Update: Can-do descriptors of language development

One of the questions I often wrestled with as a starting teacher was how to build a logical and developmentally sound curriculum.  I've written a blog about it before, but return to this topic as I have since found new descriptors for language development that I thought would be interesting to share. One set of new …

Broadening the ESL Experience – easy as 1-2-3!

"Okay guys, it's time to make a graph.  You all have your blocks ready?" I ask.  The children hold their blocks up.  On the table in front of me, I have six circles, each a different color.  One by one, the children come forward. "My favorite color is blue," says one, placing the block on the …

An alternative to the textbook

I'm an addict.  I cannot help it, and I'm not sorry about it either.  I can never just walk past a children's book store.  I always have to go in.  And I never leave empty-handed.  There are just too many good books in the world, and I just have to share these with "my kids". …

Multiple Intelligences and ESL lesson planning

Once upon a time, long, long ago, I was given an article to read by my art teacher.  It had been written by a man named Howard Gardner.  It was a difficult read, including all sorts of concepts I'd never heard of before: logical-mathematical intelligence, visual-spatial intelligence, and other such concepts.  After a few reads, …

Practice makes perfect!

Working as a new college lecturer this past school year, I was grateful to the woman who had held the position before me, as she had carefully prepared nearly everything I would need to do in the course of the year.  Course outlines, test matrices, and student teaching assignments were all ready-made.  Finding myself jumping …

ESL and the long-term plan

Twice a year, I sit down to write out a semi-annual plan for my teaching.  My table is strewn with all sorts of documents: summaries of the results from the latest round of assessments, lists of children per class, the books I use for each class, and copies of the old semi-annual planning.  A cup …