“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
Promoting Learner Autonomy by Giving Students Choice
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
Six Ways to Make Vocabulary Instruction Fun and Effective
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
Preparing High School Newcomers for Content-Area Classes
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,
Five Tips for Developing Students’ Communication and Intercultural Skills
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
Strategies for Teaching Academic Reading
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
Confronting Climate Change Education in ELT
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 in the Young Learner Classroom
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
Activities to Inspire Your Impact Learners
Impact is a six-level series for teenage English learners that is designed to inspire future global citizens. Sign up now to receive updates and teaching tips related to the new edition! Today’s learners are exposed to vast amounts of information. That means that now, more than ever, it is vital that students gain
Six Tips for Teaching Academic Writing
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