Monthly Archives: May 2012
Great Debates – A New Course in Critical Thinking
It doesn’t get more communicative than debates and this book provides a comprehensive collection of meaningful topics for students to tackle. The course covers international relations and trade, tax and spending, the gap between rich and poor, globalization, culture, commerce, civil liberties, … Continue reading
Filed under TEFL 101 Blog
A General Critique of Learning Materials
I’ve written before invoking Sturgeon’s Law in relation to the shortcomings of ESL coursebooks. I know I ruffled some feathers with that and maybe 90% is a bit high. There certainly are some good activity books around, but at the … Continue reading
Filed under TEFL 101 Blog
Negotiating with Terrorists
A group of terrorist bombers have captured half of the students and are holding them hostage. The other half of the class represent police, government and general negotiators. There is a standoff situation. The bombers demand one-million dollars in cash … Continue reading
Filed under TEFL 101 Blog
Sometimes the Simplest Ones are the Best
I love language games but one game in particular couldn’t be easier to enact and brings great benefits for learners. The essential race-to-the-board game works as follows: divide the class into four or five teams and get a team name … Continue reading
Filed under TEFL 101 Blog
