in cocoa fields. In the related lesson plan, students read about the cocoa fields of West Africa. Students learn some basic history, and practise agreeing and disagreeing about related issues. The lesson includes vocabulary building, comprehension questions and discussion questions. View our entire Discussion Starters section for topic based lessons that will get your students talking about issues that matter today.

Go to Cocoa Industry Lesson plan.

Coming soon to our podcast…Superstitions.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Biography, Holiday, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Find over 100 ESL-Library podcast episodes on iTunes. You’ll also find related podcasts that our listeners enjoy. Don’t forget to share the link with your students.

Will you be at the 2012 TESOL Convention in Philadelphia from March 28-31? Come and meet the ESL-Library team! The TESOL convention is a great place for us to meet and chat with subscribers. We also love meeting English language teachers from all over the world. Each year, hundreds of teachers stop by our booth and inspire us to build a better library. This year, our President Ben Buckwold will be leading a session for teachers about how to use our materials. We hope to see you there!

Our Session

Ready-to-Print Materials to Engage your Teen and Adult Learners
Description: Join ESL-Library President Ben Buckwold as he demonstrates the many features of one of the world’s most popular digital resource sites for English teachers. Learn how to build, organize, and print your own resource library using hundreds of ready-made lesson plans, audio clips and flashcards.
Building: Philadelphia Convention Center
Room: 119-A
Date: Thursday, March 29
Time: 3:00 – 3:45

Our Booth

722-724 Red River Press (ESL-Library and English-Avenue)
Come and meet Ben Buckwold (President), Tara Benwell (Head Writer), and some long-term ESL-Library subscribers. We’ll be doing demos of the library and taking lesson plan requests! We’ll also be showing some of the iPhone and iPad apps that we’ve been building over the years, including Conversation English, Travel English, and Learning English with the New York Times. Check out The English App for a preview.

Let’s Tweet up at #TESOL12

If you’re on twitter and you are going to be at TESOL 12, please send @ESLLibrary a tweet. We’ll add you to our TESOL 12 List. We’re hoping for a tweet up on Saturday, March 31! Use the hashtag #TESOL12.


Will you be presenting at TESOL 12? Please tell us about your session in the comments below! See you in Philly!

I’ve watched the Kony video a few times, and like many of you, I’ll be doing some more research into this particular charity this weekend. Is Kony a topic that belongs in the ESL-Library? As you may have noticed from our recent lessons about The Cocoa Fields, Cruise Ships, and The Occupy Movement, we are committed to covering topics such as human rights. The Kony video has received a lot of positive support, but has also attracted a lot of criticism. The rebuttals of the charity are also worth researching.

Find an Embed Plus version of the Kony video below (with 13 annotated scenes).

Find the full Kony 12 video below. Create your own version for class using Embed Plus. (Or show ours above.)

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March 8 is International Women’s Day. This week’s podcast offers an audio preview of the high-intermediate lesson plan from the ESL-Library. In the related lesson plan, students read about the history of International Women’s Day and discuss women’s struggles for equal rights around the world. The lesson includes vocabulary building, pair and group work, and comprehension questions. Students are also introduced to some interesting idioms related to equality and the fight for rights, such as “to get one’s foot in the door” and “to be on equal footing”. View our entire Holiday section for other upcoming holiday lessons that you can use in your language class.

Go to International Women’s Day Lesson plan.

Coming soon to our podcast…Superstitions.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Biography, Holiday, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Find over 100 ESL-Library podcast episodes on iTunes. You’ll also find related podcasts that our listeners enjoy. Don’t forget to share the link with your students.

March is Music in our Schools Month, and we have collected a large selection of lesson plans and resources to help you combine music with language learning. We hope you and your students will put on your dancing shoes! In addition to our  Famous People lesson plans on musicians, we have lessons on Music piracy, Talent, Jazz, Rock and Roll, and Hip Hop. March also has International Women’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day! We hope you’ll try many of the lessons plans that we recommend in our Lesson Plan Calendar this March. And, if you’re going to be at the TESOL conference in Philadelphia, please stop by our booth (March 28-31 – Booth 724). We can’t wait to meet you! If you’re not able to make it to the conference, please watch our #TESOL12 tweets. We’ll also be following the twitter stream from #IATEFL (March 19-23).

New Lesson Plans this Month

• Discussion Starters: Bullying
• Discussion Starters: The Cocoa Fields
• Everyday Dialogues: At The Box Office
• Famous People: Whitney Houston
• Famous People: Louis Riel

In the works:

ESL-Library.com (For English Teachers around the world.) | Promote your Page too
ESL-Library on Facebook: We just passed 7000 friends on Facebook! Are you one of them? We are busy working on our new Facebook look. On Facebook we share new and suggested lesson plans. We also feature top blog posts from the ELT community. Employers often stop by to post job ads. Teachers also make requests here. These are just a few reasons to join us on FB! We’ll let you know when the new site is ready! You can also follow us on twitter at @ESLLibrary.

March Features

Holiday (intermediate) -International Women’s Day: Every year on March 8th, International Women’s Day is celebrated by millions of women throughout the world. In our popular Holiday lesson plan, students learn facts and figures about women’s roles and rights around the world. (March 8th)

Flashcards – Music Flashcards: Do your students know the English names (and proper pronunciation) of musical instruments? This collection features 25 images to use with your music in the classroom activities. Images include “harmonica”, “cello”, and “cymbals”. Please watch our Flashcard Friday section for ideas on how to use these flashcards in the classroom!

Famous People -Albert Einstein: It’s Albert Einstein’s birthday this month (1879). Einstein was a world-famous physicist, whose Theory of Relativity won him a Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921. Try our Famous People lesson plan. (March 14)

Holidays - St. Patrick’s Day: Our low level lesson features a short passage about St. Patrick’s Day. Students practice vocabulary through writing, discussion, and puzzles. Students create St. Patrick’s Day cards. In our higher level lesson, students read about the history of St. Patrick as well as facts about Ireland and the Legend of the Blarney Stone. “Green” idioms are introduced. (March 17)

Don’t forget to check out our Lesson Plan Calendar to see all of our suggested lessons for March!

Teaching Tip: Inspiring your Learners to Write

Are you following our blog? If you are, you may have noticed Shelly Terrell’s recent guest post:  10+ Tips and Resources for Inspiring Learners to Write. In addition to several great resources for writing prompts and story starters, Shelly recommends stimulating learners’ writing muscles with music!  This month Shelly shared 20+ Tips and resources for using music lyrics in the language classroom. Check it out!

“Music is an essential part of everything we do. Like puppetry, music has an abstract quality which speaks to a worldwide audience in a wonderful way that nourishes the soul.”

Jim Henson

Happy teaching!
Sincerely,

The Staff at ESL-Library

I am very interested in what motivates students to learn English. In conversations outside my classroom, I often ask language learners how and why they learned English. No matter what the age, I have found music to be a very powerful motivational tool for learning a language. For example, a friend of mine from Korea told me she learned English by studying the lyrics to her favorite English songs. This sounds like a more interesting and engaging way to learn a language than from a textbook. Teaching with music is also a great idea because it:

• helps students learn language and even grammar in chunks
• is all around us. I have traveled to 22 countries and all had English music playing in the shopping centers or the radio.
• shows the vernacular. If students listen to popular music they can pick up slang phrases and idioms that are difficult to teach.
• promotes movement, which is a healthy and effective way to learn a language.
• is an effective way to teach about various cultures. We can learn about dances, traditions, costumes, instruments and more!

10+ Activity Ideas and Resources

It’s Music in Our Schools Month! I hope the following tips and resources will help you along your journey towards integrating music into your curriculum.

Modernize the Lyrics

Learners modernize the lyrics to a popular song from the past, then create a music video. Works best with old children’s songs, holiday music, or classics.

Teach Chunks of Grammar

Specific songs are great for pinpointing difficult grammar. You can have students highlight a specific grammar point by delineating movements for specific words or phrases. For example, the student can wave every time a verb is used in the past tense. Highlighting through movement helps learners listen to the lyrics carefully and pay specific attention to the language structure.

Create a Lip Dub

In a lip dub, students learn the lyrics to a song then record a video in which they mouth the words to the lyrics as the music plays. The students lip sync in the video. Acclaimed ELT author, Chuck Sandy, has the great guide, Lip Dub or Beginners, to get you started.

Drop the Lyrics

Getting your students to learn a song can often be difficult. You can make learning the lyrics into a game. Display the lyrics to the song on the board. Play the song once for students to get comfortable with the beat. Then play only the instrumental version of the song and together as a class sing the entire song. Round one begins where you instruct your students to sing the song but drop the last few words or lines of the song. Continue doing this as often as you like. Usually, teachers play this using the lyrics to Row, Row, Row Your Boat.

Dissect the Lyrics to My Favorite Song

Have your students bring in the lyrics and sound samples of their favorite songs. At the beginning of the class, give each student a different colored marker. Instruct each student to go to the board and write down one line of the song on the board. Then instruct the other students to each write down one idea that relates to that line under the lyric. The idea is not related to the song just that one lyric. When everyone finishes, the class can try to guess the song. Each student presents their song and discuss the meaning and whether the ideas under the lyric hint at the meaning.

Soundtrack

Have your students research the life of a famous person they admire. Then have them choose 3 to 5 songs that represent significant events in that person’s life. These events could include birth, death, a marriage, something that signifies why the person is famous, and so forth. The student presents this person’s autobiography by playing snippets of the song and explaining the song choice behind that event. Another idea is for students to create a short film about a book or short story they are reading. The students will just write a short summary or a storyboard of their film ideas. Along with this writing they should include a soundtrack. Alternatively, your students could choose 3 to 5 songs that represent the soundtrack of their lives. They could include this in a Glogster or WebDoc as a way to introduce themselves to other students.

A Personal Theme Song

Ask your students what personal theme song they would choose and why. They can create their own music videos using Animoto, Windows Movie Maker, Glogster, or other tools. Read this post and this post for more ideas of web 2.0 tools your students can use for this activity. Your students can also take this quiz which will tell them their personal theme song after they answer the questions. They can research the song lyrics and decide if they agree/disagree and why. The students can also make their own quizzes with more modern choices for their peers to take.

Have a Karaoke Day

Every Friday, my friend Greta’s 5th graders in Argentina would get to learn a new English song of their choice and sing it together. Once a week or month, designate a special day for your students to learn the lyrics of a song through Karaoke. Youtube has many Karaoke videos for most songs students would like to sing.

Make a Game Out of It

Several video games include learning the lyrics to a song. If you get access to a game consul, your students will love learning the lyrics to a song with a game like Guitar Hero, SingStar, or Dance, Dance, Revolution. Click on any of the links to see how these games are used to teach kids in the classroom!

More Resources

These websites have plenty of activities and videos for teaching English through songs.

• Music in the English Language Classroom- lesson plans on famous people, flash cards, and tons of activity ideas!
• Lyrics Training- Learn English through lyrics!
• Top 10 Songs for Teaching Conditionals- Youtube video listing songs to teach conditionals
• Don’t Forget the Lyrics- several music quizzes and games based on the popular show
• Mondo’s Song Lessons- several lesson plans based on music videos
• Tune Into English- worksheets, Karoake, lesson plans, and more
• Musical English Lessons- categorizes by grammar taught
• Various ESL Rap Videos and Songs by Fluency MC
• Lyrics Race- great lesson plan to learn any lyrics by Eva Buyuksimkesyan
• Music Video Lessons by Jamie Keddie at Lesson Stream- Entire lesson plans for language learners based on music videos.
• Musical Chairs Homographs
• Music Impressions- interview and discussion activity based on listening to four samples of music
• A Song to Motivate Students to Speak by Marisa Pavan
• English Lesson Based on Enjoy the Silence by Depeche Mode
• English Lesson Based on Marble Halls by Enya by Janet Bianchini
• Liven Up the Classroom with Music by Eva Buyuksimkesyan

What activities do you do with music? You can also tweet your ideas, and follow the tag #MIOSM (Music in Our Schools Month).

If you want to receive more of Shelly’s tips for online resources for teaching English, then subscribe!

Shelly Sanchez Terrell is a teacher trainer, author, and international speaker. She is the host of American TESOL’s Free Friday Webinars and the Social Media Community Manager for The Consultants-E. She has co-founded and organized the acclaimed educational projects, Edchat, ELTChat, The Reform Symposium E-Conference and the ELTON nominated Virtual Round Table language and technology conference. Visit her award winning blog, Teacher Reboot Camp, for resources for effective technology integration. Keep an eye out for her book, The 30 Goals Challenge for Educators published by Eye on Education. Find her on Twitter, @ShellTerrell. She has taught toddlers to adults English in various countries including the US, Germany, and Greece.

Diego and Raquel (I’ve changed both names, so they won’t be uncomfortable with me writing about them) are students I’ve taught one-on-one for a long time now: nearly a year in Diego’s case, and a year and a half in Raquel’s.

On the first page of Raquel’s notebook, where she wrote “I am seven years old” in our first class, she has since crossed out “seven,” replacing it with “eight”—and more recently she crossed out that too, writing in “nine.” When we began classes, she spoke no English, except the word “rabbit,” since that was her favorite animal. Over our first year of classes, she made steady progress. I used a lot of repetition with her, teaching her numbers and days of the week by always asking her to write and tell me the day, date, and time when we started class. We made flash cards and talked a lot about the same subjects—animals, food, colors, her family and friends—to get her familiar with basic vocabulary and grammar and comfortable with a few conversation types and patterns. Of course she learned a lot of English: We spent a couple hours together each week, and her encouraging parents, who speak English, exposed her to English books and movies outside of class, and spoke with her in English as much as she let them.

But then the family spent six weeks in Canada, where they have relatives. When Raquel and I resumed classes after our break of almost two months, I was astonished. Raquel was speaking in full, flowing sentences, and she understood everything I said, even when I didn’t bother to speak slowly or enunciate. I asked her parents, who had also noticed her striking improvement, whether she had spoken a lot of English in Canada. Her mom said no, that Raquel hadn’t spoken or even heard very much English while she was there, since a lot of their time was spent with other Colombians, with whom they naturally spoke mostly Spanish. Her mom’s theory for how the vacation in Canada helped as much as it did was that it opened Raquel’s eyes to the reality of an English-speaking country. Before that, of course, Raquel had known that people in some countries all speak English, but she hadn’t internalized what it means to live there and interact entirely in that environment. Just being in such a country for a month and a half flipped a switch in her brain, making her much more receptive, subconsciously, to her task of learning a new language. In the several months of classes since then, Raquel has made more and more progress. She still speaks and writes like a kid (which is to say, with a lot of mistakes), but she truly speaks and understands English now. And I remember when we started, when all she knew was “rabbit.”

Diego, on the other hand, has studied English off and on for decades. He studied in high school, at university, and later with Berlitz. He has also been exposed to a good amount of English through his work, since he’s an engineer who has worked in construction, including with business partners in North America. When we started classes, his English was better than he thought it was. I would have placed him in B1 on the Common European Framework, and though he spoke haltingly and with a lot of errors, from the beginning he could understand me and express himself well, even though he doubted that.

We’ve had classes regularly for most of the last year, and he is noticeably better now. I used to regulate how I spoke, making sure not to use too many idioms or complicated sentence constructions, and always to speak more slowly than normal. Now, I do none of that. He used to make many grammatical mistakes, and his pronunciation of a number of sounds was bad enough that it confused or changed the meanings of many sentences. Now, his pronunciation is far better, and neither his grammar nor his accent often impedes his expression.

But, unsurprisingly, the progress he has made is a fraction of the ground Raquel has covered. And at times Diego is frustrated that he doesn’t speak far better than he did a year ago. He still makes some of the same mistakes, and he still struggles with some of the same words, constructions, and sounds. He hates that.

Of course, for most people it’s very hard to make significant progress on language acquisition in middle age. Studying a second language for a few hours a week, when the rest of life is spent hearing and thinking in one’s mother language, makes real progress very hard, even more so at that age. And, especially when thinking about how fast nine-year-olds learn, a 50- or 60-year-old might feel like a fool for making the same mistakes after a year of classes.

I know that nothing is wrong with Diego, that he speaks fine, that he is making progress—and also that he simply might never realistically be able to reach the degree of fluency that he’d like to have. Of course I’ll keep being honest with him, and encouraging him at the same time.

But I’m interested in some help and advice. What do you do with adult students whose English isn’t at the level they wish it were, or the level they expect of themselves? How do you motivate them and keep them engaged and ambitious about continuing on the path of learning, even when they move down the path slowly?

Written by Peter F. Martin

Peter F. Martin was born and raised in New York City.  As an undergraduate at Yale University, he devoted himself to journalism, working as a writer, photographer, and editor for The Yale Globalist and the Yale Daily News. Peter first taught English while in college, teaching a weekly writing course to inmates at the Cheshire Correctional Institute in Cheshire, Connecticut. His work as an editor for campus publications required him to teach writing technique daily, correcting small mistakes and helping writers construct sentences, paragraphs, and pieces better.  He moved to Bogotá, Colombia, and has been working there as an English teacher and editor since. Peter blogs and shares his writing and photography on his website, peterfmartin.com

March

Music Themed Lesson Plans and Content in the ESL-Library

Famous People: Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Madonna. Check out the Podcasts on these musicians.

Famous Things, Places, Bios: Jazz, Hip Hop and Rap, Rock n Roll, Gospel, Sydney Opera House, New Orleans, Marilyn Munroe. Check out our Podcast previews too.

Discussion Starters: Talent, Music Piracy. The Discussion Starters section is popular with teachers who teach teens!

Mini-Debates: Live 8 Concerts, File Sharing.Challenge your students to voice their opinions about hot topics from the news. The readings and exercises will entice students to use new vocabulary while speaking out in small groups.

Flashcards: Musical Instruments. Check out our Flashcard Friday section for ideas on how to use our flashcards in your language classrooms.

Authentic Materials and WarmUps

What Makes a Teacherjerker?

Teaching With the Chimes of Freedom Album

Street Musician Experiment

The Red Carpet

Blog posts and Articles about Using Music in the Classroom

Creating Music With Students: Nik Peachey

Teaching English Through Songs in the Digital Age: ELT Chat

Linking Words for Fluent Speech: Spanish Train: Sandy Millin

DJ ELT: Mike Harrison

Music and Movement for Young Learners (Teaching Village)

Teach your students the March Forth Grammar Song

Eva’s Ideas for using music in the classroom

Using Movie Soundtracks in the ESL Classroom: Nik Peachey

Using Music in the ESL Classroom

Shelly Terrell’s Webinar about Using Music in the Classroom

Shelly Terrell’s Webinar about Using Holiday Music

Grammaropolis Song

Music Idioms: EnglishClub.com

Indecipherable Lyrics Activity: Mike Harrison

How to Create a Jazz Chant by Carolyn Graham

Write a Music Video Review

Animated Music Videos for ESL

Teaching Young Learners with Songs

Websites, Tools, and Books for Using Music in the Classroom

Tunes for Tots

Songs for Teaching

Musical English Lessons

The Learning Web

Red Karaoke

Touchable Dreams

Super Simple Songs (YL)

Many Things (Learn Songs) (YL)

Dream English (YL)

Share your Ideas

If you’re having a year end party and your school has access to a television and a Wii, why not play Just Dance? Students can sing along with the words as they compete in the dance off! You could also organize a Karaoke party, or a talent show. Help your students get into the theme by assigning a group music project, such as an air band performance, a radio show, or a school theme song contest. Shelly Terrell suggests having your students create a YouTube playlist based on a word or theme. Here is a playlist based on the word “Crazy”.

What ideas do you have for combining music and language learning? Please share your ideas and links in the comments below.

The last Wednesday in February is known as “Pink Shirt Day” in Canada. This is an annual anti-bullying day that was first organized by high school students in Nova Scotia. Elementary and high school students across Canada stand up against bullying on Pink Shirt Day. Listen to this week’s podcast to find out more about the event.

In our NEW Discussion Starters lesson plan, students discuss whether or not anti-bullying campaigns are effective. Is bullying a part of growing up, or does more need to be done to protect victims? Students practice related vocabulary and discuss important issues including cyber-bullying and teen suicide. We hope you enjoy our Lesson Plan of the Week.

View our entire Discussion Starters lesson plan collection with 45 lesson plans that will get your students talking about real issues that matter to them. As teachers around the world have informed us, these lessons are very popular with teens!

“I really love the library and intend to be a member for many years. I teach in Turkey and my students love the format of the discussion starters. I get a lot of really positive feedback about the topics being interesting and current which is great because when faced with a class of hormonal teenagers it can be challenging to keep them focused because everything is ‘boring’!!!”

Jenna Murphey, ESL-Library subscriber

Go to Bullying Lesson plan.

Find over 100 ESL-Library podcast episodes on iTunes. You’ll also find related podcasts that our listeners enjoy. Don’t forget to share the link with your students.

Today’s Flashcard Friday post is all about The Academy Awards! If your students are planning on watching the Oscars on Sunday night, think about using some of the suggested flashcard sets in class next week. If you aren’t a subscriber yet, today is the perfect day to join the library. Do you know some fun ideas or activities related to teaching about the Academy Awards? Please leave a comment below. Thanks!

Suggested Flashcard Sets for talking about the Academy Awards:

1. Describing Feelings
Print out our Feelings and Conditions flashcards. Invite students to choose a card from the set. Which actor or actress looked tired during the awards ceremony? Which one looked bored? (The cameraman is sure to catch an actor texting during a thank you speech.) Which actress was crushed when she didn’t win? Who seemed jealous?

2. Clothing
How the stars are dressed is sometimes more important than who won the awards. Use our “Describing Clothing” flashcard set to review patterns, lengths, and fits. Our “Clothes” flashcard set can be used to describe the actual clothing the stars chose. You’ll find words like “sports jacket,” “gown,” “bowtie” and “tuxedo”. You could also discuss what the stars were not wearing. Was anyone wearing “overalls”? Another useful set to print is “Jewelry and Accessories”.

3. Like; Don’t Like
If you have a small class, print out a few sets of the Like; Don’t like flashcards. The options include, “Love”, “Like”, “Don’t Like”, “Don’t Mind,” and “Hate”. Ask questions inspired by the Oscars, including questions about actors, movies, gowns, appearance, etc. Have students hold up the faces that pertain to their feelings about each one. Choose random students to explain why they chose a certain face for a specific question. Or, put students in pairs as you ask the questions. Have them sit face to face while they battle out their opinions about the stars and movies.

For example:

Teacher: “Brad Pitt”
Student A: Holds up “Love” flashcard.
Teacher: Why do you love Brad Pitt?
Student A: I think he’s a great actor.
Student B: I hate Brad Pitt. He’s not interesting any more. I prefer Ryan Gosling.

4. Comparing the Stars
Some of the vocabulary and images in our Describing People flashcard set will be useful for comparing some of the actors and actresses. You’ll find opposites like “married and single,” “handsome and ugly,” “straight and curly” and “rich and poor”. It’s doubtful that any of the stars at the Oscars are poor, but which stars do your students think are the most wealthy? Which stars are poor in comparison to George Clooney?

Related Lessons in the ESL-Library

Warm Up: Red Carpet
Famous people: Over 50 lessons
Discussion Starters: Talent
Tiny Conversations: Preferences
Something to Talk About: What Makes a Tearjerker (Grammys)

This past weekend, Whitney Houston’s loved ones laid her to rest in New Jersey. She was 48 years old. Our podcast today is about Whitney Houston’s life. In the related lesson plan, students read a short bio on the African American music star with the unforgettable voice. In addition to vocabulary review, they discuss where they were at the time of her death and how “The Queen of Pop” (also called the Prom Queen of Soul) compares to other stars. View our entire Black History Month lesson plan collection with 15 more related lesson plans.

Go to Whitney Houston Lesson plan.

Coming soon to our podcast…Michael Jackson.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Biography, Holiday, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Find over 100 ESL-Library podcast episodes on iTunes. You’ll also find related podcasts that our listeners enjoy. Don’t forget to share the link with your students.

“The pages are still blank, but there is a miraculous feeling of the words being there, written in invisible ink and clamoring to become visible.” ~Vladimir Nabakov

Our language learners have powerful stories to share, but they need their teachers to help them get these stories out in English. When our learners can tell their stories in English, they are able to share these experiences with a worldwide audience. Like all storytellers, our learners are strongly motivated to share their stories with an audience who will listen. For this reason, we often see learners sharing personal events of their lives on blogs, Facebook, YouTube, or Twitter. These social networks have millions of users and provide our learners with a global audience of parents, teachers, friends, and learners who will comment on their stories. Through storytelling we motivate our learners to apply, contextualize, visualize, and personalize the language they learn. There are great tools and websites to inspire your learners to think creatively and begin writing their thoughts. I hope the following tips and resources will help you along your journey towards integrating storytelling into your curriculum.

Teach Them Free Writing

Many times our students do not get the chance to write without having to edit themselves and worry about grammar. Being able to recall phrases and think in English without worrying about the structure is also an important part of learning the language. We can motivate our students to write for short time periods about whatever comes to mind. Some of the ideas below will help stimulate their minds.

Get Them Writing Regularly

Every day my students knew the drill. They would enter the class, look at the writing prompt on the board, and have 10 to 15 minutes to write in their journals. Every other Friday I would collect these journals and give them a completion grade. My concern was not over the grammar so much as getting them to apply the language they learned and helping them get into the habit of thinking and writing in English. Starting classes this way helped my learners to get their brains ready to think in English as well as express their thoughts on an interesting or thought-provoking writing prompt. Below, I share many websites where you can find 1000s of writing prompts.

Change the Environment

On sunny days, my students and I would go outside and find a nice place around the school campus to take 10 minutes to write. These writings would be in their daily journals. I have also been part of a group that would go hiking once a month. Mid-hike we would stop and contemplate our natural setting and write any poetry, thoughts, or prose that came to mind.

Stimulate with Music

In these classes I often allowed my students to get out their mp3 players and listen to music. Many of them had English songs they listened to. They would have time to write while listening to the music. In this slide presentation, Eva Buyuksimkesyan has many great ideas for using music to inspire your language learners to write. One of the activities includes playing a piece of music and then asking students to imagine what kind of movie would include this in the soundtrack. The students then write out the movie scene.

Create a Scene

Make a paper cut-out of a body and tape it to the floor (or create the body outline with masking tape). Put the students’ desks around this body and have them ask questions about the body, such as “What happened to this person? Is he/she dead or alive?“. Then the students write what happened to this individual. They can even do this as a news report. I got this idea from Jamie Keddie’s lesson here.

Use Word Clouds

Marisa Constantinides created a great word cloud with images. She asks learners to create a story with the words then share the story on Voicethread. In classes, you can have your students create these stories in groups then listen to each group’s stories to see if they are similar. With lower levels, I will ask students to use 5 to 8 words.

Writing Prompts, Story Starters, and Other Great Webtools

These websites have plenty of writing prompts, story starters, and inspirational images to get your students writing.

• Slideshow presentation: Ideas for Inspiring Our Learners to Write
• Journal Jar- free web and phone app that when shaken comes up with a question to write about.
• PicLits- choose an image and your students drag and drop words onto the image to create a story.
• Kevin Hodgson’s Animation Site- Several incredible storyboarding worksheets to help your students brainstorm.
• Scholastic Story Starters- this is an interactive website where students write their names and fill out questions.
• Smories- 100s of children read stories they created out loud on video.
• Plinky- a question appears and below the question students write their opinion.
• StoryIt- print out a picture that has the first paragraph of a story.
• Boggles World Creative Writing- several creative writing prompts to print that were especially designed for English language learners.
• Moodstream- beautiful images accompanied by great music to help with the brainstorming process. Use this website with teens or adults but always check before you use a website.
• Five Card Flickr- 5 random pictures from Flickr are posted and students can write a story in the space provided or view several other pictures.
• One Word- This excellent website posts one word and your students have 60 seconds to write on the website whatever comes to mind.
• Writing Fix- hundreds of journal writing prompts, writing games, and more.
• Lightning Bug- find a story idea or develop one.
• 100 Word Story- an image is posted and you can submit a story that is only 100 words. This site doesn’t filter so you can use your own images and have the students create the stories in class.
• Multimedia Uses: Using Interactive Websites by Keith Schoch has various webtools and ideas outlined.

How do you motivate your students to write?

If you want to receive more of Shelly’s tips for online resources for teaching English, then subscribe!

Shelly Sanchez Terrell is a teacher trainer, author, and international speaker. She is the host of American TESOL’s Free Friday Webinars and the Social Media Community Manager for The Consultants-E. She has co-founded and organized the acclaimed educational projects, Edchat, ELTChat, The Reform Symposium E-Conference and the ELTON nominated Virtual Round Table language and technology conference. Visit her award winning blog, Teacher Reboot Camp, for resources for effective technology integration. Keep an eye out for her book, The 30 Goals Challenge for Educators published by Eye on Education. Find her on Twitter, @ShellTerrell. She has taught toddlers to adults English in various countries including the US, Germany, and Greece.

I’ve already written here about how English has come to dominate international business, travel, and technology. In that post, I made the argument that it is important to be able to write well in English because so much communication between people, even in non-English-speaking countries, happens in writing and in English. But I didn’t mention that, because English is so common, it’s also easier to learn than lots of languages.

My most recent example of this came outside of class, from my girlfriend. Isabel is from Colombia, and she learned English in school and in London, where she lived for a year. She’s a web designer, and though her employers have mostly been Colombian, English has been a major part of her work. Since she designs for the web, she has had to learn web languages that, though they have names other than “English,” incorporate lots of English—so much so that knowledge of English makes learning the technical languages easier. HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and perhaps all major programming, style, and script languages were developed by Britons and Americans. Starting with their names—HTML is an acronym for HyperText Markup Language, and CSS is an acronym for Cascading Style Sheets—they use English vocabulary to express concepts. Knowledge of even basic English surely helps any programmer or designer work in the languages. After all, if you have to learn what terms like “text,” “color,” and “width” mean before you can start using the languages, you’re behind someone who learned those terms long before she knew how to code anything.

But the prevalence of English in the tech field, while a disadvantage to those who don’t understand the language well, also helps people learn it. To expand her professional repertoire, Isabel has been teaching herself JavaScript recently. She has been using a book in French (her French is better than her English, and she didn’t find any good Spanish books on JavaScript), which was translated from English, and watching a lot of video tutorials on YouTube, all of which are in English. She mentioned yesterday that the tutorials have helped her listening comprehension a lot—even after hearing me speak so much English for the last year!

The help Isabel’s English got from YouTube tutorials showed me that I’ll never be able to imagine all the resources English learners have at their disposal. If ESL students choose to expose themselves to English while learning and working on other things, they can probably find English resources on any subject they want—and they can multitask, learning English while they’re learning something else. Good language resources don’t always have to be presented as ESL resources; in fact, they can take any form, as long as they’re in English and engage people. Some of the best learning, of course, is what we learn when we’re not trying to learn.

Written by Peter F. Martin

Peter F. Martin was born and raised in New York City.  As an undergraduate at Yale University, he devoted himself to journalism, working as a writer, photographer, and editor for The Yale Globalist and the Yale Daily News. Peter first taught English while in college, teaching a weekly writing course to inmates at the Cheshire Correctional Institute in Cheshire, Connecticut. His work as an editor for campus publications required him to teach writing technique daily, correcting small mistakes and helping writers construct sentences, paragraphs, and pieces better.  He moved to Bogotá, Colombia, and has been working there as an English teacher and editor since. Peter blogs and shares his writing and photography on his website, peterfmartin.com

February is Black History Month, and we’ve added three new lesson plans to our lesson plan library, including a lesson on the observance itself, as well as lesson plans on Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston. Our podcast today is about Black History Month. In the related lesson plan, students read about Black History Month and slavery in America. They are introduced to important black American figures and firsts. The lesson includes vocabulary review, a pair reading activity, and a debate. View our entire Black History Month lesson plan collection with 15 more related lesson plans.

Go to Black History Month Lesson plan.

Coming soon to our podcast…Michael Jackson.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Biography, Holiday, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Find over 100 ESL-Library podcast episodes on iTunes. You’ll also find related podcasts that our listeners enjoy. Don’t forget to share the link with your students.

Apart from the Whitney Houston tribute, is there anything else that made you cry while watching the Grammys? What about hearing Adele confess that her music was inspired by “a rubbish relationship” that everyone has been through? The Boston Globe called Adele’s winning solo “Someone Like You” the “tearjerker of the year”. According to researchers, it’s not all about the lyrics. If you’re looking for an alternative to a Valentine’s Day lesson plan this week and you enjoy using authentic materials, watch this video with your students and discuss why you think Adele’s song is a tearjerker. Ask your students to raise their hands when they feel goosebumps coming on!  If you teach high level learners, share the Boston Globe article Why cry over “Someone”? Discuss the scientific findings. (More here.) Review some new adjectives, including “shallow,” “pragmatic,” “nostalgic,” and “somber”. You could also work together to put the lyrics of “Someone Like You” together.

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Here are a few questions to get your students talking after watching the video and reviewing the science.

• What is a tearjerker? What songs are tearjerkers for you?
• Did you get goosebumps when you listened to the music?
• What other words do you know for the verb “to cry”?
• What is the best way to heal after a break up? Is it tough to listen to love songs after a break up?

“I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited. But I couldn’t stay away, I couldn’t fight it. I’d hoped you’d see my face and that you’d be reminded. That for me, it isn’t over.” Adele, Someone Like You

Ask students: “Have you (or a “friend”) ever taken this approach after a break up? Did it work?”

Our Discussion Starters section features a full-length lesson on Soul mates. If your students are interested in discussing this issue, be sure to print out this lesson. You can preview this lesson with our FREE podcast: Does each person have one true love?

Love Themed Lessons in the ESL-Library

Valentine’s Day (Low Intermediate)
Valentine’s Day (Intermediate-High)
Soulmates (Discussion Starters)
Gender Roles (Discussion Starters)
Online Dating (Discussion Starters)
The Cost of Weddings (Discussion Starters)
The Case of the Missing Ring (Detective Series)
10 Surprising Facts about the Heart (Heath Matters)
The Love Canal Famous Places
Going to a Movie Everyday Dialogues
At a Restaurant Everyday Dialogues
2nd Conditional Grammar Stories
Operation White Cake: Something to Talk About
Child Quick to Accept Gay Couple: Something to Talk About

Unlike some news organizations, the ESL-Library doesn’t have pre-written obituaries. In fact, many of the people in our Famous People section are very much alive and still doing amazing things! Like news channels, however, we do try to provide updates and materials in a timely manner. Being a digital publisher sometimes involves waking an artist up in the middle of the night for a Monday morning request, keeping our eyes glued to the news (33 Chilean Miners lesson), or revising a previously popular lesson into somewhat of an obituary (Steve Jobs lesson). It’s at times like these that we pride ourselves in being a digital library that can grow and change along with the world.

After spending the weekend working on the Whitney Houston lesson plan for the ESL-Library, I sat back with the family to watch the Grammys. It suddenly occurred to me how many gifted musicians are (and were) African American. Along with the King of Pop, America has now lost her Queen. If you’ve already taken a moment to browse our Black History Month collection, thank you. With heavy hearts, we’ve now added lessons on Michael and Whitney, two superstars that we know your students will want to talk about.

If you have suggestions for lessons on famous people, places or things, please let us know. Our to-do list is filled primarily with teacher requests.

Welcome to ESL-Library’s 100th podcast episode! Our podcast today is from our Health Matters section. It’s all about centenarians. Do you know a person who is 100 or older? My own grandmother turned 102 yesterday! What are her secrets? Let’s find out in today’s podcast. The 3 page lesson plan is available in our Health Matters section. All of our Health Matters lessons are centered around interesting lists. This lesson on centenarians includes a reading, discussion questions, vocabulary review, a role-play activity, and a writing challenge to create a bucket list! If your class makes some bucket lists, please share them with us here.

Coming soon to our podcast…Black History Month.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Biography, Holiday, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Find all 100 ESL-Library podcast episodes on iTunes. You’ll also find related podcasts that our listeners enjoy. Don’t forget to share the link with your students.

Did you see the video of the pro-snowboarder who survived an avalanche because she deployed an emergency airbag? Meesh Hytner was snowboarding in the backcountry in Colorado when she created an avalanche. She was wearing a special device that allowed her to stay above the snow. Some people believe the video was a marketing stunt. The name of the company is very obvious in the video. Others are sure that no company would use a real human as a test dummy in a dangerous stunt such as this. If you enjoy using authentic materials in the classroom, show the video below to your students. For high level learners, share a related news article such as Gizmodo’s or Time’s. Read through some of the comments from the skeptics. Then have a discussion.

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Here are a few questions to get your students talking after watching the video.

• What saved the snowboarder’s life?
• What is the “backcountry”?
• Do you think this was a marketing stunt? Why or why not?
• Do you think athletes that engage in extreme sports will buy this type of protection?
• Do you snowboard or surf? Would you wear an airbag if it could save your life?
• What is a “test dummy”?
• What makes an extreme sport extreme? Will safety measures like airbags make backcountry skiing and boarding more popular for everyday people?

“I felt like I was riding a mattress down the stairs,” Meesh Hytner, pro-snowboarder

Our Discussion Starters section features a full-length lesson on Extreme Sports. If your students are interested in discussing this issue, be sure to print out this lesson. You can preview this lesson with our FREE podcast: What a Rush!

Sports Lessons in the ESL-Library

Famous Things: Hockey | Soccer | Golf | The Olympics
Discussion Starters: Athlete Salaries | Extreme Sports
Mini-Biographies: Muhammad Ali | Jackie Robinson| Wa-Tho-Huk
Famous People: Pele | Terry Fox
Winter Sports Flashcards
Sports Equipment Flashcards

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

February is Black History Month, and we hope you love our new lesson plan collection! In addition to our  Holiday lesson on Black History Month (NEW), we have collected an assortment of related lessons that you may be interested in using in the classroom, including lessons on important African American figures who fought for freedom, such as Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. February is also Valentine’s Day and Hearth Month! We hope you’ll think of some creative ways to get healthy with your English learners this month.

New Lesson Plans this Month

• Every Day is a Holiday: Groundhog Day (Feb 2)
• Holidays: Black History Month (February)
• Everyday Dialogues: Going Out for Coffee
• Health Matters: 10 Surprising Facts About the Heart

In the works:

English Avenue: We are busy renovating our kid sister site EnglishAvenue.com. If you teach English to young learners, be sure to check in regularly. We’ll let you know when the new site is ready! You can also follow us at @engliaveYL.

February Features

Holiday (intermediate) - Valentine’s Day: We have a beginner and an intermediate lesson plan for Valentine’s Day. Students learn the history, symbols and various legends of the holiday. New vocabulary, idioms, and expressions are introduced. (February 14)

Flashcards – Valentine’s Day: We have updated our Valentine’s Day set! This collection features over 30 images to use with your Valentine’s activities, including “hug”, “kiss”, and “rose”. Subscribers are welcome to use the images in their own worksheets and quizzes. Please watch our Flashcard Friday section for ideas on how to use Valentine’s flashcards in the classroom!

American Presidents - President’s Day: Let your students choose which American President they want to learn about this Presidents’ Day. There are currently 16 lessons to choose from. More lessons are coming soon! (February 20)

Holidays - Mardi Gras: We have beginner and intermediate Mardi Gras lessons! The length of Mardi Gras celebrations varies. While some parties last a day or two, others run for 46 exciting days. Students learn about Krews, King Cake, and the symbolic colors of the parades. (February 21)

Don’t forget to check out our Lesson Plan Calendar to see all of our suggested lessons for February!

Teaching Tip: Get the most of Google +

Are you on Google +? If you are, we have a few tips for you on our blog about making the most of this latest social media network. After you check out our tips, be sure to add ESL-Library to your Circles. We can’t wait to add you to ours!

“The love of liberty is the love of others; the love of power is the love of ourselves.”

William Hazlitt

Happy teaching!
Sincerely,

The Staff at ESL-Library

Send a teacher some love this Valentine’s Day! Give the gift of ESL-Library. This gift will give you more time with your sweetheart in 2012!

Today’s Flashcard Friday post is all about Valentine’s Day! If you’re a longterm subscriber who already has a set of our Valentine’s Day cards, please revisit this section. We’ve added a bunch of new images to our Valentine’s Day set. If you aren’t a subscriber yet, February is the perfect month to join the library! If you have any additional ideas for using Valentine’s Day images or flashcards in the classroom, please leave a comment for teachers. Thanks!

Suggested Activities for Using Valentine’s Day Flashcards:

1. Design a Valentine’s Greeting
Print out a few sets of our Valentine’s Day flashcards. Allow students to choose a picture and create a Valentine’s Day card for another student in the school. You could also have students choose blindly so that they don’t know which image they are going to get. They could write appropriate words to go under the image to create a Valentine (not for someone specific). Have a class vote to decide which Valentine is the best! Work together to correct the writing.

2. The Perfect Date
Invite your students to invent an imaginary couple. (They could cut out a couple from a magazine.) Work together (as a class or in small groups) to gather flashcards as you plan the perfect date for the couple on Valentine’s Day. You could also plan a “Nightmare date”.

• What will they wear?
• What will they do?
• Where will they go?
• What gifts will they give each other?
• How will they feel?

3. Put the Love Story in Order
Spread out the flashcards on a floor or table (in small groups or as a class). Work together to tell a love story line by line. Students take turns picking a flashcard and telling a related line of the story until all of the cards are gone. You could also place the cards face down so that students don’t know which card they are going to get. After the story is told orally, you can invite students to write the story out. How many vocabulary words can they remember?

4. Spell Your Heart Out
Have a spelling bee with the Valentine’s Flashcards. Students choose a card and try to spell the word. If they get it right, give them a heart (write a heart on the board or hand out candy or paper hearts). Who will collect the most hearts?

5. Cupid Says
This is a Simon Says variation. Have students take turns being “Cupid”. Cupid will have the stack of Valentine’s flashcards. She/he will pick one and tell the other students to do an action related to the card. For example: “Cupid says put on an earring” or “Cupid says blow a kiss” or “Cupid says act like you are heartbroken“. If  ”Cupid” says  ”go to a restaurant” without saying “Cupid says” all of the students who start to act out the flashcard have to sit down. (Cupid can sling an invisible arrow at these students.)

6. Be My Valentine
Choose one student to be the “Prince” or “Princess”. All of the other students want him/her to be their Valentine. Have the other students take turns picking a card from the set. Students look at their cards and make a special offer to the royal student related to the card. The “Prince” or “Princess” has to decide whose offer is the best.

For example:
Student A chooses the “rose” card: I will buy you roses for Valentine’s Day. Will you be my Valentine?
Student B chooses “movie theatre”: I will take you to a movie theatre. Will you be mine?
Student C chooses “chocolate cake”: I will bake you a chocolate cake. Will you be my Valentine?
Princess: I love flowers. Red roses are my favourite. You can be my Valentine, Student A.

7. Find your Valentine
Print out two sets of the Valentine’s flashcards (use only enough for the amount of people in your class). If you have an uneven amount of students, the teacher should play too. Give each person a card. Students should not show each other the card they received. Students will go around the room trying to find a match. They can’t say the word they are, but they can describe their word using other words. They can’t ask the same question twice!

For example: Student A has the “ring” flashcard.

A: Hi, are you a piece of jewelry?
B: No, sorry.
A: Hi, can I put you on my finger?
C: Ha! No, I don’t think so.
A: Are you made of gold?
D: Yes! Can I buy you at a jewelry shop?
A: Yes! Are you a ring?
D: Yes! You are my Valentine.
(The first partners to find each other come in 1st place. Put the 1st, 2nd, 3rd place partnerships on the board. Continue until all of the match ups are made.)

Create your own Valentine’s Day Materials and Notices

Will you be creating your own Valentine’s Day worksheets and quizzes? Will you be sending home notices or newsletters? As a subscriber, you are licensed to use ESL-Library Flashcards in your worksheets and quizzes (not for publishing online, sorry). If you aren’t sure how to do this, check out this post for a demonstration.

Related Valentine’s Day Lessons in the ESL-Library

Valentine’s Day (Low Intermediate)
Valentine’s Day (Intermediate-High)
Soulmates (Discussion Starters)
Gender Roles (Discussion Starters)
Online Dating (Discussion Starters)
The Cost of Weddings (Discussion Starters)
The Case of the Missing Ring (Detective Series)
10 Surprising Facts about the Heart (Heath Matters)
The Love Canal Famous Places
Going to a Movie Everyday Dialogues
At a Restaurant Everyday Dialogues
2nd Conditional Grammar Stories
Operation White Cake: Something to Talk About
Child Quick to Accept Gay Couple: Something to Talk About

Go to Black History Month Lesson.

Other ESL Lessons for Black History Month (Buy a Subscription)

Michael Jackson: Famous People – Students read a brief history of “The King of Pop”. They review vocabulary and pretend to be tabloid reporters. An optional online research activity is included.

Whitney Houston: Famous People – Students read a bio on music star Whitney Houston. In addition to vocabulary review, they discuss where they were at the time of her death and how “The Queen of Pop” compares to other stars.

Hip Hop and Rap: Famous Things – In our NEW Hip Hop and Rap lesson, students learn the history behind this popular music genre and culture. They review important vocabulary and create their own rap.

Martin Luther King: Famous People – MLK was one of the most significant leaders in U.S. history who fought for civil rights reform for black Americans. Check out one of our most popular lesson plans and listen to the MLK podcast.

Billie Holiday: Famous People – Billie Holiday is an American jazz music legend. Her personal life became severely troubled and her voice suffered from drug and alcohol abuse.

The Death Penalty: Mini-Debates African Americans are more likely to face the death penalty than white Americans. Students read about the death penalty and death row. After practicing new vocabulary, students have the opportunity to discuss their viewpoints about capital punishment and have a formal debate.

Richard Pryor: Famous People – Richard Pryor is a black American comedian who used comedy to fight racial injustice. He has not performed for many years, but his comedy has inspired many young black comedians.

Maya Angelou: Famous People – Maya Angelou is a well-known American poet, writer, actress, lecturer, and civil rights activist. Her efforts to improve conditions for women have helped change the lives of thousands.

Louis Armstrong: Famous People – Louis Armstrong is an American jazz legend. Though he loved music as a child, he had no money to buy an instrument. He was arrested at the age of twelve and the experience changed his life.

Oprah Winfrey: Famous People – Oprah was the first African American female billionaire. The Oprah Show became one of the top TV shows of all time. One of Oprah’s special projects is keeping children safe from abuse.

Coretta Scott King:  Famous People – Coretta Scott King was the widow of Martin Luther King, Jr., the 1960s American civil rights leader. After his death she continued to work for equal rights for all people.

Jazz: Famous Things – Born around the year 1895 in New Orleans, this distinct style of music brought together the elements of ragtime, marching band music, and the blues.

Rosa Parks: Mini Bios – Rosa Parks played an important role in the Civil Rights Movement in the US. On December 1st, 1955, a white bus driver asked her to give her seat up to a white man. Unlike the other black people on the bus, Rosa Parks said “No!”

Jackie Robinson: Mini Bios – The manager of the Dodgers saw Jackie Robinson playing baseball for the Negro Leagues and thought he was a good baseball player. He asked Jackie Robinson to play baseball for the Dodgers.

Cesar Chavez: Famous People – Cesar Chavez was Latino, but he helped American migrant farm workers fight for a better life. He used boycotts and fasting to bring attention to the low wages of migrant workers.

Leave us your comments about your plans for Black History Month.

Be sure to check out our ESL-Library Podcast, which offers an audio preview of many of the lessons in this collection!

Will the groundhog see its shadow on February 2 this year? Our NEW Groundhog Day lesson plan introduces students to this unique tradition that began in the Weather Capital of the World. Not all countries rely on a groundhog for weather predictions, though. Find out how people predict winter in other countries, such as Serbia and Portugal. The full printable Discussion Starters lesson contains discussion questions, a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review, and a role play activity.

Coming soon to our podcast…Black History Month.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Biography, Holiday, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Find all 99 ESL-Library podcast episodes on iTunes. You’ll also find related podcasts that our listeners enjoy. Don’t forget to share the link with your students.

Do your students know the meaning of “mom and pop shop”? What about “big box store”? If you enjoy using authentic materials in the classroom, (and if you want to talk about good news for a change) share this Huffington Post article “In the Era Of Big Boxes, A Day for the Little Guy”. It tells the story of a good samaritan in Ohio who invited his friends to support a local hardware store. When Jim Black challenged his friends and neighbours to spend at least 20 dollars at a family run store that had been in the town since 1857, he did not expect such a huge response. Check out the article and share it with your students. If you teach low level learners, summarize the story in your own words and see what they have to say about it.

Here are a few questions to get your students talking after reading the article:

• What is a big box store? What is another name for a box store? How do you think this name came about?
• What is a mom and pop shop? Is there one in your hometown?
• In what ways do “box stores” differ from “the little guy”?
• How does a box store “cripple” a local family run business?
• Which industries have been the hardest hit by box stores?
• Which is the last store that you saw “teeming with customers”? Why was it so busy?
• What is a close-knit community?
• What did the store owner mean when he said, “What a place to live!”

“I challenge everyone to spend AT LEAST $20 at the hardware on the 21st.”
Jim Black via Huffington Post

What challenge could you put out to help a local mom and pop shop? What could you do to get the best response?

Our Discussion Starters section features a full-length lesson on Mom and Pop Shops vs Chain Stores. If your students are interested in discussing this issue, be sure to print out this lesson.

Related Lessons in the ESL-Library

Chain Stores vs Mom and Pop
The Occupy Movement
Online Shopping
Boxing Day
While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Despite all of the new features, the #1 benefit of Google + is supposed to be the Circles. As we’re finding out, however, placing people into the correct Circle is not as easy as it sounds. Many people who sign up for a Google + account do not complete their profile page. More importantly, they don’t add a useful bio line. The bio line appears under your name (or page name). Our bio line is “ESL resources and tips for teachers”. We believe these keywords will help teachers find us on Google Plus. Unfortunately, many individuals have left this line blank. (Some use it to enter the name of their country.) This makes it difficult to place new followers in the correct Circles. We could take the extra step to click over to the page of our followers, but it still takes some detective work to figure out which Circle to put these people in. Often times it’s impossible to know why these people followed us.

There are various people who may want to follow a digital publisher like ESL-Library,  including teachers (both ELT and non-ELT), learners, administrators, programmers, librarians, artists, and writers. If everyone took the time to write a simple bio line, the Google + experience would be much better. Until this happens, one of the easiest ways to know whether or not a new follower on Google + is a teacher is to see if he or she has common ties with a well-known person on twitter such as Shelly Terrell!

Are you an English language teacher who is using Google + primarily to network with other English learners? Why not add some keywords to your bio line? You can also use tags such as #ELT in your updates, so that we can all “Join in the #ELT conversation”.

Summary

• Search #googleplusupdate on Google + and Save the search. It will appear on the left of your page. Click on it regularly.
• Make sure your Google + profile has a keyword rich bio line. Edit profile (under name) to add one.
• Use hashtags in your updates (such as #ELT) and join the related conversations.
• Add ESL-Library so that we can add you back! (Pages can’t add individuals first.)

If you have any Google + tips for us, please let us know!

Footage from the Costa Concordia disaster may have tourists questioning their upcoming vacation plans. While a disaster like this is unlikely, there are other dangers related to cruising that people should think about before booking. Our NEW discussion starter lesson plan looks at the negative aspects of cruising, including the environmental impact of luxury ocean liners. This lesson gives students an opportunity to talk about things like accountability and responsibility.  The full printable Discussion Starters lesson contains a warmup task, a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review, and discussion questions.

Coming soon to our podcast…Black History Month.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Biography, Holiday, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Find all 98 ESL-Library podcast episodes on iTunes. You’ll also find related podcasts that our listeners enjoy. Don’t forget to share the link with your students.

Do you enjoy Bob Dylan’s music? Do you ever use his music in your classroom? As I’m typing this post, I’m eagerly waiting for 75 Bob Dylan covers to download! Bob Dylan covers? That’s right! ESL-Library President Ben Buckwold (a huge Dylan fan) shared the good news this morning. Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International was released today. It features 4 hours of Bob Dylan music covered by over 80 artists, including Adele, Dave Matthews Band, and Silverson Pickups! All proceeds will go to Amnesty International, and many retailers will be donating money and ads to help the cause.  Now this is something to talk about (or at least listen to – why not buy a gift for your classroom?).

If you enjoy using authentic materials with your higher level learners, check out the Huffington Post article: This Album Saves Lives: Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International. If you teach low level learners, preview the article and summarize the main points.

Here a few questions to get your students talking after you read the article together:

• Who created the album?
• Why was the album released now?
• What is Amnesty International?
• What does Bob Dylan have to do with Amnesty International?
• Do you like the title of the album? Why was this title chosen? What would be another good name for an album like this?
• When have musicians doing something similar in the past?
• What does “to tip your hat” to someone mean?
• What does “to carry the torch” mean?
• Which artist would you like to hear cover a Bob Dylan song?
• Which other artists often sing to promote causes?
• Do you agree with the journalist that music and lyrics are more inspiring and soothing than books and film?

“The connections between Amnesty International’s mission and Bob Dylan’s music seem, on a moment’s reflection, so obvious and natural that they require no explanation. ”
Sean Wilentz via album notes

Do you use music in the classroom? Which Bob Dylan songs have you used in class? Can you share an activity teachers might be able to do with songs from this album? If you buy the album, be sure to let us know which song is your favourite. We’d love to hear which songs your students like best as well!

Related lessons in the ESL-Library

Famous People: Bob Dylan
Discussion Starters: The Occupy Movement
Mini-Debates: Live 8 Concerts
Discussion Starters: The Death Penalty
Holidays: Black History Month (Coming in February!)
Famous Things: United Nations

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Here are my top recommendations:
—Quizlet is a great site for making online flash cards. If you’ve assigned your students a long vocabulary list, point them to Quizlet, where they can memorize vocabulary quickly, easily, and while having fun. Quizlet lets students create digital flash card sets very quickly and then study with them more easily than even with paper cards, since scrolling and modification options are so easy. Once a user has completed a flash card set, she can study with those “cards” the old-fashioned way—but she can also turn on Quizlet’s audio to hear how words are pronounced in English, or she can use the tests Quizlet creates from sets, allowing her to study in multiple ways from the same set of cards. I don’t know of any better tool for rapid memorization of a lot of words or fast facts. I’ve used Quizlet both to teach English vocabulary and to learn Spanish vocabulary.

—Sporcle is a quiz site covering every topic under the sun. It’s not geared toward English learners, so it doesn’t have ESL-specific quizzes. That said, many of its quizzes can be helpful to English learners. The most important reason I use Sporcle, though, is because it’s fun. A Sporcle quiz is a great way to end a long class, keeping students engaged with English while letting them relax a bit and enjoy themselves. Check out the Language section for all language-related (not just English-related) quizzes. Some of my favorites are “Commonest English words,” “Most common nouns,” “Most common verbs,” “UK-US words” (British to American), “US-UK words” (American to British), and “ ‘And’ idioms.” But don’t stop at my recommendations; there are dozens more good ones.

—Evernote is the perfect organization application for both teachers and students. Evernote isn’t just for taking notes: Its motto is “Remember everything,” and it lets users save text, images, PDFs, other file types, and entire web pages to their accounts. All user data is stored both on users’ computers and on Evernote servers, so a single user can access her notes on her computer (whether its Mac or Windows), mobile device (Blackberry, Android, iPhone, and iPad), or on any computer through evernote.com. It’s perfect for clipping websites, for jotting down ideas, or for collecting resources of all different kinds, since its notebooks and tags make organizing everything very easy, and a quick search will pull up any note and show you exactly where your keyword is in each note. Since discovering Evernote, I’ve started using it for all my data, not just my teaching resources. But everything I use for classes is now saved in Evernote and tagged appropriately: “English teaching,” “English resources,” etc. I’m most grateful for its ability to save (“clip”) entire websites. No longer do I have URLs bookmarked in my browser with no identifying information besides their titles; now entire web pages exist in searchable form on my own computer, even when I’m offline. And, by utilizing shared notebooks and share notes, Evernote makes sharing information with students easy.

—Dropbox will make you angry that you ever shared files with your students (or with yourself) by emailing them. Once you’ve installed Dropbox on your computer, all you need to do to share files of any size with another person or a group of people is to create a shared folder and invite the other users. Any file you drop into the shared folder will, nearly instantly, appear on the computers of all the other people sharing the folder. On top of that, you can download Dropbox to multiple computers, so you’ll never need to email documents to yourself to make them available on your other computer. And if you’re using someone else’s computer, you can access all your files through dropbox.com. I primarily use Dropbox to share e-books, audio files, and other large files that would be impossible to email because of size. Dropbox is a life-saver even outside of my teaching: After my laptop was stolen a couple years ago and I lost data I hadn’t backed up, I started using Dropbox for all my documents. Now I never have to manually back anything up, and all my data is safe from whatever might happen to my computer.

Though these are the applications and websites that I depend on most in my teaching, there are others out there that can make a teacher’s life much easier and help students learn more quickly and effectively. Do you use any similar programs or sites in your teaching? Please share other helpful sites or programs here.

Written by Peter F. Martin

Peter F. Martin was born and raised in New York City.  As an undergraduate at Yale University, he devoted himself to journalism, working as a writer, photographer, and editor for The Yale Globalist and the Yale Daily News. Peter first taught English while in college, teaching a weekly writing course to inmates at the Cheshire Correctional Institute in Cheshire, Connecticut. His work as an editor for campus publications required him to teach writing technique daily, correcting small mistakes and helping writers construct sentences, paragraphs, and pieces better.  He moved to Bogotá, Colombia, and has been working there as an English teacher and editor since. Peter blogs and shares his writing and photography on his website, peterfmartin.com

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/23/educational-applications/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/19/organize-your-elt-bookmarks/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/19/organize-your-elt-bookmarks/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:36:33 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=9496 How do you organize your ELT bookmarks? Choose the best method for 2012!

]]> Last night’s #ELTChat on twitter was all about social media networking. We talked about which ones we use (most of us prefer twitter), how we monitor our SMS time, how we keep professional life separate from personal life, and how we stay organized. When we got onto the topic of bookmarking I knew I had to admit something: I need help! There are so many tools out there and I’m a sucker for trying them all out. I proposed a monthly #ELT blog challenge, and the #ELTChat moderators accepted and posted the first one: Best Method for Organizing #ELT Bookmarks! (Choose 1 and demo).

In 2012 I’m determined to stick to one bookmarking system. This year it’s going to be Scoop.it – unless my PLN can convince me otherwise.

10 Reasons I Love Scoop.it

1. I can keep my ELT and fiction life separate. (I have Scoop.its for both that are easy to go between.)
2. I can share my links easily via twitter, Google +, FB. Links are automatically shortened.
3. It’s visually appealing and easy on the eyes. I can choose the related photo and text.
4. I can tag links to find them easily. (Not shown in demo. Click Tags in navigation.)
5. I can create new pages on specific subtopics. (Under Profile.)
6. Scoop.it is in my tool bar to easily save a link. Content almost always autofills.
7. I can personalize my Scoop.its with my own logo, bio line and key word tags.
8. Other people can follow my bookmarks if they have an interest in the same topic.
9. I can follow other people’s Scoop.its on topics and get notification of new links.
10. It’s very user friendly. I use it as a personal bookmarking tool but it has many curating features that I have not mentioned.

Here is a quick demo of a few very basic features of Scoop.it as a bookmarking tool. I have not shown other curating features of this site. My #ELT bookmarks for 2012 will go in my #ELTLinks 2012 Scoop.it! Feel free to follow it to see if I can stick to this resolution.

If you join the challenge, please share a link to your post. Thanks!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/19/organize-your-elt-bookmarks/feed/ 14 http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/18/podcast-censorship/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/18/podcast-censorship/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:21:49 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=9476 Will you be talking about Internet censorship in class today? Here is an audio preview of our NEW Discussion Starters lesson.

]]> Discussion Starters: Censorship | Podcast #97

Internet censorship is a buzz word in the news today with Wikipedia and other big names staging protests against SOPA and PIPA. Many feel that the proposed US anti-piracy legislation will require social media networks and websites to act as Internet censors. Are your students familiar with the word “censorship”? Our NEW discussion starter lesson plan offers a brief look at a few types of censorship. It gives students an opportunity to talk about things like book banning, government censorship, and the “cyber curtain”. The full printable Discussion Starters lesson contains a warmup task, a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review, and discussion questions.

Coming soon to our podcast…Black History Month.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Biography, Holiday, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

You may also want to check out our related  Something to Talk About post, which offers a brief overview of why Wikipedia is blacked out today and provides a list of discussion questions that you can use in class.

Find all 97 ESL-Library podcast episodes on iTunes. You’ll also find related podcasts that our listeners enjoy. Don’t forget to share the link with your students.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/18/podcast-censorship/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Discussion Starters: Censorship | Podcast #97 Internet censorship is a buzz word in the news today with Wikipedia and other big names staging protests against ... Discussion Starters: Censorship | Podcast #97 Internet censorship is a buzz word in the news today with Wikipedia and other big names staging protests against SOPA and PIPA. Many feel that the proposed US anti-piracy legislation will require social media networks and websites to act as Internet censors. Are your students familiar with the word "censorship"? Our NEW discussion starter lesson plan offers a brief look at a few types of censorship. It gives students an opportunity to talk about things like book banning, government censorship, and the "cyber curtain". The full printable Discussion Starters lesson contains a warmup task, a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review, and discussion questions. Coming soon to our podcast…Black History Month. Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Biography, Holiday, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. You may also want to check out our related  Something to Talk About post, which offers a brief overview of why Wikipedia is blacked out today and provides a list of discussion questions that you can use in class. Find all 97 ESL-Library podcast episodes on iTunes. You'll also find related podcasts that our listeners enjoy. Don't forget to share the link with your students. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/18/sopa-pipa/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/18/sopa-pipa/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 06:25:53 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=9450 Did you watch as Wikipedia staged a historic blackout at the stroke of midnight? We did!

]]> What is an Internet Strike?

Some of the biggest names on the web, including Google, Wikipedia, and Mashable are participating in an online protest on January 18th, 2012. The blackouts, warnings, and petitions are meant to draw attention to two proposed US bills aiming to curb online piracy. The Stop Online Privacy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA) will be voted on this month. Proponents, including media companies and publishers, say the anti-piracy bills will help prevent foreign websites from earning money selling copyrighted works.
Many high profile critics of the bills are from the tech industry. These people feel the bills could completely change the infrastructure of the Internet and force sites to censor information. Wikipedia founders believe SOPA is a threat to free speech. The site’s decision to stage a 24 hour blackout is expected to bring global awareness to the proposed bills. The White House released a statement suggesting that it was opposed to any legislation that could reduce freedom of expression and damage the usefulness of the Internet.

Will you be covering this topic in class this week? Do you enjoy using authentic materials with your higher level learners? The Guardian published a fun video that helps explain the two sides of the anti-piracy legislation issue. The LA Times article: Internet strike: Wikipedia, Mozilla, Reddit to go dark tonight may help your learners understand what some of the web giants are doing in the historic online protest.

Here a few questions to get your students talking after you introduce the issue or read the article together:

• What is a strike?
• How does an Internet strike differ from a live strike?
• Is Google powerful enough to prevent legislation from being passed?
• Is Internet piracy a problem in your country?
• Do you buy music, books, or movies from a site that steals and resells copyrighted works?
• Whose responsibility is it to prevent piracy, the government’s, the buyer’s, or the creator’s?
• Do you think websites participating in these protests will help prevent the bills from being passed?
• Do you think these types of Internet protests will one day be more popular than live protests in city centres?
• If you had or have a website, would you consider blacking it out as a form of protest?
• Which form of protest do you think is more powerful, a temporary blackout (Wikipedia) or a request to sign a petition (Google)? What other ideas can you think of?

“Going dark is a dramatic but not entirely unrealistic warning of what the Internet could look like in a SOPA world.”
Zachary Sniderman

Ask your students: Do you agree or disagree with this quote? Which websites could you not live without?

Related lessons in the ESL-Library

Discussion Starters: Music Piracy
Mini Debates: File Sharing
Discussion Starters: Censorship (NEW)
Discussion Starters: Digital Learning
Discussion Starters: Occupy Wall Street

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/18/sopa-pipa/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/13/flashcards-for-health/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/13/flashcards-for-health/#comments Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:52:18 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=9355 Get moving around the classroom with these health themed flashcards.

]]> Today’s Flashcard Friday post is all about getting healthy again! I was recently inspired by Jennifer Hudson who suggested thinking back to your past to recall all of the games and sports you loved playing as a child. The weight loss diva admitted that she prefers playing basketball and skipping rope with her girlfriends than going to the gym. For me, it’s about dancing and ping pong (even if it’s sometimes in my living room via the Wii).

Are you or your students on a health kick this month? January is the perfect time to review and play with English vocabulary related to sports, exercise, and the body. If you’re planning a health-themed unit, ESL-Library has a few ready-made flashcard sections that you can print and use in the classroom. These include:

Sports Equipment
Sports Actions
Exercise Clothing
The Body

Why Flashcards?

Images are a great way to get your students moving around as they practise English. You can clear the desks or tables to the sides of the class, or find a large space outside the classroom. If you want your students to keep thinking in English, it is also important to keep the English blood flowing. In some of the following games and activities, students stand up, sit down, reach, and pretend to do sports. Pictures can also help jog a student’s memory! Use flashcards to help your students think of related words, stories, and anecdotes that they may want to share with classmates. You can decide whether or not to allow students to use translation dictionaries and devices as you play with flashcards.

Here are some suggested activities for using health themed flashcards:

Design a Dream Gym
Use a large white or black board or a large piece of craft paper. Tell students they are going to work together to design a dream gym! Have students take turns choosing images from the flashcard sets and taping them onto the board or paper. What will they put in the gym? Will it have a ping-pong table, gymnastic equipment, and a pool? What will be outside the gym? Will there be a football field and a baseball diamond? Students can draw a word if they can’t find it in the set. You could also do this in small groups and have students compare gyms. Which gym is the best? What would a membership fee cost?

Setting Health Goals
Spread out all of the sports and exercise flashcards on the ground or a large table (you may want to make more than one copy of some images). Tell students to imagine they are going on a health kick for 2012. Students must choose 5 images each to represent their exercise plan. Put students in pairs to describe their health plan to each other. They can also try to write it out in words. Students can look up any words they don’t know. Allow them to borrow or trade cards if necessary!

Follow the Coach
Use the Sports Actions cards to play charades. Clear the desks or tables to the edges of the classroom, or use an open area (go outside if you can). Have students take turns coming to the front or center of the space to choose cards and model the action (be the “coach”). The other students have to copy the movement of the coach with the card AND try to guess the action word. Whoever guesses first gets to be the next “coach”.

I’d Rather
Gather the Sports Actions flashcards and divide them randomly into two piles. Have students come up to the front of the class two at a time. Each student flips over a card. The students at the front create a question together based on the two cards they flipped. They then ask for a show of hands to see what the class would rather do. The students at the front can each ask one classmate why they have that preference. You can invite students to use actions while describing their preferences.

• What would you rather do, sit ups or pushups?
• What would you rather do, catch or pitch?
• What would you rather do, dribble or dive?
• Why would you rather dribble than dive?

Related Words
Use all of the Sports and Exercise Flashcards. Hold up one card. Have students stand up and shout out any related vocabulary, including nouns, verbs, adjectives. They must sit down after their word is added to the wall (or if it is rejected). Write the words down as they are shouted out. (You may want to invite a few students to act as scribes.) You may also need a referee to decide whether or not a word is “related”.

Shout the Verb
Play the same game as above with the Sports Equipment set. Instead of shouting out a related word, students must respond to the question: What can you do with a ….?

• football
• soccer ball
• hockey stick

The Body
Print out the body cards. Hold the cards up one at a time and ask students how they can exercise these parts. You could also ask students to do the action when they respond.
For example:
Teacher: Holds up the brain card.
Student A: You can exercise your brain by reading. (Opens a book and pretends to read)

Teacher: (Holds up the leg card.)
Student: You can exercise your legs by running. (Stands up and runs on the spot.)

Create your own Health Themed Flashcard Set and Materials

Use the Search button on ESL-Library to look for words that you think belong in a Sports and Health set. Then, add the flashcards to one of your My Library folders. Make one for Health Flashcards. You can also make a My Lesson Plans folder for Health and add our Health Matters lessons, including our featured lesson on Eye Health. Next month we’ll be adding a new lesson for Heart Month. Did you know that subscribers can make their own quizzes and materials using our flashcards? All you need to do is drag the images you want onto a document that you are writing. Please use your materials for personal classroom use only. Check out this post for a demonstration.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/13/flashcards-for-health/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/12/january-news-2/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/12/january-news-2/#comments Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:42:02 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=9271 Check out this month's new and featured lesson plans.

]]> The Month to Put Health First

Have you heard of medical report cards? A high school in New Brunswick has started grading students on their health.  The students are being monitored for life threatening risk factors such as high BMI and blood pressure levels. What grades would your students get for their health in 2012? What mark would you give yourself? This month we’re challenging you to talk about health with your language learners. Find ways to get up and move around as you practise English. If you missed our Health Kick post a few weeks ago, please check it out and share the video with your class. You could save a life!

New Lesson Plans this Month

• Tiny Conversations (NEW section for beginners): Paying for an Item
• Discussion Starters: Censorship
• Everyday Dialogues: Getting a Car Repaired
• Famous People: Margaret Thatcher (The Iron Lady)

In the works:

A new section for advanced learners: We’re developing new lesson plans specifically for advanced learners. Our new lesson plan section will be ready soon. Stay tuned!

January Features

Famous People (intermediate) - Martin Luther King: Martin Luther King Day is celebrated in the US on the third Monday of January. MLK fought for civil rights reform for black Americans, and became one of the most significant leaders in U.S. history. People around the world continue to be inspired by his ‘I have a Dream’ speech.  (January 16)

Flashcards – Winter Sports: This collection features winter sports and sporting equipment. Get your students talking about skating, sledding, and skiing. Watch our Flashcard Friday series for ideas!

Holiday (intermediate) - Chinese New Year: Chinese New Year is the biggest and most important holiday of the year for Chinese people around the world. In our lesson, students study the Chinese Zodiac and learn “red” idioms. Your students can preview the lesson via our podcast.  (January 23, 2012)




Health Matters- Eye Health: January is Eye Health month! Check out our NEW lesson: “9 tips for Better Eye Health”. Are there certain foods that can help you see better? Students practice related vocabulary and discuss the importance of sight vs. hearing.

Don’t forget to check out our Lesson Plan Calendar to see all of our suggested lessons for January!



Pronouncing 2012

How do you pronounce 2012? Do you say twenty-twelve or two thousand and twelve or maybe even two thousand-twelve? What about your students? Is one way more correct than another? Check out our blog post on this topic. It was inspired by our first staff meeting of the year, and we offer ideas about how you can start a discussion about this question in class. Don’t forget to let us know how YOU say it. Speaking of 2012, guest blogger Shelly Terrell has some great ideas for goal setting with language learners in the New Year. Visit our blog to read all about it.

“Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right.” Oprah Winfrey



Happy New Year!
Sincerely,

The Staff at ESL-Library

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/12/january-news-2/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/12/10-tips-and-resources-for-motivating-language-learners-to-set-and-achieve-goals/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/12/10-tips-and-resources-for-motivating-language-learners-to-set-and-achieve-goals/#comments Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:11:03 +0000 Shelly Terrell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=9313 How to help your students set and take action towards language learning goals in the new year.

]]> Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare. ~Japanese Proverb

Part of any language curriculum should involve students taking charge of their learning through goal-setting and reflecting. This process helps students find out how they learn best and what motivates them. It also helps them take control of their own learning. January is a great time to get your students to reflect on their learning journey. When students actively reflect on where they were at the beginning of your class and what they have achieved, it gives them an idea of what they need to do to get to where they want to be at the end of the semester. I have tried many different approaches to get my students to ponder their language learning goals and create plans to achieve them. These are a few ideas that have been successful.

Have Them Map Out Their Goals

Students should write out their learning goals on either a journal, blog, website, mobile device, or paper. They need to be able to keep a copy to refer to later. Concept maps are also useful. Students can list English language goals as the main concept then have branches listing specific goals.

Goals Should be Specific and Individualized

Encourage your students to create personal goals that relate to their interests or needs. Also, encourage them to be specific. For example, your student might write, “I want to be able to read a novel in English or understand the lyrics to my favorite English song.” Another student might need to learn English in order to pass a test.

Create Action Plans

After writing these statements, you can have your students pair up and come up with action plans to achieve these goals. For example, students might decide the best way to read a novel in English is to read so many pages each week and join an online discussion about the book. This type of activity spurs discussion among your students as they discover a little about each other. You can even pair them up according to those who have similar goals. Encourage students to also determine problems they may have along the way to completing their goals and write out solutions.

Goals Should be Posted and Shared

My students post their short goal statements to a Wallwisher (an online sticky board) on our class wiki page. This way they are committed to accomplishing the goal and have a constant reminder of their goals each time they visit the wiki.

Reflect on Their Goals

Along the way, have your students go through previous assignments and tasks to see where they began and see how much they have progressed. Have them write down or discuss how they feel about their progress and think about what they need to do to achieve more.

Motivating Students to Reach Their Goals

Your students may need some motivation to accomplish their language learning goals. The following ideas may help:

• A wall of inspiration- Put butcher paper over one wall and have students daily write out quotes, sayings, or thoughts that inspire them. They can also add pictures of them doing tasks to reach their goals. Students love writing on walls.
• A goal collage- have students create collages with pictures that relate to their goals. Students can create multimedia collages online with these free webtools- Glogster, Muzy, Magnoto, and Webdoc.

More Resources

For more tips for achieving goals with language learners, visit these resources:

• Slide presentation- Showing Our Learners to Achieve Success with Resolutions
• Video archive- Goal-setting with English Language Learners
• New Year’s Lesson Plans & Writing Resolutions
• Goal-Setting with Language Learners post

How do you motivate your students to accomplish their learning goals?

If you want to receive more of Shelly’s tips for online resources for teaching English, then subscribe!

About Shelly

Shelly Sanchez Terrell is a teacher trainer, author, and international speaker. She is the host of American TESOL’s Free Friday Webinars and the Social Media Community Manager for The Consultants-E. She has co-founded and organized the acclaimed educational projects, Edchat, ELTChat, The Reform Symposium E-Conference and the ELTON nominated Virtual Round Table language and technology conference. Visit her award winning blog, Teacher Reboot Camp, for resources for effective technology integration. Keep an eye out for her book, The 30 Goals Challenge for Educators published by Eye on Education. Find her on Twitter, @ShellTerrell. She has taught toddlers to adults English in various countries including the US, Germany, and Greece.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/12/10-tips-and-resources-for-motivating-language-learners-to-set-and-achieve-goals/feed/ 5 http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/11/podcast-margaret-thatcher/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/11/podcast-margaret-thatcher/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:51:46 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=9300 Will your students be going to see the new Margaret Thatcher film starring Meryl Streep? Why not help them get to know Britain's former leading lady with this podcast and lesson plan?

]]> Famous People: Margaret Thatcher | Podcast #96

Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minster of the UK from 1979-1990. Her nickname was ‘The Iron Lady’. A film called “The Iron Lady” was just released with Meryl Streep starring as Britain’s former leader. After the film was released, one of our subscribers requested a lesson on this important historic figure. We were thrilled to fill this request, and we have now added the new Margaret Thatcher lesson to our library. You can introduce your students to this important historic figure via our podcast and ready-made lesson plan. Perhaps it will inspire your students to go and see the film! [It's red carpet season and Meryl Streep just won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher! Try our related  Red Carpet Warm up. ]

The full printable Famous People lesson contains a warmup task, reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review, discussion questions, and a writing assignment. You may also want to show this video on how Meryl Streep got into the role of Margaret Thatcher in preparation for the film. We also have a lesson on Ellen Sirleaf, another ‘Iron Lady’ who has been in the news lately. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Coming soon to our podcast…Michael Jackson.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Biography, Holiday, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Find all 96 ESL-Library podcast episodes on iTunes. You’ll also find related podcasts that our listeners enjoy. Don’t forget to share the link with your students.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/11/podcast-margaret-thatcher/feed/ 1 0:00:01 Famous People: Margaret Thatcher | Podcast #96 Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minster of the UK from 1979-1990. Her nickname was 'The Iron Lady'. A ... Famous People: Margaret Thatcher | Podcast #96 Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minster of the UK from 1979-1990. Her nickname was 'The Iron Lady'. A film called "The Iron Lady" was just released with Meryl Streep starring as Britain's former leader. After the film was released, one of our subscribers requested a lesson on this important historic figure. We were thrilled to fill this request, and we have now added the new Margaret Thatcher lesson to our library. You can introduce your students to this important historic figure via our podcast and ready-made lesson plan. Perhaps it will inspire your students to go and see the film! [It's red carpet season and Meryl Streep just won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher! Try our related  Red Carpet Warm up. ] The full printable Famous People lesson contains a warmup task, reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review, discussion questions, and a writing assignment. You may also want to show this video on how Meryl Streep got into the role of Margaret Thatcher in preparation for the film. We also have a lesson on Ellen Sirleaf, another 'Iron Lady' who has been in the news lately. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment. Coming soon to our podcast…Michael Jackson. Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Biography, Holiday, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. Find all 96 ESL-Library podcast episodes on iTunes. You'll also find related podcasts that our listeners enjoy. Don't forget to share the link with your students. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/04/podcast-hip-hop-and-rap/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/04/podcast-hip-hop-and-rap/#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:14:09 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=9236 This week's podcast is all about Hip Hop!

]]> Hip Hop and Rap

What do Kool Herc, the Beastie Boys, and Eminem have in common? You guessed it! They all contributed significantly to the musical genre fondly known as Hip Hop. Today’s podcast features a NEW reading from our Famous Things section. In our intermediate lesson on Hip Hop and Rap, students learn the history behind this popular music genre and culture. They review important vocabulary and create their own rap. Like all of our Famous Things lesson plans, this lesson comes with pre-reading questions, a reading, comprehension questions, and vocabulary review. Give your teens lessons they are interested in! They’ll forget they are learning English. Our Discussion Starters section also has some great topics for teens. Check it out!

Preview all of ESL-Library’s Famous Things here.

Coming soon…Censorship.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our featured lessons or as extra listening homework. You can also use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/04/podcast-hip-hop-and-rap/feed/ 3 0:00:01 Hip Hop and Rap What do Kool Herc, the Beastie Boys, and Eminem have in common? You guessed it! They all contributed significantly to the ... Hip Hop and Rap What do Kool Herc, the Beastie Boys, and Eminem have in common? You guessed it! They all contributed significantly to the musical genre fondly known as Hip Hop. Today's podcast features a NEW reading from our Famous Things section. In our intermediate lesson on Hip Hop and Rap, students learn the history behind this popular music genre and culture. They review important vocabulary and create their own rap. Like all of our Famous Things lesson plans, this lesson comes with pre-reading questions, a reading, comprehension questions, and vocabulary review. Give your teens lessons they are interested in! They'll forget they are learning English. Our Discussion Starters section also has some great topics for teens. Check it out! Preview all of ESL-Library’s Famous Things here. Coming soon…Censorship. Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our featured lessons or as extra listening homework. You can also use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/04/pronounce-2012/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/04/pronounce-2012/#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:37:13 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=9234 Do you say twenty-twelve or two thousand and twelve?

]]> In our first ESL-Library meeting of the year, Ben noticed that I was referring to our 2012 Lesson Plan Calendar as the “two thousand and twelve”  calendar instead of the “twenty-twelve” one. The pronunciation of our new year isn’t something I thought about until yesterday, though I’ve since learned that many people have questioned it, including the 2012 Olympic committee. Ben reminded me that we never say things like the War of one thousand, eight-hundred and twelve. We wouldn’t say that my grandma was born in one thousand, nine-hundred and twelve. So, why would we talk about our goals for two thousand and twelve? I assume it’s because we (those of us who use this pronunciation) got used to saying two thousand when we reached a new millenium, and then continued using the same phrasing from that year on.

Ben convinced me that twenty-twelve sounds better, but how am I going to convince my brain to talk to my mouth and use this form? We’re only a few days in, but already the two thousand and twelve form seems to have “fossilized”. I think I’ll challenge myself to give it a go. [ed. note: While proofreading my own post I caught myself pronouncing 2012 as two thousand and twelve.]

Are you looking for something to talk about in class your first week back? Why not discuss the pronunciation of “2012″?  The Virtual Linguist: How do you pronounce 2012? is an interesting post that I just stumbled upon on Google +. You can print it and share it with your students, or simply ask your students how they think 2012 should be pronounced. You could even have a debate!  Separate the class into two and tell each side that they have to come up with a decision about which way  the new year should be pronounced. The strongest case wins! (Try to catch each other saying it the other way.)

Your discussion about the pronunciation of 2012 could lead to a lesson about how to write numbers. Here is a nice post about the rules of writing numbers. You could also check out Wikipedia’s page on English numerals. I love it when my own blog post reminds me that we need to add a lesson to our library.

Happy New Year!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/01/04/pronounce-2012/feed/ 3 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/30/flashcards-for-new-years/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/30/flashcards-for-new-years/#comments Fri, 30 Dec 2011 21:36:19 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=9207 Flashcards can help you break the ice in the new year.

]]> Today’s Flashcard Friday post is all about New Year’s Flashcards!

Are you an ESL-Library subscriber? If so, why not build your own New Year’s flashcard set? Previously on Flashcard Friday, we showed you how you can build your own set for a special occasion like a field trip. You can also build a set for a holiday or event that you are going to be talking about or reviewing in class. Watch the video for instructions on customizing, saving, and printing your own personalized flashcard set using our library of images.

See the image above for a collection of words from our library that we suggest for a New Year’s set. You can find all of these images in our library  to get your students talking about their own New Year’s traditions. The words we chose include clothes, jewelry, places, actions, and beverages related to New Year’s Eve and Day. Even though most of the ESL-Library team celebrates New Year’s in the snow, we know from our New Year’s around the World lessons that many of you  are having picnics and BBQ’s to ring in the new year!

Use the Search button on ESL-Library to look for words that you think belong in a New Year’s set. Then, add the flashcards to one of your My Library folders. You have one for Holiday resources, right? In your folder, make sure to add the New Year’s lessons, including our beginner and high-intermediate lesson, and our Chinese New Year lesson. In your folder notes you may want to include a link to our New Year’s podcasts high intermediate and beginner)

Why Flashcards?

Have your students been away from the classroom for a few weeks? Images are a great way to get your students speaking in English again. You can use the flashcards to review tenses that you were working on before the break. Hold up or pass out flashcards and have students talk about 2011 or 2012 using the image you are holding. If you have a new group of students, a few flashcards can help them feel more confident or secure. To break the ice, simply spread out a set of flashcards and have students choose a few that they can talk about with a partner. (You may want to print out a set from the Flashcard Library, such as a feelings and conditions.) Or, send them around the room exchanging flashcards and conversations.

Flashcards are also useful for playing traditional language review games like charades, hot seat, pictionary, and chain stories. They can also be used as writing prompts for pair activities and homework. More on this in the new year…

Happy New Year!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/30/flashcards-for-new-years/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/28/podcast-new-years-highintermediate/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/28/podcast-new-years-highintermediate/#comments Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:55:37 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=9193 This week's podcast features a reading from our intermediate New Year's lesson plan. Find out about New Year's traditions around the world.

]]> New Year’s Around the World

What does Julius Caesar have to do with New Year’s? Which God is January named after? How do Australians celebrate New Year’s Eve? What about New Yorkers or people from Japan? Find the answers to these questions in our full high-intermediate/advanced Holiday lesson. Our beginner and high-intermediate lessons include a reading, vocabulary review activities, comprehension questions, discussion questions and group activities. If your school is on break this week, please try our lesson when you return to class. Happy New Year! For a lower level podcast on New Year’s check out last year’s post.

Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday here.

Coming soon…Censorship.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our featured lessons or as extra listening homework. You can also use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/28/podcast-new-years-highintermediate/feed/ 0 0:00:01 New Year's Around the World What does Julius Caesar have to do with New Year's? Which God is January named after? How do Australians celebrate ... New Year's Around the World What does Julius Caesar have to do with New Year's? Which God is January named after? How do Australians celebrate New Year's Eve? What about New Yorkers or people from Japan? Find the answers to these questions in our full high-intermediate/advanced Holiday lesson. Our beginner and high-intermediate lessons include a reading, vocabulary review activities, comprehension questions, discussion questions and group activities. If your school is on break this week, please try our lesson when you return to class. Happy New Year! For a lower level podcast on New Year's check out last year's post. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday here. Coming soon…Censorship. Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our featured lessons or as extra listening homework. You can also use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/27/lesson-plans-for-new-years/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/27/lesson-plans-for-new-years/#comments Tue, 27 Dec 2011 20:40:05 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=9176 We have beginner and intermediate lesson plans all about New Year's celebrations around the world.

]]> Schools in North America are enjoying holidays this week, but teachers and students in other parts of the world are still working hard. Whether you need a New Year’s lesson plan this week or later in January when you return to the classroom, we hope you’ll try one of our ready-made lesson plans. We have beginner and intermediate lesson plans about New Year’s Eve and Day. We also have a New Year’s podcast based on our beginner lesson. This Wednesday we will post a NEW podcast based on our intermediate New Year’s lesson. You can also check out our FREE ESL warm up activity called Old Me, New Me.

Happy New Year!

Be sure to check out our lesson plan calendar for all of the upcoming featured lessons you can use in your class in 2012.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/27/lesson-plans-for-new-years/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/22/festivus-free-lesson/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/22/festivus-free-lesson/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 19:12:55 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=9158 Get out your aluminum poles and come air your grievances! It's time to celebrate Festivus.

]]> Festivus: Observed on December 23rd

Is the commercialism of Christmas getting you down? Are you worried that there are only a few shopping days left? Why not put down your wallet and celebrate Festivus? If you don’t know about this hilarious holiday, don’t worry. There’s not much to it!  All you need is an aluminum pole, a quirky family or group of friends, and a place to wrestle.  Put down your credit cards, wrapping paper, lights, and gift receipts! It’s time to celebrate Festivus (the holiday for the rest of us).  Please share this FREE ESL Lesson Plan with all of your fellow English teachers around the world.  We hope you’ll try this lesson in your class on December 23rd.

View and print this FREE English lesson plan on Festivus.

Kramer: Is there a tree?

Frank: No. Instead, there’s a pole. Requires no decoration. I find tinsel distracting.

From the Festivus episode “The Strike” on Seinfeld (More Festivus quotes here)

Are you a subscriber of ESL-Library? Check out our other Every Day is a Holiday ESL Lesson Plans in the Lesson Plan Library. If you’re not a subscriber, join today! You don’t need to go to the mall.

Enjoy a clip from the Seinfeld Festivus episode on YouTube.

Related Lessons in the ESL-Library

Every day is a Holiday: Boxing Day
Something to Talk About: Black Friday
Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas: Let’s Debate

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/22/festivus-free-lesson/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/21/podcast-chanukah/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/21/podcast-chanukah/#comments Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:39:40 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=9149 This week's podcast is all about the history of the Jewish Festival of Lights. Do you know why the eight day festival features nine candles?

]]> Podcast: Chanukah | Podcast #93

Will you be teaching about the history of Chanukah (or Hanukkah) this week? ESL-Library has a ready-made lesson plan for intermediate learners. Today’s podcast features a reading from this popular lesson. Please share today’s podcast on Chanukah with your English learners.  Why are there nine candles for an eight day festival?  The full printable Holiday lesson contains a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review and a pair activity about dreidels and latkes. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Coming soon to our podcast…Censorship.

Please share our iTunes podcast with your students, so that they can subscribe to our FREE podcast as well as other podcasts designed specifically for language learners. Your students will thank you for the English listening materials that they can listen to during the holiday break. Let 2012 be the year your students start listening to English online!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/21/podcast-chanukah/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Podcast: Chanukah | Podcast #93 Will you be teaching about the history of Chanukah (or Hanukkah) this week? ESL-Library has a ready-made lesson plan for ... Podcast: Chanukah | Podcast #93 Will you be teaching about the history of Chanukah (or Hanukkah) this week? ESL-Library has a ready-made lesson plan for intermediate learners. Today's podcast features a reading from this popular lesson. Please share today's podcast on Chanukah with your English learners.  Why are there nine candles for an eight day festival?  The full printable Holiday lesson contains a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review and a pair activity about dreidels and latkes. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment. Coming soon to our podcast…Censorship. Please share our iTunes podcast with your students, so that they can subscribe to our FREE podcast as well as other podcasts designed specifically for language learners. Your students will thank you for the English listening materials that they can listen to during the holiday break. Let 2012 be the year your students start listening to English online! ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/20/hanukkah-or-chanukah/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/20/hanukkah-or-chanukah/#comments Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:46:25 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=9141 How should the Jewish Festival of Lights be spelled and pronounced?

]]> Have you always wondered why the Jewish Festival of Lights is sometimes written with an H and other times with a Ch? You are not alone! Hanukkah and Chanukah refer to the same eight-day festival. (This word is sometimes spelled in other ways, but these are the two most common ways.) The “Ch” version is not meant to be pronounced like the “ch” in “chin”. It is actually meant to sound more like an “h” with a guttural throat clearing. The change in spelling serves as a reminder that the Hebrew word should be pronounced with a throaty “h”  not a typical English “h”.

Check out our English lesson plan on Chanukah in our Holiday section.

Happy Chanukah!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/20/hanukkah-or-chanukah/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/16/ideas-for-using-christmas-flashcards/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/16/ideas-for-using-christmas-flashcards/#comments Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:36:02 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=9086 Christmas flashcards are great for putting a holiday spin on language games.

]]> Today’s Flashcard Friday post is all about Christmas Flashcards!
This week we worked on reorganizing ESL-Library’s Christmas Flashcard set. If you already have the Christmas flashcard set printed, you may want to add some of the new images. While our old set was full of holiday nouns such as “gift”, “bow”, and “mistletoe”, the new set includes verbs such as “buy”, “sing”, and “skate”. You will also find places that people visit over the holidays, such as “auditorium” and “shopping mall”. And don’t forget that you don’t have to use our suggestions. You can build your own set. Visit last week’s Flashcard Friday post for instructions on customizing, saving, and printing your own personalized flashcard set using our library of images.

Here are some fun games and activities to help review Christmas and holiday vocabulary using flashcards.

Tell me More

Put all of the flashcards in a box. Have students take turns picking out a flashcard. If the student knows the word he chose, he can say it. If he doesn’t know the word, he can ask others to help. Ask students what they know about this word. Is there anything else they want to know? Have at least one student ask a question about each word. Students should pass the card to the person who is talking. No one should talk unless they are holding the card. (They can raise their hands to receive the card when they want to speak.)

For example, a student chooses the “Rudolph” card.
Student A: Um, it’s a deer.
Teacher: Yes, what kind of deer?
Student B (raises hand and receives the card): A reindeer.
Teacher: Right! Do you notice anything about this reindeer’s nose. This is a special Christmas reindeer.
Student C (raises hand and receives the card) : It’s Rudolph!
Teacher: Yes. Does anyone have a question about Rudolph?
Student A (raises hand and receives the card): Why does he have a red nose?
Student C (raises hand and receives the card): Because he has to light the way for Santa’s sleigh. Rudolph is a character from a children’s story and movie.

Christmas Cookies

Tell your students to pretend they are baking. The class is going to make Christmas cookies. Pass each student a flashcard. (Students should not show anyone.) Students get into pairs or groups and describe the cookie they are going to make. Partners guess the word. Tell students to describe the shape, colour of icing, size, types of candies that they are using to decorate their holiday cookie. When a student guesses correctly pass the “baker” another card.

This is NOT a Christmas Ornament

Draw a large Christmas tree (undecorated) on the board. (Or have an artistic student do this.) Hand out a flashcard from the set to each student. Students have to decide whether or not the flashcard they received could go on, under, or around a Christmas tree. Students take turns coming up to the front of the room to name their flashcard and tape it on or by the tree. If their flashcard does not go on, under, or around the tree, they must give it to you and explain what this card has to do with Christmas. Then they must draw an ornament of their choice and say what it is.
For example:
Student A (shopping mall card): I got the “shopping mall”. It does not go on, under, or around a Christmas tree. It’s a place that you go to buy holiday gifts to place under the tree. (Student draws an angel. This is an angel. It belongs on a tree.)

Here are the cards from our Christmas set that would go on, under, or around the tree. Some others (such as airplane) may qualify as well (we have beaded helicopters on our tree!):
angel ornament | candy cane | star | Christmas bow | Christmas gift | candy cane | holly | dancing elves | rudolph | snowman ornament | stockings |

HangSnowman

Review Christmas vocabulary with a holiday game of HangSnowman! Invite a student to the front of the classroom. Have the student choose a flashcard from a hat, box, or gift bag. The student will count the letters from the word or phrase and place the same amount of lines on the board. Classmates will take turns shouting out letters to guess the word. Each time a letter is not in the word, the student at the front will draw part of the snowman. (Invite the student at the front to use as many details as they want, including snowballs, eyes, carrot nose, mouth, scarf, hat, sticks for arms).

Christmas Categories

Place all of the cards on a rug or table and invite students to gather around. Tell students they need to work together to come up with a maximum of five categories (ex. decorations, traditions, activities) that all of the flashcards can fit under. After they organize the flashcards into categories review their choices. Does everyone agree with the categories? Do some words fit in more than one place? You can also play Christmas “Categories” another way. Choose a flashcard and hold it up. Go around the room and have the students (one by one) say words that are related to it. When a student hesitates for too long or says a word that is not related, he or she is “out” of the game. Continue until only one student remains.

Cold Seat

You’ve played hot seat before, right? How about a game of cold seat? Play in the usual way, but pretend you are in the North Pole. The two students in the seats shiver as they guess which word is on the board behind them (you can even make them wear their outdoor clothes or a scarf). To join the fireside (the other students who are all fired up shouting out descriptions of the flashcard selected) the students have to guess the word correctly. Whoever guesses first gets to give up the cold seat to another person on his team. Hand out candy canes (real ones or drawn ones on the board) instead of points! If you don’t know how to play Hot Seat, read the instructions here.

Video Sneak Preview of our Holiday Flashcards

Related Flashcard Sets for talking about the Christmas Holidays

Family
Toys
In the Dining Room
Winter Sports
Cooking and Food Prep

If you missed it, please check out last week’s Flashcard Friday post about Toys and Games. And don’t miss our recent Christmas posts:

12 Ways to Wish Someone a Happy Holiday (by Shelly Terrell)
Christmas Podcast
Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays? Let’s Debate

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/16/ideas-for-using-christmas-flashcards/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/15/december-news-2/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/15/december-news-2/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:47:02 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8652 It's time to celebrate every gift you received in 2011!  Check out this month's new and featured lessons.

]]> A Month to Celebrate

With Christmas, Chanukah, and Kwanzaa, there is so much to celebrate this month. Besides the holidays, we can also celebrate the end of a year! At Red River Press, we have so much to celebrate, including a hard working team, dedicated subscribers, and a promising future of digital publishing! This month we’re celebrating the fact that Google Plus opened its doors to organizations like ours! If you’re on Google Plus, please add ESL-Library so that we can put you in our ELT Circle! We also have a circle for English learners, so please share our page with your students. Thanks Google! We’re also celebrating the chance to meet teachers at the 2012 TESOL Convention in Philadelphia. We’ll be doing a presentation on the ins and outs of life as an ELT digital publisher. What are you celebrating?

New Lesson Plans this Month

• Famous Things: Hip Hop
• Tiny Conversations (NEW section for beginners): Stating a Preference
• Everyday Dialogues: Filling out an Application
• American Presidents: Andrew Jackson

In the works:

2012 Lesson Plan Calendar: We are busy updating our lesson plan calendar for 2012. If you’re planning ahead, our January calendar page is ready! We’ll have the rest of the year ready for you shortly.

December Features

Holiday (intermediate) - Chanukah: ESL-Library provides lessons based on holidays and traditions from many different cultures and religions. Use this lesson to introduce your intermediate students to the Jewish “Festival of Lights”.  (December 20-28)

Flashcards – Christmas: This collection features Christmas vocabulary for beginners, including “stocking” , “reindeer” and “ornament”. Please watch our Flashcard Friday section for ideas that you can use in the classroom!

Holiday (beginner and intermediate) - Christmas: Teach your beginner and intermediate students vocabulary through our popular Christmas lessons.  Students learn about traditions and share their own favorite parts of the holiday season. (December 25)

Holiday (intermediate lesson) - Kwanzaa: Teach your intermediate students about this African American holiday that began during the civil rights movement. Find out what the word “Kwanza” means, and why the founder of the festival decided to add an extra “a” to the word. (December 26-January 1)

Mini Holiday - Boxing Day: Was Boxing Day always about shopping and watching sports? Not exactly. Share this lesson with your students and try out our Christmas Box challenge. (December 26)

Don’t forget to check out our Lesson Plan Calendar to see all of our suggested lessons for December!



Teaching Tip: Celebrating Christm…the Holidays

Do you teach a lot of students who don’t celebrate Christmas? What about students who don’t celebrate any holiday? Teachers do all sorts of creative things to make their students feel at home in the classroom. We recently heard from a teacher whose student was not allowed to do Christmas activities. While the rest of the class stepped in green paint to make Christmas trees, this student was invited to step in black paint to form a penguin. Finding a way to include Christmas in your curriculum can be tricky. However, if you focus on teaching rather than “celebrating” and use a wide variety of holiday lessons throughout the year, your students (and parents) will likely be more open to taking part in Christmas activities. Did your class listen to our Diwali podcast last month? Did you talk about how Mecca has changed? Will you be using our Chinese New Year lesson? Make it clear from the beginning of school that you will be using lessons that focus on a whole library of famous people, places, and holidays. If there are any international holidays, people, or places that are important to your students, let us know so that we can add lessons to our library. Check out our new Something to Talk about post: Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays? Let’s Debate!

“I love any and all situations where you celebrate creativity.”
Brad Paisley


Happy teaching!
Sincerely,

The Staff at ESL-Library

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/15/december-news-2/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/15/12-holiday-greeting-apps/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/15/12-holiday-greeting-apps/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:31:57 +0000 Shelly Terrell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=9058 It's not too late to send holiday greetings to friends and family members around the world! Try these FREE holiday web tools and mobile apps with your students.

]]> Chances are you and your students will want to send a holiday greeting, so why not use web tools in class to create them? Various web tools and apps allow your students to be creative while spreading holiday cheer. Also, multimedia greetings are a fun way to learn about various cultures and their holiday traditions, because often they provide backgrounds and sayings for Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Hanukkah. Additionally, language learners can acquire new vocabulary and apply the vocabulary in a fun way while practicing writing, listening, reading, and speaking skills. Many of these web tools have the ability for users to share their productions via e-mail, Facebook, and Twitter!

Holiday Web Tools

These are the free tools I recommend. Some of them come as free mobile apps as well.

Animoto- Upload images, choose a creative commons soundtrack from the library (many nice holiday tunes to choose from) and click a button to make a 30-second video. Sync your videos with your Animoto.com account, download videos for offline viewing, and make longer ones with an All-Access Pass. You can create your greeting online or use their free mobile app for the iPhone. Here is a holiday greeting to you from me and Rosco, my pug!

GoAnimate- Create holiday videos that are funny. Use your own pictures or choose from their database. Narrate the characters. Upload your video to Youtube.

Smilebox- Create a beautiful photo slideshow using their website or iPhone app. Upload your images and choose from various holiday themed backgrounds and music. Embed this in your blog.

Fotobabble- Quickly create and easily share talking photos in 3 steps (Snap or select or a photo, speak into the microphone to record audio, share with friends via email, Facebook or Twitter). Fotobabble is really easy to use and free with various holiday themed backgrounds. You can create your greeting online or use their free mobile app for the iPhone. Here is a holiday greeting by Rosco, my pug!

Storybird- This is a free site for creating beautifully illustrated digital stories. Students write the stories and choose the characters and background. Furthermore, the site allows collaborative tools and ways to share the story in a blog. There are several holiday themes.

Mixbook- Collaborate on a photobook with friends. Create stories, photo journals, and more with your uploaded images. You can zoom in on photos, add holiday backgrounds, and embed this in a blog.

Scrapblog- Create multimedia scrapbooks. Upload your images and play with the various holiday themes, stickers, backgrounds, text features, and frames. Embed this in your blog.

ArtisanCam- Create incredible holiday cards by choosing themes, stickers, images, and more. Students can spray paint or color the card. Send your personalized card and even enter a contest.

Northpole- Students create holiday e-cards, stories starring themselves, chat with Santa and the elves, play games, write Santa a letter that he replies to, and so much more!

Voki-This application lets students create personalized avatars to use on wikis, blogs or websites. You can also e-mail these wonderful characters and choose from a variety of holiday characters and backgrounds. Students record their audio messages on a microphone or through the telephone.

Design an Animated Card- Students choose stickers and a holiday message. They can import their own photos and animate the card. They can download the holiday card or email it.

My Holiday Sweater- Students decorate their own holiday sweater by choosing stickers, buttons, the pattern, and more. Then they upload a picture and choose a holiday background. They type a greeting and email it to a friend or family member.

What apps and web tools do you love using to send your friends holiday cheers? Leave a comment below so that we can give your favorite apps a try!

Don’t forget to check out ESL-Library’s holiday lesson plans for language learners. If you want to receive more of Shelly’s tips for online resources for teaching English, then subscribe!

About Shelly

Shelly Terrell is the VP of Educator Outreach for Parentella and the Social Media Community Manager for The Consultants-E. She is also the co-organizer and co-creator of the award winning educational projects, Edchat, ELTChat, The Reform Symposium E-Conference, and the Virtual Round Table conference. Visit her award winning blog, Teacher Reboot Camp, for resources for effective technology integration. In 2012 find her book, The 30 Goals Challenge for Educators published by Eye on Education. Find her on Twitter, @ShellTerrell. She has taught toddlers to adults English in various countries including the US, Germany, and Greece.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/15/12-holiday-greeting-apps/feed/ 4 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/14/podcast-christmas/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/14/podcast-christmas/#comments Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:28:52 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=9026 This week's podcast offers an audio preview of ESL-Library's intermediate lesson on Christmas.

]]> Podcast: Christmas | Podcast #92

Will you be teaching about the history of Christmas this month? ESL-Library has Christmas lesson plans for beginner and high-intermediate learners. Today’s podcast features a reading from our intermediate lesson plan on Christmas. Please share today’s podcast on Christmas with your English learners. This lesson is suitable for intermediate to advanced learners. The full printable Holiday lesson contains a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review and a group activity. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Coming soon to our podcast…Michael Jackson.

Please share our iTunes podcast with your students, so that they can subscribe to our FREE podcast as well as other podcasts designed specifically for language learners. Your students will thank you for the English listening materials that they can listen to during the holiday break. Let 2012 be the year your students start listening to English online!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/14/podcast-christmas/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Podcast: Christmas | Podcast #92 Will you be teaching about the history of Christmas this month? ESL-Library has Christmas lesson plans for beginner and high-intermediate ... Podcast: Christmas | Podcast #92 Will you be teaching about the history of Christmas this month? ESL-Library has Christmas lesson plans for beginner and high-intermediate learners. Today's podcast features a reading from our intermediate lesson plan on Christmas. Please share today's podcast on Christmas with your English learners. This lesson is suitable for intermediate to advanced learners. The full printable Holiday lesson contains a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review and a group activity. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment. Coming soon to our podcast…Michael Jackson. Please share our iTunes podcast with your students, so that they can subscribe to our FREE podcast as well as other podcasts designed specifically for language learners. Your students will thank you for the English listening materials that they can listen to during the holiday break. Let 2012 be the year your students start listening to English online! ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/14/health-23-and-a-half-hours/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/14/health-23-and-a-half-hours/#comments Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:19:34 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8945 This visual lecture could change your students' life. Show it to your English learners and get them talking and walking!

]]> Do you suffer from the sitting disease?

A new year is just around the corner, and you are probably starting to think about your health. After all of the parties, goodies, and movie nights during the break, your students may also be ready for a health kick when they return to school in 2012.
Below you will find a “visual lecture” called 23 and 1/2 Hours. It’s delivered by a doctor who promotes the importance of a small amount of exercise each day. As English language teacher and course book writer Ken Wilson pointed out, “This is worth nine and a half minutes of your time – it could extend your life!” It is also worth the time of your students! You may need to show the video a few times (the doctor speaks quite quickly). The written words on the whiteboard will help your students understand what the doctor is saying. After you show the video, review some of the expressions the doctor uses.

Here a few questions to get your students talking after you show the video:

• Why is this called a visual lecture?
• What examples of preventative medicine does the doctor name?
• What does the doctor mean when he says “What has the biggest return on investment?”
• What does “walk someone through something” mean? When might you hear someone say this?
• What does “to put something a different way” mean?
• What does the doctor say about people who own dogs?
• Can you limit your sitting and sleeping to just 23.5 hours per day?

“Walking is man’s best medicine.”
Hippocrates

Do you agree or disagree with this quote? What can you do to add more steps to your day?

Thank you to @theteacherjames and @kenwilsonlondon for sharing this video on Facebook.

Make January Health Month

Do you cover themes in your language classroom? January is the perfect month to focus on health. Our NEW Health Matters section features full-length English lesson plans on a variety of health topics. These intermediate-level English lessons are based on modern topics on healthy living and are centered around magazine/blog style lists, such as 9 Tips for Better Eye Health and 10 Secrets of Centenarians. After reading and discussing the list in a lesson, students are invited to create their own related lists. Lessons include quotes for discussion, role-play activities, comprehension questions, vocabulary review, and discussion questions. Not a subscriber? Join today!

Something to Think About

The 23 and 1/2 Hours video may inspire you to encourage your students to get 1/2 an hour of exercise at school each day. Some schools in Canada have a program called Daily Physical Activity (DPA). The students dance or exercise together in the halls or classrooms for 20 minutes each day! Leave a comment if you have any suggestions for combining English language learning with exercise.

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/14/health-23-and-a-half-hours/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/12/britishisms/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/12/britishisms/#comments Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:40:54 +0000 Peter Martin http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8929 How helpful is it to repeatedly point out small differences between British and American English?

]]> For a while, I taught a business English course using the Market Leader book series. The books are produced in part by the Financial Times, and they use British English consistently. In almost every lesson I taught using the series, at least one Britishism would come up. These were usually spellings, like organisation or favourite. Sometimes, however, they were more substantive differences between British and American English, involving idioms or even small grammatical differences.

As an American teaching in Colombia, I’ve always thought I’m helping my students by teaching them American English. First, that’s the English I know inside and out, and it’s what I teach instinctively. Without British-produced materials, that’s what I naturally teach, of course. I’m more correct and more confident when teaching my native variation of the language. Second, I believe that most of my students have had and will have more contact with American English than British English. As South Americans, Colombians generally have more contact with Americans than with Britons, Australians, or people from other English-speaking countries. American culture, such as through movies and TV, is one way a lot of Colombians pick up English, and most of my students who have wanted to learn English for professional reasons will have more business interactions with Americans than with Europeans.

So, when using Market Leader, I’d always point out differences between American and British English. In a reading containing British-spelled words, I’d ask my students to identify those and spell them in American English. If I noticed a British idiom, I’d ask them whether they saw it; if not, I’d point it out, “translate” it into American English, and explain that Americans might understand the phrase, but they’d definitely never use it. In teaching with a British book, I became very familiar with one true grammatical difference between the two strains of the language: Market Leader would always say “Management are building a new strategy,” while I, as an American, would always say, “Management is building a new strategy.” Since I would never treat most collective nouns as plurals, it felt wrong to let that go un-noted, to let my students believe that all English speakers say things like, “Spain have won the World Cup.”

This still happens occasionally, even when I’m not using Market Leader. And I still do it. But each time I interrupt a class to say, “And how is that word spelled in the U.S.?” or “So you know, Americans don’t use that idiom,” I wonder whether I’m helping my students gain greater facility in English. On one hand, I think it is important to explain that there are differences across countries (even between the U.S. and Canada). But on the other hand, I wonder how helpful it is to repeatedly point out what are usually small differences, such as those in spelling, or the fact that when Americans say “get along,” they mean the same thing as Brits when they say “get on.” Lastly, I worry that by regularly explaining that some native English speakers don’t speak the language the way I do, it might seem I’m correcting British English, saying that English in countries other than the U.S. is somehow less right.

I’ll keep judging in each moment whether a Britishism (or Canadianism or Australianism) is worth noting in class, but I’m hoping to develop some general guidelines about how to handle this issue. In general, is it better for students when a teacher teaches faithfully to her native variation of English? Is it better when the teacher tries to teach the variation that the students will likely have the most contact with? Or should a teacher follow another principle, or a cross between these different guidelines?

Written by Peter F. Martin

Peter F. Martin was born and raised in New York City.  As an undergraduate at Yale University, he devoted himself to journalism, working as a writer, photographer, and editor for The Yale Globalist and the Yale Daily News. Peter first taught English while in college, teaching a weekly writing course to inmates at the Cheshire Correctional Institute in Cheshire, Connecticut. His work as an editor for campus publications required him to teach writing technique daily, correcting small mistakes and helping writers construct sentences, paragraphs, and pieces better.  He moved to Bogotá, Colombia, and has been working there as an English teacher and editor since. Peter blogs and shares his writing and photography on his website, peterfmartin.com

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/12/britishisms/feed/ 4 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/09/flashcards-for-field-trips/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/09/flashcards-for-field-trips/#comments Fri, 09 Dec 2011 19:40:18 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8861 Create your own customized set of flashcards for your next field trip.

]]> Today’s Flashcard Friday post is all about Field Trips! I’ve just returned from a field trip with a group of Grade 2s who were studying traditions. We visited a pioneer village where British, Scottish, German and Mennonite families were demonstrating how they celebrated the holidays in 1914.
Will you be taking your students on a field trip this year? Field trips can be challenging for teachers and parents when the language of the children is different than the language of the workers or volunteers. Flashcards are useful for giving students a better idea about what they are going to see on their trip. The trip will go more smoothly if your students know what to expect and what is expected of them. Images can also help reinforce rules and safety tips. You can even bring the cards along with you to help with special needs students. The ESL-Library flashcard system allows you to search for images that you need for each trip. You can collect the images in a special folder to use again.

How to Make a Customized Flashcard Set for your Field Trip

1) First, make a list of keywords related to your field trip. (If you’ve been on the trip before, you know what types of things and people you will see. If you haven’t, ask another teacher or call the place you are visiting for details. ) You will search for these images in the Flashcard Library.

a) For example, we went on a trip to talk about Christmas traditions. Here are some of the items we saw:

• Christmas tree
• house
• gift
• toys
• cookies
• candy canes
• store
• blacksmith
• poor families

b) Next, think about your transportation. If you are taking the bus add bus and bus driver to your search list. You’ll want to remind your students to sit on the bus and to thank the bus driver!

c)  Think about any rules or safety instructions that you want to pre-teach or review. Here are some you may need:

• walk
• quiet
• sit down (on the bus)
• lunch
• clock (Print a few blank clocks for arrival, departure and meeting times with the flash card “blank clock” under the section “Time”.)
• speak English
• line up

d) Think about any clothing reminders you may have. Today, the kids were reminded to bring and keep track of hats, mittens, and scarves. We added these words to our set.

2) Go to ESL-Library’s Search box and search for all of the items on your list. Each time you find a word, click the + sign to add it to your set. All of the words you select will appear in a list on your left. To remove any of the items, click the minus sign. (Make a note of any words that you could not find in the ESL-Library.)

3) Click on Save your set. Create a suitable folder name for this set. For example: Pioneer Village Christmas Field Trip. Add any notes you want, such as a reminder that there is a related lesson in the ESL-library or blog.

4) Click on Print to customize your settings. Choose the colour and size settings you want for your flashcards. (Do you want text or not?) View as PDF to see what your flashcards will look like.

5) Print your Flashcards. Review these words with your students prior to your trip.

Use your flashcard set to review the field trip when you get back to class too!

You can also use the flashcards to create a notice or newsletter to parents about the trip. Check out our previous video tip about adding our flashcards to documents.

Video Tip: Watch Tara Create a Flashcard set for a Field Trip.

NOTE: Please email ESL-Library with any flashcards that were on your list, but came up with a “Sorry” message when you searched for it. Use the subject “Flashcard Request”. We will consider adding these flashcards to the library. For example:

Dear Ben,

Please add images for “blacksmith” (Jobs and Occupations) and “line up” (Actions and Movements). These would be very useful for our next field trip!

Thank you,
Tara

Share your own ideas, lessons, and activities related to Field Trips in the comments below. If you missed it, please check out last week’s Flashcard Friday post about Toys and Games.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/09/flashcards-for-field-trips/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/08/canada-says-no-to-niagara-falls-wire-walk/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/08/canada-says-no-to-niagara-falls-wire-walk/#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:02:15 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8821 Should Nik Wallenda be allowed to walk across Niagara Falls on a tightrope?

]]> Niagara Falls: Sharing a Wonder of the World

Niagara Falls is one of those places that many English learners dream of visiting. Have any of your students been to the falls? Have they been to the American side or the Canadian side? While Canadians and Americans often debate which side is more beautiful, there are some new issues to talk about, including which side is stricter. Nik Wallenda, a seventh generation circus performer, recently requested permission to cross the falls on a tightrope. While the American side gave him the green light, Canadian officials refused his proposal. Share this Huffington Post article with your students to see what they think. Should this professionally trained circus performer be allowed to cross Niagara Falls? (If you teach low level learners, summarize the main points of the article.)

Discussion Activity

After you read the article, place your students in two groups (Canadians and Americans). Have each group present reasons to support its decision. Have another teacher or class come in to make the final judgement.

American officials: Allow Nik Wallenda to walk on a wire across Niagara Falls.

Canadian officials: Refuse proposals from all daredevils at Niagara Falls.

“The worst that could happen is that I would reach down and grab the wire and wait for help,” he said. “If there’s ever an issue within 35 to 45 seconds we’ll have a rescue pilot plucking me off the wire.”
Nik Wallenda to the Canadian Press

Do you believe the wire walker? Could something worse happen? If yes, what?

Here a few questions to get your students talking about this issue after reading the Huffington Post article:

• What is the main reason to deny daredevils from performing stunts over Niagara Falls?
• What do you think a Canadian living in Niagara Falls would think about Canada’s decision?
• What is more important, tourism money or the preservation of nature?
• What does “disheartened” mean?
• What does “turned down” mean? Have you ever had a proposal turned down?
• What does the performer mean by this: “You can’t pay for that kind of commercial, it’s a two-hour live TV special.”
• When he was six years old, Nik Wallenda visited Niagara Falls and thought it would be cool to walk across on a tightrope. What was your dream at age six?

Learn about Niagara Falls

Our Famous Places section features a full-length lesson on Niagara Falls. This lesson comes with a warm up, a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review and discussion questions.

Recent “Something to Talk About” Ideas

Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays? Let’s Debate.
When does Learning Begin?
Accommodations in Mecca
eBay Founder Shares 1 Billion for Better World
100-Year-Old Man Competes in Marathon
Steve Jobs: How to Live Before you Die

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/08/canada-says-no-to-niagara-falls-wire-walk/feed/ 3 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/07/podcast-occupy-wall-street/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/07/podcast-occupy-wall-street/#comments Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:19:08 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8810 The Occupy Movement protestors are calling for global action on International Human Rights Day (Dec 10). Introduce your students to Occupy with this week's podcast.

]]> Podcast: Occupy Wall Street | Podcast #91

Did you know that this week is International Human Rights Week? The Occupy Movement protestors are calling for a global day of action on December 10th (Human Rights Day). Please share today’s podcast on the Occupy Wall Street protest with your English learners. This lesson was written by Peter Martin, an English language teacher in Columbia, and one of our very popular guest bloggers. This lesson is suitable for high intermediate to advanced learners. The full printable Discussion Starters lesson contains a warmup, a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review and discussion questions. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Discussion Starter lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Coming soon to our podcast…Michael Jackson.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Biography, Holiday, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Tip: Your students do not need to own an iPod to listen to podcasts on iTunes. They only need a FREE iTunes account. Please share our iTunes podcast with your students, so that they can subscribe to our FREE podcast as well as other podcasts designed specifically for language learners.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/07/podcast-occupy-wall-street/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Podcast: Occupy Wall Street | Podcast #91 Did you know that this week is International Human Rights Week? The Occupy Movement protestors are calling for ... Podcast: Occupy Wall Street | Podcast #91 Did you know that this week is International Human Rights Week? The Occupy Movement protestors are calling for a global day of action on December 10th (Human Rights Day). Please share today's podcast on the Occupy Wall Street protest with your English learners. This lesson was written by Peter Martin, an English language teacher in Columbia, and one of our very popular guest bloggers. This lesson is suitable for high intermediate to advanced learners. The full printable Discussion Starters lesson contains a warmup, a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review and discussion questions. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Discussion Starter lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment. Coming soon to our podcast…Michael Jackson. Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Biography, Holiday, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. Tip: Your students do not need to own an iPod to listen to podcasts on iTunes. They only need a FREE iTunes account. Please share our iTunes podcast with your students, so that they can subscribe to our FREE podcast as well as other podcasts designed specifically for language learners. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/06/merry-christmas-or-happy-holidays/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/06/merry-christmas-or-happy-holidays/#comments Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:38:58 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8789 Should teachers cover "Christmas" at school? Let your students debate the
issue.

]]> Are you Allowed to Cover Christmas in your Classroom?

Does your school district allow you to cover the topic of Christmas? In some cities and states, teachers are restricted from doing “Christmas” activities and lessons. Some teachers are allowed to cover the holiday, but not celebrate it. In other schools, teachers continue to celebrate a secular version of the holiday with songs and parties. Do you have to be careful whether or not you say “Christmas” or “Holiday” break, party, or play? Does your school have a “Christmas” tree? There is a controversy in the US about whether or not state capitol trees should be called Christmas or Holiday trees. Why not share this article with your students to see what they think?

English language classes are often made up of many students who do not celebrate Christmas. Many of these students may still celebrate the holidays in their own ways. Open up the conversation by discussing some real life controversies related to the “Christmas” vs. “Holiday” debate. In addition to the article above, share these two blog posts by parents who have different opinions about covering Christmas in school. Give your students a chance to debate the topic: Does Christmas belong in school?

Parent #1: Christmas doesn’t belong in schools

Parent #2: Keep Christmas at public schools

“The reality is, not everyone celebrates Christmas. If there were Christmas decorations everywhere, it would send a message to the non-Christmas children that the school is not equally theirs – that they belong there just a little less than the Christian children do.”
Evonne Lack, Momformation Blog

Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?

Here a few questions to get your students talking about this issue:

• Should students be allowed to sing traditional Christmas carols at school?
• Should a city or state’s Christmas tree be called a holiday tree? What about the tree at the White House or in a shopping mall?
• Should we greet each other with “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas”?
• Should all religious holidays be banned in schools?
• Is it possible to learn about Christmas at school without celebrating it?
• Should elementary teachers avoid anything to do with Santa Claus?
• Should parents who have special religious concerns homeschool their children?
• What about the workplace? How should the holiday season be celebrated at work?

More Debates

Do your students need to practice stating and backing up opinions?  Our Mini Debates section features a number of full-length lessons to give your students practice debating issues from the news. Each lesson comes with a warm up, a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review and debate topics. Our latest lesson is all about the death penalty. You can preview this lesson via our podcast.

Related English Lessons and Activities in the ESL-Library
Holidays: Christmas Lesson (beginner)
Holidays: Christmas Lesson (high intermediate)
Flashcards: Christmas
Flashcards Ideas: Toys and Games
Mini Holidays: Boxing Day
Blog: Black Friday
Warm Up: Holiday Guest (FREE on our blog)

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/06/merry-christmas-or-happy-holidays/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/05/international-human-rights-week/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/05/international-human-rights-week/#comments Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:03:31 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8740 December 3-10 is International Human Rights Week. Check out our collection of Human Rights related lesson plans.

]]> December 10th is  International Human Rights Day. Many organizations and schools designate the entire week from December 3-10th as Human Rights Week. Will you be covering the human rights theme in your classroom this week? We have collected a number of lessons from our library that you may want to use. You’ll find a lesson on the United Nations, as well as lessons on famous people from around the world who have worked hard to fight for human rights. You’ll also find debates and discussion starters on modern human rights issues such as our Occupy Wall Street and Hazing lessons.

ESL Lessons for International Human Rights Week

UN: Famous Things – The United Nations (UN) is an international organization that works to promote human rights and freedoms for people of all genders, religions, races, and countries around the world. Only a few nations do not belong to the organization. On December 10, 1948 the UN adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  December 10th has been known as International Human Rights Day since 1950.

Desmond Tutu: Famous People – Desmond Mpilo Tutu helped to end apartheid (the total separation of races) in South Africa. In 1975, Tutu became the first black Dean of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Johannesburg.

Martin Luther King: Famous People – MLK was one of the most significant leaders in U.S. history who fought for civil rights reform for black Americans. Check out one of our most popular lesson plans and listen to the MLK podcast.

Dr. Kevorkian :  Famous People – Some would consider this controversial doctor a human rights advocate. He assisted the sick in committing suicide. What do your students think? We also have a lesson on Euthanasia in our Mini-Debates section.

Hazing: Discussion Starters – Are hazing rituals an innocent aspect of post-secondary and military life, or are these practices an infringement on human rights? Give your students a chance to talk about this important issue.

The Occupy Movement:  Discussion Starters – A demonstration that began in the New York financial district grew into a global movement in 2011. Protestors say they are fighting for the rights of “99%” of the population.

The Death Penalty: Mini Debates – Amnesty International calls the death penalty the ultimate denial of human rights. Do your students agree? Check out our NEW Mini Debates lesson on capital punishment.

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf:  Famous People – Liberia’s president has fought for women’s rights in her country for many years.

Rosa Parks: Mini Bios – Rosa Parks played an important role in the Civil Rights Movement in the US. On December 1st, 1955, a white bus driver asked her to give her seat up to a white man. Unlike the other black people on the bus, Rosa Parks said “No!”

Landmines:  Mini Debates – This lesson introduces the topic of landmines and discusses the 1997 treaty signed by 133 countries, excluding the US, China, and Russia. Are landmines a reasonable form of self-defense?

Nelson Mandela: Famous People – This former leader of the African National Congress (ANC) helped bring an end to apartheid in South Africa.

Cesar Chavez: Famous People – Cesar Chavez helped American migrant farm workers fight for a better life. He used boycotts and fasting to bring attention to the low wages of migrant workers.

Water Privatization:  Mini Debates – In this lesson, students read about a case of water privatization that took place in Bolivia in 1999. Should water always remain a public utility? Students debate this question.

Gloria Steinem: Famous People – This famed American author is best known for her work on obtaining equal rights for women.

Mahatma Gandhi: Famous People – This charismatic leader brought the cause of India’s independence from British Colonial rule to world attention.

John Lennon: Famous People – John Lennon was a member of The Beatles, one of the world’s most famous bands. He was also active in promoting human rights.

Leave us your comments about your plans for International Human Rights Day.

Be sure to check out our ESL-Library Podcast, which offers an audio preview of many of the lessons in this collection!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/05/international-human-rights-week/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/02/flashcard-ideas-for-toys-and-games/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/02/flashcard-ideas-for-toys-and-games/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:03:27 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8714 What is the toy of the year for 2011? Help your students learn important vocabulary about toys and games. What is all the fuss about?

]]> Our tenth Flashcard Friday post is all about Toys! While you might think of toys as a subject only young learners would be interested in, adults enjoy the nostalgia that this topic brings too. Some of your students may even be parents who will be spending a lot of time in toy stores this month.

Ideas for using Toy Flashcards

The holidays are coming, and one of the busiest places in your town or city is probably the toy store! ESL-Library features a set of flashcards for a wide variety of toys, including traditional toys like “tricyles” and “blocks” and more modern toys like “hand held video game”. Below you will find some ideas for using our flashcard set. Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the page for related lesson content.

(Watch the Flashcard Library demo for printing and organization options.) Not an ESL-Library member? Join today!

What would you like for Christmas?

Choose one student to be Santa Claus. Put Santa on a chair at the front of the room beside another chair. Hand out toy flashcards to all of your students. Have each student take a turn talking to Santa. Students must describe what they want (the image on their card) without saying the name of the toy. Santa guesses. (Give more than one student a turn to be Santa.)

Under the Tree

Draw a tree on the board. Give each student a toy flashcard. Put a piece of tape on the back of the flashcards. Have students take turns putting their flashcard under the tree. They have to say who they would give this toy to and why. (You can have them choose other students from their class or real people from their lives.)
For example: I am giving this tricycle to my nephew. He loves bikes!

Toy Store Field Trip

Take your students to the local toy store. Put your students in small groups or pairs. Give each group a set of toy flashcards. Have students search the store to find each toy. Which section or aisle did they find the toy in? They must make a list of where they found the toy and what other types of toys were in the same section. Which toy could they not find? Tell them to find one toy they have never seen before. Back at the school they can describe the toy. You can also ask them to find “the most expensive toy”, “the least expensive toy” , “the prettiest toy” , “the funniest toy”.

When I was Young

This is a game you can play with adults. Set out all of the flashcards on a table. Have students take turns picking up a flashcard and describing their favourite toy as a child. For example: When I was a child, my favourite toy was a doll. The other students have to ask at least five questions about the toy. For example: What was your doll’s name? Who gave you the doll? What did the doll look like? What happened to the doll? If a student cannot find his favourite toy in the flashcards, he can draw it on the board.

Reality Flashcards

You’ve heard about reality TV, but what about reality flashcards? Invite your students to bring the cards to life by telling true stories related to the cards. Hold up a card and ask the class this question: “Who has a real life story about this word?” True life stories will help your students remember the words. After the story time, ask the students which story was the most memorable and why. Encourage the other students to ask the storyteller at least three questions.

For example:
The teacher pulls out the “stickers” flashcard.
Student A: I have a story! My sister and I collected stickers when we were kids.
Student B: What kind of stickers?
Student A: Hello Kitty and fairy stickers.
Student C: Did you have a sticker book?
Student A: No we had a sticker box.
Student D: What happened to all of your stickers?
Student A: I put them on letters to my relatives.
If no student volunteers to tell a story, try a different card or tell a real life story of your own and have the students ask you questions.

Elves’ Workshop

Tell your students to pretend they are elves. They have to make all of the toys (flashcards). What will they need to build each toy? Hold out the flashcards one at a time.
For example:
The teacher pulls out the “doll house” flashcard.
Teacher: Molly wants a doll house. What do we need to make it?
Elf 1: Wood.
Teacher: Yes, what else do we need?
Elf 2: Fabric to make curtains and sheets for the beds.
Elf 3: And we need a drill to cut out the windows and doors.

Dear Santa

Give students a flashcard and tell them to write a letter to Santa asking for this toy for Christmas. Have students peer correct and respond to the letters.

Kids Christmas Party

Your classroom is an office and the workers are organizing the work Christmas party. Review all of the flashcards and make notes about each toy. Discuss these things as a class. Allow students to disagree about age, gender, etc.
Age appropriateness: preschool, primary school, junior, high school (or by age)
Gender: Male, Female, Unisex
Child’s Interest: educational, adventure, outdoor, fantasy, building, creative

Toy Combo

Put your students in pairs or small groups. Hand out two flashcard to each group. Students have to design a toy that uses parts from both flashcards. Students present the toy combo. They have to answer the following: What is the name of the toy? What does the toy do? What age group would have this toy? How much would this toy sell for?

Toy of the Year 2011

This is a fun activity if your students are learning to compare and contrast. Give each student one flashcard from the set. Then, have your students research the toy of the year for 2011. How does the toy of the year compare to the toy on the flashcard? (Your students may come up with different results for “Toy of the Year 2011″.) Have students write a paragraph or prepare a presentation comparing the two toys.

About ESL-Library Flashcards

The ESL-Library flashcards can be printed with or without words. You can also print them in different sizes and in colour or black and white. If you have young learners, print them in black and white and have them colour the flashcards. Watch a demo of the ESL-Library’s Flashcard Library. If you haven’t seen our flashcards, be sure to check them out! Our flashcards are drawn by professional artists who have worked with our team for many years. The flashcards are available in English, French, and Spanish. If there is a flashcard set you need that is not in our library, please contact us.

Related English Lessons and Activities in the ESL-Library
Holidays: Christmas (beginner)
Holidays: Christmas (high intermediate)
Flashcards: Christmas
Mini Holidays: Boxing Day
Blog: Black Friday
Warm Up: Holiday Guest (FREE on our blog)

Please share your own ideas, lessons, and activities related to Toys and Flashcards in the comments below.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/12/02/flashcard-ideas-for-toys-and-games/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/30/podcast-rosa-parks/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/30/podcast-rosa-parks/#comments Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:33:18 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8666 How long did the Montgomery Bus Boycott last? Listen to today's podcast and find out!

]]> Mini Bios: Rosa Parks | Podcast #90

Rosa Parks played an important role in the Civil Rights Movement in the US. On December 1st, 1955,  a white bus driver asked her to give her seat up to a white man. Unlike the other black people on the bus, Rosa Parks said “No!” The result was a bus boycott that lasted more than a year. Listen to the podcast and print out the lesson from our library. The full printable Mini Biographies lesson contains a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review and a puzzle. Now that the Occupy Wall Street protest has become a movement, we think this topic will lead to some great discussion about past and present protests. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Mini Biography lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Coming soon to our podcast…Black History Month.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Biography, Holiday, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Tip: We have covered many other important historical figures in our past podcasts, including Martin Luther King. Our Famous People lesson plans feature language and activities that are more suitable for intermediate to advanced learners. Our Mini Biography lessons are for lower level learners. View our Podcast section to browse all of the past topics. If you require audio files for any of the lessons in our library, just ask!

Find all 90 ESL-Library podcast episodes on iTunes. You’ll also find related podcasts that our listeners enjoy. Don’t forget to share the link with your students.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/30/podcast-rosa-parks/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Mini Bios: Rosa Parks | Podcast #90 Rosa Parks played an important role in the Civil Rights Movement in the US. On December 1st, 1955, ... Mini Bios: Rosa Parks | Podcast #90 Rosa Parks played an important role in the Civil Rights Movement in the US. On December 1st, 1955,  a white bus driver asked her to give her seat up to a white man. Unlike the other black people on the bus, Rosa Parks said "No!" The result was a bus boycott that lasted more than a year. Listen to the podcast and print out the lesson from our library. The full printable Mini Biographies lesson contains a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review and a puzzle. Now that the Occupy Wall Street protest has become a movement, we think this topic will lead to some great discussion about past and present protests. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Mini Biography lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment. Coming soon to our podcast…Black History Month. Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Biography, Holiday, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. Tip: We have covered many other important historical figures in our past podcasts, including Martin Luther King. Our Famous People lesson plans feature language and activities that are more suitable for intermediate to advanced learners. Our Mini Biography lessons are for lower level learners. View our Podcast section to browse all of the past topics. If you require audio files for any of the lessons in our library, just ask! Find all 90 ESL-Library podcast episodes on iTunes. You'll also find related podcasts that our listeners enjoy. Don't forget to share the link with your students. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/30/world-aids-day-2011/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/30/world-aids-day-2011/#comments Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:04:32 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8634 It's time to sport your red ribbon! Try our World Aids Day lesson with your English learners.

]]> November is coming to an end, and men around the world will be shaving off their Movember moustaches! Congratulations to all of the men who raised awareness for men’s health. December begins with World Aids Day. Will you be talking about this special day with your English learners on December 1st? Please try our World Aids Day mini-holiday lesson with your students. In this lesson students read a brief history about the red ribbon campaign. They learn about the term “grassroots” and discuss the importance of awareness. Be sure to check out all of our NEW lessons in our Health Matters section. We will be adding more English health lessons in the new year.

Preview our World Aids Day English lesson via our FREE podcast on World Aids Day.

December Holiday English Lessons and Activities in the ESL-Library
Christmas (low level)
Christmas (high level)
Boxing Day
Flashcards: Christmas
Flashcards: Family
Kwanzaa
New Year’s
Warm Up: Holiday Guest (FREE on our blog)

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/30/world-aids-day-2011/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/29/when-does-learning-begin/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/29/when-does-learning-begin/#comments Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:10:01 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8601 This TED Talk is perfect for starting a discussion about language in your language classroom.

]]> Will your students speak English to their babies?

Do you use TED Talks in your English class? Are you looking for something to talk about in class this week? This TED Talk is one that your students may find interesting. It may even convince future mothers and fathers to speak English to their unborn babies. In this fascinating video, Annie Murphy Paul shares research that helps us understand what humans learn before they are born. This TED Talk speaker speaks slowly and clearly and your high level English learners will likely find her voice easy to understand. You don’t need to show the entire video. You can use this short clip from 2:27-5:40 on language and voices. (We clipped this video with EmbedPlus! This tool is very useful for teachers!) After the clip, have a discussion and test your students’ comprehension. You may need to go over some vocabulary related to pregnancy, such as “abdominal”, “gestation”, “amniotic fluid”, and “fetus”. If your students want to watch the whole video, play it again from the beginning.

Here a few questions to get your students talking after showing the video:

• What is the main topic of this talk?
• When does a fetus begin to hear, according to this speaker?
• What does “muted and muffled” mean?
• What does the speaker say about a pregnant woman’s voice?
• What was Annie Murphy Paul’s favourite experiment?
• What does the speaker say about the tone of a baby’s cry?
• What surprised you most from this talk?
• Would this research convince you to read or sing to your baby in your own language? What about in English?

“Fetuses are even learning about the particular language that is being spoken in the world that they are born into.”
Annie Murphy Paul (TED)

Does this statement surprise you? What does it say about bilingual households?

The Sweetest Sound

Should we name babies before they are born? Our Discussion Starters section features a full-length lesson on loving the sound of Your Name. If your students are interested in discussing this idea, be sure to print out this lesson. You can preview this lesson via our podcast.

Recent “Something to Talk About” Ideas

Accommodations in Mecca
Movember
eBay Founder Shares 1 Billion for Better World
100-Year-Old Man Competes in Marathon
Steve Jobs: How to Live Before you Die
The Cost of Cancer
Cellphones in Classrooms
Facial Piercings at School

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/29/when-does-learning-begin/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/25/flashcard-fun-shelly-terrell/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/25/flashcard-fun-shelly-terrell/#comments Fri, 25 Nov 2011 15:09:10 +0000 Shelly Terrell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8563 It's Flashcard Friday again, and this week we have a guest post from the inspirational Shelly Terrell.

]]> It’s Flashcard Friday again, and this week we have a guest post from the inspirational Shelly Terrell. This year Shelly has been travelling the world sharing and picking up ideas from teachers in countries like Thailand, France, and Japan! Shelly is an expert in teaching young learners, and we know she’ll have some great ideas for you about using flashcards. Be sure to join her FREE webinar on Flashcard Fun today. If you can’t make it to the live event, you can view the live binder for all of the resources!  ~Tara

10+ Ideas and Resources for using Flashcards in the Language Classroom

Language learners often struggle with acquiring new vocabulary and teachers often use flashcards to help them learn long lists of words. However, just memorizing a word and its definition is one of the least effective ways to learn vocabulary. The learner will soon forget the word or often use the word incorrectly. We can support learners in using flashcards to visualize the meaning of words through games and activities. The following tips and resources will help you engage your students with flashcards.

Flashcard Games

Games are great ways to review the definitions of words or assess learners. You can use a deck of flashcards to play common games, such as Charades, Taboo, Bingo, and Win, Lose, or Draw. Below are a few more games using flashcards. Try these games instead of a quiz.

• Card Collector Have your students line up at one end of the room and at the other end of the room throw your flashcards in a pile. You will need a whistle. Tell your students you will name a category and when you blow the whistle they must run to the end of the room and search for the words that fit that category. Whoever collects the most cards at the end of the game wins. Your category choices depend on the vocabulary you are reviewing. For example, if you are reviewing clothing you might say, “Find clothing you would wear during the winter.” Make sure to have the students tell you the reasoning behind their choices or give specific examples so that they visualize the context.
• Who am I? Put your flashcards in a deck. Have each student choose a card without looking at it. After choosing the card, the student places the card on his forehead. No one is allowed to tell the student the word or picture on the card. When you signal, the students walk around and ask a variety of questions to find out who or what is on the flashcard.
• Chain Story Put your students in a circle. Give each of them 10 beans. The first student draws a card from the deck and must use this word to begin a story. The second student draws a card and continues the story with the chosen word and so on till all the vocabulary words are used. If a student uses the word incorrectly, that student looses a bean. Those who end up with the most beans at the end of the game win.
• Let Me Tell You Your Fortune Divide students into pairs. Student A draws 5 cards from the deck and places them down in front of student B. Student B must invent student’s A fortune using these 5 words. Then they switch. Try giving the teams play money. For every word correctly used in a fortune the fortune-teller gets paid.
• Noah’s Ark This game is adapted from the original game by Jason Renshaw. You are Noah. You are asking your students for help in deciding how to categorize the animals in the ark so that all survive. Divide students into pairs. Give each pair a poster board and instruct them to draw Noah’s Ark and divide the bottom of the boat into 3 areas. Each pair takes a deck of animal cards and decides which animals will go in each room for Noah to have a successful voyage. They will have to think about each animal’s food preferences and habitats. They should write down the explanation for their choices.

Tips

• If your students journal or blog, have them draw a flashcard each day and incorporate that vocabulary word in their journal entries.
• Have students design flashcards on the computer and save them for future use.
• Have your students invent a card game for a unit’s flashcards.
• Make it a class goal to learn so many words per month. You can list new words on a word wall or place them in a blog or wiki.

Flashcard Web Tools

• The ESL Flashcard Library is full of various ready-made flashcards and related activities. You can create your own flashcard sets by choosing from our library of images. Watch the demo that was created for the Virtual Round Table conference.
• Quizlet- Students create online flashcards and can access them via their mobile devices or embed the flashcards on a blog or wiki. Play a variety of games to learn the vocabulary.
• Wordstash- Students create online flashcards and find examples of the how the word is used in magazines, journals, television, or newspapers.

What kind of fun ways do you do use flashcards? If you want to receive more of Shelly’s tips for online resources for teaching English, then subscribe!

Getting to Know Shelly

Shelly Terrell is the VP of Educator Outreach for Parentella and the Social Media Community Manager for The Consultants-E. She is also the co-organizer and co-creator of the award winning educational projects, Edchat, ELTChat, The Reform Symposium E-Conference, and the Virtual Round Table conference. Visit her award winning blog, Teacher Reboot Camp, for resources for effective technology integration. In the fall of 2011 find her book, The 30 Goals Challenge for Educators on Amazon. Find her on Twitter, @ShellTerrell. She has taught toddlers to adults English in various countries including the US, Germany, and Greece.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/25/flashcard-fun-shelly-terrell/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/24/black-friday/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/24/black-friday/#comments Thu, 24 Nov 2011 18:11:50 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8537 Prepare a turkey or stand in a line up? What's your tradition?

]]> Some Americans are more interested in shopping than eating turkey.

Black Friday is now being called Black Friday weekend. It refers to the weekend following American Thanksgiving when millions of people flock to the shopping malls and stores. Black Friday shoppers are looking for bargains and deals as they begin their Christmas shopping. Did you know that some people skip Thanksgiving altogether and camp out in front of large box stores? Some stores are planning on opening on Thursday night to extend the long shopping weekend. In fact, according to some shoppers, Black Friday lineups have turned into a social event and a “tradition”. Are you looking for something to talk about in class today? Check out this CNN article and video Black Friday: Stores could see record number of shoppers.

Here are a few questions to get your students talking after reading the article:

• Why do you think shopping on Black Friday is expected to rise by 10% from last year?
• Do you think stores should open on Thanksgiving night?
• What are “box stores”?
• Why does the article mention Occupy protestors?
• What does “hard-core” mean?
• What is Cyber Monday?
• Where do you think the term “Black Friday” came from? Take a guess!

“I’ve been doing this with my friends for about 10 years,” Casillas said. “Black Friday has become more of a tradition than Thanksgiving.”
Joe Casillas to CNN

Does this comment surprise you? What does it say about humanity?

Homework (or mobile device) Assignment: Research the term “Black Friday”. What are the origins? Is it still an appropriate term for this day?

Our Discussion Starters section features a full-length lesson on Consumerism. If your students are interested in discussing this issue, be sure to print out this lesson.

Related Lessons in the ESL-Library

Boxing Day
Chain Stores vs Mom and Pop
The Occupy Movement
Online Shopping
Thanksgiving Lessons
Thanksgiving Flashcards

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/24/black-friday/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/23/podcast-winston-churchill/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/23/podcast-winston-churchill/#comments Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:09:14 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8507 Our English lesson plan calendar reminded us that Winston Churchill's birthday is this month! Introduce your students to this important historic figure.

]]> Famous People: Winston Churchill | Podcast #89

Winston Churchill is known best for his leadership role in Great Britain during World War II. His birthday is coming up at the end of this month and we’ve featured him in the ESL-LIbrary. Introduce your students to this important historic figure via our podcast and lesson. The full printable Famous People lesson contains a warmup, a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review and discussion questions. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Famous People lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Coming soon to our podcast…Michael Jackson.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Biography, Holiday, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Tip: It is important to introduce your English learners to many different voices and accents. Listen to English is an excellent English listening podcast you can share with your English learners. This British English speaker will introduce your students to hundreds of important expressions!

Find all 89 ESL-Library podcast episodes on iTunes. You’ll also find related podcasts that our listeners enjoy. Don’t forget to share the link with your students.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/23/podcast-winston-churchill/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Famous People: Winston Churchill | Podcast #89 Winston Churchill is known best for his leadership role in Great Britain during World War II. His birthday ... Famous People: Winston Churchill | Podcast #89 Winston Churchill is known best for his leadership role in Great Britain during World War II. His birthday is coming up at the end of this month and we've featured him in the ESL-LIbrary. Introduce your students to this important historic figure via our podcast and lesson. The full printable Famous People lesson contains a warmup, a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review and discussion questions. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Famous People lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment. Coming soon to our podcast…Michael Jackson. Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Biography, Holiday, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. Tip: It is important to introduce your English learners to many different voices and accents. Listen to English is an excellent English listening podcast you can share with your English learners. This British English speaker will introduce your students to hundreds of important expressions! Find all 89 ESL-Library podcast episodes on iTunes. You'll also find related podcasts that our listeners enjoy. Don't forget to share the link with your students. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/22/mecca/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/22/mecca/#comments Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:34:04 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8488 Is the holiness of Mecca at risk?

]]> Do high rise buildings take away the holiness of Mecca?

Millions of people visit Mecca each year. Some come during the Hajj and others visit for Ramadan. Mecca is the birthplace of the prophet Muhammad. It is also the place where the Quran was written. Able bodied Muslims are expected to visit Mecca at least once in their lifetime. According to the BBC News video Is Mecca looking like Manhattan, this pilgrimage is not what it used to be. Introduce your students to the growing concern about the reconstruction of Mecca by showing them the BBC video. As you’re watching, ask your students to listen to the speaker’s pronunciation. They may find some words that are difficult for non-native English speakers to pronounce.

Here are a few questions to get your students talking:

• What does “at an unstoppable pace” mean?
• Why are locals “appalled” by what has happened at the heart of Islam?
• Why was most of this video shot from a car?
• Why was a mountain in Mecca exploded with dynamite?
• What is the highest building in the city, and what does it resemble?
• Do you think this transformation has been necessary in order to accommodate the increasing number of pilgrims?

Here are some words from the video that students can practice pronouncing. Ask students to indicate where the stress goes for each word.

• bulldozed
• archeologist
• appalled
• comfortable
• spiritual

“Over the past five years, Mecca witnessed a major change in its geography and landscape, which turned it into a complex of skyscrapers and luxury hotels.”
Ahmed Maher for the BBC

What is your opinion after watching this video? Is the holiness of Mecca at risk?

Our Famous Places section features a full-length lesson on Mecca. If your students are interested in discussing this place, be sure to print out this lesson.

Related Lessons in the ESL-Library about Historical Sites and Buildings

Mecca
The Parthenon
Machu Picchu
Stonehenge
The Taj Mahal

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/22/mecca/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/21/lesson-of-the-week-thanksgiving/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/21/lesson-of-the-week-thanksgiving/#comments Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:43:07 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8476 Let's be thankful for what we have!  Check out the Thanksgiving related lessons, flashcards and tips from ESL-Library.

]]> American Thanksgiving is on November 24 this year. Try our ready made English lesson plans for low and high level English learners. In our high level lesson, students learn the history of harvest festivals that have taken place around the world, including the ancient Chinese harvest festival and modern customs in North America. Related idioms are introduced. In our low level lesson, students learn basic history about the thanksgiving holiday and key vocabulary is introduced and reviewed. This lesson includes discussion questions, a puzzle, and a class survey.

Check out our full collection of Holiday English Lesson Plans.

Thanksgiving English Lessons and Activities in the ESL-Library
Holidays: Thanksgiving (beginner)
Holidays: Thanksgiving (high intermediate)
Thanksgiving Podcast
Flashcards: Thanksgiving
Ideas for using Thanksgiving Flashcards
Flashcards: Family
Everyday Dialogues: A Grocery List
Warm Up: Watcha Makin’ (FREE on our blog)
Warm Up: Holiday Guest (FREE on our blog)

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/21/lesson-of-the-week-thanksgiving/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/21/spanglish/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/21/spanglish/#comments Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:20:31 +0000 Peter Martin http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8471 It's hard to avoid the instinct to translate from your native language.

]]> One exercise I do with my students is a worksheet called “Spanglish.” Another English teacher passed a version on to me about a year ago, and I’ve added to it as I’ve gained teaching experience. It’s very straightforward, and my students usually love it. It’s just a list of about 70 sentences featuring common mistakes Spanish speakers make in English as a result of translating directly from Spanish.

Some of the errors are issues of vocabulary and incorrect word choice (“I’m sorry, teacher; I can’t assist to the next class”), some are idioms (“Put attention!”), and others are grammatical mistakes (“She said me about her marital problems”). Depending on the level of the students, they recognize anywhere from a few to many of the errors. But even the most advanced students I’ve taught have drawn blanks on some of the sentences, showing that, as well as you speak any second language, it’s hard to avoid the instinct to translate from your native language.

That’s one of the two reasons I almost always use “Spanglish” early on when I start a new class with new students. The first reason is that it’s a great way to get to know them and make them comfortable with me, since most find the exercise fun. Some of the sentences are funny in themselves (“This class isn’t interesting. I’m boring!”), and with almost all the sentences, when the students or I reveal the error and the correct version, there’s a wave of recognition of the silliness of the Spanglish version, the silliness that results from direct translation.

But that silliness, as a serious matter, is the more important point: to get them to realize that they can’t learn English just by translating from Spanish.

Of course, that’s true with every language. Any teacher who tries to explain a new language largely in terms of her students’ native language(s) will end up with a bunch of students who speak Spanglish, and Chinglish, and all sorts of languages mixes—that aren’t English.

But can it ever be helpful to encourage students to translate directly? I think so, at least in limited cases.

For example, many of my students struggle with auxiliary verbs, especially when more than one is needed. The conditional perfect progressive, with its three auxiliary verbs, is a nightmare. So how can I make it easier for them? I use Spanish.

I point out to them that though that tense looks hard, it exists with the same logic in Spanish. “I would have been [X]ing” is just habría (or hubiera) estado [X]ando. Always. No matter what. And the other perfect tenses, which are also difficult for many, are the same: “I have done” is he hecho, “He had seen” is él había visto, and “They will have gone” is habrán ido (or habraís ido in Spain and certain parts of Latin America). In these cases, I tell them, just translate from Spanish. You won’t go wrong.

But am I doing them wrong? Are there hidden risks I haven’t thought about—either in specific cases like these, or in the practice of ever saying “just translate from your native language”?

Written by Peter F. Martin

Peter F. Martin was born and raised in New York City.  As an undergraduate at Yale University, he devoted himself to journalism, working as a writer, photographer, and editor for The Yale Globalist and the Yale Daily News. Peter first taught English while in college, teaching a weekly writing course to inmates at the Cheshire Correctional Institute in Cheshire, Connecticut. His work as an editor for campus publications required him to teach writing technique daily, correcting small mistakes and helping writers construct sentences, paragraphs, and pieces better.  He moved to Bogotá, Colombia, and has been working there as an English teacher and editor since. Peter blogs and shares his writing and photography on his website, peterfmartin.com

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/21/spanglish/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/18/flashcards-for-thanksgiving/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/18/flashcards-for-thanksgiving/#comments Fri, 18 Nov 2011 18:42:51 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8443 American Thanksgiving is on November 24th. It's time to print out our Thanksgiving Flashcard set!

]]> Welcome to our eighth Flashcard Friday post where we’ll give you ideas and invite suggestions for using flashcards in the classroom. As all teachers know, there is more to using flashcards than flashing pictures before your students’ eyes.

Flashcards for Thanksgiving

Are you going to be talking about Thanksgiving in your language classes next week? Our Thanksgiving collection of flashcards covers a wide variety of flashcards, including table settings, foods for a feast, and extended family members. You will find words such as “yam”, “china cabinet” and “butter knife”. Below you will find some ideas for using our Thanksgiving Flashcards collection. You may want to print the cards with and without the words on the bottom so that you can try some of the different suggestions. Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the page for related lesson content on Thanksgiving.

(Watch the Flashcard Library demo for printing and organization options.) Not an ESL-Library member? Join today!

Shopping for Thanksgiving

Print out a large version of the Turkey Dinner flashcard. Ask your students what they will need to buy for Thanksgiving dinner. Make a large list on the board. Categorize the list into different shopping aisles or stores, such as produce, meat section, breads.

What are you thankful for?

Tell the students they are gathered around the thanksgiving table. Give each student a flashcard from the collection. Ask students what they are thankful for. They must say they are thankful for the word on the card they receive, and then explain why they are thankful for this. (There may be a few flashcards that you will want to remove from the set if they don’t make sense for this activity.)

For example:

Teacher: Marina, what are you thankful for? (passes student a card)
Marina: I’m thankful for …cranberries.
Teacher: Cranberries! Why are you thankful for cranberries?
Marina: Because they are tasty and sweet. I love sweet things.
Teacher: Oh, you have a sweet tooth.

If you are working with young learners, have each student draw one new flashcard that shows something they are thankful for.

Set the Table

Ask students what they need to set the table for a thanksgiving feast. Hold up the flashcards that are part of the dinner setting (you can also find these in the Dining Room flashcard section).  Ask students where the items go on the table.
For example
Teacher: What else do we need to set the table? (hold up the “butter knife” flashcard)
Student: We need a butter knife.
Teacher: Great. Where does the butter knife go?
Student: In the butter!
Teacher: For a formal dinner, place the butter knife on the bread plate.
Student B: Yes, and place it diagonally on the plate.

After you work through all of the cards related to the dinner table, ask students if there is anything missing (or ask students to draw one more item that should be in the dinner table setting).

Thanksgiving Pictionary

In this game have students take turns up at the whiteboard. Separate the class into two teams. Show one student from each team a flashcard. The students have to draw the flashcard. The student who guesses the flashcard first gets a point for his or her team. The winning team gets to work together to draw a thanksgiving feast on the whiteboard.

Reality Flashcards

You’ve heard about reality TV, but what about reality flashcards? Invite your students to bring the cards to life by telling true stories related to the cards. Hold up a card and ask the class this question: “Who has a real life story about this word?” True life stories will help your students remember the words. After the story time, ask the students which story was the most memorable and why. Encourage the other students to ask the storyteller at least three questions.

For example:
The teacher pulls out the “apple pie” flashcard.
Student A: I have a story! My grandma makes an apple pie for my grandpa’s birthday every year. When we were younger we helped her make it. My grandpa likes vanilla ice cream with his pie.
Student B: Is apple pie your favourite kind of pie too?
Student A: No, I like cherry pie the best.
Student C: When is your grandfather’s birthday?
Student A: I think it’s in June.
Student D: How old is your grandfather?
Student A: I think he’s about 85.

If no student volunteers to tell a story, try a different card or tell a real life story of your own and have the students ask you questions.

About ESL-Library Flashcards

The ESL-Library flashcards can be printed with or without words. You can also print them in different sizes and in colour or black and white. If you have young learners, print them in black and white and have them colour the flashcards. Watch a demo of the ESL-Library’s Flashcard Library. If you haven’t seen our flashcards, be sure to check them out! Our flashcards are drawn by professional artists who have worked with our team for many years. The flashcards are available in English, French, and Spanish. If there is a flashcard set you need that is not in our library, please contact us.

Related Thanksgiving English Lessons and Activities in the ESL-Library
Holidays: Thanksgiving (beginner)
Holidays: Thanksgiving (high intermediate)
Thanksgiving Podcast
Flashcards: Family
Everyday Dialogues: A Grocery List
Warm Up: Watcha Makin’ (FREE on our blog)
Warm Up: Holiday Guest (FREE on our blog)

Please share your own ideas, lessons, and activities related to Thanksgiving in the comments below.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/18/flashcards-for-thanksgiving/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/17/is-it-true-that-women-were-born-to-shop/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/17/is-it-true-that-women-were-born-to-shop/#comments Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:03:06 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8399 An authentic reading and video to introduce the topic of stereotypes!

]]> Authentic Reading to Introduce the Topic of Stereotypes

Did you hear what IKEA did for Australian Father’s Day? They set up “Manland”! Not unlike the playrooms some retail stores have for kids, Manland was a place for men to watch TV, play games, and eat hotdogs while their female partners shopped. While this was a temporary gimmick, it’s worth discussing, don’t you think? Introduce your students to the topic of gender roles and stereotypes by sharing this Toronto Star article IKEA sets up playpen for men. Review the video (in Australian English) and ask this question: “Did IKEA go too far?” You can print out the article and have the students read it, or read it out loud to them for listening practice. For lower level learners, simply summarize the main points and start a discussion.

Here are a few questions to get your students talking:

• What does the woman in the video mean by “testing”?
• What is a “short attention span”?
• What is another word for a “trolly”?
• What does the expression “Sweet!” mean and when might you use it?
• What is a stereotype? What stereotypes about men and women are mentioned in this article?
• Do you think a permanent “Manland” in some retail stores would be a good idea?

“IKEA is probably the only retailer on the planet that could get away with it.”
Joanne Thomas Yaccato to the Toronto Star

What does “to get away with” mean? Do you agree with this quote? Why is IKEA different than other retail stores?

Our Discussion Starters section features a full-length lesson on Gender Roles. If your students are interested in discussing stereotypes, be sure to print out this lesson.

Related Lessons in the ESL-Library

Blog: Stereotypes in Educational Materials
Discussion Starters: Gender Roles
Discussion Starters: Consumerism
Discussion Starters: Mom and Pop Shops vs Chain Stores
Everyday Dialogues: Going Shopping
Living in English: Shopping

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/17/is-it-true-that-women-were-born-to-shop/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/16/podcast-the-death-penalty/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/16/podcast-the-death-penalty/#comments Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:28:30 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8386 This week's podcast offers an audio preview of our NEW mini-debates lesson on the death penalty.

]]> The Death Penalty – High Intermediate

Which countries still use the death penalty? What is life like for prisoners on death row? Have your students heard of Troy Davis?  This podcast offers an introduction to capital punishment, including the meaning behind the word itself. Other words such as “lethal injection”, “autopsy”, “treason”, and “solitary confinement” are introduced in context. This NEW lesson plan on the Death Penalty includes a reading, vocabulary practice, comprehension questions, and debate topics. Let your high level English learners put their debate skills to the test. Preview all of ESL-Library’s  Mini Debate Lessons here.

Coming soon to ESL-Library mini podcasts…Winston Churchill

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our  lessons or as extra listening homework. You can also use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! This is our 88th episode.

Check out last week’s podcast – American Thanksgiving.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/16/podcast-the-death-penalty/feed/ 0 0:00:01 The Death Penalty - High Intermediate Which countries still use the death penalty? What is life like for prisoners on death row? Have your students ... The Death Penalty - High Intermediate Which countries still use the death penalty? What is life like for prisoners on death row? Have your students heard of Troy Davis?  This podcast offers an introduction to capital punishment, including the meaning behind the word itself. Other words such as "lethal injection", "autopsy", "treason", and "solitary confinement" are introduced in context. This NEW lesson plan on the Death Penalty includes a reading, vocabulary practice, comprehension questions, and debate topics. Let your high level English learners put their debate skills to the test. Preview all of ESL-Library’s  Mini Debate Lessons here. Coming soon to ESL-Library mini podcasts…Winston Churchill Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our  lessons or as extra listening homework. You can also use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! This is our 88th episode. Check out last week's podcast - American Thanksgiving. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/15/lesson-of-the-week-occupy/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/15/lesson-of-the-week-occupy/#comments Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:51:47 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8371 What do your students think of the Occupy Movement? Do they understand it, agree with it, oppose it?

]]> Your students want to discuss real issues, right? Our Lesson of the Week is our Discussion Starters lesson plan on The Occupy Wall Street Protests. The Occupy protests have spread to cities around the world. What does the movement stand for? What do your students think of the movement? Do they understand it, agree with it, oppose it? Try this ready made English lesson plan with a full page reading, vocabulary tasks, and group discussions.

Check out our full collection of Discussion Starter English Lesson Plans.

Other news related lessons in the ESL-Library
33 Brave Chilean Miners
Banning Landmines
Banning Pitbulls
September 11th
The Cola Wars

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/15/lesson-of-the-week-occupy/feed/ 3 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/11/behind-closed-doors-skin-bleaching/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/11/behind-closed-doors-skin-bleaching/#comments Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:12:20 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8343 Is skin bleaching a taboo topic in your classroom? What about sun tanning?

]]> Is skin bleaching really that different than sun tanning?

Earlier this week we recommended a discussion topic based on an article about permanently changing the colour of your eyes. Yesterday, Ben came across a similar cosmetic article on skin bleaching! This may be a taboo topic in some countries, but what about in your classrooms? Introduce your students to the controversial topic of skin bleaching via the Huffington Post news article Sking Bleaching: The Secrecy Behind the Practice and Prejudice. Review the ads and ask this question from the article: “Do the ads go too far?” You can print out the article and have the students read it, or read it out loud to them for listening practice. For lower level learners, simply summarize the main points and start a discussion.

Here are a few questions to get your students talking:

• What did Ali discover when he went to work in India?
• What does “behind closed doors” mean?
• What is “Bollywood”?
• What does “to go too far” mean?
• Is skin bleaching all that different from sun tanning? Why or why not?
• How do you feel about parents bleaching the skin of children or babies? What about piercings?
• Are stars who endorse bleaching creams “racist”?

“I [was] raised [with] the idea that the lighter your skin is, the more handsome you are.”
Kareem Ali for the Huffington Post

Can you relate to this quote? Is there a phrase you can exchange for “the lighter your skin is” that would make this quote more personal for you? (“the skinnier you are” “the bluer your eyes are”)

Our Discussion Starters section features a full-length lesson on Body Piercings. If your students are interested in topics, be sure to print out this lesson.

Related Lessons in the ESL-Library
Discussion Starters: Body Piercings
Mini-Debates: Animal Testing
Mini-Debates: Teen Botox
Discussion Starters: Fashion Trends
Discussion Starters: Tattoos

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Recent “Something to Talk About” Ideas

Turn your Brown Eyes Blue
Movember: Month of the Moustache
eBay Founder Shares 1 Billion for Better World
100-Year-Old Man Competes in Marathon
Steve Jobs: How to Live Before you Die
The Cost of Cancer

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/11/behind-closed-doors-skin-bleaching/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/09/podcast-thanksgiving/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/09/podcast-thanksgiving/#comments Wed, 09 Nov 2011 19:01:08 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8330 This week's podcast features a reading from ESL-Library's Thanksgiving lesson for low level learners. American Thanksgiving is coming up on November 24th.

]]> Thanksgiving – Low Intermediate

When was the first Thanksgiving? Which countries celebrate Thanksgiving? What is the difference between American and Canadian Thanksgiving? This Thanksgiving podcast offers a brief history for your low level English learners. The reading is taken from our full-length holiday lesson plan.This popular lesson plan includes a reading, vocabulary practice, comprehension questions, and puzzles. We also have a Thanksgiving lesson plan for high-intermediate to advanced learners. Preview all of ESL-Library’s current and upcoming Holiday Lessons here.

Coming soon to ESL-Library mini podcasts…Winston Churchill

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our  lessons or as extra listening homework. You can also use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! This is our 87th episode.

Check out: Podcast – Remembrance Day.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/09/podcast-thanksgiving/feed/ 6 0:00:01 Thanksgiving - Low Intermediate When was the first Thanksgiving? Which countries celebrate Thanksgiving? What is the difference between American and Canadian Thanksgiving? This Thanksgiving ... Thanksgiving - Low Intermediate When was the first Thanksgiving? Which countries celebrate Thanksgiving? What is the difference between American and Canadian Thanksgiving? This Thanksgiving podcast offers a brief history for your low level English learners. The reading is taken from our full-length holiday lesson plan.This popular lesson plan includes a reading, vocabulary practice, comprehension questions, and puzzles. We also have a Thanksgiving lesson plan for high-intermediate to advanced learners. Preview all of ESL-Library’s current and upcoming Holiday Lessons here. Coming soon to ESL-Library mini podcasts…Winston Churchill Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our  lessons or as extra listening homework. You can also use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! This is our 87th episode. Check out: Podcast - Remembrance Day. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/08/esl-library-is-on-google/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/08/esl-library-is-on-google/#comments Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:33:25 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8317 Organizations and brands are finally allowed on Google +! We're excited to be one of the first ESL sites on board.

]]> We were excited to learn that Google + was finally offering Pages to organizations and brands. We set up an ESL-Library Google + Page yesterday. If you use Google +, please follow us so that we can add you to our Circles. Google + will be great because we will be able to share different information with different people. Our Circles will likely include Subscribers, Team Members, English Language Teachers, and Learners. Keeping in touch with teachers is our top priority. We want to know what you want and need for your language classes.

Thanks Google!

Are you a business or a brand? Create your own Google + Page! If you have any tips, please share them with us.

Did you Know?

You can also find ESL-Library on Facebook and Twitter. We love these social media networks for different reasons. Facebook is a great place for teachers to request materials and ask for help from other teachers. Our subscribers often go to Facebook first when they have a question or concern. Twitter is an excellent place to join #ELTChat and find links to blogs about English language teaching. It is a virtual staffroom and a 24/7 workshop for professional development. We get many of our ideas for new materials from current and trending events on Twitter. All of our social networks are useful for sharing new and featured content from our site and blog. Thanks for liking, following, adding, and clicking!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/08/esl-library-is-on-google/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/08/turn-your-brown-eyes-blue/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/08/turn-your-brown-eyes-blue/#comments Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:43:08 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8280 Would you be willing to pay big bucks for permanent blue eyes?

]]> Would you pay “big bucks” to change your eye colour to blue?

Some people dream of having blue eyes. What if this dream could become a reality? A doctor in California claims that he can permanently remove the brown pigment from eyes in a procedure that takes about twenty minutes. Do you enjoy using authentic materials in the classroom? Introduce your students to this controversial topic about laser treatment through this MSN news article New Laser Treatment Could Turn Brown Eyes Blue. You can print out the article and have the students read it, or read it out loud to them for listening practice.

Here are a few questions to get your students talking:

• What is “pigment”?
• Can you name all of the parts of the eye in English?
• What does “set you back” mean?
• What does “irreversible” mean?
• If you could change your eye colour, would you? What colour would you change it to?
• Does the price seem fair for this type of cosmetic surgery?
• Would you buy coloured contacts?

“They say the eyes are windows to the soul.”
Dr. Homer for KTLA Morning News

Do you agree with this quote? Do blue eyes help you see into a person’s soul more easily than brown eyes?

For higher level students, you may prefer to use this BBC article: Doctor Trials Laser Treatment to Change Eye Colour.

Our Health section features a full-length lesson on Eye Health. If your students are interested in health topics, be sure to print out this lesson.

Related in the ESL-Library
Mini-Debates: Animal Testing
Mini-Debates: Teen Botox
Discussion Starters: Fashion Trends
Discussion Starters: Tattoos

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Recent “Something to Talk About” Ideas

Movember: Month of the Moustache
eBay Founder Shares 1 Billion for Better World
100-Year-Old Man Competes in Marathon
Steve Jobs: How to Live Before you Die
The Cost of Cancer

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/08/turn-your-brown-eyes-blue/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/07/november-news-2/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/07/november-news-2/#comments Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:03:24 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8130 A month to remember.

]]> A Month to Remember

At ESL-Library we have latched onto the idea of a monthly theme for our subscribers. Many schools do this with students, and we think it’s something teachers (and material providers) can do as well. Last month we invited you to change your colours. We did! This month, we’re going to ask you to remember. Think back to when you first started teaching. Do you remember when you were nervous and excited about your job? Can you put yourself back in that classroom for a moment? Were you worried about teaching grammar or pronunciation? Did you spend hours preparing for a one hour class? How have you grown since then? Is there an aspect of your previous teaching self that you’d like to bring back? What about past students? Which ones do you remember clearly? What did those memorable students teach you about being a better teacher?

New Lesson Plans this Month

• Mini-Debates: Death Row
• Tiny Conversations (NEW section for beginners): Weather
• Tiny Conversations (NEW section for beginners): Saying Sorry
• Everyday is a Holiday: Guy Fawkes Day
• Grammar Practice Worksheets: Adjective Clauses

In the works:

English Avenue: We are busy updating our kid sister site English Avenue. If you teach young learners, keep an eye on our site as it goes through a major renovation!

November Features

Holidays - Remembrance Day Whether you call it Remembrance Day, Veterans’ Day or Poppy Day, November 11th is a time to remember. Try our low-intermediate or high-intermediate lesson plan.

Holidays- American Thanksgiving: While Canadians gobbled up their turkeys last month, Americans give thanks for the harvest in November. American Thanksgiving is on November 24th this year. We have beginner and intermediate lessons to use for this holiday.

Famous People-Winston Churchill This British prime minister was born on November 30th, 1874. Try our lesson plan as you remember the World Wars this November.

Don’t forget to check out our Lesson Plan Calendar to see all of our suggested lessons for November!

Teaching Tip: Get the ELT Scoop

Many English language teachers are now using Scoop.it! as a bookmarking tool. This site allows you to curate a topic of interest by gathering online resources and links. There are Scoop.It pages on Web Based Tools for ESL, Fun with Young Learners, English for Work, and Topical English Activities. There’s even a Scoop.it called Inspiration for tired EFL Teachers. As well as flipping through the suggested links, you can create your own Scoop.it! on an area you are interested in. If you create your own Scoop.it!, be sure to share a link with us. We hope you know by now that we are very interested in the ELT Scoop!

“By recollecting the pleasures I have had formerly, I renew them, I enjoy them a second time, while I laugh at the remembrance of troubles now past, and which I no longer feel.” Giacomo Casanova

Happy teaching!
Sincerely,

The Staff at ESL-Library

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/07/november-news-2/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/07/esl-remembrance-day/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/07/esl-remembrance-day/#comments Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:04:13 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8258 Our lesson of the week is our Remembrance Day lesson. This lesson is available for low and high intermediate learners.

]]> Our Lesson of the Week is our Holiday English lesson plan on Remembrance Day. We have a beginner and an intermediate Remembrance Day lesson plan. This holiday is known as Armistice Day, Remembrance Day, Poppy Day, or Veterans Day. Students learn important history and vocabulary as well as the significance of the poppy.

Remembrance Day Podcasts

We have a podcast of both readings that your students can listen to for homework via iTunes before you use the lesson. You can also play the audio in class from our blog.
Remembrance Day Podcast: Low Level
Remembrance Day Podcast: High Intermediate

Check out our full collection of Holiday English Lesson Plans.

Related in the ESL-Library
ESL Lesson Plans on Peace
Banning Landmines
Burial Alternatives
The Demilitarized Zone
The Pentagon
Winston Churchill

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/07/esl-remembrance-day/feed/ 4 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/04/flashcards-for-transportation/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/04/flashcards-for-transportation/#comments Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:38:16 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8216 Are you covering a unit on Transportation this year? Check out these Flashcard ideas and take a moment to add your own.

]]> Welcome to our seventh Flashcard Friday post where we’ll give you ideas and invite suggestions for using flashcards in the classroom. As all teachers know, there is more to using flashcards than flashing pictures before your students’ eyes.

Flashcards for Transportation

Are you going to be doing a unit on Transportation with your beginner level English learners? Our Types of Transportation set goes beyond the usual car, bus, and boat images! This set includes words and images such as “hovercraft”, “hang glider”, “bullet train” and “blimp”. We also have a related set of Types of Cars. This set includes flashcards for “sedan”, “station wagon” and “convertible”. Below you will find some ideas for using our Transportation Flashcards collection. You may want to print the cards with and without the words on the bottom so that you can try some of the different suggestions. Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the page for related lesson content on the subject of transportation. And, if you teach young learners, don’t miss our video tip of the week (scroll down).

(Watch the Flashcard Library demo for printing and organization options.) Not an ESL-Library member? Join today!

Car Shopping

Print out the Types of Cars set. Choose a small number of students to be the car salesmen. Hand out the flashcards to your other students (shoppers). They will walk around the room (car shop) pretending to shop for the car picture they received. The car salesmen will ask the students what they are looking for. The shoppers must describe the type of car, but not say the word. The salesman will guess which car the shopper is looking for. The salesman gets a point for guessing correctly. Which car salesman gets the most points?
For example:
Shopper: I’m looking for a big car. I have a family of 7.
Salesman: Oh, so you’re looking for a station wagon.
Shopper: No, I like to sit up high when I drive.
Salesman: Oh, so you want to buy a minivan.
Shopper: Yes.

Mechanic

Give each student a flashcard and tell your students their vehicles need to be fixed. What could go wrong with these vehicles? Students take turns presenting their problems. The mechanics (the rest of the class ) ask questions and make suggestions. (This may get silly if you keep flashcards such as “tank” and “stroller” in the set! Have fun!)

For example:
A: My canoe is leaking.
B: Did you find the hole?
A: Yes, it’s at the bottom.
C: Did you patch it?
A: No, I don’t know how to patch it.
D: I think you need a new canoe.

Continue until all of the students have had a chance to find a fix for their broken vehicle. Sometimes there will be no fix. A mechanic will recommend purchasing a new vehicle. This may be the same type of vehicle or a different one.

Video Tip of the Week – For Teachers of Young Learners

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

Where, When, Why?

Hold up the flashcards and invite students to shout out answers to these three questions.

1. Where would you see it?
2. When would you see it?
3. Why would someone be riding in or driving it?
For example: Stroller
1. At a park.
2. During the day.
3. To help the baby fall asleep.

Then change the questions to the negative form:
1. Where wouldn’t you see it?
2. When wouldn’t you see it?
3. Why would someone not ride in/drive this vehicle? Which vehicle would make more sense for this person.

1. At a nightclub.
2. In the middle of the night.
3. A child that has grown out of it. He or she may walk or ride a tricycle now.

Correct the Flashcards

The ESL-Library system allows you to change the default type that appears under the flashcards. (See a previous video tip.) You can make a set with all of the wrong words. Then have your students cut the words off (or cross the words out) and write the correct word. Or, have students practise making corrections out loud. For example: “This card says it is a blimp, but it is actually a parachute. A blimp is like a plane that looks like a balloon. People ride inside it. ” For higher level learners you can add an incorrect verb beside the word. For example: Type ride on under the “van” flashcard. Students correct the verb by changing “on” to “in” or “drive”. Keep in mind, you can type anything you want under the ESL-Library Flashcards including a gap-fill sentence. You can also leave the text area blank.

Let’s Take a Trip

Ask students to shout out different places on the board. These places can be near and far. Go through the list one at a time. Have one student come up and choose a flashcard. The flashcard will represent the best mode of transportation to get to the destination. The student will also choose a flashcard that could be used to travel around at the destination. Is there another mode of transportation (not in the flashcard set) that is required?
For example
Place from student generated list: Tropical Rainforest
Teacher: Which mode of transportation would you use to get to a tropical rainforest from here?
Student chooses “Airplane” flashcard and says: “I would take an airplane.”
Teacher: Great. What’s the best mode of transportation for traveling around when you reach the rain forest?
Student chooses something like a “canoe”.
Teacher: Why a canoe?
Student: Because there aren’t many roads in the rainforest.

Flashcard Field Trip

Take your class out for a walk. Hand out at least two or three flashcards to each student. Tell students they have to search for their vehicle. How does the true vehicle compare to the flashcard? Which other vehicles did they see? Back at the school, have students report back on what they saw using these questions.

1. Did you find your flashcard?
2. Where did you see your flashcard?
3. How does the real version compare to the flashcard version?
4. Which other vehicles did you see?
5. Did you find a vehicle that was not in the flashcard set? What is it used for? Who travels in this type of vehicle?

Future Vehicles

Invite your students to talk about how cars and vehicles have changed over the years. Help them use comparative adjectives:

• bigger
• smaller
• faster
• quieter
• more comfortable

Hold up each flashcard and ask students if they think this vehicle will change in the future. What will be different about it? You could also put your students in groups and assign each group a future vehicle from the flashcard set, such as Future Bus, Future Helicopter, and Future Boat.

About ESL-Library Flashcards

The ESL-Library flashcards can be printed with or without words. You can also print them in different sizes and in colour or black and white. If you have young learners, print them in black and white and have them colour the flashcards. Watch a demo of the ESL-Library’s Flashcard Library. If you haven’t seen our flashcards, be sure to check them out! Our flashcards are drawn by professional artists who have worked with our team for many years. The flashcards are available in English, French, and Spanish. If there is a flashcard set you need that is not in our library, please contact us.

Related Transportation English Lessons and Activities in the ESL-Library
Discussion Starters: Road Rage
Discussion Starters: The New Moon Race
Everyday Dialogues: Taking the Bus
Everyday Dialogues: Hailing a Taxi
Living in English: Travel
Every Day is a Holiday: Walk to Work Day
Warm Up: Pit Stop (FREE on our blog)
Warm Up: Cabin Crew (FREE on our blog)

Please share your own ideas, lessons, and activities related to Transportation English.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/04/flashcards-for-transportation/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/03/movember-the-month-of-the-moustache/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/03/movember-the-month-of-the-moustache/#comments Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:16:09 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8188 Teach your students about the hairy ribbon campaign!

]]> Are your students wondering why so many men are sporting moustaches?

Your students have heard of pink ribbons for breast cancer and red ribbons for Aids, but what about ribbons that suddenly appear on the upper lips of neighbours, teachers, and bus drivers? In 2003, Adam Garone of Australia decided he wanted to bring back the moustache as a fashion statement. Little did he know that what started out as a joke between friends would grow into an international charity for men’s health. “Movember” has been catching on in new countries each year. November is the month for men to grow moustaches and fundraise for men’s health. More than 176 million dollars has been raised since 2004, much of which has gone to help men learn about prostate cancer. Canada is one of the top fundraisers for “Movember”.

Do you enjoy using authentic materials in the classroom? Introduce your students to Movember through this Toronto Star article Movember: Fundraiser Started as Fashion Statement.
In the article the founder describes how having some fun with buddies grew into a global movement for men’s health. You can print out the article and have the students read it, or read it out loud to them for listening practice. For lower level learners, summarize the main points and teach a few key expressions, such as “fashion statement” and “clean cut”.

Here are a few questions to get your students talking:

• What is “peach fuzz” when referring to facial hair?
• How is the expression “a blank canvas” used in this article?
• What does the term “brainchild” mean?
• What are some current “fashion statements”?
• Do men look better when they are “sporting” facial hair or when they are “clean cut”?
• When and why did the founder of Movember decide that a cause should be added to the fun of growing a moustache in November?
• What is a “go-to” person?
• Why is Movember considered a “lazy” charity event?
• Why might an event like this help men “open up” about health?

“We often call it the laziest charity event in the world. You don’t need to do a ride, a run or a swim. The guys who participate become a walking, talking billboard for 30 days. It’s the perfect word-of-mouth campaign. It’s literally on your face.”
Adam Garone for the Toronto Star

Our Health section features a full-length lesson on Cancer. If your students are interested in health topics, be sure to print out some of these lessons.

Related
Types of Moustaches: Great photo gallery to spark discussion
The Return of Movember: Additional News Article to Use
Movember Canada: About the Campaign

Famous Men with Moustaches in the ESL-Library

Josef Stalin
Charlie Chaplin
Albert Einstein
Richard Pryor
Mahatma Gandhi

Give English learners something to talk about! If you are participating in Movember, please share a picture of your “Mo” in the comments. A link to a twitpic would work!

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Recent “Something to Talk About” Ideas

eBay Founder Shares 1 Billion for Better World
100-Year-Old Man Competes in Marathon
Steve Jobs: How to Live Before you Die
The Cost of Cancer
Cellphones in Classrooms
Facial Piercings at School
Street Musician Experiment
Why does Pisa Lean?

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/03/movember-the-month-of-the-moustache/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/02/podcast-remembrance-day-2/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/02/podcast-remembrance-day-2/#comments Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:40:57 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8168 Today's podcast features a reading from ESL-Library's intermediate level Remembrance Day lesson.

]]> Remembrance Day – High Intermediate

Why is the number 11 significant to war veterans? Do you know the other names for Remembrance Day? What is the history behind this day of remembrance? Help your English learners discover the answers through our high intermediate-advanced Remembrance Day lesson. This popular lesson plan includes a reading, vocabulary and idiom practice, pair activities and comprehension questions. It also features an activity based on the popular poem In Flanders Fields. Our library also has a Remembrance Day lesson for your lower level learners. You can listen to last year’s Remembrance Day podcast to go along with the lower level lesson. Preview all of ESL-Library’s current and upcoming Holiday Lessons here.

Coming soon to ESL-Library mini podcasts…Winston Churchill

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our  lessons or as extra listening homework. You can also use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! This is our 86th episode.

Check out: Tips for Successful Podcasting.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/02/podcast-remembrance-day-2/feed/ 1 0:00:01 Remembrance Day - High Intermediate Why is the number 11 significant to war veterans? Do you know the other names for Remembrance Day? What is the ... Remembrance Day - High Intermediate Why is the number 11 significant to war veterans? Do you know the other names for Remembrance Day? What is the history behind this day of remembrance? Help your English learners discover the answers through our high intermediate-advanced Remembrance Day lesson. This popular lesson plan includes a reading, vocabulary and idiom practice, pair activities and comprehension questions. It also features an activity based on the popular poem In Flanders Fields. Our library also has a Remembrance Day lesson for your lower level learners. You can listen to last year's Remembrance Day podcast to go along with the lower level lesson. Preview all of ESL-Library’s current and upcoming Holiday Lessons here. Coming soon to ESL-Library mini podcasts…Winston Churchill Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our  lessons or as extra listening homework. You can also use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! This is our 86th episode. Check out: Tips for Successful Podcasting. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/01/stereotypes-in-educational-materials/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/01/stereotypes-in-educational-materials/#comments Tue, 01 Nov 2011 03:15:05 +0000 Peter Martin http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8052 Even articles that are positive, optimistic, interesting, and (to my eyes) fair often contain small references built on stereotypes that many Colombians know all too well and don't want to see again.

]]> The entirety of my ESL teaching experience has come in Colombia, where I currently live and teach. If you’re not Colombian, stop right now and think about Colombia. What comes to mind? I think I have a guess.

I use lots of materials in my classes that have nothing to do with the country in which I teach, but whenever I see an interesting article or video about Colombia, my instinct is to figure out whether I can use it in class, because I think it would be more interesting to my students than many other materials I could bring in.

Your free-association thoughts about Colombia are important because what you probably thought of is what most non-Colombians, especially most non-Latinos, think of when they think about Colombia—and so that’s what most of the English material on Colombia is about.

It doesn’t matter that many journalists writing about the country know it well and know it’s a complex place with lots of stories. All too often, what they write has to be packaged for foreigners, and in few words. And so even articles about Colombia’s recent renaissance (it’s true—read up on it!) usually get couched in terms of Colombia’s past. Rarely do stories about Colombia, even stories about its present-day peace and prosperity, fail to mention drugs, guerrillas, and other stereotypes developed over decades.

To get a sense of what this is like for many Colombians, imagine that every news article on your country made reference to something that made your country famous twenty or thirty years ago—and something that’s still really painful, because of what it was like to live through and because of the fact that it’s still what most foreigners know about your home.

That’s why I’m always a little nervous to share Colombia-related materials with my students. Even articles that are positive, optimistic, interesting, and (to my eyes) fair often contain small references built on stereotypes that many Colombians know all too well and don’t want to see again. Though it hasn’t happened often, these unfortunate parts sometimes turn off my students and harm my effort to engage them.

In case you thought this was irrelevant to you, know that this post is not just about Colombia. It’s about any non-English-speaking country where there are ESL teachers. And it’s especially about those countries that are very different culturally, economically, or politically from the English-speaking countries that produce the majority of English-language content—which is to say most of the countries in the world.

If you’re an ESL teacher in Colombia or Cambodia or Croatia, most of the English material about your country is produced by Americans or Britons or Australians—and principally for audiences in those countries. So English material on most countries of the world is going to contain stereotypes that English speakers recognize, and which English learners may not appreciate. While I don’t always love the English material on Colombia, I know the material on countries in some other parts of the world can be a lot worse.

This problem, of course, is not identical around the world, so I’m curious to know whether and how ESL teachers in other countries have experienced this issue. For those of you who have thought about and dealt with this before, how do you handle it?

Written by Peter F. Martin

Peter F. Martin was born and raised in New York City.  As an undergraduate at Yale University, he devoted himself to journalism, working as a writer, photographer, and editor for The Yale Globalist and the Yale Daily News. Peter first taught English while in college, teaching a weekly writing course to inmates at the Cheshire Correctional Institute in Cheshire, Connecticut. His work as an editor for campus publications required him to teach writing technique daily, correcting small mistakes and helping writers construct sentences, paragraphs, and pieces better.  He moved to Bogotá, Colombia, and has been working there as an English teacher and editor since. Peter blogs and shares his writing and photography on his website, peterfmartin.com

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/11/01/stereotypes-in-educational-materials/feed/ 3 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/28/flashcards-technology/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/28/flashcards-technology/#comments Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:44:41 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8089 This week we have a special technology challenge for teachers and English learners!

]]>

Welcome to our sixth Flashcard Friday post where we’ll give you ideas and invite suggestions for using flashcards in the classroom. As all teachers know, there is more to using flashcards than flashing pictures before your students’ eyes.

Flashcards for Electronics and Gadgets

Technology is changing so quickly, and our Flashcard Gallery is proof of how quickly this is happening. Our Electronics and Gadgets section needs updating and we want your help.  Many textbooks try to cover this theme, but the information is constantly changing. We love our digital library because we can keep up with the times by adding new lessons and images on a regular basis. The ESL-Library flashcard section on Electronics and Gadgets includes images for computers, cameras, phones, and other electronic gadgets. We have flashcards for words like “ghetto blaster”, “clock radio” and “Walkman”. In some countries, these gadgets are outdated! We also have some images for more modern gadgets such as “MP3 player”, “memory card” and “notebook”. With new gadgets like “tablets” and “smart phones” on the market, these gadgets are also becoming outdated. Will you be teaching a unit on Technology this year? If yes, will your class accept our Flashcard Friday challenge? Here’s how you can participate:

Flashcard Friday Challenge

1. Print out the image sets from the Electronics and Gadgets section (There a 4 subsets).
2. Review the images with your class. Which images do students have in their homes? Which images are outdated?
3. Which images are missing from this collection? Which images need revising?
4. Leave a comment on this post with a list of images that your class thinks we need to add. We’ll consider adding these new images to our collection.

Here are some other ideas for using this Electronics and Gadgets collection. You may want to print the cards with and without the words on the bottom so that you can try some of the different suggestions:

(Watch the Flashcard Library demo for printing and organization options.) Not an ESL-Library member? Join today!

Necessity or Luxury? (full size flashcards)

Print out full page versions of the flashcards from the collection. Hold up the images and ask your students if these items are necessities or luxuries. Can your students live without these gadgets? Why or why not?

Repair Shop

Give each student a flashcard and tell your students they are going to a repair shop. What could go wrong with these gadgets or computers? Students take turns presenting their problems to the repair counter. The repair shop workers (the rest of the class ) ask questions and make suggestions.

For example:

A: My camera won’t turn on.
B: Did you change the batteries?
C: Did you drop it?

Continue until all of the students have had a chance to find a fix for their broken items. Sometimes there will be no fix. A repair worker will tell the student to buy a new one.

Correct the Flashcards

The ESL-Library system allows you to change the default type that appears under the flashcards. (See a previous video tip.) You can make a set with all of the wrong words. Then have your students cut the words off (or cross the words out) and write the correct word. Or, have students practise making corrections out loud. For example: “This card says it is an answering machine, but it is actually a cassette tape. An answering machine flashcard would show a small machine next to a telephone. Some people have voice mail from their phone provider. I don’t know how you could make a flashcard for that.” For higher level learners you can add an incorrect verb beside the word. For example: Type “set in the tripod” under the “tripod” flashcard. Students correct the verb by changing “in” to “up”.

Traveling Salespeople

Hand out a flashcard to each student. Have students write a small ad for the flashcard on the back of the picture.
Product Name: (They can invent one)
Special Features: (At least 3)
Cost: (What is this product worth?)

Have students walk around the classroom trying to sell their items to other students. How many items did each student sell?

Some useful language to put on the board:

a) What can you tell me about this product?
b) How is your product better than what I already have?
c) No thank you. I don’t need one right now.
d) I’m very interested.
e) Thanks, but I’m not interested.
f) Yes, I’d like to purchase one.

Flashcard Field Trip

Take you class to a nearby electronics store. Hand out at least one flashcard to each student. Tell students they have to ask a clerk to help them find the section where their items would be found. How does the most modern version of this item compare to the picture of the flashcard? Ask students to look for one gadget that they did not know existed. Back at the school have students report back on these two tasks.

1. Did you find your flashcard? Which section was it in? How did the most modern version compare to the flashcard version? What was the cost of the product?

2. Which new item did you discover? What is it used for?

Thinking Outside of the Box

When your students have learned some new vocabulary related to electronics and gadgets, ask them what the future holds for technology. Show this clip of “the cube” to inspire your students to “think outside of the box”. Hold up each flashcard and ask how this item will change in the future. You could also put your students in groups and assign each group a future product from the flashcard set, such as Future Phone, Future Computer, and Future Camera.
[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

About ESL-Library Flashcards

The ESL-Library flashcards can be printed with or without words. You can also print them in different sizes and in colour or black and white. If you have young learners, print them in black and white and have them colour the flashcards. Watch a demo of the ESL-Library’s Flashcard Library. If you haven’t seen our flashcards, be sure to check them out! Our flashcards are drawn by professional artists who have worked with our team for many years. The flashcards are available in English, French, and Spanish. If there is a flashcard set you need that is not in our library, please contact us.

Related Technology content in the ESL-Library
Famous People: Steve Jobs
Famous People: Bill Gates
Personal Technology in the Classroom
Discussion Starters: Digital Learning
Discussion Starters: Texting
Discussion Starters: eBooks
Smartphones in the Classroom (blog)

Please share your own ideas, lessons, and activities related to Electronics and Gadgets. If your students have iPhones, iPods, or iPads, please introduce them to our language learning apps.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/28/flashcards-technology/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/26/podcast-diwali/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/26/podcast-diwali/#comments Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:39:18 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8073 This week's podcast celebrates the Hindu holiday Diwali. Listen to the podcast and take the Web 2.0 art challenge in our lesson plan.

]]> Every day is a Holiday: Diwali

If you are Hindu, it is almost the New Year! Diwali is a joyous time. Many people do not know about this holiday. Why not give your students a break from talking about the difficult times going on in our world? Talk about Diwali, a colorful and inspiring Festival of Lights. Our Every Day is a Holiday section is full of mini-lessons about holidays and special events from all over the world. Visit ESL-Library to print out the Every Day is a Holiday lesson that goes with today’s podcast. The lesson comes with a warm up, a reading, a vocabulary review, comprehension and discussion questions, and a Web 2.0 art and research challenge. If your class accepts the challenge in our lesson,  please share your rangoli art with us by providing a link to your pictures or video. You can also email us your pictures and we’ll post them on our blog!

Here is a related video that you can show to your class on How to Make a Rangoli Pattern. One new thing we learned about rangoli art is that you should never leave any spaces unfilled.

How to Make a Rangoli Pattern

Preview all of ESL-Library’s Every Day is a Holiday lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Coming soon…The Death Penalty

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 85th episode.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/26/podcast-diwali/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Every day is a Holiday: Diwali If you are Hindu, it is almost the New Year! Diwali is a joyous time. Many people do not ... Every day is a Holiday: Diwali If you are Hindu, it is almost the New Year! Diwali is a joyous time. Many people do not know about this holiday. Why not give your students a break from talking about the difficult times going on in our world? Talk about Diwali, a colorful and inspiring Festival of Lights. Our Every Day is a Holiday section is full of mini-lessons about holidays and special events from all over the world. Visit ESL-Library to print out the Every Day is a Holiday lesson that goes with today's podcast. The lesson comes with a warm up, a reading, a vocabulary review, comprehension and discussion questions, and a Web 2.0 art and research challenge. If your class accepts the challenge in our lesson,  please share your rangoli art with us by providing a link to your pictures or video. You can also email us your pictures and we'll post them on our blog! Here is a related video that you can show to your class on How to Make a Rangoli Pattern. One new thing we learned about rangoli art is that you should never leave any spaces unfilled. How to Make a Rangoli Pattern Preview all of ESL-Library’s Every Day is a Holiday lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment. Coming soon…The Death Penalty Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 85th episode. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/25/5-reasons-to-study-ellen-johnson-sirleaf-in-october/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/25/5-reasons-to-study-ellen-johnson-sirleaf-in-october/#comments Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:59:47 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7862 This is the perfect month to learn a bit about Liberia's President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

]]> The ESL-Library team has been following news about Ellen Johnson Sirleaf very closely this month. In 2006, following the civil war, President Sirleaf became the first elected female head of state in Africa. Liberia’s president said she would not run for a second term, but changed her mind last year, stating that there was still too much to do in her country. After a peaceful day of voting in her country this month, President Sirleaf said: “I feel so good for the Liberian people, they have demonstrated a certain level of political maturity.”

Here are 5 reasons why October is a good month to teach your students about this important figure in history:

1. Our Lesson Plan Calendar reminded us that Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s birthday is on October, 29th (1938).
2. Liberia’s president signed the Freedom of Information bill in October, 2010. This bill was designed to give Liberia’s press and citizens access to public documents and records.
3. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf won the Nobel Peace Prize in October, 2011, four days prior to election day. She won the prize along with Leymah Gbowee of Liberia and Tawakel Karman of Yemen. They won for their “non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work”.
4. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf ran for her second term as president in Liberia on October 11, 2011. She faced 15 other candidates.
5. Early poll results suggested that Ellen Sirleaf would become President of Liberia in October, 2011. She won 44% of the votes. 8000 UN employees were used to prevent violence while the polls were open.

November could be a big month too. Without a majority vote (50% or more), President Sirleaf will have to face off with her running mates again in a run-off election. We’ll be watching closely, and will make any necessary changes to our lesson once again if necessary. That’s the beauty of a digital publisher!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/25/5-reasons-to-study-ellen-johnson-sirleaf-in-october/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/24/khan-in-esl/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/24/khan-in-esl/#comments Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:15:51 +0000 Kirsten Winkler http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8041 Can one teach English Khan-Academy-style?

]]> At the web 2.0 summit in San Francisco this month, Sal Khan took the stage to share some of the latest data on Khan Academy.

Currently, Khan Academy attracts 39 million pageviews and 3.5 million unique users per month. Or, in other words, “The number of users of Khan Academy is 6 times as many students as Harvard has graduated since 1636!”.

In related news we learned that Khan also joined digital textbook startup Kno on their newly created Educator Advisory Board and that he is from now on not the only member of the Khan Academy faculty anymore. Khan joined forces with the founders of SmartHistory, Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker who created over 300 free art history videos.

I think it is safe to say that web based education video has gained some momentum now, so it is only a matter of time when we are going to see other examples in other subjects as well. I already had the privilege to interview Dr. Derek Muller of Veritasium who hosts a very successful and respected YouTube channel about physics. I also interviewed Henry Reich of MinutePhysics .

The key to success clearly seems to be in the concentration to one subject matter. People who teach across different topics quickly get a notion of “How can he/she possibly know all that?” as the concept of universal knowledge is not popular in today’s society anymore. Khan’s addition to the faculty is part of this, I suppose.

But what about ESL? ESL is so strongly represented on the Internet in general, for instance I’m thinking of the many educator communities, PLN, on twitter and LinkedIn to name only a few. However and please correct me, if I am wrong but at the moment I have not come across an ESL teacher with the magnitude of Khan Academy on YouTube.

Hence I ask myself, when are we going to see a similar stellar star in English language teaching?

There are, of course, some drawbacks that make it more difficult for English teachers to reach a global audience, the biggest one being the native language. That is especially true when you start at the very basics of teaching English to non-native speakers.

Nonetheless, there are some really huge markets. Spanish covers most parts of South America besides Spain itself. French is widely spoken throughout Africa and parts of the Pacific. And there is of course China.

Then there is the question if one can teach English “Khan Academy Style”. Throughout the years I have been experimenting with different types of videos on my free Deutsch Happen channel for German learners. At the moment, it seems as if the latest concept of me standing in front of a whiteboard is the most popular method, a real classic. But we have to consider that Khan’s videos as well as those of SmartHistory solely feature the teachers’ voices.

Another aspect is the accent. They play a far bigger role in language learning than in STEM or other subject matters, and I would assume that the most successful teacher in that respect had a pretty neutral accent and teaches in plain English.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/24/khan-in-esl/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/24/halloween-english-lesson-plans/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/24/halloween-english-lesson-plans/#comments Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:27:58 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8031 It's good to have options! Check out all of the Halloween related lessons and tips from ESL-Library.

]]> Our Lesson of the Week is our Holiday English lesson plan on Halloween. We have a beginner and an intermediate Halloween lesson plan. Low level learners are introduced to Halloween vocabulary through a short reading about the holiday. The lesson includes comprehension questions and puzzles. Intermediate-advanced students read about Halloween origins and traditions and do a fun activity called ‘How to Carve a Jack O’ Lantern’. Related idioms are introduced.

Check out our full collection of Holiday English Lesson Plans.

Related in the ESL-Library
Halloween Podcast
Halloween Flashcard Ideas
Hilarious Halloween (warm up)
Shelly Terrell’s 20 + Ideas and Resources for Halloween (blog)
10 Ideas for Teaching Halloween English (blog)

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/24/halloween-english-lesson-plans/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/21/flashcards-for-jobs-and-occupations/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/21/flashcards-for-jobs-and-occupations/#comments Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:49:19 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=8001 Don't miss our Flashcard Friday video tip of the week - Creating Quizzes and Worksheets with ESL-Library Flashcards.

]]> Welcome to our fifth Flashcard Friday post where we’ll give you ideas and invite suggestions for using flashcards in the classroom. As all teachers know, there is more to using flashcards than flashing pictures before your students’ eyes.

Flashcards for Jobs and Occupations

Will you be teaching a unit on Jobs and Occupations this year? Many textbooks cover this theme, and if you’ve been teaching for a long time, you may be bored with the occupations that are used as examples. The ESL-Library flashcards include more than just the everyday examples you see in most textbooks. Our Jobs and Occupations collection have images such as bricklayer, tailor, and foreman.   Games like hot seat, pictionary, and charades are always fun to play with flashcards. Here are some other activities you can do with this collection. You may want to print the cards with and without the words on the bottom so that you can try some of the different suggestions.

(Watch the Flashcard Library demo for printing and organization options.) Not an ESL-Library member? Join today!

Compare and Contrast (full size flashcards)

Print out full page versions of some of the flashcards from the collection, such as the ones listed below:

• Delivery Person /Letter carrier
• Musician / Artist
• Seamstress/ Tailor
• Data Processor / Computer Programmer
• Model/Photographer

Hold the cards up and have students shout out differences about these jobs. What is similar about these jobs? What is different?

Best and Worst Part of my Job

This game is a slight adaptation of the typical “Who am I?” game. Tape a job flashcard to each student’s back. Tell the students they are at a job fair. Have the workers go around the room asking other workers what the best and worst part of their job is.
For example:
A: What’s the worst part of my job? (artist card on her back)
B: Hmm. Well it is a pretty messy job. The worst part is all of the clean up you have to do.
A: Okay, what’s the best part?
B: The best part is that you get to be creative. You do what you love for a living. Lucky you!

After hearing from one student, the student can guess or keep asking other students to weigh in. If she guesses correctly, tape a new card to her back. Continue for 10 minutes or so. Then decide who had the best job and who had the worst job at the job fair.

Correct the Flashcards

The ESL-Library system allows you to change the default type that appears under the flashcards. (see last week’s video tip) You can make a set with all of the wrong words. Then have your students cut the words off (or cross the words out) and write the correct word. Or, have students practise making corrections out loud. For example: “This card says it is a baker, but it is actually a barber. A baker flashcard would show a man or woman with an apron and a puffy white hat. The baker would be holding a tray of cupcakes. ” For higher level learners, you can change the action instead of the word. For example, type “The baker is putting the buns in the oven.” under the card and have students correct the action by describing what is really shown on the card.

The Main Verb (large version flashcards)

Hold up large versions of the flashcards as you play this game. Choose a flashcard and show it to the class. Tell the class to shout out verbs (base form) that would best go with the occupation. Write down the words in small groupings on the board as they are shouted out. (Dismiss any that don’t make sense, but allow students to defend their verbs.) After 5 verbs have been offered,  have a debate about which one is the most important.
For example: Police Officer
A: Protect!
B: Arrest!
C: Help!
A: Drive around!
D: Observe!
Teacher: Which one is the most important?
A: Help!
B: I think “arrest” is more important?

…continue the debate. Take a vote if you can’t decide. Then move on to a new occupation. As a follow up, go back to the words on the board and try to remember which job the verbs went with.

The Meeting

Place students in small groups of 3 to 5. Give each student a job flashcard. Now, tell these students to imagine they all live in a townhouse complex together. There is a problem at the townhouse complex and the people have to work together to solve it. Students have to argue their point of view from the perspective of their occupation. Have the students think of some problems or use the ideas below.

Problem #1 – People are not obeying the parking rules.
Problem #2 - There is too much trash in the common area.
Problem #3 – The summer block party is coming up. No one has agreed to organize it.

Go around the class and listen to what the students are talking about. Challenge your students by saying, “Why would an artist think that way? Why would a truck driver care about that?”. Randomly hand out new flashcards to students if they do not seem to enjoy their character or if they look like they need a bigger challenge.

Create your Own Quizzes, Materials, and Presentations

Do you want to create your own quizzes, presentations, and materials for your Jobs and Occupations unit? Here’s how you can use our flashcards for this purpose. Please remember to respect the ESL-Library copyright rules and only use our images for classroom purposes.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

Missing Flashcards

Work together as a class to brainstorm all of the types of jobs you can think of that aren’t in our flashcard set. Allow students to search for translations. Have each student create one extra flashcard to go with our collection. Students can draw the card or use a magazine image or an image from a Creative Commons set. Share your ideas with ESL-Library by adding your list of missing occupations in the comments below. We’ll consider adding these jobs to our collection for next year.

Classifieds

Lay out all of the flashcards on a big table or floor space. Have the class group the flashcards into sets that would be found in a classified section. Don’t tell the students what the typical groupings are. Help them if they can’t think of the right word, or offer them a newspaper to look through. Here are some typical groupings found in classified sections:

• Hospitality
• Sales
• Domestic Help
• Technology
• Education
• Service
• Medical
• Transportation
• Government
• Office/Administrative
• Entertainment
• Trades

As a follow up or homework assignment, have students search for (or write) a classified ad for one of the flashcards. Put all of the cards into a box or envelope and have the students choose one.

Flashcard Field Trip

Head out for a walk with your class on a nice day. Give yourselves one hour. Bring a large envelope with all of the flashcards in it. Hand out all of the flashcards to your students (more than one per student is fine) and tell your students they have to try to spot places where people from the flashcards might be working. Each time they spot a place where a person from a card is working they can come up to you and try to give you their card. They have to explain why they think that person might be working in that building or store. For example, if they spot a studio or art gallery, they can point to it and tell you that an “artist” works in a studio. If they spot a school, they can hand you the “custodian” card and say that a custodian cleans a school. How many cards can the class get rid of in one hour? Which ones didn’t you find?

About ESL-Library Flashcards

The ESL-Library flashcards can be printed with or without words. You can also print them in different sizes and in colour or black and white. If you have young learners, print them in black and white and have them colour the flashcards. Watch a demo of the ESL-Library’s Flashcard Library. If you haven’t seen our flashcards, be sure to check them out! Our flashcards are drawn by professional artists who have worked with our team for many years. The flashcards are available in English, French, and Spanish. If there is a flashcard set you need that is not in our library, please contact us.

Related Job and Occupation content in the ESL-Library
At Work and In the Office (More Flashcard Sets)
Living in English -Employment Unit (Sample available)
Discussion Starter – Dream Jobs
Everyday Dialogues – Job Interview
Office Life – 14 Lessons

Please share your own ideas, lessons, and activities related to Jobs and Occupations.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/21/flashcards-for-jobs-and-occupations/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/20/ebay-founder-philanthropist/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/20/ebay-founder-philanthropist/#comments Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:15:37 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7978 Do your students know the expression "to give back"? Pierre Omidyar is a philanthropist worth talking about.

]]> Do your English learners know the meaning of “giving back”?

eBay founder Pierre Omidyar created a platform that allowed many people to have their own online businesses based on individual passions, such as sports or crafts. When his online business began to pay off, this Internet Entrepreneur began to give back.
Do you enjoy using authentic materials in the classroom? This  Huffington Post article describes how Pierre Omidyar has used his success to help better the world. Pierre and has wife have created charities to give other people opportunities to live their dreams. In the past ten years they have spent $1 billion to help others in need. They received the Carnegie Mellon Philanthropy Award for their commitment to using their wealth to help others achieve success.
Share this article with your students and discuss the idea of “philanthropy”. You can print out the article and have the students read it, or read it out loud to them for listening practice. For lower level learners, simply summarize the main points and teach a few key expressions, such as “giving back”. After introducing the topic, discuss the issues.
Here are a few questions to get you started:

• What does it mean to “give back”? What about “pay it forward”?
• Which celebrities do you know who “give back”?
• The article mentions a business called D.light. Describe this company and how it came about.
• How does it make you feel when you donate money, time, or service to a charity?
• What is the difference between a “non-profit” and “for-profit” organization?

“I created [eBay] with the belief that people are good. If you give people the opportunity to do the right thing, you’ll rarely be disappointed.”
Pierre Omidyar for the Huffington Post

Do your students agree with the quote above? Why or why not?

Our Business in English section features a full-length lesson on Internet Entrepreneurs as well as a lesson on Online Shopping. If your students are interested in these related topics, be sure to print out these lessons.

Go to Business English lesson on Internet Entrepreneurs
Go to Business English lesson on Online Shopping
Go to Discussion Starters lesson on Consumerism
Go to Discussion Starters lesson on Athlete Salaries

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Recent “Something to Talk About” Ideas

100-Year-Old Man Competes in Marathon
Steve Jobs: How to Live Before you Die
The Cost of Cancer
Cellphones in Classrooms
Facial Piercings at School
Street Musician Experiment
Why does Pisa Lean?

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/20/ebay-founder-philanthropist/feed/ 3 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/19/podcast-martin-luther-king/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/19/podcast-martin-luther-king/#comments Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:29:29 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7967 This week's podcast features a reading from ESL-Library's Martin Luther King lesson.

]]> Famous People: Martin Luther King

We featured Martin Luther King as ESL-Library’s Lesson of the Week, following the dedication of the Martin Luther King memorial. This is one of our most popular lesson plans. As your students learn about this famous historic figure, they will learn new vocabulary and get a chance to discuss the “I have a Dream Speech”. Our Famous People section is full of lessons about well-known figures from all over the world. Visit ESL-Library to print out the Famous People lesson that goes with today’s podcast. The lesson comes with a warm up, a reading, a vocabulary review, and comprehension and discussion questions. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Famous People lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Coming soon…Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 84th episode.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/19/podcast-martin-luther-king/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Famous People: Martin Luther King We featured Martin Luther King as ESL-Library's Lesson of the Week, following the dedication of the Martin Luther King memorial. ... Famous People: Martin Luther King We featured Martin Luther King as ESL-Library's Lesson of the Week, following the dedication of the Martin Luther King memorial. This is one of our most popular lesson plans. As your students learn about this famous historic figure, they will learn new vocabulary and get a chance to discuss the "I have a Dream Speech". Our Famous People section is full of lessons about well-known figures from all over the world. Visit ESL-Library to print out the Famous People lesson that goes with today's podcast. The lesson comes with a warm up, a reading, a vocabulary review, and comprehension and discussion questions. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Famous People lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment. Coming soon…Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 84th episode. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/17/100-year-old-man-completes-marathon/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/17/100-year-old-man-completes-marathon/#comments Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:45:13 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7937 Fauja Singh completed the Toronto marathon at the age of 100. What's his secret to his longevity?

]]> Do you use Age an Excuse?

Do you ever catch yourself using the phrase, “I’m too old”? Fauja Singh, a 100-year-old man, competed in the Toronto marathon this weekend and finished in eight hours. He became the oldest man to complete a full marathon. Singh took up marathon running at the age of 89. In other words, it’s never too late!
Running a marathon requires you to have a healthy body and mind.   In this article and video Fauja reveals the secrets to his success. Share this article and video with your students and see what they think about this inspirational man. You can print out the article and have the students read it, or read it out loud to them for listening practice. For lower level learners, simply summarize the main points and teach a few key expressions. After introducing the topic, discuss the issues.
Here are a few questions to get you started:

• Do you ever use the excuse “I’m too old”?
• Why are some people inspired to break records?
• What does it mean to “take up” something?
• Do you think you’ll live to be one-hundred years old? Why or why not?

“If someone says I must stop running I ignore them – invariably they’re younger than me. The secret to a long and healthy life is to be stress-free. If there’s something you can’t change then why worry about it? Be grateful for everything you have, stay away from people who are negative, stay smiling and keep running.”
Fauja Singh

Our Health Matters section features a full-length lesson on The Secrets of Centenarians. If your students are interested in this topic, be sure to print out the lesson.

Go to Health Lesson on Centenarians
Go to Mini Debates Lesson on Caring for the Elderly
Go to Health Lesson on Happiness

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Recent “Something to Talk About” Ideas

Steve Jobs: How to Live Before you Die
The Cost of Cancer
Cellphones in Classrooms
Facial Piercings at School
Street Musician Experiment
Why does Pisa Lean?

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/17/100-year-old-man-completes-marathon/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/17/mlk-english-lesson-plan/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/17/mlk-english-lesson-plan/#comments Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:29:26 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7921 The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial was dedicated this week in Washington. Try our Famous People Lesson plan on MLK.

]]> The Martin Luther King Jr. memorial was officially dedicated this week in Washington. 30,000 people attended the dedication where President Obama urged Americans to live up to the ideals and values of MLK, the “preacher with no official rank or title who somehow gave voice to our deepest dreams”. The dedication was originally set for August, but organizers were forced to postpone it due to Hurricane Irene. Will you be talking about Martin Luther King Jr. in your classes this week? Why not try our popular Famous People lesson plan? Watch for our Wednesday podcast which will provide an audio preview of our lesson on Martin Luther King.

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Famous People English Lesson Plans.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/17/mlk-english-lesson-plan/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/14/flashcards-for-halloween-activities-and-games/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/14/flashcards-for-halloween-activities-and-games/#comments Fri, 14 Oct 2011 17:05:27 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7829 It's Flashcard Friday again, and this week we have some ideas for having some Halloween fun in your language classroom.

]]> Welcome to our fourth Flashcard Friday post where we’ll give you ideas and invite suggestions for using flashcards in the classroom. As all teachers know, there is more to using flashcards than flashing pictures before your students’ eyes.

Flashcards for Halloween Activities and Games

Are you going to be talking about Halloween in your language classes this month? Regardless of the level you teach, your students probably need to learn or brush up on most of the vocabulary surrounding this holiday. Even if your students aren’t living in a country that celebrates Halloween, this is a fun holiday to cover. Who doesn’t like dressing up or eating candy? We have a fun flashcard set that you can pair with your lessons and activities. Our collection is available in English and French, but you can change the text to any language you please. Images in our Halloween collection include words like zombie, graveyard, and haunted house.  Here are some activities you can do with our collection. You may want to print the cards out with and without the words on the bottom so that you can try some of the different suggestions. It will also be fun to have a flashlight and some spooky music on hand.

(Watch the Flashcard Library demo for printing and organization options.)

What’s the difference (full size flashcards)

Print out full page versions of the following flashcards:

• Trick or Treat /Trick or Treating
• Pumpkin / Jack ‘O Lantern
• Ghost/ Skeleton
• Haunted House/ Graveyard
• Witch/Witch on a Broom

Hold the cards up and have students shout out differences about them. For example: The witch on the left is stirring her pot. The witch on the right is riding her broom. You could pair this with our Easy Grammar Sentences lesson on Forming comparatives. In this beginner lesson, students compare Evil Ed and Super Sue. Higher level learners may enjoy our Grammar Practice worksheets on Comparatives and Superlatives.

Spooky Chain Story (small size flashcards)

Gather in a circle and have students work together to tell a chain story. Each student must tell one line of the story. Each time a student takes a turn, hand out (or post on the board) one flashcard from the collection. The student must use that word in his/her sentence. When there are only two or three cards left, make sure the last few students know that they are going to have to wrap up the story. After telling the story, analyze it. Did it have a beginning, middle, and an end? Did it have conflict? Did it have main characters? Where did the story fall apart (if it did). If the story fell apart, try again! Remind students that a good story needs conflict. The situation must get worse for the main character! (Play some spooky music and turn out the lights. Use a flashlight to light up the flashcards)

Correct the Flashcards

The ESL-Library system allows you to change the default type that appears under the flashcards. (see video below) You can make a set with all of the wrong words. Then have your students cut the words off (or cross the words out) and write the correct word. Or, have students practise making corrections out loud. For example: “This card says it is a witch, but it is actually a skeleton. A witch flashcard would show a lady in a black dress with a pointy hat.” If your students are practising certain tenses, write sentences under the flashcards with  the wrong tense and have students correct them. Or, add blank lines that students have to fill in.
[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

The Haunted House (small flashcards)

This game could get loud, so use it on a Friday afternoon or when there are no tests going on in classrooms nearby. Print out a large version of the Haunted House flashcard on your board or wall (or in a common room in the school). Hide the other cards around the room. Decide which of your students will be “brave” and which of them will be “scaredy cats” (whisper this word in their ears or write it out on small cards and hand it to them secretly). Tell students to walk around the room pretending they are in a haunted house. Each time they find a card they have to scream or shriek. The other students will ask: “What’s wrong? What did you see?” The person who found the card has to describe the card and exaggerate. For example, “I saw a black cat! It walked past me and now I’ll have bad luck forever.” or “I saw a skeleton! It rattled its bones at me. I think it’s my dead uncle!” The brave people will say things like, “Don’t worry, it will be okay” or “I’m sure you just imagined it . The scaredy cats will say things like,“Oh, no. I’m scared. Don’t leave me alone in here!” As you are playing, teach your students some new phrases to express bravery and fear.

• I’m afraid.
• I’m scared.
• I’m petrified.
• I’m not worried.
• It’s not a big deal.
• You don’t scare me.
• That scared you?
• That’s nothing.
• Don’t worry about it.
• You’re exaggerating!

Missing Flashcards

Work together as a class to brainstorm all of the types of costumes you typically see on Halloween. If your students aren’t familiar with the holiday, allow them to do some research online. Witches, skeletons, zombies, monsters, and clowns are typical. What about princesses and bumblebees? Which costumes are not in the ESL-Library flashcard collection? Have each student create one flashcard to go with your collection. Share your ideas with ESL-Library. You can add your list in the comments below and we’ll consider adding these items to our collection for next year.

Trick or Treat

Give each student a turn to be a trick-or-treater. Tell the student to go outside the classroom door. Out in the hallway, give your student a flashcard of a costume. The student should close the door and yell trick-or-treat! Allow one student to answer the door. The student who answers the door has to guess which flashcard the other person has. He can ask three yes/no questions before taking a guess. If he can’t guess, another student can come to the door and ask three more questions. Here are the ten costumes from our current collection. Feel free to add more of your own pictures from magazines etc. if you have more students.
1. ghost
2. pumpkin
3. witch
4. zombie
5. cowboy
6. wizard
7. pirate
8. black cat
9. monster
10. skeleton

Flashcard Field Trip

Do you live close to a store that sells Halloween costumes? Why not take a walk with the flashcards! Wait until Halloween Day or the Friday before. Give small groups of students a set of flashcards. They must try to find as many of the items that are on the cards. When they find something they can write information about it on the back of the appropriate flashcard. For example: “We saw a sticker of a black cat in the store window.” When you’re back at school, have the groups compare what other groups found. If you’re working with children, make sure each group has a parent volunteer or supervisor. If you don’t have helpers, do the activity as a whole class. Were there any flashcards that they could not find real life versions of?

About ESL-Library Flashcards

The ESL-Library flashcards can be printed with or without words. You can also print them in different sizes and in colour or black and white. If you have young learners, print them in black and white and have them colour the flashcards. Watch a demo of the ESL-Library’s Flashcard Library. If you haven’t seen our flashcards, be sure to check them out! Our flashcards are drawn by professional artists who have worked with our team for many years. The flashcards are available in English, French, and Spanish. If there is a flashcard set you need that is not in our library, please contact us.

Related in the ESL-Library
Halloween Lesson Plans (Beginner and Intermediate Lessons)
Halloween Podcast
Hilarious Halloween (warm up)
Shelly Terrell’s 20 + Ideas and Resources for Halloween (blog)
10 Ideas for Teaching Halloween English (blog)

Please share your own ideas, lessons, and activities related to Halloween.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/14/flashcards-for-halloween-activities-and-games/feed/ 5 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/13/shelly-terrell-halloween/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/13/shelly-terrell-halloween/#comments Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:24:38 +0000 Shelly Terrell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7779 All of the ELT Halloween resources are in one place thanks to Shelly Terrell. Use the comment section to add more.

]]> Towards the end of October and the beginning of November, several countries celebrate by wearing costumes. In Mexico, Dia de Los Muertos is celebrated and in mostly North America, Halloween is celebrated! In most countries there are celebrations with costumes, fun customs, and great treats. For this reason, I enjoy having Halloween lessons with my language learners even if that is not a holiday celebrated. This holiday is a great way to compare the way fun festivals are celebrated in various countries. Moreover, we have a lot of fun while learning! I hope these ideas will be useful in having some fun this month with your students.

Discussion Starters

• If you have students from several countries, have them survey or interview each other about similar festivals and celebrations. This tends to generate a lot of discussion.
• Have students use a Google form to survey others online or through email about festivals that are similar to Halloween and discuss the results in class.
• Have students bring in pictures of their families, pets, or themselves dressed up in costumes. Play a guessing game where the students have to guess which picture belongs to which student. Then have the student discuss the picture’s location, event, and so forth.
• Show images of several costumes throughout history and have students guess what the occasion may have been. You can collect several costume pictures from various countries on the Internet to show on a projector. Some festivals in which people dress in costumes include Mardi Gras, Carnaval, Dia de los Muertos, Fasching, Carnevale di Venezia, and Purim.
• Show a collection of pet costumes. This is sure to make your students laugh. You can even have a debate on whether it is ethical to dress pets.

Activities

• Host a Trick or Treat event between classes. Have the younger kids dress up in costumes while the older kids pass out healthy treats. Kids receive the treats if they say, “Trick or Treat!”
• Here is a bit of history about this custom.
• Here are safety tips. This video could be a good way to start a discussion.
• Trick or Treat song and video by Genki English.
• Here is a Trick or Treat board game.
• Students can send a funny e-card where there friends are dressed up in costumes rapping!
• Students can host a Halloween party with different stations of activities. Have students get into groups. Each group can be in charge of determining an activity, setting up the station, and organizing it. Some suggested activities include creating jack-o-lanterns, bobbing for apples, or a bean bag toss.
• Break students into groups and host a haunted house for the rest of the classes and parents.
• Have students read ghost stories and create their own.
• R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps series is specifically written for adolescents and is not too scary. Check out the website with games, audio clips, and more.
• Here are some ghost stories with activities specifically catered to English language learners.
• Have students Skype with another country and ask questions about their festivals or how they celebrate one of the festivals mentioned. You can find classes in these countries through EPals or Skype Classrooms.

More Lesson Plans and Resources

• 10 Ideas for Teaching Halloween English
• Hilarious Halloween lesson plan
• Background history about Halloween
• Halloween activities, games, and worksheets
• Tons of Halloween resources, activities and games
• Beginner and Intermediate Halloween Lesson Plans from ESL-Library
• Halloween Games to Play in Class
• Halloween stories, activities, and more
• Online Halloween quizzes and lessons by Sue Lyon-Jones
• The Internet TESL Journal Halloween Questions

More Lesson Plan Ideas and Resources

• 10 Activities for Halloween and the Connected Classroom by Kyle Mawer
• Halloween Online Games for Kids
• Halloween Spot the Difference
• Halloween Dress Up Game
• Halloween Flashcards from ESL-Library
• Halloween Podcast

What kind of fun activities do you do this time of year?

If you want to receive more of Shelly’s tips for online resources for teaching English, then subscribe!

Shelly Terrell is the VP of Educator Outreach for Parentella and the Social Media Community Manager for The Consultants-E. She is also the co-organizer and co-creator of the award winning educational projects, Edchat, ELTChat, The Reform Symposium E-Conference, and the Virtual Round Table conference. Visit her award winning blog, Teacher Reboot Camp, for resources for effective technology integration. In the fall of 2011 find her book, The 30 Goals Challenge for Educators on Amazon. Find her on Twitter, @ShellTerrell. She has taught toddlers to adults English in various countries including the US, Germany, and Greece.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/13/shelly-terrell-halloween/feed/ 4 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/12/podcast-happiness/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/12/podcast-happiness/#comments Wed, 12 Oct 2011 15:08:16 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7748 This week's podcast features a reading from our Health section. Is there such thing as a prescription for happiness?

]]> Health Section: A Prescription for Happiness

People are busy these days! As a result, writing is often formatted in list form. Headings and numbers make reading easier on the eyes. It’s also easier to get the gist quickly. Your students will come across lists in blogs, on websites, and even in the workplace. Our Health section is full of lessons based on lists, including our feature today on Happiness. Visit ESL-Library to print out the health lesson that goes with today’s podcast. The lesson comes with a warm up, a reading, a vocabulary review, comprehension questions, a role-play, and a writing activity where your students will work on their own lists. This lesson on Happiness also reviews reported vs. direct speech. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Health lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Coming soon…Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, or Holiday or Health lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 83rd episode.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/12/podcast-happiness/feed/ 4 0:00:01 Health Section: A Prescription for Happiness People are busy these days! As a result, writing is often formatted in list form. Headings and numbers make reading ... Health Section: A Prescription for Happiness People are busy these days! As a result, writing is often formatted in list form. Headings and numbers make reading easier on the eyes. It's also easier to get the gist quickly. Your students will come across lists in blogs, on websites, and even in the workplace. Our Health section is full of lessons based on lists, including our feature today on Happiness. Visit ESL-Library to print out the health lesson that goes with today's podcast. The lesson comes with a warm up, a reading, a vocabulary review, comprehension questions, a role-play, and a writing activity where your students will work on their own lists. This lesson on Happiness also reviews reported vs. direct speech. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Health lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment. Coming soon…Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, or Holiday or Health lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 83rd episode. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/11/dynamic-english-lessons-app-phrasal/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/11/dynamic-english-lessons-app-phrasal/#comments Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:11:07 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7724 A well-designed app for English language learners who want to review phrasal verbs.

]]> I was pleased to receive an invitation to review a new language learning app for English learners. Dynamic English – Phrasal Verbs is a well-designed iPhone/iPad app to help English learners review phrasal verbs. It has a simple design that is very user friendly. The phrasal verbs are divided by category and presented in gap-fill format. The practical categories include such topics as Travel, Business, Dating, and Health. There is also a locked category that you can only review if you complete all of the categories (great incentive!). If learners choose the correct phrasal verb to complete the sentence, they score an A+ in their Phrasal Verb dictionary. Phrasal verbs that cause a bit of difficulty for the learner are marked with a lower grade in the dictionary. If a learner sees a C in his dictionary, he knows he needs to go back and review that phrasal verb. This is a helpful way for learners to track their progress. The dictionary features all of the phrasal verbs in the app, and provides a definition, an example sentence, and a recording of the sentence. The recording quality is very good. This well-designed language learning app is well worth $0.99.

The Dynamic English Lessons app is compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. I’ll be sharing this review on the English App’s Facebook page today! If you know any other language learning apps that are useful for English learners, please leave a comment or share a link on our Facebook page. Over the weekend I tested another great iPad app that young learners and their teachers will love. Stay tuned!

Check out all of The English App’s language learning apps.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/11/dynamic-english-lessons-app-phrasal/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/07/october-news-2/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/07/october-news-2/#comments Fri, 07 Oct 2011 17:08:46 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7569 Check out our new and featured lessons for October, and take the ESL-Library dare!

]]> The Month to Change your Colours

Are you ready to try on a new hat in your school or community? October is the perfect month to make a change. Maybe you can volunteer to run an after school club, or start up an ELT blog and take on some teacher challenges. Perhaps you’re interested in swapping classes once in a while with a colleague. Maybe you just need a new hair colour! (That will give your students something to talk about.) At ESL-Library, we’re making some changes too! We’ll be working on some new projects that your students can do with other learners from around the world. We’ve also started a new Friday series all about Flashcards. This month we’d like to challenge you to do something out of the ordinary. Whether you take a language class of your own, sign up for a Zumba class (I’ll let you know how it goes…), or plan a Halloween party for your school, do something out of your comfort zone this October. We dare you.

Have you seen our NEW Flashcard Friday section yet? This is a free section on our blog, but it is designed specifically for our subscribers. Each Friday we’ll be giving you ideas for using one of the flashcard collections from our site. Our posts offer activities, and related lessons that may be useful to you if you are teaching a certain theme. We hope you’ll come and share your own ideas for using visuals in the classroom. If you haven’t watched the demo of our Flashcard Library yet, please check it out.

New Lesson Plans this Month

• Health: Eye Health
• Everyday Dialogues: Taking the Bus
• American Presidents: James Monroe and John Quincy Adams
• Grammar Stories: Adjective Clauses and Phrases
• Tiny Conversations (NEW section for beginners): Telling the Time

In the works:

Classroom Call to Action: We are going to be suggesting some monthly projects for you and your language learners to work on together along with other language learners from around the world. You can help make the world a better place. Watch our blog for upcoming projects!

October Features

Holidays - Halloween We have Halloween lessons for low and high level learners. Low level learners are introduced to Halloween vocabulary through a short reading about the holiday. The lesson includes questions and puzzles, and we also have flashcards that you can use. Your intermediate-advanced students can read about Halloween origins and traditions in our higher level lesson. Activities include ‘How to Carve a Jack O’ Lantern’. Related idioms are introduced. Be sure to search our blog for Halloween ideas and warmups.

Every Day is a Holiday Columbus Day: October 12th. Not everyone thinks an annual party should be thrown in Christopher Columbus’ name. In this lesson, students practice word stress, summarizing, and giving an opinion.

Holidays- Canadian Thanksgiving: Canadians give thanks for the harvest a little earlier than Americans. Canadian Thanksgiving is on October 10th this year. We have low and intermediate lessons to use for this holiday.

Flashcards-Sickness and Injuries. This flashcard collection is part of our Body, Health and Medicine series. Check out our recent Flashcard Friday post for ideas on how to use this collection during cold and flu season.

Teaching Tip: Find your ELT Niche

When people ask you what your job is, do you say “I’m an English language teacher.”? Have you ever thought about adding a phrase such as who specializes in business English or who works with young learners? As our guest bloggers Kirsten and Pete pointed out this month, the English language teaching industry is growing, and you are in a good field. However, like all industries, technology is changing how we do things, and now is a great time to think about where you will fit in as the ELT industry changes. What can you do to find a niche as a teacher? If you you have already established a niche, and are interested in doing some guest blogs for ESL-Library, please contact us.

As we sign off this month, we’ll leave you with a quote and a link to a video that applies to all language teachers, and comes from a wise man named Derek Sivers: “Whatever brilliant ideas you have or hear, the opposite may also be true”.



Guest Blogger Shelly Terrell and Media Director Tara Benwell at an ELT tweetup in Toronto.

Happy teaching!
Sincerely,

The Staff at ESL-Library

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/07/october-news-2/feed/ 3 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/07/flashcards-for-buildings-and-place/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/07/flashcards-for-buildings-and-place/#comments Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:22:59 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7687 This week's Flashcard Friday post gives you some suggested activities for using our Buildings and Places around Town collection of images. Are you ready for a field trip?

]]> Welcome to our third Flashcard Friday post where we’ll give you ideas and invite suggestions for using flashcards in the classroom. As all teachers know, there is more to using flashcards than flashing pictures before your students’ eyes.

Flashcards related to Buildings and Shops in Towns and Cities

Are your low level students learning about different buildings and shops in towns and cities? Are you doing a unit on jobs? We have a fun flashcard set that you can pair with your lessons. Images in our Buildings and Places around Town collection include words like bus depot, copy centre, and hardware store.  Here are some activities you can do with our collection. You may want to print the cards out with and without the words on the bottom so that you can try some of the different suggestions.

(Watch the Flashcard Library demo for printing and organization options.)

Where am I?

Hand out a card to each student and have them describe what they are doing in the building. Other students have to guess. If nobody knows the word in L2, allow them to say it in L1. Then write the translation on the board and have students say it out loud. For example: A: “I am getting my hair cut.” B: “You are at the barber shop.” Write the correct sentences on the board and review them after the activity.

The Perfect Town

Place all of the flashcards at the front of the class. Have students take turns coming to the front of the room to create the perfect town. Each student can only choose one place to add to the town. Which one will they choose? Ask the students why they picked certain cards? Write this phrase on the board to help them express their reason: Our town needs a ___________ because… For example: “Our town needs a cafe because I love coffee.” After each student has had a turn, look at the cards that are left. Hold a few of them up and ask if this building is necessary. For example: “Doesn’t our town need a fire station?”

Correct the Flashcards

The ESL-Library system allows you to change the default type that appears under the flashcards. (see demo) You can make a set with all of the wrong words. Then have your students cut the words off (or cross the words out) and write the correct word. Or, have students practise making corrections out loud. They can say, “This card says it is a motel, but it is actually a travel agency. A motel would show a picture of a tall building with people carrying suitcases out front.”

3 Things

Pass out the cards so that each student has one. Students take turns saying three things that are inside this place. For example if a person gets “library” he can say “books”, “computer”, “desks”. The class guesses the place.

That’s Convenient

Some towns are organized better than others. Put all of the flashcards out on a table. Invite students to come up one at a time to pick out two places that should be situated side by side in a town or city. Teach the word “convenient”. Put this statement on the board: Let’s put the _______ beside the _____________. That will be convenient. Do the other students agree? Why or why not?

Who works here?

Hold up a card and ask the students who works here. Any person who puts up their hand and can answer correctly (before another) gets a point! Who has the most points by the end of the game? Write the names of the jobs on the board as you work. After you’ve worked through the cards, point at the jobs and ask where these people work (there will be some jobs such as cashiers that can work at many different places). Alternatively, you could print out our Jobs and Occupations flashcards and have students match the jobs to the places.

There’s no place like …

Do your students know Dorothy’s famous line from The Wizard of OZ? Hand them each a card (without the word on it). Then go around the room and have your students say: There’s no place like ____ (the word they received). Some will be funny, such as “There’s no place like the appliance store!” Have the rest of the class say, “Why do you think that?” The student with the card gives a reason why this place is so great!

Similar

Give each student a flashcard. Have students take turns saying what their place is similar to. For example: “A motel is similar to a hotel. The difference between a hotel and a motel is that a hotel is usually more expensive.” Are there any places in the flashcard set that are unique?

Flashcard Field Trip

Do you live close to a town centre? Why not take a walk with the flashcards! Head out on a sunny day with your class. Give small groups of students a set of flashcards. They must walk around town and try to find as many places as they can that are on the cards. When they find a place they can write the name and address on the back of the appropriate flashcard. When you’re back at school have the groups compare addresses with other groups. Make sure your students know how to ask people where to find a place: “Excuse me, do you know where the bank is?” or “Excuse me, is there a bakery around here?” If you’re working with children, make sure each group has a parent volunteer or supervisor. If you don’t have helpers, do the activity as a whole class.

About ESL-Library Flashcards

The ESL-Library flashcards can be printed with or without words. You can also print them in different sizes and in colour or black and white. If you have young learners, print them in black and white and have them colour the flashcards. Watch a demo of the ESL-Library’s Flashcard Library. If you haven’t seen our flashcards, be sure to check them out! Our flashcards are drawn by professional artists who have worked with our team for many years. The flashcards are available in English, French, and Spanish. If there is a flashcard set you need that is not in our library, please contact us.

Related in the ESL-Library
Housing (Flashcards)
Jobs and Occupations (Flashcards)
In the City and on the Street (Flashcards)
Asking for Directions
Mom and Pop Shops vs. Chain Stores
Shopping

Please share your own ideas, lessons, and activities for teaching about buildings, places, and jobs.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/07/flashcards-for-buildings-and-place/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/06/steve-jobs-esl-english-lesson-plan-1955-2011/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/06/steve-jobs-esl-english-lesson-plan-1955-2011/#comments Thu, 06 Oct 2011 16:09:01 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7660 On October 5th, 2011, Apple co-founder, Steve Jobs died. Jobs was 56 years old, and had been struggling with complications related to pancreatic cancer over the past several years. Steve Jobs has always been a huge inspiration to all of us at ESL Library and Red River Press.  We are very saddened to hear of his death.  In honour of his amazing life and achievements we would like to share this FREE ESL Lesson Plan with all our fellow English teachers around the world.  Please try this lesson in your classes this week.

View and print this FREE English lesson plan on Steve Jobs.

“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me.” Steve Jobs, as quoted in The Wall Street Journal (Summer 1993)

Here is an Apple Commercial that never aired, narrated by Steve Jobs.  Show it to your students and discuss what makes great people great:

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

Check out our many other Famous People ESL Lesson Plans in our Lesson Plan Library.   Go to this lesson.

Related Lessons in the ESL-Library

Famous People: Bill Gates
Health: Cancer
Mini Debates: Personal Technology in the Classroom

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/06/steve-jobs-esl-english-lesson-plan-1955-2011/feed/ 5 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/05/podcast-teachers-day/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/05/podcast-teachers-day/#comments Wed, 05 Oct 2011 15:20:14 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7645 This week's podcast is an audio preview of our Teachers' Day lesson.

]]> Every Day is a Holiday: Teachers’ Day

Do students shower their teachers with gifts on Teachers’ Day in your country? Share this recording with your class to help them understand that a card or a thank you is more than enough. Visit ESL-Library to print out the mini-lesson. It comes with a warm up, a reading, a vocabulary review and a Web 2.0 challenge! Preview all of ESL-Library’s Every Day is a Holiday lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment. Don’t miss our popular full-length Holiday lesson plans.

Coming soon…Grammar Stories: Adjective Phrases and Clauses.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, or Holiday lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 82nd episode.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/10/05/podcast-teachers-day/feed/ 1 0:00:01 Every Day is a Holiday: Teachers' Day Do students shower their teachers with gifts on Teachers' Day in your country? Share this recording with ... Every Day is a Holiday: Teachers' Day Do students shower their teachers with gifts on Teachers' Day in your country? Share this recording with your class to help them understand that a card or a thank you is more than enough. Visit ESL-Library to print out the mini-lesson. It comes with a warm up, a reading, a vocabulary review and a Web 2.0 challenge! Preview all of ESL-Library’s Every Day is a Holiday lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment. Don't miss our popular full-length Holiday lesson plans. Coming soon…Grammar Stories: Adjective Phrases and Clauses. Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, or Holiday lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 82nd episode. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/30/flashcards-for-sicknesses-injuries-and-symptoms/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/30/flashcards-for-sicknesses-injuries-and-symptoms/#comments Fri, 30 Sep 2011 16:22:55 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7541 Do you have your tissues, aspirin, and heating packs ready? It's flu season again! Don't forget to teach your students cold and flu vocabulary.

]]> Welcome to our second Flashcard Friday post where we’ll give you ideas and invite suggestions for using flashcards in the classroom. As all teachers know, there is more to using flashcards than flashing pictures before your students’ eyes.

Flashcards related to Sicknesses and Injuries

It’s officially flu season again! Are your low level students having trouble describing their aches and pains? Are they visiting the doctor or missing class due to runny noses and congestion? Why not give them the language they need to express themselves at the doctor’s office when they aren’t well? This will also help them when they visit a pharmacy in an English speaking country. Images in our Sickness and Injuries collection include words like cramps, nauseous, fever, and chills.  Here are some activities you can do with our collection. You may want to print the cards out with and without the words on the bottom so that you can try some of the different suggestions.

(Watch the Flashcard Library demo for printing and organization options.)

Health History

If you’re introducing new words, have students make these words memorable by sharing stories about their own (or a friend/family member’s) health history. (Make sure students know they can invent information. It doesn’t have to be true or personal. Give them a fake persona if you think they’ll be uncomfortable.) Give each student a card and set them loose around the classroom. If the word does not apply to the student she can say something like, “I’ve never had a nosebleed, have you?” The student she meets can say, “Yes I have had a nosebleed. I had one when I was in grade four. I had to go home from school.” OR “My sister once got a stomachache because she ate a whole bag of chips.” They can then trade cards. After a few minutes, ask the class to share some of the stories that were heard.

Group the flashcards

Place all of the flashcards on a large surface, such as a table or floor. Have students group them into related words. Which words go together and why? As students sort the images, try to come up with categories for the groupings, such as Sports Injuries / Cold and Flu / Accidents. If you have a large group you may want to use more than one set of flashcards for this activity.

Correct the Flashcards

The ESL-Library system allows you to change the default type that appears under the flashcards. (see demo) You can make a set with all of the wrong words. Then have your students cut the words off (or cross the words out) and write the correct word. Or, have students practise making corrections out loud. They can say, “This card says it is a sprain, but it is actually a cavity. A sprain would show a picture of a sore ankle or wrist.”

Charades

Pass out the cards so that each student has one. Students take turns acting out their symptoms and injuries.

Hypochondriac

Invite a pair of students to come to the front of the classroom. One student is the hypochondriac (teach your students this word) and the other is the doctor. The front of the class is a walk-in-clinic. On the board write a sign that says “One health problem per visit, please!”. Tell the doctor to say to the patient something like, “What seems to be the problem today?”. Then pass the patient one of the cards. The patient will describe the problem. Then pass the patient another card. The patient will describe the second problem. Continue to pass out a few cards (5 or so). The doctor will get annoyed and remind the patient that he/she can only bring one problem per visit. The doctor can try to solve one of the problems by suggesting a remedy or offering a health tip. The class can help the doctor if necessary. Focus on getting the students to describe the symptoms with the correct verbs, such as “have + stomachache” and “feel + nauseous” .

Missing Symptoms and Injuries

The ESL-Library collection needs more flashcards! Make a large list on the board of words that should be added to this collection. Make sure each student contributes at least one word. If you teach young learners, you could also have them draw an additional flashcard for the collection. The others guess will guess what it is.

What’s my Illness?

Give each student a card and have them think of a related illness. For example, if they get the word “congested” their illness is a “cold”. If they get the word “swollen” their injury could be a “swollen ankle”. They should write down the illness or injury they are thinking of. Students then have to describe how they feel. The rest of the class has to guess their injury or sickness. The first person to guess correctly gets a point.

Hot Seat

Set up two seats facing away from the board. Divide the class into two teams. Put one person from each team in the hot seat. Write one of the symptoms or illnesses on the board. Students from both teams have to get the person in the hot seat to say the word. They cannot use the word or any other form of it or they lose a point. The person who guesses first gets to stand up and another person from his team goes in the hot seat for the next word. The person who didn’t guess has to stay in the hot seat until he wins a round.

Related Body Parts

You’ll need to print out the related flashcard set “The Body” to do this activity. Spread out the two flashcard sets in different parts of the room. Have students race to try to find a body part that goes with an injury or illness. For example, if they pick up “congested” they have to try to find “nose”. If someone else has already grabbed the “nose” students can form groups. When the movement has stopped around the room have students explain why they matched up the body parts with the illnesses and symptoms. For example: “I matched swollen with ankle because when you hurt yourself playing soccer you sometimes get a swollen ankle.”

Medical Treatment and Medical Workers

Print out the related flashcards sets from the Body, Health, and Medical section called Medical Treatment and Medicine. Place the three sets in different places. Have students grab a symptom or illness from the first set. Then they must find a medical worker and/or treatment to make themselves better. They can check with the teacher to see if their cards match. Then they can sit down. The students who don’t get treatment in a set amount of time (such as two minutes) have to go to the emergency (front of the room). Students then discuss which medical worker or treatment is needed to cure each student.

Roll the Die

This game is useful for small groups. You’ll need a die and a set of flashcards for each grouping if you have a large class. Place the flashcards face down. Students take turns picking a card and rolling the die. They get a point if they can provide the correct spelling, wordform etc. If they roll a 6 they get a point without doing anything.
Roll a 1: Spell the word.
Roll a 2: Pronounce the word properly (word stress and intonation)
Roll a 3: Use the word in a sentence.
Roll a 4: Name the part of speech.
Roll a 5: Tell a related story.
Roll a 6: Pass the word to someone else.

About ESL-Library Flashcards

The ESL-Library flashcards can be printed with or without words. You can also print them in different sizes and in colour or black and white. If you have young learners, print them in black and white and have them colour the flashcards. Watch a demo of the ESL-Library’s Flashcard Library. If you haven’t seen our flashcards, be sure to check them out! Our flashcards are drawn by professional artists who have worked with our team for many years. The flashcards are available in English, French, and Spanish. If there is a flashcard set you need that is not in our library, please contact us.

Related in the ESL-Library
The Body (Flashcards)
Medicine (Flashcards)
Medical Treatment (Flashcards)
At the Doctor’s
Making a Doctor’s Appointment
Flu Shots
Health Matters Lesson section

Please share your own ideas, lessons, and activities for teaching about sicknesses, injuries, and symptoms.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/30/flashcards-for-sicknesses-injuries-and-symptoms/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/28/podcast-james-dean/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/28/podcast-james-dean/#comments Wed, 28 Sep 2011 17:40:21 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7500 This week's podcast is an audio preview of ESL-Library's low level lesson on James Dean.

]]> Mini Biography: James Dean

Do your low level students enjoy talking about Hollywood actors? Do they ever talk about James Dean? Our Lesson Plan Calendar reminded us of an important day in history that is coming up this week. You’ll find out what it is when you listen to this recording and use it along with this easy English lesson from our  Mini-Biographies section. You can also invite your learners to download the podcast on iTunes. If they like this mini podcast, they may also enjoy our podcast on Marilyn Monroe. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Mini-Biographies here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment. For your intermediate-advanced students, try our popular Famous People lesson plans.

Coming soon…Grammar Stories: Adjective Phrases and Clauses.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 81st episode.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/28/podcast-james-dean/feed/ 2 0:00:01 Mini Biography: James Dean Do your low level students enjoy talking about Hollywood actors? Do they ever talk about James Dean? Our Lesson Plan Calendar ... Mini Biography: James Dean Do your low level students enjoy talking about Hollywood actors? Do they ever talk about James Dean? Our Lesson Plan Calendar reminded us of an important day in history that is coming up this week. You'll find out what it is when you listen to this recording and use it along with this easy English lesson from our  Mini-Biographies section. You can also invite your learners to download the podcast on iTunes. If they like this mini podcast, they may also enjoy our podcast on Marilyn Monroe. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Mini-Biographies here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment. For your intermediate-advanced students, try our popular Famous People lesson plans. Coming soon…Grammar Stories: Adjective Phrases and Clauses. Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 81st episode. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/27/written-english-business/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/27/written-english-business/#comments Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:20:02 +0000 Peter Martin http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7486 Simple but effective professional written English will become a critical element of doing business.

]]> In her post on this blog last week, Kirsten Winkler discussed how English has become a basic skill in today’s international business environment. “English is not an extra in your CV anymore, it is a must,” she wrote.

In Europe, as Kirsten attested, English has become the clear lingua franca. She said that she, a native German speaker currently living in France, routinely speaks in English with people from many countries—even from Germany—because it’s often easier for them to think in the English vocabulary in many fields of work or study. And while the language is far less dominant outside of North America and Europe, if there’s a global lingua franca, it’s also English. Only with English can you communicate with someone in every country on earth.

A May 2007 article in The New York Times, “Across cultures, English is the word,” makes the case that English is likely on its way toward even more global reach. The article quotes American linguist John McWhorter saying that, already, “English is dominant in a way that no language has ever been before.” But more indicative of English’s future prospects are the structural factors that will make English even more important in the late 21st century than it is today.

Foremost among those is the internet. The internet was originally a product of the United States military, and most of its first programmers and users were, naturally, English speakers. Though today the whole word is connected to it, 80 percent of the data on the internet is still in English. Most of the largest and most innovative tech companies are based in the U.S., and though the European Union is 27 different countries with 23 different official languages, those 23 different languages mean that across Europe English is the first language of the tech community.

I mention all this to make my case for an important addition to Kirsten’s list of sub-areas of English teaching that will become more and more important in the years to come. My addition is writing—specifically clear, simple, effective correspondence.

For months I’ve taught classes at a company here in Colombia, an American web design and development firm with a Bogotá office. The company’s American staff is largely responsible for deal-making and direct participation in the American business world, while the Colombian office develops most of the actual content, designing and developing most of the products delivered to customers. You might assume that one or two translators in the Bogotá office could keep the company’s international communications between the U.S. and Colombia going smoothly, but I found that wasn’t the case.

Every one of my students wants to improve his of her writing skills. Like many Americans, they receive many emails a day, the majority of them in English, and many of them requiring responses. While everyone I’ve met at the office understands English well enough to make sense of short, basic written communication, many do not feel comfortable responding, since they don’t feel they can express themselves well enough in writing, or that, even if they get their ideas across, they’ll make an embarrassing number of mistakes.

So as I think about the most important English skills for non-native speakers to pick up over the next 10 or 50 years, writing stands out as the one that will only increase in importance. Sure, in the future there will be more international travel, and more international conference calls—which required good listening and speaking skills—but there will be much, much more emailing, and for people who interact with Europeans or North Americans, simple but effective professional written English will become a critical element of doing business.

Or so I think. Have you had experiences that make you think like me? Or am I exaggerating how necessary it will be to conduct business, in English, through email, in the future?

Written by Peter F. Martin

Peter F. Martin was born and raised in New York City.  As an undergraduate at Yale University, he devoted himself to journalism, working as a writer, photographer, and editor for The Yale Globalist and the Yale Daily News. Peter first taught English while in college, teaching a weekly writing course to inmates at the Cheshire Correctional Institute in Cheshire, Connecticut. His work as an editor for campus publications required him to teach writing technique daily, correcting small mistakes and helping writers construct sentences, paragraphs, and pieces better.  He moved to Bogotá, Colombia, and has been working there as an English teacher and editor since. Peter blogs and shares his writing and photography on his website, peterfmartin.com

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/27/written-english-business/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/26/the-cost-of-cancer/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/26/the-cost-of-cancer/#comments Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:49:11 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7469 Is cancer a taboo topic in your classroom?

]]> Is Cancer a Taboo Topic in your Classroom?

According to a recent health report, 12 million people are diagnosed with cancer each year, and that number is expected to rise to 27 million by 2030. Statistics like those show that cancer is an issue that we need to be talking about with students. Everyone knows someone who has been touched by one form of cancer.
The cost of medical care is something that we can’t ignore. Are you interested in using authentic materials in class? This  Reuters article “Cancer Cost Becoming Unsustainable in Rich Nations” describes the rising costs of technology, treatment, and medicine related to cancer. Share this article with your students and see what they think about this change. You can print out the article and have the students read it, or read it out loud to them for listening practice. For lower level learners, simply summarize the main points and teach a few key expressions. After introducing the topic, discuss the issues.
Here are a few questions to get you started:

• Why is there such a huge rise in cancer worldwide?
• What does “unsustainable” mean? When might you use this word?
• What does it mean to “bury one’s head in the sand”?
• What does it mean to “be at a crossroads”?
• Why does innovation increase the cost of healthcare?
• Do governments ensure fair access to medical treatment in your country?
• What should be done to reduce the costs of medical treatment and drugs related to cancer?

“An explosion of new technologies and treatments for cancer coupled with a rapid rise in cases of the disease worldwide mean cancer care is rapidly becoming unaffordable in many developed countries.”
Kate Kelland, Reuters

Our Health Matters section features a full-length lesson on 6 Myths about Cancer. If your students are interested in this topic, be sure to print out a few of the related lessons.

Go to Health Lesson on Cancer
Go to Famous People Lesson on Terry Fox
Go to Famous Places Lesson on the Love Canal
Go to Living in English Lesson on Health
Go to Mini Debate Lesson on Caring for the Elderly

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Recent “Something to Talk About” Ideas

Cellphones in Classrooms
Facial Piercings at School
Street Musician Experiment
Steve Jobs: How to Live Before you Die
Why does Pisa Lean?

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/26/the-cost-of-cancer/feed/ 5 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/23/flashcards-for-describing-people/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/23/flashcards-for-describing-people/#comments Fri, 23 Sep 2011 14:43:08 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7427 It's Flashcard Friday and we've got some ideas for using our flashcard collection: Describing people and things.

]]> Welcome to our first Flashcard Friday post where we’ll give you ideas and invite suggestions for using flashcards in the classroom. As all teachers know, there is more to using flashcards than flashing pictures before your students’ eyes.

Flashcards for Describing People and Things

Are your beginner students learning how to describe people and things? Are they learning adjective pairs like messy/neat, tall/short, handsome/ugly? ESL-Library has a collection of describing flashcards to give you a starting point for your low level learners. Here are some activities you can do with our collection. Print the cards out with and without the words on the bottom.

(Watch Flashcard Library demo)

Before trying these activities, hand out a card or two (without text) to each person. Do they know the word or word pair? Have each student guess which word describes the picture. If they don’t know the word in English, they can pass it on. Some guesses may be appropriate even if the word is not the one that goes with the card. If students give synonyms, write them down on the board and give the student a point. Review the proper pronunciation for each adjective. Make sure your students know the correct placement of adjectives in a sentence.

Make the words Memorable

If you’re introducing new words, have students make these words memorable by sharing stories with other students. Give each student a card and set them loose around the classroom. “This word reminds me of …tell a story or name a person or thing from one’s own life.” After a few minutes, ask the class which words are most memorable and why. Which words are hard to remember?

Alliteration

Hand out flashcards and have students find another word that has the same sound at the beginning. (Similar Sisters/Fast Feet/Curly Carol)

Correct the Flashcards

The ESL-Library system allows you to change the default type that appears under the flashcards. (see demo) You can make a set with all of the wrong words. Then have your students cut the words off (or cross the words out) and write the correct word.

Nonsense sentences

Have everyone in the class write down one word on a piece of paper. Then pass the flashcards out so that everyone has a flashcard and a word. Finally, go around the class and have students write or say a sentence using the flashcard and the word. Nothing is too silly.

Chain stories

Hand out the flashcards and have students each take a turn saying a sentence from a story. Remind them that a good story has a beginning, a middle, an end, and a lot of conflict. Things should keep getting worse for the character(s). Keep going until everyone has had a turn or two. Warn the last few students that they need to think of a way to wrap up the story. Switch flashcards and make another story.

Opposites

Cut the flashcards that have opposites in half and pass them out. Have students walk around trying to find their opposite. Is there a word that means something in the middle? If yes, have students draw a flashcard that could be added to the collection. Draw a flashcard for a word in the middle.

Draw your own Flashcards

Assign each person a word or word pair (shiny/dull) to draw. As they are drawing, lay the ESL-Library flashcards out somewhere. After they are done drawing they have to find their matching card. Have students describe the difference. For example: “For the words tall and short I drew buildings, but the flashcards are of tall and short people.”

Draw Flashcards for one more adjective

The ESL-Library collection needs more flashcards! Make a large list on the board of words that need to be added. Have each student draw one flashcard (single or word pair) For example: tanned, slim, hungry, ill, depressed, pretty, funny, young/ old, busy/bored.

Drawing Challenge

Work together to brainstorm what kind of describing words can NOT be shown easily with a simple image. For example: “shy”. Allow students to challenge each word by putting up their hand and saying, “I think I could draw that”. Give them a chance to draw the adjective on the board.

Hot Seat

Set up two seats facing away from the board. Divide the class into two teams. Put one person from each team in the hot seat. Write one of the describing words on the board. Students from both teams have to get the person in the hot seat to say the word. They cannot use the word or any other form of it or they lose a point. The person who guesses first gets to stand up and another person from his team goes in the hot seat for the next word. The person who didn’t guess has to stay in the hot seat until he wins a round. When you’ve learned more adjectives you can adapt the game by putting the names of famous people or things on the board. Students can describe the word using adjectives and the students in the hot seat have to guess the name.

Collages

Choose 10-20 words (depending on the level of your learners). Bring in magazines and have students make collages using the same words. After they are done have students swap collages and point out the words they see. Can they think of a synonym for some of the words? (For example: good/angelic)

About ESL-Library Flashcards

The ESL-Library flashcards can be printed with or without words. You can also print them in different sizes and in colour or black and white. If you have young learners, print them in black and white and have them colour the flashcards. Watch a demo of the ESL-Library’s Flashcard Library. If you haven’t seen our flashcards, be sure to check them out! Our flashcards are drawn by professional artists who have worked with our team for many years. The flashcards are available in English, French, and Spanish. If there is a flashcard set you need that is not in our library, please contact us.

Related in the ESL-Library
Describing clothes (Flashcards)
Comparative and Superlative Adjectives Worksheet
Detective Series: The Case of the Missing Ring, in which the suspects describe each other to Detective Bossley (higher level learners).

Please share your own ideas, lessons, and activities for describing people and things.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/23/flashcards-for-describing-people/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/22/english-becoming-a-basic-skill/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/22/english-becoming-a-basic-skill/#comments Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:11:52 +0000 Kirsten Winkler http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7406 English is the most common ground in many industries worldwide. What does that mean for ESL as a market?

]]> Being involved in the education start-up scene in the US as well as here in Europe, English is probably the language I deal with most throughout the day. I am a German native speaker, living in France but because of my work as blogger and consultant nearly all my business talks, emails and blog posts are in English.

There is even the phenomenon that I exchange messages in English with my contacts in Germany because we find it more convenient. It is actually pretty hard to talk about “Netz Bildung”, e.g. online education in German. I feel that I am lost for words; it takes too long to remember the matching vocabulary so the effort of switching to German is often “too much”.

Another interesting trend I came across when meeting and talking to young European entrepreneurs is that we used to speak European. One might start a sentence in French, switch to English in the middle and another one adds some thoughts in German, Spanish or Italian. Nevertheless English is the most common ground.

Now what does this mean for ESL as a market? First thing we need to state is that English is not an extra in your CV anymore, it is a must. I would even go so far as to say that people expect that you speak English at least at an intermediate level. And that changes a lot for language learners.

The Wallstreet Journal recently published an article in which the author states that in Europe it is far more interesting to have yet another language at hand to stand out from the crowd of talented job seekers. The WSJ suggests to learn languages based on the potential outcome when looking for a job and takes German as a potentially lucrative option as the job market is still pretty stable and the country is looking for high skilled workers.

And the Boston Globe stated that “basic job skills aren’t that basic anymore”. Today people in so called lower skilled jobs have to deal with new technology and it is increasingly demanded that they also speak at least one other language. For most parts of the world this again is English.

Now, if English is as important as your native language or basic math and literacy it means that the motivation to learn it is fundamentally different from any other language “on the market”. This also results of course in a rising demand in parts of the world that are underserved at the moment. It also turns ESL / EFL into an even more competitive market than already before.

In the industrialised non-English speaking countries the public school systems still seem to do an OK job in teaching English up to a decent level and we also need to take into consideration that in the technology world people can’t get away from English. All major publications and blogs are written in English and the goal of every young programmer is of course to work one day in the Silicon Valley and the US centered pop culture also has a share in this.

All in all, I believe that in the coming years there are far more chances in specialised verticals within the ESL space than “just” teaching English. As most people will get their English “primer” in school and via various ways in informal learning, the real difference in English will be the the actual proficiency. Below you will find three example niches where I see possibilities for independent teachers as well as for schools.

Vocabulary coaching

English is known for its ever increasing treasure trove of vocabulary but most non-native speakers are using just a tiny friction of it. Special courses that teach new words either on a broader level or specialised for a certain job or field of interest have the potential to attract clients.

Accent coaching

Accents can be pretty tricky for non-native speakers in every language and English is no exception here. And there are two sides to this business opportunity. On the one hand, students might have trouble in understanding spoken accents by English speakers. There is also a demand to decrease one’s own native accent and to get closer to a plain US or British English.

Cultural coaching

Language is always a part of the culture and there are many bricks to drop. Anyone who lived in a foreign country for a longer period of time will know this and I can tell you that I’ve had my fair share here in France. Tying those two aspects together can be a tremendous help for people relocating to English speaking countries and each of them has its own culture code that needs to be learned.

Those services can be offered online but I also see a strong component in face to face teaching here, especially in the accent and cultural coaching space.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/22/english-becoming-a-basic-skill/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/21/podcast-the-united-nations/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/21/podcast-the-united-nations/#comments Wed, 21 Sep 2011 16:16:21 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7388 Today's podcast offers an audio preview of ESL-Library's lesson on The United Nations. Happy Peace Day!

]]> The United Nations

Today is Peace Day, an initiative organized by the United Nations

Our Lesson Plan Calendar reminded us that September 21 is Peace Day. According to the UN, this is “an opportunity for individuals, organizations, and nations to create practical acts of peace on a shared date“. Today’s podcast offers an audio preview of our Famous Things lesson plan on The UN. Students learn about the history and basic operations of the United Nations, an organization that works hard to preserve peace. The full lesson comes with a warmup, a reading, comprehension and discussion questions, and a vocabulary review. These podcasts can be used for individual on-the-go listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you plan to use in class.

Go to the United Nations lesson.

If your students like talking about peace, why not try other lessons from our ESL Lessons for International Day of Peace. Listen to a sample audio from the series in a past podcast episode: Mother Teresa.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 80th episode.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/21/podcast-the-united-nations/feed/ 0 0:00:01 The United Nations Today is Peace Day, an initiative organized by the United Nations Our Lesson Plan Calendar reminded us that September 21 is Peace ... The United Nations Today is Peace Day, an initiative organized by the United Nations Our Lesson Plan Calendar reminded us that September 21 is Peace Day. According to the UN, this is "an opportunity for individuals, organizations, and nations to create practical acts of peace on a shared date". Today's podcast offers an audio preview of our Famous Things lesson plan on The UN. Students learn about the history and basic operations of the United Nations, an organization that works hard to preserve peace. The full lesson comes with a warmup, a reading, comprehension and discussion questions, and a vocabulary review. These podcasts can be used for individual on-the-go listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you plan to use in class. Go to the United Nations lesson. If your students like talking about peace, why not try other lessons from our ESL Lessons for International Day of Peace. Listen to a sample audio from the series in a past podcast episode: Mother Teresa. Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 80th episode. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/20/esl-lesson-plans-for-peace-day/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/20/esl-lesson-plans-for-peace-day/#comments Tue, 20 Sep 2011 14:47:58 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7364 September 21 is International Day of Peace also known as "Peace Day". Here is a lesson collection on Peace from our library.

]]> September 21 is International Day of Peace also known as “Peace Day”. The General Assembly of the UN declared September 21 the International Day of Peace in 2002. It is a day to perform kind acts in the name of peace. This is also a day of ceasefire. How will you be celebrating peace in your classroom? We have collected a few lessons from our library that you may want to use. You’ll find a lesson on the United Nations, as well as lessons on famous people who have worked hard to promote peace in their own ways. Watch for our Wednesday podcast which will provide an audio preview of our lesson on the UN. Peace!

ESL English Lessons for International Day of Peace

UN: Famous Things – The United Nations (UN) is an international organization that works to preserve peace and help people around the world. Only a few nations do not belong to the organization.

John Lennon: Famous People – John Lennon was a member of The Beatles, one of the world’s most famous bands. He was also active in the peace movement.

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf: – Famous People – Liberia has many problems, but Johnson-Sirleaf is called the “Iron Lady” and many people hope that she can bring peace and prosperity to her country.

Mother Teresa: Famous People – Mother Teresa was a revered Catholic nun who helped the poor, the sick, and the dying in India and around the world. Our podcast on Mother Teresa offers an audio preview to the lesson.

Leave us your comments about your plans for Peace Day.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/20/esl-lesson-plans-for-peace-day/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/19/cellphones-in-classrooms/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/19/cellphones-in-classrooms/#comments Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:07:14 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7345 Have the rules for cellphone use in the classroom changed at your school this year?

]]> Do you allow cellphones in your classroom?

Does your school have a ban on mobile devices? Are cellphones distracting in class? What do your students think about this issue?
This  Globe and Mail article “It’s Back to School for Cellphones in Toronto” describes a decision that was recently made by the Toronto School Board. As of September, 2011, mobile devices are no longer banned in schools in the Toronto District School Board. As the article points out, many students didn’t ever realize that the phones they were hiding were no longer banned. Share this article with your students and see what they think about this change. You can print out the article and have the students read it, or read it out loud to them for listening practice. For lower level learners, simply summarize the main points. After introducing the topic, discuss the issues.
Here are a few questions to get you started:

• Should students be allowed to bring cellphones to class?
• Should cellphone use in class be restricted by the teacher?
• Is it distracting to have cellphones in the classroom?
• Name a few reasons why students should be allowed to have cellphones in class.
• Were you surprised to learn that low-income students are likely to have smartphones?
• How can smartphones make a classroom more portable?
• How do smartphones make it easier for students to cheat?

“[Teachers] just can’t sit at the front with the chalkboard any more, because that won’t engage them and we have to engage them using their tools.”
Technology Consultant, Todd Sniezek

Our Mini Debates section features a full-length lesson on Personal Technology in the Classroom. If your students enjoy this topic, be sure to print out these related lessons as well.

Go to Digital Learning Lesson
Go to Texting Lesson
Go to Social Media Lesson
Go to eBooks Lesson
Go to Cellphones Lesson

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Related in the ESL Library Blog

Edchat Summary: Is there a Place for Smart Phones in the Classroom

Recent “Something to Talk About” Ideas

Facial Piercings at School
Street Musician Experiment
Steve Jobs: How to Live Before you Die
Why does Pisa Lean?

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/19/cellphones-in-classrooms/feed/ 3 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/16/flashcard-friday/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/16/flashcard-friday/#comments Fri, 16 Sep 2011 17:09:21 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7308 Watch this space on Fridays for a new blog series about using Flashcards in the language classroom.

]]> September is blowing through, and it’s time for a change…

For the past year and a half we’ve been spending Fridays digging through the archives of the ELT blogosphere. We’ve gathered numerous posts that deserve to be revisited, and have tweeted them on Fridays using the #FF tag. It’s great to see many tweeters sharing archived posts of their fellow tweeters and bloggers these days. Like a good library, a blog is full of treasures, and the newest post may not be the one that speaks to you. We hope you’ll keep digging and sharing your favourite ELT posts as we move onto something new!

Are you using Visuals in the Classroom?

As our subscribers know, ESL-Library is more than a Lesson Plan library. We also have thousands of flashcards that are useful for using in the language classroom. Our artists are a key part of the ESL-Library team, and we are very proud of their excellent work. The original art that we use in our lesson plans helps set us apart from many other resource sites. In fact, sometimes it is the art that inspires the next lesson, such as in our new Grammar Story series about the blogger Adele who was brought to life by Peter Raginiak, one of our talented artists.

Flashcard Demo

When our website was rebuilt last year, we integrated a new system to make the Flashcard library easy to use. We demonstrated our system at the Virtual Round Table conference, and will do so again at next year’s TESOL convention in Philadelphia. Here is a quick demo for you to watch. You’ll get an informal preview of our flashcards from our President, Ben Buckwold, and will be able to see how easy it is to select, organize, and print flashcards from our library.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

Ideas for using Flashcards in the Classroom: Flashcard Friday

Flashcards are not meant to be flashed in front of your students’ eyes. Teachers are creative individuals with fun ideas for using visuals for teaching language. Watch this space on Fridays for some of our ideas for using flashcards in your lessons. If you are interested in doing a Guest Post on using flashcards in the classroom, please contact us. We’d love to hear your ideas! Next week we’ll be sharing ideas for Describing people and Things using flashcards. Have a great weekend!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/16/flashcard-friday/feed/ 9 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/15/facial-piercings-at-school/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/15/facial-piercings-at-school/#comments Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:42:56 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7286 Ariana Iacono is allowed to wear a nose ring to school. Are you?

]]> Do you enjoy using authentic materials in class with your English learners?

Do your students have facial piercings? Do any of your fellow teachers? Should a school’s dress code include rules about piercings and body art? Why not ask your own students to weigh in on this issue?
This  Huffington Post article describes a lawsuit involving a teenage girl and the North Carolina School Board. Before discussing the case, ask your students about the dress code at their school. Do they agree with it? Ask them about piercings and tattoos. Do they think schools should have the right to dictate how the students look? Then read the short news piece, North Carolina School Board Votes to Allow Facial Piercings After Lawsuit. You can print it and have the students read it, or read it out loud to them for listening practice. For lower level learners, simply summarize the main points. After introducing the case, discuss the issue. Here are a few questions to get you started:

• Should students be allowed to have nose rings?
• Should there be an age restriction for piercings?
• Is religion a good enough reason to make an exception to a rule?
• Should students be allowed to have tattoos showing at school?
• Do you think differently of people who have piercings or other body art?
• Do you think people should wear their piercings to a job interview or workplace?
• How do you feel about school dress codes?

“Engaging in a lengthy and costly lawsuit would have directed much needed funding away from our classrooms.”
Superintendent, Ed Croom

Our Discussion Starters section features a full-length lesson on Body Piercing. If your students enjoyed this topic, be sure to print it out for class.
Go to Body Piercing Lesson
Go to Tattoos Lesson
Go to School Uniforms Lesson

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.  After this discussion, you could also have your students come up with their own school dress code. They can be serious about it or have fun with it. Have your students work in pairs or groups. They can present their dress codes and vote on the best one.

Recent “Something to Talk About” Ideas

Street Musician Experiment
Steve Jobs: How to Live Before you Die
Why does Pisa Lean?

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/15/facial-piercings-at-school/feed/ 3 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/14/podcast-bermuda-triangle/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/14/podcast-bermuda-triangle/#comments Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:18:42 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7270 This week's podcast provides an audio preview of ESL-Library's Famous People lesson on the Bermuda Triangle.

]]> Bermuda Triangle

A number of ships, small boats, and even large military craft have disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle.

Our Lesson Plan Calendar reminded us of an important date in history that took place on September 16th, 1950. This was the first time the mystery of The Bermuda Triangle was revealed. Today’s podcast offers an audio preview of our Famous Places lesson plan on The Bermuda Triangle. Students learn about the mystery of  disappearing vessels and explore possible explanations. The full lesson comes with a warmup, a reading, comprehension and discussion questions, and a vocabulary review. These podcasts can be used for individual on-the-go listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you plan to use in class.

Go to the Bermuda Triangle lesson.
If your students like mysteries, why not try our Detective series: The Case of the Missing Ring. Listen to a sample audio from the series in a past podcast episode: Detective Series for English learners.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 79th episode.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/14/podcast-bermuda-triangle/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Bermuda Triangle A number of ships, small boats, and even large military craft have disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle. Our Lesson Plan Calendar reminded us of an ... Bermuda Triangle A number of ships, small boats, and even large military craft have disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle. Our Lesson Plan Calendar reminded us of an important date in history that took place on September 16th, 1950. This was the first time the mystery of The Bermuda Triangle was revealed. Today's podcast offers an audio preview of our Famous Places lesson plan on The Bermuda Triangle. Students learn about the mystery of  disappearing vessels and explore possible explanations. The full lesson comes with a warmup, a reading, comprehension and discussion questions, and a vocabulary review. These podcasts can be used for individual on-the-go listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you plan to use in class. Go to the Bermuda Triangle lesson. If your students like mysteries, why not try our Detective series: The Case of the Missing Ring. Listen to a sample audio from the series in a past podcast episode: Detective Series for English learners. Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 79th episode. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/13/the-written-word/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/13/the-written-word/#comments Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:44:04 +0000 Anthony Hemmens http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7256 Ideas for using written texts in the ESL classroom.

]]> We’re all aware of the power of the written word; it flows from the pen mightier than the sword.

In the EFL classroom too, it is a potent tool in a teacher’s arsenal, readily exploited for so many purposes at all levels of language proficiency.

The obvious use of a written text is to answer reading comprehension questions. Other uses include –

1. Punctuation practice – Take a passage of text and remove all the punctuation. Students put the punctuation back in.

2. Extended written discourse structure – Take a long passage of text and cut it up into its individual paragraphs. Students arrange the paragraphs into their correct order.

3. Connectives practise – Give students 20 written statements and a list of connectives – however, due to, despite, furthermore, etc. Students use the connectives to link the statements together.

Text Based Grammar Presentations

Many course books utilize written texts for grammar presentations. Typically this is done with a graded text containing multiple examples of the target grammatical structure. Practically any grammar can be presented in this way – past simple, present perfect, future forms, verb patterns, modals of obligation, etc.

Students read the passage and then, through a series of guiding questions, evaluate the grammar. Exercises usually include:

• identifying, highlighting or underlining, sentences which use the target grammar

• comparing meaning and form of contrasting grammatical structures, e.g. past simple and past continuous, past simple and present perfect, future forms ‘going to’ and ‘will’

• completing a table with examples from the text of different grammatical structures

• answering grammar concept questions relating to the target structure, e.g. what is the main interest focus in the sentence (passive / active); Does the sentence describe a real or imaginary situation? Which tense is used? (2nd conditional)

This is then followed by grammar practice exercises to consolidate learning.

Drawbacks

Usually graded texts are somewhat unnatural with a contrived use of language, but the biggest difficulty with presenting grammar in this way is that it is dependant on the students’ reading skill abilities. Often the reading itself can get in the way of the grammar being presented with students struggling to understand the text itself.

Students from a language and cultural background which uses a different script, or where reading habits are generally poor, can often struggle with text based grammar presentations; these difficulties can become particularly pronounced in a mixed-nationality class. With a class of 20 students, for example, you are likely to have reading skills and speeds at 20 different levels. You, as the teacher, need to be aware of this, providing additional support for weaker students and additional exercises of the stronger ones.

Authentic Texts

At advanced level, authentic written texts are a great resource with students able to analyse language devices to see how grammar affects meaning, style and tone. In contrast to graded texts, authentic written passages aren’t dominated by a narrow selection of grammatical structures, instead they stylistically demand variety in grammar. And, of course, they’re easy to get hold of; magazines, newspapers and the internet are full of them – as long as you follow copyright law.

Class Readers

Using a class reader can be time consuming but if you’re working with a group of students with a lot of contact time they can be a rewarding and fun resource.

One activity I like to do is to take a passage from the text containing lots of speech and act it out in class. General procedure -

1. Assign roles to the students including one as the narrator. You can also appoint a ‘director’ to decide on the actions students need to include.
2. Provide a whole class practice – students shadow read as they listen to the text read out by the teacher. It’s important that the teacher models the reading in the way they expect the students to later reproduce.
3. Students work on the text alone, reading the whole passage out loud and then focusing on their own particular parts.
4. Whole class practice – speech and actions. While speaking and acting the students can still read the text (it’s not a memory test) but they can’t read and speak at the same time – they have to look at a sentence, remember it, then look up and say it.
5. Production. If it’s possible, getting another class to come into your classroom as an audience gives real meaning to the whole activity. The other class teacher can utilize your performance as a listening exercise.

This is a fun activity, a change of pace and focus, great fluency practice and a good opportunity to work on pronunciation – particularly intonation and stress. Of course, if you’re using a graded reader there’s also plenty of opportunity to review the grammar.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/13/the-written-word/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/09/teachers-remember-911/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/09/teachers-remember-911/#comments Fri, 09 Sep 2011 05:31:50 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7222 Were you teaching English on September 11, 2001? Teachers remember...

]]> [There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

Thank you to all of the teachers who shared their memories about being in or out of the classroom on September 11th, 2001. That includes you Ceci. Sorry I missed your tweet. That must have been a scary day to be a new mom. Hugs.

Teachers: If you missed the tweet or FB request, please share a comment below about what you remember from that day. We’d love to hear your voice, so why not record and share an Audioboo about your 9/11 memory?

A few more memories were shared today…

Related:
ESL Lesson Plans for September 11th
Podcast: September 11
Larry Ferlazzo’s Best Sites to Learn about 9/11

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/09/teachers-remember-911/feed/ 7 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/07/podcast-september-11th/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/07/podcast-september-11th/#comments Wed, 07 Sep 2011 14:46:38 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7142 Remembering September 11th. Discussing real issues with your English learners.

]]> September 11th

It has been ten years since the September 11th attacks in the US.

This year, teachers around the world will be faced with the difficult task of remembering this historic event with students whose first language is not English. Many of you were probably teaching English the day the attacks occurred. I’ll never forget sitting in the café beneath the the English language school I taught at in Vancouver, Canada. I watched the footage in horror minutes before my class was about to start. Many of the students in my class had heard about the event on the bus as they headed to school. They wanted me to have answers for them. They wanted to know if it was an earthquake or an attack. They wanted to call their friends and family members in Japan, Korea, and Mexico to say that they were okay.

Did you have a similar experience? If you were teaching in the US, you may have had to evacuate your schools. What were your students doing on that day? Some of them may not have even been born. Many of them will have learned about the history from other countries, and will bring a unique perspective to your 9/11 discussions.  Today’s podcast offers an audio preview from our Remembering September 11th collection of lesson plans. The full lesson comes with a warmup, a reading, comprehension and discussion questions, and a vocabulary review. Our collection also includes a lesson on the 9/11 Heroes and The Pentagon. These can be used for individual on-the-go listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class.

Go to the September 11th lesson.
Go to the 9/11 Heroes lesson.
Go to the Pentagon lesson.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 77th episode.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/07/podcast-september-11th/feed/ 0 0:00:01 September 11th It has been ten years since the September 11th attacks in the US. This year, teachers around the world will be faced with the difficult ... September 11th It has been ten years since the September 11th attacks in the US. This year, teachers around the world will be faced with the difficult task of remembering this historic event with students whose first language is not English. Many of you were probably teaching English the day the attacks occurred. I'll never forget sitting in the café beneath the the English language school I taught at in Vancouver, Canada. I watched the footage in horror minutes before my class was about to start. Many of the students in my class had heard about the event on the bus as they headed to school. They wanted me to have answers for them. They wanted to know if it was an earthquake or an attack. They wanted to call their friends and family members in Japan, Korea, and Mexico to say that they were okay. Did you have a similar experience? If you were teaching in the US, you may have had to evacuate your schools. What were your students doing on that day? Some of them may not have even been born. Many of them will have learned about the history from other countries, and will bring a unique perspective to your 9/11 discussions.  Today's podcast offers an audio preview from our Remembering September 11th collection of lesson plans. The full lesson comes with a warmup, a reading, comprehension and discussion questions, and a vocabulary review. Our collection also includes a lesson on the 9/11 Heroes and The Pentagon. These can be used for individual on-the-go listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Go to the September 11th lesson. Go to the 9/11 Heroes lesson. Go to the Pentagon lesson. Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 77th episode. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/06/september-news-2/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/06/september-news-2/#comments Tue, 06 Sep 2011 18:02:32 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6932 We hope you are well rested and ready to begin a new school year. Check out this month's new and featured content from ESL-Library.

]]> The Month to Share your Ideas

Are you bursting with creative energy this September? Many teachers are! September is the perfect month to take a look inside the classrooms of other English teachers from around the world. ELT bloggers share ideas, tips, reflections, and concerns on a daily basis.  This month we’ve updated our ELT blog roll. You’ll find a number of blogs you can visit whenever you’re looking for a little inspiration. On Fridays, we dig through the ELT blogosphere to find an archived post to feature for our #Follow Friday Tribute. If you’re thinking of starting a blog, September is the perfect month to get started!

Have you tried our Something to Talk About section yet? This is a free section that is open to non-subscribers. Whether you need a break from your course book, or are building your own curriculum, our Something To Talk About section has a large collection of ideas for using authentic resources in class. As one teacher told us a few weeks back, the ideas are perfect when you’re having one of those days when you’re feeling uninspired.

New Lesson Plans this Month

• Grammar Practice Worksheet: Adjective Phrases
• Famous Things: September 11th
• Everyday is a Holiday: Labour Day
• Famous People: 9/11 Heroes
• Tiny Conversations (NEW section for beginners): 4 new lessons for absolute beginners

In the works:

Everyday Dialogues: We are expanding our popular Everyday Dialogues section with new topics that have been requested by real teachers.

September Features

Holidays - September 11th tenth Anniversary: Patriot Day It has been 10 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Choose from a collection of 9/11 related lesson plans as you and your students remember this devastating event that changed the world.

Discussion Starters The Importance of Community: September 26th is Good Neighbours Day. If you’re looking for an idea to celebrate this special day, try our Discussion Starter lesson on the Importance of Community.

Every day is a Holiday- Grandparents’ Day : Whether you call it Grandparents’ Day or Respect for the Elderly Day, it is a day that deserves to be celebrated. Grandparents hold the key to our past and often the secrets that can improve our future. Why not visit a retirement home and adopt a grandparent or two for your classroom. (September 11)

Flashcards-School Subjects. This flashcard collection goes beyond the usual subjects of math, English, and science, and includes images of optional classes such as typing, driver’s ed, and band.

Teaching Tip: Engaging Parents this School Year

Students and teachers aren’t the only ones who find September a stressful month. Many parents want to be more involved with their children’s learning process, but some don’t know how to approach the teacher. Dealing with parents who have English as a Second language can be difficult, but it should not be avoided. Shelly Terrell came up with some excellent tips for engaging parents this school year. From keeping parents active, to inviting them to a workshop, there are many things you can do to ensure that the parents of your students are not afraid to approach you with their ideas and concerns. A big thank you to all of our guest bloggers!

Happy teaching!
Sincerely,

The Staff at ESL-Library

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/06/september-news-2/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/06/collection-of-esl-lesson-plans-for-september-11th/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/06/collection-of-esl-lesson-plans-for-september-11th/#comments Tue, 06 Sep 2011 17:54:11 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7087 It has been 10 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Choose from a collection of 9/11 related lesson plans as you and your students remember this devastating event that changed the world.

]]> It has been 10 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Choose from a collection of 9/11 related lesson plans as you and your students remember this devastating event that changed the world.

ESL English Lessons for September 11th

9/11 Heroes: Famous People – In this lesson, students are reminded about all of the efforts that were made to save lives on September 11th. Students discuss the various roles of the emergency workers and write a thank you note to a local hero.

September 11th: Famous Things – Students read about the major events that occurred on September 11th when the US was attacked. This lesson includes comprehension and discussion questions, vocabulary review, and a memory page activity.

Cancer: Health Matters – Many rescue workers later got cancer from inhaling debris and toxins from the collapsing towers. In this lesson, students learn 6 Myths about Cancer. They practice new vocabulary and pronunciation, and perform role plays with a doctor and a “hypochondriac”.

Pentagon: Famous Places – The Pentagon is the home of the United States Department of Defense. It has almost four million square feet of office space, which is more than any other office building in the world.

Leave us your comments about these lessons in the comment fields below.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/06/collection-of-esl-lesson-plans-for-september-11th/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/06/a-mess-of-my-own-making/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/06/a-mess-of-my-own-making/#comments Tue, 06 Sep 2011 14:07:41 +0000 Peter Martin http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7076 When you make a problem worse by correcting students, what do you do to dig both you and them out?

]]> How perfectly should a teacher try to get his students to speak?

My answer to this question changes daily. If a strategy on the matter weren’t so important, I would just give up on it.

Many of my students are relatively high level, C1 or C2 on the Common European Framework. They speak smoothly, and they know a lot of grammar. They’re looking to become more comfortable in English and for instruction on the finer points of the language, the details not covered in lower-level classes. So I feel I owe it to them to go over those details in detail, and correct them a lot.

But here’s an experience I’m sure every teacher has had, and which I’ve had a lot: you interrupt a student or your lesson to correct something small, and you soon find yourself discussing issues far larger than the mistake—and issues you may not be fully prepared to explain in that moment.

And how about this experience: you prepare a lesson or bring up a grammatical point and, even if they understand it, your students don’t understand  exactly how and when to apply what you’ve told them, or why it’s so important.

It’s important, you say, because it’s right.

Well, you know that’s not a good enough answer. But, having gotten yourself into that mess, how else do you get out?

Let me give some examples of what I’m talking about. After correcting my students a few times on irregular plurals—halves, crises, criteria, etc.—I thought it would be helpful to prepare a comprehensive lesson on irregular plurals. That’s when I introduced the words synopses, oxen, foci, nebulae, strata, and matrices into their vocabulary. Very quickly, I realized that even with these C2-level students, I had stepped beyond the necessary. But what about the next time a student would say something like “phenomenons”? Or “nucleuses”? Should I correct her? She is technically wrong, and to my ears she sounds wrong. But not every native English speaker would recognize those words as wrong. So is it necessary—is it helpful—to go as far as correcting these niche irregular parts of the language?

Here are some other small issues. Thanks to my background as a copyeditor, I’m a stickler for punctuation. Should I be teaching my students what a direct address is and why it requires a comma, when most native English speakers don’t bother or don’t know what that is? Should I, when correcting written work, change less-common vocabulary to more-common vocabulary, even when the former is correct, such as when I see a student write “periodicity” (instead of, as I would write, frequency). Is it helpful to correct students when they say “people that” and remind them that “people who” is better? Should I even think about getting into the English subjunctive, explaining why we don’t say “I wish I was an astronaut”?

As I said, I don’t have a firm answer to any of this. Naturally, this totally depends on the level. But for high-level students, from your classroom experiences, what do you think? And for students of any level, when you make a problem worse by correcting them, what do you do to dig both you and them out?

Written by Peter F. Martin

Peter F. Martin was born and raised in New York City.  As an undergraduate at Yale University, he devoted himself to journalism, working as a writer, photographer, and editor for The Yale Globalist and the Yale Daily News. Peter first taught English while in college, teaching a weekly writing course to inmates at the Cheshire Correctional Institute in Cheshire, Connecticut. His work as an editor for campus publications required him to teach writing technique daily, correcting small mistakes and helping writers construct sentences, paragraphs, and pieces better.  He moved to Bogotá, Colombia, and has been working there as an English teacher and editor since. Peter blogs and shares his writing and photography on his website, peterfmartin.com

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/06/a-mess-of-my-own-making/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/02/archives-gordon-scruton/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/02/archives-gordon-scruton/#comments Fri, 02 Sep 2011 14:48:32 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7061 This week's #FF tribute goes to Gordon Scruton for his post on using a teacher's notebook.

]]> Each Follow Friday (#FF on Twitter) we pull a buried blog post from the dusty archives of the web. We hope you agree that there is a lot to learn from these “oldie but goodie” posts by educators.

Post: Organize, Organize, Organize
Writer: Gordon Scruton
Role in Education: English language teacher in Argentina
Date Posted: April 18, 2011
Subject: Using a Teacher’s Notebook
Twitter ID: @gscruton
Blog: So Where Did it Go Wrong?

Why we pulled it from the archives? One of the best things I found on the web this week was the TED Talk You Matter by Angela Maiers (thanks to @brad5patterson). As someone who always carries around a notebook (and often gets made fun of for paper-based note-taking), I was fascinated by Angela’s description of how a school was transformed by a simple notebook. This morning I came across a post by Gordon Scruton on a similar topic. Like many teachers, Gordon was feeling overwhelmed by his large classes and long teaching hours. He turned to the old “handy dandy” notebook to keep track of his classes, learn student names, and reflect on his daily teaching experience. With a new year beginning, and organization being one of the key concerns for busy teachers, I think this post is perfect for today’s #FollowFriday tribute. Don’t forget to follow @gscruton before you head off for the weekend!

.

” I love computers, I really do.  I started keeping notes in a Word document about what I was doing in class.  But that depends on having the computer available to make notes or ideas when one pops into your head.  This is also a problem if you are projecting something over the computer for the students. ” Gordon Scruton

How would education change if it was mandatory that every teacher watched this video before starting a new year?
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Check out all of our 2010/11 “From the Archives” tributes here. Be sure to follow all of these great educators on Twitter.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/02/archives-gordon-scruton/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/01/joshua-bell/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/01/joshua-bell/#comments Thu, 01 Sep 2011 15:06:40 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7020 This Washington Post experiment will surely give your students something to talk about.

]]> Have you heard about the experiment The Washington Post did with Joshua Bell back in 2007? Joshua Bell is a young violinist who sells out shows and performs for audiences worldwide. When he was approached to do an experiment that would test how many average people in Washington, DC appreciate classical music, he quickly agreed to participate.

Do you enjoy using authentic materials in class with your English learners?

This  Washington Post video and article describes what happened when the famous violinist set up beside a trash can in a busy metro station in Washington, DC. Before showing the video, ask your students what they think would occur if a famous violinist began playing in a busy metro station. Then ask them what they think the music director of the National Symphony Orchestra would have guessed if asked the same question. Here is the answer: “…out of 1,000 people, my guess is there might be 35 or 40 who will recognize the quality for what it is. Maybe 75 to 100 will stop and spend some time listening.”You don’t have to share the whole article with your English learners. Choose a few of the main points and have a discussion. If your students are more advanced, have them read the article. Turn these points into questions, or have them write out a summary:

• Joshua played for 45 minutes during rush hour in the metro station.
• Joshua was dressed in street clothes.
• The first donation came after three minutes. A woman gave Joshua one dollar.
• After six minutes one person stood to watch.
• 27 people in total gave money. He earned $32.
• 1070 people passed by without a glance.
• About three people were extremely impressed.
• One person recognized him and watched the rest of the show.
• A crowd never formed.

“No one knew it, but the fiddler standing against a bare wall outside the Metro in an indoor arcade at the top of the escalators was one of the finest classical musicians in the world, playing some of the most elegant music ever written on one of the most valuable violins ever made.” Washington Post, Pearls Before Breakfast

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

Here are some ideas to get the conversation started after showing the video:

• Why do you think most people walked by?
• Do you think you would have passed by without thinking about it?
• Would you have put some money in the case? Why or why not?
• Do you and your friends appreciate classical music? Why or why not?
• What can be learned from this experiment?
• How do you think the woman who spoke to the musician felt after she left that day?
• How do you think Joshua Bell felt after doing this experiment?
• How do you think an average street performer would feel after seeing this video?
• After seeing this video, do you think you will pay more attention to street performers? Why or why not?

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.  After this activity, you could also have your students go to a busy downtown area to enjoy the street entertainment. Ask them to describe what they saw. Do they view street performers differently now?

Related Lessons in the ESL-Library

Famous Things: Rock and Roll
Famous Things: Jazz
Famous People: Billie Holiday
Famous People: Louis Armstrong
Mini Biographies: Gospel and Jazz

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/09/01/joshua-bell/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/31/podcast-labour-day/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/31/podcast-labour-day/#comments Wed, 31 Aug 2011 17:26:32 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=7001 This week's podcast is an audio preview of ESL-Library's holiday lesson on Labour Day.

]]> Every Day is a Holiday: Labour Day

Labour Day didn’t start out as a day of relaxation. It started out as a day to fight for workers’ rights. Labour Day celebrates the labour union movement, which recommended eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation and eight hours for sleep. If you’re teaching in Canada or the US, this is the perfect week to do a lesson on the history of Labour day. Today’s podcast offers an audio preview of our Every Day is a Holiday lesson plan on Labour Day. The full lesson comes with a warmup, a reading, comprehension and discussion questions, and a vocabulary review. Thank you to Penny (a hard working teacher and subscriber) for requesting this lesson. Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual on-the-go listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 76th episode.

Do your student enjoy downloading iTunes episodes made especially for English learners? Are they looking for more FREE listening tracks? English Addicts has a large collection of episodes that your students may also enjoy. Don’t underestimate the power of iTunes for English language learning!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/31/podcast-labour-day/feed/ 4 0:00:01 Every Day is a Holiday: Labour Day Labour Day didn't start out as a day of relaxation. It started out as a day to fight for ... Every Day is a Holiday: Labour Day Labour Day didn't start out as a day of relaxation. It started out as a day to fight for workers' rights. Labour Day celebrates the labour union movement, which recommended eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation and eight hours for sleep. If you're teaching in Canada or the US, this is the perfect week to do a lesson on the history of Labour day. Today's podcast offers an audio preview of our Every Day is a Holiday lesson plan on Labour Day. The full lesson comes with a warmup, a reading, comprehension and discussion questions, and a vocabulary review. Thank you to Penny (a hard working teacher and subscriber) for requesting this lesson. Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual on-the-go listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 76th episode. Do your student enjoy downloading iTunes episodes made especially for English learners? Are they looking for more FREE listening tracks? English Addicts has a large collection of episodes that your students may also enjoy. Don't underestimate the power of iTunes for English language learning! ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/31/20-tips-speaking-skills/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/31/20-tips-speaking-skills/#comments Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:52:24 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6967 Throughout the years I have collected resources that have helped me motivate my learners to speak English. I hope they are as helpful for you as they have been for me.

]]> I remember in my first years of teaching English I often struggled with providing speaking opportunities for all my students. I had to overcome a few obstacles, which included getting all my 20+ students to speak in one class, motivating them to speak English versus their native language, and encouraging shy students to speak. Another problem was finding a way to assess the speaking in order to prepare my students to successfully complete the speaking portion of their tests. Throughout the years I have collected resources that have helped me motivate my learners to speak English. I hope they are as helpful for you as they have been for me.

Tips and Resources for In Class Dialogue

Set-up your classroom to encourage dialogue.

• 2 desks or chairs facing each other is great for pair work.
• Chairs in a circle is great for whole class discussions.
• Try having comfortable furniture like a sofa or pillows on the floor for diversity.

Divide students up in pairs or groups and walk around the class and take observation notes discreetly to be shared later when you provide feedback.
Give feedback afterwards so you do not interrupt the flow of the conversation.

• Provide these written notes to each student privately so the student isn’t embarrassed in the class.
• You can also point out general errors during whole class feedback.

Have students record themselves having the conversation with either their cellphones or provide them recorders.
Have students suggest topics they would like to discuss in order to ensure they have an interest in the topic.
Play games or use icebreakers to add some fun!
Have students provide the vocabulary and materials to spark the conversation! These are a few ideas:

• ESL Library Discussion Starters
• ESL Library Mini-Debates
• Animating Your Lessons
• Teaching Unplugged With A Student Interaction Whiteboard
• Current Events Lesson for English Language Learners

Suggested Tools

These free tools helped my learners improve their speaking skills! Click on the links to discover ways learners used the tools!

• Skype- Check out 21 Skype Resources. Skype in guest experts your students can interview, or Skype with other classes around the world!
• VoiceThread- Students can upload images, papers, movies, etc and have several commenting options
• Voxopop- Online message board where students record audio over a specific topic or theme
• Voki- Students speak through speaking avatars they customize
• Vocaroo- Audio recording tool based online where students record messages
• Blabberize- Free tool for students to add mouths and dialogue to images
• Fotobabble- Free tool for students to narrate uploaded images

Chatbots

There are several chatbot sites that are great for English language learners. The student simply types in the dialogue and the chatbot will respond.

• BELL- A female chatbot that responds to messages typed in by children and adults. Read Anne Hodgson’s article on her experience talking with Bell, The Chatbot and I: Grammar and Pragmatics. In this article she has you examine if the conversation is human like or robot like.
• ESLFast- Students can speak with Tutor Mike, a male bot, or the female shopping bot. There are many dialogue examples on the right side of the website. English language learners can listen and read the various dialogues for various situations.
• Elbot- This is a robot that chats with students. Click on the red button on his stomach to chat with him.

Mobile Apps

Talking Tom
Story Robe
StoryKit
Fotobabble
PuppetPals
Audioboo

What ideas do you have to motivate your learners to speak?

If you want to receive more of Shelly’s tips for online resources for teaching English, then subscribe!
Shelly Terrell is the VP of Educator Outreach for Parentella and the Social Media Community Manager for The Consultants-E. She is also the co-organizer and co-creator of the award winning educational projects, Edchat, ELTChat, The Reform Symposium E-Conference, and the Virtual Round Table conference. Visit her award winning blog, Teacher Reboot Camp, for resources for effective technology integration. In the fall of 2011 find her book, The 30 Goals Challenge for Educators on Amazon. Find her on Twitter, @ShellTerrell. She has taught toddlers to adults English in various countries including the US, Germany, and Greece.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/31/20-tips-speaking-skills/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/25/steve-jobs-stanford-talk/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/25/steve-jobs-stanford-talk/#comments Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:19:40 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6909 Long before Steve Jobs resigned as Apple CEO, he told graduates to live every day as if it was their last.

]]> When you walk into an Apple store, you may get the feeling that Steve Jobs has the perfect life. People stand in line waiting for the store to open each day. When a new gadget is about to be released, Apple lovers go wild. It didn’t start out that way for Steve Jobs. In fact, Apple’s longterm CEO faced rejection more than one time in life. Despite several potential road blocks along the way, Steve Jobs continues to come out on top, and Apple was recently announced as the most valuable company in America. What is Steve Jobs’ secret to success? This video How to Live Before you Die offers some excellent clues for any human who wants to live an authentic life.

Before showing the video, ask your students what they know about Steve Jobs. Why is Steve Jobs in the news this week?

“I’d been rejected, but I was still in love.” Steve Jobs on being a beginner again, after being fired from his own company.

Here are some ideas to get the conversation started after showing the video:

• “Sometimes life is going to hit you on the head with a brick.” Do you agree with Steve Jobs’ statement? Has it happened to you.
• What does Steve Jobs mean by “don’t settle”?
• What do the words “curiosity” and “intuition” mean?
• What does “stay hungry, stay foolish” mean?
• What is the most important tool Steve Jobs has?
• If today were the last day of your life, would you want to live it?
• Will Apple be okay without Steve Jobs as CEO?

If your students enjoy talking about Steve Jobs, why not try our Famous People lesson plan on this topic? It includes a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review and discussion topics. Go to this lesson.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Related Lessons in the ESL-Library

Famous People: Bill Gates
Health: Cancer
Mini Debates: Personal Technology in the Classroom

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/25/steve-jobs-stanford-talk/feed/ 4 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/24/podcast-mother-teresa/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/24/podcast-mother-teresa/#comments Wed, 24 Aug 2011 14:32:20 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6891 This week's podcast features a reading about Mother Teresa from ESL-Library's Famous People section.

]]> Famous People: Mother Teresa | Podcast #76

Mother Teresa was a revered Catholic nun who helped the poor, the sick, and the dying in India and around the world. She was born on August 26, 1910 and died on September 5th, 1997. Here is a short recording about the famous nun. The full printable Famous People lesson in our library contains a warmup, a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review and discussion questions. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Famous People lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Coming soon to our podcast…September 11th.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Biography, Holiday, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

If you’re interested in helping your students develop their listening skills, check out Brad Patterson’s latest blog post, where teachers comment on this issue.

Find all 76 ESL-Library podcast episodes on iTunes. You’ll also find related podcasts that our listeners enjoy. Don’t forget to share the link with your students.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/24/podcast-mother-teresa/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Famous People: Mother Teresa | Podcast #76 Mother Teresa was a revered Catholic nun who helped the poor, the sick, and the dying in India ... Famous People: Mother Teresa | Podcast #76 Mother Teresa was a revered Catholic nun who helped the poor, the sick, and the dying in India and around the world. She was born on August 26, 1910 and died on September 5th, 1997. Here is a short recording about the famous nun. The full printable Famous People lesson in our library contains a warmup, a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review and discussion questions. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Famous People lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment. Coming soon to our podcast…September 11th. Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Biography, Holiday, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you're interested in helping your students develop their listening skills, check out Brad Patterson's latest blog post, where teachers comment on this issue. Find all 76 ESL-Library podcast episodes on iTunes. You'll also find related podcasts that our listeners enjoy. Don't forget to share the link with your students. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/23/curation-in-education/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/23/curation-in-education/#comments Tue, 23 Aug 2011 21:14:43 +0000 Kirsten Winkler http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6876 A reevaluation of tools and their value for professional exchange between teachers and also in respect of the teacher-student relationship.

]]> I have been following the discussion around rethinking the learning management system (LMS) with interest. The LMS itself is a relict of the web 1.0, and technology together with most of the educators has moved into the social web for quite a while now. One of the key points in the discussion is if there is still value in using LMS technology or if there is a way it can evolve.  I’m referring to a panel discussion at CT 2011, and if you’re interested here you can find the complete coverage

To resume the main arguments,
1) LMS had to add more valuable aspects than they do today
2) LMS had to overcome static content and evolve into something like a hub
3) LMS had to be stripped down to the essentials
4) LMS had overcome its web 1.0 origins and enter the web 2.0 age

This was the intellectual starting point to write this article about the importance of upcoming new ways that can help us

a) serve the needs of our students better and
b) foster professional exchange.

What I came up with is called curation. You will all remember it from what classic libraries and museums have always done. Selecting, caretaking and presenting. Curating in a web 2.0 sense in that respect is nothing new. It basically means to apply real world rules and principles in the digital environment. In the real world it is highly unlikely that I would disseminate unverified or unreflected information, notably in a professional context. Why should I in the digital world? It doesn’t make sense.

Now, the tricky or let’s say challenging part is the deluge of information we’re faced with each and every day when we’re online. Two examples: In March there have been 140 million tweets sent per day and every minute 48 hours of video are being uploaded to YouTube. Though both are great resources for educators to find relevant links to articles, lesson material or videos not all of the content is relevant to students, it simply can’t be. And that makes it even more difficult to find the few nuggets as there is a plethora of choice in materials for students and also for the exchange with other educators hidden in the white noise of social media.

To break this circle we need to ask ourselves: As an educator how do I make my choice?

On the one hand, we have our websites we trust and visit regularly. We trust them because we found valuable resources or good exchange with colleagues on those sites in the past. Maybe somebody we trust recommended a certain website or blog. As educators are already pretty well connected online and look for contact and exchange with other like-minded professionals we tend to always go to the same trusted resources.

What most educators are missing is the fact that at this very moment in time everything is in movement and that they are looking at the Internet through a magnifier. What they see are the effects in a very specific area, the group of people they follow, the subject they are teaching and so on. They can clearly see that there is change but they don’t know where it comes from as it is outside their focus.

If they put down the magnifier and step back they will see the whole picture. At the moment, the simple rule of thumb is: technology influences society, society influences education. Therefore the starting point for every curation effort needs to be the tech space.

Now you can either choose to start at the source and turn yourself into a top level curator or start your curation at a later stage in the funnel. It really depends on how much effort you can put into this endeavour besides your other duties, obligations or interests. You should also focus on two or three topics at max you want to curate. This way your followers will know what to expect when following you. For example you could curate ESL lesson plans, classroom activities and videos.

The most important rule is: your output is only as good as your input. Follow relevant sources you know you can trust to deliver valuable links and sources. But don’t just automatically re-share every single link. Your job is to evaluate whether the information is relevant to your following. As curator the experts you follow will naturally have a broader approach than you have. Therefore, you need to be selective about the content that you curate, in our example lesson plans, activities and videos. You won’t necessarily share edtech or conferences unless those are closely related to your field.

But there are even easier ways to start with curating content. Coming back to YouTube there are lots of short, well made videos by ESL teachers. The problem is that if a student wants to learn a specific subject those videos are all scattered on the platform. As ESL teacher you could create play lists that cover certain topics and therefore enable students to lean back and watch a series of video lessons instead of wasting time to search for the relevant ones.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/23/curation-in-education/feed/ 8 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/22/why-does-pisa-lean/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/22/why-does-pisa-lean/#comments Mon, 22 Aug 2011 15:01:50 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6848 The BBC asks visitors to the Leaning Tower of Pisa another question: What does the lean mean to you?

]]> After eight years of restoration and cleaning, the Leaning Tower of Pisa is free from its scaffolding. Italy’s intriguing piece of architecture is a great conversation piece. You don’t have to be in Italy to talk about it!
Do you enjoy using authentic materials in class with your English learners? This BBC video Leaning Tower of Pisa: Work in Progress asks visitors at the tower why they think it leans. Before showing the video, ask your students why they think the tower leans. This is a fun prediction exercise you can do with your students. The video is nice because it contains many different English accents.

“What, to you, does the lean mean? ” BBC reporter asks tourists at the Leaning Tower of Pisa

Here are some ideas to get the conversation started after showing the video:

• Who (in your class) has the best explanation about why the tower leans?
• Why is this such a popular tourist attraction?
• What do people like to do when they visit the tower?
• How did they save the tower?
• What caused the tower to become so dirty?
• “What is it [the tower] saying about nature?” (as asked by the BBC reporter)
• What other unique buildings are there in the world?

If your students enjoy talking about The Leaning Tower of Pisa, why not try our Famous Places lesson plan on this topic? It includes a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review and discussion topics. Go to this lesson.

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about. You could also have your students take turns roleplaying the reporter and the tourists.

Related Lessons in the ESL-Library

Famous Places: The Leaning Tower of Pisa
Famous Places: The Eiffel Tower
Famous Places: The Taj Mahal
Famous Places: The Parthenon

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/22/why-does-pisa-lean/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/19/archives-willy-cardoso/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/19/archives-willy-cardoso/#comments Fri, 19 Aug 2011 14:33:37 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6830 This weeks #FF tribute goes to Willy Cardoso for his archived post "Listening from the middle".

]]> Each Follow Friday (#FF on Twitter) we pull a buried blog post from the dusty archives of the web. We hope you agree that there is a lot to learn from these “oldie but goodie” posts by educators.

Post: Listening from the Middle
Writer: Willy Cardoso
Role in Education: EFL Teacher and Materials Writer, Conference Presenter
Date Posted: September 24, 2009
Subject: Listening Activity
Twitter ID: @willycard
Blog: Authentic Teaching

Why we pulled it from the archives? Today’s blog hunt was inspired by  a tweet from @LukeMeddings who said he was catching up on Willy Cardoso’s archives. I quickly followed the leader and read some brilliant new posts, including one titled “Listen” in which Willy explains how a few English teachers kind of saved his life. Awed by Willy’s wise words, I continued digging through the archives and found an older post on listening. This time the post was about learner listening, and I think teachers of all levels will appreciate the activity.

To be honest, listening in the middle is not something I’ve ever really thought about, yet it’s something we do every day. We walk in on half finished conversations, movies, YouTube videos, songs on the radio etc. Let’s give our language learners some tools and practice for those everyday situations when they show up in the middle of things. Read Willy’s post for tips on how to teach this skill.

” The goal of the current activity is to give learners strategies for starting to listen in the middle of a conversation by quickly making inferences about the ‘setting, mood, interpersonal relationships, and topic’ . ”

If you need some listening materials for this type of activity, you could try the dialogues in ESL-Library’s Everyday Idioms or Detective series. Our podcasts may also be useful. Sue Lyon-Jones has also started a Scoop.it! on listening.

Check out all of our 2010/11 “From the Archives” tributes here. Be sure to follow all of these great educators on Twitter.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/19/archives-willy-cardoso/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/18/operation-white-cake/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/18/operation-white-cake/#comments Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:38:03 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6797 This wedding video will give your students something to cry and talk about!

]]>

Some people say that your wedding day is the most stressful day you’ll experience. What if you didn’t know you were getting married?
This YouTube video Surprise Wedding: Bride Had no Idea may make your students cry, but it will also give them something to talk about. From the planning, to the financing, to the party and guests, weddings offer plenty of things to talk about, with opportunities for introducing vocabulary and expressions. If someone in your class is engaged, it is an even more exciting subject! Show the video to your class and see what their reaction is. Do the boys react differently than the girls?   

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

“Buttercup soon realized that every time the farm boy said ‘As you wish’ he was really saying ‘I love you’. ” The Princess Bride -Inspired Shawn Lippert to surprise his bride

Here are some ideas to get the conversation started after showing the video:

• Why are weddings generally so stressful?
• What does “it’s all in the details” mean?
• What do you think would have happened if the bride had said “no”?
• Why do stories like this make us cry?
• How does this wedding differ from most weddings?
• Who was “in on” the surprise?
• How do you think the groom pulled it off?

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.  If you like this topic, and your students like the part about “As you Wish,” why not show them some clips from the hilarious movie, “The Princess Bride”.

Related Lessons in the ESL-Library

Discussion Starters: Weddings -Paying the Price
Everyday Idioms: Wedding Bells
Detective Series: The Case of the Missing Ring

Related videos:
Greatest Marriage Proposal Ever

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]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/18/operation-white-cake/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/17/podcast-elvis-presley/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/17/podcast-elvis-presley/#comments Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:30:58 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6770 Today's podcast offers an audio preview of ESL-Library's Famous People lesson on Elvis Presley.

]]> Famous People: Elvis Presley

Do your students enjoy talking about famous people? Do they enjoy rock and roll music? This is the perfect week to do a lesson on the King of Rock and Roll. As our Lesson Plan Calendar reminded us, Elvis Presley died on August 16th, 1977. He was 42 years old. Today’s podcast offers an audio preview of our Famous People lesson plan on Elvis Presley. The full lesson comes with a warmup, a reading, comprehension and discussion questions, and a vocabulary review. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Famous People lesson plans here. Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual on-the-go listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 75th episode.

Have you ever thought about doing your own podcast with your English learners? Shelly Terrell recently did a webinar on Podcasting with English learners. I highly recommend it if you’re thinking about trying this out!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/17/podcast-elvis-presley/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Famous People: Elvis Presley Do your students enjoy talking about famous people? Do they enjoy rock and roll music? This is the perfect week to do ... Famous People: Elvis Presley Do your students enjoy talking about famous people? Do they enjoy rock and roll music? This is the perfect week to do a lesson on the King of Rock and Roll. As our Lesson Plan Calendar reminded us, Elvis Presley died on August 16th, 1977. He was 42 years old. Today's podcast offers an audio preview of our Famous People lesson plan on Elvis Presley. The full lesson comes with a warmup, a reading, comprehension and discussion questions, and a vocabulary review. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Famous People lesson plans here. Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual on-the-go listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 75th episode. Have you ever thought about doing your own podcast with your English learners? Shelly Terrell recently did a webinar on Podcasting with English learners. I highly recommend it if you're thinking about trying this out! ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/16/modal-verbs/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/16/modal-verbs/#comments Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:35:15 +0000 Anthony Hemmens http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6761 Closely linked to mood, but far more important to us in the EFL classroom and useful to our students generally, is modality.

]]> I love the idea of moody verbs. It sounds like something my daughter would watch on children’s TV – “In today’s program of ‘Moody Verbs’ the auxiliary verb to be gets rather upset”.

In grammar, mood indicates the attitude of the speaker towards what they are saying. In English there are three moods – my daughter has many more than this.

•The indicative is a simple statement of fact as opposed to something imaged or desired; It’s Tuesday.

•The imperative is a command (very useful for the parade ground but do we really need to teach it to our elementary students); Stand up. Sit down.

•The subjunctive, often used in subordinate clauses, refers to situations that don’t actually exist, showing different states such as necessity, judgment, emotion and possibility.

Mood is a language feature not commonly found in the EFL classroom. In fact, I’ve never come across a course or textbook which includes the concept. If you have please let me know, I’d like to see it.

Closely linked to mood, but far more important to us in the EFL classroom and useful to our students generally, is modality. As with mood, modality is about the speaker and the intention of their utterance; there is a functional meaning to what is being said.

Modality is mainly expressed using modal verbs and, depending on how you categorize them, there are 11 in English –

•can / could / may / might / must / will / would / shall / should / ought / need

It’s a versatile collection of verbs, readily adapted to many different functions and uses. Each modal verb has at least two meanings. With them we’re able to talk about –

•obligation / deduction / ability / possibility / permission / requests / orders / suggestions / predictions / criticisms / intentions / habits / advice / imaginary situations / future / conditionals

So, what do our students need to know?

Modal verbs work differently to other verbs and they have several points in common.

1. There’s no –s on the 3rd person singular. There are also no –ed or –ing endings.

2. There are no past forms, hence no –ed endings. Although could and would have past meanings in some cases. All modals, except for shall, are used with the perfect infinitive to talk about past.

3. Questions and negatives are made without the verb to do.

4. There are no infinitives.

5. They are followed by the infinitive without to (except for ought).

6. They all have contracted negative forms – can’t / mustn’t / won’t. (will / shall / would / should have contracted forms – I’ll / I’d)

7. They are not used to talk about things which are actually happening or have happened. Instead we use they to talk about events which are possible, necessary, improbable or impossible.

So, how to go about teaching this complex group of verbs?

The simple answer to this is gradually. You can’t swamp elementary students with all the details described above.

Textbooks following a structural approach to grammar introduce modal verbs, with their various usages and meanings, in stages. Typically it starts at elementary level with can and could to talk about ability, and gets progressively more complex as students move through the levels – should and ought to for advice, must for obligation, might and could for probability, and so on. Advanced students study modal perfects and the more subtle nuances of meaning.

Some lesson ideas and exercises –

Level: Elementary
Learning Objective: Controlled oral and written practice of can and can’t for personal ability

1. write the following words pairs on the whiteboard (even more effective if you can find pictures for the activities)

a. swim / skate
b. drive car / sail boat
c. play guitar / sing
d. play tennis / ski
e. dance / cook

2. Controlled writing practice – students construct sentences about themselves using can and can’t, e.g.

‘I can’t swim but I can’t skate.’
‘I can drive a car but I can’t sail a boat.’
‘I can play the guitar and I can sing.’

Monitor students while they are writing. When students have finished elicit sentences and conduct oral drills of selected sentences with the whole class for extra oral practice.

3. Controlled speaking practice. This could be done as a class survey. Students use the word prompts to interview each other about their personal abilities, e.g.

‘Can you swim?’ – Yes, I can.
‘Can you skate?’ – No, I can’t.

4. Extension exercise or homework – controlled writing practice. Students write sentences about the classmates they have interviewed and what they can and can’t do.

Level: Upper-intermediate
Learning Objective: Review of modality – controlled oral and written practice

1. Controlled writing practice. Students complete the gaps in the following sentences with correct or appropriate modal verbs

a. “What’s that noise at the front door?”
That ________________ be the postman. He always comes at this time of day.

b. Your cold is bad. You _________________ go home and stay in bed. If you stay at work you _________________ give it to everyone.

c. You _______________ smoke in public buildings. If you want to smoke you _________________ to go outside.

d. The phone stopped ringing before I ___________________ answer it. I wonder who it have been?

e. I _____________________ answer the phone. It _________________ be Paul. He said he _____________________ call this afternoon.

When students have finished elicit answers.

2. Students decide on the function of the modal verb in each sentence. Discuss the answers together as a whole class.

If you have any great ideas for activities that present and practice modal verbs why not share them with the ESL Library community and post a comment.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/16/modal-verbs/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/15/chilean-miners-speak-out/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/15/chilean-miners-speak-out/#comments Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:19:28 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6751 Some of the Chilean miners who vowed they wouldn't speak about what happened underground have now shared parts of the story.

]]> Have you ever wondered what the Chilean miners were thinking during the first 17 days of their ordeal? Were the toughest days the ones before they were discovered alive?
This BBC Video: I was alive, but I was dead (a clip from the documentary Chilean Miners: 17 Days Buried Alive) offers a small glimpse into the thoughts of two Chilean miners who had almost given up hope. If you used our 33 Brave Chilean Miners lesson last year, this video will be a nice follow up to a discussion you may have already had with your students. If you did not use the lesson, (available in low-intermediate and high-intermediate) consider using it as an extension after you show this video.   

“To myself, I was l already dead.” Survivor in a BBC video, August 12

Here are some ideas to get the conversation started after showing the video:

• What do you think kept the miners going while they were trapped underground?
• How do you think you would have acted in a situation like this?
• Do you think any of these miners went back to their job after they were rescued?
• How did the second speaker stay positive during this difficult time underground?
• Why do you think the miners swore to a vow of silence about their experience?

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about. If you like this topic, please be sure to participate in our 33 Things We’re Thankful for Challenge. The audio to our 33 Brave Chilean Miners lesson is also available on our podcast.

Go to ESL-Library’s low-intermediate and high-intermediate lessons on the 33 Brave Chilean Miners.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/15/chilean-miners-speak-out/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/12/archives-james-taylor/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/12/archives-james-taylor/#comments Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:04:43 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6699 This week's #FF tribute goes to The Teacher James for his post on teaching like Mike Leigh.

]]> Each Follow Friday (#FF on Twitter) we pull a buried blog post from the dusty archives of the web. We hope you agree that there is a lot to learn from these “oldie but goodie” posts by educators.

Writer: James Taylor
Role in Education: EFL teacher
Date Posted: November 9, 2010
Subject: Reflecting on EFL Technique
Twitter ID: @theteacherjames
Blog: TheTeacherJames

Why we pulled it from the archives? One of the reasons I almost always wait for a movie to come out on DVD instead of watching it at the theatre is that I love the behind the scenes bonus material. Directors are some of the most creative humans on this planet, and there’s nothing like getting inside their heads after watching a great film that they created from scratch. James Taylor, known in the #ELT online community as The Teacher James, is both a writer and a teacher, and he was recently inspired by an interview with director, Mike Leigh. After watching the interview, James blogged about how some of the director’s techniques could be applied in the classroom:

” If we see the teacher as a director and the students as actors, then I think we can see the story as a curriculum. Rather than arrive in the classroom with a prescribed plan, detailing the students classes for the next few weeks, the teacher and the students (led by the students) make their own curriculum over the the length of the course. ”

James goes on to describe how Mike Leigh doesn’t share the whole story with his cast when filming begins, but rather lets them experience it naturally. With September coming, and new classes beginning, I highly recommend reading this post! Don’t be surprised if it inspires you to approach your classes with a new sense of direction.

PS-If you enjoy James’ writing, be sure to check out his ELT book reviews on TEFL.net.

Check out all of our 2010/11 “From the Archives” tributes here. Be sure to follow all of these great educators on Twitter.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/12/archives-james-taylor/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/11/riot-uk-2011/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/11/riot-uk-2011/#comments Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:34:17 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6686 Many of the rioters in London have been identified and arrested. Now what? Is there a punishment that will deter others from adding to the violence?
The Huffington Post is a nice source of authentic material for English learners. The stories often focus on interesting aspects of a current event, rather than the main event. A recent  story about the UK riots talks about a petition that has been organized by taxpayers. Those who are signing it want rioters to lose their welfare benefits.  

Tens of thousands of people have called for rioters and looters to lose their benefits. Huffington Post, August 11

If you’re looking for something to talk about in class this week, why not discuss the riots in the UK from this angle? You don’t need to use the whole article.  You can read the first three short paragraphs out loud and find out what your students have to say about it.

Here are some ideas to get the conversation started after introducing the topic:

• How should rioters be punished?
• Why are so many people signing the petition?
• Would you sign this petition?
• Should the parents of these youths be punished?
• Are government benefits a right all citizens should have, or do people need to earn the right to have them?

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about. If you like this topic, you could also discuss the recent riots that happened in Vancouver, Canada after the final NHL hockey game. Compare the two riots.

Previous Something to Talk About suggestions

Dr. Death or Dr. Compassion
Mark Zuckerberg Kills his own Dinner
Does Money Equal Happiness?

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/11/riot-uk-2011/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/10/trail-mix/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/10/trail-mix/#comments Wed, 10 Aug 2011 18:03:40 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6665 A warmup that just might get the tummies rumbling.

]]> Students create their own trail mix and justify their reasons for selecting the ingredients. Which trail mix would taste the best?

Learner Level: Any
Language focus: Using “would”
Theme: Food
Time: 10 minutes +
Materials: None
Grouping: Small Groups
Preparation: 1 piece of paper and 1 pen per group

Teacher instructions

1. Ask students if they know what “trail mix” is. Why do they think this snack has this name?
2. Put students in small groups.
3. Tell students to invent their own trail mix. Group members take turns choosing one type of seed, nut, dried fruit, sweet, cereal etc. that would go into the snack. Encourage students to use the word “would” when describing their choice. One member of the group will write down the list of food that is going into the snack mix.
For Example:
Patricia: “I would add sunflower seeds because they are inexpensive and I love the taste. They are also healthy.” (The scribe writes down sunflower seeds.)

4.When each student has taken at least two turns, have the group review the mix. Would the ingredients taste good together? Why or why not? Are there some items that should be exchanged for other items. Is there a sweet and salty balance? What is a good name for this snack?
5. After a few minutes, tell your students that they have one more minute to finalize and name their trail mix. Invite the group leader to share the list of ingredients with the rest of the class.
6.Vote on the best snack mix (not including one’s own). Why would the students choose this one? Which one wouldn’t they choose?
It may be fun to actually create the winning trail mix. (Make sure to consider allergies.) Have each student bring in one small baggie of one type of food from the winning trail mix. Then mix it all together, and share it with the students. Go for a nature walk together! How does it taste?

Related Topics from the ESL-Library.com:

Warmups: Whatcha Makin’?
Mini Debates: Junk Food at School
Everyday Dialogues: Ordering Food
Flashcards: Food and Drink

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/10/trail-mix/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/10/podcast-synonyms-and-antonyms/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/10/podcast-synonyms-and-antonyms/#comments Wed, 10 Aug 2011 17:15:34 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6649 This week's podcast is a preview to ESL-Library's NEW Grammar Stories lesson on Synonyms and Antonyms.

]]> Stories: Synonyms and Antonyms

Are your students expanding their vocabulary with synonyms and antonyms? Are you looking for supplementary resources to use in class or for extra work? Learning vocabulary in context is a great way for students to remember new words. Today’s podcast features three blog posts written by Adele. Like many blogs today, Adele’s blog readers can choose to listen to the posts as they read along. Adele has just finished high school. In these posts she talks about getting a job and going to a concert. You can pre-teach the words and then use the stories, or use the stories as a preview to your lesson about synonyms and antonyms. Your students can practice reading the stories out loud or even recording them for pronunciation practice. The worksheet that goes with this podcast includes three stories, three question sets, and a writing activity. Your students can read and listen to the stories. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Grammar Stories here.

Go to this lesson.

Go to our Grammar Worksheets section.

Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Introduce your students to iTunes today! Next time your eager students ask for extra listening practice, just share this link!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/10/podcast-synonyms-and-antonyms/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Stories: Synonyms and Antonyms Are your students expanding their vocabulary with synonyms and antonyms? Are you looking for supplementary resources to use in class or for ... Stories: Synonyms and Antonyms Are your students expanding their vocabulary with synonyms and antonyms? Are you looking for supplementary resources to use in class or for extra work? Learning vocabulary in context is a great way for students to remember new words. Today's podcast features three blog posts written by Adele. Like many blogs today, Adele's blog readers can choose to listen to the posts as they read along. Adele has just finished high school. In these posts she talks about getting a job and going to a concert. You can pre-teach the words and then use the stories, or use the stories as a preview to your lesson about synonyms and antonyms. Your students can practice reading the stories out loud or even recording them for pronunciation practice. The worksheet that goes with this podcast includes three stories, three question sets, and a writing activity. Your students can read and listen to the stories. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Grammar Stories here. Go to this lesson. Go to our Grammar Worksheets section. Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Introduce your students to iTunes today! Next time your eager students ask for extra listening practice, just share this link! ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/10/everyday-dialogues-english-lesson-plans/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/10/everyday-dialogues-english-lesson-plans/#comments Wed, 10 Aug 2011 15:42:40 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6813 This English lesson plan section of ready-to-teach dialogs and short conversations has a fabulous new look! Get your students practicing the language of everyday tasks.

]]> This English lesson plan section of ready-to-teach dialogs and short conversations has a fabulous new look! Get your students practicing the language of everyday tasks such as grocery shopping or going to the bank. Students work in pairs to polish their speaking skills.

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Everyday Dialogues English Lesson Plans.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/10/everyday-dialogues-english-lesson-plans/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/09/tips-for-engaging-parents/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/09/tips-for-engaging-parents/#comments Tue, 09 Aug 2011 20:21:43 +0000 Shelly Terrell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6616 This time of year is very exciting, but also comes with new challenges. One of the most important challenges of the school year is how to engage parents. Shelly Terrell shares tips and ideas as September approaches.

]]> It’s that time again for many of us worldwide to start the new school year!

This time of year is very exciting, but also comes with new challenges. One of the most important challenges of the school year is how to engage parents. Larry Ferlazzo, author of Building Parent Engagement in Schools, points out that while many schools involve parents they rarely engage parents. According to Larry Ferlazzo, engaged parents are those that enter into partnerships with teachers and school staff to provide the best learning environment for children. Engaged parents make decisions and have a say in what happens in the classroom and with the curriculum. Engaging parents was something I often struggled with for many years. I was afraid of communicating with parents because in my teacher training courses I was never taught how to engage parents. Here are a few practical ways to get your parents to become partners with you in providing the best learning environment for their children. When parents are involved they aren’t scary at all. As I found out, when I won over parents by showing them how much I care about and do for their children I had less behavior problems and more successful students.

Begin the Conversation

Instead of having parents sign a syllabus with difficult language try sending a personalized email.

• I use a blanket email I copy and paste but the first two sentences always say something along the lines of, “Dear Mr./Mrs. Doe, I really enjoyed meeting Johnny who is very bright and made me laugh with jokes.” I always try to send a positive message for every child. This way the first communication you have with the parent is positive versus negative.
• Include information and links to your wiki page, school website, your contact information, where they can find homework, your meeting hours, schools supplies needed, and other important dates or information.
• Use headers like I am using in this post for easy navigation.
• Try translating with Google if you know the parents of your English language learners have trouble understanding. I often will begin the email with “I’m sorry if this isn’t translated so well. I used Google.” Parents really get a kick out of this and love me for the effort.
• At the end of the e-mail, ask the parents to respond with answers to questions like what is the best time to contact them and how they would like to help. If the parents have a question, they are more likely to respond back.
• If the parent doesn’t have email, then send the printed letter home with the child that asks for the best way to contact them. It might be through texting. Be flexible to how you contact parents because this will save you stress with student behavior in the future.

Set-up an Online Parent Community

Set-up a community for your parents to communicate with you and other parents. You can easily do this with free tools such as a Facebook group, Edmodo, Wiggio, Moodle, or Enter the Group.

• These communities allow parents to post updates to calendars, share resources, find homework that is posted easily, and so much more. The updates are short and manageable so take less time. Everyday parents and students will be able to know what is going on in the classroom so they will keep organized. These social networks can be made private so that only students and parents have access.
• Try posting a resource every week or month that will help parents with their own English. The Everyday Dialogues or Office Life series are great to share to help parents!

Keep Parents Active

Partnerships work best when we help each other.

• Let parents make decisions- Ask parents what they think would make the curriculum better. Then try to implement the suggestion. In the past, I have had parents add Wiki content such as song lyrics or Youtube videos. I have had parents suggest an activity for a book or a game.
• Invite parents to volunteer and help- I have had parents decorate the classroom or allowed them to update the calendar in our online community with their children’s upcoming competitions or ceremonies so that as a class we can support each other. I have had parents gather and organize fundraisers to get computers or other needs in the classroom. I have had parents be in charge of the activity of the month or resource of the month on the wiki page or our online community. Parents have organized field trips or have been guest speakers. Just like students, parents often need to know how they can help and be assigned roles so they feel like you value them and their ideas. Every parent can help in some way to improve the learning environment.

Invite Parents to a Workshop

Invite parents to a special workshop night and serve food! Food entices people to come. I used to serve my German parents some Mexican dishes I knew they normally would not get. I like to do this after the first few weeks in order to go over what technology we will use in the classroom, games we will play, rules, and more. I talk to parents about their concerns about their children posting online and we come to an agreement of what will be published.

Share Your Ideas

I hope these ideas will help you begin the school year right with your language learners and their parents! Whether your students are toddlers or teenagers, these ideas have worked for me!

What are your favorite ways to engage parents? Please share in the comments section!

For more back to school help try our Back to School flash cards and the resources in our August News post!

If you want to receive more of Shelly’s tips for online resources for having a successful language learning class, then subscribe!

Shelly Sanchez Terrell is the VP of Educator Outreach for Parentella and the Social Media Community Manager for The Consultants-E. She is also the co-organizer and co-creator of the acclaimed educational projects, Edchat, ELTChat, The Reform Symposium E-Conference, and the Virtual Round Table conference. Visit her award winning blog, Teacher Reboot Camp, for resources for effective technology integration. In 2012 find her book, The 30 Goals Challenge for Educators on Amazon. Find her on Twitter, @ShellTerrell. She has taught toddlers to adults English in various countries including the US, Germany, and Greece.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/09/tips-for-engaging-parents/feed/ 14 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/05/august-news-2/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/05/august-news-2/#comments Fri, 05 Aug 2011 14:24:22 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6424 Check out this month's new and featured lessons, and enjoy some teaching tips about organization and using Google Plus.

]]> Planning Ahead for an Organized School Year

If you took the summer off, it’s time to start planning for September! This month we’ll be filling up our Lesson Plan Calendar with lots of different lessons that you can try with your students for the rest of 2011. We have had thousands of views of our Lesson Plan Calendar in the past few months, so we know that our subscribers appreciate being able to plan ahead. Our Lesson Plan Calendar is also helpful for our own team because it helps us stay organized. What do you do to stay organized in the classroom? Share your ideas with us and we may ask you to write a guest blog for ESL-Library.

Reform

Did you make it to the Reform Symposium last weekend? RESCON3 is a free online conference focussing on professional development for educators. All of the sessions were recorded, so if you missed it you can catch up on any of the presentations you are interested in whenever you have some free time. Don’t get stuck doing the same old thing this year! Whether it’s your classroom set up, your teaching style, or the activities you use to energize your students, be sure to change things up as you start a new semester.

New Lesson Plans this Month

• Health Matters: Allergies
• Health Matters: Vitamins
• American Presidents: James Monroe
• Grammar Practice Worksheet: Subject Verb Agreement
• Everyday Dialogues: At the Dentist
• Everyday Dialogues: At the Hairdresser

In the works:

Tiny Conversations: A lesson series for absolute beginners. (Thanks for the request, teachers!)

August Features

Holidays -Ramadan (August): More than 1 billion Muslims celebrate Ramadan each year. This lesson is useful at any time during the month of August.
(NEW) This lesson now has audio.

Famous People Chilean Miners: 33 brave Chilean miners were trapped one year ago when their mine shaft caved in. On August 5th, why not use our Famous People lesson plan with your class? We have a low-intermediate and a high-intermediate version of this lesson.  There is also a Web 2.0 challenge that your students can take. Audio is included.

Every day is a Holiday- International Lefthanders Day: This is the day people around the world can celebrate being a southpaw! (August 13)

Flashcards-At School: Prepare some back-to-school flashcards before September. Our school flashcards include people who work at the school, rooms in the school, classroom actions, and school subjects. If you are looking for materials and ideas to use with your young learners, visit our sister site, English Avenue! You may also be interested in Red River Press’s NEW Scoop.it! titled,  Fun with Young English Learners.

Teaching Tip: Google + Circles

Have you ever wondered whether or not you should add your students as Facebook friends? In some schools, teachers aren’t allowed to be friends with students. In other schools, there are no regulations and teachers feel torn about whether or not to add students to a site where they post so much personal information. Ignoring a friend request feels rude, but where should you draw the line between business and pleasure? Google Circles solves this problem because it allows you to share posts with specific groups of people. Create a “Student” or “Learner” Circle and use it specifically to post learning content or to have Hangouts (video chats) with your English learners. Have another Circle for your teacher friends, and one for friends and family members who are part of your personal life.

Happy teaching!
Sincerely,

The Staff at ESL-Library

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/05/august-news-2/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/03/podcast-camping/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/03/podcast-camping/#comments Wed, 03 Aug 2011 14:58:05 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6476 This week's podcast is a preview of ESL-Library's new Discussion Starters lesson on Camping.

]]> Camping: Whatever Happened to Roughing It?

Once upon a time, camping was all about roughing it in the bush. Our new Discussion Starter lesson will get your students talking about camping. Has camping changed? Should people bring their mobile phones to the campsite? Use this FREE recording with the intermediate English lesson from our  Discussion Starters section. In the printable lesson, students discuss roughing it vs. living in the lap of luxury. If your students enjoy discussing modern day topics and issues, why not add all of our Discussion Starter lessons to your personal library folder on our site? (See a recording of a live demo from a recent teaching conference.) Preview all of ESL-Library’s Discussion Starter lessons. If you have any suggestions for topics that are not available in our library, please leave a comment.

Go to this lesson.

Go to last week’s podcast: Ramadan

Coming soon in ESL-Library Podcasts…Grammer Stories: Synonyms and Antonyms

Learning English through Podcasts

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, and Holiday lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! Don’t forget to update your iTunes subscription to our NEW podcast feed.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/03/podcast-camping/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Camping: Whatever Happened to Roughing It? Once upon a time, camping was all about roughing it in the bush. Our new Discussion Starter lesson ... Camping: Whatever Happened to Roughing It? Once upon a time, camping was all about roughing it in the bush. Our new Discussion Starter lesson will get your students talking about camping. Has camping changed? Should people bring their mobile phones to the campsite? Use this FREE recording with the intermediate English lesson from our  Discussion Starters section. In the printable lesson, students discuss roughing it vs. living in the lap of luxury. If your students enjoy discussing modern day topics and issues, why not add all of our Discussion Starter lessons to your personal library folder on our site? (See a recording of a live demo from a recent teaching conference.) Preview all of ESL-Library’s Discussion Starter lessons. If you have any suggestions for topics that are not available in our library, please leave a comment. Go to this lesson. Go to last week's podcast: Ramadan Coming soon in ESL-Library Podcasts…Grammer Stories: Synonyms and Antonyms Learning English through Podcasts Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, and Holiday lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! Don't forget to update your iTunes subscription to our NEW podcast feed. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/03/talking-goo/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/03/talking-goo/#comments Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:43:50 +0000 Peter Martin http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6465 I won't quote dictionary definitions, but here are the normal-people-English definitions I give my students. An accent is a style of pronunciation that usually marks where someone is from (whether a country, region, city, or even neighborhood), or the language they grew up speaking. Pronunciation is the sound a letter or a word is "supposed to" have in a given language or accent.

]]> A recent blog post asked, “How important is spelling?” I have a knee-jerk reaction, as I imagine most people do. My education, for better or worse, came from teachers and publications who taught me to take the “rules” of language very seriously. Only more recently, through my self-education and thanks to differently minded friends, have I begun to entertain the idea that language doesn’t have rules at all. Language, of course, is constantly evolving. And the importance of language is the ability to communicate, however that’s done. So maybe nothing is right and nothing is wrong.

Try telling that to an ESL student.

I haven’t been bold enough to run that philosophy by any of my students. As a second-language student myself, I know how helpful it is to be taught rules, things that are always, 100 percent true. Generalities, subtleties, and maybes are not nearly as helpful as rules. So I try to teach my students as many rules as I can.

One personal rule I teach is that, at least in English throughout most of the world, students should not worry about their accents. They should be concerned with pronunciation. But accent and pronunciation are very different. And I find it helps a lot of students when I put this out, explain it to them, and explain why this distinction is so important.

Many of the students I’ve taught have been concerned about their accents. They think that their accents will mark them as bad English speakers. So they ask me how they can reduce their accents. I tell them they’re worrying about the wrong thing.

I won’t quote dictionary definitions, but here are the normal-people-English definitions I give my students. An accent is a style of pronunciation that usually marks where someone is from (whether a country, region, city, or even neighborhood), or the language they grew up speaking. Pronunciation is the sound a letter or a word is “supposed to” have in a given language or accent.

I say “supposed to” because, obviously, every language has many correct pronunciations—as different accents show. Anyone who has heard both an Australian and an American speak English knows there’s no singular correct pronunciation of letters and words in English. But what does exist is a set of correct pronunciations: Australian English dictates the correct set of pronunciations in that accent, and American English does the same, as do each of their regional and micro-local accents.

Each accent has a set of sounds that let speakers and listeners know which words are being said. These are the “correct” pronunciations. And these are important for communicating. That’s why, when one of my native-Spanish-speaking students pronounces “bird” as “beard,” I correct her. Because of her incorrect pronunciation, she is saying a different word from the one she wants to say, thus impeding her communication.

But when she tells me she’s embarrassed by her accent, I tell her not to worry. She will almost certainly have some accent for the rest of her life, making clear that, yes, she grew up speaking Spanish. But with almost equal certainty, her accent will not be a personal or professional hindrance. English is the rare language whose native speakers make up a small minority of its total speakers. So my students, I tell them, do not have to worry about being judged. They just need to worry about saying things they don’t mean to say.

I assume every ESL teacher has confronted this issue. How have you dealt with it with your students?

Written by Peter F. Martin
Peter F. Martin was born and raised in New York City.  As an undergraduate at Yale University, he devoted himself to journalism, working as a writer, photographer, and editor for The Yale Globalist and the Yale Daily News. Peter first taught English while in college, teaching a weekly writing course to inmates at the Cheshire Correctional Institute in Cheshire, Connecticut. His work as an editor for campus publications required him to teach writing technique daily, correcting small mistakes and helping writers construct sentences, paragraphs, and pieces better.  He moved to Bogotá, Colombia, and has been working there as an English teacher and editor since. Peter blogs and shares his writing and photography on his website, peterfmartin.com

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/03/talking-goo/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/01/ramadan-english-lesson-plans/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/01/ramadan-english-lesson-plans/#comments Mon, 01 Aug 2011 17:27:08 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6534 More than one billion Muslims celebrate the month of Ramadan. Try this ready-made English lesson plan with your students this month.

]]> More than one billion Muslims celebrate the month of Ramadan. Students learn important facts about the holiday and the Muslim faith, including the prophet Muhammad and the Five Pillars of Faith. Try this ready-made English lesson plan with your students this month.

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Holidays English Lesson Plans.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/08/01/ramadan-english-lesson-plans/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/27/podcast-ramadan/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/27/podcast-ramadan/#comments Wed, 27 Jul 2011 19:32:01 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6412 It's time to learn about Ramadan. Use this podcast at any time during the month of August.

]]> Holidays: Ramadan

Ramadan takes place each year during the ninth month of the lunar calendar. Today’s podcast features a reading from our full-length holiday lesson about this important Muslim holiday. In our full-length lesson plan, students learn important facts about the holiday and the Muslim faith, including the prophet Muhammad and the Five Pillars of Faith. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday here. We also have Mini Holiday lessons if you’re looking for shorter activities to supplement your curriculum. Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Introduce your students to iTunes today!

Go to this lesson!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/27/podcast-ramadan/feed/ 2 0:00:01 Holidays: Ramadan Ramadan takes place each year during the ninth month of the lunar calendar. Today's podcast features a reading from our full-length holiday lesson ... Holidays: Ramadan Ramadan takes place each year during the ninth month of the lunar calendar. Today's podcast features a reading from our full-length holiday lesson about this important Muslim holiday. In our full-length lesson plan, students learn important facts about the holiday and the Muslim faith, including the prophet Muhammad and the Five Pillars of Faith. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday here. We also have Mini Holiday lessons if you're looking for shorter activities to supplement your curriculum. Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Introduce your students to iTunes today! Go to this lesson! ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/22/archives-larry-ferlazzo-2/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/22/archives-larry-ferlazzo-2/#comments Fri, 22 Jul 2011 16:32:24 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6403 This week's #FF tribute goes to Larry Ferlazzo for his post on a class going from good to bad to good again.

]]> Each Follow Friday (#FF on Twitter) we pull a buried blog post from the dusty archives of the web. We hope you agree that there is a lot to learn from these “oldie but goodie” posts by educators.

Post: When a “Good” Class goes “Bad” (And back to “Good” again)
Writer: Larry Ferlazzo
Role in Education: EFL teacher, blogger, writer
Date Posted: April 10, 2008
Subject: Repairing a Fragile Classroom Culture
Twitter ID: @larryferlazzo
Blog: Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day

Why we pulled it from the archives? I think this is the first time we’re featuring a blogger who has already been featured in the Follow Friday Archive posts. If anyone deserves a second tribute it’s Larry. Is there any ELT blogger who blogs more than Larry Ferlazzo? His blog is a search engine, an encyclopedia, and a true treasure trove for English language teachers. In fact, when I was there today I found a little secret about how to make a shortened Google Plus address. In Larry’s Favorite Posts I stumbled upon this great one from his archives about tips for improving the classroom culture. I love the idea of the Monday goal. (I think I might impose it on myself.) The Friday reflection is a great idea for a follow up. Check out Larry’s blog post to find out how his “good” class gone “bad” turned “good” again.

PS-You may also want to read Larry’s “eleven additional positive actions for maintaining good classroom-management“.

Check out all of our 2010/11 “From the Archives” tributes here. Be sure to follow all of these great educators on Twitter.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/22/archives-larry-ferlazzo-2/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/21/the-bare-minimum/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/21/the-bare-minimum/#comments Thu, 21 Jul 2011 14:24:42 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6387 Introduce your learners to the subject of minimalism with an authentic blog written by a Zen guru.

]]> How much stuff do we need? Are we willing to live with the bare minimum?
The mnmlist blog is a great source of authentic material that you can use with your English learners. It contains no advertising, and is written in simple English. The writer, Leo Babauta, chooses every word carefully and writes on interesting topics that all humans can relate to. It is also “uncopyrighted”. In other words, you and your learners can do what you like with his posts. The About section of the mnmlist blog says:

It’s about minimalism, and why it’s important today.
It’s about stuff, and how it has come to overwhelm us.
It’s about distractions and commitments and a neverending task list.
It’s about the culture of more, of bigger, of consumption.

Choose any of the posts (dating back to 2009) if you’re looking for “Something to Talk About”. The most recent one, “I’m not playing” is about advertisers and how they play us into thinking we need the latest gadget or toy in order to keep up with the Jones’. You don’t need to use the whole blog post.  You can read the first three short paragraphs out loud and find out what your students have to say about it.

Here are some ideas to get the conversation started after introducing the topic:

• Do you agree that we are being played by the advertising industry?
• Which brand do you feel most drawn to and why?
• What stuff have you bought recently that you could live without?

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about. If you like this topic, you could also show your students the video The Story of Stuff.

Related Content in the ESL-Library

Discussion Starters: Consumerism (Free podcast.)
Discussion Starters: Second-hand vs. New
Business English: Online Shopping
Everyday is a Holiday: Boxing Day

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/21/the-bare-minimum/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/20/podcast-present-perfect-continuous/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/20/podcast-present-perfect-continuous/#comments Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:17:39 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6311 This week's podcast features three readings from ESL-Library's Grammar Stories section, featuring the present perfect continuous tense.

]]> Grammar Stories: Present Perfect Continuous

Are your students using the present perfect continuous tense? Are you looking for resources to review this tense? Learning grammar in context is a great way for students to remember the rules. ESL-Library offers stories that focus on one grammar point or tense at a time. You can pre-teach the grammar and then use the stories, or use the stories as a preview to your lesson. Your students can practice reading the stories out loud or even recording them for pronunciation practice. The worksheet that goes with this podcast includes three stories, four question sets, and a writing activity. Your students can read and listen to the stories. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Grammar Stories here.

Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Introduce your students to iTunes today!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/20/podcast-present-perfect-continuous/feed/ 1 0:00:01 Grammar Stories: Present Perfect Continuous Are your students using the present perfect continuous tense? Are you looking for resources to review this tense? Learning grammar in ... Grammar Stories: Present Perfect Continuous Are your students using the present perfect continuous tense? Are you looking for resources to review this tense? Learning grammar in context is a great way for students to remember the rules. ESL-Library offers stories that focus on one grammar point or tense at a time. You can pre-teach the grammar and then use the stories, or use the stories as a preview to your lesson. Your students can practice reading the stories out loud or even recording them for pronunciation practice. The worksheet that goes with this podcast includes three stories, four question sets, and a writing activity. Your students can read and listen to the stories. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Grammar Stories here. Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Introduce your students to iTunes today! ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/19/a-twitter-tale-for-teachers/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/19/a-twitter-tale-for-teachers/#comments Tue, 19 Jul 2011 20:34:22 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6364 In case you haven't figured out why teachers love twitter.

]]> In case you’re not convinced about the power of twitter, here’s a little twitter tale from today:

We had just tweeted about our Something to Talk About posts (though we hadn’t seen Yvette’s tweet).

Yvette saw our tweet and thanked us!

We checked out Yvette’s profile and started following her. She’s an English language teacher based in Toronto!

This twitter tale was followed up with a happy ending, just a few moments later! Thank you to all 3000 of you who follow @ESLLibrary. We love tweeting with you about #ESL #ELL #TEFL #ELT #YL and #teaching of any kind!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/19/a-twitter-tale-for-teachers/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/18/nelson-mandela-english-lesson-plan/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/18/nelson-mandela-english-lesson-plan/#comments Mon, 18 Jul 2011 17:17:38 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6528 Try this ready-made English lesson plan on South Africa's Nobel Peace Prize winner with your students this week.

]]> This former leader of the African National Congress (ANC) helped bring an end to apartheid in South Africa. Try this ready-made English lesson plan on South Africa’s Nobel Peace Prize winner with your students this week.

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Famous People English Lesson Plans.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/18/nelson-mandela-english-lesson-plan/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/15/archives-sandy-millin/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/15/archives-sandy-millin/#comments Fri, 15 Jul 2011 15:38:26 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6351 This week's #FF tribute goes to Sandy Millin for her archived summary of an #ELTChat on Encouraging English in Teen Classrooms.

]]> Each Follow Friday (#FF on Twitter) we pull a buried blog post from the dusty archives of the web. We hope you agree that there is a lot to learn from these “oldie but goodie” posts by educators.

Post: Encouraging English in Teen Classrooms
Writer: Sandy Millin
Role in Education: EFL teacher
Date Posted: January 20, 2011
Subject: Teaching Teens
Twitter ID: @sandymillin
Blog: Sandy Millin: Technologically and Linguistically Adventurous EFL Teacher

Why we pulled it from the archives? Well, first and foremost, I am always trying to track down this summary, and having it here on the ESL-Library blog will make it easy to find whenever I need it! In addition, Sandy is an excellent member of the ELT community, and deserves to be recognized and followed by teachers around the world. Next, this ELT Chat had tons of great ideas that we know our subscribers will enjoy. Many of our subscribers teach teens and I think they would all benefit from attending these chats on twitter. If you’re on twitter and haven’t been to an #ELTChat yet, be sure to try it. Finally, I think it serves as a good model for those who are interested in writing summaries after an ELT Chat. There is no format set in stone, and some #ELTChatters may feel nervous about writing a summary. Volunteering to write an #ELTChat summary is a way to give back to all of the teachers who take time out of their day to share ideas, tools, and tips on twitter. It also brings new readers to your blog!

PS-While you’re visiting Sandy Millin’s blog, why not pop over to her companion blog (Almost) Infinite ELT Ideas? Each week she provides a prompt and inspires teachers to think outside of the box.

Check out all of our 2010/11 “From the Archives” tributes here. Be sure to follow all of these great educators on Twitter.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/15/archives-sandy-millin/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/14/how-important-is-spelling/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/14/how-important-is-spelling/#comments Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:57:30 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6339 A new BBC report about spelling offers an interesting topic to discuss in class.

]]> Do your students think spell-check will do all of the work? How important is spelling in the real world compared to in the classroom?
This article by BBC: Spelling Mistakes Cost Millions in Online Sales is fascinating: “An online entrepreneur says that poor spelling is costing the UK millions of pounds in lost revenue for internet businesses.” Like any of our “Something to Talk About” suggestions, you don’t need to use the whole article to talk about this issue in class. You can share the first few paragraphs or even just the quote above. You can also spin the topic after introducing it. Instead of sales and buyers, what about grades and teachers? How important is spelling to teachers? What about employers? If your students don’t pay enough attention to spelling, this statistic might convince them of its importance.

Here are some ideas to get the conversation started after introducing the topic:

• How important is spelling in your native language?
• Do you double check your spelling?
• Do you think employers should be concerned about poor spelling?
• How much do you rely on spellcheckers?
• Has SMS caused people to care less about spelling and formatting? What is the future of spelling?
• Is it important to learn spelling differences in British/American/Canadian/Australian English?

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Thanks to twitter friend @sandymillan for tweeting a link to this article today!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/14/how-important-is-spelling/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/14/what-am-i-up-to/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/14/what-am-i-up-to/#comments Thu, 14 Jul 2011 03:38:45 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6320 A simple listening game that requires students to guess with present progressive verbs.

]]> Students listen to the list of materials and guess the activity.

Learner Level: Low intermediate +
Language focus: Listening, present progressive
Time: 5-10
Materials: None
Grouping: Whole class (or small groups with one member as speaker)
Preparation: Print this page (or look at it online in class)

Teacher instructions

1. Have all students stand up.
2. Read the list of materials in 1) out loud and wait for someone to shout out the correct activity. You can say, “I have a couch, some friends, a DVD, popcorn, and soda. What am I up to?” Students must guess using an “ing” verb: “You’re watching a movie!” They can start guessing as soon as you’ve finished saying, “What am I up to?”. If they guess incorrectly, they have to sit down and can no longer guess.

2. The first student to guess correctly gets a point. Repeat with lists 2-10. Allow students that are out to stand up again after each new puzzle (or make them wait out for one puzzle).

1. couch, friends, DVD, popcorn, soda (watching a movie)
2. soil, hose, shovel, watering can, seeds (planting a garden)
3. basket, grapes, blanket, sandwiches, Frisbee (having a picnic)
4. milk, bowl, spoon, toaster, cereal (making breakfast)
5. soap, bucket, sponge, car, hose (washing a car)
6. table, box, all of the pieces, time, patience (doing a jigsaw puzzle)
7. night light, child, glasses, lap, book (reading a goodnight story to a child)
8. coat, thread, needle, scissors, button (sewing a button on a coat)
9. bag, scale, scoop, jelly beans, pen, label (weighing jellybeans at a bulk food store)
10. house, ladder, nails or hooks, helper, bright lights (hanging outdoor Christmas lights)

3. If your students are still interested in playing after these ten puzzles, have them each come up with their own “What am I up to?” puzzle. Have students challenge a partner or the whole class.

Teacher 2 Teacher:

You may need to use different lists depending on the vocabulary level of yours students. If your class is very large, split the group up into smaller groups and print out the answers to give to one speaker.

Related Topics from the ESL-Library.com:

Easy Grammar Sentences: What are you doing?
Flashcards: Music, Hobbies, Entertainment

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/14/what-am-i-up-to/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/11/child-quick-to-accept-gay-couple/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/11/child-quick-to-accept-gay-couple/#comments Mon, 11 Jul 2011 19:06:57 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6289 While some adults still want to hold on to the traditional institution of marriage, children are often more accepting.

]]> While some adults still want to hold onto the traditional institution of marriage, children may be more accepting.
Young children are very honest and straightforward. They are also very accepting. When they come across people or situations that do not fit the status quo, they can say things that embarrass adults. But what can we learn from kids about how accepting they are of people. Are your students comfortable talking about gay and lesbian relationships? This video shared by Huffington Post: Kid Meets First Gay Couple may be an interesting way to break the ice.
[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

Here are some ideas to get the conversation started after watching the video:

• Have you ever been embarrassed by a child’s reaction to a person or situation?
• How does this child react to the idea of a gay marriage?
• How are gay and lesbian couples treated in your country? Are they allowed to get legally married?
• In the video, how does the child define a married couple?
• People often say “kids are cruel” to those who look or act “differently” than others. Is this true? If yes, what age does this typically occur. What can parents do to prevent kids from judging people based on their looks, abilities, beliefs and values?

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Related lessons about marriage in the ESL-Library:
Discussion Starters: Weddings: Paying the Price
Everyday Idioms: Wedding Bells
Detective Series: The Case of the Missing Ring

Related Topics for Teachers:
How okay is Gay in ELT?
Q is for Queer

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/11/child-quick-to-accept-gay-couple/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/08/shelly-terrell-elt-online-pd/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/08/shelly-terrell-elt-online-pd/#comments Fri, 08 Jul 2011 20:55:52 +0000 Shelly Terrell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6277 Shelly Terrell shares some excellent ideas for English language teachers to engage in professional development online.

]]> Many English language teachers worldwide have upcoming holidays or a summer/winter break. In my last post, Tips for Getting Students to Play Games and Learn This Summer, we talked about ways to encourage students to keep up with their learning during the breaks. But how about teachers? These breaks provide educators the opportunities to engage in fantastic online professional development that is inspiring and motivating! Tweet with some of your favorite ELT authors, attend a webinar with teachers worldwide, or read some great English language teaching blogs. Social media provides us with incredible opportunities to choose the way we want to develop professionally. You can choose the topic, the medium, and who you want to learn from. You can choose the way you like to learn, because social media provides us with several multimedia experiences, such as webinars, LMS, live video, and more. The experience is usually dynamic and motivating because you are learning with others around the world! Additionally, you will be developing your Personal/ Passionate Learning Network (PLN).

Don’t know where to start, well here are a few ideas:

Free Programs

SEETA Courses- The South Eastern Europe Teachers Association offers several week courses with a guest author or expert in the field. You will have to register, but the courses are free!
The 30 Goals Challenge- Over 5000 educators have participated in the 1st and 2nd editions of this global challenge for educators with the premise of getting you to complete 30 professional development goals by 2012. These are short-term goals, such as guest posting, changing your classroom environment, providing effective feedback, establishing an online presence, and more. 
Integrating Technology for Active Lifelong Learning (IT4ALL)-provides free online workshops on Moodle for Teachers (Orientation, Beginners, Intermediate, and Advanced), Professional Electronic Portfolios (PEP), WebQuests, Facilitating Online Classes, Grant Writings, TESOL, Integrating Technology and using Web 2.0 in the classroom.
EVO Courses- For 5 weeks in January-February, participants worldwide engage with volunteer ESOL experts in collaborative, online discussion sessions or hands-on virtual workshops. These sessions allow a fuller development of ideas and themes, such as digital storytelling or mobile learning. The sessions are free and open to all and occur online. You do not need to be a TESOL member to participate.

Real-Time Events

You can attend several free conferences, webinars, Twitter chats, and presentations online with your PLN! These usually last one hour, but many conferences also offer free all day live streaming of their keynotes.

Free Friday Webinars- Thanks to the American TESOL Institute, I conduct free 30 minute online webinars on the Adobe Connect platform every Friday at 4pm EST (New York Time), 3pm Austin, TX, 1pm LA, California, 9pm London Time, 10pm Paris Time, 11pm Athens/Istanbul Time, Sat 8am Sydney time, and Sat. 6am Tokyo time. Check your time zones here!

• This is the Adobe Room to join!http://americantesol.adobeconnect.com/terrell/
• You can even join on your smartphone using the free Adobe Connect app!
• Check out the Livebinder resources that accompany these presentations!
• Catch past video archives here, http://americantesol.com/cafe/

Attend the free Reform Symposium E-Conference along with 8000 other educators from over 50 countries. This takes place Friday, July 29 to Sunday, July 31, 2011 and we hope you will join us for what promises to be our biggest yet global online conference for everyone concerned with education. With up to 60 presentations and 12 keynote speakers it is sure to be an incredible event!
The Educators’ PLN Ning Live Chats with Guest Experts- The Educator’s PLN is a great place to interact and learn from other educators. Join us for free live chats with various authors. In the past we featured Alfie Kohn, Howard Rheingold, Diane Ravitch, Chris Lehmann, Steve Hargadon, Jim Burke, and others.
Edublogs Live Events- Every week, attend a free webinar on various topics. Usually, Jo and Phil Hart hosts these free webinars that cover effective use of web 2.0 tools or instructional methodologies.
Future of Education- Join Steve Hargadon live as he interviews some of the greatest minds in education. Past guests included Sir Ken Robinson, Alfie Kohn, Diane Ravitch, and more!
Classroom 2.0 Live Events- Every week, attend a free webinar with an expert in a field or listen to some great authors speak live and ask them questions.
Simple K12 webinars- Attend free webinars with experts on various topics.
Attend Second Life Live Events- Second Life has several educational groups that meet weekly for free conferences, talks, workshops, and more. Download the software and register for free. Visit Edunation Island, a safe place for educators.

#ELTchat- Join several language teachers every Wednesday to discuss various topics you get to vote for and suggest.
Education Chats on Twitter- Find out the dates and times of educational conversations that occur on Twitter.

Connect with Other ELT Online

Visit our #FF Tributes series to discover English language teachers to connect with online. We post their blogs and Twitter handles.

What are your favorite ways to learn online? Did I miss any other great professional development opportunities?

If you want to receive more of Shelly’s tips for online resources for teaching English, then subscribe!

Shelly Terrell is the VP of Educator Outreach for Parentella and the Social Media Community Manager for The Consultants-E. She is also the co-organizer and co-creator of the award winning educational projects, Edchat, ELTChat, The Reform Symposium E-Conference, and the Virtual Round Table conference. Visit her award winning blog, Teacher Reboot Camp, for resources for effective technology integration. In the fall of 2011 find her book, The 30 Goals Challenge for Educators on Amazon. Find her on Twitter, @ShellTerrell. She has taught toddlers to adults English in various countries including the US, Germany, and Greece.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/08/shelly-terrell-elt-online-pd/feed/ 4 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/08/archives-jason-renshaw/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/08/archives-jason-renshaw/#comments Fri, 08 Jul 2011 13:48:15 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6230 In honor of the last shuttle that is about to rocket into space, this week's #FF tribute goes to the English Raven for his great reminder of a post: Teaching English: it isn't rocket science, really...

]]> Each Follow Friday (#FF on Twitter) we pull a buried blog post from the dusty archives of the web. We hope you agree that there is a lot to learn from these “oldie but goodie” posts by educators.

Post: Teaching English: It isn’t rocket science, really…
Writer: Jason Renshaw
Role in Education: ELT materials writer, literacy teacher in Australia (NEW)
Date Posted: March 2, 2011
Subject: 7 (simple) things about Teaching English
Twitter ID: @englishraven
Blog: Jason Renshaw’s Weblog

Why we pulled it from the archives? Despite changing his career focus from ELT to literacy, Jason Renshaw continues to blog about issues that are of great interest to English language teachers. The post I’m featuring today was actually inspired by a tweet by Anderson Cooper, who tweeted that he was on his way to the Kennedy Space Center. Today is NASA’s final shuttle launch after 30 years. I had the pleasure of visiting the Kennedy Space Center when I was eight years old. I remember thinking, Okay this is kind of cool, can we go back to Disney World now? After my brief moment of nostalgia, I got back to thinking about today’s #FF post and wondered if there might be any teachers in the blogosphere who blogged about space. That’s when I remembered a stellar post by the English Raven, and went digging through his archives. I didn’t have to go too far back to find the post: Teaching English: It isn’t Rocket Science, really…, and I hope you’ll take the time to read one of the best ELT lists ever written.

Speaking of lists, if you know of a blog post that has a good one, please leave a comment and share a link. You could even do your own #FF tribute!

PS-While you’re visiting Jason Renshaw’s blog, why not checkout his review of ESL-Library? We’ve talked about this post in several meetings, and have also discussed some of the ideas from his amazing plenary at KOTESOL 2011.

Check out all of our 2010/11 “From the Archives” tributes here. Be sure to follow all of these great educators on Twitter.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/08/archives-jason-renshaw/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/07/lemonade-stand-robbed/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/07/lemonade-stand-robbed/#comments Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:53:51 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6215 An authentic reading and video to teach the phrase: "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."

]]> Having a lemonade stand is a way for kids to learn the first few golden rules about running a business. What drove a group of teenagers to spoil the fun? Are you looking for something to talk about in class this week?  Why not watch an authentic video from the news?   Read the report, watch the video, and discuss the incident that took place in an Ohio neighborhood: A group of neighborhood kids were selling lemonade when they were robbed by a group of teens.

Here are some ideas to get the conversation started after watching the video:

• Do you think the teens robbed the kids for the money or “for kicks” (to be cool).
• What is a good Samaritan? Have you ever met a good Samaritan?
• Do petty criminals typically grow into true criminals? Do you believe that teen criminals deserve a break in court?
• What does this phrase mean: “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Related lessons  in the ESL-Library:

Living in English: Law and Order

Detective Series: The Case of the Missing Ring

Discussion Starters: Suburbia

Flashcards: Drinks

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/07/lemonade-stand-robbed/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/07/podcast-running-of-the-bulls/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/07/podcast-running-of-the-bulls/#comments Thu, 07 Jul 2011 02:02:37 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6193 This week's podcast features an audio preview of ESL-Library's holiday lesson on The Running of the Bulls.

]]> Holidays: Running of the Bulls

The San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain takes place from July 6-14. The festival is known worldwide due to the exciting Running of the Bulls. This podcast features a reading from our full-length holiday lesson about this event. The lesson plan includes a reading, a pair activity, idiom practice, and some tough discussion questions that could heat things up. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday here. We also have Mini Holiday lessons if you’re looking for shorter activities to supplement your curriculum. Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Introduce your students to iTunes today!

Go to this lesson!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/07/podcast-running-of-the-bulls/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Holidays: Running of the Bulls The San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain takes place from July 6-14. The festival is known worldwide due to the exciting ... Holidays: Running of the Bulls The San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain takes place from July 6-14. The festival is known worldwide due to the exciting Running of the Bulls. This podcast features a reading from our full-length holiday lesson about this event. The lesson plan includes a reading, a pair activity, idiom practice, and some tough discussion questions that could heat things up. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday here. We also have Mini Holiday lessons if you're looking for shorter activities to supplement your curriculum. Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Introduce your students to iTunes today! Go to this lesson! ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/06/running-of-the-bulls-english-lesson-plan/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/06/running-of-the-bulls-english-lesson-plan/#comments Wed, 06 Jul 2011 17:24:32 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6524 Try this ready-made English lesson plan, and have your students learn about the world renowned San Fermin festival in Pamplona Spain.

]]> This San Fermin festival in Pamplona Spain is world renowned. Try this ready-made English lesson plan, and have your students learn about the Saint behind the holiday and the rules behind the dangerous race.

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Holidays English Lesson Plans.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/06/running-of-the-bulls-english-lesson-plan/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/05/accuracy-vs-fluency/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/05/accuracy-vs-fluency/#comments Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:09:40 +0000 Anthony Hemmens http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6187 In many countries of the world grammar is king.

]]> I’ve taught groups of students obsessed by grammar. They pore over their reference books, ask impossible questions in class and are decidedly peeved if a lesson isn’t directly dealing with integral grammatical nuance. I like these students. They’re sparring partners for my own anorak obsession with grammar. But, it has to be said, they are nearly always the worst communicators and not much fun on a night out. Funny that.

Then there are the groups of students; yes, you know who you are, who couldn’t give a hooting howl about grammatical convention. They sit in class nattering on, nineteen to the dozen, in a torrent of inaccuracy and error. This is the group to go out with – you’ll talk all night and not have a clue what anyone is saying.

When these two groups come together and form a single class the results are pretty predictable. Half the class incessantly talks nonsense while students of the other half will utter a single sentence in the entire hour and it floors you in its perfection.

Balance is the key. Students need to know a language and be able to use that language. It’s the distinction between having the technical knowledge and the practical ability – the fine line between accuracy and fluency. It’s an old debate in teaching circles but it still rattles on; do you focus on accuracy or on fluency?

Grammar enjoys an exalted position in language teaching. In many countries of the world grammar is king. It’s difficult and mysterious. It’s the hidden mechanics of a language and how it actually works. Know the grammar then you’ll know the language. They who know the grammar are superior beings; usually the teacher. None of this seems quite right to me.

Ultimately, we must want our students to be successful language users; able to communicate in any situation; with full comprehension; confident and effective in their adopted language. This requires that they are both fluent in their communication and accurate in their language choice. It’s not an either or situation; it’s both.

Striking the fluency / accuracy balance in our lessons is important. We need to devote classroom time to activities which promote both. Not, of course, necessarily at the same time.

At a complete beginner level I focus the language learning on accuracy. The students don’t yet have enough language to engage in lengthy ‘conversational’ style exercises, but fluency activities come in pretty quick once the language basics are in place. Equipping elementary students with just a smidgen of fluency ability does wonders for their confidence and gives meaning to the learning process they’re engaged in.

Elementary level – the present perfect. This is a perfect fluency opportunity. For students to be studying the present perfect they must have previously studied the past simple; indeed the presentation of the present perfect needs to include a contrast with the past simple. So, give the presentation, allow lots of controlled practice, then go for a fluency activity.
Students interview 2 other classmates to find 3 foreign countries they have visited and 4 things about each country and what they did there. Set a 5 minute time restriction.

There – a perfect fluency activity promoting the speedy use of language targeting restricted grammatical structures, where the students need to make independent language choices to accomplish the task.

At the intermediate levels students are reasonably independent language users and lessons are a mix of accuracy and fluency, with the focus shifting to fluency as students progress. This is when more interesting and challenging classroom activities provide opportunities for fluency work; debate and discussion, role plays and simulations. New grammatical structures might be introduced with conventional presentation and practice techniques, but a lot more language work will be remedial – responding to mistakes (wonderful things) noted during fluency activities and addressed in an error correction session.

Advanced learners usually have a good level of language fluency and so classroom activities shift back to grammatical accuracy; particularly accuracy of the written form and all those integral nuances. This can be frustrating for advanced level learners. Having spent years learning a language they now find that their production is riddled with inaccuracy and mistakes. Unfortunately for them, this is always going to be the case. Lessons need to be challenging so that learners can fulfill their primary role – to learn, if lessons aren’t a challenge, and by necessity therefore difficult, no learning will take place.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/05/accuracy-vs-fluency/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/04/india-temple-treasure/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/04/india-temple-treasure/#comments Mon, 04 Jul 2011 19:16:50 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6165 How will India protect its treasure now that it is no longer a hidden trove?

]]> An $11 billion treasure has been discovered beneath a temple in India. The question is, who will guard it? Are you looking for something to talk about in class this week?  Why not do some authentic reading with your English learners.  Discuss a news article about the treasures that were recently unveiled beneath one of India’s temples. Some of the vaults had not been opened for over 150 years.

Here are some ideas to get the conversation started:

• Guess what kinds of treasures were found beneath the Indian temple. (before you read)
• Discuss what can be done to protect such expensive treasures?
• Visualize (or draw) the 18-foot necklace. Who created it? What materials were used? What’s it worth? (This could be a fun way to teach the English names for precious gems and stones.)
• Discuss whether or not the practice of burying treasure is a lost art.
• What treasures do you think remain in the secret chamber?

Does a lesson on the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple belong in the ESL-Library? Check out our Famous Places section to find lessons on other temples and buildings, such as our popular lesson on Angkor Wat.

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Related lessons about India in the ESL-Library:
Famous Places: The Taj Mahal
Famous People: Mahatma Gandhi
Famous People: Mother Teresa
Mini-Debates: Corporate Responsibility

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/04/india-temple-treasure/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/04/independence-day-english-lesson-plan/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/04/independence-day-english-lesson-plan/#comments Mon, 04 Jul 2011 16:29:35 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6510 Teach your students about Independence Day with this ready-made English lesson plan.

]]> On July 4th, Americans around the world celebrate Independence Day. Have your students learn the history about the Declaration of Independence with this ready-made English lesson plan.

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Holidays English Lesson Plans.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/07/04/independence-day-english-lesson-plan/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/30/july-news-2011/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/30/july-news-2011/#comments Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:12:51 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6089 Check out the new and featured lessons in our library this July.

]]> Proud to be Canadian

This past month we’ve been busy adding some new Canadian lessons. We added a mini-lesson on Aboriginal Day as well as a full-length lesson on Canada Day. Thank you to all of the teachers who continue to request new Canadian content for our library. On June 28th, we unlocked our popular lesson plan on Terry Fox, one of the most honourable Canadians who ever lived. Terry Fox died 30 years ago, and will always be remembered for his Marathon of Hope. A few weeks ago, we were sad to learn that Terry Fox’s mom Betty, who continued Terry’s efforts to raise money for cancer, had died in hospice. In honour of these devoted Canadians, we made our Terry Fox lesson free for teachers. We also added a new Health lesson about cancer myths.

Good Neighbours

Canada isn’t the only country celebrating an important day in July! We also fulfilled a request for a NEW Holiday lesson on America’s Independence Day. Be sure to check out our Lesson Plan Calendar for all of our upcoming holiday lessons.

Young Learners

Do you teach young children? Why not check out our sister site English Avenue? Our kid sister is now on twitter, and we are looking to follow teachers of young learners. If you have any suggestions, please send us a tweet @engliaveYL.

New Lesson Plans this Month

• Health Matters: 6 Myths about Cancer
• American Presidents: James Madison from our NEW section (Watch for new Presidents each month!)
• Grammar Practice Worksheet: Comparative Adjectives
• Grammar Practice Worksheet: Complete Sentences
• Holidays: Canada Day
• Holidays: July 4th
• Every day is a holiday: Aboriginal Day

In the works: More Grammar Story lessons and Grammar Worksheets (If you have a request, let us know!)

July Features

Holidays -Canada Day (July 1):Canada Day is celebrated just before the Americans celebrate their independence day. In this lesson, students learn about the history of Canada Day. They practise pronunciation, do a mapping activity, and learn Canadian vs. US spelling.

Holidays - July 4th: In our NEW Independence Day lesson, students learn the history behind the Declaration of Independence. They find out why July 4th is such an important day, and learn some important information about previous presidents. Speaking of presidents, ESL-Library now has a whole section on American Presidents. This month’s featured lesson is on James Madison, the fourth president of the US, who is often referred to as the Father of the Constitution. (July 4)

Holiday- Running of the Bulls: This San Fermin festival in Pamplona Spain is world renowned. In this lesson, students learn about the Saint behind the holiday and the rules behind the dangerous race.  (July 6 -14)

Flashcards-Lakes, Forests, Rivers: Will any of your students be going camping this summer? Don’t miss our flashcard section on the great outdoors. If you’re still teaching this summer, you’ll likely be talking about all of the adventures your students are taking. These flashcards may come into good use! If you have any good ideas for using flashcards in the classroom, let us know!

Teaching Tip: Using TED Talks

Do you enjoy using TED Talks in the English classroom? Last month, Peter Martin wrote an interesting guest post for ESL-Library about using TED Talks in the classroom. As Peter states in his blog, TED Talks are no longer a secret! Many teachers enjoy using these videos, and if you teach high-intermediate to advanced learners, TED Talks can be the perfect length. We recently came across a really helpful spreadsheet that offers a list of TED Talks by topic, name, and URL. Each entry also has a short summary. You’ll want to bookmark this TED Talk resource!

Happy teaching!
Sincerely,

The Staff at ESL-Library

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/30/july-news-2011/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/29/podcast-canada-day/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/29/podcast-canada-day/#comments Wed, 29 Jun 2011 17:48:19 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6147 This week's mini-podcast features a reading from ESL-Library's NEW lesson on Canada Day. Happy Canada Day! (July 1)

]]> Holidays: Canada Day

July 1st is Canada Day! Help your students learn more about the history of Canada on this important holiday. This podcast features a reading from our full-length holiday lesson. The lesson includes pronunciation and spelling practice as well as a mapping activity for pairs. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday here. We also have Mini Holiday lessons if you’re looking for shorter activities to supplement your curriculum. Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Introduce your students to iTunes today!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/29/podcast-canada-day/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Holidays: Canada Day July 1st is Canada Day! Help your students learn more about the history of Canada on this important holiday. This podcast features a ... Holidays: Canada Day July 1st is Canada Day! Help your students learn more about the history of Canada on this important holiday. This podcast features a reading from our full-length holiday lesson. The lesson includes pronunciation and spelling practice as well as a mapping activity for pairs. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday here. We also have Mini Holiday lessons if you're looking for shorter activities to supplement your curriculum. Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Introduce your students to iTunes today! ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/28/novices-both-of-us/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/28/novices-both-of-us/#comments Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:50:52 +0000 Peter Martin http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6082 An English teacher abroad grapples with the idea of going out of his teaching comfort zone. What would you do?

]]> I like to think that I don’t stand out too clearly as a gringo in South America, but every now and then I’m reminded that I blend in less than I think I do.

I was working in a café one day a couple weeks ago when a girl sitting nearby asked in Spanish whether I spoke English. I had been spotted. “Sí,” I said. “You can tell?” She nodded. She asked me to help her understand something in English that she wanted to read. I translated for her, and we chatted briefly. When she asked about my work and I said I was an English teacher, she exclaimed, “I need an English teacher!”

Most people here in Bogotá, Colombia, would love to take English classes, and many are actively looking for private teachers like me. But few people of this girl’s age (she told me she was in college) begin studying it for the first time. Most of the Bogotanos I’ve met either studied some English in school or feel they’re too old to start. The girl in the café, however, swore she was a complete beginner and swore she was totally serious about wanting to start learning.

“I’m sorry,” I told her. “I don’t think I’d be your best option.” I wasn’t looking for reasons to turn down a new class, but I believed that starting classes with her wouldn’t be worth the time—for either of us. I haven’t taught beginners. And I wouldn’t know how, or where, to start.

For her, I envisioned a lot of wasted time and money, as the classes I would give her would probably bore or confuse her—or both. For me, I saw an hour of preparation for every minute of class time, since I would surely struggle trying to figure out what she needed to know first. Turning her down, I recommended another teacher, a friend who has taught beginner English.

I realized, though, that if I kept turning down similar opportunities in the future, I would never teach beginners, and I would never learn how to teach beginners. My area of inexperience and weakness would reinforce itself over time, and I would lose chances to find work and chances to grow as a teacher.

So I’m stuck. If I agree to teach classes I’m unprepared for, I won’t be able to offer students very much, and I’ll probably feel unhelpful and frustrated. But if I never put myself in that situation, I’ll never be able to teach anything significantly different than what I already do. Of course, there is another option: I can seek instruction, formal or informal (as in, say, from teacher friends), on how to teach beginners, and thus try to fill this whole in my teaching repertoire. (I’d also have to look for materials, since I don’t have any for early-level students.) But that, too, comes with trade-offs, in whatever time and money I invest in the effort.

So what should I—or any teacher in a position like mine—do? Is it always best to try to round out teaching skills to be able to teach many different things to many different types of students? Or are there good reasons to focus on one thing, one area, or one type of student? For me and for all my future students, where are my continued efforts at self-improvement best directed?

In your teaching, have you faced this question? What did you decide made sense for you?

Written by Peter F. Martin
Peter F. Martin was born and raised in New York City.  As an undergraduate at Yale University, he devoted himself to journalism, working as a writer, photographer, and editor for The Yale Globalist and the Yale Daily News. Peter first taught English while in college, teaching a weekly writing course to inmates at the Cheshire Correctional Institute in Cheshire, Connecticut. His work as an editor for campus publications required him to teach writing technique daily, correcting small mistakes and helping writers construct sentences, paragraphs, and pieces better.  He moved to Bogotá, Colombia, and has been working there as an English teacher and editor since. Peter blogs and shares his writing and photography on his website, peterfmartin.com

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/28/novices-both-of-us/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/28/terry-fox/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/28/terry-fox/#comments Tue, 28 Jun 2011 17:49:36 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6071 Terry Fox has given us something to talk about. Please share his legacy with your students.

]]> This week is Canada’s week. We had Aboriginal Day. We had Multiculturalism Day. On Friday we will celebrate Canada Day. Canada would not be the same without our “Marathon of Hope” runner, Terry Fox. If you’re looking for something current to talk about in class this week, consider one of Canada’s legends. You can show a video on YouTube to introduce the topic. We have also unlocked our Famous People lesson on Terry Fox today so that anyone can use it. Terry Fox died 30 years ago today. His mother, Betty Fox, helped keep his legacy alive for 30 years. This month, she passed away in hospice. In honour of these two amazing Canadians, and their fight to raise money for cancer, we’ve unlocked our Terry Fox lesson. We hope teachers will use this English lesson in classes around the world.

Our Famous People lesson on Terry Fox includes:

• a reading about Terry Fox and his Marathon of Hope
• comprehension questions
• discussion questions
• vocabulary review

Go to this lesson.

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Related in the ESL-Library:
Holidays: Canada Day
Every Day is a Holiday: Aboriginal Day
From Sea to Sea: A Newcomers Guide to Canada

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/28/terry-fox/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/27/canada-day-english-lesson-plan/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/27/canada-day-english-lesson-plan/#comments Mon, 27 Jun 2011 15:57:07 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6061 Canada's "birthday" is celebrated on July 1st.  Students learn about the history of Canada Day in this English lesson plan.

]]> Canada’s “birthday” is celebrated on July 1st, just before the Americans celebrate their independence day. In this English lesson plan students learn about the history of Canada Day, and practise pronunciation as well as Canadian vs. US and British spelling. Includes a mapping activity.

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Holiday English Lesson Plans.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/27/canada-day-english-lesson-plan/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/22/grammar-stories-gerunds-and-infinitives/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/22/grammar-stories-gerunds-and-infinitives/#comments Wed, 22 Jun 2011 21:27:11 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6044 This week's podcast offers an audio preview of ESL-Library's Grammar Stories: Gerunds and Infinitives

]]> Grammar Stories: Gerunds and Infinitives

Do your students know how to use gerunds and infinitives properly? Do they sometimes mix up when to use a gerund and when to use an infinitive? Learning grammar in context is a great way for students to remember the rules. ESL-Library offers stories that focus on one grammar point at a time. You can pre-teach the grammar and then use the stories, or use the stories as a preview to your lesson. Here is an audio preview of our Gerund and Infinitive stories. The full Grammar Stories worksheet comes with two short readings, two question sets, and a few related activities. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Grammar Stories here. We also have Grammar Practice Worksheets. Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Introduce your students to iTunes today!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/22/grammar-stories-gerunds-and-infinitives/feed/ 1 0:00:01 Grammar Stories: Gerunds and Infinitives Do your students know how to use gerunds and infinitives properly? Do they sometimes mix up when to use a gerund ... Grammar Stories: Gerunds and Infinitives Do your students know how to use gerunds and infinitives properly? Do they sometimes mix up when to use a gerund and when to use an infinitive? Learning grammar in context is a great way for students to remember the rules. ESL-Library offers stories that focus on one grammar point at a time. You can pre-teach the grammar and then use the stories, or use the stories as a preview to your lesson. Here is an audio preview of our Gerund and Infinitive stories. The full Grammar Stories worksheet comes with two short readings, two question sets, and a few related activities. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Grammar Stories here. We also have Grammar Practice Worksheets. Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Introduce your students to iTunes today! ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/21/web-video-esl/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/21/web-video-esl/#comments Tue, 21 Jun 2011 17:41:32 +0000 Kirsten Winkler http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=6015 Kirsten Winkler shares useful resources for using and creating videos with ESL students.

]]> There is no doubt that web video in all its various forms is eating classic TV’s lunch. Services like Netflix, Hulu and YouTube attract huge numbers of users and according to a new Nielsen study, people are spending more time watching videos on classic TV sets but also via the Internet.

I haven’t had a TV set for about 4 years now and I don’t miss it at all. But we must not forget that in just a couple of years all the TVs sold will be connected to the Internet, so there won’t be any difference whether you watch your favorite show on cable or on YouTube, blip.tv or anywhere else on the web.

And as every major trend in tech and society, this will of course have an impact on education. Already today, there are some pretty interesting examples of web video in the ESL space.

English Attack! calls itself an “education entertainment” company. Students learn vocabulary by watching blockbuster movies or music videos. Every video has a set of matching quizzes, games, and exercises to help the student use and memorize what they have learnt.

EnglishCentral has a similar approach using videos from news sources and movies. Students can also record their own voices reading the original sentences and thus receive immediate feedback on their pronunciation through a voice recognition system.

Livemocha’s Active English course which is based on Pearson material offers a lot of daily situations and dialogs in video format.

busuu just added video units from news sources like CNN to its course structure.

goFLUENT offers video lessons from AP for business English students and recently signed a deal with New York Times News Syndication to add NYT videos to its portfolio.

I have always been a big fan of web videos in education. When I started my YouTube channel back in 2008 the main idea was to make short video refreshers for my online students to refer to instead of answering the same questions over and over again. I also assigned the videos as homework. And taking a look at Khan Academy, I was not the only one with this idea.

Videos are great for students. They can watch them when they like to and with mobile devices, the cloud and mobile Internet access also where they want. If they did not get it the first time, they can rewind and most likely they will also find related videos on the Internet that might explain the problem from another angle.

From my experience over the years, short videos under two minutes work best. At the beginning there was a notion that this is the attention span of the YouTube generation but I think that is the general attention span for all of us.

Over time videos also became more interactive as the players got more features. One of the most interesting additions to the YouTube player are for instance annotations and subtitles to experiment with. Using annotations you can interlink different videos covering a topic. Subtitles can help viewers who don’t speak your language to understand your video lesson or they can be part of the lesson itself.

There are also new tools available on YouTube for those who don’t have the skills to edit their own videos. With GoAnimate and Xtranormal Movie Maker you can create small scenes with cartoon characters as actors. If you are planning to do something in the direction of flashcard videos you can use Stupeflix directly from your YouTube account.

Video editing is getting easier every day and most flip cams or digital cameras with video function come with their own editing software already, all of which means that basically anyone nowadays can create video content for students, may it be for the classroom or a worldwide audience.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/21/web-video-esl/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/20/brazil-police-slum/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/20/brazil-police-slum/#comments Mon, 20 Jun 2011 22:03:14 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5986 Are you looking for something to talk about this week? Check out these pictures of the  Brazilian police.

]]> Brazilian police raided another slum in Rio de Janeiro in an effort to  clean up the area before the 2012 World Cup and the 2014 Olympics. If you’re looking for something current to talk about in class this week and you have access to the Internet, try showing these Huffingtonpost pictures:  World Cup Police Raid Slum to Secure Stadium. Visuals from the news (such as The Big Picture) are great for starting a discussion or introducing new vocabulary that will stick in the minds of your English learners. The images from this article show police raiding a shantytown around Maracona stadium. These slums are run by drug trafficking gangs. Police were backed by helicopter support and tanks and managed to secure the area without exchanging gunfire. Here are some discussion questions to get you started:

• How do you feel about this raid? Is it for a good reason?
• What will happen to this area after these international events?
• Are drug gangs a problem in your country?
• What surprises you about the text and pictures?
• Do you enjoy soccer/football? Why or why not?

If your students are interested in learning more about soccer, try our Famous Things lesson plan: Soccer.

Our Famous Things lesson on Soccer includes:

• a reading about soccer
• comprehension questions
• discussion questions
• vocabulary review

Go to this lesson.

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion or debate, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Related in the ESL-Library:
Famous Things: Soccer
Famous Things: Olympics
Famous People: Pele

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/20/brazil-police-slum/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/17/archives-valeria-benevolo/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/17/archives-valeria-benevolo/#comments Fri, 17 Jun 2011 15:16:38 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5925 This week's #FF tribute (the 50th post) goes to Valéria Benévolo França, for her archived post "The Feeling of MORE".

]]> Each Follow Friday (#FF on Twitter) we pull a buried blog post from the dusty archives of the web. We hope you agree that there is a lot to learn from these “oldie but goodie” posts by educators. This week is the 50th post in ESL-Library’s From the Archives series. To celebrate, I’ve put out a special challenge on Tyson Seburn’s blog, inviting other tweechers to join me by writing a #FF tribute.

Post: The Feeling of MORE
Writer: Valéria Benévolo França
Role in Education: ELT Trainer in Brazil
Date Posted: April 9, 2010
Subject: Breaking free from routine
Twitter ID: @vbenevolofranca
Blog: Valéria Blog

Why we pulled it from the archives? After challenging my whole PLN to take on this #FF challenge, I knew I was going to feel pressured to find the perfect 50th post for today. In fact, I even started looking on Thursday, which felt a bit like cheating. I was walking to the school yesterday to pick up my kids, when I realized how silly this was. Trying to find the perfect post is not how I’ve approached the posts in this series before, and why should today be any different? I described Fridays to Tyson’s readers as TGIFF: “because I truly enjoy this hour or so of professional development each week, and in a way it has become my own personal bookmarking system. After all, these are some of my favourite posts and I reference them regularly.”

Writing #FF tributes has always been a task I took pleasure in, and I’ve allowed myself to stumble upon posts that screamed “pick me”. (This happens to me with books in the library too, and I’ve learned not to ignore this feeling.) Valéria Benévolo França was the first to take the #FF challenge, and I love the post she chose by Henrik Oprea. I truly enjoyed her writing voice too, and found myself browsing her archives without even thinking about my task at hand. One of the first things I noticed is that Valéria doesn’t post every week or even every month. When she does write a post, it’s always a well-written reflection that teachers can learn from. I’ve been thinking about this a lot this week, since reading a guest post on Ken Wilson’s blog by Theodora Pap. When introducing her Ken wrote: “I love the way she says she isn’t a serious blogger and ‘I only write when I have something interesting to say or when I am in the mood to do so.‘ That should surely be a golden rule for all of us.” I agree, and this is why I’ve yet to write that guest post Ken invited me to write. I know that when the right topic comes along, I’ll be ready to join the others. In the past, blog experts used to say that if you didn’t post at least three times a week, you’d lose your readers. These days I think the opposite, and Valéria’s blog illustrates why. In fact, one of my favourite bloggers hasn’t posted since late May, and I eagerly await her next story. (She’s busy writing books.) Perhaps this is another reason I enjoy Fridays so much. Instead of writing and creating, I get to read and share the amazing posts written by others.

I chose Valéria’s post “The Feeling of MORE” (a reflection after a Jeremy Harmer session) for my 50th post in this series, because it spoke to me today, and I believe it was a reflection worth blogging about. I’ve been chatting with Jeremy Harmer recently (I too was blown away by his enthusiastic delivery when I saw him “perform” at IATEFL this year), and I appreciate the way he’s always asking humans to ask questions. It’s not just teachers who need to break from routine, but also writers, mothers, and students. Valéria’s post about breaking out of routine reminded me of Antonia’s Clare’s IATEFL PK, and I’m always looking for excuses to share it with anyone who hasn’t seen it. (see video below at 63 minute mark if you only have time for one; ironically, Valeria did a fabulous PK too at the 56:14 mark, and Jeremy Harmer was the host) So today’s tribute goes to @vbenevolofranca (in a way, the subject shows an alternative view to the Henrick post that she wrote a tribute for), with a bonus to @HarmerJ, @antoniaclare, and @hoprea. And what the heck, let’s add an extra one for the amazing @seburnt who helped me realize that today’s #FF tribute was #50.

Check out all of our 2010/11 “From the Archives” tributes here. Be sure to follow all of these great educators on Twitter.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/17/archives-valeria-benevolo/feed/ 6 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/17/fathers-day-english-lesson-plan-2/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/17/fathers-day-english-lesson-plan-2/#comments Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:42:38 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5885 Do something special with your father this Sunday, and try this ready-made English Lesson Plan with your students this week.

]]> Do something special with your father this Sunday, and try this ready-made English Lesson Plan with your students this week. In 1966, US President Lyndon Johnson signed a proclamation declaring the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. Students learn about Father’s Day around the world. Theme-based idioms are introduced.

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Holiday English Lesson Plans.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/17/fathers-day-english-lesson-plan-2/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/15/hockey-in-canada/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/15/hockey-in-canada/#comments Wed, 15 Jun 2011 17:10:45 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5719 This week's podcast features an audio recording of ESL-Library's Hockey lesson from the popular "Famous Things" section.

]]> Famous Things: Hockey

Do your students enjoy hockey? Have they been watching the Stanley Cup playoffs? This is the perfect week to do a lesson on hockey in your classroom. The Vancouver Canucks and the Boston Bruins are facing off for the final time game tonight. Who will bring home the cup? Which city will have a Stanley Cup parade? Here is an audio preview of our Hockey lesson. The full Hockey lesson comes with a warmup, a reading, comprehension and discussion questions, and a vocabulary review. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Famous Things here. Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual on-the-go listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 67th episode.

Have you ever thought about doing your own podcast with your English learners? Shelly Terrell recently did a webinar on Podcasting with English learners. I highly recommend it if you’re thinking about trying this out!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/15/hockey-in-canada/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Famous Things: Hockey Do your students enjoy hockey? Have they been watching the Stanley Cup playoffs? This is the perfect week to do a lesson on ... Famous Things: Hockey Do your students enjoy hockey? Have they been watching the Stanley Cup playoffs? This is the perfect week to do a lesson on hockey in your classroom. The Vancouver Canucks and the Boston Bruins are facing off for the final time game tonight. Who will bring home the cup? Which city will have a Stanley Cup parade? Here is an audio preview of our Hockey lesson. The full Hockey lesson comes with a warmup, a reading, comprehension and discussion questions, and a vocabulary review. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Famous Things here. Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual on-the-go listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 67th episode. Have you ever thought about doing your own podcast with your English learners? Shelly Terrell recently did a webinar on Podcasting with English learners. I highly recommend it if you're thinking about trying this out! ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/13/eat-your-veggies-day-2/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/13/eat-your-veggies-day-2/#comments Mon, 13 Jun 2011 20:06:38 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5693 June 17th is Eat your Veggies Day. What will you be talking about in class this Friday?

]]> Our English lesson plan calendar says that Friday the 17th is Eat your Veggies Day. How will you approach this subject in class?

If you teach adults who have children, you might want to share the CNN article,  Ten Ways to Get Kids to eat their Veggies. Would calling Brussells sprouts cute names like hero buttons work with the kids you know? What about having a veggie night? Ask your students to come up with some more ideas for convincing kids to eat their greens. How many of your students are vegetarian? If you have a number of vegetarians in your class, your students might enjoy our NEW Health Lesson 10 Reasons to Become Vegetarian. Your students will learn about the different types of vegetarians, and will get a chance to recommend vegetarian dishes. How many vegetables can your students name? Do these veggies get a thumbs up or a thumbs down?

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Related in the ESL-Library:
Flashcards: Vegetables
Discussion Starters: Obesity
Mini-Debates: Banning Trans Fats
Mini-Debates: Junk Food at Schools

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/13/eat-your-veggies-day-2/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/12/anne-frank-english-lesson-plan/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/12/anne-frank-english-lesson-plan/#comments Sun, 12 Jun 2011 21:45:43 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5899 June 12th is Anne Frank's birthday, try this ready-made English lesson plan with your students this week.

]]> June 12th is Anne Frank’s birthday, try this ready-made English lesson plan with your students this week. When Anne Frank, a German-Jewish teenager, received a small red and white diary for her 13th birthday, she called it “Kitty”. She wrote while hiding in rooms above her father’s offices in Amsterdam.

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Bini Biographies English Lesson Plans.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/12/anne-frank-english-lesson-plan/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/10/archives-vicky-loras/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/10/archives-vicky-loras/#comments Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:59:45 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5678 This week's #FF tribute goes to @vickyloras for her archived post about racism in children's literature.

]]> Each Follow Friday (#FF on Twitter) we pull a buried blog post from the dusty archives of the web. We hope you agree that there is a lot to learn from these “oldie but goodie” posts by educators.

Post: I don’t want to say it, Sir!
Writer: Vicky Loras
Role in Education: English Teacher in Switzerland
Date Posted: December 13, 2009
Subject: Racism and Multiculturalism
Twitter ID: @vickyloras
Blog: Vicky Loras’s Blog: A Blog about Education

Why we pulled it from the archives? Celebrate Canada is coming up very soon and we are working on some new Canadian holidays lessons for our library. For those who don’t know, this is an 11-day series of celebrations including Aboriginal Day (June 21), St. Jean-Baptiste Day (June 24), Multiculturalism Day (June 27) and Canada Day (July 1). When we found this personal story about racism and multiculturalism by Canadian-born Vicky Loras, we knew it was the one to feature for today’s #FF post! Vicky was born in Toronto, Canada, and moved to Greece when she was just eight years old. In her post “I don’t want to say it, Sir!” Vicky shares a personal experience that she had at her new school. Uncomfortable with a racist line in a script of a school play, Vicky confronted her teacher about not wanting to say it. Vicky’s “first little victory over racism” at the age of eight will make you want to jump into the twitterverse and give her a big hug. (Of course, an everyday tweet from Vicky will do that too! ) Vicky: From one Canadian to another, I love the multicultural values that you picked up in your early life in Canada! Your enthusiasm for languages and teaching is so inspiring. It was really fun dipping in your archives today! -Tara

Check out all of our 2010/11 “From the Archives” tributes here. Be sure to follow all of these great educators on Twitter.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/10/archives-vicky-loras/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/09/dr-death-or-dr-compassion/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/09/dr-death-or-dr-compassion/#comments Thu, 09 Jun 2011 18:55:38 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5642 Which nickname suits Dr. Kevorkian better, Dr. Death or Dr. Compassion? Let your students be the judge.

]]> Dr. Kevorkian; A.K.A Dr. Death

Dr. Kevorkian died on June 3, 2011 at the age of 83. Unlike the patients he helped commit suicide, the famous doctor died due to natural causes. While many called him Dr. Death, others admired him. We think your students will enjoying talking about this “eccentric” doctor. You can use this Washington Post article Jack Kevorkian was really Dr. Compassion to get the discussion started. In this short article, a minsister argues that Dr. Kevorkian was following this Hippocratic Oath when he helped people die: “That into whatsoever house you shall enter, it shall be for the good of the sick to the utmost of your power.”

If your students are interested in learning more about Dr. Kevorkian, try our NEW Famous People lesson: Dr. Kevorkian; A.K.A. Dr. Death.

Our Famous People lesson on Dr. Kevorkian includes:

• a reading about Dr. Kevorkian
• comprehension questions
• discussion questions
• vocabulary review
• a debate topic
• pronunciation practice
• an interview assignment (pair writing and speaking activity)

Go to this lesson.

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about. If you teach advanced students you may want to consider showing the film “You Don’t Know Jack” in class. Al Pacino won an award for his performance as Dr. Death.

Related in the ESL-Library:
Mini Debates: Euthanasia
Discussion Starters: Burial Alternatives
Mini Debates: Caring for the Elderly

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/09/dr-death-or-dr-compassion/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/08/world-oceans-day-english-lesson-plan/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/08/world-oceans-day-english-lesson-plan/#comments Wed, 08 Jun 2011 21:47:02 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5914 June 8th is World Oceans Day. Be sure to try this ready-made English lesson plan with your students this week.

]]> June 8th is World Oceans Day. Be sure to try this ready-made English lesson plan with your students this week. In 2009, the UN announced that World Ocean Day would be observed every year as a way of honoring the importance of oceans and addressing future environmental challenges.

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Everyday’s a Holiday English Lesson Plans.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/08/world-oceans-day-english-lesson-plan/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/08/grammar-stories-so-such/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/08/grammar-stories-so-such/#comments Wed, 08 Jun 2011 18:07:08 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5622 This week's podcast is an audio preview of our Grammar Stories lesson on So and Such.

]]> Grammar Stories: So, Such

Do your students know how to use so and such properly? Do they sometimes mix up these two words? Learning grammar in context is a great way for students to remember the rules. ESL-Library offers stories that focus on one grammar point at a time. You can pre-teach the grammar and then use the stories, or use the stories as a preview to your lesson. The worksheet that goes with this podcast is formatted like a blog. Your students can read and listen to the posts. In this collection of stories, Adele takes a trip to Toronto with her family. Here is an audio preview of our So and Such stories. The full Grammar Stories worksheet comes with three short readings, three question sets, and a few related activities. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Grammar Stories here. Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Introduce your students to iTunes today!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/08/grammar-stories-so-such/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Grammar Stories: So, Such Do your students know how to use so and such properly? Do they sometimes mix up these two words? Learning grammar in ... Grammar Stories: So, Such Do your students know how to use so and such properly? Do they sometimes mix up these two words? Learning grammar in context is a great way for students to remember the rules. ESL-Library offers stories that focus on one grammar point at a time. You can pre-teach the grammar and then use the stories, or use the stories as a preview to your lesson. The worksheet that goes with this podcast is formatted like a blog. Your students can read and listen to the posts. In this collection of stories, Adele takes a trip to Toronto with her family. Here is an audio preview of our So and Such stories. The full Grammar Stories worksheet comes with three short readings, three question sets, and a few related activities. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Grammar Stories here. Please encourage your students to use our FREE podcasts. These can be used for individual listening practice or as a preview to the ESL-Library lessons that you use in class. Introduce your students to iTunes today! ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/07/ted-talks-for-teaching-english/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/07/ted-talks-for-teaching-english/#comments Tue, 07 Jun 2011 19:52:45 +0000 Peter Martin http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5588 Using TED talks in your English lessons.

]]> One of my secret weapons in English classes is quickly becoming a not-so-secret weapon.

Long before I started teaching English, I began watching TED talks for my own education and entertainment. I watched talks on all subjects, given by speakers from around the world, just because so many of them are fascinating, moving, and—equally important—not very long.

For the uninitiated, TED talks are 18- to 20-minute lectures filmed at the annual TED conference and its spin-offs. The speeches are then posted online for anyone and everyone to watch. TED’s slogan is “Ideas worth spreading,” and its speakers, more than being famous or powerful, are interesting and have ambitious visions of world change. TED’s mission is to spread its speakers’ ideas around the world, at the conferences and through the internet—and not only to English speakers.

One of the amazing features of TED talks is that almost every talk is subtitled in dozens of languages, including English. The fact that most lectures are available to watch without subtitles, with English subtitles, and with subtitles in many other languages makes them perfect teaching tools for ESL students of all levels.

Here in Colombia, I have mostly taught intermediate to advanced students. For my high-levels students, an un-subtitled TED talk makes a perfect (and easy) lesson plan. The videos and the lively discussions that inevitably follow help students’ listening comprehension and speaking skills and always introduce new vocabulary and grammar points. The talks, by their nature, are very intelligent but also casual, so they combine advanced vocabulary with colloquial expressions, challenging students without intimidating them. For students who won’t understand everything spoken in English, putting on English subtitles lets them listen and read simultaneously, helping both their listening and reading comprehension at once. On top of that, TED’s website provides transcripts of every talk. Print out the transcript and you and your students can review the speech in text after watching it, catching or clarifying things they didn’t hear or didn’t understand while watching.

To give examples of TED talks I have used to good effect, here are three I recommend—though remember that there are hundreds of great ones. Ken Robinson, a British educator, gave a talk that is one of the most funny, heartwarming and popular on the site. The talks by writer Malcolm Gladwell and psychologist Barry Schwartz are both very interesting and excellent teaching tools, and their arguments are nice counterpoints to each other, so those talks make for good consecutive class lessons.

When I began using TED talks in my lessons, I thought that students would be amazed by the speeches. And indeed they were—for a while. Like me, they found the talks captivating. And they learned as much from the talks as I hoped they would. But more and more, I’m finding that my students have already heard of and seen TED talks before I introduce them to the classroom.

Though I’ve lost the opportunity to wow my students with TED talks, my classes have benefited from my students’ familiarity with and interest in the speeches. I still use them, and my students still love them.

But I wonder if I’m missing something. I don’t know how other English teachers use TED talks in their lessons. And I don’t know whether there are similar materials available to everyone that I haven’t found yet.

So I’m curious to hear from other English teachers: Have you used TED talks in class? If so, how have you used them, and have they been helpful? Or have you used other, similar materials? Are there other videos out there that I haven’t heard of that make great teaching tools and discussion starters?

Written by Peter F. Martin
Peter F. Martin was born and raised in New York City.  As an undergraduate at Yale University, he devoted himself to journalism, working as a writer, photographer, and editor for The Yale Globalist and the Yale Daily News. Peter first taught English while in college, teaching a weekly writing course to inmates at the Cheshire Correctional Institute in Cheshire, Connecticut. His work as an editor for campus publications required him to teach writing technique daily, correcting small mistakes and helping writers construct sentences, paragraphs, and pieces better.  He moved to Bogotá, Colombia, and has been working there as an English teacher and editor since. Peter blogs and shares his writing and photography on his website, peterfmartin.com

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/07/ted-talks-for-teaching-english/feed/ 12 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/03/this-weeks-esl-library-winners/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/03/this-weeks-esl-library-winners/#comments Fri, 03 Jun 2011 23:58:08 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5557 Congratulations to this week's winners! Thanks for being part of our ELT Community.

]]> This week we reached a few milestones in our #ELT communities, and we wanted to thank hardworking teachers for being part of our professional development network. We rely on you for your feedback, inspiration, and reviews and we’re very thankful for every retweet, shared link, and verbal recommendation.

First of all, our Facebook page reached 5000 friends! On our blog last week, we challenged teachers to share a story about a memorable student. We told teachers that whoever shared the first story after we reached 5000 friends would win an iPod shuffle.  Congratulations to Andy Hoang, who was our 5004th friend. Andy shared this inspiring story about a memorable student:

I taught a student who every other teacher in the school had trouble with. One day, he slammed the door on the way out of the classroom and it came off its hinges. I kept him behind after the lesson and he repaired the door. As he did, we chatted we found out that we had a lot in common. After that he became my best student.

It was great to see after so many years that discipline does work sometimes if done with care and affection.

We loved Andy’s story so much that we decided to throw in a free subscription for him. Andy has already shared his enthusiasm:

Andy is also on twitter. Follow him @andytgeezer. Your class may also be interested in joining Andy’s postcard swap.

To celebrate our 5000th friend on Facebook we also offered free subscriptions to 5 random Facebook friends.

Congratulations to: Shimo Ismail, Arash Malekfar, Jiji JouJou, Gizem N Krks, and Okan Can. If you haven’t contacted us yet, please do! We have a free subscription code for you:

This week we also gave away an ESL-Library subscription to the talented teacher Mike Harrison, who took part in last week’s #FF challenge and drew this fantastic elephant demonstrating a phrasal verb! Follow @harrisonmike for #ELT ideas and thought provoking blog posts!

Strangely enough, we noticed today that @ESLLibrary had exactly 2500 followers on twitter! Our 2500th follower was @Marcia_Renata_ an English teacher from Brazil. We followed her back with an #FF and recommended that she join our friend @CeciELT who leads a weekly #ELTChat for Brazilian teachers of English. We hope you’ll follow these teachers too!

Since we’re on the topic of Facebook and twitter, which do you prefer for keeping in touch with your ELT community, and why?

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/03/this-weeks-esl-library-winners/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/03/june-news/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/03/june-news/#comments Fri, 03 Jun 2011 17:23:25 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5480 Check out ESL-Library's new and featured lesson plans for June 2011.

]]> Check out ESL-Library’s Lesson Plan Calendar

If you haven’t seen it yet, we now have a Lesson Plan Calendar on our site. You won’t have to wait for our newsletter to see what we’ll be featuring each month. You can easily plan ahead by looking at the month in advance and choosing any of the lessons you want to try with your students. Even if you don’t use the suggested lesson for a certain holiday or event, you can still mention the important date in class. For example, on World Ocean Day ask your students if they think we take good care of our oceans. On Eat your Veggies Day, find out how many veggies your students can spell correctly in English. Add the lessons that you plan to use to your own Mini-Library on our site. Our easy to use filing system allows you to create folders based on your courses and classes. Organize your materials (lessons and flashcards) in any way that makes sense to you! The URL to our Lesson Plan Calendar is http://esl-library.com/calendar .

This month we also moved our Warm-Ups to a free section on our blog. Please share these with your friends and colleagues. You can print them if you need to or take a quick glance at the instructions before class.

Did you see the interesting infographic about flashcards? 93% of the teachers who took part in the poll stated that flashcards help students learn languages. We think so too! On the other hand, we hope you agree that it’s not useful to simply flash images in front of your students’ faces. If you have any great ideas for using flashcards in the classroom, please leave a comment on our blog or Facebook page. Contact us if you want to write a guest post for us on this topic!

ESL-Library.com (For English Teachers around the world.) |
Speaking of Facebook, congratulations to Andy Huong who won an iPod Shuffle in our Facebook 5000 giveaway. Read Andy’s winning story about a memorable student. To celebrate our 5000th friend, we also randomly selected 5 Facebook friends to win a free 6-month subscription to ESL-Library. Congratulations to all of the winners. We hope you enjoy using our lesson plans and flashcards.

New Lesson Plans this Month

• Health Matters: 10 Reasons why people choose Vegetarianism
• Health Matters: 7 Ways to Avoid Food Poisoning
• American Presidents: 3 lessons from our NEW section (Watch for new Presidents each month!)
• Grammar Stories: So, Such
• Grammar Practice Worksheet: Articles
• Grammar Practice Worksheet: Parts of Speech
• Spanish Discussion Starters: Uniforms
• Every day is a holiday: Dragon Boat Festival

In the works: Text the Teacher (Activities for using mobile phones with your students)

June Features

Every day is a Holiday -Dragon Boat Festival: Learn about the legend of Qu Yuan, and the history of dragon boating. Our mini-holiday lessons include warm up questions, vocabulary review, a short reading, comprehension and discussion questions. Your students may even teach you a thing or two about dragons! (June 6)

Every Day is a Holiday - World Ocean Day: In 2008, the UN declared June 8th an international day to honour the world’s oceans. This mini-holiday lesson is part of our large collection of lesson plans on environmental issues. June 8

Holiday- Father’s Day: We hope you enjoyed using our popular Mother’s Day lesson last month. This month it’s Dad’s turn to be honoured. The third Sunday in June is Father’s Day in many parts of the world. Our Father’s Day lesson includes some fun theme-based idioms.  (June 19)

Flashcards-At the beach: In many English speaking countries, June is the perfect time to learn vocabulary related to the beach. If you’re taking your class out for a fun day in the sun before school lets out, why not put our flashcards to good use. If you have any ideas for using flashcards in the classroom, please let us know!

Teaching Tip: Keeping Kids Interested in English through the Summer

Shelly Terrell wrote her first guest post for ESL-Library just in time for summer break. In her post she shared lots of ideas for engaging students in English games during the summer months. While some students continue to attend English class throughout July and August, many take a summer break. Shelly’s post offers some good ideas for keeping kids in English mode throughout the summer.

Happy teaching!
Sincerely,

The Staff at ESL-Library

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/03/june-news/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/01/podcast-dragon-boat-festival/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/01/podcast-dragon-boat-festival/#comments Wed, 01 Jun 2011 18:02:34 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5518 This week's podcast features a reading from our NEW Dragon Boat Festival lesson. The official date of the annual dragon boat festival is the fifth day of the fifth moon in the lunar calendar. (June 6)

]]> Dragon Boat Festival

June 6th is the official date of the annual Dragon Boat Festival. Do you know the legend of the dragon boat races? One of the most accepted legends is the tragedy of the poet Qu Yuan. Our mini-holiday lesson explains how this Chinese poet inspired the festival over 2000 years ago. Use this FREE recording with the printable English lesson from our  Every day is a Holiday section. In the printable lesson, students learn and practice new vocabulary, and take turns being the devil’s advocate. If your students enjoy learning about holidays from around the world, why not add all of our Holiday lessons to your personal library folder on our site? (See a recording of a live demo from a recent teaching conference.) Preview all of ESL-Library’s mini holiday lessons on our site. If you have any suggestions for topics that are not available in our library, please leave a comment.

Go to this lesson.

Coming soon in ESL-Library Podcasts…Déjà Vu

Learning English through Podcasts

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, and Holiday lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! Don’t forget to update your iTunes subscription to our NEW podcast feed.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/06/01/podcast-dragon-boat-festival/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Dragon Boat Festival June 6th is the official date of the annual Dragon Boat Festival. Do you know the legend of the dragon boat races? One ... Dragon Boat Festival June 6th is the official date of the annual Dragon Boat Festival. Do you know the legend of the dragon boat races? One of the most accepted legends is the tragedy of the poet Qu Yuan. Our mini-holiday lesson explains how this Chinese poet inspired the festival over 2000 years ago. Use this FREE recording with the printable English lesson from our  Every day is a Holiday section. In the printable lesson, students learn and practice new vocabulary, and take turns being the devil's advocate. If your students enjoy learning about holidays from around the world, why not add all of our Holiday lessons to your personal library folder on our site? (See a recording of a live demo from a recent teaching conference.) Preview all of ESL-Library’s mini holiday lessons on our site. If you have any suggestions for topics that are not available in our library, please leave a comment. Go to this lesson. Coming soon in ESL-Library Podcasts…Déjà Vu Learning English through Podcasts Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, and Holiday lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! Don't forget to update your iTunes subscription to our NEW podcast feed. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/31/world-no-tobacco-day-english-lesson-plan/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/31/world-no-tobacco-day-english-lesson-plan/#comments Tue, 31 May 2011 21:46:30 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5910 May 31st is World No Tobacco Day. Try ourEnglish lesson plan this week.

]]> May 31st is World No Tobacco Day. Try our English lesson plan this week. This annual global event reminds the public about the dangers of tobacco use. Each year a new global theme is introduced.

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Everyday’s a Holiday English Lesson Plans.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/31/world-no-tobacco-day-english-lesson-plan/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/31/shelly-terrell-1/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/31/shelly-terrell-1/#comments Tue, 31 May 2011 15:06:42 +0000 Shelly Terrell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5429 Shelly Terrell shares advice to keep your students playing with English throughout the summer.

]]> In many countries, students are taking a break for the summer. Yes, we want our students to enjoy their time away from classes, however, we don’t want them to lose the language they’ve acquired. Learning a language requires continuous practice and the best practice is always outside the classroom within a context. One way to motivate students to practice their English in a fun way is to get them to do it while they play! I can guarantee you that every one of your students will find time to play this summer, online and offline! The trick is getting your students to use English while playing their games. These ideas have helped me motivate my students to play games outside the classroom.

Find Out Your Students’ Gaming Habits

Use one of your class discussions to explore your students’ gaming habits. Have them break up in groups or pairs and discuss how much time a week and month they spend playing games, if these games are offline or online, what devices they play on, if they play online games, and what kind of games they like to play. Some of your students will love word games, others may like war games, and others make like active games. Some of your students will prefer playing outdoors and others will be glued to their PS3s or mobile phones. Take a poll to find out how many play games using technology and how many still play outdoor games or board games. This will be an interesting lesson that sparks a lot of discussion, while revealing how you might be able to integrate language learning into your students’ gaming habits. If you collaborate with classes in another country, you can compare results with this class and discuss the cultural and societal differences.

Engage Parents

Conduct a parent workshop to teach parents how to help their children play the games and reinforce the language at home. I invite parents to a free workshop where I serve delicious snacks so they will come. Then we talk about their concerns with their children using various technologies and we talk about how I will use technology to encourage their children to practice English. I ask them to sign permission slips and Acceptable Use Policies. I ask for their ideas of games their children like to play and what games they play with their children offline. We then talk about various ways they can play with the children online and offline and use English. To encourage them to use these ideas, I have them listed in my Children’s Wiki by theme. I also tell parents that I would like their children to blog about their game play or post on a social site (if they are teens) to encourage them to continue playing the game. After all, children love to tell their friends what they are up to and what games they are playing.

Encourage Game Play for Young Learners

Parents are very important in motivating very young children to play games. I suggest to parents various board games, card games, jump rope games, clapping games, travel games, and more ways to play and use English. The parents find these games listed in my English Story Time wiki accompanied by any videos I find that will demonstrate how to play the game. For those who do not access the wiki, I list them in a letter I send home and email the games to the parents. The parents also let me know what games they already play with their children and we talk about ways to introduce some English into these games. If your students have access to the Internet, students are able to play online games you suggest in a wiki, blog or website. Moreover, in a wiki or blog, the parents can automatically receive updates to their email accounts.

Encourage Game Play for Teens

If your students have access to the Internet, students are able to practice English in a fun way through online games. They can play the games you suggest in a wiki, blog, website, or social forum. I prefer social forums such as Edmodo, Facebook, or Twitter. The trick is finding what social networks your students are already active on and creating a private, safe group. If you work with teenagers, then you can have them create a private Facebook group where they update their status, post their scores, write notes about tricks they learned for certain levels, and overall what games they recommend others play. You can easily and quickly add your gaming suggestions, interesting articles about the games, tips you find, or walkthroughs that will encourage your students to read in English and apply the language to their game playing. Also, you can list links to polls and encourage them to post pics of levels they reach and so forth. You can have them chat with each other when they need help from another student about the various levels they are playing and how to pass them. Language is social and helps in getting your students interested in speaking English through their game playing.

Encourage Game Play for Adults

Adults also play games. They often love games such as Scrabble, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, or Bingo. Encourage the adults to host a weekly game night where they try playing English games such as charades, Apples to Apples, Clue, Taboo, Family Feud, Twister, Monopoly, or other English language games with the family. In this way, you also support family time or time with friends and many of the adults will thank you for this. Many will also play games on their mobile devices. Words with Friends is a great free app for the iPhone and Android that is like Scrabble but has a chat feature to make it social. If your language learners love language games, then you may also want to check out the ESL-Library’s Thematic Activities Book, which eases learners into their new language through the use of illustrations and popular word games.

Other related articles:

Learning Beyond Walls- Games and Wikis!
Let’s Play! 20+ Sites for Young Learners

If you want to receive more of Shelly’s tips for motivating students to use English in fun ways, then subscribe!

Shelly Terrell is the VP of Educator Outreach for Parentella and the Social Media Community Manager for The Consultants-E. She is also the co-organizer and co-creator of the award winning educational projects, Edchat, ELTChat, The Reform Symposium E-Conference, and the Virtual Round Table conference. Visit her award winning blog, Teacher Reboot Camp, for resources for effective technology integration. In the fall of 2011 find her book, The 30 Goals Challenge for Educators on Amazon. Find her on Twitter, @ShellTerrell. She has taught toddlers to adults English in various countries including the US, Germany, and Greece.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/31/shelly-terrell-1/feed/ 5 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/30/mark-zuckerberg-vegetarian/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/30/mark-zuckerberg-vegetarian/#comments Mon, 30 May 2011 22:00:16 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5417 Have you heard about Mark Zuckerberg's latest personal challenge?

]]> Facebook Creator Reveals his Personal Challenge of the Year

Have you heard about Mark Zuckerberg’s latest personal challenge? Each year the Facebook creator gives himself a new personal challenge. Last year he learned Chinese. This year the only meat he is eating comes from animals that he kills with his own hands. Does this mean he is a vegetarian? Not exactly. He has already killed a pig, a goat and some chickens. Why not share Mark Zuckerberg’s description of this challenge with your students. He wrote an email in plain and simple English that will give your students something to talk about! You can find his one paragraph explanation in this Huffington Post’s article: Mark Zuckerberg: I’m Eating Only the Meat I Kill.  Read the text out loud, or print it and have your students read it. Then have a discussion about it.

Here are some questions to get the conversation rolling:
1. Why do you think Mark Zuckerberg gives himself an annual personal challenge?
2. What would you do if someone told you that you had to kill your own dinner? Would you become a vegetarian?
3. What do you think is more difficult, this year’s challenge or last year’s challenge? Why?

Class activity: You could also have your students write out personal challenges for themselves. Or, students could think of a list of personal challenges. They could then poll their classmates to see who would be willing to accept these challenges.

We hope you will also try  our full-length Health Lesson on Vegetarianism (Coming in June) . Our NEW lesson is based on the list 10 reasons people choose vegetarianism.

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about. This week you could have your students create a Facebook page for your school or class. Speaking of Facebook, don’t forget to join ESL-Library’s Facebook page. There’s a big giveaway going on!

Related in the ESL-Library:
Health: Vegetarianism (Coming in June!)
Famous People: Steve Jobs
Famous People: Bill Gates
Discussion Starters: Social Media
Business in English: Internet Entrepreneurs

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/30/mark-zuckerberg-vegetarian/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/27/archives-mike-harrison/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/27/archives-mike-harrison/#comments Fri, 27 May 2011 17:44:38 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5397 This week's #FF tribute goes to @harrisonmike for his post on Drawing in the English Language Classroom. Today our post comes with a bonus challenge for our PLN. Pencils out everyone!

]]> Each Follow Friday (#FF on Twitter) we pull a buried blog post from the dusty archives of the web. We hope you agree that there is a lot to learn from these “oldie but goodie” posts by educators. This week we’re throwing out a bonus challenge to our PLN. Use the hashtag #ELTdrawing to participate.

Post: [Teacherstream] Drawing in the English Language Classroom.
Writer: Mike Harrison and his PLN
Role in Education: ESOL Teacher
Date Posted: December 21, 2010
Subject: Drawing in the classroom
Twitter ID: @harrisonmike
Blog: www.mikejharrison.com

Why we pulled it from the archives? I was drawing with my son this week and thinking about how I’ve learned to draw things that I never knew how to draw before because of his interests (spiders, superheroes, Transformers). I was always horrible at drawing vehicles and when I worked in the classroom, my students used to laugh at my cars and buses (though I know they appreciated my effort). This week I drew a decent looking elephant and I got thinking that it might be fun to challenge #ELTChatters to a drawing contest. After all, drawing is a skill that teachers can work on, and I doubt you’ll find a more relaxing way to spend your lunch hour (I once worked with a teacher who kept a colouring book in her filing cabinet.). While diving through Mike Harrison’s archives today, I found a post on drawing. I knew this would be a great post to share for our #FF series, because it’s related to the great infographic Voxy just put out on flashcards and it shows how useful it is to have a network of teachers who are easily accessible online when you have a question. My favourite part of the post is @SueAnnan‘s comment about an object that she has difficulty drawing! Check out Mike’s post to find out what it is, and to see some of the other interesting ideas and comments from his PLN.

#FF BONUS CHALLENGE: Will you accept a challenge related to this post? Our friend Vladka posed this question in Mike’s post: “Do you have any nice ideas on GRAMMAR drawing?” Here’s a challenge for you: Draw a picture of an elephant demonstrating a phrasal verb and take a picture of it (or draw it online). Use twit pic or any other service to share it with @ESLLibrary on twitter. You know this is something your students will need you to draw one day! We’ll feature the best elephants on our blog, and hook the winner up with a subscription to our library (includes over 2000 hand drawn flashcards). Use the hashtag #ELTdrawing. Please get your English Elephant to us before our next #FF post!

Check out all of our 2010/11 “From the Archives” tributes here. Be sure to follow all of these great educators on Twitter.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/27/archives-mike-harrison/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/26/oprah-vs-lady-gaga/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/26/oprah-vs-lady-gaga/#comments Thu, 26 May 2011 17:06:44 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5380 Oprah and Lady Gaga are stealing the headlines these days. One is moving out and the other is moving in. Give your students something to talk about!

]]> Goodbye Oprah. Hello Lady Gaga.

Have you heard who knocked Oprah off as the world’s most powerful celebrity? You guessed it – Lady Gaga! Your students will enjoying thinking of reasons why Lady Gaga “ousted” Oprah from her #1 spot on the Forbes chart. If you have advanced learners, you can share this Reuters article: Lady Gaga ousts Oprah on Forbes celebrity power list.  For your lower level students, simply tell them the news and ask them why they think this happened. You can also compare the similarities and differences between these two celebrities.

Note: Forbes editor, Dorothy Pomerantz, gave this reason for Lady Gaga’s recent success: “Lady Gaga beat Oprah this year because of her social media power. She can use Twitter and Facebook to work the “little monsters” into a frenzy that leads to record sales and media attention. She’s the best example of how celebrities will need to manage their careers in the coming years.”

We hope you will also try  our full-length Famous People lesson on Oprah Winfrey. Our popular lesson has been updated now that Oprah has said her final farewell to her TV talkshow viewers. This lesson includes a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review, and discussion questions.

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about. This week you could have your students join twitter! Teach them about #twinglish – the hashtag that connects English learners from all over the world.

Related in the ESL-Library:
Famous People: Oprah Winfrey
Famous People: Madonna
Discussion Starters: Social Media

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/26/oprah-vs-lady-gaga/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/25/5000-facebook/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/25/5000-facebook/#comments Wed, 25 May 2011 19:32:31 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5360 Do you want to win a prize today? Check out our Facebook page and tell us about your most memorable student.

]]> Calling all English Teachers!

We’re getting close to 5000 fans on Facebook! We love Facebook because it is a great place to chat with teachers and find out what types of materials they need. It is also a great way to get feedback about our lesson plans and flashcards. To thank our fans we are going to give away a few prizes!

Win an iPod Shuffle

The first teacher who likes our page after we reach 5000 fans AND responds to the question below will win an iPod shuffle:

Tell us about a memorable student you have taught. Which student will you never forget and why?

Win a Free 6-Month Subscription to ESL-Library

After we reach 5000, we will randomly select 5  Facebook Friends to win a 6-month subscription to the ESL-Library. If the winner already has a subscription, we will extend their subscription for an extra 6 months.

GOOD LUCK! Please pass on this good news to your teacher friends.

ESL-Library.com (For English Teachers around the world.)

Promote your Page too

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/25/5000-facebook/feed/ 7 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/25/podcast-composting/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/25/podcast-composting/#comments Wed, 25 May 2011 15:04:57 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5349 This week's podcast features a reading from our Discussion Starters lesson on Composting.

]]> Composting (Intermediate)

Do you collect kitchen scraps for your garden? Do you have a green thumb? How advanced is your city’s garbage program? Our new Discussion Starter lesson will get your students talking about the benefits and drawbacks of composting. This lesson is now part of our large collection of lessons related to the environment. Use this FREE recording with the intermediate English lesson from our  Discussion Starters section. In the printable lesson, students discuss the issues related to compost piles and programs. They practice turning statements into questions and review new vocabulary from the reading. There is also a research activity for students. If your students enjoy discussing modern day topics and issues, why not add all of our Discussion Starter lessons to your personal library folder on our site? (See a recording of a live demo from a recent teaching conference.) Preview all of ESL-Library’s Discussion Starter lessons. If you have any suggestions for topics that are not available in our library, please leave a comment.

Go to this lesson.

Coming soon in ESL-Library Podcasts…Déjà Vu

Learning English through Podcasts

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, and Holiday lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! Don’t forget to update your iTunes subscription to our NEW podcast feed.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/25/podcast-composting/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Composting (Intermediate) Do you collect kitchen scraps for your garden? Do you have a green thumb? How advanced is your city's garbage program? Our new Discussion ... Composting (Intermediate) Do you collect kitchen scraps for your garden? Do you have a green thumb? How advanced is your city's garbage program? Our new Discussion Starter lesson will get your students talking about the benefits and drawbacks of composting. This lesson is now part of our large collection of lessons related to the environment. Use this FREE recording with the intermediate English lesson from our  Discussion Starters section. In the printable lesson, students discuss the issues related to compost piles and programs. They practice turning statements into questions and review new vocabulary from the reading. There is also a research activity for students. If your students enjoy discussing modern day topics and issues, why not add all of our Discussion Starter lessons to your personal library folder on our site? (See a recording of a live demo from a recent teaching conference.) Preview all of ESL-Library’s Discussion Starter lessons. If you have any suggestions for topics that are not available in our library, please leave a comment. Go to this lesson. Coming soon in ESL-Library Podcasts…Déjà Vu Learning English through Podcasts Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, and Holiday lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! Don't forget to update your iTunes subscription to our NEW podcast feed. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/24/bob-dylan-turns-70-english-lesson-plan/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/24/bob-dylan-turns-70-english-lesson-plan/#comments Tue, 24 May 2011 15:58:20 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5268 Try our Famous People ESL English lesson plan on Bob Dylan. One of the most celebrated song writers of all time.

]]> This week, Tuesday May 24th, Bob Dylan turns 70 years old.  Let’s celebrate his birthday by teaching from our ready-made Bob Dylan English lesson plan.

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Famous People English Lesson Plans.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/24/bob-dylan-turns-70-english-lesson-plan/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/20/greta-sandler/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/20/greta-sandler/#comments Fri, 20 May 2011 14:34:05 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5245 This week's #FF tribute goes to Greta Sandler (@gret) for her archived post on dealing with the unexpected news of a death in the school.

]]> Each Follow Friday (#FF on Twitter) we pull a buried blog post from the dusty archives of the web. We hope you agree that there is a lot to learn from these “oldie but goodie” posts by educators.

Post: When the Unexpected Happens.
Writer: Greta Sandler
Role in Education: YL English teacher in Argentina
Date Posted: November 10, 2010 Subject: Grieving with students; Storytelling
Twitter ID: @gret
Blog: About a Teacher

Why we pulled it from the archives? This week there was an amazing #ELTChat on twitter about storytelling. It was wonderful to see how enthusiastic teachers were about using storytelling with their language learners. As well as triggering a wealth of ideas and resources, it spurred an after-the-chat activity in which teachers began sharing true stories in 140 characters under the hashtag #ELTstory. It is human nature to want to tell stories. I came across an amazing one today via @gret about a little pink stool. (Will twitter go down in history as the best tool ever for passing on stories?) This brought me over to Greta’s blog and I began searching through her archives for today’s #FF post. When I found this post about the death of a teacher, I knew it was the one to share. Greta describes a challenge that many teachers will face at some point in their career. She describes it as one of the saddest days in her life. Talking to students about death is not easy, but as teachers we must give them the tools, the permission, and the environment in which to do this. How did Greta’s class get through the difficult day?  They told stories: “So, we sat together on the floor and started talking. They kept asking me questions about me when I was kid and after sometime I could even tell they were enjoying it…” Greta Sandler.

Please tell your students at least one true story a day. It will bring your class closer together and will make your job and their learning experience rich and memorable.

Check out all of our 2010/11 “From the Archives” tributes here. Be sure to follow all of these great educators on Twitter.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/20/greta-sandler/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/18/live-lessons/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/18/live-lessons/#comments Wed, 18 May 2011 17:18:31 +0000 Kirsten Winkler http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5114 One of the biggest challenges in the live online lesson space is the relatively low number of online teachers and tutors.

]]> I am currently doing some research and interviews in the translation and interpretation market as this is the field I personally always avoided during my online teaching career. I had lots of offers to translate various projects, from websites to legal documents but the few times I gave in and did the job made me realize that you need a certain skill set to perform well and that it is simply not enough to be a native speaker . Apparently, I am no good at translation as I find it tedious and boring to say the best. That however doesn’t mean I don’t find the topic interesting in itself, particularly the boost the translation business sees at the moment and I was asking myself if this was due to progress in technology.

This week, I had the chance to interview Paul Sulzberger, founder of NZTC International, who has an impressive career in the translation business and he loves his job up to today. He will even launch a new start-up in the translation space.

I also got an email from another founder in the translation space, Jani Penttinen of Premium Fan Page. In preparation for an update on this project he shared some interesting not to surprising news with me. His customers would actually prefer the human translation option to the much more cost effective machine translation PFP is offering in its packages.

That made me rethink my theory of the involvement of humans in Internet based education businesses in general. Sure, the machine based option and asynchronous learning applications we have today become more and more sophisticated but when learners or customers have the choice, do we still tend to prefer humans working for/ with us?

I have written quite a bit about why live lesson platforms weren’t able to compete with language learning communities over the past years and I will stand by that for the moment. To sum it up, one of the biggest challenges in the live online lesson space is the relatively low number of online teachers and tutors. At a first glance this seems to be contradictory as most independent online teachers are experiencing a hard time to get students. I believe this is due to the other problem involved with live lessons, the relatively high price compared to other online alternatives as even the lowest hourly rate seems to be quite high when compared to a monthly subscription to one of the popular language learning communities or the price of an iPhone application.

We also need to mention other issues like availability of the teachers and convenience. Apps and online courses are ready to go 24/7, a live lesson with a teacher however needs to be scheduled in advance, one has to take the different time zones into consideration and there is “trouble” involved when rescheduling etc.

The logic fix for this would be a platform, or multiple platforms, that have enough teachers and tutors on the system enabling students to take classes at any given moment. This would of course mean that those platforms needed a lot of potential teachers at hand and not many regions on the globe qualify for such a venture.

Of course, in the ESL space India comes to mind almost immediately as the country offers a quickly growing group of highly educated people who could easily and probably happily switch their call center jobs for teaching English as second or foreign language. I won’t argue about the needed qualifications and standards at this moment but when we are talking about guided courses with a fixed curriculum I am pretty sure that this might work, especially when the price is right.

Companies trying to or that have already built something in that direction are for instance TutorVista in the private lesson space, Chinese Teachers and a very early stage start-up in the translation space called Babelverse.

Without any doubt, there are big remaining questions such as what this would do to the pricing structure of live lessons and the ESL market in general. On the other hand, I am pretty sure that we will have to deal with the fact that new global players will take on this space, especially with English being the dominant language in our globalized world of today. We already see that new global alliances are formed in the economic space and there is no reason why this won’t happen in other markets. The question then is what can the classic ESL providers offer to defend their piece of the pie.

What are your thoughts?

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/18/live-lessons/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/18/podcasts-burial-alternatives/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/18/podcasts-burial-alternatives/#comments Wed, 18 May 2011 16:59:18 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5066 This week's podcast features a reading from our Discussion Starter lesson on Burial Alternatives. This lesson was inspired by the sudden sea burial of Osama bin Laden.

]]> Burial Alternatives (Intermediate)

Were your students surprised to hear that Osama bin Laden was killed? Did you discuss the fact that the world’s most wanted man was buried at sea? A sea burial is just one alternative to a traditional burial in a grave. Our new Discussion Starter lesson will get your students talking about other unique ideas for burial, such as being launched into space or turned into a jewel. This light-hearted lesson could open your students up for more serious discussions related to death and dying. Use this FREE recording with the intermediate English lesson from our  Discussion Starters section. In the printable lesson, students discuss the issues related to burying the dead. They practice word stress and review new vocabulary from the reading. There is also an optional web activity for students who have Internet access. If your students enjoy discussing modern day topics and issues, why not add all of our Discussion Starter lessons to your personal library folder on our site? (See a recording of a live demo from a recent teaching conference.) Preview all of ESL-Library’s Discussion Starter lessons. If you have any suggestions for topics that are not available in our library, please leave a comment.

Go to this lesson.

Coming soon in ESL-Library Podcasts…Déjà Vu

Learning English through Podcasts

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, and Holiday lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! Don’t forget to update your iTunes subscription to our NEW podcast feed.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/18/podcasts-burial-alternatives/feed/ 2 0:00:01 Burial Alternatives (Intermediate) Were your students surprised to hear that Osama bin Laden was killed? Did you discuss the fact that the world's most wanted man ... Burial Alternatives (Intermediate) Were your students surprised to hear that Osama bin Laden was killed? Did you discuss the fact that the world's most wanted man was buried at sea? A sea burial is just one alternative to a traditional burial in a grave. Our new Discussion Starter lesson will get your students talking about other unique ideas for burial, such as being launched into space or turned into a jewel. This light-hearted lesson could open your students up for more serious discussions related to death and dying. Use this FREE recording with the intermediate English lesson from our  Discussion Starters section. In the printable lesson, students discuss the issues related to burying the dead. They practice word stress and review new vocabulary from the reading. There is also an optional web activity for students who have Internet access. If your students enjoy discussing modern day topics and issues, why not add all of our Discussion Starter lessons to your personal library folder on our site? (See a recording of a live demo from a recent teaching conference.) Preview all of ESL-Library’s Discussion Starter lessons. If you have any suggestions for topics that are not available in our library, please leave a comment. Go to this lesson. Coming soon in ESL-Library Podcasts…Déjà Vu Learning English through Podcasts Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, and Holiday lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! Don't forget to update your iTunes subscription to our NEW podcast feed. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/17/space-station-english-lesson-plan/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/17/space-station-english-lesson-plan/#comments Tue, 17 May 2011 21:47:40 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5920 It's Endeavour's last launch into space this week. Try our ready-made Space Station English lesson plan.

]]> It’s Endeavour’s last launch into space this week. Try our ready-made Space Station English lesson plan. The International Space Station is the largest space project and the biggest engineering venture ever undertaken. It is a long-term research laboratory for space exploration.

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Famous Places English Lesson Plans.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/17/space-station-english-lesson-plan/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/17/tablet/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/17/tablet/#comments Tue, 17 May 2011 16:29:14 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=4851 If you're sick of poor restaurant service, maybe you should try E La Carte?

]]> Your tablet may be your new best friend, but could it also be your waiter?

When was the last time that you waited too long for a drink in a restaurant? Do you sometimes forget to ask for separate checks when you first sit down? According to the CNN report E La Carte: Your new waiter is a tablet, these things may get easier in future restaurants. The question is, at what price? Are you looking for something interesting to talk about in class today? Why not print out this article and read it with your students? If the reading is too difficult for your learners, simply describe the premise of “E La Carte”. Would your students want to go to this kind of restaurant? Is this what the future of service will look like? Here are some discussion questions to get you started:

1. How is the service in most of the restaurants you go to in your hometown?
2. Why is it such a hassle for servers to separate checks?
3. What do you do when a server does not provide you with good service?
4. How would you feel if you could just order another drink or menu item from a tablet at your table?
5. Do you think E La Carte style dining will catch on in future restaurants, bars, and cafes?

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students gabbing, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Related in the ESL-Library:
Discussion Starter: Tipping
Everyday Dialogues: Ordering Food
Everyday Dialogues: At a Restaurant

Everyday Dialogues Lesson: Ordering Food

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/17/tablet/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/16/seth-godin-library/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/16/seth-godin-library/#comments Mon, 16 May 2011 15:46:28 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=4624 What would Seth Godin think about the ESL-Library?

]]>
I read Seth Godin’s blog about The Future of Libraries with great interest today. In an interview about teaching English that I took part in over the weekend, I mentioned that being a librarian was my dream job as a child. The library is my favourite place to be, and I was happy that Seth believes that in the future it will still be a place:

“The [future] library is a place, still. A place where people come together to do co-working and coordinate and invent projects worth working on together. Aided by a librarian who understands the Mesh, a librarian who can bring domain knowledge and people knowledge and access to information to bear.”

I was in the local library yesterday, and I was disappointed that the librarian there was unable to answer a simple question: Which book in this series should my daughter read next? The librarian got on her computer (though she seemed more interested in drying books that had come in from the rain) and began looking for the answer half-heartedly. She eventually left her database and went to Google. After a while I wanted to climb over the desk and take over the computer to put in keywords that I assumed would get the job done (we left without a clear answer). Earlier I had asked another clerk where the kids’ joke books were. She walked away, went to a computer and then sent me to the section on magic where there was one book of riddles. Normally, I would have searched myself, but she was right there and sometimes it’s nice to talk to humans. I hoped maybe she could recommend a really funny book that other kids have loved.

It could have been just a few bad clerks that I bumped into, but I felt like something was missing in our weekly library trip this weekend. Maybe I just wanted the librarian to spread out the five books in the series and figure out which one came second. Maybe I wanted her to ask my daughter about why she had chosen a series about American Jewish children written in the 50′s? It would have been nice if she had invited my daughter to help find the answer we were looking for. How old do the kids look on this cover? When was the book written? Let’s check all of the inside covers. I know I should have done those things myself, but I just love talking to knowledgable librarians. When you find a good one it’s, to use Seth’s words, like having a sherpa.

My unsatisfactory visit to the main branch (we usually go to our local one) got me thinking about the ESL-Library. What’s missing here? What can we do to, as Seth suggests, “take the world of data, combine it with the people in this community and create value.”

We are a small team and may not be able to produce everything ourselves, but we do keep in touch with the greater ELT community. As the ESL-Library, we must do our best to connect teachers with the resource or person in need, regardless of whether the answer or resource is on our site or yours. We must inspire teachers to stay true to their passion and keep English class interesting. While our motto has always been, “Just print!”, we must also remind teachers to “Just ask!”

Today, I’m going to imagine that we just gave forward-thinker Seth Godin a subscription code to our library. Would his review be similar to Jason’s? What concerns and suggestions would he have? What can our team do to become a better “data hound/guide/sherpa/teacher” for the ELT community? Let us know if you have any suggestions!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/16/seth-godin-library/feed/ 3 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/13/friday-the-13th/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/13/friday-the-13th/#comments Fri, 13 May 2011 13:13:10 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=4489 It's Friday the 13th. Are your students superstitious?

]]> Are some people unluckier than others? Friday the 13th is a good day to find out.

Have you printed out our Discussion Starters lesson on Luck for today? It’s Friday the 13th! There is a listening to go with the full lesson. You can preview it in the Does Luck land in your Lap? podcast. You could also use some authentic materials from the Internet to start your discussion. An archived BBC article suggests that people who believe that Friday the 13th is an unlucky day are more likely to have bad things happen to them. Check out the article:
Friday the 13th-Unlucky for Some and have a discussion. If the reading is too difficult for your learners, simply cut the reading off after the first paragraph. Here are some questions to get you started:

1. Did you notice that today was Friday the 13th?
2. Why is 13 an unlucky number?
3. Reread this statement from the article: “Unlucky people tend to buy into negative superstitions, like having seven years bad luck after smashing a mirror.” What does “buy into” mean?
4. What does this sentence mean? “So your bad luck could be your own doing.” Think of some other situations where we might use the expression “could be your own doing”? Practise with a partner.
5. What are some superstitions from your culture? Do you consider yourself superstitious? Why or why not?

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students gabbing, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Related in the ESL-Library:
Discussion Starter: Luck
Warm up: Four Leaf Clovers

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/13/friday-the-13th/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/11/podcast-consumerism/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/11/podcast-consumerism/#comments Wed, 11 May 2011 18:13:25 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=4302 Consumerism (Intermediate)

How much stuff do we need? Discuss the topic of consumerism with your students. They will love the expression “Keeping up with the Jones’s”. Use this FREE recording with the intermediate English lesson from our  Discussion Starters section. In the printable lesson, students discuss the issues related to consumerism and create their own Graffiti Art on this topic. If your students enjoy discussing modern day topics and issues, why not add all of our Discussion Starter lessons to your personal library folder on our site? (See a recording of a live demo from a recent teaching conference.) Preview all of ESL-Library’s Discussion Starter lessons. If you have any suggestions for topics that are not available in our library, please leave a comment.

Go to this lesson.

Coming soon in ESL-Library Podcasts…Deja Vu

Learning English through Podcasts

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, and Holiday lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! Don’t forget to update your iTunes subscription to our NEW podcast feed.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/11/podcast-consumerism/feed/ 1 0:00:01 Consumerism (Intermediate) How much stuff do we need? Discuss the topic of consumerism with your students. They will love the expression "Keeping up with ... Consumerism (Intermediate) How much stuff do we need? Discuss the topic of consumerism with your students. They will love the expression "Keeping up with the Jones's". Use this FREE recording with the intermediate English lesson from our  Discussion Starters section. In the printable lesson, students discuss the issues related to consumerism and create their own Graffiti Art on this topic. If your students enjoy discussing modern day topics and issues, why not add all of our Discussion Starter lessons to your personal library folder on our site? (See a recording of a live demo from a recent teaching conference.) Preview all of ESL-Library’s Discussion Starter lessons. If you have any suggestions for topics that are not available in our library, please leave a comment. Go to this lesson. Coming soon in ESL-Library Podcasts…Deja Vu Learning English through Podcasts Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, and Holiday lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! Don't forget to update your iTunes subscription to our NEW podcast feed. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/09/lottery/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/09/lottery/#comments Mon, 09 May 2011 18:42:41 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=4171 Are money and happiness closely linked? Let's find out what your students think.

]]> If I had a million dollars, I’d be happy. Or would I?

Are you tired of using The Bare Naked Ladies’ song “If I had a Million Dollars” to practise conditionals? What about reading or summarizing a few parts of this CNN article: Winning the lottery: Does it guarantee happiness? Use of the conditionals will surely emerge in your discussion. Here are some questions to get your students talking:

1. What does “big money comes with big costs” mean?
2. What do you think the documentary “Curse of the Lottery” is about? (You can even invite them to do some research.)
3. What surprises you about how Lee McDaniel used her lottery winnings. What would you do differently if you were her?
4. What does “be a giver not a lender” mean?
5. Why do you think earning $75, 000/year is the “happiness” marker?

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Related in the ESL-Library:

• Health: Happiness
• Discussion Starters: Luck
• Grammar Stories: Second Conditional
• Grammar Worksheets: Second Conditional
• Easy Grammar Sentences: Second Conditional

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/09/lottery/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/06/archives-esra-girgin-akiskali/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/06/archives-esra-girgin-akiskali/#comments Fri, 06 May 2011 17:36:59 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=4138 This week's #FF tribute goes to @ekamin for her archived post on Ken Wilson. Do you use the "N" word in class?

]]> Each Follow Friday (#FF on Twitter) we pull a buried blog post from the dusty archives of the web. We hope you agree that there is a lot to learn from these “oldie but goodie” posts by educators.

Post: Well done, try again!
Writer: Esra Girgin Akiskali
Role in Education: English Language Teacher (Kindergarten) in Turkey
Date Posted: February 28, 2010 Subject: Learning from Ken Wilson Twitter ID: @ekamin
Blog: Esra’s Englishous Blog

Why we pulled it from the archives? At the IATEFL conference in Brighton a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting both Esra and Ken. Esra and I enjoyed a twitter giggle, because we exchanged twitter IDs at the pub and then realized we were following each other already. When I returned home, I also realized that Esra had an “Englishous” blog. Today, I enjoyed digging through her archives. Esra’s writing voice is as sweet as her voice in person. I found this great post that she wrote about listening to Ken Wilson, and I knew that this was the one to share today. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of scoring front row seating to my first ever Ken Wilson talk. The session was entertaining, informative, and interactive. It was wonderful to be the student again. Though I had only met Ken a few days earlier, I felt as though he had been my teacher for many years. One of my favourite parts was when Ken taught us the simple way to avoid the “N” word. Check out Esra’s post to learn this great teaching tip.
Revisit all of our 2010/11 “From the Archives” tributes here. If you don’t have time to read them, be sure to follow all of these great educators on Twitter.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/06/archives-esra-girgin-akiskali/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/05/cinco-de-mayo-english-lesson-plan/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/05/cinco-de-mayo-english-lesson-plan/#comments Thu, 05 May 2011 21:37:00 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5889 You don't have to be Mexican to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Try our ready-made English lesson plan with your students this week.

]]> You don’t have to be Mexican to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Try our ready-made English lesson plan with your students this week, and teach them some myths about Mexico and have them play a Mariachi version of Hangman!

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Holiday English Lesson Plans.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/05/cinco-de-mayo-english-lesson-plan/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/05/may-2011-news/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/05/may-2011-news/#comments Thu, 05 May 2011 04:38:16 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3850 The Beauty of a Digital Library

One of the requests we get from teachers is for more audio lessons. We answered this need last year by creating a new podcast that we update every Wednesday. In last week’s podcast we shared some big news! Our Detective Series: “The Case of the Missing Ring” now has listening files. We also added audio to our Everyday Idioms 2 series: “First Year”. Both of these series feature dialogues filled with everyday language. We hope you’ll agree that the actors did an incredible job of bringing characters like Detective Bossley and Kate to life.  We’ve also built a new calendar for teachers. Each month we will list birthdays, historic days, holidays, and other special events that relate to content in our library. You can print out all of the plans you need at the beginning of each month. Be sure to watch for our Lesson of the Week. From time to time you may notice that a featured lesson is unlocked. This is a great time to share ESL-Library with your colleagues and friends.

Reminder: Our iTunes account changed this month. If you or your students subscribed to the first 50 episodes, please update your subscription. Thank you!

New Lesson Plans this Month

• Health Matters: Happiness: A Prescription
• Health Matters: Sleep: 5 Reasons you aren’t getting enough
• Health Matters: Centenarians: How to live to be 100
• Warm up (FREE): Predict the Story
• Warm up (FREE): Unfinished Business
• Audio: Detective Series: The Case of the Missing Ring
• Audio: Everyday Idioms 2: First Year
• Discussion Starters: Burial Alternatives

In the works: Text the Teacher (Activities for using mobile phones with your students)

May Features

Holiday- Mother’s Day: Most of the world celebrates Mother’s Day in May. Some of your students may be away from their mothers at this time. Some will have host mothers to celebrate with.  Students learn about how mothers are honored around the world. May 8

Flashcards-Trees, flowers and plants: In many parts of the world, trees are starting to bud and flowers are starting to bloom. Before you take your students for a nature walk, play some games with these flashcards. Here are some ideas for using flashcards that we think you’ll love.

Holiday - Golden Week: In Japan, the spring holiday is called Golden Week. Students aren’t the only ones who get a week of holidays at this time. Most of Japan takes a break, including the hardworking business workers. Why is this period from April 29-May 5th so special? Find out in our Golden Week lesson! (April 29-May 5)

Famous People-Bob Dylan: Dylan was born Robert Allen Zimmerman in Duluth, Minnesota, on May 24, 1941. In high school, he started his own rock bands. At university, he switched to folk music and took the name “Dylan,” after poet Dylan Thomas. Celebrate one of America’s favourite musicians on his birthday this month. (May 24)

Every day is a Holiday -World No Tobacco Day: May 31st is World No Tobacco Day (WNTD). The World Health Organization (WHO) first organized this day in 1987. This annual global event reminds the public about the dangers of tobacco use. This year’s theme is “The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC)”. (May 31)

Teaching Tip: Pronunciation Matters

At the recent IATEFL conference in the UK, Robin Walker gave an interesting talk called Pronunciation Matters. As Robin said, many teachers neglect to teach pronunciation. Others focus too much on accent reduction rather than intelligibility. A recent ELT chat confirmed that many non-native English teachers lack confidence in teaching pronunciation. Robin discussed this concern and helped teachers pinpoint the most important aspects of teaching pronunciation. Many materials also neglect to include pronunciation lessons, tips, and activities, and we hope to introduce more opportunities for you to teach pronunciation in our ready-made lessons. If you have a few extra minutes this month, be sure to watch Robin’s talk.

Happy teaching!
Sincerely,

The Staff at ESL-Library

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/05/may-2011-news/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/05/burial-alternatives/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/05/burial-alternatives/#comments Thu, 05 May 2011 03:31:17 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=4020 Show your students a video that puts a new spin on the expression "think outside the box".

]]> “Can you think outside the box?”

Will you be using our Discussion Starter lesson on Burial Alternatives with your English learners? This lesson invites your students to visit our blog to watch a related video. Show your students this CBS video: Not your Parents’ Funeral.  Then have a class discussion about what you watched.

Here are some questions to consider:
What does it mean by right now “pets pay the rent”?
What is “Life Gem”?
Why does the report mention baby boomers?

Here are some expressions you can review after watching the video:

• “think outside of the box”
• “the end of the road”
• “orchestrate your own finale”
• “the Rolls-Royce of…”
• “to go out in style”
• “a little out there”

Please invite your students to leave a comment about burial alternatives on our blog. Don’t forget to include your country and the name of your school. If you have your own blog, please share a link to the post where you published your thoughts on burial alternatives. Thanks for taking part in this optional activity!
This lesson includes a warmup, a reading, a listening file, vocabulary review tasks, a pronunciation task, and a set of discussion questions.

To print this lesson for your next class, log in then click here to access the PDF.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/05/burial-alternatives/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/04/podcast-cinco-de-mayo/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/04/podcast-cinco-de-mayo/#comments Wed, 04 May 2011 17:31:54 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3994 You don't have to be Mexican to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!

]]> Cinco de Mayo (Intermediate)

Teach your students about the history and festivities related to Cinco de Mayo. You don’t have to be Mexican to celebrate! Use this FREE recording with the intermediate English lesson from our  Holidays section. In the printable lesson, students learn some myths about Mexico and play a Mariachi version of Hangman! If your students enjoy learning about holidays, why not add all of our holiday lessons to your personal library folder on our site? (See a recording of a live demo from a recent teaching conference.) Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday and mini-holiday lessons. If you have any suggestions for holiday lessons that are not available in our library, please leave a comment.

Coming soon in ESL-Library Podcasts…Deja Vu

Learning English through Podcasts

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, and Holiday lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! Don’t forget to update your iTunes subscription to our NEW podcast feed.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/04/podcast-cinco-de-mayo/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Cinco de Mayo (Intermediate) Teach your students about the history and festivities related to Cinco de Mayo. You don't have to be Mexican to celebrate! Use ... Cinco de Mayo (Intermediate) Teach your students about the history and festivities related to Cinco de Mayo. You don't have to be Mexican to celebrate! Use this FREE recording with the intermediate English lesson from our  Holidays section. In the printable lesson, students learn some myths about Mexico and play a Mariachi version of Hangman! If your students enjoy learning about holidays, why not add all of our holiday lessons to your personal library folder on our site? (See a recording of a live demo from a recent teaching conference.) Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday and mini-holiday lessons. If you have any suggestions for holiday lessons that are not available in our library, please leave a comment. Coming soon in ESL-Library Podcasts…Deja Vu Learning English through Podcasts Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, and Holiday lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! Don't forget to update your iTunes subscription to our NEW podcast feed. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/02/osama-bin-laden-buried-at-sea/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/02/osama-bin-laden-buried-at-sea/#comments Mon, 02 May 2011 13:50:30 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3928 Many people woke up today to learn that Osama Bin Laden was "sleeping with the fishes". How will you tackle this topic in class?

]]> Many people woke up today to learn that Osama bin Laden was “sleeping with the fishes”.

After ten years of hunting down “the world’s most wanted man,” the US has reportedly killed and buried Osama bin Laden. One of the most intriguing elements of the breaking news is that the terrorist leader was buried at sea within hours of being shot in the head by US forces. According to the Islamic tradition, it is important that a body be buried as soon as possible after death. A US official was quoted in the Guardian explaining the reasoning behind the hasty sea burial: “Finding a country willing to accept the remains of the world’s most wanted terrorist would have been difficult.”

If your students are open to discussing this news, there are a number of ways to approach it. You could discuss this article from the Guardian (read it together or summarize the main points) and have a group or pair discussion. You may want to use the “sea burial” as your main topic, and only touch briefly on the news about Osama bin Laden. We created a Discussion Starter lesson on Burial Alternatives (it mentions Bin Laden) to help you ease into this topic. Check out the list of links below to find other authentic materials to help spark a a related discussion. Here are some questions you can start with:

1. Did you believe that Osama bin Laden was really killed or did you have doubts? (Will you wait for the DNA evidence before you believe it?)
2. Were you surprised to hear that the US had finally caught Bin Laden? Were you surprised to hear he was found in Pakistan?
2. Do you think that burying Bin Laden at sea was appropriate?
3. What other reasons might the US have for burying Bin Laden so hastily?
4. What burial traditions are common in your culture or country?
5. Would you want to be buried at sea? Why or why not?

Related on the web:
The Guardian: It took years to find him, but just minutes to kill him
About.com: Islamic Funerals
Urban Dictionary: Muslim Burial
CNN: Timeline: Osama bin Laden, over the years
Wikipedia: Burial at Sea (“Sleeping with the Fishes”)
Socyberty: Under the Sea or Floating in Space: Other options for Burial

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about. When a famous person dies, it is sometimes interesting to work together as a class to collect information and write an obituary. Each pair or small group can be responsible for a different aspect of the deceased person’s life.

How did you tackle this topic in class? Please share your ideas and resources in the comments below.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/02/osama-bin-laden-buried-at-sea/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/01/burial-alternatives-english-lesson-plan-2/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/01/burial-alternatives-english-lesson-plan-2/#comments Sun, 01 May 2011 21:45:13 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5893 To be buried or cremated? This English lesson plan is sure to get your students talking.

]]> To be buried or cremated? This English lesson plan is sure to get your students talking. In 2011, Osama bin Laden was reportedly buried at sea within hours of being killed by US forces. Officials said his body had to be buried within 24 hours in order to comply with Islamic tradition. Was a sea grave the only safe option for the world’s most wanted man? This lesson includes audio.

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Discussion Starter English Lesson Plans.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/01/burial-alternatives-english-lesson-plan-2/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/01/emergency-kit/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/01/emergency-kit/#comments Sun, 01 May 2011 19:23:07 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=4420 Students work together as a “family” to design a home emergency kit.

]]> Students work together as a “family” to design a home emergency kit.

Learner Level: Any level
Language focus: Vocabulary (Can also be used to review modals: We “should” include…We “could” add…)
Skills: Planning, brainstorming, presenting
Time: 10 + minutes
Materials: 1 piece of blank paper per group
Grouping: Small “families”
Preparation: None (You may want to go online and print off a sample “Emergency Checklist”.

Teacher instructions

1. Work together as  a class to discuss types of emergencies that would cause your local facilities and services to shut down. (earthquakes, acts of terrorism, war, hurricanes)
2. Divide the class into “families” of two or more.  (Groupings should be different sizes.)
3. Have students decide who is in the family. (mom, dad, brother, sister, grandma, etc)
4. Tell students to divide the sheet of paper into four: Food, Medical supplies, Documentation, Other (special needs)
5. Have families brainstorm for ten minutes. What supplies should be in an emergency supply kit? Each family will have different needs. For example, a family with a baby may need extra formula or baby pain killers.
6. Create four large blank squares on the board. Go around the room and have families share what they packed in each corner of their emergency kit. Write the words in the appropriate squares on the board (or have student scribes do this for spelling practice)

Extra Task: Checklist

Invite your students to go online and look for an Emergency Supply Checklist. Is there anything your students forgot? They can do this for homework or via mobile phones or computer labs.

Teacher 2 Teacher:

You may want to consider making an emergency kit for your classroom instead or as a follow up activity.

Related Topics from the ESL-Library.com:

Something to Talk About: Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
Famous Places: Love Canal, Chernobyl
Flashcards: People-Family

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/05/01/emergency-kit/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/30/princess-diana-english-lesson-plan/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/30/princess-diana-english-lesson-plan/#comments Sat, 30 Apr 2011 21:46:01 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5904 With the Royal Wedding happening April 30th try our Princess Diana English lesson plan.

]]> With the Royal Wedding happening April 30th try our Princess Diana English lesson plan. This beautiful princess of England was noted for both her charity work and her scandal-plagued marriage to Prince Charles.

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Famous People English Lesson Plans.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/30/princess-diana-english-lesson-plan/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/28/english-lesson-plans-for-the-royal-wedding/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/28/english-lesson-plans-for-the-royal-wedding/#comments Thu, 28 Apr 2011 20:38:55 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3854 With the Royal Wedding happening Friday, April 29th, we thought we’d feature a couple of our Famous People English Lesson Plans for you to try in your classes this week. Check out our ready-to-print Princess Diana English Lesson Plan and our Queen Elizabeth English Lesson Plan. Also… Check out Tara’s recent Something To Talk About post on Advice for Prince William and Kate Middleton. It’s got some great ideas to celebrate the Royal Wedding with your students.

Leave us your comments about these lessons in the comment fields below.

Ready-made, printable English Lesson Plans for the Royal Wedding.

Princess Diana: This beautiful princess of England was noted for both her charity work and her scandal-plagued marriage to Prince Charles.

Queen Elizabeth: Elizabeth II has been the Queen of the United Kingdom and the head of the Commonwealth for more than 50 years.

Queen Noor of Jordan: Queen Noor of Jordan is the first queen of an Arab country to be born in the United States. After becoming an architect, she married King Hussein of Jordan in 1978.

Elvis Presley: America’s Only Royalty… Elvis Presley is called “The King of Rock & Roll” by millions of people around the world. Presley’s musical style was influenced by African-American music.

Also… Be sure to check out Tara’s recent Something To Talk About post for this week. It’s got some great ideas to celebrate the Royal Wedding with your students.

Leave us your comments about these lessons in the comment fields below.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/28/english-lesson-plans-for-the-royal-wedding/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/27/detective/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/27/detective/#comments Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:58:11 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3822 Enjoy this sneak preview from ESL-Library's Detective Series for English learners: The Case of the Missing Ring.

]]> The Case of the Missing Ring (Audio coming May 1) This podcast features a sneak preview of ESL-Library’s detective series, with listening files from the first two lessons and an intro from the author.  

Have you tried our Detective Series in your English class? We are pleased to announce that the audio files will be added to this series on May 1st. Your students will be able to listen to the recordings as they read along in the series. The audio will help them make whodunnit predictions. They can fill also in the blanks in the dialogues with the new idioms they learn. We are very excited that Detective Bossley and all of the suspects from The Case of the Missing Ring now have voices.  The series includes 11 lessons, 3 vocabulary checkpoints, and 3 quizzes.  Teacher’s notes are also available. If your students have questions for the author, please send them our way!

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, and Holiday lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! Don’t forget to update your iTunes subscription to our NEW podcast feed.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/27/detective/feed/ 2 0:00:01 The Case of the Missing Ring (Audio coming May 1) This podcast features a sneak preview of ESL-Library's detective series, with listening files from the first ... The Case of the Missing Ring (Audio coming May 1) This podcast features a sneak preview of ESL-Library's detective series, with listening files from the first two lessons and an intro from the author.   Have you tried our Detective Series in your English class? We are pleased to announce that the audio files will be added to this series on May 1st. Your students will be able to listen to the recordings as they read along in the series. The audio will help them make whodunnit predictions. They can fill also in the blanks in the dialogues with the new idioms they learn. We are very excited that Detective Bossley and all of the suspects from The Case of the Missing Ring now have voices.  The series includes 11 lessons, 3 vocabulary checkpoints, and 3 quizzes.  Teacher's notes are also available. If your students have questions for the author, please send them our way! Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, and Holiday lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! Don't forget to update your iTunes subscription to our NEW podcast feed. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/26/chernobyl-english-lesson-plan-2/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/26/chernobyl-english-lesson-plan-2/#comments Tue, 26 Apr 2011 21:47:58 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5789 This week marks the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster. Teach your students about it with our ready-made English lesson plan.

]]> This week marks the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster. Teach your students about it with our ready-made English lesson plan. On April 26, 1986, the worst nuclear accident in history took place at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Some scientists estimate that more than 200,000 people have died as a result.

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Famous Places English Lesson Plans.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/26/chernobyl-english-lesson-plan-2/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/25/chernobyl-english-lesson-plan/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/25/chernobyl-english-lesson-plan/#comments Mon, 25 Apr 2011 17:11:04 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3778 April 26th, marks the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, still considered the worst nuclear disaster in history. We have an ESL English lesson plan on the story of Chernobyl for you to print and use in your classrooms this week. We’ve made this English lesson plan free this week, as we think it’s important for people all over the world to both remember the accident, and discuss the dangers and the benefits of nuclear energy.

What do your students think of nuclear energy today?

Chernobyl English Lesson Plan

Leave us your comments if you’ve used our Chernobyl lesson plan in your class.  We’d love to hear from you or your students below…

Click here to see our full collection of Famous Places English Lesson Plans

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/25/chernobyl-english-lesson-plan/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/25/orange-you-excited-about-the-royal-wedding/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/25/orange-you-excited-about-the-royal-wedding/#comments Mon, 25 Apr 2011 15:06:34 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3767 If your students aren't interested in talking about the Royal Wedding, perhaps they'll find this royal celebration fascinating.

]]> Not everyone is interested in talking about the upcoming royal wedding. Your students might be more interested in Holland’s Queen’s Day!

Flashcard "orange" from ESL-Library.com

This week is the perfect time to teach the expression to “go dutch”. CNN featured a story on the Netherlands’ Royal Holiday: Queen’s Day. Why not show the photos to your students? Ask them if they have any idea what people are celebrating. Why is everyone wearing orange? Where is the celebration taking place? You could put your students in groups and give them each a few paragraphs to summarize. Or give each group a paragraph with a new vocabulary word to teach (such as “hardcore”, “bystander”, or “coronation”). After reading the article, have a discussion. Here are some discussion questions you can use:

1. What do you associate the colour orange with?
2. Do you like orange? Why or why not?
3. Would you want an orange room in your house? Why or why not?
4. Why is the colour orange significant in the Netherlands? What colours are important in your country?
5. Why are national celebrations like Queen’s Day important? Describe a holiday from your own country that has a rich history.

Note: Queen’s Day takes place in the Netherlands on April 30, 2011.

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Related in the ESL-Library:

• Holidays: Holidays
• Famous People: Queen Elizabeth
• Famous People: Queen Noor
• Famous People: Princess Diana

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/25/orange-you-excited-about-the-royal-wedding/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/22/archives-shaun-wilden/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/22/archives-shaun-wilden/#comments Fri, 22 Apr 2011 18:04:54 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3742 Why not ban boring lectures instead?

]]> Each Follow Friday (#FF on Twitter) we pull a buried blog post from the dusty archives of the web. We hope you agree that there is a lot to learn from these “oldie but goodie” posts by educators. Post: I’m not having people with laptops out. Writer: Shaun Wilden Role in Education: English Language Teacher, Teacher Trainer, Materials Writer Date Posted: May 2, 2010 Subject: Using laptops in training sessions Twitter ID: @Shaunwilden Blog: Shaun Wilden’s Blog Why we pulled it from the archives? At the IATEFL conference in Brighton this week, I was kicking myself that I didn’t have my laptop. I had made a last minute decision to bring my iPad with a bluetooth keyboard instead. Did I use it in the sessions? No. My main reason for not taking notes on my iPad in the sessions was because I had heard bits and pieces of a controversy about tweeting while attending sessions, and I wasn’t sure about the exact argument behind the controversy ( I also didn’t feel like dragging my keyboard out of my hotel.). Were the speakers upset that their talks were being revealed in tiny out of context bites, or were they feeling a lack of attention from their listeners who were glued to their screens? In the end, I scribbled notes randomly all over a notebook that I am now trying to piece back together. In fact, I spent a few hours trying to sort out all of my notes when I finally woke up and realized I was on an airplane back to Canada. Unfortunately, many of my notes are illegible. I wish I had read Shaun’s post before I attended. This Tom Whitby quote that Shaun shares pretty much sums up the argument: “If educators find their lectures are competing with laptop distractions why ban laptops? Why not ban boring lectures? Look to the lesson!” A friend I was with had her laptop out during the sessions, and she captured some excellent details that she blogged about in her IATEFL reflections. Check out Shaun’s post now; it’s conference season. Check out all of our 2010/11 “From the Archives” tributes here. Be sure to follow all of these great educators on Twitter.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/22/archives-shaun-wilden/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/21/appropriacy/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/21/appropriacy/#comments Thu, 21 Apr 2011 21:30:40 +0000 Anthony Hemmens http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3730 How imperative is the imperative form?

]]> So, you’ve got a class of eager elementary students and a mountain of language to explore – adjectives of personality, time adverbials, the present continuous. Why then, would you choose to teach the imperative form? I’ve never understood this one. Yet there it is in so many course curriculum, text books and lesson plans; the imperative – sit down, stand up, open the window, close the door, roll over.

Apart from squad sergeant-majors and my mother (when she’s talking to my father), no-one speaks like this. So what’s the point of teaching it to our students?

As teachers, before we consider how to teach our students, we need to give careful thought to what we teach our students. So, what’s the criteria for this what?

Part of it has to be that what we teach our students is useful – giving personal details, asking for directions, ordering food in a restaurant.

We should be taking our students to autonomous language use as quickly as possible; enabling them to function in the English-speaking world independently as effective communicators. And herein is my beef with the imperative, it’s just not useful.

I can’t use it when I meet people – tell me your name, name me your occupation, tell me your nationality.

I can’t use it when I’m out and about in town – direct me to the bus stop, point out the nearest bank.

I can’t use it to function in a restaurant – bring water, show menu, give bill.

Speak like this, use this kind of language, and our students are likely to cause great offence.

It’s all a question of the ‘appropriate’ use of language. This is one reason why focusing only on the grammar of language is insufficient to equip our students as effective English users.

Besides knowing what language means, our students also need a good understanding of when, how and to whom certain language is used. When communicating with others an understanding of appropriateness is essential. It is necessary that students understand the level of formality needed in any given situation.

It all depends on the mix of two factors – person and purpose. Basically, who are you talking to, what is your relationship with them and why are you talking to them.

It’s pretty common sense stuff –

1. The closer the relationship; parents, siblings, friends, the more informal the language can be – Open the window, would you?
2. The more distant the relationship; boss, bank manager, customer, the more formal the language should be – Would you mind opening the window?
3. The ‘easier’ the reason for communicating; inform, invite, congratulate, the more informal the language.
4. The more ‘difficult’ the reason; requests, complaints, debates, the more formal the language.

How these two factors interact will dictate the formality of language. So, congratulating your boss on scoring a goal during a friendly football game would call for an informal use of language, while asking your father for some money would necessitate a more formal language use.

Often a student’s cultural background will allow the student to already know what kind of language is appropriate or not. In other cases it is this cultural difference that leads directly to inappropriateness. It’s the teacher’s responsibility to know these cultural differences and raise awareness of them in the class.

Of course, if your students need to be able to bark orders at people then the imperative is the appropriate language for them to use and for you to teach.

Now, get on with it.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/21/appropriacy/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/21/lie-detector/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/21/lie-detector/#comments Thu, 21 Apr 2011 19:22:39 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5020 Students take turns being detectives. They interrogate each other with 5 questions and guess which response is a lie.

]]> Students take turns being detectives. They interrogate each other with 5 questions and guess which response is a lie.

Learner Level: Beginner – Intermediate
Theme: Mystery
Skills: Speaking, listening, asking questions
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: paper and pens
Grouping: Pairs
Preparation: Write “Who, What, Where, When, Why, How” on the board.

Teacher Instructions:

1. Place students in pairs. Student A is the detective first. Student B is the suspect
2. The detective must ask Student B five questions using Who, What, Where, When, Why (or How). Student A must answer truthfully (in complete sentences) to all of the questions except one.

3. After the interrogation, the detective guesses which answer was a lie. Student B confesses.
4. Students switch roles.

For Example:

Student A: Who were you with last night.
Student B: I was by myself.
Student A: What color is the door of your home?
Student B: The door of my house is purple.
Student A: Where were you born?
Student B: I was born in Chicago.
etc.

Confession
Student A: Your door isn’t purple, is it? Tell me the truth!
Student B: Yes it is. I wasn’t born in Chicago, though. I was born in New York.

Teacher 2 Teacher:

For low beginners, place simple WH questions on the board, such as “What is your full name?” or “Where do you live?”. For advanced learners, have students add a specific crime (reason for the interrogation), such as “stolen puppy” or “graffiti on the wall”.

Related Topics from ESL Library.com:

Easy Grammar: Grammar Sentences
Detective Series: The Case of the Missing Ring

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/21/lie-detector/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/21/easter/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/21/easter/#comments Thu, 21 Apr 2011 03:25:09 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3717 If you're using our intermediate Easter lesson, why not play this recording for your students?

]]> Easter (Intermediate)

Teach your students about the history and symbols of Easter. Share this FREE recording and use it along with this intermediate English lesson from our  Holidays section. We also have an Easter English lesson for beginners. If your students enjoy learning about holidays, why not add all of our holiday lessons to your library? Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday and mini-holiday lessons. If you have any suggestions for holiday lessons that are not available in our library, please leave a suggestion in the comments below.

Coming soon…Consumerism

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, and Holiday lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! Don’t forget to update your iTunes subscription to our NEW podcast feed.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/21/easter/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Easter (Intermediate) Teach your students about the history and symbols of Easter. Share this FREE recording and use it along with this intermediate English lesson ... Easter (Intermediate) Teach your students about the history and symbols of Easter. Share this FREE recording and use it along with this intermediate English lesson from our  Holidays section. We also have an Easter English lesson for beginners. If your students enjoy learning about holidays, why not add all of our holiday lessons to your library? Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday and mini-holiday lessons. If you have any suggestions for holiday lessons that are not available in our library, please leave a suggestion in the comments below. Coming soon…Consumerism Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, and Holiday lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! Don't forget to update your iTunes subscription to our NEW podcast feed. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/20/english-lesson-plans-for-easter/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/20/english-lesson-plans-for-easter/#comments Wed, 20 Apr 2011 02:55:49 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3700 Hey all you busy English teachers.  Do you need a lesson plan for Easter? We’ve got a very comprehensive, communicative English Easter lesson plan ready for you to print and copy for your students this week. Although Easter is celebrated as a religious holiday, it also has a non-religious side. This Easter English lesson plan includes an information gap activity about the traditional Easter Basket.

Try the intermediate version of this lesson plan.

Click here to see our full collection of Ready-to-Print Holiday Lesson Plans

Leave us your comments if you’ve used our holiday lesson plans in your class.  We’d love to hear from you…

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/20/english-lesson-plans-for-easter/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/18/friends-for-a-season/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/18/friends-for-a-season/#comments Mon, 18 Apr 2011 19:26:15 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=4984 Students describe friends they've had for a season, a reason, and a lifetime.

]]> Students describe friends they’ve had for a season, a reason, and a lifetime.

Learner Level: Intermediate
Theme: Friendship
Language focus: Retelling a true story. Discussing the past.
Skills: Listening and Speaking
Time: 10 minutes
Materials: None
Preparation: Think of 3 examples of friendship from your own life to tell your class about.

Teacher Instructions:

1. Write this quote on your white board (or say it out loud to your class): “Friends come into your life for a season, a reason, or a lifetime.” Ask your class to explain what this means.
2. Give an example from your own life for each of the three types of friendship. (Or use the examples below.)
3. Put your students in pairs (or small groups). Tell your students to take turns discussing these three types of friendships. (For lower levels, write these statements on the board:
– Tell me about a friend you had for a season.
– Tell me about a friend you had (or have) for a reason.
– Tell me about a friend you have for a lifetime.

For Example:

Season: My friend Sunita came into my life for a season. I taught English at a school in my hometown for a short time. It was a terrible school and the teachers did not have proper training. Sunita stood out from the other teachers. She took me under her wing and convinced me that the students needed me. Together we did our best to put the students first. When the semester was over we both left the school. It closed down shortly after. I never saw Sunita again, but she was a good friend for a season.

Reason: My grandmother’s best friend Jane became a friend of mine when my grandmother was sick. We were both sad to see such a lovely person suffering. We brought my grandmother gifts and spent time with herNot only did Jane teach me the importance of a strong friendship, she taught me how to knit! Whenever I have a knitting question, I call Jane. We talk about how much we miss my grandmother, and she helps me fix my knitting nightmares.

Lifetime: My friend Ken has been a pal since grade six. We grew up on the same street. Our parents played cards together. For a short time in high school we stopped being friends. Then, we ended up at the same college. People always thought Ken and I would end up getting married, but we weren’t interested in a romantic relationship. When Ken got married he asked me to be his best man, even though I am a woman. I’m glad he married a woman who doesn’t care that his best friend is female!

Teacher 2 Teacher

If you have a small group (or if time allows) have each student report back to the class about one of the friendship stories.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/18/friends-for-a-season/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/18/collection-of-english-lesson-plans-for-teaching-grammar/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/18/collection-of-english-lesson-plans-for-teaching-grammar/#comments Mon, 18 Apr 2011 18:26:31 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3659 We’re expanding our Grammar Practice Worksheet section.  Recently we’ve have had a lot of very positive feedback about our Grammar Practice Worksheets, and we’re happy to announce that we will soon be adding many new English Lesson Plans for Grammar practice to the ESL Library.  So far our English grammar worksheets have focused only on verb tense.  However, with our expansion coming this spring and summer, you’ll see more structures such as Parts of Speech, Adjectives, Nouns, Articles, Pronouns, Conjunctions and Prepositions.  So please stay tuned…  We hope you’ll love them.  In the meantime, please check out some of our existing Grammar worksheets below, or see our full list here.

Below are just a few example of Grammar Practice Worksheets we already offer.  Leave us your comments if you’ve used any of them with your students already.

Lessons for Earth Day

Passive Voice: Grammar Practice Worksheets – View and print this ready-made Grammar Practice Worksheet set for your students today.

Conditionals: Grammar Practice Worksheets - View and print this ready-made Grammar Practice Worksheet set for your students today.

Past Progressive: Grammar Practice Worksheets - View and print this ready-made Grammar Practice Worksheet set for your students today.

Passive Voice: Grammar Practice Worksheets - View and print this ready-made Grammar Practice Worksheet set for your students today.

Past Perfect: Grammar Practice Worksheets – View and print this ready-made Grammar Practice Worksheet set for your students today.

Above are just a few example of Grammar Practice Worksheets we already offer.  Click here to see our full collection of Grammar Practice Worksheets…

Leave us your comments if you’ve used any of these worksheets with your students already.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/18/collection-of-english-lesson-plans-for-teaching-grammar/feed/ 4 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/17/whatcha-makin/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/17/whatcha-makin/#comments Sun, 17 Apr 2011 19:29:49 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5211 1 student describes a recipe. 1 student acts out the instructions. What's the recipe?

]]> 1 student describes a recipe. 1 student acts out the instructions. What’s the recipe?

Learner Level: Intermediate
Theme: Food
Language focus: Describing sequences (first, second, next), using imperative form for instructions.
Skills: Listening and Speaking
Time: 10 minutes
Materials: None
Preparation: Teach students how to pronounce the reduced form of “What are you making?” (Whatcha makin’?) and “What are you doing?” (Whatcha doin’?)

Teacher Instructions:

1. Decide if this warm up will be a group or pair activity.
2. Tell Student A (or all of the students except B if a group activity) to imagine he is walking into a kitchen where Student B is cooking, baking, or preparing a meal. Student A should ask the question: What are you making? (“Whatcha makin’?“)
3. Tell Student B to think of a meal, or snack in his head. (He will not tell Student A the name of the recipe.) Student B should then describe the steps required for Student A to make this food.
4. Student A will pretend to do the actions as Student B provides the instructions.
5. If this is a group activity, students should take turns guessing what was prepared. If it’s a paired activity, Student A will guess.

For Example:

Create your own example, or use this one. Ask one student to be Student A (with actions) while you demonstrate Student B’s job.
Student A: Whatcha Makingʼ?
Student B: Oh it’s easy! First, grab a mug (Student A pretends to pull down a cup from a shelf). Then pour a few drops of milk in (actions). Next add a large scoop of cocoa powder (actions). Add a few drops of water and stir the mixture into a paste. (actions) Then add another cup of milk (actions). Microwave the mixture on high for one minute. (actions) Lastly add whipped cream or marshmallows and a few flakes of chocolate. (actions)
Guessing:
Student A: Did I make chocolate pudding?
Student B: No.
Student A: Did I make hot chocolate?
Student B: Yes! You made homemade hot chocolate!

Teacher 2 Teacher:

If you use this example, teach students that microwave can be a verb and a noun.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/17/whatcha-makin/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/16/my-tag-cloud/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/16/my-tag-cloud/#comments Sat, 16 Apr 2011 19:30:50 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5006 Students brainstorm to create a "tag cloud" about their life. After a paper switch, partners use words to script a brief "bio".

]]> Students brainstorm to create a “tag cloud” about their life. After a paper switch, partners use words to script a brief “bio”.

Learner Level: Intermediate
Language focus: Brainstorming
Skills: Writing, thinking in English
Time: 10 minutes
Materials: Pen and paper for each student
Preparation: Make sure you know what a “tag cloud” is.

Teacher Instructions:

1. Put the word Tag Cloud on the board. Ask students if they know what it means. Give them hints. For example, “you see it online”, “you see it on blogs”, “a tag is a key word”.
2. Place students in pairs (or small groups).
3. Tell each student to get out a piece of blank paper. Your students are going to imagine that they keep an electronic diary. What words would be found most often in their blog posts? (study, boyfriend, guitar, McDonalds, TOEFL) Give your students five minutes to create a tag cloud about their own life. Tell students they can write words horizontally, diagonally, and vertically. The words should be bunched together like a cloud. Encourage students to write down as many words as possible in 5 minutes.
4. After five minutes have the students pass their tag cloud to a partner. Partners will look at the tag clouds and try to write a short bio about their partner based on the tags. Encourage students to have fun guessing. The bio does not have to be true. Give students 5 minutes (maximum) to write the bio.

Example words found in Mia’s tag cloud:

basketball, Marie, French class, tired, iPOD, concert, winter, snow, birthday

Example bio of Mia:

Mia loves to play basketball. She wishes she didn’t have French class. She would rather play basketball every day with her friend Marie. She is tired of French. She listens to French lessons on her iPOD. It has been snowing every day this winter. Mia is looking forward to summer. Her birthday is in the summer. She loves summer because she can go to many concerts.

Teacher 2 teacher:

For a related homework assignment, direct your students to http://www.wordle.net/. Have students create a Wordle based on their day. Students can send each other Wordles in an email or post them online.

Related Topics from ESL-Library.com:

Flashcards: Computers
Discussion Starters: Social Media
Famous Things: The Internet
Office Life: Instant Messaging
Famous things: Cell phones

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/16/my-tag-cloud/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/16/four-leaf-clover/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/16/four-leaf-clover/#comments Sat, 16 Apr 2011 19:22:00 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=4456 Students tell true stories of hope, faith, love, and luck.

]]> Students tell true stories of hope, faith, love, and luck.

Learner Level: Any level
Theme: St. Patrickʼs Day; Luck
Skills: Storytelling; presenting
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials: 4 blank pieces of green construction paper, markers
Grouping: 4 groups
Preparation: Cut out four large leaf shapes (on green paper if possible). Write one of the following words on each leaf: Hope, Faith, Love, and Luck.

Teacher Instructions:

1. Chat about symbols of luck. What is lucky in your studentsʼ countries? (If your students are all from the same country, what are some lucky symbols in other countries?)
2. Explain the legend of the four-leaved clover: Each leaf represents one thing: Hope, Faith, Love, and Luck. According to legend, the person who finds an uncommon four-leaved clover is expected to have good luck.
3. Separate the class into four groups. Assign each group a topic 1) Hope 2) Faith 3) Love 4) Luck.
4. Students take turns telling “true” stories about their topic to their group members. If a student cannot think of a true story, he or she can make one up. Students take turns being scribes. The scribe writes down his/her favorite example.
5. After a few minutes, tell groups to switch topics (pass the leaf) and start talking about the next topic. A new scribe will summarize his or her favorite example on the new leaf.
6. When each group has had a chance to talk about all four topics, tape the leaves together to create a story clover on your classroom wall. Ask students questions about the sentences on the clover. Who told the best story for each topic?

For Example:

HOPE
Tiana hopes that her boyfriend will buy her flowers on the weekend.
FAITH
Juan believes that God will look after all of his troubles. He prays every night before bed.
LOVE
Mimi loves being a grandmother. She is happiest when all of her kids are home for the holidays.
LUCK
Catherine never wins anything. She was shocked when she found one-hundred dollars on the street. She felt very lucky, but she donated it to a charity.

Teacher 2 Teacher:

You could also tell scribes NOT to write the studentsʼ names and have students guess which examples belong to which student at the end of the activity.

Related Topics from ESL-Library.com:

Discussion Starters: Luck
Holidays: St. Patrickʼs Day (beginner and intermediate)

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/16/four-leaf-clover/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/13/50-listening-file/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/13/50-listening-file/#comments Wed, 13 Apr 2011 18:39:51 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3598 Our iTunes podcast has changed. Please subscribe to our new podcast! There are currently 50 episodes to enjoy.

]]>

If you or your students subscribe to ESL-Library’s podcast, please update your subscription with this new link. Our first 40 podcasts have been added to the new podcast.  Our NEW ESL-Library podcast has ten more episodes! A new one will be added every Wednesday: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/id431945503

Are you wondering how you can use podcasts in the ESL/EFL classroom? Check out Russell Stannard’s video: How to use iTunes in the Classroom: “You don’t need an iPod.”

If you are a teacher, here are some ideas for using our podcasts in class:
1. Download the episodes and play them in class.
2. Stream the episodes in class from your computer or computer lab.
3. Pair the episodes with the related lesson from the ESL-Library (membership required).
4. Assign episodes for homework and discuss the content in class as a warm up the following day.
5. Use the episodes with the students you tutor. Listen together and discuss.
6. Ask students to memorize a paragraph from an episode and share it in class. (These mini-podcasts are about two minutes long.)
7. Have students debate about one of the discussion topics.
8. Use an episode for a listening test or quiz.
9. Download previous holiday lessons to use at the appropriate time.
10. Preview the files to see if the content of ESL-Library interests you. If it does, why not subscribe to the site? You will get access to hundreds of professionally made lesson plans and thousands of hand-drawn flashcards.

If you are a student, here are some ideas for using the podcasts at home or on the road:
1. Write the words that you hear (dictation). Pause the recording as often as you need to.
2. Listen to the word stress and intonation and try to mimic the same pronunciation.
3. Look up any words you don’t know and record them in your vocabulary notebook (Have you thought about using a Google Doc?)
4. Have a Skype discussion about the topic with an online friend.
5. Write an essay about the discussion topic.
6. Use the topic to write a TOEFL or TOEIC response (speaking or writing).
7. Listen to one file before bed every night. (Maybe you will dream in English.)
8. If you have an iPod or MP3 player, listen to the podcasts in your car or during your commute (instead of the radio or your music).
9. Record your own voice talking on the same topic.
10. Paraphrase what you heard, and write it in a blog post.

Do you have any requests for podcast content from our library? Do you enjoy these mini sound files, or do you wish they were longer? We think it is important to keep them short and sweet, but would love your feedback. If you have ideas for using podcasts in the classroom or for your own English learning, please leave a comment. Feel free to share links to any other podcasts that you use. Don’t forget to write a review for us. Thank you!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/13/50-listening-file/feed/ 0 0:00:01 If you or your students subscribe to ESL-Library's podcast, please update your subscription with this new link. Our first 40 podcasts have been added to ... If you or your students subscribe to ESL-Library's podcast, please update your subscription with this new link. Our first 40 podcasts have been added to the new podcast.  Our NEW ESL-Library podcast has ten more episodes! A new one will be added every Wednesday: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/id431945503 Are you wondering how you can use podcasts in the ESL/EFL classroom? Check out Russell Stannard's video: How to use iTunes in the Classroom: "You don't need an iPod." If you are a teacher, here are some ideas for using our podcasts in class: 1. Download the episodes and play them in class. 2. Stream the episodes in class from your computer or computer lab. 3. Pair the episodes with the related lesson from the ESL-Library (membership required). 4. Assign episodes for homework and discuss the content in class as a warm up the following day. 5. Use the episodes with the students you tutor. Listen together and discuss. 6. Ask students to memorize a paragraph from an episode and share it in class. (These mini-podcasts are about two minutes long.) 7. Have students debate about one of the discussion topics. 8. Use an episode for a listening test or quiz. 9. Download previous holiday lessons to use at the appropriate time. 10. Preview the files to see if the content of ESL-Library interests you. If it does, why not subscribe to the site? You will get access to hundreds of professionally made lesson plans and thousands of hand-drawn flashcards. If you are a student, here are some ideas for using the podcasts at home or on the road: 1. Write the words that you hear (dictation). Pause the recording as often as you need to. 2. Listen to the word stress and intonation and try to mimic the same pronunciation. 3. Look up any words you don't know and record them in your vocabulary notebook (Have you thought about using a Google Doc?) 4. Have a Skype discussion about the topic with an online friend. 5. Write an essay about the discussion topic. 6. Use the topic to write a TOEFL or TOEIC response (speaking or writing). 7. Listen to one file before bed every night. (Maybe you will dream in English.) 8. If you have an iPod or MP3 player, listen to the podcasts in your car or during your commute (instead of the radio or your music). 9. Record your own voice talking on the same topic. 10. Paraphrase what you heard, and write it in a blog post. Do you have any requests for podcast content from our library? Do you enjoy these mini sound files, or do you wish they were longer? We think it is important to keep them short and sweet, but would love your feedback. If you have ideas for using podcasts in the classroom or for your own English learning, please leave a comment. Feel free to share links to any other podcasts that you use. Don't forget to write a review for us. Thank you! ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/11/april-news/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/11/april-news/#comments Mon, 11 Apr 2011 18:58:13 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3273 Check out our April features and find out what we've been up to in order to stay in touch with the ELT community.

]]> ELT Community

It has been a very busy month for the ESL-Library team! Our president, Ben Buckwold, went to TESOL in New Orleans to communicate with subscribers, teachers, and leaders in the ELT field. He accepted a blogging challenge and shared his TESOL experience here. We also took part in this month’s Virtual Round Table conference, a semi-annual online conference for language teachers that focuses on technology. We gave a tour of the NEW ESL-Library website and offered a demo for teachers around the world. Ben took part in the M-learning Panel and showed off the new iPad app, Conversation English. Our apps were reviewed here by About.com’s ESL Guide Kenneth Beare and our new site was reviewed by Jason Rensaw, a.ka. the English Raven. Thank you to everyone for helping us spread the news about our new site and apps! We are happy to announce that Shelly Terrell will be adding her voice to our blog soon! Shelly’s enthusiasm for education is infectious and we know she’ll have some great tips and advice for our subscribers. Kirsten Winkler, who is “on a mission to disrupt and shape education Web 2.0″ will also be blogging with us.

Our Demo of ESL-Library at #VRT11

New Lesson Plans this Month

• Discussion Starters: Consumerism (with audio)
• Discussion Starters: Composting (with audio)
• Warm up (FREE): Who says Moo?
• Warm up (FREE): Emergency Kit

In the works: A NEW section on Health.

April Features

Earth Day- Lesson Collection: April 22nd is Earth Day. We’ve put together a collection of English lesson plans with green themes from our Lesson Plan Library. Enjoy these ready-made lessons to celebrate what we consider to be the most important day of the year…

Flashcards- Garden Tools: It’s that time of year again. We’re sure you’ll have some fun ideas for how to use our gardening flashcards in your classroom. If you do something fun, send us a message and we’ll share it on our blog. Here are some ideas for using flashcards that we think you’ll love.

Holiday - Easter: Our online library has beginner and intermediate level Easter lessons. The lower level lesson introduces learners to the history of the Christian holiday, including religious and commercial symbols. The higher level lesson includes an information gap activity about the traditional Easter Basket.

Every day is a Holiday -Walk to Work Day: The last Friday of the month is “Walk to Work Day”. Enjoy this mini-lesson with your environmentally and health conscious English learners.

Famous People- Shakespeare: The Bard is known as the greatest English writer of all time. If he were alive today, he’d be turning 447 this year! Shakespeare’s plays include comedies, tragedies, and histories. You can enjoy this lesson in French or Spanish too. (Born in April 1564, Died April 23, 1616)

Did you Know?

It is easy to drag images from our Flashcard library into your Word documents. If you want to make your own illustrated quizzes and worksheets, simply click on an image and drag it in. If you have any questions about the new site, please let us know. We think you’ll find it very user friendly. Why not take a few moments this month to do a little spring cleaning? Organize your library into folders for each of your classes. Don’t forget to make a folder for substitute teachers and teaching emergencies.

We are excited to see the first signs of spring. May all of our gardens be blooming by the next newsletter.

Sincerely,

The Staff at ESL-Library

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/11/april-news/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/11/prince-william-wedding/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/11/prince-william-wedding/#comments Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:06:58 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3540 It is only a few weeks away until Prince William and Kate Middleton's royal wedding. Why not have a chat about this in class today?

]]> Are your students interested in the wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton? Do they have any marital advice for the royal couple?

CNN has posted a new challenge for its readers called Recipe for a Great Marriage. Why not try it with your students? It involves interviewing a married couple that has had a successful relationship. Students can take a video and submit it to CNN. You can skip the video part and simply have a discussion about marriage and what makes a longterm partnership successful. If you have any married students in the class, you could also have students interview them based on the questions provided by CNN. Here are some more questions to spark a discussion:

1. How does a royal marriage differ from a marriage between average folks?
2. Why did Prince Charles’ marriage break up?
3. Why do so many marriages end in divorce?
4. Describe a couple you know that has defied the odds of divorce. What do you think their secrets are?
5. Why do some people decide not to get married?

Note: The royal wedding will take place on April 29, 2011.

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Related in the ESL-Library:
Detective Series: The Case of the Missing Ring
Everyday Idioms: Lesson 20: Wedding Bells
Famous People: Princess Diana

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/11/prince-william-wedding/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/08/collection-of-english-lesson-plans-for-earth-day/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/08/collection-of-english-lesson-plans-for-earth-day/#comments Fri, 08 Apr 2011 19:31:27 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3356 April 22nd is Earth Day. We’ve put together a collection of English lesson plans with green themes from our Lesson Plan Library. Enjoy these ready-made lessons to celebrate what we consider to be the most important day of the year…

Leave us your comments about these lessons in the comment fields below.

Lessons for Earth Day

Earth Day: Holidays – In the words of the founding father, Gaylord Nelson, the first Earth Day “organized itself”. Students learn about environmental movements and write an Earth Day theme song.

Chernobyl: Famous Places – On April 26, 1986, the worst nuclear accident in history took place at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Some scientists estimate that more than 200,000 people have died as a result.

Garbage Solutions: Discussion Starters – In some cities you can even recycle diapers! Would your students bother recycling if it wasn’t the law?

Water Privatization: Mini Debates – In this lesson, students read about a case of water privatization that took place in Bolivia in 1999. Should water always remain a public utility? Students debate this question.

Corporate Responsibility: Business in English – Do your students think corporations should be held responsible when their actions negatively impact society? This lesson introduces the Exxon Oil spill and the chemical disaster in Bhopal, India.

Love Canal: Famous Places – Love Canal was a neighborhood in Niagara Falls, New York, that was the site of an environmental disaster in the late 1970s. Residents suffered chemical burns, miscarriages, leukemia, and cancer.

Hybrid Cars: Famous Things – The idea of hybrid vehicles is not new. In the mid 1600s, a Jesuit priest worked on plans for a carriage that could either be pulled by a horse or run by steam.

Green Companies: Business in English – S.C. Johnson is family-owned and each generation of CEO continues the company’s dedication to the environment. Students discuss the importance of “being green”.

Dian Fossey: Famous People – Dian Fossey lived with and studied mountain gorillas in Africa for many years. In 1983, she wrote a book about her life with the gorillas called Gorillas in the Mist.

Hemp: Famous Things – When a plant known as cannabis is grown for industrial use, it is called hemp. Hemp was one of the first plants cultivated by man and one of the most versatile.

United Nations: Famous Things – The United Nations (UN) is an international organization that works to preserve peace and help people around the world. Only a few nations do not belong to the organization.

Kyoto Protocol: Mini Debates – This lesson offers an introduction to global warming and provides information about the Kyoto Protocol. Students debate government responsibilities and restrictions related to the environment.

“There’s so much pollution in the air now that if it weren’t for our lungs there’d be no place to put it all.”  ~Robert Orben

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/08/collection-of-english-lesson-plans-for-earth-day/feed/ 5 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/06/character-amnesia/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/06/character-amnesia/#comments Wed, 06 Apr 2011 18:48:55 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3428 Are character based writing systems on the verge of extinction? Ask your students!

]]> Are your students afraid of losing their mother tongue? What about their writing system?

Even though young children in Asia grow up learning how to write the characters in their own writing system, many of them soon forget. In fact, the youth of today admit that they rely on electronic conversion rather than their own memory. Here is an article that describes the phenomenon known as Character Amnesia. If you teach Asian students they may really enjoy this article. Try reading it out loud as a listening exercise, or ask your students to take turns reading it. They could also practice reading just the quoted text. Work with them on word stress and intonation. If the reading is too difficult for your students, choose one paragraph, or paraphrase the article. Here are some questions to inspire a discussion.

1. When did you first learn how to write in your own first language?
2. Which is easier, writing in your own language, or writing in English?
3. According to a survey referred to in the article, “83 percent of the 2,072 respondents admitted having problems writing characters”. Does this surprise you? Why or why not.
4. Do you think the complex character systems will be abandoned in schools in the near future in favour of the Roman alphabet?
5. How do mobile devices add to this problem of “character amnesia”?

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about. This week you could have your students paraphrase one of the hoaxes from the article.

Related in the ESL-Library:
Discussion Starters: Texting
Famous Things: The Ballpoint Pen
Famous People: Mao Zedong

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/06/character-amnesia/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/06/marilyn-munroe/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/06/marilyn-munroe/#comments Wed, 06 Apr 2011 17:28:35 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3418 This week's podcast features a reading and question set about Marilyn Munroe.

]]> Mini Biography

Do your low level students know the name Norma Jean Baker? If they don’t, they probably know the name Marilyn Munroe. Share this recording and use it along with this easy English lesson from our  Mini-Biographies section. If your intermediate-advanced students enjoying learning about famous people, you can use our popular Famous People lesson plans. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Mini-Biographies here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Coming soon…Consumerism.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! Don’t forget to share the link with your students.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/06/marilyn-munroe/feed/ 1 0:00:01 Mini Biography Do your low level students know the name Norma Jean Baker? If they don't, they probably know the name Marilyn Munroe. Share this ... Mini Biography Do your low level students know the name Norma Jean Baker? If they don't, they probably know the name Marilyn Munroe. Share this recording and use it along with this easy English lesson from our  Mini-Biographies section. If your intermediate-advanced students enjoying learning about famous people, you can use our popular Famous People lesson plans. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Mini-Biographies here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment. Coming soon…Consumerism. Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! Don't forget to share the link with your students. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/05/english-laundry/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/05/english-laundry/#comments Tue, 05 Apr 2011 19:21:00 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=4462 Students describe how to do laundry in English.

]]> Students describe how to do laundry in English.

Learner Level: High Intermediate -Advanced
Language focus: Vocabulary
Skills: Giving instructions, sequences, asking questions
Time: 20 minutes
Materials: Vocabulary list (pg 2. 1 per student)
Grouping: Whole class and pairs
Preparation: None

Teacher Instructions:

1. Work together as a class to brainstorm all of the words associated with doing laundry. Separate words into nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Write the words on the board. (See vocabulary suggestions on pg 2)
2. Separate students into pairs. Student A is the mother or father. Student B is the child.
3. Student A will teach Student B how to do a load of laundry. Student B will ask as many questions as he/she can think of. Steps to cover include collecting the laundry, separating the laundry, and washing the laundry.
4. Switch roles. Student B will now act as the parent and Student A will act as the child. Student B will teach the child how to dry, fold, and put away the clean laundry.
5. Have students check off the laundry checklist: collecting, sorting, washing, / drying, folding, putting away.

For Example:

Student A: Today Iʼm going to teach you how to do the laundry.
Student B: Okay. What do we do first?
Student A: FIrst we have to collect all of the dirty clothes and put them in a laundry hamper.
Student B: Okay. Do all of the clothes go into the washing machine?
Student A: Yes, but first we have to separate the lights and darks.
Student B: Is that all?
Student A: We also have to check the pockets.
Student B: Okay, now what? Continue until washing machine is turned on…
Later…(drying, folding, putting away)
Student B: The washing machine is finished. Itʼs time to put the dryer on.
Student A: Okay. Do I just put the clothes in the dryer?
Student B: Hang up the delicates first.
Student A: How long do I put the dryer on for? Continue…

Teacher 2 Teacher:

Make sure that your students know how to do laundry in their own language before doing this warm up. (Younger students may not know the procedures.)

Related Topics from ESL-Library.com:

Flash Cards: Daily Routines
Warm Ups: Whatchaʼ Makin?

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/05/english-laundry/feed/ 3 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/01/home-sweet-home/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/01/home-sweet-home/#comments Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:20:30 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5065 Student A describes the layout of his home. Student B draws the floor plan.

]]> Student A describes the layout of his home. Student B draws the floor plan.

Learner Level: Intermediate +
Language focus: Prepositions of place; practicing vocabulary for rooms and furniture
Skills: Describing, listening, clarifying
Time: 10-30 minutes
Materials: paper, pen
Grouping: Pairs
Preparation: None

Teacher Instructions:

1. Put students in pairs. (One group of 3 will work if you have an uneven number.
2. Student A describes his/her home. (Students can describe a childhood home or the home they currently live in.)
3. Student B draws the layout (without showing student A) while listening.
4. Student B may ask questions throughout. Student A must try to be as clear as possible. After describing the layout of the rooms, Student A can describe the position of some of the main pieces of furniture (couches, kitchen table, desk, TV
5. Student B shows the drawing to Student A. Student A describes any aspects of the drawing that are incorrect. Are the rooms the correct sizes in comparison to one another.
6. Switch roles.

For Example:

Student A: My house has two floors and a basement.
Student B: How many rooms are on on the main floor?
Student A: There are four rooms on the main floor: a kitchen, a bathroom, a living room, and a dining room.
Student B: What type of furniture is in the living room?
Student A: There are two couches and a coffee table. The TV is in the corner
Student B: Are the couches facing each other? …
Later…(while looking at Bʼs floor plan)
Student A: Actually, the TV is in the other corner. The living room is a lot bigger. Oh, and I forgot to tell you about the basement. My dadʼs office is in the basement.

Teacher 2 Teacher:

For lower level students place useful vocabulary on the board, including furniture (couch, coffee table, desk), rooms (living room, master bedroom, nursery), and prepositions of place (across, beside, next to). Allow students to use dictionaries and ask you for vocabulary help.

Related Topics from ESL-Library.com:

Flash Cards: Rooms in a House, Prepositions of Place
Discussion Starters: Roommates
Living in English: Housing

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/01/home-sweet-home/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/01/from-the-archives-sue-lyon-jones-post-on-textpeditions/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/01/from-the-archives-sue-lyon-jones-post-on-textpeditions/#comments Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:18:46 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3293 This week's #FF tribute goes to @esolcourses for her archived post on using mobile phones outside of the classroom.

]]> Each Follow Friday (#FF on Twitter) we pull a buried blog post from the dusty archives of the web. We hope you agree that there is a lot to learn from these “oldie but goodie” posts by educators.

Title: Take Your Students on a Textpedition
Writer: Sue Lyon Jones
Role in Education: English Language Teacher, Head of ESOL Courses (Website)
Date Posted: July, 2010
Subject: An activity to do with mobile phones
Twitter ID: @esolcourses
Blog: The PLN Staff Lounge

Why we pulled it from the archives? At the Virtual Round Table conference there was a lot of talk about mobile learning, and we enjoyed being part of the discussion. Many of the teachers reminded participants that not all students have smart phones, but many do have mobile phones. In addition, using mobile phones in the classroom does not have to take place in the classroom! We’ve been working on developing some materials for using mobile phones (that aren’t necessarily smart) in class and have been looking at different ways that teachers are doing this already. In this archived post, Sue Lyon-Jones talks about taking her students on a Textpedition. What’s a textpedition? Check out Sue’s post to find out! If spring has sprung in your part of the world, this idea may be perfect timing for you. It will also give you a chance to use some of the great tech tools that were introduced at last week’s conference.

Check out all of our 2010/11 “From the Archives” tributes here. Be sure to follow all of these great educators on Twitter.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/04/01/from-the-archives-sue-lyon-jones-post-on-textpeditions/feed/ 1 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/31/whats-the-best-april-fools-day-hoax/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/31/whats-the-best-april-fools-day-hoax/#comments Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:04:26 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3268 Which April Fool's Day hoax is the best?

]]> Will you be talking about April Fool’s Day in class? Do your students enjoy a good practical joke?

April Fool’s Day is the traditional day to pull a hoax. Here is a list of the Top 100 April Fool’s Day Hoaxes. The article offers short descriptions of each famous hoax, with links to related information. Why not have your students present one of the hoaxes? You could also have them vote on the best one. Try reading them out loud or ask your students to do this. Ask some listening comprehension questions after each description. Note: Some of these hoaxes are mentioned in our full-length lesson plan on April Fool’s Day.

1. What is a hoax?
2. Describe a famous hoax that you’ve heard of.
3. Do you like playing “practical jokes” on people? What’s your best trick?
4. What do you know about the history of April Fool’s Day?
5. How do you feel when someone “plays a prank on” you? When has this happened to you?

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about. This week you could have your students paraphrase one of the hoaxes from the article.

Related in the ESL-Library:
Holidays: April Fool’s Day
Warmups: You’re Pulling my Leg
Warmups: Lie Detector

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/31/whats-the-best-april-fools-day-hoax/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/31/esl-library-welcomes-shelly-terrell-to-our-blogging-team/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/31/esl-library-welcomes-shelly-terrell-to-our-blogging-team/#comments Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:31:43 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3263 We are thrilled to announce that the fun, fabulous, and ELT-famous Shelly Terrell will be joining the ESL Library blogging team as a permanent guest contributor.  Shelly will be writing for us every month, starting in April (2011).

Shelly is one of the most popular bloggers in the ELT community.  We’ll be posting her bio in the coming weeks. For now, please check her out on twitter @shellterrel or on her blog at http://teacherbootcamp.edublogs.org

Stay tuned for Shelly’s first posting in late-April…

Thank you Shelly. Welcome aboard!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/31/esl-library-welcomes-shelly-terrell-to-our-blogging-team/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/30/podcast-anne-frank/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/30/podcast-anne-frank/#comments Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:44:08 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3255 This week's mini-podcast features a short listening about Anne Frank.

]]> Mini Biography

Most people know the name Anne Frank. If you talk about Anne Frank in class, your students will likely bring some background information with them. This can be very empowering for low-level learners. Here is a short recording about the famous diarist. The full printable Mini-Biographies lesson in our library contains reading comprehension questions, and two vocabulary tasks. If your students enjoying learning about famous people, you can also use our popular Famous People lesson plans. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Mini-Biographies here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Coming soon…Consumerism.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! Don’t forget to share the link with your students.

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/30/podcast-anne-frank/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Mini Biography Most people know the name Anne Frank. If you talk about Anne Frank in class, your students will likely bring some background information ... Mini Biography Most people know the name Anne Frank. If you talk about Anne Frank in class, your students will likely bring some background information with them. This can be very empowering for low-level learners. Here is a short recording about the famous diarist. The full printable Mini-Biographies lesson in our library contains reading comprehension questions, and two vocabulary tasks. If your students enjoying learning about famous people, you can also use our popular Famous People lesson plans. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Mini-Biographies here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment. Coming soon…Consumerism. Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! Don't forget to share the link with your students. ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/29/addicted-to-sugar/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/29/addicted-to-sugar/#comments Tue, 29 Mar 2011 14:02:11 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3245 Are your students addicted to sugar? Do you keep a stash of jelly beans in your desk? Let's talk about sugar cravings. Can we kick them?

]]> Do you keep jelly beans in your purse or cinnamon hearts in your desk? Is there a stash of candy in your kitchen? Sugar addiction is a real health concern. The fact that it is socially acceptable can make it even harder to kick than other addictions.

Here is an interesting health article about sugar addiction from the Huffington Post. The article includes a photo slide show that you can share with your students. Pre-teach some vocabulary include “craving”, “bingeing”, and “withdrawal” . You can also introduce the verb form of “curb”. If the article is too difficult for your learners, consider paraphrasing the main points, or simply ask if sugar is addictive. Here are some questions to get your students talking:

1. Can you be addicted to sugar?
2. Do you crave sugar? What kind of treats do you crave? Do your sugar cravings stem from stress?
3. What health risks are associated with high sugar intake?
4. Do most children consume too much sugar?
5. What are some ways to cut down on sugar intake?

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about. These can be useful for students who are looking for topics to practise writing or voicing opinions for standardized tests.

Related in the ESL-Library:
Discussion Starters: Obesity
Famous Things: Ice Cream
Famous Things: Gum
Famous Things: Coke

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/29/addicted-to-sugar/feed/ 0 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/28/how-to-bore-your-english-learners/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/28/how-to-bore-your-english-learners/#comments Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:03:28 +0000 Tara Benwell http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3223 Can you find some holes in your teaching methods by doing something "weird"?

]]> I came across an interesting blog post last week about using “weird rules to boost your creativity”. The 5th idea was to seek out ways to avoid, distract, and bore customers. This got me thinking about teaching methods. What if teachers put a spin on this task, by exchanging the word “customers” for “English learners”? As writer Scott McDowell said, “once you get past the initial shock of the idea, possibility opens up…[it] is a contrarian method of brainstorming that may help you to get clear and find holes in your reasoning so you can then pursue the opposite approach.”

I enjoyed this activity so much I’m even considering suggesting it as an ELTChat topic. I’m sure all of you will be able to think of many more ideas for boring your students, which could then lead to finding holes in your teaching.

How to bore your English learners

• 1. Stand in front of them and talk about English rules for the whole class.
• 2. Always use the same groupings (pairs, preferably best friends).
• 3. Start class with, “Where were we? Oh yes. Turn to page 25.”
• 4. Rely solely on the listening tapes or CDs that come with your textbooks.
• 5. Keep all activities in the classroom during class time.
• 6. Make sure your students only communicate with each other during school hours (not other students in other classes, and definitely not students in other parts of the world).
• 7. Rely on text based learning and forget about visuals.
• 8. Ignore all of the chatter and buzz about using technology with language learners.
• 9. Ban mobile devices from your classroom at all costs.
• 10. Use the same 3 websites you always use for supplementary materials.

How to avoid or distract your English learners

• 1. Never provide an email address where students can reach you.
• 2. Don’t tell students anything about your personal life.
• 3. Make sure your students don’t know your weaknesses. For example, if you don’t feel comfortable teaching pronunciation, avoid it!
• 5. If you see one of your students outside of class, avoid eye contact.
• 6. Move on to something new even if your students seem really engaged. You must get to the end of that chapter before class is over!
• 7. Assume your students all have the same language learning goals.
• 8. Continuously use the phrase, “let’s get back on task”.
• 9. Skip the teacher feedback sheets at the end of a semester or course. It will be awkward reading about where you need improvement. You are educated and have been doing this for years. Don’t let students tell you how to do your job.
• 10. Change the subject if you get a tough question. Your students will forget about it eventually.

Please add your own ideas in the comments about how to bore, avoid, or distract your students. You could also blog about this topic and share a link. Or is this too “weird” for you?

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/28/how-to-bore-your-english-learners/feed/ 3 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/25/chicken-egg-debate/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/25/chicken-egg-debate/#comments Fri, 25 Mar 2011 01:01:44 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3216 Do your students know the word "conundrum"?

]]> The question of which came first, the chicken or the egg has never been solved, but some scientists side with the chicken.

If you think your students would enjoy debating this question, show them this CNN video and read them the related article. This question is a great way to introduce the word “conundrum”. You’ll probably have to practice the pronunciation of that word a few times together! If the content is too difficult for your students, you may want to just ask the simple question: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Have students practise sharing their opinions. Here are some questions to get your students talking:

1. Who thinks the chicken came before the egg? Why do you think so?
2. Who thinks the egg came before the chicken? Why do you think so?
3. Why do you think this question intrigues humans so much?
4. In the video, what does the reporter mean by “that’s the best we can do right now”?
5. What are some other “conundrums” you can think of?

While our Something to Talk About suggestions are useful for getting your students involved in a group or pair discussion, the topics, articles, and videos can also be used if you are looking for something for your students to blog/Skype/or write an opinion essay about.

Related in the ESL-Library:
Famous People: Charles Darwin
Holidays: Easter
Mini-Debates

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/25/chicken-egg-debate/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/24/holiday-guest/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/24/holiday-guest/#comments Thu, 24 Mar 2011 19:19:58 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=5148 One student tries to guess which holiday the family is celebrating. He or she also guesses which family member (student) is which.

]]> One student tries to guess which holiday the family is celebrating. He or she also guesses which family member (student) is which.

Learner Level: Intermediate – Advanced
Language focus: Asking questions, role play
Theme: Holidays, Family
Skills: Asking questions and guessing
Time: 10 minutes +
Materials: None
Grouping: Large group or whole class (Up to 10)
Preparation: Write “grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, aunt, uncle, female child, male child, cousin, neighbor” on the board.

Teacher Instructions:

1. Choose one student to leave the room for a moment (Student A). The other students must choose a holiday to celebrate. Assign each student a family position by pointing to a word on the board and then to the student. (Grandparent, father, mother, child, aunt cousin) . Decide which student is the “head of the table”.
2. Invite Student A to come back into the room. Tell the student who the head of the table is (EX. Grandma) The head of the table should welcome the guest and invite him or her to sit down to dinner. Dinner conversation should begin.
3. Student A should listen to the conversation and ask questions to try to find out what holiday it is. The family members can offer hints, such as “Pass the turkey, please.” (Christmas or Easter) or “Weʼd better hurry up. Itʼs almost dark outside (Halloween).” or “I hope the fireworks are really good tonight!” (Independence Day).
4. After Student A guesses the correct holiday, he should start guessing who the family members are. EX: “Liam, are you the grandfather?” Each time Student A guesses correctly, that family member is excused from the table (push chair back). Continue until all of the family members are guessed correctly.
5. When the holiday and all of the family members have been guessed correctly, play again with a new holiday. Choose a different student to leave the room.

For Example:

Karen: Thanks for coming for dinner. Weʼre going to have a great party.
Student A: Great. What are we having?
Mika: Beer.
Karen: You are not allowed any beer. Youʼre too young.
Louis: Can I have some green beer, Mom? (Continue…)
Student A: Is it St. Patrickʼs Day?
Teacher: Yes!
Student A: Mika is Karenʼs daughter and Louis is her son, right?
(Mika and Louis excuse themselves from the game. The other students keep talking until Student A identifies them.)

Teacher 2 Teacher:

If your students are having trouble thinking of holidays, allow them to brainstorm together. Leave the list on the board as you play. Look at all of the holidays listed on ESL-Library if you want a ready-made list for students.

Related Topics from the ESL-Library.com:

Holidays: New lesson each month
Everyday is a Holiday: FREE section

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/24/holiday-guest/feed/ 2 http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/23/podcast-ebooks/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/23/podcast-ebooks/#comments Wed, 23 Mar 2011 21:07:20 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3208 This week's podcast is an audio preview of ESL-Library's Discussion Starter lesson on eBooks.

]]> Can you curl up with an ereader?

Do you prefer reading on paper or on a screen?  Do you have an ereading device? Are traditional publishers a dying breed? The full Discussion Starters lesson contains warm up questions, pre-reading vocabulary, a short reading, vocabulary review activities, comprehension questions, and discussion questions. Your students will discuss traditional books vs. digital books and contemplate illegal downloading in the book industry. If you are using our Discussion Starter lessons in class, be sure to check out our NEW Teachers’ Notes. Preview all of ESL-Library’s current Discussion Starters here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Coming soon…Consumerism.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Discussion Starter lessons or as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. You can also use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy!

]]> http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/23/podcast-ebooks/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Can you curl up with an ereader? Do you prefer reading on paper or on a screen?  Do you have an ereading device? Are traditional ... Can you curl up with an ereader? Do you prefer reading on paper or on a screen?  Do you have an ereading device? Are traditional publishers a dying breed? The full Discussion Starters lesson contains warm up questions, pre-reading vocabulary, a short reading, vocabulary review activities, comprehension questions, and discussion questions. Your students will discuss traditional books vs. digital books and contemplate illegal downloading in the book industry. If you are using our Discussion Starter lessons in class, be sure to check out our NEW Teachers' Notes. Preview all of ESL-Library’s current Discussion Starters here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment. Coming soon…Consumerism. Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Discussion Starter lessons or as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. You can also use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy! ESL-Library Podcasts ESL Library no no http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/22/tesol-2011new-orleans/ http://esl-library.com/blog/2011/03/22/tesol-2011new-orleans/#comments Tue, 22 Mar 2011 03:56:16 +0000 ESL Library Staff http://esl-library.com/blog/?p=3189 President of Red River Press reflects on his annual trip to TESOL.

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