In this article the author tells the story of her experiences with a high school U.S. literature class composed of English language learners (ELLs). The students were from a variety of nations and cultures, spoke several different languages, and had a wide range of English proficiency levels. During their time together, the author and students…

Since the author began work in reflective practice, at first informally in the late 1970s and then more formally in the mid-1980s, he has always looked at reflective practice as a compass of sorts to guide teachers when they may be seeking direction as to what they are doing in their classrooms. The metaphor of reflection as a compass enables…

Learning a foreign language is like exploring a foreign land; one will be directionless and may be lost in the exploration as one makes efforts to learn foreign language. It is not easy to learn or teach foreign language. However, an appropriate teaching approach or technique can facilitate learning of foreign language, and, thus, it can be taught…

Discusses how to provide effective instruction for an increasingly diverse student population. Suggests teachers must consider the distinct differences among English language learners' academic backgrounds and academic language proficiencies. (Author/VWL)

Describes a project that a middle school ESOL teacher and a university professor designed to challenge middle school ESOL students--immigrants from Bosnia and Mexico--to enhance their academic literacy through social interaction by sharing their own expertise as ESOL learners with a group of future ESOL teachers enrolled in a TESL literacy methods…

Focuses on individual reading practices both inside and outside the classroom. Aimed to reflect trends in the field of new literacy studies that draw on ethnographic accounts of the literacy practices of different groups. Investigated student perceptions of learning experiences in adult migrant English program classrooms. (Author/VWL)

Suggests that constructing lessons and materials that are rich in students' known literacies helps teachers provide students with a powerful support for learning a new literacy--second language writing. (Author/VWL)

Describes how the University of the Free State (South Africa) remedied educational disparities created by the apartheid system, through an academic bridge program that helps scholastically disadvantaged students succeed at tertiary institutions. (Author/VWL)

Using a cooperative and situated learning approach, two vocational English-as-a-Second-Language instructors created a linguistic community of practice among nonnative speaking immigrant restaurant employees and their native speaking coworkers. (Author/VWL)

Three tips for the classroom include the use of literature circles, integrating reading and writing through literature response; and teaching critical challenges via dramatic arts. (Author/VWL)

The tips discussed here center around favor asking and English as a Second Language, a collaborative writing activity, e-mail assignments nd online correction, and facilitating full-time employment in TESOL (Author/VWL)

Suggests that debate not only offers teachers a way to integrate language, content, and critical thinking instruction but also prepares English-as-a-Second-Language learners with the types of communication skills they will need in academic and work environments. (Author/VWL)

Explains how a key academic support service--the university writing center, can assist Generation 1.5 students (long-term U.S. residents and English language learners fluent in spoken English) as they develop their writing skills. (Author/VWL)

Offers a technique for helping English-as-a-Second-Language students to remember to speak English during group work. (Author/VWL)

Provides a lesson plan for teaching phrasal verbs to English-as-a-Second-Language students that involves authentic texts in English and is most suitable for intermediate and advanced learning levels. Magazine and newspaper articles on topics relevant to a given class will provide interesting reading material containing up-to-date language.…