RSS Parrot

Twenty-Four Hours

https://esltokyo.wordpress.com/2022/11/10/twenty-four-hours/

Published: November 10, 2022 10:37

What is your dream job? … That’s the kind of question you can ask teenagers, but the reality is most of them don’t have one. A related, but more accessible question, is about how they spend the hours of their… Continue reading →

Graph Comprehension

https://esltokyo.wordpress.com/2022/01/15/graph-comprehension/

Published: January 15, 2022 11:46

Reading graphs and describing graphs are two fundamental academic English skills. Here are some slideshows that focus specifically on these two activities. Crime: Reading & Speaking. Education: Reading & Speaking. Honesty: Reading & Speaking. Japan:…

Free Writing

https://esltokyo.wordpress.com/2022/01/15/free-writing/

Published: January 15, 2022 11:08

Writing practice is important for language learning, and one easy way to do it is give students five minutes at the beginning of class several times a week to write as much as they can about a topic. This is… Continue reading →

TED Talks & Movies

https://esltokyo.wordpress.com/2021/12/11/ted-talks-movies/

Published: December 11, 2021 10:11

Videos and movies are a great addition to the ESL classroom, but finding the right ones takes serious thought. Can your students understand it? Would they even care? Is it too long? Is the English level suitable? Does it fit… Continue reading →

Video Journal

https://esltokyo.wordpress.com/2021/12/11/video-journal/

Published: December 11, 2021 09:29

The idea is simple. Students make a series of short videos that share pieces of their lives with their classmates. The format and length can be adjusted, as can the topics. When students are given complete freedom, they tend to… Continue reading →

Common Core Values

https://esltokyo.wordpress.com/2021/03/30/common-core-values/

Published: March 30, 2021 11:32

This is an activity on recognizing our own core values. I’ve done it with high school students and adults. It’s a good way to learn about people around us and ourselves. To begin with, give everyone a copy of the… Continue reading →

Oceans Game

https://esltokyo.wordpress.com/2021/03/30/oceans-game/

Published: March 30, 2021 10:58

This is a team-building game, but one of the key lessons is about cooperation and community. In a classroom, make a 4m x 4m using string or tape to show the boundaries. Move all desks and chairs to the side.… Continue reading →

Culture and Thought

https://esltokyo.wordpress.com/2021/03/30/culture-thought/

Published: March 30, 2021 10:07

At my high school we have a comparative culture course. Originally it was called Comparative Culture and then later the name was changed to Culture & Thought. Content has varied from year to year, and here are some of the… Continue reading →

Diversity and Discrimination

https://esltokyo.wordpress.com/2021/03/30/diversity-and-discrimination/

Published: March 30, 2021 10:02

It’s surprising how different people are, even if they’re from the same town and go to the same school. This is exciting, and it’s also not obvious, so take some time to help students learn about themselves and others when… Continue reading →

Why

https://esltokyo.wordpress.com/2021/02/04/why/

Published: February 4, 2021 01:22

Why do you do your job? More specifically, what are the motivating factors for this job, other than convenience, finance, and logistics? Many years ago the university president asked me, Where do you see your students going? The vice principal… Continue…