- Working Online and a Job Interview Activity
In this ESL podcast, I talk about the Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, some online work opportunities, and a job interview discussion activity.
- Doing Debates
I talk about how Im doing debates with my college-level EFL classes. Please visit ESLetc.com for materials and other resources.
- A Critical Roleplay and 4 Global Issues Textbooks
I start by introducing a roleplay in which students were asked to imagine what they would do if their boss pressured them to do something illegal or dishonest. Next, I talk briefly about how I handled a textbook dialog about Tiananmen Square. I then discuss several textbooks that I have used bring global issues and activism into my English classes. Links and materials are available at ESLetc.com.
- K12 Online Conference and Issues in Chinese Education
This week, I talk about the K12 Online Conference, primarily giving some of my thoughts on the pre-conference keynote. Keynote speaker David Warlick talks about how Web 2.0-type technology is changing how we should approach our students, and I reflect on how this applies to language teaching. I also make some comments about the state of education in China in light of the points mentioned in the keynote speech. Links and materials are available at ESLetc.com.
- Four Reviews of Global Issues Video Games
I review four global issues video games that could be used in the language classroom: Stop Disasters (natural disasters), What Would You Do? (AIDS / HIV prevention), Food Force (hunger and food aid) and Darfur is Dying (the genocide in Darfur). As always, links and materials are available at ESLetc.com.
- Critical Thinking, Giving Advice and Intonation
I discuss my struggles with critical thinking in China and how I handled some awkward situations. I also talk about my lesson for this week, including activities on giving advice and sentence-level intonation. As always, links and materials are available at ESLetc.com.
- Headline Activity and My Week 3 Lesson Plan
I discuss how last weeks classes went, and I talk about what Im doing this week, including a listening / discussion activity using headlines. As always, all links and materials are available at ESLetc.com.
- Ideas for Large Classes and Different Ways to Approach Content
I answer a listener's request for some ideas on getting larger classes to speak and talk about my current class. Specifically, I describe how I'm asking students to do a variety of tasks with the same (or similar) content in order to help their acquisition of vocab and sentence patterns. Please visit ESLetc.com for materials and related links.
- The First Day of Class
I outline my plans for the first day of the new semester teaching English at a college in China. I also mention a couple new email lists. As always, all links and materials are available at ESLetc.com.
- The New Semester, Website Updates and a New Discussion Activity
My plans for the upcoming semester, new content at ESLetc.com, four useful email lists and an interesting discussion activity based on the short play "21 Lies I Will Tell My Children. As always, all links and materials are available at ESLetc.com.
- Oral English Week
A description of oral English week, a special week at my college in China where students have English class all day long. I talk about methods and exams, and try to give a feel for what my experience of teaching English in China has been. Please visit ESLetc.com for more information, and for related links.
- Two Discussion Activities (Students Misbehaving and Athlete Salaries), Teaching Teachers
Two ESL / EFL discussion activities - the first deals with a video clip of students misbehaving in Beijing and the second addresses athlete salaries. I also talk about an upcoming job where I'll be doing a bit of teacher training. As always, materials are available at ESLetc.com.
- Advertising / Money Discussion Activities, Consumerism and Education in China
A couple of ESL / EFL activities related to money and advertising, and a bit of talk about consumerism and education in China. As always, materials are available at ESLetc.com.
- Boycott Activity (Discussion, Reading, Using the Internet)
This activity includes discussion questions and offers students a chance to practice doing basic Internet research. As always, materials are available at ESLetc.com.
- A Discussion Activity and an Individual Action Project
A great and low-prep discussion / debate activity and a project that encourages student to engage in direct action on an issue to which they feel personally connected. Materials available at ESLetc.com.
- An Anti-Plagiarism Activity, Professional Organizations and Other Links
I share an anti-plagiarism activity introduce several the ESL / EFL professional organizations that have special groups dedicated to global issues.
- Motivating Students
I talk about some of the problems I'm having motivating my students and some of my ideas for improving this next semester. I also discuss my students' final projects and plagiarism.
- Making an English Program More Environmentally Responsible (part 2)
Activities that were made as part of making an ESL / EFL program more environmentally responsible. Materials are provided at the website.
- Making an English Program More Environmentally Responsible
A description of a project aimed at making an ESL / EFL program more environmentally responsible. Materials are provided at the website.
- Homework
Ideas, problems and activities for homework in ESL/EFL classes.
- Planning a Project-Based Course
Thoughts on planning a language course from a project-based point of view. With materials.
- Roleplays
Ideas for using roleplays in English language teaching, especially in large university classes.
- Introduction
Introduction and discussion of my first few weeks of teaching English at a college in China.