The Platinum Jubilee
Have you covered the Platinum Jubilee in your English classes? Does the theme fill you with enthusiasm or would you prefer to ignore it altogether? Love her or loath her… Read More »The Platinum Jubilee
Stranger Things in the Classroom
Stranger Things has become one of those rare phenomena on television, a universal talking point. The much-anticipated recent series (series 4) has become the most successful streamed series of all… Read More »Stranger Things in the Classroom
The Worried Teacher – A Band Aid For Mental Health
Here at English In Action we wanted to address some of the common problems that English teachers are likely to worry about and give tips on how to minimise their effects on our teaching and mental health generally.
The Art and Value of Translation
Grammar translation as a method of teaching languages is an outdated and largely discredited methodology. However, just because it doesn’t appear to be a good basis for learning how to communicate in another language, this doesn’t mean that activities involving translation should all be junked altogether.
Teaching Email Writing in the Classroom
Emails serve a multitude of purposes and can be a vital point of reference. Time after time in the classroom, students request to learn how to write an email as this style provides concise and efficient communication, this is especially useful for anyone whose career might require them to communicate with people abroad.
Lessons Learned The Hard Way – Part Three
Across the western world, many schools and communities are opening their doors to refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine while there is also an ongoing stream of migrants from Syria and other troubled parts of the world. Here I share my experiences of teaching English to refugees.
Socially Distanced Classroom Activities
As I write the world is starting to open up again. Hopefully, this continues and we can put the last two years behind us. This blog focuses on examples of common exercises, activities and games that can form part of a communicate English lesson without the need for close contact between participants. We have drawn on the experience we have gained during the pandemic.
Using songs in the TEFL Classroom
At one point or another, most of us have used songs as a teaching resource. Students generally enjoy listening to music, and songs provide a natural way of exposing our learners to various types of language.
The Impact Of Ramadan on Students and Teachers of English
This post is aimed mainly at non-Muslim teachers of English with limited knowledge of Islam or the practice of Ramadan. It is not intended to be a comprehensive explanation of Ramadan but rather a brief guide to the challenges and opportunities Muslim students and colleagues may face during this period of the year. We also suggest some English teaching and learning opportunities for the whole class that can be inspired by Ramadan.
How to Stay Connected in a Disconnected World
We are all familiar with the various challenges that the pandemic has forced us to endure. We have learnt a lot during the last two years, primarily that at times like this that it is more important than ever to stay connected. One may think with modern technology that we are more connected than ever. But is this really the case? What does it actually mean to be connected?