I'm a big fan of using songs in the classroom to teach pronunciation, rhythm, and vocabulary, so I was very excited to discover this gadget to attach to my blog. It comes from Playlist.com and allows the user to put a music player into his/her blog, website, facebook, or just about anywhere else on the internet - and it's free!
I put one of my favorites on the list, Kenny Rogers' 'The Gambler', which I've actually got a lesson plan for on this site. Unfortunately, I couldn't find another popular one for lower level students, called 'Sing' by Karen Carpenter. Nevertheless, check out all the songs and this gadget/widget. You may find that you like it well enough to put it on your own blog.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Previewing Books Online
People can use the internet to access just about everything. However, when it comes to books, I like to see what I'm getting and read parts of it before I buy. Sometimes, however, I don't have the time to drive out to my local Barnes and Noble to browse.
Recently, I found that the Hachette Book Group lets you preview many books online. The selection is limited, but if you're an educator or a student in a browsing mood, this site is an option for you. When you find a book that is 'open' to this feature, you just click on it. Then go to the top of the page and scroll down to the Table of Contents or one of the chapters that is 'open' to this feature. Click on the chapter and begin reading. It's as simple as that.
There are also podcast excerpts available that could make great short listening exercises for my ESL classes. If only I had more time to browse....
Recently, I found that the Hachette Book Group lets you preview many books online. The selection is limited, but if you're an educator or a student in a browsing mood, this site is an option for you. When you find a book that is 'open' to this feature, you just click on it. Then go to the top of the page and scroll down to the Table of Contents or one of the chapters that is 'open' to this feature. Click on the chapter and begin reading. It's as simple as that.
There are also podcast excerpts available that could make great short listening exercises for my ESL classes. If only I had more time to browse....
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Teaching Parts of Speech
When I teach grammar in my ESL classes (at any level), I like to make sure that my students know the eight parts of speech (recognize the terms, that is) and how they function. What are they? Nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, conjunctions/connectors, adjectives, prepositions, and interjections.
For Cambridge students preparing for any exam, it's essential that they have a consciousness of the parts of speech to make a sound choice of word to fit into gaps and clozes for the Use of English, Paper 3.
Native speakers of English also benefit from familiarity with the parts of speech. This cartoon series (which has been around for a long time, actually), The Schoolhouse Rock/Grammar Rock , is a fun way to learn and review these forms. Adverbs and adjectives color our speech and writing, and English would be pretty dull without them.
For Cambridge students preparing for any exam, it's essential that they have a consciousness of the parts of speech to make a sound choice of word to fit into gaps and clozes for the Use of English, Paper 3.
Native speakers of English also benefit from familiarity with the parts of speech. This cartoon series (which has been around for a long time, actually), The Schoolhouse Rock/Grammar Rock , is a fun way to learn and review these forms. Adverbs and adjectives color our speech and writing, and English would be pretty dull without them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)