To many teachers, the term ‘Academic English’ can be confusing. After all, most of us trained to teach ‘General English’, and the idea of teaching English which is ‘academic’ and perhaps more complicated may not appeal. However, because there is a rising need for students to be adequately prepared for
Preparing your English language learners for the TOEFL speaking exam can be challenging, especially when it comes to Questions 3 and 4. These questions require specific skills and strategies to effectively comprehend and respond to academic material. In this blog post, we will explore five essential tips to help English
If you already have experience teaching English to college and university-aged students, you’ll understand that we can develop their academic skills alongside their language skills. Note-taking, listening to lectures, research skills, and giving presentations are all skills needed to operate in a demanding educational environment. But is it enough to
On the surface, teaching new vocabulary to English language learners is relatively straightforward. You can follow the pattern of MFP—teach a word’s meaning, form, and pronunciation, then have students practice using it. But with a little more thought and preparation, teaching vocabulary is an opportunity to bring your own creativity
For many English language instructors, teaching academic writing can be a struggle. Perhaps that’s because we usually approach writing internally, and often without any kind of structure or process. Students might start with the first sentence and see where that takes them. But think of it this way: Unless you’re
Competence, in its general sense, reflects the ability to perform a task successfully, and it is typically comprised of a blend of both innate abilities and learned skills. For English-language learners to show that they are prepared to navigate the complexities of higher education, they must not only demonstrate linguistic
All teachers face the same question every day: How do I know if (and what) my students learned? Formative assessment—informal monitoring of students’ progress in a class—can help answer this question. It’s a way for teachers to check in on their students’ learning and inform teaching. Ok, that all sounds
When was the last time you read a long article online from start to finish, without seeing any images? Most information today is communicated online via web articles and blogs—like this one—using a combination of text and images or graphics. Why is this? One reason is that infographics are liked
The ability to communicate clearly and collaborate with others are two of the most important skills for today’s learners. These skills need to be developed through consistent practice, so it’s important to provide plenty of opportunities for learners to speak and work with others in class. Below are some ideas
More and more is being written about self-directed professional development (SDPD) as teachers (and indeed all professionals) start taking their professional development into their own hands. SDPD garnered more interest during the pandemic, as teachers began turning to resources outside their institutes to help them rethink how they taught and