TESOL Connections Mobile - April 2014: Poetry Special Issue

Honoring Ourselves, Creating Community Through Poetry

Learn how to use poetry to honor students’ native languages and cultural heritage, as well as to bridge worlds and create a sense of community.

Celebrate Poetry Through Science Content: 3 Easy Lessons

by Carol I. Bearse

These easy lessons integrate science and the arts to help teach rich vocabulary, close reading, and analytical skills.

Lyrical Poetry: A Lesson in Creative Writing

by Aiden Yeh

This lesson plan teaches your ELs to use symbols and prepositions, and to build rhythm and beat when composing their own lyric poems.

Grammatically Speaking

by T. Leo Schmitt

In the April Grammatically Speaking column, grammar expert T. Leo Schmitt discusses a sometimes confusing subtlety of time in the English language: the use of "until now" and "so far," and when it is acceptable to use each clause. Teaching tips are included to help you in class, and language notes are included for your reference.

Quick Tip: 3 Ideas for Using Rhymes in an English Class

by Elena Shvidko

Use simple rhymes to practice pronunciation, invigorate grammar, and foster group work and interaction. These three easy activities are interactive, lively, and enjoyable for beginning to low-intermediate ESL or EFL students. Example poems provided.

Call for Participation: Call for Participation for 2015 TESOL International Convention & English Language Expo, 26–28 March, Toronto, Canada.

2013 TESOL Annual Report: Read about TESOL's successful year and financial results, and take a "mini tour" of the art in the TESOL offices.

TESOL Advocacy & Policy Summit: 22–24 June 2014. Register now!

TESOL Is on Instagram: Start following us today!

Accreditation Initiative: TESOL Board of Directors authorizes year-long short-term certificate program accreditation initiative.

TESOL Governance Review: Governance Review Task Force releases report on findings and conclusions.

Upcoming TESOL Professional Development: Register today!:

Separating Difference From Disability: Online course, 21 April–18 May. Space is limited. Register today!
TESOL Training of Trainers: Revitalize your professional development program with this online course! 16 April–27 May.
TESOL Core Certificate Program: Applications for the June 2014 TCCP are due 27 April. Apply today!
ESL for the Secondary Mathematics Teacher: Online course, 2 June–29 July 2014.
TESOL Academy: The Ohio State University, 20–21 June 2014.

10 Great Sites for Using Poetry in the ESL Classroom: Use these great resources to help teach poetry to your English learners.

TESOL 2014 Free Recorded Sessions: View two keynote speaker sessions, free!:

Opening Keynote, Surin Pitsuwan: "English as A Powerful Instrument of Community Building in East Asia"
James E. Alatis Plenary Session, David Graddol: "Five Megatrends Shaping the Future of TESOL"

Learning English With William Shakespeare: An interactive classroom activity for adult ELs, in honor of U.S. Poetry Month, by TESOL blogger Alexandra Lowe.

Focus on Common Core: The history of the Common Core State Standards.

Teaching Across the Board: Developing a whole-school approach to EL academic achievement.

The Many Origins of the English Language: Use this interactive resource to see how words borrowed from different languages have influenced English throughout its history.

Literacy Study: Study finds ELLs' literacy improved under popular instructional model.

Report: San Francisco's bilingual programs as effective as English only.

Assistant/Associate Visiting Professor of TESOL, Alliant International University, San Diego, California USA

Master Teacher/Language Center Director, American Cultural Association, Kenitra, Morocco

IEP Faculty (Full Time), Spring Int'l Language Center, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas USA

English/Language Arts (ELA) Content Specialist, WestEd, San Francisco, California USA

Want to post your open positions to Job Link? Click here.

To browse all of TESOL's job postings, check out the TESOL Career Center.

Celebrate
U.S. National Poetry Month

Incorporate poetry
into your ESL/EFL classroom!