A few years ago I came across an extraordinary photo entitled Moonwalk by filmmaker and photographer Renan Ozturk. The image is of tightrope walker Andy Lewis, poised, midair, between two towering granite rocks in the state of Utah. The crisp, white, larger-than-life moon rises from the horizon in the background
Creating space for inquiry-based learning in the English language classroom can be difficult for teachers to navigate. We often feel caught between the spontaneity of the group before us as we explore an ongoing unit, and our need to meet curricular demands and make the best use of pedagogical materials.
“Worldwide visual culture has never been so rich and varied” (Riechers, 2024). Visual Literacy, the ability to interpret and understand the ideas and meanings in what we see, and to communicate our ideas in visual form, is an essential life skill. To understand more about what visual literacy involves, and
Teaching English to young teenagers can be challenging, but it can also be exciting and rewarding. Remember that young teens are actually very efficient language learners. They still have some characteristics of young learners and retain their childlike playfulness, but they also have the adult-like ability to hypothesize and think
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
Newcomer students who have recently arrived in the United States bring diverse backgrounds, languages, and experiences that enrich our classrooms. Newcomers also often have huge gaps to close before taking part in content-area high school classes. A newcomer will be new to the on-level concepts of algebra, civics, and biology,
More and more English language educators understand the importance of focusing not only on developing our learners’ linguistic competence, but also on helping them use English to connect with people who have different perspectives, beliefs and behavioural norms from their own. The push to help students develop global competence by the
Reading is one of the most essential, yet challenging, skills for English language learners to develop. Becoming a proficient reader requires consistent practice, patience … and support from the instructor! Below are some strategies for teaching academic reading that you can use to help your students acquire the skills and
Our world faces a number of challenges, and for many people, the most serious global issue is climate change, driven by the unsustainable use of the planet’s resources. But what does climate change have to do with English language teaching (ELT)? At first glance, ELT might have little to do
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is a complex topic for educators around the world – and it can be difficult to know what activities are relevant and age-appropriate, particularly when your students are older than Very Young Learners. The good news for teachers is that there are many things we