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TEACHING ESL LEARNERS.TIPS AND RESOURCES

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Activities to Prompt Great Reading Responses to Texts

Jan 10
4 min

Activities to Prompt Great Reading Responses to Texts

Responding to texts is a complex cognitive process that requires learners not only to show their understanding of explicit and implicit ideas but also their ability to analyze, evaluate, select, and organize relevant information to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the text. However, many high school ESL learners are struggling with these higher-order reading skills. The stages of response process all ESL learners should be able to carry out autonomously by the end of the

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10 ESL Resources for Hybrid Teaching

5 Classroom Management Tips for High School ESL Teachers

Sep 27, 2019
5 min

5 Classroom Management Tips for High School ESL Teachers

Being a first-year teacher standing in front of a room full of teens is probably one of the most challenging experiences any teacher has ever had. Teaching high school learners is not an easy task, but it can be a rewarding experience. Over the years, I have experimented with different ways of working with my students, but I have realized that teaching classroom routines should be the most important pillar of my classroom management system. I believe that the key to having on

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How I Teach the Opinion Piece Using Guided Instruction and Practice

Jul 31, 2019
5 min

How I Teach the Opinion Piece Using Guided Instruction and Practice

A couple of years ago, I asked my Grade 10 ESL learners what aspect of English class they considered the most challenging. The answer was writing. They found writing difficult because they were short of ideas. Indeed, to have enough ideas, ESL learners need to read and collect information from various sources. That is why I hardly ever assign writing prompts out of context. Generally, I give my students writing prompts based on a text, video or multiple texts we have read in

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How I Teach the Response Process Using Videos in My Secondary ESL Class

Jul 21, 2019
5 min

How I Teach the Response Process Using Videos in My Secondary ESL Class

I always try to find new ways to inspire my students. That is why I have chosen to include more video-based lessons in my curriculum. Since I started using TED talks, short videos and TV shows, they have literally transformed my ESL classes. My students pay more attention in class and their performance is a lot better because they are obviously more willing to complete classwork that is interesting and they can relate to. Although I do not use these authentic materials to sim

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Are You Ready to Flip Your Classroom?

Jun 24, 2019
3 min

Are You Ready to Flip Your Classroom?

The flipped classroom is a new pedagogical or instructional model that inverts the so-called traditional teaching method in the classroom by offering students the possibility to watch course content at home to get ready for the class. Switching from teacher-centered instruction to student-centered teaching practice The flipped classroom instructional model puts students in the center of teaching, and it increases students’ responsibility and active participation in the learni

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ESL and ELA Summer Sale

Jun 24, 2019
1 min

ESL and ELA Summer Sale

ESL AND ELA SUMMER SALE Stock up on amazing ESL and ELA resources for all grade levels on July 1-3. A team of amazing teachers have grouped together to put their best educational materials on sale which will take place during July 1-3. Don’t miss this summer deal! Search for #ellsummerdeals on the Teachers Pay Teachers website to find some awesome discounts. Click here for more details: https://bit.ly/2X1a5hw Enjoy your summer vacation! Kynga C. #ESL #ESLforYoungLearners #ES

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5 YA Novels to Read with Your ESL Learners

Why Should You Use Picture Walk in Your Secondary ESL Class?

Jun 18, 2019
3 min

Why Should You Use Picture Walk in Your Secondary ESL Class?

What is Picture Walk? Picture Walk is a reading strategy that enhances students’ comprehension of a text or story before reading it. With the teacher’s guidance, learners preview the text or the story in order to make predictions, anticipate the events, make connections to the text and infer what the story is about. Through Picture Walk, learners acquire a better understanding of the text they are going to read. Picture Walk is an ideal differentiation tool you can use in any

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How to Successfully Implement the Response Process in Your ESL Class?

May 13, 2019
4 min

How to Successfully Implement the Response Process in Your ESL Class?

First of all, we need to choose a novel that is motivating, relevant and accessible to our learners’ proficiency level. I often select novels that have universal themes such as overcoming challenges, determination, loyalty, acceptance, identity, courage, heroism, coming of age, power and corruption, and individual versus society because I know that my students will be able to relate to these ideas. When teaching a piece of literature, there are some models we might want to co

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Why is Persuasive Writing Important in Your ESL Class?

Feb 6, 2019
3 min

Why is Persuasive Writing Important in Your ESL Class?

Are you teaching persuasive writing techniques to your learners, but you lack a step-by-step guided writing document to help even your struggling writers? This Opinion Text (persuasive essay) Workbook is the latest version of the document I’ve been using for years in mixed ability classrooms. Nurture your learners’ interests and listen to what they have to say Expressing one’s point of view or taking a standpoint on an issue is very important, especially in an ESL class, and

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How to Be a Substitute Teacher in High Demand?

Dec 26, 2018
5 min

How to Be a Substitute Teacher in High Demand?

“The most important thing about being a substitute teacher is loving those kids as if they were your students and making sure you are as dedicated as their teacher would have been that day.” Being a teacher on call is challenging. However, there are many advantages of being a sub such as gaining experience, working with different students or learning classroom routines, ways of organizing a classroom and, most importantly, how to manage a class. What I have learned as a sub

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