Tagged: writing

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Use The Gif Lingua Reading / Writing Library

I’ve been working hard, I mean really hard. Trying to realize my dream of a place of learning and literacy – an online library that all students can access for free. That dreams is on the edge of reality. Gif Lingua Books has over 3,000 leveled...

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Star Wars Day

It’s Star Wars Day and the perfect opportunity to get your students practicing English through this popular movie series! I highly recommend the Star Wars Intro Generator! It’s really cool and your students can write their own intro text and share it with the link...

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Job Interview Practice

Job interviews can be pretty tough in your first language but imagine doing one in your second! You need to be well prepared and the more “real” you can make it, the more successful your practice will be. As someone who believes in video as...

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Is “Long form” dead?

A number of recent events have had this question swirling around in my head. First and foremost, the recent ELT Blog Carnival I hosted and promoted. Not too many entries and not a lot of interest from those I emailed about it. “Too busy” everyone...

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5 Card Flickr – Storytelling….

Yesterday on twitter, I was pinged and asked about “Storyboards”. I offered my own collected resources, including Story Dominoes. Both fine resources with photos which students can use to either tell or write a story. A wonderful activity (and always make sure to get students...

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Teachers Talking About Teaching

I just finished up my school year, sending off a new group of teachers into the possibility that is teaching / education. This year in my course, my students did some reflective journal writing using my book Zen And The Act Of Teaching.  I spent...

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Disappointed Books

Books will always be with us and like poetry, will be valued more as they become less… They are personal and secret things – therein lies their power. I’m busy writing another one, always busy with “the word”. Today, looking at my book shelves and...

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In Memory Of Josef Skvorecky

I’ve spent a good part of my life studying Czech writers and the incredible literature that has come from this tiny country. I studied Czech, drank beer with her writers and failed at translating the untranslatable. I had the esteemed pleasure to visit Josef and...

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Language “Starters”

One of the major skill sets of a great language teacher is the ability to “prompt” students so they will generate language. It isn’t easy and with time a teacher becomes better at replying, prompting, leaving unfinished their utterances so that students are put into...

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Text Messaging Game (Big Screen)

I’m really proud of some of the creative games I’ve made. One that I really think is stellar is “Transl8it”. I’ve recently updated it and get it through a now available “Big Screen” version. It is simple as pie to play and students love it....

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The Idiot’s Dictionary – early release

I mentioned this book previously. Now, releasing it early – I’ll have a hard cover, POD (Print On Demand), for purchase version shortly. Download The Idiot’s Dictionary.doc I’ll only say thank you to my niece Gabriella, who painstakingly went over the copy and edited everything....

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The Proust Questionnaire in the EFL Classroom

Last week, I made a simple flash presentation for teachers that list all the questions used in Vanity Fair’s Proust Questionnaire. Also, listed the resources I’ve made for pairs to use the questionnaire (it is a kind of “reading role play” where one person is a...

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We keep what we give

I’m a confirmed, addicted, “sharer”. Been that way for years and I’m sure its caused it share of incredulity. Many people just don’t operate on and of the same mental construct – believing as I do that knowledge is not something created nor owned. It...

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On Brevity

The age of twitter and FB stimulation, is upon us. Quickness, brevity. Nobody take “the time” any more. It’s all about me or more to the point, “give me”. Talked with someone while testing my conference rooms this morning. He mentioned my blog posts are...

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The #1 … (Quick and Easy Adv. level lesson)

** Not your ordinary, endless list – just what’s number 1. I heard it through the Grapevine Let’s face it, many times as a teacher, we are faced with having to pull a lesson “out of our hat”. Last minute, we have to teach a...

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The #1 ….. (place to have your students blog)

** Not your ordinary, endless list – just what’s number 1. Edublogs I guess this one is pretty obvious, seeing that what you are experiencing right now IS Edublogs. However, I do expect this pick to be contentious and I do agree there are many...

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Top 5 blog turn offs (for me)

I usually stay FAR away from blogging about blogging. Not that I don’t find this kind of introspection, fun or revealing/engaging. Far from it. I just don’t feel comfortable doing it and if there is one BIG rule when it comes to blogging, it is,...

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Zen and the Act of Publishing a Book (part 2)

Lately, I’ve been learning lots about self publishing a book. For many reasons, mostly just to see what is possible and to discover if the process is accessible and profitable for teachers. I believe it is. [this is a sequel to Part 1Read the backdrop...