March 2008
CompleatLinks
Richard Firsten's Grammatically Speaking is an ongoing feature of Compleat Links.
- What Is Grammatically Speaking?
- Project-Based Instruction: Writing Grant Proposals
Joshua P. Miekley describes his method of using proposal writing as an authentic, service-based communicative activity with adult EFL learners in Kosovo. - Wikis: One More Great Tool
Diana Booth explains how effective use of wikis creates an authentic context for communication and encourages student participation. - Gino Learns to Play Kickball: Bridging the Cultural Gap Between Teachers and English Language Learners
Michele Harr tells the story of how one teacher's experience with other cultures helped her facilitate interaction between mainstream U.S. students and an immigrant newcomer student. - The Critical Role of Guided Oral Reading for English Language Learners
Philomena Marinaccio-Eckel and Jaclyn Donahue discuss the process and benefits of using this strategy to facilitate students' comprehension through oral retelling. - Why K–12 Teachers Need to Know About ESL Grammar Issues
Keith Folse addresses the fact that the focus of traditional teacher training will not suffice in preparing teachers for the increasing numbers of ESL students in U.S. schools. - Grammatically Speaking, October 2009
Richard Firsten explains past simple versus past perfect in the indicative mood, discusses the second conditional, looks at different ways to structure negative questions, and presents a new Brain Teaser.
Communities of Practice
Circle Time: Teaching Content Area Vocabulary to English Language Learners (Members Only)
Judie Haynes
These vocabulary-instruction strategies, which originated from an attempt to help content area teachers adapt their materials in order to address the needs of English language learners, can be used by ESL and content area teachers alike.
Out of the Box
Reflecting on Native-English-Speaking Teachers in China (Members Only)
Zhenhui Rao
A Chinese teacher suggestions, based on his own experiences as well as insights from students, about how native-English-speaking teachers can overcome cultural obstacles and be more effective teachers of English in the Chinese context.
Portal
Connecting Students to Their Culture by Exploring Mayan Mathematics (Members Only)
Joseph Furner
Educators can simultaneously place value on students' culture and teach in such a way as to reach all students by making connections between culture and classroom content.
References & Resources
Using Surveys in Language Programs (Members Only)
James Dean Brown
Reviewed by Dennis Bricault
Appealing to a wide audience, Brown offers an accessible approach to constructing, implementing, and analyzing survey-based research instruments.
President's Message, March 2008
About Essential Teacher (M)
Essential Teacher, which ceased publication in October 2009, offers columns by practitioners in various communities of practice; articles on teaching practices, reflections, and perspectives; material reviews; and association news. The archive is available online as a member resource.
The archive of Essential Teacher is a resource for language teachers and administrators in varied ESL and EFL workplaces, including pre-K-12, 2- and 4-year institutions of higher learning, and adult education. Each of these arenas has teachers with varied experience and expertise, making for a broad and diverse readership. Essential Teacher also offers guidance to mainstream teachers who work with students for whom English is an additional language.
Compleat Links is an online complement to Essential Teacher. This section offers original articles, interviews, and other content thematically linked to Essential Teacher.
Unfortunately, Essential Teacher is no longer accepting submissions. The farewell issue of ET was published in October of 2009.
However, you may be interested in submitting to TESOL Journal, which has replaced ET as a member benefit. You can find submission guidelines and details about the journal at www.tesol.org/tj, and you can submit electronically at www.editorialmanager.com/tj.
To read more about the changes to and benefits of TESOL Publications, click here.
Contents
- Circle Time: Teaching Content Area Vocabulary to English Language Learners
Judie Haynes - Home Room: None of My Business
Linda New Levine - The Road Taken: Collaborating Across Districts to Build a Professional Leadership Community
Debbie Zacarian - Multilingual Momentum: Let's Blog!
Ke Xu - Culture/Cross-Culture: Expanding the Goal of ESOL
Alvino E. Fantini - From A to Z: Plan B
Dorothy Zemach
- Connecting Students to Their Culture by Exploring Mayan Mathematics
Joseph Furner - Digital Storytelling for Language and Culture Learning
Judith Rance-Roney - Teaching College Success Skills to Nonnative-English-Speaking Students
Tünde Csepelyi
- Reflecting on Native-English-Speaking Teachers in China
Zhenhui Rao - Homeschooling My Burmese Children in Thailand--In English
San Shwe Baw - No Words, No Voice, No Language--Just Compassion
Martha Epperson - Turning a Negative Into a Positive Through Reflection on Action
- Using Surveys in Language Programs
James Dean Brown
Reviewed by Dennis Bricault - Becoming a Language Teacher: A Practical Guide to Second Language Learning and Teaching
Elaine K. Horwitz
Reviewed by Fu-An Lin - Connect With English
WGBH Boston and McGraw-Hill
Reviewed by Tanya L. Conover - Seussville Storymaker
Random House
Reviewed by Vander Viana
(see far left column)
