Integrating Aesthetics Into Professional Development for Teachers of English Learners
Any time that you bring a form of art into the classroom, it allows for open communication and interaction. The photographs . . . are perfect for this activity as they bring out concepts of ambiguity and vagueness—great techniques for building vocabulary and strengthening comprehension for English learners.
How to improve your English speaking skills (by yourself)
Discover a way to practice speaking English alone to improve your spoken English. This approach can help improve several aspects of your pronunciation, your grammar, your sentence structure, your vocabulary, and your ability to communicate with others in English.
Reading Clue is a three-level reading series for high beginners. This series helps students to read passages smoothly and quickly while understanding the main ideas presented in them. Reading Clue contains a balance of fiction and nonfiction texts combined with systematic activities. All readings are based on word lists that have been carefully selected to expand students’ vocabulary and develop their reading fluency. Throughout Reading Clue, students will master the basic skills needed in reading comprehension.
- Workbook for vocabulary and sentence practice: to expand students’ vocabulary and allow them to review the reading passages
The Lexical Advantages of Narrow Reading for Second Language Learners
Narrow reading is reading on the same topic over the course of a number of texts. One advantage of narrow reading is that readers become familiar with the topic and have much better background knowledge for future passages on that topic. Another advantage has to do with the mechanics of vocabulary distribution. Key words in topic-related passages tend to recur, easing the lexical burden on readers as they become familiar with this vocabulary. From a reading perspective, focusing on texts on a recurrent topic should give learners the chance to practice reading more quickly and fluently.
Vocabulary & Spelling presents thirty-two lessons that cover a broad range of topics from etymology to context clues to spelling patterns. It is essential that vocabulary instructions include a variety of strategies to develop students' word-study skills. Lessons in Vocabulary & Spelling provide many different ways of exploring and studying words, word parts, semantic families, and spelling patterns and rules. Activating students' prior knowledge of words and of essential concepts related to words helps students make associations between new terms and words they already know. An answer key is included.
