Teacher Discussion Forums

It is hard for me to step out of my role as a pull-out reading teacher into pull-out esl teacher. Most of my experience teaching ESL has been through a structured program where only language and cultural lessons were to be taught. However, one thing that our professor mentioned has stuck with me...m...

I think despite your shyness, you can be a great teacher. You already have ONE of the most important qualities:empathy/desire to educate students. Of course, there are other traits, but I don't believe an outgoing personality in front of a group of peers is one that will make or break you in a class...

I agree with the method you mentioned on some levels. Kindergarten, and even higher grade students, should be practicing writing skills from an early age, even if they don't know and use all of the rules. They should be taught the rules as it becomes developmentally appropriate. Also, since they are...

Reading, writing, listening and speaking are all important components of the English language classroom. I have intentionally and regularly included in daily activities all but listening. Though listening is obviously a very important component, I have not really thought about how to include listeni...

I am also interested in learning more about some of the alternative assessments. I am hesitant of the concept “peer-assessment” in an ELL classroom. If my ELL student is having difficulty with the language, how can one be expected to be a reliable peer assessor. Since they work and are supported by ...

ESL teachers usually have to create or adapt our own tests for students. Sometimes it seems easier and/or more common to just take a “easy” workbook page as an afterthought. However, the best tests are usually produced when you go through the steps of creating clear objectives first and then creatin...

One thing that I read can be used and that has been successful for me both teaching ESL in Asia and general ed in the states is drama. Work with a native teacher to pick a well known story, give parts out by their approximate level and the students work together to practice their parts. Another form...

There are many components that must be present in order for a teacher to have effective classroom management. However, above and beyond all; before any of the other components can be truly effective, one must have established positive rapport with all of the students. I know generally and am general...

I don't have a technical "smart board" in my classroom, but I do use mimeo technology on a regular basis which is, for most uses, the same. Any of the websites that students can bring up on their PC can be brought up on a smartboard! Students love interacting with it when it's on the big screen. One...

There must be hundreds of techniques to teaching language and general content that teachers can utilize. An easy way to classify them and make sure I incorporate a variety of them is to organize them into the categories of controlled and free techniques. I already include many of the more controlled...

I agree that interactive group work can be an asset to student growth. Learning from each other can be so beneficial. Also, it provides opportunity for authentic, meaningful language to be practiced, which is an essential component of English instruction. It will also provide practice interacting wi...

Reading that there are seven official models of ELL classrooms in elementary and secondary schools makes me wonder which model would be best in my school. Approximately 15% of the students in my K-3 suburban school are identified ELLs. There are even more unidentified, as many of our students initia...

Classroom management and strong instruction go hand in hand. You really cannot have one without the other. I agree with many of the advice that was given to you. One thing that I would emphasize in addition is that students need to be motivated in order to participate in daily learning activities. W...

Designing your instruction and developing a theory/method of instruction for teaching ESL is a difficult task. There are so many positive aspects to many of the methods employed since the early 1900s. Though research has discounted many of the earlier practices, they still, in my opinion, have aspec...