… To the teacher: I took the idea for this lesson from an ESL workbook that I used many years ago. Nothing remains of the book, but for this picture, which I now use as a prompt to get students … Continue reading

… To the teacher: I took the idea for this lesson from an ESL workbook that I used many years ago. Nothing remains of the book, but for this picture, which I now use as a prompt to get students … Continue reading
… … Lesson One: Pick A Bale Of Cotton … To the teacher: Lesson One uses five handouts. If they are going to be printed and handed out in class, print them back to back to save on paper. If … Continue reading
… Walking through Tompkins Square in New York City, I see red roses in the brisk air. I’ve been thinking about the present tense in English because that is what I will talk about with my students this morning, and … Continue reading
… If you were going to teach English to someone who was just beginning to learn it, what would you teach? There is a game I sometimes play with beginners, a kind of bingo with a die and some beans … Continue reading
… To the English Learner: If you want to learn English, begin with the verbs. That is where the action is. This is true with any language, and very true with English because what makes English English are its helping … Continue reading
… In English we can take a noun and change it into a verb and the sentence still makes sense. I saw an example recently. There was a sushi restaurant on First Avenue near St. Mark’s that had a great … Continue reading
… Acquainted with the Night I have been one acquainted with the night. I have walked out in rain—and back in rain. I have outwalked the furthest city light. I have looked down the saddest city lane. I have passed … Continue reading
… The five poems and poets that follow are for anyone who enjoys poetry, of course, but they are also for English or ESL teachers who are looking to do a class with some poetry. I made Vimeos to go … Continue reading
… What follows is an ESL lesson I use with Fog by Carl Sandburg. I present it from the point of view of a teacher talking. The objective is to get the student writing, and that process is divided into … Continue reading
… I love and yet have mixed feelings about a poem by Emily Dickinson, but it doesn’t stop me from using it in a poetry lesson for students who are learning the English language. I let the class memorize the … Continue reading
Objective: Students will be able to recognize an adjective, and know its three forms: positive, comparative and superlative. They will also be able to recognize adverbs. Method: Groups of three Materials: Handout: “The Rabbit and the Turtle” Handout: Adjective … Continue reading
.. The Objective: Spelling. In preparation for reading “The Rabbit and the Turtle,” students will spell the words the teacher says to them. These words are from the story. Defining. Each student will select one of the spelling words, define … Continue reading