Simple Present Vs. Present Progressive

Posted by on Nov 05, 2013 3 Comments

The simple present tense is one of the first things English language learners learn. Later on, grammar textbooks introduce the present progressive (also known as the present continuous), and students learn how to describe actions that are happening at that time. The problem is that most textbooks don’t compare these two present tenses together, so young learners don’t often realize which one to use in different situations.

When I was teaching TOEIC test prep classes to beginner and intermediate students, I would compare and contrast the two tenses side by side, and my students would tell me that this method really helped them understand the differences. Try the method outlined below with your young learners as an introduction to the present progressive or as a review of these two essential tenses.   (more…)

A Halloween Letter for ESL Parents

Posted by on Oct 31, 2013 0 Comments

Hi Parents,

Is this your first time experiencing Halloween in a foreign country, or have you been celebrating Halloween since childhood? For those of us who grew up trick-or-treating, this Halloween tradition feels like a safe and fun thing to do. We enjoy watching kids run around in costumes because it brings back memories from our own childhood.

Not all parents are familiar with this tradition, though. Many ESL parents in my neighborhood aren’t comfortable with Halloween. Some don’t send their kids to school with costumes. This may be because of religious reasons, or because they don’t know enough about the tradtion. Others allow their kids to dress up for school, but they don’t take their kids out trick-or-treating. Some people do not feel comfortable with the idea of children knocking on strangers’ doors.

I have met ESL parents in my neighborhood who think Halloween looks fun, but don’t understand how trick-or-treating works. Are you one of these parents? Don’t be afraid! Here is a step-by-step list you can follow if it’s your first time taking your kids trick-or-treating. The two English phrases your kids need to practice are “trick or treat” and “thank you.” (more…)

10+ Halloween Lessons, Crafts, and Activities

Posted by on Oct 29, 2013 0 Comments

It’s that scary, creepy, spooky, eerie time of year! The monsters are coming out to play, and I don’t mean your students! On Thursday, October 31st, many countries will be celebrating Halloween. Kids will get dressed up in costumes like witches, ghosts, cats, cartoon characters, etc. and go trick-or-treating. The next day, they’ll undoubtedly have tummy aches from all the candy they collected and consumed! It’s a fun time of year for kids. Teachers and parents can keep the fun going all week long with various Halloween activities, lessons, and crafts. Sprout English has some great Halloween resources that are right at your fingertips! Try some of our suggestions below to infuse your kids with the Halloween spirit. (more…)

Spooky Spelling – 5 Tricky Halloween Words

Posted by on Oct 22, 2013 0 Comments

It’s almost Halloween! This scary, fun holiday takes place on October 31st in many countries. Many teachers will be doing Halloween activities with their classes, and this means that Halloween vocabulary will be featured a lot. Now is a good time to review some of the trickier words that scare English learners and native speakers alike!

1. COSTUME / CUSTOM

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen students get these two words mixed up. They’re tricky! Point out to your students that they have different pronunciations and different meanings. A costume, pronounced /ˈkɑs tjum/, is an outfit that people wear on Halloween in order to appear as someone/something else.

  • I bought a cat costume for Halloween this year. My friend is dressing up in a zombie costume.

A custom, pronounced /ˈkʌs təm/, is a tradition or habitual action that people do.

  • Taking off your shoes when you enter someone’s house is a well-known Japanese custom. (more…)

A Writing Contest for Frankenstein Day

Posted by on Oct 21, 2013 0 Comments

Frankenstein Day takes place on the last Friday of October. Do your students know the story of Frankenstein? Do they know the story behind the story?

Listen or Read The Story Behind Frankenstein

Mary Shelley was in a writing group. The writers challenged each other to think of a ghost story. They talked about scary things that were happening in the world to help inspire each other. Mary Shelley tried to think of an idea, but she couldn’t come up with anything. The other writers were busy at work! Finally, Mary Shelley had a bad dream about a scientist who created a monster that ended up coming to life. According to legend, Mary Shelley had the dream while she was awake! She was afraid of her own dream, and she decided to write it down. Her idea turned into a novel and a film. Many people think the monster’s name in the story is Frankenstein. It’s not! In Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein is actually the last name of the scientist who created the monster. Over the years, it’s almost like the monster claimed the name for itself. Creepy!

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Article Review: Apps to Use in the Classroom

Posted by on Oct 18, 2013 1 Comment

With so many apps out there, it can be time-consuming to sort through them all and figure out which ones best meet your needs. That’s why when someone takes the time to do that sorting, it’s worth sharing! I don’t know about you, but I’m fairly new at using tech in the classroom. Even so, I’m keen to learn more and take advantage of what’s out there for us teachers.

This week’s article review is on Teach with Your iPhone: Apps to Use in the Classroom by Monica Burns on Edutopia‘s website. The article focuses on apps that teachers can use to make life easier. These apps aren’t educational apps to use directly with the students, but rather apps that teachers can use for classroom management. Monica introduces eight handy apps and explains the use for each one. Examples include a grading app, a timer, and an app to ensure each student has a turn an activity. Worth checking out!

RSCON4 Recordings – 7+ Sessions for YL Teachers to Watch

Posted by on Oct 17, 2013 3 Comments

If you didn’t hear about RSCON4, or if you were too busy to attend, don’t worry! All of the sessions were recorded. There are a few different ways to catch up on the sessions you missed. If you want to watch the full recording as if you were in the session (allows you to follow the chat), choose the Blackboard recording. Alternatively, you can listen to the session and view the presenter slides (MP4), or you can simply listen to the audio (MP3). Here are a few sessions that I think teachers of young learners may find particularly useful or interesting. These may even inspire you to do your own presentation at an upcoming e-conference!

If you’re thinking of blogging with your young learners…
Presenter: Dina Doboru @dinadobrou
Session: New Kids On The Blog (more…)

Teaching the Present Progressive

Posted by on Oct 15, 2013 0 Comments

The present progressive, also called the present continuous, is a very common verb tense in English. It is natural in speaking since a lot of conversations start with “What are you doing?” It’s also useful when talking about sports and actions. Since the Lesson of the Week this week is our coloring activity about Baseball, I thought it would be a good time to review this grammar tense. The method below is one I’ve often used with my students for presenting the present progressive. Next week, I’ll blog about comparing the simple present and the present progressive. Being able to use each one in the correct context is the ultimate test of your students’ understanding.

1. Form

BE + -ING Verb

Remind students that the BE verb must be conjugated according to the subject (I am, you are, he/she/it/third person singular count nouns/non-count nouns is, we are, you (pl.) are, they/third person plural count nouns are). (more…)

Draw and Describe: Monsters

Posted by on Oct 10, 2013 7 Comments

Young learners love to draw creatures such as monster or aliens. If you celebrate Halloween at your school, your classroom walls should be filling up with scary, creepy, and silly creatures by now. Here’s a fun activity to get your students into the Halloween spirit. It will also help your students practice listening, speaking, and giving instructions. You don’t have to tell your little monsters that they are also learning prepositions of place!

My Monster
1. Invite all of your students to draw a colorful monster or alien on a blank sheet of paper. They shouldn’t show any of their classmates. (Have them open up a big book around their drawing to make a little secret cave as they draw.) Tell your students they should use as much detail as possible. (See vocab list below.) If you have some spooky music, play it while the kids draw. The “Monster Mash” is a fun song to put on. If you want to speed up the drawing portion of this activity, tell students they have to put their crayons or markers down as soon as the music ends.

Your Monster (more…)

It’s Monstrous! 4 Themes & 20+ Activities Kids Will Love You Explored This Halloween

Posted by on Oct 09, 2013 2 Comments

“There is magic, but you have to be the magician. You have to make the magic happen.”             ~ Sidney Sheldon, Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Halloween is around the corner, so it’s a great time to engage kids with themes that explore the mysterious, dark, and terrifying. These are themes you probably haven’t broached yet. However, most of these themes offer a way to teach children English as well as science and math. The idea is to get students to experiment and explore. Find a list of these themes below, followed by activities and resources. The themes and activities listed below engage children and allow them to learn English hands-on. (more…)