Hello members! I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself, Lisa Barrett, as incoming president to the ITBE board for the 2015-2016 year. I am extremely grateful for all the guidance and support provided to me by the ITBE board members and outgoing President Debbie Sternecky.
Suppose you want to help your students study for an upcoming vocabulary quiz. What's your favorite game or activity to help students study new vocabulary words?
We'll compile the results for the next issue of the Link.
ITBE at TESOL's 2015 Advocacy and Policy Summit
First we would like to thank ITBE for the opportunity to travel and participate in the 2015 TESOL Advocacy Summit in Washington D.C. It was quite an eye-opening and powerful experience. On the first day we received some training from TESOL in the form of what issues were being debated on Capitol Hill and the stances that TESOL has on certain bills like H.R. 5 (Student Success Act) and how to articulately talk about those topics to Senators, Congress people and staffers.
Hello ITBErs! Shane Dunkle, the incoming Vice President and 2016 Convention Chair here. The time is coming where we need to start thinking about who we want to have speak at our yearly convention.
“Why do Americans love guns?” “You’re from Saudi Arabia? How many wives do you have?” “Why do Korean people always look mad?” I have heard many variations on these FARQs (frequently asked rude questions) in my classes, and you probably have too. Sometimes these conversations develop into a meaningful exchange and an inkling of cross-cultural understanding; other times they result in an argument.
Applying a Verbal Flowchart Protocol in Classroom Observations
Erin N. O'Reilly
Classroom observations can assume many different forms tailored according to their purpose. Verbal flowcharts (also known as interactive flowcharts) have been around for decades (see DeBolt, 1992) and differ from a typical observation protocol in that they focus on the interactions between the teacher and the students, not necessarily the content of the lesson.
Being comfortable with using numbers in one’s second language is an important and necessary skill. Yet, activities provided by many ESL textbooks are usually somewhat limited, possibly because of the seeming simplicity of the skill – after all, numbers are one of the first things we learn in a foreign language.
Ideas for a Community-Based Interdisciplinary Writing Project for Grades 11-12
Thomas Hansen
As constructivists, teachers can draw from a variety of sources to combine content and assemble purposes for authentic units of instruction (NCREL). In this type of unit, we can draw upon a variety of national standards to frame a unit in which students search for a community problem, explore the issues, inquire within the community about concerns and possible solutions, use language to conduct the research, propose solutions, argue for their case.
There are many ways to support ethnic diversity in the classroom. One only has to reach as far as the laptop to find them. Many teachers honor cultural traditions by engaging students and staff in projects and school wide functions. Also, some schools have had yearly ethnic celebrations that go back many years. As positive as these activities are, they beg the question, are they intentional?
Review of Teach, Reflect, Learn: Building Your Capacity for Success in the Classroom
Reviewed by Thomas Hansen
Hall and Simeral set forth three major stages in helping teachers reflect on what they are doing in an effort to improve instruction in the classroom. The authors hope to help teachers learn how to reflect on a regular basis as part of the self-assessment process in which teachers should engage.
Hello members! I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself, Lisa Barrett, as incoming president to the ITBE board for the 2015-2016 year. I am extremely grateful for all the guidance and support provided to me by the ITBE board members and outgoing President Debbie Sternecky.