Verbs 1. Present Plain Verbs (Aff, Neg) V, V+nai 2. Past Plain Verbs (Aff, Neg) V+ta, V+nakatta 3. Present Polite Verbs (Aff, Neg) V+masu, V+masen 4. Past Polite Verbs (Aff, Neg) V+mashita, V+masen deshita 5. TE form 6. Verb + te kudasai 7. Verb + nai de kudasai 8. Verb...
Continue reading...Languages
Linguistics Game for ESL Classes
Here is an idea for an activity for an ESL class. Give this list to students and ask them to fill in the missing parts. Chickasaw English Ofi’at kowi’a lhiyohli. The dog chases the cat. Kowi’at ofi’a lhiyohli. The cat chases the dog. Ofi’at shoha. The dog stinks. Ihooat hattaka...
Continue reading...Translation Activity for Japanese Students of English
Here is an idea for an activity that can be done in an ESL class for Japanese students. (Of course, the teacher will have to understand Japanese in order to do the lesson.) Get students to translate these sentences into English. They are taken from a book about common mistakes...
Continue reading...The Swot's Corner
http://www.yaelf.com/swot.shtml Interesting facts about the English language.
Continue reading...MooT
http://www.mootgame.com This is a trivia game based entirely on the origins of words in the English language. The inventor of the game also has a mailing list where he sends quizzes out on a regular basis.
Continue reading...Word Lists for Storytelling
When you are reading English stories to ESL children, sometimes it helps to review the words that you are going to cover ahead of time. Print out these word lists and cut them up to be used as flash cards or parts of a game. Day Becomes Night by Richard...
Continue reading...Canada Quiz for Nursery School Kids in Japan
If you print out the file that is linked below, you can use this activity to introduce Canada. (This activity was for children in Japan.) Which one is Canada’s flag? Which one is a map of Canada? Which one is Canada’s most popular sport? Which one shows what Canada looks...
Continue reading...Hyakunin Isshu: Teaching Foreign Students about Japanese Culture
The one hundred poems collected in the Hyakunin Isshu are an important cultural treasure in Japan, both for the beauty of the Heian era poems themselves, and also for the creative interpretations shown in the Edo period artwork that is now almost synonymous with the poems. However, while they can...
Continue reading...Warm Up Activities for ESL Classes
Here are some ideas of warm up activities for ESL classes. Intensive Speaking and Listening Ask the students a series of questions based on a topic, and then get all students to listen to the answers. When all students have answered the questions, quiz the students on their comprehension and...
Continue reading...English Songs for Kids
Here are some songs that I learned when I was a kid. Thought I might share them with you… You can also download a pdf file of all of these songs. Pretty Songs Edelweiss Edelweiss, edelweiss Every morning you greet me Small and white, clean and bright You look happy...
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