Teach English Blog

Business Services for Schools, Teachers and Education Services

2011-02-02T16:13:00.000-05:00

Business Services can be provided to Canadian and international schools, agencies, teachers and education support providers.

Advertizing in the ESL in Canada Directory

The ESL in Canada Directory is expanding the advertising spaces for both Canadian and International Advertisers. The Directory has been online since 1999 and has experienced excellent growth of unique visitors and continues with several #1 Google SERP positions. Directory pages have been viewed by over 14,000,000 unique visitors.

The Directory site visitors are travelers, students, teachers, agents, homestay providers, education product and service providers. The ESL in Canada Directory offers a large volume of visitors that are by self-selection targeting specific education products and services.

Advertisers can choose between:
Display ads with click through to home page at (A) cost per 1000 views or (B) annual fee

If you are interested in listing your services please use this link to: Business Services for Schools, Teachers and Education Services

Offer to Tutors, Teachers and Skills Coaches

We are changing our 2011 webpage formats and will be creating new pages for the tutors, mentors and coaches to advertise their specialties, education, experience, instruction rates and availability. If your title is teacher, instructor, tutor, professor, lecturer, tutorial leader, assistant teacher, guide, mentor, business English presenter, Life coach, business coach, language communication coach, seminar leaders, workshop demonstrators, seminar planners, workshop presenters, homestay tutor, language activities coordinators and work with students or clients then you can promote your education services with a professional page.

Please go to Toronto tutors Ric Phillips and Ross McBride to see examples of the new formats.

Do you need a website? - we can design one for you.

Do you have a broken website? - maybe we can fix it.

Do you have a website that no one can find? - maybe advertising with us will help.

Do you have a website that no one goes to? - maybe some SEO will help.

Original Post: http://www.eslincanada.com/business-services.html

Welcome to the Internet Second Language Collective

2010-11-20T19:08:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the Internet Second Language Collective!

http://en.islcollective.com/about

We are a community of ESL language teachers from around the globe who share our home-made teaching materials!

It's for all ESL teachers, whether teaching in schools or doing one-on-one tutoring.

We believe in sharing, so it's completely free to use.

You canDownload ESL worksheets free of charge.

Upload your work in MS Word .doc format.

Meet teachers from around the world.

Please also consider uploading if you sometimes create your own worksheets.

No matter how small your contribution is, it may be just what another teacher in another country needs.

Let's collaborate to make each other's preparation for classes easier and our teaching richer!

Enjoy using iSLCollective!

Bless up,
The iSLCollective Team

Quick search of ISL worksheets

Level
Beginner (pre-A1) Elementary (A1) Pre-intermediate (A2) Intermediate (B1) Upper-intermediate (B2) Advanced (C1) Proficient (C2)

Student Type
adult kindergarten elementary school high school business/professional

Grammar Focus
Adjectives Adverbs Articles Auxiliary verbs Causative Cleft sentences Comparison Conditionals Conjunctions Contractions Contrast Coordination Countable/non-countable nouns Demonstratives Determiners Ellipsis For/since Formal/informal English Frequency Future tenses Gerunds and Infinitives Imperative Infinitive structures Interrogatives Inversion Irregular verbs Modals Much/many Must/have to Negatives Nouns Participles Parts of Speech Passive voice Past perfect simple & continuous Past simple & continuous Phonetics Phrasal verbs Plurals Possessives Prefixes Prepositions Present continuous Present simple Present simple & continuous Pronouns Punctuation Purpose Quantifiers Questions Relative clauses Reported Speech Some/any Subject and verb Subjunctives Subordination Suffixes Tag questions Tenses Time Adverbs To be Unreal meaning Used to Verb patterns Verb phrase Verb tenses Word classes Word order

Vocabulary Focus

Ability Actions Age Alphabet American/British English Animals Autumn Birthdays Body Christmas City Classroom Clothes Colours Countries Daily routines Days of the week Debate Describing people Easter Environment Fables Face Family Father's day Feelings Food Friends Furniture Giving Directions Greetings Halloween Health Hobbies Holidays Home Homonyms Hours Idioms Jobs Language functions London Money Months Mother's day Music Numbers Opposites People Places Restaurant Rooms in the house School Seasons Shapes Shopping Sports Spring St.Patrick's day Storytelling Summer Thanksgiving Time Toys Transports Travel United Kingdom Valentine's Day Weather Winter World

Skills
listening reading speaking writing

Material Types
activity classroom dynamics error correction flash card games grammar drills grammar guides icebreaker lesson plan lyrics one-on-one pronunciation Reading comprehension role play test warmers & coolers watching videos worksheet

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Blog URL: http://teachenglishblog.blogspot.com/

Profile Example for Business English Teacher

2010-06-27T09:12:00.002-04:00

Profile Example for Business English Teacher

English Language Communication Skills Trainer

Many international managers now have to travel and electronically communicate directly with customers, suppliers, project and venture partners in English. Much of this communication is less efficient and effective when English is the third or fourth language and the nuances of the language are not transmitted.

The best method of learning business English communication skills in a confidential and efficient format to suit today's busy international business executives is with a skilled and experienced private business English teacher.

We can provide business English for international executives, managers, entrepreneurs and business owners interested in upgrading their business English skills for advertising, sales, marketing and public relations - presentations, news, press releases, reports and negotiations.

English Language and Communication Skills for International Executives

Business English pronunciation and accent reduction
Business English conversation skills for informal small groups
Business English listening skills including telephone skills
Business English reading comprehension and reading strategies
Formal and informal business English writing skills
Cultural awareness for "Western Style" business
Business English for interviews with customers, suppliers, employees
Business English for negotiations, discussions and explanations
Business English sales presentation skills, including public speaking
Business English idioms, slang, jargon and expressions

Work Experience

International experience in Canada, USA, Mexico, Korea and China
12 years Investment experience: RR, Director, Project Manager
19 years full and part time teaching experience at all levels.

Education

CSC, CPH, Options, NYSE, NASD Investment Industry certifications
OTC and Ontario Ministry of Education - Certification
BA and BEd University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
Diploma, University of Toronto, Business Communications
Diploma Phase 1, Trust Institute Employee Benefits certification

Link to the full profile page
http://www.eslincanada.ca/jamesrosstutor.html

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Blog URL: http://teachenglishblog.blogspot.com/

Welcome to Teaching English

2010-06-22T21:49:00.003-04:00

Introducing The Teaching English Website

Teaching English is produced by the British Council with content and editorial support from the British Broadcasting Corporation. Both organisations receive funding from the UK government for their work in promoting English, supporting English language teaching (ELT) and providing information and access to ELT products, services and expertise from the UK. All teaching material on the site is free to access.

The Teaching English Website has four purposes:

1.as a theoretical and historical archive: where you can read about teaching methodology, current practice and issues in ELT
2.as a practical resource: for materials, activities and ideas for your teaching
3.as a forum: to help you, as teachers of English, to discuss your teaching, exchange ideas and share materials
4.as an information source: for professional development and training as well as an access point for consultancy services to implement educational policy reform.

A free collection of activities and resources for the classroom.

Activities
Lesson plans
Tips
Teaching kids
BritLit
Links
Quizzes

Activities
In this section you will find a wide range of classroom activities sent in by contributors around the world. Click the links below to select activities under each topic area.

Pronunciation
Resources
Speaking
Listening
Reading
Vocabulary
Writing
Revision
Other activities

Go for additional info: http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk

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Teach English Worksheet List links

2010-02-27T23:10:00.005-05:00

Teach English Worksheet List links

1. http://koelebv.nl/21edark/31.php?q=esl+canada+worksheets

2. http://www.marksesl.com/Link%20Directory/worksheets.htm

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http://www.canada-esl.com/
ESL Worksheets: Classroom Ready Printable ESL Worksheets for English as a Second Language students and Canada Day Worksheets. Worksheets for Thanksgiving - This is a list of common vocabulary used for the Thanksgiving. ESL/ELL-English Grammar and Vocabulary Test Worksheets,

http://bogglesworldesl.com/canada_day.htm
Several activities to teach about Canada Day or Dominion Day. ESL discussions, ESL games & activities and ESL worksheets.

http://www.eslhq.com/forums/
Free grammar worksheets, free vocabulary worksheets for North America including Canada, the US and Mexico.

http://www.learninghaven.com/reference/esl-worksheets.html
ESL worksheets are the perfect instructional material for teaching when it comes to learning about Remembrance Day, Canada Day, Boxing Day, Mexican Independence Day and Mexican Flag Day.

http://www.tesl.ca/
Grammar Worksheets; New in the TESL Canada Journal; Upcoming TESL events and conferences The organization promotes advocacy for ESL learners and FREE Worksheets.

http://www.teachchildrenesl.com/worksheets.htm
FREE Worksheets for those who teach ESL or EFL to children. All worksheets are free with activities for ESL/EFL Students.

http://a4esl.org/
Free Online English Learning: Study English with Quizzes, Tests, Crossword Puzzles, Exercises and other activities for students of English as a second language. ESL Printables: English worksheets, lesson plans and other resources.

http://www.eslprintables.com/
Welcome to ESL Printables, the website where English Language teachers exchange resources: worksheets, lesson plans, activities for USA, Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, Canada etc.

http://www.eslhandouts.com/worksheets/song-american-boy/
ESL worksheets (214)

http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/
ESL printables, English grammar handouts, free ESL worksheets/tests, ESL printables, English grammar handouts, free ESL worksheets, tests, ELL practice, English Grammar and Vocabulary Tests, Worksheets, Free ESL Resources, Video-based listening comprehension tests, lists of American Idioms.

http://www.englishgateway.com/esl-worksheets
ESL Worksheets: Learn or teach vocabulary with our ESL worksheets. Introduce, review and also ESL Halloween Worksheet, Canada Day Worksheet, Canadian-isms, ESL Printables, English worksheets, lesson plans and other resources.

http://www.lessonsense.com/
LessonSense Worksheets, crafts, lessonplans, printables, Hundreds of original ESL worksheets, Worksheets, flashcards and more .

http://www.esl-galaxy.com/
Free ESL Worksheets, English Teaching Materials, ESL Lesson Plans, ESL Resources for teachers and students, esl worksheets, esl online exercises, grammar, vocabulary exercises and games,

http://www.english-4kids.com/
EFL Activities for kids, ESL Printable Worksheets, Resources for Children
ESL teaching materials, resources for Children, Materials for Kids, parents and teacher of English,Games and activities for ESL kids, resources for ESL teachers and parents, videos, worksheets and games

http://www.englishmedialab.com/
Lesson plans, ESL worksheets , board games, powerpoint, kids activities, esl games
Free ESL worksheets,ESL teachers, resources, lesson plans, online English grammar, vocabulary quizzes, tests, English grammar exercises,interactive ESL PowerPoint videos,ESL Videos, interactive grammar quizzes, interactive vocabulary tests

Free Instructions: How to create ESL worksheets for use with songs
http://www.musicalenglishlessons.org/

http://www.tefl.net/
Free ESL worksheets and handouts for the ESL, EFL, TEFL classroom. Also free online Worksheet Generator to design your own worksheets.

http://esl.boomja.com/
ESL Worksheets English as a Second Language is a site for adult educators to obtain lesson plans, idea, activities, and pertinent information for teaching ESL.

http://www.download-esl.com/
ESL Worksheets , Grammar, Vocabulary, Books Ebooks, E-books ESL Worksheet ebook, Grammar and Vocabulary e-books, EFL printables and Resources for English teachers

http://www.sentencemaster.ca
Free sentence writing exercises for students to practice their English sentence writing skills.

http://www.elcivics.com/
ESL Worksheets - Free and Reproducible ESL Worksheets, Free reproducible worksheets for English as a Second Language students and teachers.

http://www.englishclub.com/
ESL Lesson Plans: ESL Worksheets Worksheets for the ESL teacher. Free, printable handouts for use in the English class.

http://www.teaching-esl-to-adults.com/
Free ESL Worksheets for Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced English students. No membership required to download ESL cloze exercises.

http://www.eslkidstuff.com/
ESL KidStuff - flashcards, worksheets, lesson plans, crafts & games for kids English teachers ESL resources for kids English teachers. Printable flashcards, worksheets, lesson plan, games, clip art images and more.

http://www.teachchildrenesl.com/
Teach Children ESL - FREE worksheets, flashcards, games, songs and many other resources for those who teaching English to children. NO registration required - Great web site for teachers

http://www.yourdictionary.com/
ESL Compound Adjective Worksheet
ESL Worksheets for compound adjectives

http://www.eslincanada.com
Free English grammar lessons - eight parts of speech, how to write sentences, verb tense printable charts, proper use of modals.

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Blog URL: http://teachenglishblog.blogspot.com/

Frontier College Ottawa Labourer Teacher Program

2010-02-18T22:31:00.002-05:00

Students for Literacy Ottawa

We are a volunteer group, established in 1994. We have a student club at Carleton and U Ottawa as well as community volunteers. We run free reading circles and after-school programs for children.

Students for Literacy in Ottawa is a local chapter of Frontier College. Currently we work with children and youth in the Ottawa area who have a high need of help with their reading and writing.

We believe that literacy is a right and we work towards achieving literacy for all.

Recent Post:

Be a Labourer-Teacher!

LABOURER-TEACHER PROGRAM

Number of Positions Available: Approximately 35

The Job:

Labourer-Teachers work as paid manual labourers during the day on farms across Canada. In addition to this physical work, they volunteer their time to provide educational and recreational opportunities for their co-workers who are predominantly migrant farm workers from Mexico and the Caribbean.

Work Period:

Mainly summer (May to Labour Day). Positions also available in the fall. The hours are long: in peak season often 12 hours per day, 6-7 days per week.

Pay:

Generally minimum wage. The Labourer-Teacher Program assists participants with travel costs. Housing is provided.

Location:

Rural workplaces, predominantly farms, in Ontario. Labourer-teachers
usually live onsite.

Suggested Qualifications:

• some post-secondary education

• experience with community development and volunteer organizations

• teaching/tutoring experience

• physical fitness

• background in physical labour/relevant physical pursuits

• ability to live and work closely with others, especially in multicultural settings

• knowledge of Spanish, French or other languages (helpful in most positions, but not mandatory)

• excellent judgement and interpersonal skills; high level of maturity

• demonstrated ability to work to high standards unsupervised and to take initiative

What You Get From This Program:

• Hard work, low pay, and the experience of a lifetime!

• intensive pre-placement training

• support during the placement

• new skills, and the chance to be a part of our second century of service

Labourer-Teacher Program, Frontier College

Mail: 35 Jackes Avenue, Toronto, ON, M4T 1E2

Fax: 416-323-3522

Email: labourerteacher@frontiercollege.ca

Blog URL
http://studentsforliteracyottawa.blogspot.com/

Check out their site - they have excellent literacy resources

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Teach English with Pictures

2010-02-15T11:23:00.004-05:00

Teach the English language using pictures to show vocabulary.

UVic's Language Teaching Clipart Library: Introduction

The University of Victoria Language Teaching Clipart Library consists of about 3000 images which will be useful in the teaching of basic English vocabulary.

The characters and objects depicted are culturally neutral.

The UVic clip art library purpose is to provide a set of those graphics most basic and useful for low-level language-teaching, and at the same time, to make them as easily searchable as possible.

Go to The UVIC Clipart Library
http://hcmc.uvic.ca/clipart/

UVic's Language Teaching Clipart Library: Credits

Innovative Teaching Fund University of Victoria
Administered by the Learning and Teaching Centre
Provided some of the funding for the initial development of this project.

Humanities Computing and Media Centre,
University of Victoria
Provided staff and computing resources required for the development of this project.

Half-Baked Software Inc.
Provided the distribution setup for the initial CD release, and continued funding for the ongoing development of the project.

Sarah Wilkin
Drew the blob-people figures and most of the other illustrator files.

Sandra Alberg
Drew the stick-people figures and most of the other graphics which became Photoshop files.

Kat Tancock
Processed Sandra's work into photoshop files and touched them up, compiled some of the list of keywords and tested everything.

Erin Tancock
Standardized many graphic file names and added keywords to the search engine.

Hilary Street
Created some of the Photoshop and Illustrator files, processed many of the the graphics files and designed the interface.

Martin Holmes
Had the idea, wrote the JavaScript, designed the interface and compiled most of the list of keywords.

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Use TEFL Clips to Teach English

2010-01-23T20:44:00.006-05:00

TEFLclips, a site dedicated to the possibilities for YouTube and other video sharing sites in the classroom.

Lesson plan 1: What happens next?

The “What happens next?” question is a fundamental way of engaging students with a video clip and using it to extract language. It therefore seems like a good starting point for this first posting.

Mummy and Baby Panda

1. Position the screen so that everyone in the class can see the two pandas. If anyone has seen the clip before, make sure that they don’t tell the others what happens.

2. Tell your students that something unexpected happens. Ask them to guess what it is. Write up all suggestions on the blackboard.

Tip: If you have difficulty getting your students to speak, tell them that you are not going to show them the clip until you have had 5 suggestions (or any realistic number of your choice). Tell them that you want them to use their imaginations - it doesn’t matter how silly their ideas are.

Now go to TEFL Clips to see the first Video
http://www.teflclips.com/?p=1

Tefl Clips has over 50 lesson plans available for teachers.

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Don't Give Up a European Union Language Project

2009-11-23T11:17:00.002-05:00

Don't Give Up! Is a European Union language project that has written a book of 48 best practices for every level of language educators (schools, managers, teachers). The best practices will help improve the motivation and the results of language courses for adult learners.

The project spent 2 years researching and analyzing the problems of adult learners, language educators were asked their opinions and ideas, as well. The results of the research were combined with the project team's ideas and experience.

The best practices cover aspects of managing language schools and classes, enhancing lessons, engaging and motivating students and dealing with many aspects of the problems adult learners face to learn a language. This book can positively contribute to the results of your language courses.

The best practices are summarized on the project website with some examples.

Bp 48 Writing Process
Theme Learning to learn how to write
BP for Language teachers, Language students

Need
One of the most difficult tasks in language learning is to produce clear written text. The task is difficult even in your mother tongue, and clearly not everyone can produce clear text. Foreign language teachers, often face a situation where they need to teach how to produce a clear text, but the basic skills are not even present in the mother tongue of the student.

If we see writing as a process, with logical steps, we can then simplify the task. In addition, once the skill has been taught it can be transferred across all the languages being learnt.

Description
Writing is a process that involves at least four distinct steps

Prewriting
Drafting
Revising
Editing

It is a recursive process. While you are revising, you might have to return to the prewriting step to develop and expand your ideas.

You can access open courseware materials that describe the technique www.ocw.usu.edu/English/english-1010/writing-process.html

Research has shown the benefits of this approach that has been extensively used in USA and now in Europe.

Extra Help

Writing centre at MIT
www.web.mit.edu/writing/Writing_Process/writingprocess.html
Interesting proposal at

MIT www.ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Writing-and-Humanistic-Studies/21W-784Fall-2005/CoursePedagogy/

The 138 page Don't Give Up! Book is available through the web site in English, Czech or Spanish. Link to the website: http://www.dontgiveup.eu

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Good ESL Teachers Accelerate Success

2009-10-23T20:32:00.001-04:00

Good ESL Teachers Accelerate Success

Qualities of Good ESL English Teachers

Good ESL teachers are patient at explaining things. Being comfortable with explaining content and context to students is an essential skill for teachers. Do you like to explain how things work, or how events occurred?

Good teachers have a sense of humor and use humor as part of their teaching methods. Humor, used properly, can be a powerful addition to any lesson. Can you integrate humour into lessons, explanations and stories to help your students learn?

Good teachers like people. ESL student's age ranges from elementary, special education, secondary education, higher education to adults and retirees. Good ESL teachers have a temperament for students in all age ranges.

Good teachers are inherently fair-minded. They assess students on the basis of performance, not on the students' personal qualities, background or culture. Can you measure students performance based on an evaluation criteria equally applied?

Good teachers have common sense. They can size up a situation quickly and make an appropriate decision. There is no substitute for common sense. Can you be fair and communicate your decisions clearly?

Good teachers have a complete understanding of the ESL content they teach in sufficient depth to convey the information in meaningful ways to the students. Are you able to re-present information from several perspectives to help students grasp concepts?

Good teachers set high expectations for their students and hold the students to those expectations. If you are thinking about becoming a teacher, can you set high expectations for yourself, and demand excellence not only of yourself, but your students as well?

Good teachers are detail oriented. Teachers must be organized in their professional and teaching duties. ESL teachers can not take things for granted. This applies to all organizational and instructional duties.

Good teachers are good managers of time. Time is one of the most precious resources a teacher has. Good teachers have learned to use this resource wisely. Can you monitor your time and allocate to priorities and deadlines?

Good teachers can lead or follow. ESL teachers have to shift from "sage on the stage to guide by the side". Sometimes, teachers must be members of teaching teams, committees, groups, councils, and task forces. It is important to have the temperament to function in these capacities. Are you comfortable being a leader or a follower as circumstances require? Can you be constructive with co-workers, team teachers, administrators, and parents?

Good teachers learn to improve their teaching by teaching, by making mistakes, learning from them and improving. Can you be a fair critic of yourself?

Good teachers know that they teach as much from their own actions and behavior as with the content they teach. Do a personal inventory of your own values, personality, preferences and goals. How has your past experience/education prepared you for teaching?

Original Post
http://www.eslincanada.com/good.html

TESOL Awards and Grants

2009-10-23T16:05:00.002-04:00

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply for an award or grant online?

No. Most awards allow documents to be sent via e-mail, but there is not an online application form for any award.

Do I need to include the sealed letters of recommendation with my application?
Can the letters of recommendation be sent separately?

Supporting letters of reference must be sealed by the writer and signed across the sealed flap. These letters must accompany the application. Applications that require such support may not be e-mailed or faxed.

When are the application and nomination deadlines?

All applications and nominations must be received on or before November 1, except the James E. Alatis Award for Service to TESOL, which is due September 15.

When are the awards and grants distributed to the selected recipients?

All TESOL awards and grants are recognized and allocated in an awards presentation at TESOL's annual convention. However, several awards provide travel arrangements and convention registrations and are coordinated by the TESOL Awards liaison, the recipient, and TESOL's travel agency 2 months prior to the convention. Further details on each award are provided in the award acceptance letter.

Where should the application and/or nomination be mailed?

Applications and nominations should be sent to:

TESOL
attn: Awards Committee
1925 Ballenger Avenue, Suite 550
Alexandria, VA 22314-6820 USA

If you have further questions regarding the TESOL Awards and Grants Program, please contact TESOL via e-mail at awards@tesol.org.

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EgypTesol Convention November 20-21 2009

2009-09-14T23:43:00.003-04:00

The next EgypTesol convention, will be held November 20-21, 2009 at the Triumph Hotel in Heliopolis.

Would you like to share your knowledge by giving a workshop, a demonstration or a paper?

The regular part of the convention is soliciting proposals for: Papers (45 minutes), Demonstrations (45 minutes), Panel Discussions (90 minutes), and Workshops (90 minutes).

At the same time, the Electronic Oasis is soliciting proposals for:

--Demonstrations, which take place within the environment of an Internet/software fair, where a number of computer stations are set in an open area for on-going visitors to drop in at their convenience and view what the demonstrators are presenting in order to learn from their expertise. A demo session is a mini presentation that is to be repeated within the 45 minute time slot allotted.

--Workshops, which are conducted in a computer lab where the presenters provide hands-on training to a number of participants as to any computer-mediated application for language teaching, each seated at a separate PC.

--Presentations, which are held in a room with a seated audience, with a computer and data show available if needed.

To submit, go to http://www.egyptesol.org/ , find the Online Application Center in the left column, and click either on EgypTesol or on Electronic Oasis.

Thanks. See you there.

Gini Stevens

Dr. Inas Barsoum
Associate Dean
Head
Languages and Humanitites Department
College of Management and Technology
Arab Academy for Science and Technology and Maritime Transport
Dokki - Cairo
Egypt

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The Meaning of Tingo

2009-09-01T20:11:00.001-04:00

1) THE MEANING OF TINGO

When photographers attempt to bring out our smiling faces by asking us to "Say Cheese", many countries appear to follow suit with English equivalents. In Spanish however they say patata (potato), in Argentinian Spanish whisky, in French steak frites, in Serbia ptica (bird) and in Danish appelsin (orange).

Do you know of any other varieties from around the world's languages? See more on www.themeaningoftingo.com

The first and most essential word in all languages is surely ‘hello’, the word that enables one human being to converse with another.

allillanchu (Quechuan, Peru)
bok (Croatian)
dumela (Tswana, Zaire)
ei je (Bengali)
goddag (Danish)
helele (SeSetho, Southern Africa)
jambo (Swahili)
kaixo (Basque)
molo (Xhosa, South Africa)
ni hao (Mandarin)
ola (Galician, Spain)
tere (Estonian)
xin chao (Vietnamese)
zdravo (Bosnian)

Does anyone know any others in this vein ?

2) THE WONDER OF WHIFFLING

The Wonder of Whiffling is a tour of English around the globe (with fine coinages from our English-speaking cousins across the pond, Down Under and elsewhere).
Discover all sorts of words you’ve always wished existed but never knew, such as fornale, to spend one’s money before it has been earned; cagg, a solemn vow or resolution not to get drunk for a certain time; and petrichor, the pleasant smell that accompanies the first rain after a dry spell.

Delving passionately into the English language, I also discover why it is you wouldn’t want to have dinner with a vice admiral of the narrow seas, why Jacobites toasted the little gentleman in black velvet, and why a Nottingham Goodnight is better than one from anywhere else. See more on www.thewonderofwhiffling.com

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Use the G R O W Model to organize 2009

2009-06-27T19:05:00.001-04:00

Use the G R O W Model to organize 2009

I do not actually set New Years resolutions. I believe in continuous goal-setting as opposed to creating a `wish-list' on December 31st.

However this year I was happy to discuss the coaching model that I use for goal identification and planning for my clients. It is called the G.R.O.W. model.

This is not just mine. Many coaches use it, or some variant of it. Here is what I use this acronym for and what I explained on CBC Newsworld national TV a couple days ago. I hope you enjoy it and find it useful for self-coaching and also for helping others around you take the next steps on the path to more success.

G – Goals.
What are your new goals and how do they mesh with your current goals already in place? This is where you establish your vision of where you want to be in life. Are those goals SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-based) or as I mentioned in last year's interview, are they BEST (believable, enthusiastic, specific and time-limited)?

R – Reality.
What is your current reality? What is your environment like at work and at home? Where are you now, at the starting point, and why do you want or need to achieve these identified goals?

O – Opportunities.
Some people use this letter for `obstacles', but I prefer the more positive word `opportunities' . What have you tried before that helped or hurt your goal achievement? What opportunities can you take advantage of now, around you, to achieve your goals? Are there courses, books, workshops, seminars, coaches or mentors? Will work subsidize professional development training for you? If you do not ask you will not know what their policy or budget is.

W – Willingness.
Again some other coaches use this letter to refer to the `wrap-up' stage, which is fine, but I prefer to be a little more specific and call it `willingness' . This is the very important stage of figuring out your current motivation for each of your goals. Write them down, from all different areas (financial, health, professional, communicative, etc.) and then assign a number to each one, based on your motivation to achieve it, on a scale of 1-10. Anything less than a 7 will be difficult to achieve at this point. Use your momentum and focus on the top 2 or 3 goals that have an 8 or above answer.

With your new priority list organize an action plan and get to work!

P.S. – There is a giveaway Ebooklet called "How to Achieve Goals" that you can check out here to get advice and understanding on goals: http://stores. lulu.com/ commcoach1 .

Author: Ric Phillips

Toronto ESL English Tutors and Coaches

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Blog URL
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Using Word-less Films for Student Storytelling

2009-06-24T09:28:00.001-04:00

Using Word-less Films for Student Storytelling

Getting students to talk can be difficult - using silent films gives the class a common experience that they can share - speculate and talk about - without repeating any "heard words".

I have used a cartoon character called Bernard the Bear - originally from South Korea. These are mini-tragedies in the sense that you can tell that he is going to have a disaster and so are good for what do you think is going to happen next.

When you go to the site www.bernardbear.com you have to wait for the flash to load - make sure you have the audio on and can listen to the music and intros - I had problems getting the content pages to appear.

"The Triplets of Belleville" -- an absolutely charming and funny animated film about three mysterious ladies and the Tour de France. It's a French film, but is almost entirely wordless. you can find more info when you search on Amazon :

http://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_ss_d?url=search-alias%3Ddvd&field-keywords=The+Triplets+of+Belleville&x=9&y=20

You can also use Short films with narratives.

The Shaun the Sheep programmes are five minutes long - have a clear narrative structure and have a resolution. They are also witty in a quirky British sort of
way. The free clips are here: www.shaunthesheep.com/clips/ you can use the links to see the DvD's for sale on Amazon.

For a wider range of topics and audience appeal you can use recent Collections of 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, Academy Award Nominated Short Films. Here is a starter link:

http://www.amazon.ca/Collection-Academy-Award-Nominated-Short

You can also look at the user reviews to gauge the quality, usability and other factors.

Always pre-view the film to make sure it is appropriate for education. Remind the students that they are for education - not entertainment.

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Creating Comic Strips Online to Encourage Writing, Reading and Storytelling

2009-05-06T11:19:00.005-04:00

Introducing Make Beliefs Comix

MakeBeliefsComix allows users to create their own comic strips online; it offers 15 fun characters with different emotions, blank talk and thought balloons to fill in with words, and story prompts.

Comics can be printed or emailed. In addition, click on the Writers Prompts button to find ideas that will stimulate students’ imaginations as well as one for graphic Printables on which they can write, draw and express their creativity.

Google and UNESCO selected MakeBeliefsComix as among the world’s most innovative sites to encourage literacy and reading. It is now being used by educators in 180 countries to teach English and other languages.

21 WAYS TO USE MAKEBELIEFSCOMIX IN THE CLASSROOM

1.
At the beginning of each new school year have students create a comic strip talking about themselves and their families or summarizing the most important things about their lives. Let each student select a cartoon character as a surrogate to represent her or him. After students complete their strips, encourage them to exchange their comics with classmates to learn more about each other. Students can also create strips that summarize what their individual interests to help a teacher to learn more about them.
2.
Have students create a comic strip story using new vocabulary words that are being taught. Having students fill in talk or thought balloons for different cartoon characters also helps students practice conversation and language structure in a meaningful context.
3.
Have students break up into pairs or group teams to create their comic strips together. This approach encourages teamwork and cooperation, with students complementing the skills of their colleagues. The site also provides a structure for students to work individually as they create their own cartoon worlds using their imaginations. Look upon the site as a resource for literacy development and to reach out to engage reluctant writers and readers.
4.
Having students fill in talk or thought balloons for different cartoon characters helps students practice conversation and offers a way to practice language structure and vocabulary in a meaningful context.
5.
Create comic scenarios, scripts, or stories for autistic students as a way to teach them different kinds of social behavior and to read emotions by observing the faces of the different characters selected for the cartoons. Says one teacher who works with high-functioning students with autism, "I used the comic strips to create social stories focusing on behaviors we want to modify." Creating cartoons in which the characters speak for the creator also provides a way to help autistic and deaf students to communicate.
6.
Have students who are learning new foreign languages write their text in languages they are studying. In addition to English, the site accepts characters and accent marks from languages such as Spanish, Latin, German, Italian and Portuguese. Additional languages will be added to the site in the future.
7.
Have students print or email their completed comics. Doing so validates the efforts they put into creating the strips and gives them a sense of ownership. The printed cartoons represent their hard-earned efforts and they can add the completed work to their school portfolios or share with friends and family. Think of the student sharing her cartoon with someone important to her and the smile this brings to the face of the recipient. Wouldn't such an experience reinforce learning?
8.
Use the cartoon strips to introduce students to the world of creative writing and the pleasure of using their imaginations more fully. When students create a comic strip, they are also honing their reading and writing skills in addition to tapping into their creativity. The act of creating cartoons allows students to learn in a pleasurable way.
9.
Encourage students to use the comic characters as surrogates for them to talk about and examine their lives, their problems, their challenges and their anxieties. In effect, students can see themselves in the comics they create. The comic strips also allow the students to express their feelings and thoughts about the learning that occurs in the classroom.
10.
Create comic books based on the strips that the students complete. Let the students serialize their comics by creating a new strip each day as part of a continuing story. They can color them, too.
11.
Create comic strips in which students can practice such real-life, practical scenarios such as looking for a job or learning how to interact with a difficult boss or fellow worker. As an example, create a comic in which a student applies for a job. What kinds of questions is the interviewer likely to ask her and what kinds of responses might be appropriate. An individual going to visit a doctor or emergency room can practice vocabulary that will be needed for such an encounter.
12.
Have students use the characters to create comic strips that comment on local or national politics. Perhaps these cartoons can be published in the school newspaper or newsletter.
13.
Create comic strips in the classroom just for the sheer fun of it, and as a way to help students deal with the stress of school and the everyday world. This provides a perfect activity for the end of the school day or week.
14.
After a student completes creation of a comic strip ask him to read aloud or act out the dialogue written for his characters. Doing so gives a student an opportunity and structure to practice public speaking and share thoughts with others.
15.
Have student create a comic in which the characters reflect on a particular experience the student has had, such as dealing with a school bully or with a problem at home or with a friend. The process of creating the strip provides a way for a student to think through and resolve these problems.
16.
Choose a theme for the day, such as My Top 3 Wishes or Ways to Improve the Environment, or focus on a theme for a unit that is being taught that day, and have each class member do a comic strip on that subject. Then have class members share what they have created so that students gain a better understanding of the many ideas and different points of views that their classmates have on a particular topic.
17.
Hold a Family Literacy Night or Day in which parents and students work side by side in your computer lab to create their own comic strips. The students will most likely begin helping their parents with the mechanics of working on the web site, while the parents will be helping the students in vocabulary and spelling. This creates an intergenerational bonding experience and provides a way to parents to share an activity with their children, and for parents and children to communicate more effectively with each other to create something new and imaginative.
18.
Use the strips to create story boards for an original story or to illustrate a book or play being read in class. Or, encourage students to create comic strips that change or go beyond the ending of the book they have just read. If students are creating short stories or novels, for example, they will find that comic strips provide them with a way to experiment with dialog that can be incorporated into their writing of text. The story comic strips can provide the first step in the creation of a much longer written piece of work or project. Or, have students use the comic strip as a book report summarizing or commenting on what they have been reading. You also can use the comic strips to assess students. knowledge of facts they are learning in the units you may be teaching.
19.
In reading a book or story have students in their comic strips assume the roles of two of the characters with each one's personality and voice and have them interact with one another. This helps students better understand the perspective of the characters in the book they are reading.
20.
Use the WRITER PROMPTS feature on this site for ideas for writing assignments in the classroom. Encourage your students to send copies of their writing to MakeBeliefsComix and we will reinforce their efforts by publishing some of their writings submitted on the WRITER PROMPTS blog.
21.
If you don't have regular access to a computer lab for your class, you can use our new feature - MAKEBELIEFSCOMIX PRINTABLES - where you can print out comix templates from this site and pages from my Make Beliefs books and use at home, school and in the office to write on and color - another way to have fun and express all the creativity within you. Just click PRINTABLES.
Above all, have fun!

If you have a suggestion on how to use www.MakeBeliefsComix.com in the classroom, please write to billz@makebeliefscomix.com and we’ll add them to the list with your permission.

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Teach English Blog URL
http://teachenglishblog.blogspot.com/

Find Language Teachers Online with Italki

2009-03-31T08:10:00.001-04:00

I am testing the new online language lesson services offered by Italki.

This is a brief synopsis of their services:

With language teachers, you can find the right teacher at a price that's right for you. If you just need some help with your homework or questions you can search for a language tutor. If you want professional private instructor, you can search for a professional teacher.

Check out the Language Teachers section of the website and start learning a language today! You'll likely find better value for your money by hiring a teacher directly, than an expensive language school.

Secure Payment
When you find a teacher you're interested in learning from, you can purchase italki credits (ITC). By using italki credits, you don't have to worry about a teacher showing up or a student that won't pay.

Earn money as a Language Tutor
In addition, if you're interested in earning some extra cash, you can earn some money by teaching your native language.

Free Trial
To help you become familiar with the system and get comfortable with learning from teachers online, you will receive three Free Trial sessions that they can use with any teacher who agrees to offer free trial lessons. This should help you find the teacher who fits your learning style best!

New Chat
You may have noticed we are now using a new in-browser chat system. We hope you'll find this one faster and more useful. Now you'll be able to do group chats, as well as view all of your italki friends in a list. Please let us know what you think of it.

I will update the results of my test as a tutor on the system.

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Business English Grammar Text Recommendations

2009-03-22T07:10:00.001-04:00

Business English Teachers exerpts

1- I have a class of C1 learners and the grammar books that I have (Macmillan Essential Bus. Grammar Builder and Cambridge English Grammar in Use) are too easy for them. The students are scientists (adults in-company) and they want in-depth information about difficult parts of grammar, i.e. Subjunctive past and non-past. I'm looking for a book with clear descriptions and a lot of exercises.

2- I just love CUP Advanced Grammar in Use. I think it is perfect with loads of excercises. If you happen to have the one with the CD attached, even better! The create-test facility is just amazing and so handy for the teachers.

3- I can recommend Longman Advanced Learners' Grammar by Mark Foley & Diane Hall, published by Pearson Education Limited, 2003. This is not specifically for Business English students, but suitable for those preparing for CAE or Proficiency or other similar examinations, or just for advanced students who are not preparing for examinations at all.

I find it really helpful due to the following reasons:
1) it examines the close relationship between grammar and vocabulary
2) has useful word lists, charts and Round ups
3) highlights common errors and areas of potential confusion
4) contains units on text structure and discourse
5) there is a full set of diagnostic tests.

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One to One ESL English Language Tutoring

2009-03-21T23:06:00.005-04:00

ESL teachers talk about "One to One ESL English Language Tutoring"

Sometimes the success of one-on-one tutoring depends on the work that a student puts into practice *between* tutoring sessions.

Some years ago, I had a Chinese engineer who was essentially almost incomprehensible even to me, with all my experience of decoding foreign accents. He had all the typical Chinese mispronunciation patterns in the extreme.

This was the case even though he had completed an MA degree at a US university, so had been exposed to English for several years before I saw him as a student.

He recorded each lesson and practiced with it between our weekly tutoring sessions. He also recorded himself while he was talking on the phone, and we worked with the types of things that he had been able to master when focused on pronunciation, but then re-emerged when he was not thinking about them.

We would often record the very beginning of our lesson while we were engaged in regular conversation and then use that recorded segment and the pronunciation problems that turned up in it as the basis for that day's lesson.

With the right tutor, and with sufficient motivation on the student's part to practice rigorously between tutoring sessions one-on-one tutoring can be very beneficial for pronunciation.

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I found one-on-one tutoring to be very helpful for increasing speaking fluency, including pronunciation and intonation for several visiting Chinese profesors.

Since they have different goals and needs from my immigrant students, I have put them with tutors in the classroom, and have seen their listening and speaking fluency increase markedly in one quarter (12 hours a week for 11 weeks).

These students came with great reading and writing skills and more grammar than most American college students, but they could barely speak a word.

I had the tutors using conversational fluency activities with the students (one-on-one) and helping them with vocabulary, idioms, pronunciation and intonation.

The daily practice of speaking English for several hours at a stretch with corrective feedback has made a dramatic difference.

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Comparing Communication and Conversation Skills

2009-03-21T15:50:00.001-04:00

What are the English Language Conversation Skills?

English Language Conversation Skills include language abilities, conversation skills, social skills, culture knowledge and non-verbal communication skills.

Non-verbal communication skills are classified as posture, body movements, gestures, facial expressions, proximity and eye contact.

In English speaking countries the non-verbal messages can represent from 25 to 75% of the meaning.

Social skills and culture knowledge can be generalized as "what to say, when to say it, where and why to say it, and most important how to say it".

When learning English Language Conversation Skills ESL students must learn: language abilities, conversation skills, social skills, culture knowledge and non-verbal communication skills. ESL Students need everything if they actually want to converse with native English speakers.

ESL Students can not just learn English vocabulary or English pronunciation as it represents less than 50% of most conversations.

Link to additional information on English conversation skills.

What are some of the Professional Communication Skills?

The ability to add charisma to your speaking and interpersonal communications.

The ability to create initial rapport even on first phone calls or meetings.

The ability to build rapport easily in meetings, networking functions, or conversations.

The ability to use specialized industry or business English using industry-specific vocabulary for accuracy.

The ability to emote the appropriate emotion at the correct level.

The ability to create and deliver persuasive and dynamic presentations and speeches.

The ability to display confident leadership and competent management or knowledge.

Other specialized skills include customer service, handling complaints, conflict management.

There are many similarities between conversation and communication skills. Both are very important. One could generalize that communication skills add extra dimensions to conversation skills. One example: Conversations can transmit information where communication skills can transmit trust.

Toronto ESL English Tutors and Coaches

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Oxford University Press Business English Books

2009-03-14T14:14:00.001-04:00

This is not a review or recommendation - just the list of available titles.

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford and for over 500 years has demonstrated its strong commitment to education worldwide through the quality of its research and publishing.

Business / Professional Catalogue

Basic English for Computing, Revised Edition
Elementary to Pre-Intermediate
A fully revised and updated edition of this popular low-level course.

Big City
3 levels: Elementary to Intermediate
A series of videos combining factual reports and drama for those working, or training to work, in a business environment.

Business Assignments
Advanced / Upper-Intermediate
International business case studies providing 'hands-on' management tasks.

Business Basics International Edition
Elementary (A2)
An international version of the very popular Business Basics (new edition)

Business Basics, New Edition
Elementary to Pre-Intermediate
An updated edition of this complete first course in English for business.

Business Communication Games
Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate
Photocopiable games and activities for students of English for business.

Business Focus
Elementary and Pre-Intermediate
Business Focus equips learners with the English they need to communicate in the workplace.

Business Grammar and Practice
Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate
A grammar reference guide for professional adults, now revised and updated.

Business Objectives International Edition
Lower-Intermediate (Low to mid B1)
A new edition of the best-selling Business Objectives, which has new, up-to-date content as well as a fresh, contemporary design.

Business Objectives Pairwork
Lower-Intermediate to Intermediate
Intensive speaking practice for Business English learners.

Business Objectives, New Edition
Lower-Intermediate
Develops the skills students need to participate in a variety of business contexts. context of everyday business functions.

Business Opportunities
Intermediate
Clear presentation and practice of essential business language.

Business Options
Upper-Intermediate
Helps students with a good working knowledge of English to sound confident and get their message across with greater authority. course that enables professionals to communicate more confidently in English both in and out of the workplace.

Business Result NEW LEVELS
Elementary to Advanced A1 to C1
Business English you can take to work today.

Business Venture with practice for the TOEIC® test
Business Venture 1: False beginner to Pre-Intermediate
A new edition of this low-level Business English course, which provides practice for the TOEIC® test.

Business Venture, New Edition
Beginner to Pre-Intermediate (two levels)
A low-level speaking and listening course in American English.

Business Vision
Intermediate
A contemporary, highly practical language course for professional adults.

Business one:one
Pre-intermediate and Intermediate
The first business course written specifically for one-to-one teaching.

Can You Believe It?
Beginner to Intermediate
Memorable readings from true life combined with idioms and vocabulary development.

Commercially Speaking
Elementary to Pre-Intermediate
A thorough and practical course for students aiming to work in a commercial environment.

Creating Opportunities
Intermediate
A humorous video training package based on the syllabus of the Business Opportunities course.

Essential Business Grammar & Practice
Elementary to Pre-Intermediate
This new Elementary level provides clear explanations and examples of key grammar relevant to lower-level learners, with practice activities based on authentic contexts and opportunities for personalization in each unit.

Express Series NEW TITLES
Intermediate
A new series of short, specialist English courses for professions such as human resources, and marketing and advertising, and work skills such as telephoning, meetings, and presentations.

Going International
Upper-Intermediate
A course which equips students for the competitive environment of international tourism.

Handshake
1 level: Pre-Intermediate
An innovative course in language and communication skills.

Head for Business
Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate
A comprehensive Business English course for learners with little or no experience of the business world.

High Season
Intermediate
A course which develops all-round competence in English.

Highly Recommended, New Edition
Elementary to Pre-Intermediate.
A new edition of this practical communication course for hotel and catering employees.

International Express Interactive Editions
Elementary to Upper-Intermediate
New, interactive editions of the best-selling course for adult professional learners.

Meeting Objectives
Lower-Intermediate
An amusing video training package based on the syllabus of the Business Objectives course.

Oxford Business English Dictionary for learners of English
Intermediate-Advanced (B1-C2)
A new up-to-date Business English dictionary, that gives learners all the help and information they need to do business in English.

Oxford Business English Skills
Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate
A video-based series aimed at improving communicative skills in specific areas.
Effective Presentations; Effective Meetings; Effective Negotiating; Effective Telephoning; Effective Socializing

Oxford English for Careers NEW TITLES
Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate and Upper-Intermediate Mid A2 to B2
Written by industry insiders to prepare pre-work learners for careers in commerce, tourism, nursing, and technology.

Oxford English for Electrical and Mechanical Engineering
Intermediate
Coverage in all four skills with up-to-date technical content.

Oxford English for Electronics
Intermediate
Intermediate. Practice in all four skills for electronics students.

Oxford English for Information Technology
Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate
New edition with new, updated material to keep users up to speed in this fast-moving industry.

Oxford Handbook of Commercial Correspondence, New Edition
Intermediate to Advanced
A revised and updated edition of this comprehensive guide to business correspondence.

Oxford Handbook of Legal Correspondence
Intermediate to Advanced
The essential reference guide to writing effective legal correspondence for non-native speakers.

Oxford Learner's Pocket Dictionary of Business English
Intermediate to Advanced (B1-C2)
A handy pocket-sized dictionary of Business English based on the new Oxford Business English Dictionary for learners of English.

ProFile
Pre-Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate
ProFile teaches students about business and the language of business simultaneously.

Quick Work
3 levels: Elementary to Intermediate
An innovative, flexible, three-level short course in Business English.

Really Learn 100 Phrasal Verbs for Business
Intermediate
A companion volume to Really Learn 100 Phrasal Verbs, focussing on 100 phrasal verbs that are commonly used in business.

Teaching Business English
Gives background to the business learner's world and strategies for approaching the training task. By Mark Ellis and Christine Johnson. Part of the Oxford Handbooks for Language Teachers series.

Tech Talk NEW LEVEL
Elementary, Pre-Intermediate, and Intermediate
A practical course for adult learners working in the international technical sector.

Workshop
Lower-Intermediate
A series of Workbooks offering practical English lessons for school students preparing for work.

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Comparing Market Leader with Intelligent Business

2009-02-22T12:32:00.001-05:00

Question

I'm debating between using the Market Leader course books and the Intelligent Business series. I have a lot of experience with the Market Leader, but I have not used the Int. Business course books, but have heard a lot of good things about them.

Response

I have used both of them, I quite like Market Leader. The difference between both, from my point of view, is that Intelligent Business is addressed to an advanced and more knowledgeable students, those who are really into business. However, Market Leader is more attainable for people who are taking a business English class for the
first time, more practical.

Both have excellent listenings. I like a lot Market Leader Workbooks, quite practical, simple and focused on vocab and writing. I find Intelligent Business workbook more difficult.

Both lack grammar focus sometimes , though, but, Market Leader has a book specialised in grammar.

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Welcome to Business English Book Reviews

Business English Book Reviews will list opinions, suggestions, how to use, extra exercises, comparisons, experiences and uses for and by business English teachers.

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Top 10 Business English Texts Version 5

2009-02-22T12:18:00.001-05:00

These lists were presented in 2006 - I am not sure if they are in addition to or alternatives to the earlier two lists. The specific list organizer was not listed

Top 10 Business English Texts Version 5

Communicating in Business, CUP
New Business Matters, Thomson Heinle
The Language of Meetings,
Business English Meetings Instant Agendas, Penguin
Company to Company, CUP
Presenting in English, Thomson Heinle
Effective Presentations, OUP
Email English, Macmillan
Writing Reports to Get Results, Wiley-IEEE
Business Basics, OUP

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Welcome to Business English Book Reviews

Business English Book Reviews will list opinions, suggestions, how to use, extra exercises, comparisons, experiences and uses for and by business English teachers.

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Top 10 list Business English Texts Version 4

2009-02-22T12:01:00.001-05:00

These lists were presented in 2006 - I am not sure if they are in addition to or alternatives to the earlier two lists. The specific list organizer was not listed

Top 10 list Business English Texts Version 4

1. Presenting in English - Mark Powell
2. Dictation - Davis & Rinolucri
3. Business Basics - Grant and McLarty
4. In at the deep End - Hollet
5. Bus. Obj & Bus. Opp - Hollet
6. Market Leader Series
7. Reward Bus. Resource Packs (" ")
8. Meeting Objectives video & Activity Book
9. International Business English - Jones and Alexander
10. Bus. Communication Games
11. Business Matters - Michael Lewis

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Welcome to Business English Book Reviews

Business English Book Reviews will list opinions, suggestions, how to use, extra exercises, comparisons, experiences and uses for and by business English teachers.

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The Best Way to Build an Online Classroom

2009-02-21T22:29:00.001-05:00

Sharon Grimes of the Baltimore County Public School systems tells us how to roll out PBwiki to 103,643 students and 8,850 classroom teachers.

We wanted our students to be able to use 21st Century tools in able to collaborate effectively not only with their classmates, but also with peers throughout the district and indeed, the world.

We needed to enhance opportunities for research, writing, and editing for a real life audience and in authentic situations. Our students do not have email accounts.
Safety and security of our K-12 students.

We've created a collaborative environment that allows teachers and students to see multiple models of outstanding writing.

Prior to using the wiki, teachers who wanted to highlight a well-written student response, needed to first copy it and then, make a transparency. Frequently, the text was illegible in places and because of the amount of work involved and time constraints only one or two student models were displayed.

We know from research that the more student models writers see, the more rich and well-written responses we receive. The wiki provides the means for students to view multiple models 24/7 and as a result, to independently assess and improve their written responses. In addition, the collaborative environment facilitates the development of peer review and editing skills.

The content in the wiki is based on current research on comprehension strategy instruction. Each section of the wiki scaffolds use of and responses to one of the comprehension strategies that decades of research show proficient readers use: connecting, questioning, visualizing, predicting and its forward-looking twin: inferring, determining main ideas, analyzing and synthesizing, and employing fix-up strategies.

The collaborative environment allows students to not only learn from one another, but also to have "grand conversations," rich discussions about literature that extend beyond the confines of the classroom.

Training Wikis:
http://bcps23things.pbwiki.com/
and
http://teachingthoughtfullearners.pbwiki.com/

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