Category Archives: Usingenglish

New TEFL articles September 2010

Posted on 01/10/2010 by alexcase

I’ve linked to some of these already, but thought I may as well put the month’s supply together Video tasks for specific language points How to teach phonics with simple picture flashcards Classroom language for teaching pronunciation Pronunciation changes in … Continue reading →

Posted in Cambridge Delta, Conditionals, English as an International Language/ Lingua Franca, Future tenses, Linguistics, applied linguistics and SLA, Pronunciation, Teaching English in Japan, TEFL, Usingenglish, video | Leave a comment

When needs analysis goes wrong

Posted on 21/02/2010 by alexcase

I don’t mean when they find nothing to say about their needs (I’ve got it set up so that it’s useful as a language task even when it is not as a needs analysis). What I’m talking about here is … Continue reading →

Posted in Business English and ESP, Learner motivation, Needs analysis, Onestopenglish, TEFL, Usingenglish | 5 Comments

When student-centred goes too far

Posted on 15/08/2009 by alexcase

“When I´ve set a class an activity, and they are working away happily, I am usually too caffeined-up to sit down, I begin to pace as much as the confines of the class allow – no one seems to mind. … Continue reading →

Posted in links, Special Brew Man, Teaching English in Asia, TEFL, TEFL blogs, Usingenglish | 6 Comments

New TEFL articles Feb 09

Posted on 11/02/2009 by alexcase

Feel like I should actually write something on my own blog between all these guest pieces, but am still trying to put stuff back where it was after my mother in law rearranged the flat. Instead, here is the usual … Continue reading →

Posted in Classroom management, CPD, Grammar, Grammar games, links, Listening, Passives, Pronunciation, pronunciation games, sentence stress, Staging, Starting lessons, Teacher training, Teaching young learners, TEFL, TEFL games, TEFL workshops, Using a whiteboard, Usingenglish | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The best end of term revision games

Posted on 10/12/2008 by alexcase

One way of finishing the term is with Xmas-themed stuff (see the post below). Another good one is lots of fun revision games. As I’ve spent a few years teaching students who want to do every page in the book … Continue reading →

Posted in Business English and ESP, Business English games, Collocations, ELT publishing, English for study abroad, Functional language, Grammar, links, Materials, Personalisation, Photocopiable worksheets, Revision games, Speaking, Speaking games, Taboo, Teaching teenagers, TEFL, TEFL games, Usingenglish, Vocabulary, Vocabulary games | 2 Comments

The greatest TEFL soap opera?

Posted on 02/10/2008 by alexcase

Candidate number one Involves me, and Paul Lowe’s threats to sue me for never mentioning him on my blog (!?) or something, still can’t quite work it out. “Bizarro!” as TESall.com put it. I thought, what the hell if I’m going … Continue reading →

Posted in Bruce Veldhuisen, Dodgy TEFL courses, Dodgy TEFL school owners, ELT World, Grammar games, IATQUO, links, Teacher forums, Teaching English in Thailand, TEFL blogs, TEFL celebs/ TEFL heroes and villains, TEFL certificate, TEFL heroes- Sandy McManus, TEFL in the UK, TEFL International, TEFL qualifications, TEFL scams, TEFL School Reviews, TEFL villains- Paul Lowe, TEFLtrade, TEFLwatch, Usingenglish, Windsor TEFL | Tagged | 8 Comments

Do you want the temporary buzz of moving on and/ or up too?

Posted on 21/09/2008 by alexcase

Doesn’t last of course, especially the initial thrill of being in the chaos of a third world city or in the chaos left for you by the last person who had that DoS job, but if having some kind of … Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming a Director of Studies, becoming a teacher trainer, Business English and ESP, CPD, EFL exams, ELT management, ELT publishing, finding good TEFL jobs, getting into ELT publishing, Lesson observations, links, Materials, Peer observations, Teacher training, Teaching English in Asia, TEFL, TEFL career planning, TEFL CV/ TESOL resume, TEFL qualifications, TEFL reviews, TEFL working conditions, TEFL workshops, TESOL, Usingenglish | Tagged | 2 Comments

IELTS, TOEIC, TOEFL, FCE, CAE and CPE worksheets, articles and tips

Posted on 09/09/2008 by alexcase

Have done a bit more tedious reorganisation so that you don’t need to do so much tedious searching, and you can now find all the links to my stuff on said topics elsewhere on the internet as well as my … Continue reading →

Posted in CAE, Cambridge First Certificate, Cambridge Proficiency, EFL exams, English for Academic Purposes, ETS, IELTS, IELTS Academic Reading, IELTS Speaking, links, Listening, Materials, Photocopiable worksheets, Reading, Speaking, TEFL, TOEFL, TOEIC, Usingenglish, Vocabulary | Leave a comment

New articles, worksheets and reviews June 2008

Posted on 01/07/2008 by alexcase

All that TEFL International stuff below is not only depressing, I’m starting to think it is actually quite pointless. For example, if we compare the number of teachers who have paid money to TEFL International, let alone the number of people … Continue reading →

Posted in Business English and ESP, Classroom management, Discipline in the classroom, links, Materials, Photocopiable worksheets, pre-school/ kindergarten/ very young learners, Present tenses, Problem students, Teaching large classes, Teaching young learners, TEFL, TEFL games, Using songs with kids, Usingenglish | Leave a comment

The Alternative ELT Jargon Dictionary Part 7

Posted on 06/06/2008 by alexcase

Community Language Learning– The theory that students getting together at break time to bitch about British food and their teacher is the best way of drawing them together and increasing their motivation to learn DoS– Director of Studies. Often confused … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative teaching techniques, Community language learning, CPD, links, Pairwork and groupwork, Peer observations, Suggestopedia, The Silent Way, Usingenglish | Tagged , | Leave a comment