Past Issues of English Teaching Forum | American English

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Browse online English Teaching Forum issues and articles dating back to 2001. To find a particular article or issue, search the past issues by year or keyword.

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English Teaching Forum 2012, Volume 50, Number 4

English Teaching Forum Volume 50 Number 4

The final issue in the 50th anniversary series. Contributor articles discuss “The Teaching Toolbox,” online learner dictionaries, and getting teens to work in class...

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The Teaching Toolbox: Reconciling Theory, Practice, and Language in a Teacher Training Course

Amber Vanderwoude

Noting the challenge teachers in English as a Medium of Instruction contexts face in balancing content and language instruction, the author explains a teaching toolbox technique and outlines toolbox activities that include jigsaw reading, word bank, jigsaw vocabulary, and graphic organizers.

Online English-English Learner Dictionaries Boost Word Learning

Ulugbek Nurmukhamedov

This article suggests that English language learners can benefit greatly from using learner dictionaries that are corpus-based, supply word frequency data, and offer collocation guides, authentic examples, and topical vocabulary. The author discusses teacher applications for each dictionary feature.

Getting Teens to Really Work in Class

Patricia Lauría de Gentile and Ana María Leiguarda de Orué

This article explains the brain development and behavior of teenagers as well as their special needs. The authors offer English language learning activities that meet the need for physical movement, social interaction, and reduced stress.

Teaching Communication: Back to the 60s

Adrian Palmer

This piece, a preface to a reprinted 1971 article on communication practice, focuses on the need for real communication in the language classroom.

Communication Practice vs. Pattern Practice or A Live Teacher Is Absolutely Necessary

Adrian Palmer

This article, originally published in 1971, posits that the main goal of language learning is communication and that classroom work should concentrate on developing students’ communication skills. Communication-practice drills are presented and discussed.

Essentials for the Teacher's Toolbox

This introduction to three reprinted articles identifies tools, such as visual aids and dictionaries, used by effective teachers.

Your Most Essential Audiovisual Aid - Yourself!

Elizabeth Hamp-Lyons

Acknowledging that an interested and enthusiastic teacher can create excitement for students and promote learning, this article (reprinted from 1981) offers concrete suggestions for the teacher to be a “visual aid” and an “audio aid” in the classroom.

The Neglected Tools Can Work for You

Mac M. Ramirez

This article (reprinted from 1975) offers ideas about using visual aids in the language classroom and includes specific suggestions for using such things as blackboards, flip charts, magazines, and language films.

Getting the Most Out of the Dictionary

Inspired by questions from language teachers, this discussion of dictionaries (reprinted from 1974) explores their utility in determining pronunciation, meaning, and points of grammar and makes recommendations about the kind of dictionaries teachers should use with their students.

Fall Photos

“Fall Photos” is a series of photos with captions. The pictures can be used as writing or discussion prompts.

Classroom Activities

Jennifer Hodgson and Kelli Odhuu

This section presents two stand-alone language-learning activities with an autumn theme. 1. “How Are You, Jack-o-lantern?” is designed for students at the Upper Beginner level and can be used to build vocabulary related to emotions and encourage conversations based on them. 2.”The Incredible Shrinking Dialogue,” for students at the Upper Intermediate level and above, teaches students to analyze a text to find the most important ideas and gives students practice in paraphrasing, speaking, and performing.

The Lighter Side: "Listen Up!"

This activity sheet presents a listening exercise based on rhymes.

English Teaching Forum 2012, Volume 50, Number 3

English Teaching Forum Volume 50 Number 3

Creating a storytelling classroom and teaching listening skills to young learners through songs are the topics of the lead articles in this issue...

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Teaching Listening Skills to Young Learners through 'Listen and Do' Songs

Mustafa Sevik

This article, which examines the use of songs to improve the listening skills of young learners, contains a lesson plan and follow-up activities and a list of online resources for songs.

The Author as Reader and Writer

Tom Miller

This introduction presents contemporary commentary on the previously published articles “Writing for the Reader: A Problem-Solution Approach” and “Motivating Learners at South Korean Universities.

Writing for the Reader: A Problem-Solution Approach

Tom Miller and Dee Parker

A “how to” piece on using the problem-solution approach to writing academic articles, this article explores (originally published in 1997) defining the audience, defining the author, and evaluating the structure of an article, and it outlines helpful questions for writers and readers.

Motivating Learners at South Korean Universities

Janet S. Niederhauser

Using a problem-solution format, this article (originally published in 1997) discusses cultural and educational factors that affect language learners’ motivation and offers strategies to raise motivation.

The Roles of Assessment in Language Teaching

Jerrold Frank

This piece makes a case for using assessment to understand and identify the needs of learners and introduces the three reprints that follow: “Twenty Common Testing Mistakes for EFL Teachers to Avoid,” Coming to Grips with Progress Testing: Some Guidelines for Its Design,” and “Purposeful Language Assessment: Selecting the Right Alternative Test.”

Twenty Common Testing Mistakes for EFL Teachers to Avoid

Grant Henning

This article, originally published in 1982, is designed to help EFL teachers prepare effective selection, diagnostic, and evaluation instruments by avoiding common testing mistakes. Such mistakes are discussed under the categories of general examination characteristics, item characteristics, test-validity concerns, and administrative and scoring issues.

Coming to Grips with Progress Testing: Some Guidelines for Its Design

Carmen Perez Basanta

Progress testing is often neglected in communicative language teaching; yet it has a crucial role. This article, originally published in 1995, offers a rationale for testing and presents guidelines for designing app

Purposeful Language Assessment: Selecting the Right Alternative Test

John M. Norris

This article, originally published in 2000, looks at various instruments, procedures, and practices for language testing and offers strategies for determining which assessment options are most appropriate in various contexts.

Classroom Activities

Heather Benucci and Jacqueline Gardy

This "Classroom Activities" features three stand-alone language-learning activity related to the theme of summer.

The Lighter Side: Speak and Spell

This puzzle, “Speak and Spell,” is an exercise in homophones, or words that are spelled differently but pronounced the same

Creating a Storytelling Classroom for a Storytelling World

Robert E. Jones

This article explores the value of storytelling in English language learning. Strong emphasis is placed on the role that stories of personal experience play in human interaction and how these natural conversations foster a better language learning experience. The author outlines a four-step approach to help students develop conversational skills as storytellers, including techniques for improving fluency and honing listening skills.

Summertime Photos

This collection of photos highlights activities that are popular among Americans, especially in the summer.

English Teaching Forum 2012, Volume 50, Number 2

Cover photo of Forum 50

This issue opens with articles on merging environmental education and language instruction and “Film Circles.” The “Reflections” section features “From Unity to Diversity… to Diversity within Unity” by Diane Larsen-Freeman...

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Going Green: Merging Environmental Education and Language Instruction

Staci Hauschild, Elena Poltavtchenko, and Fredricka L. Stoller

This article discusses content-based instruction (CBI) and the theme of environmental awareness in the classroom. It addresses not only recycling and preservation of resources, but also integrating English skills and controversial issues into real-world situations. The article presents teachers with examples of group activities and opportunities for critical thinking and encouraging responsibility among their students.

Film Circles: Scaffolding Speaking for EFL Students

Crissa Stephens, with Rocio Ascencio, Ana Luisa Burgos, Tatiana Diaz, Jimena Montenegro, and Christian Valenzuela

This article describes action research that pre-service teachers conducted regarding successful communicative activities.

From Unity to Diversity… to Diversity within Unity

Diane Larsen-Freeman

Author Diane Larsen-Freeman revisits the claims she made in her 1987 article for Forum where she noted a unified approach to language teaching.

Rediscovering Curiosity, Imagination, and Humor in Learning

Jennifer Uhler

This piece introduces three previously published articles that speak to the effectiveness of teaching the English language through curiosity, imagination, and humor. The articles introduced are “Curiosity and Comprehension,” “Using Story Jokes for Real Communication,” and “An Imaginative Approach to Teaching Writing.”

Curiosity and Comprehension

John H. Montagu Butler

This article, originally published in 1977, offers teachers techniques to pique students’ curiosity, making a case that curiosity spurs comprehension and initiative.

Using Story Jokes for Real Communication

William DeFelice

English language teachers all face the obstacle of getting their students to speak in conversational English. This article, originally published in 1996, explores the use of jokes as a way to get natural conversation going in and out of the classroom and provides activities for teachers to use with their students.

An Imaginative Approach to Teaching Writing

Carmen Manuel Cuenca, Rodrigo Fernández

This article, originally published in 1986, explores the key to tackling the challenging task: motivation. The article includes 11 activities that encourage students’ creativity.

Earth Day Photo

This is a photograph of people cleaning up trash alongside the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in observance of Earth Day.

From Unity to Diversity: Twenty-five Years of Language Teaching Methodology

Diane Larsen-Freeman

Reprinted from a 1987 issue of English Teaching Forum, this article by Diane Larson-Freeman describes methodological developments in the field of English language teaching over the previous 25 years. This overview of methodology includes discussion of such topics as syllabus design, English for Special Purposes (ESP), content-based approaches, culture, the Comprehension Approach, the Communicative Approach, assessment procedure, and subject matter.

The Lighter Side: Dare to Read

This puzzle offers 20 scrambled words that all relate to “things people read.”

Classroom Activities

Jennifer Hodgson

Three stand-alone language-learning activities related to the theme of spring.

English Teaching Forum 2012, Volume 50, Number 1

Cover photo of Forum

First of the 50th anniversary series, this issue leads off with new articles on teaching. A commemorative section called Reflections highlights popular articles from past volumes.

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Understanding and Teaching Generation Y

Peter Reilly

This article responds to the challenges of teaching Generation Y students, who are tech-savvy and feedback-dependent visual learners. Because "Gen Y" students are less likely to engage with traditional classroom teaching methods, this article is helpful in identifying specific activities teachers can employ to utilize students' attraction to digital media, multi-tasking, and a sense of global purpose.

Destroying the Teacher: The Need for Learner-Centered Teaching

Alan C. McLean

This article advocates using English to teach content, addressing this through five areas: Reduction of Coercion (not eliciting correct answers, but engaging students in thinking); Active Learner Involvement (less teacher talk and more material chosen to engage learners), Experience Before Interpretation (handling material before interpreting it), Avoidance of Simplification (choosing materials challenging enough to learn skills for tackling new ideas), and Value of Silence (allowing students to think without forcing them to talk).

Using Original Video and Sound Effects to Teach English

Shahla Yassaei

This article outlines a lesson plan for teaching modals of speculation that express degrees of certainty, using audio-visual techniques. It identifies the teacher's lesson preparation, required materials, and specific ways to engage students in the special interactive environment. It highlights the effectiveness of audio-visual resources to represent and illustrate abstract concepts. The article also provides ideas for variations of the lesson plan, employing video and sound effects to teach grammar, vocabulary, and creative writing.

A Call to Service

William P. Ancker

This article is an introduction to the full length interview with Dr. James Alatis, who has been referred to as "the father of TESOL." The introduction highlights the benefits of TESOL professionals volunteering to serve in organizations that provide training and networking for others in the field.

The Psychic Rewards of Teaching: An Interview with James E. Alatis

William P. Ancker

Dr. James Alatis answers questions about teaching English as a profession, establishing the international association TESOL, and his strong belief that linguistics and language teaching will change the world. The son of Greek immigrants, Alatis shares how his early interest in languages led him to study linguistics. Regarded as "the father of TESOL," Alatis believes the best linguistics is interdisciplinary. According to Alatis, the future of TESOL will involve more audiovisual and online material, all subjects taught by ESL teachers, and more concern for cultures of other countries.

Good Teaching is Timeless

Jerrold Frank

The author provides an introduction to three of the articles reprinted in this volume by framing them as what effective teachers have been doing through time and must continue to do.

The Conversation Class

Acy L. Jackson

This article discusses conversation classes, drawing from the author’s experience teaching Persian ESL. The author offers eight guidelines for effective teaching: cultivate a relaxed atmosphere (with six suggestions for doing this), be alert and foster alertness, be enthusiastic and engender enthusiasm, be patient, be sensitive, think, listen, and make corrections. The article finishes with a number of suggested topics and activities for promoting conversation.

Ten Characteristics of a Good Teacher

Patricia Miller

The author, an experienced English teacher, combines her professional experience with her language learner experience to identify her ideal language teacher. Her top ten characteristics focus on four areas: affective characteristics including humor and enthusiasm; skills such as the use of creative tools; classroom management styles and academic knowledge. The author claims motivation thrives on success, and by adopting these characteristics, students will react positively.

Winter Scenes

ʺWinter Scenesʺ is a series of photos with captions. The pictures can be used as writing or discussion prompts.

The Lighter Side: The Write Stuff

This simple crossword puzzle uses vocabulary about writing.

Classroom Activities

Jennifer Uhler, Jerrold Frank

This piece offers three activities that give students practice with vocabulary, grouping of similar terms, the use of future and present tenses, and identifying grammatical categories such as adjectives, verbs, and nouns.