We're better when we work together
Last year, I had my first ever “Tweet Up” at the JALT Conference in Shizuoka. For those not familiar with Twitter, a Tweet Up is when people who know each other through Twitter have a chance to meet face-to-face. Even though we were still a relatively small group of Twitter-using teachers, the excitement was huge. [...]
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Ohisashiburi! That’s a Japanese greeting for when greeting friends after a long absence, and I certainly have been gone a long time! Where I’ve been…. I actually planned on unplugging for a little while this summer. My daughter was home from college and I wanted time with her. Then, we went to Maui, and most [...]
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Cultural Background Ask any Filipinos about Pukpuk Palayok or Hampas Palayok, and chances are they played it or saw it played at least once during their childhoods. The game is so immensely popular that any celebration or town fiesta is not complete without children (oh yes, sometimes adults) playing it. Having been colonized by the [...]
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Part of the series: EFL Makeovers July 7th is Tanabata, or the Star Festival, in Japan. Legend says that Orihime (a weaver, represented by the star Vega) and Hikoboshi (a cowherd, represented by the star Altair) are allowed to cross the Milky Way to meet each year on the seventh evening of the seventh month [...]
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Part of the series: Lessons Learned from Students Back with the ink was barely dry on my MATESOL, I had a group of students from whom I learned many, many lessons. This post is about three of those lessons… The setting: A once-a-week English class at a high school in Japan, in the mid 1980s. [...]
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Earlier this month, I awoke to a lovely message telling me that Teaching Village was the TEFL Site of the Month. While always thrilled to get an award of any kind, I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that I wasn’t sure what this award was for (I’m still sort of new to this blogging business). [...]
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Barbara was so kind to ask me to write about how to use songs with young learners. I have learned a lot from teaching English using songs, and I am happy to share what I know. I have a background in music, and bringing music into the classroom has been very natural for me. What [...]
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Over the last twenty-three years, I have taught English to people in every demographic category other than homeless people. Over that time, the issue that continues to pique my interest is their motivation for carrying their feet across the threshold of my classroom. I have an idea about what gets my college students into class, [...]
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I think what every teacher needs to know is this simple secret to successful ESL/EFL classes: Students can accomplish so much more if the lesson has proper support. It is very difficult for students, particularly at the EFL level, to stand up in front of the class and spontaneously tell a story or talk about [...]
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