ESL etc.

Visual design is a component to many class projects. I always require a visual aid for presentations, be it a poster, powerpoint, website or something else, and even traditional research papers have an important visual element. Clean Up Your Mess is a very accessible website on the basics of visual design. As you might expect, [...]

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I was recently asked in an email how I approach planning a lesson. At first, I struggled to put it into words. I don’t really think there is any one right way. For me, I usually approach lesson plans the same way I approach planning courses. I start from the big picture. What are our [...]

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Now, I’m no great fan of Microsoft. I still (reluctantly) use Windows but I’ve long been a supporter of OpenOffice and other open source alternatives. I have also found that Microsoft Word’s grammar check does more harm than good for my students. That said, their new ESL Assistant looks promising. It’s simple to use. Just [...]

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Making Connections is a new textbook (w/ teacher’s guide) from Facing the Future. This new research-based teacher’s guide helps students develop English language skills through highly engaging real-world investigations of current global issues. Designed for intermediate-level English language learners and striving readers, Making Connections combines language learning with opportunities for students to think critically about [...]

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The New Internationalist has a collection of global issues articles written specifically for learners of English. They have articles on globalization, the environment, human rights and war. They haven’t updated the articles for several years, but the topics are still very relevant. One example that I like is a series of 5 stories told by [...]

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Teach English, Teach About the Environment is an ESL textbook by the EPA. It’s available as a free PDF, and features a variety of lesson plans at three different levels. It is focused almost entirely on solid waste (reduce, reuse, recycle) and is designed for adult learners of English. One thing that I really like [...]

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The International School Studies Association at the University of Denver has a large collection of links to lesson plans that deal with global issues. They break them down thematically (Cultural Studies, Environmental Studies, Economics, etc.) and by grade level. There are tons of lessons available here, so there are bound to be some good ones. [...]

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We’ve got a group of 50 or so Korean elementary school teachers here at the ELI for a month-long program. Today, I gave them a brief workshop introducing a poetry activity that I have used in the past. Basically, I have students read, write, then discuss poems built around particular structures. I find that students [...]

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Materials Used: Final Project Topic and Action Ideas Final Project Rubric Pay It Forward Questions More Topic and Action Ideas World Changer Interview Each Tuesday, students led reading circle articles. In addition, on the Tuesday of week 5, I introduced some ideas for final project topics and actions. For homework, I asked them to write [...]

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Materials used: Reading Circle Peer Evaluation Sheet Financial Crisis Timeline Activity Financial Crisis Lesson Handout Financial Crisis Readings On Tuesday, we did the first reading circle. I was pleased to see that it went well. I had done this with a global issues class I taught in Hawaii, but at that school reading circles were [...]

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