I have recently been working to update my Reading List under the Classroom page. The updated reading list includes books I have come across for students with varied reading levels and mostly in their early to  mid teens. There are currently three levels listed; early language learners, intermediate language leaners and advanced to fluent language leaners.  The books listed have come from those I have built into class libraries, come across because of popular reviews, or are just some of my personal favourites. I've aimed to make the list a collection of popular books, apposed to a lengthy list of random selections.  Please feel free to post other titles here or email suggestions you think might be good to add to the list.

*Coming soon I will share some Graphic Novel/Story titles.

Have you ever wonder how to correctly pronounce a foreign name or had your students tell you that you said something wrong? I have!

Teaching ESL, and especially in China, I have often come across names, locations and non-translated words I have no idea how to say aloud.  Recently while making podcast recordings for my class I came across a handy site called howjsay.com.

Just read the short directions on the homepage and you are set to go.  When I first used the site I typed in the name of an ancient Chinese explorer and found the site useful for being able to hear how the name should sound.  Fingers crossed my students think I said it correctly!

This past summer I took course work on ESL instruction.  In the course we discussed the difference between deductive and inductive instruction methods.  Deductive refers to a more teacher-centered approach to instruction, where inductive instruction is a more student-centered approach.  For a clearer understanding of these methods visit Dr. Bilash’s page titled Inductive and Deductive Instruction on the University of Alberta’s website.  Dr. Bilash has written a very nice description of the two methods along with a clear explanation of “noticing” as if connects with inductive instruction.

Although I do believe there are times for both deductive and inductive instruction, I do fall more often into an inductive and very student-centered approach to my teaching, and especially for grammar instruction.  The lesson I have attached below is an example of an inductive approach to grammar instruction.  I thought the lesson was a fun activity and wanted to share it here for others to use.  I created this lesson with my middle school Chinese students in mind.  I used an inductive approach where I have students ‘notice’ the grammar for the simple past tense and then do activities using the grammar point. I chose the inductive approach because, although I like this approach for teaching new grammar concepts, I would likely use this lesson as a review to a grammar point and want students practicing the rule.  I also like the inductive approach because is has students discover, or ‘notice’ what the grammar point is through the learning process.