September 2001 - issue
9/01
DEVELOPING TEACHERS.COM
NEWSLETTER
Welcome to the September Newsletter
This month is a shortened version as the
holidays are upon us & distant places beckon. Instead
of a theme there are a couple of lesson plans. There are the
usual sections of teaching links, the warmer, jobs & net/computer
links.
Please feel free to contribute ideas &
activities to this newsletter. It would be great to hear of
links - teaching & computer links - warmers that you have
used & suggestions for the themes.
Welcome to all of the new subscribers this
month. Please keep passing on the site address - Thanks.
If you're having a summer, hope it's a good
one.
Happy teaching!
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INDEX
1. THE SITE - lesson plans
& articles
2. WARMER
3. E-MAIL COURSES
4. LINKS
5. JOBS
6. WEEKLY TEACHING TIPS
7. TRAINING COURSES
8. PS - Internet/computer-related
links
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1. THE SITE
The lesson plans are reading ones. There's a
lesson that uses an article on how the
first personal computer came together at IBM.
The
second is about how Ramon Stoppelenburg is attempting to travel
around the world. He has set up a web site to report his
travels & provide an opportunity for people around the
world to offer him accommodation. He is hitching & staying
at Internet friendly homes.
There are two new articles on the site this
month - both from Nicola Holmes who had an excellent writing
article & plan last month. This time there is an article
about grammar & plan - 'Towards
an approach to the teaching of grammar, which is both more
learner-centred and more effective in terms of the learners'
long-term acquisition and deployment of the structures concerned'.
The other article & plan is titled
'The role of the teacher and the learner in the development
of strategies and sub-skills to facilitate and enhance listening
comprehension'.
Why not put yourself on the site? If you've
given a course or seminar or have a lesson plan & would
like to give it a public airing then do send it to:
articles@developingteachers.com
ADVERTISING - If you are interested in advertising
on the site or the Weekly Teaching Tip & this Monthly
Newsletter then please get in touch at:
advertising@developingteachers.com
Back to the index
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2. WARMER
Persuasion - this is an instant warmer requiring
no preparation. Elicit from the students their favourite colour.
If two students sitting next to each other have the same colour,
ask one to think of another. Then ask them, in pairs without
any preparation time, to persuade each other that their colour
is better than their partner's. Let the activity go on for
three or four minutes & then ask them if they persuaded
their partner to change their mind. Probably not but that's
not really the point, you want them to speak in English &
have some fun at the same time.
This is a spontaneous freer speaking activity
& needs a bit of imagination. Instead of colours you could
get them arguing about their favourite animal, city, author,
film, ...... anything! Fit it in with the theme of the lesson
or not. A warmer you can use again & again.
You must have a favourite warmer! Send it
in & we'll publish it here & put it in the warmer
list on the site.
**********
3. E-MAIL COURSES
Maximise your time by getting started on
a quality
personalised teacher development course.
Back to the index
**********
4. LINKS FOR TEACHING
Got this the other day:
'Hello Developing Teachers team,
I thought you would be interested in the news that registration
for the World's Largest Lesson is now open at
http://www.english-to-go.com/largest.
We are conservatively estimating that 150,000 students from
around the globe will take part in learning the world's largest
lesson but with your help we would like to take this number
beyond 200,000. We are inviting all TEFL and related English
teachers to download the free lesson from our website, found
at http://www.english-to-go.com/largest
and teach it to their classes on Monday 10th September 2001.
English-to-go is attempting to set this new record because
of a commitment by its founders to organise a global event
for the 'European Year of Languages' and raise the importance
of learning a second language. If you would like to help us
set a truly unbeatable world record for the World's Largest
Lesson please spread the word and register on the site. We
were wondering if it would be possible to mention the event
somewhere on your website, maybe in the monthly newsletter,
so that we can make this the largest lesson the educational
sector has ever given.
Kind regards,
Sam'
Ed. - What are you waiting for?
http://teach-nology.com/
A massive site - 'A Web Portal for Educators'
- everything to do with all kinds of education - investigate!
The online crossword maker is so easy - make your own &
print it off for class.
http://www.esl-lounge.com/
Lots & lots of teaching materials &
plans. Worth a look.
http://www.wackyuses.com/
'Scotch Tape
The name Scotch tape actually resulted from
an ethnic slur foisted upon manufacturers of the tape -- although
the product does not have any connection with Scotland or
the Scottish. In 1925, the automobile industry, eager to satisfy
American's craving for two-tone cars, had difficulty making
a clean, sharp edge where one color met another. Richard Drew,
a laboratory employee primarily involved with abrasives used
to make sandpaper at the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing
Company (better known as 3M), developed a two-inch wide strip
of paper tape coated with a rubber-based adhesive. To cut
costs, the tape was coated with only a strip of glue one-quarter
inch wide along the edges, instead of covering the entire
two-inch width. Unfortunately, the tape failed to hold properly,
and the painters purportedly told the 3M salesmen to "Take
this tape back to those Scotch bosses of yours and tell them
to put adhesive all over the tape, not just on the edges."
The 3M company complied, but when the salesman returned to
the automobile paintshop, a painter derogatorily asked him
if he was still selling that "Scotch" tape, launching
a tradename based on an ethnic slur denoting stinginess. The
name, like the improved tape, stuck. '
Did you know that? Just the kind of information
that you & your students need! Lots of it, check it out!
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/
A great resource for students & teachers
alike. You can search The Cambridge International Dictionary,
Learner's Dictionary, Dictionary of American English, International
Dictionary of Idioms & the International Dictionary of
Phrasal Verbs. Certainly worth bookmarking.
Back to the index
**********
5. JOBS
There are some more
CVs up from teachers looking for jobs.
A post in Poland:
We are seeking EFL teachers to teach high
levels +FCE, CAE, CPE preparation classes. Motivated, energetic
and enthusiastic about teaching would fit our team perfectly.
Min. qualification RSA CTEFLA/CELTA or Trinity Cert. TESOL
or equivalent. 9 months contract (10.09.2001-07.06.2002) Send
your CV and covering letter to: Renata Szumilas MD, Macpherson
School of English, Ul.Dworcowa 12, 66-400 Gorzow Wlkp/Poland
Phone: +48 95 7203 578, fax: +48 95 7205 389 english@page.pl
At the moment, employers
can post job adverts for free.
Back to the index
***********
6. WEEKLY TEACHING TIPS
As always, free
weekly practical teaching tips by e-mail. Sign up!
***********
7. COURSES
Train in Spain - Courses running in the near
future at the British Language Centre in Madrid:
CAMBRIDGE CERTIFICATE IN ELT - CELTA
Part-time twelve-week course, October >> December
Full-time four-week courses, October & November
CAMBRIDGE DIPLOMA IN ELT - DELTA
Six month part-time course: October '01 >> March '02
Reasonably priced accommodation can be arranged
for the duration of all courses.
You can see brief descriptions of all of
the current courses on the BLC web site http://www.cospa.es/blc/TED/ttframe.htm
The postal address of Teacher Education at the British Language
Centre is Calle Bravo Murillo 377, 2, 28020 Madrid, Spain.
The phone number is (00 34) 733 07 39 & the fax number
is (00 34) 91
314 5009. The e-mail address is ted.blc@cospa.es
Back to the index
**********
8. PS - Internet/computer-related links 
http://www.liquid.se/pong.html
Definitely worth a visit. Challenge the computer
in those free minutes & you'll get hooked.
http://www.epinions.com/
US-based site that gives you an idea of what
you're going to buy. Check here before venturing out to the
shops.
http://library.albany.edu/internet/choose.html
This great page tells you which search engine to use for which
type of search. Top of the bookmarks for this one. And from
there check out some of Albany Univesity's tutorials at: http://library.albany.edu/internet/
http://www.testmyspeed.com
If you want to check out how fast your internet
connection is then this is the place. It does depend on quite
a few things so be prepared for wide variations.
http://support.microsoft.com/support/windows/topics/errormsg/emresctr.asp
You get them & you ignore them, you don't
know what they mean. Get along to the Microsoft Error Message
Resource Center. If they can't explain it you can send a message.
Also check out:
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,289893,sid9_gci212076,00.html
And if you want to know what the messages
mean as they happen you can download a free programme for
MS Windows Error Messages at:
http://www.gregorybraun.com/MSWinErr.html
http://www.iwondercompany.com/stick/
'STICK is a Windows utility you can use to
quickly access multiple instances of the Internet Explorer
browser without itgetting in the way of your daily computer
routine. Stick uses 'Screen Tabs' to contain your browser
window. These tabs stick to one side of your screen and can
be hidden such that only the tab shows. They can quickly be
unhidden by clicking on the tab.'
http://vivisimo.com/
A new search engine to add to your collection.
Search by category or specific search engines & you can
customize the display. Try it, you may like it.
http://www.resort.com/~banshee/Misc/8ball/index.html
You've got a question that needs answering
- go see Bob!
As they say at the Resort 'Of the many True Oracles, none
are more profound than the Mystical Smoking Head of 'Bob'.
Not even the Severed Head of Arnold Palmer can penetrate the
veils of bulldada protecting the Norms from the Terrifying
Truths and Puzzling Evidence. Concentrate and ask a Yes or
No Question. Oh By The Frop Of His Pipe, Grant Me Vision!'
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