I’ve been trying to think of creative ways to group students in class. When I want students to discuss something or work on something with a partner, it’s easy to just say, “Turn to the person next to you…” There’s nothing wrong with that, and I do still have students work with the person sitting …
My Experience at the Story Listening Workshop
I finally got to attend a Story Listening Workshop! Beniko Mason and Stephen Krashen came to Chicago this week and gave a two-day workshop for language teachers on how to do Story Listening in their classes. I’ve been using Dr. Mason’s Story Listening method some (though not exclusively) in my adult ESL classes for more …
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Where to Find Videos for English Class
It can be hard to find good-quality, engaging videos to use in class or for students to watch on their own. There are a ton of “Learning English” videos out there on YouTube, but most of them are simply explanations about grammar points or lists of things to know (e.g., “Learn 10 English idioms about …
The Legend of Betsy Ross and the First American Flag
The Fourth of July is coming up! It’s the perfect chance to tell your students one (or more) interesting stories about the founding of the United States. Last week, I told the legend of Betsy Ross and the making of the first American flag to one of my classes, and I’m planning on doing it …
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Listening and Reading with the “Sentence Detectives” Activity
I tried a new activity with my students today that I wanted to share. I like it because it requires students to process both oral and written input. I was inspired by an idea from Gianfranco Conti, who does an activity called “Sentence Detectives.” I deviated a bit from Gianfranco’s directions and adapted the activity …
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Turning “What Did You Do This Weekend?” Into a Task
On Mondays, I usually start my classes by asking students, “What did you do this weekend?” I like starting out class this way because: 1) It’s a nice way to warm up at the start of class, 2) Sharing information about what we do outside of class helps the students and me to get to …
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“Crazy Socks at a Funeral”: A Reading Passage for Intermediate-Level Students
Why did President George H.W. Bush wear colorful patterned socks to his wife's funeral? I made a one-page reading passage for intermediate-level English language learners that is accompanied by previewing and post-reading questions. It's a fun news article that talks about President George H.W. Bush and his connection to John Cronin, a 22-year-old man with …
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