A precious heirloom brooch suddenly disappears. Then the Vicar finds that his bride is not what she seems. How many more secrets will there be revealed at the party in the manor house?
Everyone loves a game! People in every country participate in games, watch games and talk about games. They stimulate the economies of the world and foster international friendship and understanding. Why don’t we use more games in our educational systems? Why do the students spend so much time memorizing basic facts when a game would foster enthusiasm and facilitate learning? Continue reading “Super Success with Children’s Bingo Games!” »
Children learn a second language very quickly. However, when they are encountering English for the first time, it is difficult to find activities other than songs, that keep them interested and participating. Although songs are an excellent way for children to learn English, other approaches are needed. This is especially true if the children are living in a culture where no one speaks English. Continue reading “Games for Children’s First ESL Lessons” »
When you look at an old English manor house, can you imagine how may secrets it might hold?
For regular verbs, forming the past tense is simply a matter of adding “ed” to the
root form of the verb. (The root form of the verb is the infinitive without the “to”.)
Example: Infinitive: to walk
Root form: walk
Past tense: walked.
Unfortunately, there are many verbs that are irregular in the past tense. The irregular forms can only be memorized. Continue reading “ESL Grammar Practice Questions – Past Tense 2” »
Grammar can be a deadly bore. We’ve seen student sigh and shut their eyes at the thought of it. We know that in many countries it’s considered a necessary part of learning a language. When we tried to teach English to adults, without introducing grammar, we almost had a rebellion! So, whether we agree or disagree about teaching grammar doesn’t matter. Teachers need to understand the needs of the students. Continue reading “ESL Practice Questions – Past Tense – Arctic Balloon Expedition – 1” »
The present tense is usually introduced first for English second language beginners. Although students will need to have studied this tense before they attempt these practice questions, a review is always a good idea. It may alert students to some small point of grammar that they haven’t previously noticed. Reviews can be interesting if they are related to an unusual story. This blog continues with questions referring to the story of Andrée’s balloon expedition to the Arctic in 1897. Continue reading “ESL Practice Questions – Present Tense – Andrée’s Balloon Expedition – Part 2” »
China is one of the most dynamic countries in the world today. It took a great leadership
and much conflict to bring the warring tribes together. This three part series is very interesting for ESL students who want to sharpen their listening skills, while enjoying hearing about the amazing history of China. Continue reading “The Birth of a Nation – Parts 1, 2 and 3” »
While teaching in different countries, we found students who
learned to speak English simply by watching television. We are presenting some interesting and sometimes funny videos for ESL students to practice their listening comprehension skills.
Vancouver’s Brockton point has a colorful history.
Teachers in many countries of the world encounter children who disrupt the class, demand attention and have difficulty attending to anything for more than a few minutes. These children have special needs – some may be hyperactive while others have emotional needs that aren’t being met outside the classroom. They express their feelings through movement – jumping up, falling off their seats, poking others sitting near them, talking, humming, making faces or drawing on everything. It’s very difficult for them to listen for more than a few minutes. This article suggests several solutions that might help the student and everyone in the classroom. Continue reading “Hints for Dealing with Children Who Interrupt and Disturb Others” »