Teacher Discussion Forums

Yes, I think watching films can help. It helps to take the language away from the artificial classroom norm, which helps students because they get a to see/hear the language in a more natural setting. This can really help with listening skills as the visual support is what's missing from the usual c...

Maybe using the article strengthens the idea of a particular period of sleep. I slept soundly last night and feel better for it. I had a sound sleep last night and feel better for it. sleeping soundly is the key to good health. sound sleep is the key to good health. The third and fourth sentences he...

Sally wrotre: Congratulations, if that is the right word for caring about your students more than you cared about yourself. I have never in all my years heard of this happening. Most teachers have hung on until the students were able to drive them mad so they had a medical reason for leaving. I didn...

The problem that I have faced is that when adult students haven't liked me they have sometimes tried to get other students to follow suit. This can be very disruptive and, on occasion, I have been more or less left with no other option than to ask them to leave . I don't feel the need to be liked by...

If you're using pictures or looking out of the window then it's OK to keep the present continuous in the present: What's he doing? He's walking his dog. What's going on in this picture? Two people are sitting at a table drinking coffe, one of them is speaking to the waiter and the other one is talki...

The sentence seems a little awkward as it is. I would prefer: He's worked here since 1995 - suggesting he still does; or: He worked here from 1995 - suggesting he doesn't any longer.

I wouldn't touch "A Communicative Grammar of English" with a barge pole, otherwise the choice is yours. Swan is a safe enough bet to get started on though.

I'll second that! The BBC has an enormous range of podcasts available; audio and video. I use them and my students don't fall asleep whilst listening/watching, which is encouraging.

Hmm. Seems to me that they didn't take the "full treatment" too seriously! My question is, what were they falling over themselves doing? Laughing?

The one question that sticks in my mind was whether as a native speaker I felt able to teach and explain grammar. Of course I told a little fib and said Yes :wink: Well what are you going to do? If you come clean on such a question, you're hardly likely to get the job, are you! Then the interviewer,...

Hi Sheila, time was that I tried giving some of my groups this type of "hands on" approach to homework. However, I began to become frustrated and to question its efficacy when the "stick-in-the-mudders" kept on questioning the reasons for this "rubbish". It only takes one or two "traditionalists" in...

Hi Iain, here in Augsburg, Germany, most of my adult learners on open general courses will do their homework. Actually, I only have one group where this is a no-go situation, and one other where it's a bit hit-and-miss. The problem that this willingness to do homework leaves me is the considerable i...

I consider myself nodded. But Fluff, you embarrass me, my contribution is hardly worth the mention

Interestingly, and following on what FH says,at the end of the day seems to mean pretty much the same, when taken as an idiomatic phrase, as in the end

At the end of the day we all need to bring home the bacon.

In the end we all need to bring home the bacon (at the end of the day).

Interesting to bring in the Gairns and Redman figure (working with words, CUP?) FH. My initial thought was about 10 - 12 or so, off the top of my head. I'm happy if I can get this many new words into a lesson