ELTWeekly Issue#13 Contents
By Tarun Patel
DOWNLOAD ELTWeekly Issue#13 by Clicking HERE
Tip of the week: Five ideas to improve listening
Video of the week: Web 2.0 & Language Learning
Expert article: What is Your EFL / ESL English Teaching Philosophy?
Book of the week:Balancing Reading and Language Learning
Research paper: Humor in English Language Learning
DOWNLOAD ELTWeekly Issue#13 by Clicking HERE
Subscriber space: Research article by Mahnaz Azad
Subscriber space: Research paper by Akram Faravani
DOWNLOAD ELTWeekly Issue#13 by Clicking HERE
March 22nd, 2009
ELTWeekly Issue#13, Tip of the week: Five ideas to improve listening
By Tarun Patel
Five ideas to improve listening
By Tarun Patel
Listening is the most important receptive (and learning) skill for English language students. An ability to listen and interpret is a fundamental communicative ability.
Teaching listening involves training in some ‘enabling skills’ — perception of sounds, stress, intonation patterns, accents, attitudes and so on, as well as ‘practice’ in various styles of listening comprehension.
1. Clear Voice: The teacher needs to use a clear voice with good articulation and sufficient projection to be heard by all the students. The teacher’s voice whether speaking or reading aloud is the first and most important source of listening material for students. A good voice is produced from the diaphragm and not from the upper chest.
2. Cassette or CD Player: A good cassette or CD player for classroom use will have a forward-facing loudspeaker slightly higher than the students’ ear level so that the sound goes directly to the students. If your loudspeaker is too low and the students are sitting in rows, their bodies and the furniture will block the sound. If your player’s loudspeaker points vertically upwards, the sound will be reflected off the ceiling and be distorted. Turn it, so it faces the students.
3. Outside Noise: Reduce the noise coming from outside the classroom by shutting the windows (or, in hot countries, turning off the air conditioning) while students are listening.
4. Inside Noise: The greatest source of noise which interferes with listening comes from the students themselves. Train them to keep quiet while listening by making sure that they have tasks which force them to listen carefully.
5. Use the language laboratory: Earphones and headphones deliver undistorted sound directly to the ears. If you have access to a language laboratory, this provides ideal conditions for intensive listening. Don’t spend all your language laboratory time doing structural drills. Use the time for intensive and extensive listening.
I will bring some more listening tips in the next issue of ELTWeekly.
Do you have some ELT tips to share? Please send them to eltweekly@gmail.com.
ELTWeekly Issue#13, Video of the week: Web 2.0 & Language Learning
By Tarun Patel
This is a presentation of Web 2.0 for Educators interested in language learning and emerging technologies.
ELTWeekly Issue#13, Worldwide ELT news
By Tarun Patel
53 different languages at a school - thesun.co.uk
Lingos range from Ghana’s Akan Twi-Fante to Russian at Nelson Primary in East Ham, East London.
The largest language group is Sri Lankan Tamil (127) with English second (115).
Head Tim Benson said: “It makes things more difficult. We aren’t on a level playing field with other schools.”
His school has a 30-year history of teaching non-English speaking pupils. They have teaching assistants with various language skills.
Read the complete news item here: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2327768.ece
Bid to enhance English teaching - google.com
The Government has said it is trying to “bring students weak in English up to speed” after it emerged that one in seven primary school pupils did not have English as their first language.
Shadow immigration minister Damian Green said the increase in the number of pupils for whom English was a second language was making life difficult for teachers, parents and pupils and called for an annual limit on immigration.
But the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) said a “comprehensive support package” was available for new arrivals.
A DCSF spokesman said: “The language of instruction in English schools is and always has been English.
Read the complete news item here: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5hRuj34HHqe5YDKJVkPP9QMH9iiWA
British Council launches portfolio of new English teaching and learning services at TESOL Arabia 2009 in Dubai - bi-me.com
The British Council, the world’s largest English language teaching organisation, launched a range of new global English teaching and learning services in the UAE at the TESOL Arabia 15th annual International Conference which concluded on 14 March.
The new services, most of which are free to users, aim to create very broad access to high quality teaching and learning materials through highly interactive Web 2.0 style online services for teachers, learners and parents.
The new services include teacher content on a single website. A fun learning zone in the teen-only area of Second Life helps facilitate the social-networking and intercultural dialogue that goes on in English as the lingua franca of the virtual environment. ‘LearnEnglish Family’ aims to help teachers and parents combine to support young student learning through online resources.
Read the complete news item here: http://www.bi-me.com/main.php?id=33460&t=1&c=33&cg=4&mset=
Language teacher goes the extra mile - asiaone.com
WHEN cousins Yen Wei Shing and Lim Zhi Wei scored an A and a A* respectively for Chinese in the Primary School Leaving Examinations last year, teachers and pupils at Nan Chiau Primary School were stunned.
Their results were unexpected as the 13-year-olds were known to be struggling with the subject. As children from single-parent families, both were too poor to afford private tuition.
Wei Shing also has dyslexia, which had caused him to consistently fail the subject. Zhi Wei, although a good student, had been falling behind in school, distraught that his mother was dying from brain cancer.
Read the complete news item here: http://www.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20090318-129279.html
A new language, a new outlook - wiscnews.com
Isias Tomas thought it was “cool” to hear a story told in his native language at South Elementary School.
As stories were told Wednesday, fifth-grade classmates unfamiliar with the Spanish language whispered questions to him about what was said.
A former Spanish teacher, Kay Elmsley-Weeden, spoke in partial English and used exaggerated movements to keep all of the kids involved in her story. Moving through the room in her traditional Spanish dress, she had students laughing, clapping their hands and figuring out the meaning of foreign words.
Read the complete news item here: http://www.wiscnews.com/bnr/news/443628
ELTWeekly Issue#13, Cool ELT resources
By Tarun Patel
ESL Galaxy
ESL Galaxy offers over 2368 free printable worksheets for ESL lesson plans and ESL Activities; and there are more additions every other day.
The worksheets include:Board Games, Crosswords, Grammar worksheets, Vocabulary Worksheets,Theme or Topic lesson plans, Pronunciation, Survival English, Song and Video Activities, Word Search Puzzles, Festivals & Holiday Worksheets,Prefixes/Suffixes Word Formation,ESL conversation & Communicative Activities,Game and Writing Templates, Cloze & gap fill exercises, They also have ESL Games and ideas for ESL Classrooms, Powerpoint downloads, Matching & Collocations,Reading & Writing Exercises, Complete Lesson Plans.
Since its creation in 2005, the ESL Galaxy has rapidly expanded into a portal site with its own sub-sites. This six-in-one website includes : ESLtower.com, English-4kids.com, EnglishMediaLab.com & Download-ESL.com and Chinesefortravel.com. With over 6556 resources, it leads the way with offering free resources for English teaching and learning. Its resources range from printable worksheets to computer-assisted ESL materials. The team is made up of full-time English teachers who are still creating and updating this website on an almost daily basis.
Explore ESL Galaxy at http://www.esl-galaxy.com/
Download-ESL.com
Download-ESL.com is dedicated to providing ESL/EFL/ESOL students and teachers useful materials to help them study or teach English. Teachers and students will find Printable Ebooks, Powerpoint Lessons, video slides and audio podcasts, ESL worksheets,quizzes, audiobook readers, powerpoint and more resources for teaching and studying English as a second language. Students with Ipods can download ready-made ipod compatible podcasts for self-tutoring of English. Mp3 for English listening with texts read at clear and reasonable speeds. Your mobile phone, ipod, laptop, mp3 players are all language learning tools. Download our videos, mp3 and interactive tests to help you learn English. We have tried to cover all levels of TEFL teaching i.e beginners, elementary, pre-intermediate, intermediate/upper & Advanced. However, we have focused on beginner to intermediate materials as learners & teachers seem to need more help in these areas.
Explore Download-ESL.com at http://www.download-esl.com
ESLTower.com
ESLTower.com is a free ESL, EFL & ELT site that offers top quality printable and interactive English grammar and vocabulary exercises for teachers and students. These grammar and vocabulary resourceswill save English teachers lesson planning time and offer students a great free opportunity at online self-study. There are grammar & vocabulary quizzes, crosswords, word search and several fun puzzles that make the learning and teaching of English easy and fun.Pronunciation is one area we have recently added more content. We have added phonetic vowel and consonant exercises in the form of videos, worksheets, self-tests and mp3 downloads.
Explore ESLTower.com at http://www.esltower.com
ELTWeekly Issue#13, Expert article: What is Your EFL / ESL English Teaching Philosophy?
By Tarun Patel
What is Your EFL / ESL English Teaching Philosophy?
The Interview
The interview seemed to be going along okay. Then the Director asked, “So what is your philosophy of teaching English?”
“My philosophy of teaching?” The TEFL interviewee twisted in her seat, tugging at the collar of a blouse that was suddenly too tight. She felt water running down her back. A certain dampness coated her palms.
“Yes. Do you have a philosophy of teaching?” the director repeated. The interview had taken a distinctive downturn. Top positions paying top dollars require top professionals.
ELTWeekly Issue#13, Book of the week:Balancing Reading and Language Learning
By Tarun Patel
Balancing Reading and Language Learning (Paperback)
By Mary Cappellini
Book Details
- Paperback: 344 pages
- Publisher: Stenhouse Publishers (January 1, 2005)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1571103678
- ISBN-13: 978-1571103673
- Price: $27
Book Description
Teaching reading to children in a language that is not their own is a daunting task. Combining the best classroom practices and research on teaching reading and language acquisition, Mary Cappellini integrates effective reading instruction with effective language instruction. Through the framework of a balanced reading program, she emphasizes the importance of constantly listening for and assessing children’s language and reading strategies during read aloud, shared reading, guided reading, and independent reading, including literature circles.
Mary plans and demonstrates whole-class, small-group, and individual reading instruction using a model of “reading to, with, and by children” with fiction and nonfiction texts. She works in the primary and upper grades with children at all stages of English language development and at all developmental reading levels. With on-going assessments based on those interactions, she shows how to plan for more effective instruction. Mary constantly questions and discusses whether the child needs more support in language development or in developing reading strategies, breaking down assumptions that equate a low level of English proficiency with a lack of reading strategies, or English language fluency with accomplished reading skills.
Through the use of wonderful literature, and by maintaining a focus on the children’s strengths, needs, prior knowledge, and interests, Mary constantly challenges students as they develop their fluency in English while becoming fluent readers.
- Included in this text are:
- how to set up an environment that will allow all English language learners to succeed;
- the stages of English language proficiency and stages of reading development—how they compare and how to use them to assess and plan for individual children;
- A focus on tapping into children’s prior knowledge in their primary language while teaching reading in English and using Spanish/English cognates to help develop academic language;
- a collection of in-depth lessons and mini-lessons based on children’s language proficiency and reading strategy needs with ongoing assessment, teacher reflection, and with an emphasis on choosing the right books to match their reading and language level;
- how to manage numerous guided reading groups with children of all stages of reading and language proficiency;
- thematic planning, with sample units for primary and upper grades, to support academic language and meet content standards;
- ideas for literacy evenings, school tours, and other events to involve parents with the learning community;
- extensive resources: numerous forms and checklists—observation sheets, planning sheets, literature response sheets, focus sheets for shared and guided reading, and more. Also included are lists of books for read alouds, shared reading, and thematic units, and lists of recommended guided reading series appropriate for English language learners.
Balancing Reading and Language Learning provides the strategies proven to be effective in a balanced reading program, while at the same time valuing the native culture and first-language skills of the English language learner. Regardless of how many or how few ELL students a teacher has, this invaluable resource helps them meet the challenges and reap the rewards of teaching children to read as they learn the language.
Customer Reviews
Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)
Balancing Reading & Language Learning: A Resource For Teaching English Language Learners K-5 by educational consultant and former bilingual resource teacher, ESL teacher, and literacy coach Mary Cappellini offers a framework for a balanced classroom reading program that includes the use of reading aloud, shared reading, guided reading, and independent reading to develop a student’s skills and fluency in the English language. Classroom instructors will learn how to set up an environment that will enable all English language learners to succeed in advancing their fluency and academic performance; the stages of English language proficiency and how to use them to assess and plan for individual children; advice for tapping into children’s prior knowledge in their primary language while teaching reading in English, and the use of Spanish/English cognates to help develop academic language skills; how to manage numerous guided reading groups with children at all stages of reading and language proficiency, and more. Enhanced with ideas for events to involve the parents, thematic planning sample units for primary and upper grades, forms and checklists, bibliographies and suggested reading lists, Balancing Reading & Language Learning is a welcome and instructive addition to professional and bilingual instructor reference collections and ESL curriculum development resources.
Rosa Hernandex (Reedley, CA, USA)
This book provides excellent insight and suggestions for teachers of English Learner students. It is perfect for teachers who are trying to integrate ELD with their regular reading and language arts program. Excellent for administrators too.
ELTWeekly Issue#13, Research paper: Humor in English Language Learning
By Tarun Patel
Welcome to HELL: Humour in English Language Learning
By Assist. Prof. Hidayet TUNCAY, Director, Higher School of Foreign Languages, Istanbul Arel University
Abstract:
Humour means understanding not only the language and words but their use, meaning, subtle nuances, the underlying culture, implications and unwritten messages. Humour does not often travel well from one culture to another, as each society has a somewhat different concept of what is funny (Dobson, 1987). In Foreign Language Learning (FLL), the ability to understand humour has been one of the parameters that helps us find out about learners’ comprehension in both oral and written language.
In this article, the lighter side of English Language Teaching (ELT) is covered. The study is based on how huomur can facilitate L2 learning. The foucus is on the survey done on the selected jokes classified under three headings, culture-based, language-oriented and meaning-based. Some exercises with jokes will also be examplified. The results of a research survey is discussed. A list of limitations and drawbacks is presented. The use of jokes is dealt with in regard to learners as well as teachers, to enhance in-class activties.
Key words: humour, jokes in ELT, communication skills
To access the full paper, please visit: http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal
ELTWeekly Issue#13, Worldwide ELT events
By Tarun Patel
7th IATEFL ELTA Conference, Novi Sad, May 22-24
The 7th IATEFL ELTA International Annual Conference brings about many changes and you are cordially invited to experience those new delights and novelties either as a presenter or simply as a conference attendee. The Conference will be held from 22-24 May 2009 in a new venue - Master Center, Novi Sad.
The Conference bears the title: “Devise, wit; write, pen… and gather the harvest of knowledge”and is primarily focused on writing - teaching, practicing and assessing writing, choosing a topic, dealing with audience, motivating students to write, etc.
The 7th IATEFL ELTA International Annual Conference will be truly special if it is to be judged by the names of people to present, one of them being Dr Shelley Wong, President of TESOL. Besides Dr Wong, many other renowned plenary speakers and guests will add to the event’s importance.
English language teachers, university professors, teacher trainers and all those involved in teaching English in a myriad of other ways are more than welcome to apply for a form of presentation of their preference: talk, discussion, workshop or poster presentation and thus share with colleagues their experience, approach and strategy of dealing with the topic. If, however, your interest lies somewhere other than writing, it would be equally delightful to have you present.
The working part of the Conference will be accompanied by social events and an ELT Book Exhibition to enable you mingle with colleagues and browse through numerous books displayed at publshers’ stalls. Moreover, Conference attendees will have a chance to enjoy refreshments, the courtesy of sponsors, as well as win many prizes.
As the Conference is to be held in the new venue, organization calls for timely action concerningaccommodation. Therefore, we would like to alert you to the need of booking accommodation well in advance (preferably in January or February at the latest) either through our Accommodation Manager, Jelena Rakovi?, conferenceaccommodation@elta.org.rs , or on your own.
Updates, forms and other important details will be available by February on ELTA and British Council websites, so please make sure you check these sites from time to time. Please contact us atconferencemanager@elta.org.rs.
For further details and pre-registration, please visit: http://www.elta.org.rs/announcement.html
The 31st Cambridge Seminar on Contemporary Literature, July 11-17 July 2009
The British Council’s Cambridge Seminar on contemporary literature has influenced discussion, performance and debate on literature for over 30 years. The programme includes well-known – as well as innovatory and new – names, including novelists, poets, critics and other writers. Writers confirmed for 2009 so far include; John Burnside, Jim Crace, Linda Grant, Tony Harrison, Philip Hensher, Jackie Kay, David Lodge, Blake Morrison, Gillian Slovo, Marina Warner, Benjamin Zephaniah.
The seminar profiles the UK’s creative ideas and achievements and has been proven to increase the number of quality relationships between the UK and many other countries. It actively builds ties for the UK’s creative and knowledge economy. The event is fully residential. Over the years the seminar has brought together an impressive group of contemporary British writers and critics and offers delegates a lively mix of talks, discussions, performances, debates and an opportunity to talk with the writers about their work. The seminar brings new audiences into contact with the creative face of the UK, helps refresh existing perceptions of the UK and widens opportunities for the UK’s creative sector globally.
Participants, who come from many countries, have opportunities to meet and hear a wide range of writers from Britain, as well as take part in discussions about a range of literary trends and issues. In bringing together the insight and experiences of writers and participants in a strongly international context, the Cambridge Seminar offers an unrivalled literary experience. This is an opportunity to take part in one of the most intimate and influential literary events in the world in the relaxed surroundings of a Cambridge University College.
Many people who have attended the seminar in the past have described it as a defining moment in their careers, bringing them up-to-date with new trends in writing today and introducing them to an international network of like-minded people. The event is fully residential and is organised by the British Council Literature Department.
Who Should attend the Cambridge Seminar?
The target group for the Seminar is anyone based outside the UK who is professionally engaged with literature, including: writers, translators, academics, literary editors and critics, teachers, librarians, broadcasters, literary venue administrators and festival programmers. Good spoken English is essential: participants will get most from the Seminar if they enjoy and contribute to the discussion and interchange it fosters. There are places for up to 45 participants. We will cover all costs relating to registration, accommodation and meals for applicants. We do not cover the costs of international and local travel. We have to obtain the agreement of British Council offices in each country before we can confirm delegates. We shall let successful applicants know as soon as is possible:
Online registration is available at: https://survey.britishcouncil.org/wix/p8548742.aspx
AzETA International ELT conference, November 14-15
Azerbaijan English Teachers’ Association (AzETA) is delighted to announce 6th International ELT Conference Reaching Out … for Success to be held
on 14-15 November 2009
at Baku Slavic University, Baku, Azerbaijan.
The Conference will mainly focus on the following issues:
- Teaching Civic Education through ELT
- Methods and Teaching Skills
- Using Technology for Teaching English
- English for Specific Purposes
- Materials development
- Testing and Assessment
- Teaching English to Young Learners
- Online Projects
- Involving learners in extra-curricula activities
Contact details:
Telephone: +994 12 441 5068 (ext.: 1-51)
Tel/Fax: +994 12 441 3632
Email: elmira_e40@hotmail.com
Fourth International and 40th Annual ELTAI Conference, Chennai (Tamilnadu, India), August 7-9
Theme: ”Managing Mixed-Ability Classes”
Call for Papers: Papers are invited on the conference theme and other related aspects of ELT.
Last date for submission of abstracts (in about 200 words): 31st May, 2009.
Registration Fees:
- For TEACHERS
Registration fee is Rs.500 for ELTAI members and Rs.600 for others.(Paper presenters who are not members of ELTAI should send Rs.100 as Paper presentation fee, in addition to their Registration fee.) - For POST-GRADUATE STUDENTS AND Full-time RESEARCH SCHOLARS in English, Education and Linguistics.
Registration fee is Rs.300/-only (ONLY ON PRDUCTION OF A CERTIFICATE FROM THE PRINCIPAL OR HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT) and Paper Presentation Fee is Rs.100. - OVERSEAS DELEGATES
Registration fee is US$50.
ACCOMMODATION (For Indian delegates only): Prior intimation and advance payment of Rs.500 are necessary for reserving accommodation for outstation delegates. (In case of cancellation, ninety per cent of the advance paid will be returned provided intimation is given before 5th August 2009. For further details contact eltai_india@yahoo.co.in or 044-9381052997.
REGISTRATION: Please download the registration form from the link below. Paper presenters should fill in both Part A and Part B. Oothers Part-A only. Filled-in forms should be sent along with the Registration fee to the following address.
For further details and pre-registration, please visit: http://www.eltai.org/activities.htm