http://busyteacher.org/ ru Editors' Choice - BusyTeacher: Free Printable Worksheets For Busy Teachers Like YOU! DataLife Engine http://busyteacher.org/13132-10-best-pieces-of-advice-esl-students.html http://busyteacher.org/13132-10-best-pieces-of-advice-esl-students.html ESL students come in all shapes and sizes, from adorable little preschoolers to senior citizens who want to learn another language in their free time. In the middle, we have all sorts of students, with different backgrounds and interests. Yet there is ...]]> ClaudiaPesce Sat, 13 Oct 2012 20:16:01 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/12794-7-most-common-esl-problems-how-to-solve.html http://busyteacher.org/12794-7-most-common-esl-problems-how-to-solve.html As far as your ESL class is concerned, you could face a multitude or problems – or none at all. A typical ESL class, anywhere in the world, has its own set of typical problems and challenges. Is there any way to avoid them? Not likely. Is there ...]]> ClaudiaPesce Tue, 25 Sep 2012 02:34:26 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/12715-how-to-be-a-successful-esl-teacher.html http://busyteacher.org/12715-how-to-be-a-successful-esl-teacher.html Congratulations! You’ve chosen to become an ESL teacher, and it’s one of the most rewarding professions around. Yet, you must be warned – though tremendously satisfying on a personal level, it may not be as financially rewarding as ot ...]]> ClaudiaPesce Thu, 20 Sep 2012 17:51:13 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/12714-esl-teachers-are-you-making-these-mistakes.html http://busyteacher.org/12714-esl-teachers-are-you-making-these-mistakes.html No ESL teacher is perfect, no matter if you’ve been teaching for 20 minutes or 20 years (present company included!) Anyone can make mistakes, most of which are results of our trying too hard or being too impatient. I’ve already covered som ...]]> ClaudiaPesce Wed, 19 Sep 2012 18:53:22 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/12601-6-ways-to-make-presentation-tasks-work.html http://busyteacher.org/12601-6-ways-to-make-presentation-tasks-work.html A lone student stands self-consciously at the front of the class, hiding behind a sheet of notes. She almost has to shout to be heard over the fragmented conversations of the rest of the class. Even the more polite and conscientious students are glazin ...]]> BUSYTEACHER_admin Thu, 13 Sep 2012 02:01:13 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/12155-9-best-mobile-apps-for-esl-students.html http://busyteacher.org/12155-9-best-mobile-apps-for-esl-students.html If you haven’t witnessed the explosion of Smartphone popularity, you have been living under a rock. Thousands upon thousands of applications are available from Apple’s App Store, Android Market or Blackberry App World, and the number of do ...]]> ClaudiaPesce Thu, 16 Aug 2012 00:15:02 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/12157-teach-absolute-beginners-what-you-need-to-know.html http://busyteacher.org/12157-teach-absolute-beginners-what-you-need-to-know.html Almost without exception, when I tell people that I teach English as a Second Language, they ask, “Oh, what languages do you speak?” Though I would like to answer with polylingual authority, the truth is I am only fluent in English. &ldquo ...]]> ESL5204 Wed, 15 Aug 2012 00:28:20 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/12156-10-things-every-esl-teacher-wants.html http://busyteacher.org/12156-10-things-every-esl-teacher-wants.html No classroom is perfect. If we try, we could probably list hundreds of improvements we would like to see in our classrooms. Unfortunately, budgets are often our biggest enemies when it comes to classroom updates. Still, it never hurts to ask your admin ...]]> ESL5204 Sat, 11 Aug 2012 02:23:12 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/12158-how-to-teach-absolute-beginners-esl-zero-to-hero.html http://busyteacher.org/12158-how-to-teach-absolute-beginners-esl-zero-to-hero.html In today’s globalized world, most beginner ESL students have had some contact with the English language, usually through the Internet, movies or TV. They have most likely studied English at some point in their lives and abandoned their studies & ...]]> ClaudiaPesce Thu, 09 Aug 2012 21:51:38 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/12051-10-commandments-ethics-esl-teacher.html http://busyteacher.org/12051-10-commandments-ethics-esl-teacher.html Not long ago, I was having lunch at a local cafe, and I witnessed an interesting conversation between a woman and her parents. In all fairness, I wasn’t deliberately eavesdropping—the other party was quite loud, and at one point, the daugh ...]]> Stacia Ann Tue, 07 Aug 2012 17:08:49 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/12058-tips-for-staying-fresh-as-a-teacher.html http://busyteacher.org/12058-tips-for-staying-fresh-as-a-teacher.html Teaching is not the same today as it was even 10 years ago, much less four decades ago, which is when many of today's retiring teachers first entered the classroom as an instructor. In the midst of changing educational practices, cultural norms, and e ...]]> BUSYTEACHER_admin Mon, 30 Jul 2012 02:55:12 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/11988-7-terrific-telephone-english-activities-adult.html http://busyteacher.org/11988-7-terrific-telephone-english-activities-adult.html For those who speak English as a second language, speaking English on the telephone can be one of the most challenging and frustrating tasks. On one hand, listening comprehension proves to be more difficult on the phone. On the other hand, it is somet ...]]> ClaudiaPesce Mon, 23 Jul 2012 13:50:09 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/11990-are-you-boring-your-students.html http://busyteacher.org/11990-are-you-boring-your-students.html You ask your ESL class a question, and you’re met with a room full of blank stares. You call out a student’s name, but getting an answer from him is like pulling teeth. You notice that someone in the back is actually dozing off (ouch!), and ...]]> ClaudiaPesce Sat, 21 Jul 2012 17:57:44 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/11961-prezi-tired-of-ppts.html http://busyteacher.org/11961-prezi-tired-of-ppts.html Not every teacher is able to show digital presentations like PowerPoints (PPTs) in their classroom. However, those that are might have discovered that these presentations can be rather uninspiring both during the creation process and for students watc ...]]> hermione_111 Thu, 19 Jul 2012 16:18:53 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/11957-too-tired-to-teach-7-tips-detox-destress-regain.html http://busyteacher.org/11957-too-tired-to-teach-7-tips-detox-destress-regain.html The alarm goes off, and you groan. Getting out of bed is a feat of sheer will. You love teaching, and you enjoy the time you spend with your ESL students – most of the time. But they are not the problem. The problem is that you are so tired. May ...]]> ClaudiaPesce Tue, 17 Jul 2012 19:21:46 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/11907-real-world-reading-approaches-10-simple-strategies.html http://busyteacher.org/11907-real-world-reading-approaches-10-simple-strategies.html Very few would argue that in today’s world, reading is important. For ESL students, reading can provide grammatical instruction and vocabulary development even as it confers information on the reader. Some ESL students, however, may not be drawn ...]]> ESL5204 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:18:07 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/11911-teaching-opposites-3-little-wolves-big-bad-pig.html http://busyteacher.org/11911-teaching-opposites-3-little-wolves-big-bad-pig.html What would you do if a big, bad pig tried to blow down your little brick house? Run away as the bricks tumbled, just like the three little wolves did in Eugene Trivizas’ story The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig. As strange and as entert ...]]> ESL5204 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 16:24:19 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/11559-10-english-skills-students-need-business.html http://busyteacher.org/11559-10-english-skills-students-need-business.html Many students travel overseas to study English, and though they may be in a scholastic setting their real goal is advancement in the business world. Many ESL programs offer classes and courses of study specifically designed for business English, but o ...]]> ESL5204 Tue, 12 Jun 2012 18:40:46 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/11603-last-lesson-10-ideas-end-year.html http://busyteacher.org/11603-last-lesson-10-ideas-end-year.html The end of the year is a special time for any class. Students may have a tough time focusing on getting through the final days of school, but there is a lot you can do to keep them engaged. End your school year with a bang by employing some of these c ...]]> Jben Thu, 07 Jun 2012 15:53:53 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/10778-first-day-what-every-new-teacher-should-know.html http://busyteacher.org/10778-first-day-what-every-new-teacher-should-know.html Going into a new class on the first day can be exciting and intimidating for new teachers and experienced teachers alike. Depending on your teaching situation there are a lot of variables to take into account and good planning will be your friend. The ...]]> Jben Sun, 03 Jun 2012 14:58:52 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/11545-top-25-online-learning-resources-for-students.html http://busyteacher.org/11545-top-25-online-learning-resources-for-students.html As a teacher, sometimes you want to give your students access to more than just the run of the mill Wikipedia and Google search results for out of class education. This is true whether you're teaching at Greensboro college or a local community college ...]]> BUSYTEACHER_admin Fri, 01 Jun 2012 17:29:08 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/11343-how-to-manage-interruptions-your-classroom.html http://busyteacher.org/11343-how-to-manage-interruptions-your-classroom.html You are probably familiar with the scenario: you at the front of the room, in the middle of lecturing on some important grammar point, when someone raises his hand. “Excuse me, Teacher?” You are annoyed but pause long enough to ask, &ldqu ...]]> Stacia Ann Sun, 20 May 2012 16:15:37 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/11274-how-to-use-mind-maps-jump-start-writing.html http://busyteacher.org/11274-how-to-use-mind-maps-jump-start-writing.html Writing is intimidating enough for second language learners, so why not simplify the process for them. Using mind maps to organize thoughts, brainstorm ideas, and synthesize information will surely jump-start your students’ writing. How to Us ...]]> Jben Tue, 15 May 2012 02:55:34 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/11275-3-tips-perfecting-pronunciation.html http://busyteacher.org/11275-3-tips-perfecting-pronunciation.html Pronunciation is an immense issue for every language learner no matter their age or their level. It is a constant issue that students struggle with, and it is imperative to have focused practice on pronunciation at every stage of the game. Follow thes ...]]> Jben Mon, 14 May 2012 04:35:38 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/11168-how-to-use-cell-phones-classroom-8-esl-activities.html http://busyteacher.org/11168-how-to-use-cell-phones-classroom-8-esl-activities.html When the typical teacher sees her students using cell phones in class, her response is to put it away, take it away or through some other means remove the phone from the classroom. Today’s phones, though, have many features your students can use ...]]> ESL5204 Thu, 10 May 2012 14:46:33 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/11075-10-places-students-can-pick-up-vocabulary.html http://busyteacher.org/11075-10-places-students-can-pick-up-vocabulary.html Learning any language in an immersion situation by its very nature offers endless opportunities to pick up new vocabulary. In fact, sometimes the volumes of new vocabulary can be utterly overwhelming. Other times, language students practically hunt fo ...]]> ESL5204 Wed, 02 May 2012 04:09:16 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/11032-10-things-never-to-do-in-the-classroom.html http://busyteacher.org/11032-10-things-never-to-do-in-the-classroom.html Teachers are the head of a classroom, and with that responsibility comes a certain amount of authority. Remember that all teachers have bad days and make mistakes. This list of 10 things never to do in the classroom is to help you avoid those missteps ...]]> Jben Fri, 27 Apr 2012 22:13:55 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/11014-5-tools-help-students-learn-vocabulary.html http://busyteacher.org/11014-5-tools-help-students-learn-vocabulary.html Vocabulary instruction is a part of every ESL class. Whether you are teaching reading, speaking or listening, your students will encounter unfamiliar words. As an ESL teacher, part of your job is helping your students learn these words and increase th ...]]> ESL5204 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:48:49 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/10971-top-10-ways-check-reading-comprehension.html http://busyteacher.org/10971-top-10-ways-check-reading-comprehension.html The process of reading, being able to connect semantic input with the letters on the page, does not mean much if language learners cannot understand what they have read. The following exercises, modified from Sherrill Flora’s Everyone Reads! wil ...]]> ESL5204 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:18:23 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/10860-10-simple-ways-to-make-reading-class-fun.html http://busyteacher.org/10860-10-simple-ways-to-make-reading-class-fun.html Whether the kids in your ESL class enjoy reading or it is the class they most dread, you can inspire them and give them a love for reading, and it is easier than you think. These few simple tips can create an environment in your classroom that encoura ...]]> ESL5204 Sun, 22 Apr 2012 03:48:44 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/10913-how-to-reach-younger-learners-most-effective-ways.html http://busyteacher.org/10913-how-to-reach-younger-learners-most-effective-ways.html Younger learners can be both fun and frustrating depending on the time of day, the cycles of the moon, and the distractions that almost every new day can bring. Students have a lot on their plate these days from pressures at school to extracurricular a ...]]> Jben Fri, 20 Apr 2012 22:10:22 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/10779-7-specific-strategies-reading-class.html http://busyteacher.org/10779-7-specific-strategies-reading-class.html When reading class is just on the other side of the bell, it is not too late to incorporate the following activities into class. They take very little preparation (some take none at all) and can make a big difference in how your ESL students experience ...]]> ESL5204 Wed, 18 Apr 2012 04:36:47 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/10777-grammar-5-tense-review-activities.html http://busyteacher.org/10777-grammar-5-tense-review-activities.html There is no need to be tense about tenses. One of the best ways to ensure that students are progressing is to provide occasional review of several of the tenses the students have been learning. It can work really well to combine that review with other ...]]> Jben Sun, 15 Apr 2012 16:03:44 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/10796-5-perfect-tips-practicing-present-perfect.html http://busyteacher.org/10796-5-perfect-tips-practicing-present-perfect.html Present Perfect tense is a big turning point in a student’s language learning. Once they have gotten to this grammar point, they have mastered a lot and are moving into more and more complex grammatical structures and tenses. That being said, tea ...]]> Jben Sun, 15 Apr 2012 04:24:29 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/10753-3-perfect-ways-introduce-past-perfect-tense.html http://busyteacher.org/10753-3-perfect-ways-introduce-past-perfect-tense.html This tense is reserved for advanced learners for good reason. Students can pretty easily get around using the tense altogether by just using two past tense verbs with some time markers. It is still very important to teach it and to provide some activit ...]]> Jben Sat, 14 Apr 2012 15:40:36 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/10731-5-activities-for-teaching-reading-strategies.html http://busyteacher.org/10731-5-activities-for-teaching-reading-strategies.html Reading is paramount to language learning, yet, much to the disappointment of teachers, it can be a difficult skill to teach. How do you teach students to become better readers, especially with academic texts? As a teacher, you can arm students with sp ...]]> abepiusc Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:23:51 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/10729-teaching-gerunds-infinitives-3-tremendous.html http://busyteacher.org/10729-teaching-gerunds-infinitives-3-tremendous.html The topic of gerunds vs. infinitives is a notoriously confusing one among students of all levels. To native speakers it comes naturally, and we don’t really ever think about why we use one instead of the other. For ESL students getting it right m ...]]> Jben Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:24:55 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/10666-teach-9-tips-engaging-middle-school-students.html http://busyteacher.org/10666-teach-9-tips-engaging-middle-school-students.html Teaching little kids can be fun. They have energy and a fascination with the world that only comes from the innocence of childhood. Adult students, on the other hand, have a higher cognitive ability and can understand complex concepts even if their Eng ...]]> ESL5204 Fri, 06 Apr 2012 21:26:48 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/10609-teach-distinguishing-between-descriptions.html http://busyteacher.org/10609-teach-distinguishing-between-descriptions.html One of the topics ESL learners really enjoy is describing people. It is a universal need and want to be able to talk about the people close to us. I adore teaching this topic because students are especially creative; it’s a great opportunity to g ...]]> Jben Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:56:29 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/10587-4-types-of-problem-students-strategies-manage.html http://busyteacher.org/10587-4-types-of-problem-students-strategies-manage.html As with any classroom setting you may encounter problem students in ESL classes. Problem students are challenging because they may disrupt the learning environment, make your job more difficult than it has to be or just plain frustrate you and the oth ...]]> Jben Sun, 01 Apr 2012 15:42:17 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/10497-goodbye-boring-reading-classes-use-readers-theatre.html http://busyteacher.org/10497-goodbye-boring-reading-classes-use-readers-theatre.html Reading is one of the most essential skills to teach language learners; however, if you’ve ever been in a reading classroom, you know that reading can also be one of the skills students are least motivated to learn, especially low-proficiency stu ...]]> abepiusc Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:09:25 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/10428-what-every-listening-teacher-needs-to-know.html http://busyteacher.org/10428-what-every-listening-teacher-needs-to-know.html For ESL students, reading and writing have a tendency to occupy most of the teaching time, but listening and speaking are just as valuable, if not more so, in helping your students reach English fluency. Of reading, writing, listening and speaking, li ...]]> ESL5204 Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:04:18 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/10453-reach-advanced-learners-how-to.html http://busyteacher.org/10453-reach-advanced-learners-how-to.html Teaching advanced language learners is very different from teaching any other level. Every teacher should have exposure to all different levels, but just like beginners, advanced students require a distinct kind of effort. We’ve devised some tips ...]]> Jben Tue, 27 Mar 2012 01:46:46 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/10337-4-fascinating-ways-for-teaching-ed-and-ing.html http://busyteacher.org/10337-4-fascinating-ways-for-teaching-ed-and-ing.html The topic of -ED and -ING adjectives can be a refreshing one as it gives you the chance to introduce a higher level of new vocabulary as well as open up a whole new world of expressing opinions and feelings for the learner. The strategies below can be ...]]> Jben Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:56:00 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/8070-how-to-teach-world-hello-day-november-21.html http://busyteacher.org/8070-how-to-teach-world-hello-day-november-21.html Some people might consider themselves friendly: others might consider themselves shy. Either way, your students should be encouraged on a daily basis to use their language skills to interact with the people around them. They do not have to be alone in ...]]> BUSYTEACHER_admin Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:26:15 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/7081-top-10-time-fillers-for-your-classroom.html http://busyteacher.org/7081-top-10-time-fillers-for-your-classroom.html Try as you might, careful as you are with your planning, sometimes what you plan to cover in class does not work with the clock. When you are ready for the bell but the bell is not quite ready for you, try one of the following time fillers to keep you ...]]> ESL5204 Tue, 20 Sep 2011 03:59:33 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/7054-top-10-websites-esl-teacher.html http://busyteacher.org/7054-top-10-websites-esl-teacher.html The longer you have been teaching, the thicker your files are getting, but it is never too soon or too late to add to your pool of resources. You may already be familiar with the following websites, or this might be your first introduction. Either way ...]]> ESL5204 Fri, 16 Sep 2011 20:01:24 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/6616-teach-esl-laughs-learning-english.html http://busyteacher.org/6616-teach-esl-laughs-learning-english.html There is nothing wrong with having a little fun as we learn. One of the advantages with teaching English is there are many different fun and funny things you can do with the language as you teach. Following are some activities designed to make you and ...]]> ESL5204 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 05:17:25 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/4050-top-10-tongue-twisters-true-teachers-treasure.html http://busyteacher.org/4050-top-10-tongue-twisters-true-teachers-treasure.html Tongue twisters in the ESL classroom – yes or no? Although most don't make any sense at all, they can certainly help your students improve their pronunciation skills.]]> ClaudiaPesce Wed, 12 Jan 2011 22:23:44 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/3964-5-non-verbal-ways-to-do-error-correction.html http://busyteacher.org/3964-5-non-verbal-ways-to-do-error-correction.html Effective error correction is one of the things ESL teachers struggle with the most. If you correct them too much, you might make them feel discouraged and compromise their fluency for the sake of accuracy. If you correct them too little, they’l ...]]> ClaudiaPesce Sat, 18 Dec 2010 18:34:41 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/3933-how-to-encourage-student-participation.html http://busyteacher.org/3933-how-to-encourage-student-participation.html Encouraging student participation can be difficult. Students who generally perform well will be more willing to volunteer and more confident when completing exercises whereas students who struggle in the classroom will be more reluctant to do these th ...]]> hermione_111 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 19:27:40 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/3780-how-to-teach-using-gestures-mime.html http://busyteacher.org/3780-how-to-teach-using-gestures-mime.html A lot of teaching English is about acting. Keeping your energy high and being creative with your lessons will make your students more attentive. Outside of role play activities, you can use gestures and mime in many different ways. These can aide your ...]]> hermione_111 Wed, 17 Nov 2010 09:10:07 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/3723-how-to-correct-mistakes.html http://busyteacher.org/3723-how-to-correct-mistakes.html Throughout their studies, students will make lots of mistakes. It is an important part of the learning process. If they are not making mistakes then they are not being given difficult enough topics and structures to work with. You have to choose materi ...]]> hermione_111 Thu, 11 Nov 2010 05:38:40 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/3712-how-to-teach-english-idioms-and-their-meaning.html http://busyteacher.org/3712-how-to-teach-english-idioms-and-their-meaning.html Should we or shouldn’t we teach English idioms to ESL students? Although it is uncommon for ESL students to use them comfortably and effectively, if we choose to not teach them idioms, they’ll be missing an important cultural element of the ...]]> ClaudiaPesce Mon, 08 Nov 2010 07:59:43 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/3370-7-best-ways-to-end-a-lesson.html http://busyteacher.org/3370-7-best-ways-to-end-a-lesson.html Who among ESL teachers does not understand the purpose behind a warm up activity? We all agree that it’s important to get students focused, to introduce a task or topic, to break the ice, or simply place your students in “English mode&rdquo ...]]> ClaudiaPesce Sun, 26 Sep 2010 01:36:10 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/2873-5-new-fun-ways-to-teach-grammar-to-esl-students.html http://busyteacher.org/2873-5-new-fun-ways-to-teach-grammar-to-esl-students.html Mention the word “grammar” and students will cringe. In fact, most teachers will cringe, too.]]> ClaudiaPesce Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:39:57 +0000 http://busyteacher.org/2728-classroom-songs-16-creative-ways.html http://busyteacher.org/2728-classroom-songs-16-creative-ways.html For a lot of teachers songs are something they only use to give their students a break. However, there's a whole lot more to using songs in the classroom than just taking a pot of correction fluid to the words and creating a cloze gap fill.]]> BUSYTEACHER_admin Wed, 07 Jul 2010 18:02:33 +0000