Students studying languages in many countries around the world have a wide variety of talents, combined with needs and problems that they must deal with as they approach the study of English. This article outlines a variety of living situations, the opportunities offered on the Internet, types of situations that require English and some types of interative English second language programs available on the Internet. (more…)

In many countries of the world the school administrators plan carefully to find sufficient funds to purchase computers for their schools and find appropriate programs for their students. They are well aware that if their students are going to be prepared for the world of tomorrow, then they should have some knowledge of computers – their advantages and their dangers. Perhaps this is especially important for English Second Language students who are attending English classes either in their own country or in an English speaking country. This article suggests approaches for getting started with classroom computers on a very small budget. (more…)

It’s possible that many students have computers at home. In fact a laptop is a requirement for many college and university courses. If you are teaching in an environment where the students are accustomed to using computers, then your approach to their use will be different from that of teachers who are introducing computers as a new tool for learning. This article assumes that computers are readily available. It lists the advantages of a classroom computer, suggests a method for using it to teach written English, and discusses the possible benefits of that type of assignment. (more…)

The emergence of the computer as an effective teaching aid is providing many new possibilities for teaching English as a second language. Some schools have a computer lab with fifteen or twenty online computers that allow teachers who aren’t native English speakers to provide the students with a variety of English accents. Many schools, however, have one computer in each classroom. This article will discuss ways of organizing your classes for computer use in the classroom and for work in a language lab. (more…)

Most classes have several students who are more advanced than the others. They learn easily, their assignments are finished quickly, but they can be a behavior problem if they are bored. Teachers are required to meet the needs of children with a wide range of abilities and very different needs. There are a finite number of hours in a school day but the variety of student needs is infinite. This article will list some ideas that might be a step towards solving the needs of advanced students in an English second language class. (more…)

Young students live in the world of their own city or town. Their knowledge is limited to their own experiences except for what they see on television. It’s doubtful that children under the age of twelve or thirteen are able to understand the difference between reality and fantasy. Their world is real, while the television is fantasy. In their everyday life there are consequences – if someone is knocked down then they get hurt, whereas on television people are shot and walk away unhurt or they jump off a high building without any injury. For young students being introduced to a computer, a monitor is a television screen that they can manipulate. This article is about making young ESL children aware of the dangers of the Internet as they use interactive English programs. (more…)

Let’s assume that the students are comfortable with the present tense. At this point they are ready to talk about what has happened in the past. Using and understanding the PAST TENSE can be made easier for the students if it is introduced in a step by step manner. This article suggests a step by step method for teaching the past tense. (more…)

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. (more…)

English Foreign Language classes can accelerate learning if they offer exciting stories for the children to enjoy. People of all ages need to be interested in what they are studying. If you think of your own experience you’ll remember times when you were expected to learn material that held no interest for you. This article suggests ways in which storybooks can be used to spark imagination and creative writing. (more…)

Let’s assume that the children have had time to settle into the classroom environment and that you are ready for them to begin the first lesson. This is their best learning time. They have focused in on an English environment and have had a short time to adapt to the change from their last situation. This first lesson will include the most difficult material to be taught. It will likely include listening, and because listening and understanding are the most difficult, this is the best time to give your oral explanation. This articles provides suggestions for getting the children excited about your lesson. (more…)