ELTWeekly Issue 1 – Thank YOU
By Tarun Patel
Dear Subscriber,
At the outset, let us thank YOU for subscribing to the ELTWeekly Newsletter.
With the launch of this newsletter, we ensure the delivery of “Quality Content ” every Monday – in your inbox.
We invite ELT experts from all over to contribute to this newsletter in the forms of articles, case studies, ELT tips and more.
Also we invite YOUR suggestions for the improvement of this newsletter.
Have a good reading,
Tarun Patel
Bhaskar Pandya
Kaushal Kotadia, and
Rajesh Bharvad.
December 14th, 2008
ELTWeekly Issue 1 – Feedback
By Tarun Patel
YES, We Want To Hear From YOU!
Since this is our first ELT initiative, we need your feedback in order for us to continue to improve
our publication for you.
? We want to know how you like it.
? We want to know what you want to know about.
? We want to know the topics you want.
Send us an email with your suggestions, testimonial or enhancement.
Send all emails to:
Also you can leave your feedback at http://eltweekly.com/more/feedback
ELTWeekly Issue 1 – Useful resources by Kaushal Kotadia
By Tarun Patel
Writing.Com Community
Writing.Com is the online community for writers and readers of all interests and skill levels. Whether you’re an enthusiastic, creative writer looking for the perfect place to store and display your writing online or a casual reader searching for a good story, Writing.Com is the website for you!
Free Writing.Com memberships are available to everyone. Each membership includes an online writing portfolio, numerous writing tools, email services and the chance to meet and bond with fresh creative minds, just like you! No other website services the Writing world better than we do.
CAMBRIDGE English Language Teaching Podcasts
The CAMBRIDGE’s new series of podcasts by Richard Cauldwell helps students with their English pronunciation and listening. Focusing on one word every month, this series provides examples of the ways the word is pronounced on its own and in natural speech.
The podcast is accompanied by an audio script and a worksheet, and there is a separate audio file including all the examples from the worksheet.
Click HERE to Access CAMBRIDGE English Language Teaching Podcasts
ESL Monkeys
Mary and David have created ESL Monkeys to make ESL a much more practical and accessible subject for teachers, schools and students worldwide.ESL Monkeys offers the following services:
Job Search: Search for ESL jobs worldwide.
Job Post: Post an ESL job vacancy!
Post a Resume: Looking for a job? Increase your chances by posting your resume online and allow schools to search for you!
Lesson Plans: Browse for OR submit your own lesson plan.
Find Books: Download FREE ESL books! Find ESL teaching books, text books for schools and English learning books online for purchase and delivery!
Community Forums: Discuss certain issues or ask questions online! Have other teachers, students or schools answer them!
Word of the Day: Learn or teach a new word or phrase everyday!
And much much more!
ELTWeekly Issue 1 – Book of the week
By Tarun Patel
Materials and Methods in ELT, Second Edition offers a comprehensive and practical introduction to central themes in the principles and practice of Teaching English as a Foreign/Second Language.
This book offers a comprehensive and practical introduction to central themes in the principles and practice of Teaching English as a Foreign/Second Language.
It features a number of new sections, including task-based learning, the use of the internet, and teacher-research, as well as new samples from current teaching materials.
It also includes an appendix with a selected list of key websites for teachers and students.
This second edition has been completely revised and updated.
Reviews for Materials and Methods in ELT book
“I have been recommending this book for some years to overseas teachers of English who are interested in evaluating the appropriateness of current approaches to ELT for their own classrooms. The second edition is both more comprehensive and more detailed and is a highly accessible resource for individual teachers or course tutors.” Tricia Hedge, University of Warwick
“This edition thoroughly discusses and illustrates the central pedagogical issues in ELT, with an especially rich emphasis on contextual factors in diverse educational settings.” John Sivell, Brock University
“I have been recommending this book for some years to overseas teachers of English who are interested in evaluating the appropriateness of current approaches to ELT for their own classrooms. The second edition is both more comprehensive and more detailed and is a highly accessible resource for individual teachers or course tutors.’ Tricia Hedge, University of Warwick ‘This edition thoroughly discusses and illustrates the central pedagogical issues in ELT, with an especially rich emphasis on contextual factors in diverse educational settings.” John Sivell, Brock University.
ELTWeekly Issue 1 – Upcoming events
By Tarun Patel
National Conference on Technology in ELT, January 29-30, 2009
Organized by Department of Communication Skills, Charotar Institute of Technology, Education Campus Changa
Place: Education Campus Changa, TA – Petlad, Di – Anand, Gujarat, India.
Conference blog: nctelt.wordpress.com
ELTWeekly Issue 1 – ELT News
By Tarun Patel
English as a second language is a challenge – NewTimes.com
Cody Xu came to Ridgefield last year when his family moved from China. He was 15, spoke Mandarin and Cantonese Chinese, but could only count to 10 and say a few words in English.
“I wondered if other students appreciated how well I knew the subject when I’d answer in class,” Cody said recently, noting his poor command of English made it impossible for him to fully convey his knowledge,
“Then, as I was in classes more and picked up more and more English, it became more comfortable” to take part in class discussions, he said.
Although he might still ask to have some thingd repeated, he seems to have an easy time learning languages. He is studying Japanese this year as a sophomore at Ridgefield High. Read the complete news item…
Can Obama’s New Requirements Keep Pace with English Language Learner Student Needs? –PRWeb.com
Professional, Interactive Teacher Training Programs key to equipping Educators with Tools to meet the goal of President-elect Obama’s Accountability for Limited English Proficient Student Graduation Plan
Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) December 7, 2008 — As President-Elect Obama transitions into the White House, one major area of focus is the state of education in the United States. While many changes are planned with respect to the No Child Left Behind Act, a key focus area is the graduation rates of English Language Learners. In his comprehensive plan to reform education, Obama believes that schools should be held accountable for the success of their ELLs.
Proper teacher training is vital to the success of this program for the Obama administration. However, there has historically been a disconnect between teacher preparation programs and what it really takes to teach students who are learning a second language. Read the complete news item…
Rethinking global Englishes in the context of globalization – The Jakarta Post
The rapid spread of English worldwide sends an obvious signal — the English language is protean and fluid as today’s living language.
So fluid and flexible is English that it pervasively permeates global, regional, national and local levels. The notion of Englishes has emerged, demonstrating the vitality of English which grows and develops mainly as a local language variety.
Although closely tied to the processes of globalization, it is too simplistic to account for its spread from the sole context of globalization, Americanization, imperialism or world Englishes and homogeneity. Read the complete news item…
Universities urged to improve English language skills for students - VietNamNet Bridge
Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Education and Training Banh Tien Long has asked universities to help students improve their English so that they can use it confidently and competently by 2015.
Mr Long made the statement at a seminar held in Hanoi on December 5 with a focus on English language training for students at universities in Vietnam. The event was co-organised by the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) and the Educational Testing Service (ETS) Global.
Mr Long said that to improve the quality of teaching and English language skills, universities should attach more importance to upgrading infrastructure and English teaching facilities. In addition, teachers should improve their teaching methods and their knowledge to encourage students to get involved in studying English. Read the complete news item…
‘We plan to come more often to India’ – The Financial Express
INTERVIEW : GENA NETTEN, SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER, ETS
Gena Netten is the senior marketing manager at ETS (Educational Testing Service), a non-profit organisation, which conducts the world-famous Toefl (Test of English as a Foreign Language), GRE (Graduate Record Examination) and scores of related tests was in India recently for ETS’ four city ‘Go Anywhere’ India Tour. An MA in Applied Linguistics and Teaching English as a Second Language from the university of Minnesota, Natten, a Toefl veteran, has been with ETS for fifteen years. In New Delhi, Natten met up with FE’s Vikram Chaudhary, where she talked about ETS, Toefl and her India experience. Excerpts:
Tell us about the various standardised tests ETS develops in the US for K-12 and higher education?
The list is very long, though some of the main assessment tests for K-12 are the Middle Grades Assessment, the Major Field Tests and so on. Then we have Praxis Series, which is a set of validated assessments that provides accurate and reliable information for the use of state education agencies when they make licensing decisions. California department of education has chosen ETS to develop, administer and score the California High School Exit Exam, which assesses if students who graduate from high school can demonstrate grade level competency in reading, writing and mathematics. Read the complete news item…
ELTWeekly Issue 1 – Tip of the week
By Tarun Patel
After completing their schooling, in a college, students are often discovering a different relationship with other students and in such a situation “group work” allows them to interact with different classmates in a less stressful, collaborative atmosphere. Then they will also start defining their proper personalities and “role-play activities” can allow them try to express different feelings behind non-threatening, face-saving masks.
You can access a nice group work and role play activity by clicking HERE!