This is the time of the year which would be most appropriate for a number of self-esteem and peer-esteem activities, as your learners have got to know each other quite well and should feel comfortable with each other, especially if they are to discuss some personal traits, strengths, talents, etc.

The following activity, "In Your Hands", is very successful and motivating. We have borrowed the title from Jane Revell and Susan Morgan's beautiful book, In Your Hands: NLP in ELT, Saffire Press, 1997. 

ANSWER:   A reasonable amount of regular homework, which mainly consists of  written reinforcement of what has been practised orally in class,  is essential to language learning.  It is good practice to remind learners of all ages that, in order to get the most out of their entire language learning experience, they need to spend twice as much of their time working on English outside of class as they do in class.  For example,  if   language learners are committed to meeting with a teacher three times per week, i.e.

ANSWER:  Try this in-class collaborative writing activity.  It takes very little class time to do and can result in an interesting Report Back discussion on register and appropriacy, on which our exam candidates are assessed. 

Title of Activity:  Phrasal Verb and Latin Equivalent Dialogue Writing

Answer:  The pair work speaking activity, DRAW 'N' SHARE,  works beautifully to give learners a chance for introspection and high-order thinking skills.  In addition, learners can interact and get to know each other better.

Title:  Draw 'n' Share pair work speaking activity 

Level: All levels from B1

Age:  12+

WHAT is a Learning Diary? To begin discussing this question, we will define a Foreign Language Learning Diary as a journal, record or diary of what one has listened to, viewed, read, discussed or written in the target language.  The diary is a personal document but can be shared with the learner’s instructor and/or fellow classmates.

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ANSWER: The activity we have to suggest, appropriate for B1+ learners, begins with in-class dictionary work.  To conduct the group activity titled Moving With Meaning:  A Kinesthetic Way To Teach Adjectives,  you will need to have either an English-English Dictionary on hand or access to an online dictionary for each group of learners.   Also, you will need to select sets of 3 to 5 synonyms; select one set for each group of learners and an additional set to use as an example.

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QUESTION:  As language teachers, the ‘authority’ in class, we have many opportunities to give feedback to our learners.  My question is “How can we encourage our learners to give us feedback on how much they value what we ask them to do and how they feel when interacting in class?”  

ANSWER:  Personal Connectors is an in-class writing activity designed to provide learners with a number of compound and complex sentences, which they can refer to when they practice essay writing in class or at home. Connectors, which are difficult for many learners to use and learn, need to be associated with the individual learner's real experiences to make sense to them and to be remembered.