Category Archives: Phonemic Awarness
Fun Vocabulary Review Game –and a Brain Game, too
Yesterday, in our last class of the semester, we played a really fun and simple vocabulary game. It was a great hit for the students and all the other staff who came by to join the laughter. 1. Assign a topic you studied in class and provide a list of beginning letters. Here are a …
Eight Great Reading Fluency Activities
According to the National Reading Panel, the four components of reading are: comprehension, vocabulary, fluency and alphabetics. As ESOL teachers we know how to teach vocabulary and comprehension, but fluency and alphabetics are terra incognita. So here, I introduce four classics and four more contemporary activities that focus on specific skill development in reading …
What to Do with a Word List
At TESOL International in Philadelphia, I gave a brief presentation on how to get students to learn words on word lists. Here is a summary: Students make FLASHCARDS. vOn one side of the card students print the word. vOn the other side of the card, they provide o a definition -drawing, translation, dictionary definition, …
Let’s Get Physical: Teaching Pronunciation
For pronunciation, I take a physical and playful approach. Many of my students are from Central America. They are reserved and find the expressive movements necessary for pronouncing American English quite embarrassing. I try to keep our pronunciation practice playful. As we practice, I make silly faces and try to get them to mobilize their …
More Word Families for Dictations
Here is a list of over 50 word families for Word Family Dictations or any other word study you do in your class.
Dictation with Word Families
Sometimes I use dictation to help students focus on spelling and sound patterns in English. This is one variation. Word Family Dictation: 1. I draw two columns on the board and write a word family at the top of each column. Students copy the columns on paper. 2. I say a word and …
