Job Discussion Forums

[Sinobear]

Well, I don't...but if you do, here's some links that I like/use from time-to-time:

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/index.html
A site that�s full of answers to common (general trivia) questions.
http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/59287.html
Long-range (accurate) forecasts, weather warnings, and aviation weather. Set for GZ.
http://anonymouse.org/cgi-bin/anon-www.cgi/http://www.zonaeuropa.com/archive.htm
An excellent blog of seldom seen, seldom reported events in China.
http://anonymouse.org/cgi-bin/anon-www.cgi/http://www.zonaeuropa.com/20060501_1.htm
An article on a young Chinese photojournalist. Warning: pictures are very graphic!
http://home.mn.rr.com/wwftd/
Worthless Word of the Day. Words that are archaic�yet interesting.
http://www.wordorigins.org/source.htm
An etymology site�I very love etymology!
http://www.snopes.com/
All the urban legends explained. I like to give students the legend and ask them to explain whether or not they think it�s true/not true and why.
http://www.refresher.com/archives.html
Tons of articles on business and business related topics, including speeches, presentations, customer service, etc.
http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?url=%2Fchindict%2Fchindict.php
A translation site. From the home page, click on �Click here to continue to the Dictionary�. Next, from the menu on the left, click on �Translate�. You can also use this site to learn Chinese, character recognition, and pronunciation.
http://babelfish.altavista.com/
The actual translation engine for MDBG, but only translates the most common meanings. Do not rely on the Chinese translations unless you are sure of the results given!
http://www.ericdigests.org/1999-4/adult.htm
The ERIC digests are somewhat helpful. This link is for pronunciation stuff.
http://www.edupass.org/culture/
This site is for students going to the U.S.; however, you can easily customize the material for other countries.
http://www.howstuffworks.com/index.htm
The granddaddy of �em all for explaining�er�how stuff works!
http://guangzhou.asiaxpat.com/
Anything & everything you need/want in GZ.
http://www.esaurus.org/
A Chinese-English medical dictionary (if you�re sick and want real medicine).
http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/
Yahoo dictionary. I�m forever misspelling �occaision� and �benifit�. Also has a pronunciation key and etymology.
http://anonymouse.org/anonwww.html
A proxy service (free!). If you�re given the message. �This Page Cannot Be Found�blah blah blah,� chances are the site (or whole domain) has been blocked by the Great Firewall of China. Copy the URL (address) that you want, and paste it in the field, and presto! You�ll have your desired site.
http://www.phoenix5.org/humor/WhoOnFirstTEXT.html
The complete text of Abbott and Costello�s famous �Who�s on First?� routine.
http://anonymouse.org/cgi-bin/anon-www.cgi/http://www.palmbeach.k12.fl.us/adultesol/bookfour.html#nine
A whole hodgepodge of work-related English stuff!
http://www3.telus.net/linguisticsissues/britishcanadianamericanvocaba.html
A site that neatly lays out the different terminology used between Brits, �mericans, and proper English (Canadians).
http://www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/country/china/
Lesson plans / worksheets specifically for teaching Chinese students 
http://anonymouse.org/cgi-bin/anon-www.cgi/http://www.eslflow.com/complaintsandrequestslessonplans.html
For teaching about complaints and requests.
http://www.disciplinehelp.com/teacher/list.cfm?cause=All
Dealing with behavioral problems with students. This site discusses the �whys� and �wherefores� of behavioral problems as well as solutions. Excellent site!
http://college.hmco.com/collegesurvival/downing/on_course/4e/students/index.html
Although this site is mostly about e-learning, it delves heavily into motivation and performance issues.
http://eleaston.com/etymology.html
Another etymology site. Did I mention that I very love etymology?
http://www.nt.armstrong.edu/1101RES.htm
For writing and grammar materials.
http://anonymouse.org/cgi-bin/anon-www.cgi/http://www.gigglepotz.com/esltests.htm
Beginner�s stuff.
http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/
Idioms and other useful stuff.
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/types.html
Verbs explained.
http://iteslj.org/questions/
My I VERY VERY VERY LOVE site. I use this as the basis of oral English classes. A lot of editing is required (duplicate questions, unsuitable questions) but hey, it�s free, right?
http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/~luna/modules/j2ubcqk/module4.html
English rules for�er�following rules of English.
http://college.hmco.com/instructors/index.html
Another site I very like! Useful stuff for every discipline.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/language_tips/
A hodgepodge of �new� English (translated) from the China Daily website.
http://www.leadershipnow.com/quotes.html
Famous quotes on just about any topic.
http://www.oncourseworkshop.com/Student%20Success%20Strategies.htm
Again, mostly for online learners, but a lot of common sense, practical stuff for students.
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/index.asp?grade=0&strand=0&engagement=0
A K-12 site�but in China�well�you know�
http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html
Really high-brow grammar stuff. Stick it to �em!
http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/sensen/
Sentence structure and writing.
http://www.eslgold.net/writing.html
General ESL stuff�some free�some not.
http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/tabelle_zeit.htm
Tense about tenses?
http://www.ntlf.com/html/pi/9702/backup/gardiner.htm
Yet another different site that I very love! The NTLF! Motivation, teaching, etc.
http://www.groupcommunication.com/kbase.cfm
Articles on presentations, corporate training, etc.
http://www.unsv.com/voanews/american/intermediate/
Voice of America vocabulary � in Chinese.
http://www.esl-houghton.org/materials.html
A whole whack of diffuse materials. I very like!
http://www.clres.com/throughtab.htm
The Preposition Project�if you really want to get naked with �em.
http://www.ilovelanguages.com/index.php?category=Languages%7CBy+Language%7CEnglish
Another treasure trove of miscellaneous miscellany!
http://www.cleverlearn.com/en/be06.jsp
You gotta pay for the materials, but it gives you some ideas for structuring business English.

For Fun (you and/or your students)

http://www.dyslexic.com/database/articles/crazyeng.html
http://www.talktalkchina.com/
Three long-termers in China (one of them could be me) discuss life in China.
http://rogersreference.com/crazyenglish.htm
Trivia/fun.
http://www.etymologic.com/
And how is your English? A very difficult (well, not for me) etymology quiz.
http://www.everyrule.com/kids_azlist.html
The rules for kids� games.
http://www.intranet.csupomona.edu/~jasanders/slang/
(Mostly U.S.) college slang.
http://www.fun-with-words.com/tongue_twisters.html
Twist-tonguers!
http://www.wolinskyweb.net/word.htm
Word fun, acronyms�a veritable hodgepodge of hodgepodginess!

Do enjoy! And hey, add to the list!

Cheers!

[7969]

u forgot the kitchen sink.

thanks......

[Angel46]

A million thank you's to you! I have been trying to access the ESLFLOW website for almost two years - now I know how! Thank you again!

[Sinobear]

I knew I forgot something!
http://www.kitchen-sink.com/


Cheers!

[xinpu]

I've been looking through the 'zonaeuropa' site...fantastic, a side of the country I (and most foreigners) rarely get to see..thanks for taking the time to put these links online.

[Jared]

Now I have some websites to browse. I hope I can finally learn how to control those kids in classes where I don't have a Chinese assistant.

[dajiang]

Thanks sinobear.
I added some of them in my humble weblog.

Lemme see what I can add:

Breaking news lesson plans:
http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/

Teacher's desk:
http://www.teachersdesk.org/lessons.html

Few more ideas:
http://www.everythingesl.net/lessons/

Wacky uses for everyday items:
http://www.wackyuses.com/

Story telling in the classroom:
http://www.storyarts.org/lessonplans/index.html

Self-explanatory:
http://www.puzzlemaker.com/

Great lessons from Discovery (hope you can get that in China):
http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/

Japlish and Chinglish:
www.engrish.com

Must read-site for ESL teachers:
http://www.englishdroid.com/

Nice site by a colleague:
http://afowles.freeshell.org/englishweb/

MacMillan Business materials (subscribe to the newsletter and you'll get fresh ideas and links regularly):
http://www.businessenglishonline.net/InCompany/resources-ws.htm

Old favourite of mine:
http://www.onestopenglish.com/

Great downloads and instant worksheets:
http://www.bogglesworld.com/

Lots of online exercises:
http://www.eslpartyland.com/

Just got to register and you're in:
http://www.englishmaterials.com/index.htm

ESL city:
http://www.eslcity.com/english/

Nice little site with exercises in different levels:
http://a4esl.org/

Links resource:
http://www.emb.org.hk/lrc/b5/p4_e_url.html

Lots of information about what we do:
http://www.englishhorizon.com/

Nice site with good materials:
http://www.eslgo.com/


So, no more complaining about being stumped for ideas eh?

Dajiang