National Geographic "Listen & Read" Resources
TeachersListeningReadingTeacher Cafe...National Geographic has several simple non-fiction "Listen & Read" stories, great for language learners to use in class or at home.
Spelling Takes Work With New Words
TeachersTeacher CafeWritingEducation...Do you ever wonder how many times students should copy new words? Here are two articles that dive into the issue. The articles provide suggestions and strategies for learning to spell new words.
Set Expiration Dates For Access to Google Drive, Docs, Sheets and Slides
TeachersTeacher CafeTechnologyEducationOwners can now set expiration dates on Google Docs, Slides and Sheets. Temporary access to any online material can be set and monitored by the owner. A teacher can now set a date for students to make a copy of an assignment and any access after a deadline, it will be denied.
20 Collaborative Learning Tips And Strategies For Teachers
TeachersTeacher CafeEducationThe idea of collaborative learning has a lot to do with Vygotsky's idea of the "zone of proximal development". It considers what a students can do if aided by peers and adults. By considering this model for learning, we might consider collaboration to increase students' awareness of other concepts. Here are some ways to include best practices for collaborative learning in the classroom.
Best Resources For Creating Infographics
TeachersDesignTeacher CafeEducationInfographics are visual representations of data designed to help communicate information clearly. They are great for English Language Learners, and the rest of us, too! To see examples of some of the best ones visit the linked sources.
Jellybean Scoop- Free Daily Readings
TeachersListeningTeacher CafeEducation...Jellybean Scoop provides material for different levels of accessibility. Each article provides audio and more importantly, they also provide interactive exercises for each article. It is also possible to have a class account and registration is easy to do.
Earth Day Activities
TeachersEnvironmentTeacher CafeEducationEarth Day is April 22 and it serves as an important reminder of how each one of us needs to do our part to care for the planet. Technology is a fantastic way to get students to travel around the world and view ecological devastation or get students to research changing climate over time. With Apps and web tools, students can learn and share their ideas on social media.
Smartphone Apps For Teachers
TeachersTeacher CafeTechnologyEducationA seemingly endless collection of smartphone apps that teachers can put to work in the classroom and beyond, creating a powerhouse of school mobile tools. Read on to discover over 50 of the best smartphone apps for teachers.
The Scramblinator- The Easy Way to Scramble Sentences
TeachersTeacher CafeTechnologyEducation...All you need to do is enter the sentences you want to scramble, each on its own line within the box. There are even a few other options to try out as well. A perfect tool for creating your own quiz.
Keeping Your Cool- 10 Ways to Avoid Anger in the ESL Classroom
TeachersMental HealthTeacher CafeEducationMany of us bring our tendency to become angry and even lose our tempers into our professional environment under certain circumstances. Here are some thoughts on how to keep frustrations and tempers under control during those irritating times in the ESL classroom.
Why Students Don't Do Their Homework -And What You Can Do About It
TeachersTeacher CafeEducationMental HealthTeachers hear a lot of stuff when students don't do their homework. What we don't hear, is the research on how to excuse-proof our classrooms for homework. It seems we are in the dark about engaging students in the homework process. Here are 6 research-backed reasons for why students resist homework- plus tips to help overcome them.
Engaging The Invisible Student
TeachersTeacher CafeEducationMental Health...There are a number of factors that might make a student fly under the radar. It's important that the teacher uses classroom management techniques to get to know this student, learn what makes them tick, and understands where they are coming from. It is also important that the teacher not try to change who their student is.
5 Ways to Help Your Students Become Better Questioners
TeachersTeacher CafeEducationCreativityWorking within an answer-based education system, and with cultures where questioning may be considered a sign of weakness, teachers must go out of their way to create conditions conducive to inquiry. Here are some suggestions on how to encourage more questioning in the classroom and hopefully beyond it.
Why Should Students Collaborate?
TeachersTeacher CafeEducationThe word 'collaborate' is derived from the Latin - to labour together. It means 'to co-operate; esp. in literary, artistic, or scientific work' (Onions, 1973). A collaborator is one who works in conjunction with another or others. Students, when collaborating, are actively engaged in discussing their individual and collective work.
Resources for Responding to Trauma and Tragedy
TeachersMental HealthTeacher CafeEducationReview approaches to support student who have experienced trauma, learn how to help grieving students, and find guidance on coping with violence and disaster.
The Best Websites For Creating Online Learning Games
TeachersGamingTeacher CafeEducation...Games are a great way for language learners to develop their English. Here are a few different websites for creating games to review content that was covered in class.
Syrian Refugee Integration Initiative: Meet Mohammed
TeachersCultureTeacher CafeEducationLanguages Canada presents the story of Mohammed, and his integration to Canada as a refugee. Learn more about the Languages Canada Syrian Refugee Integration Initiative.
How to Use Social Media to Strengthen Student Writing
TeachersTeacher CafeWritingEducation...The more we write, the better we become as writers. Social media can be a tool where students are encouraged to use their creativity combined with personal expression to improve and strengthen their writing. Blogging, Twitter and Instagram are a few outlets which can be used to strengthen student writing.
ESL Multilevel Activities
TeachersTeacher CafeEducationLanguageAll ESL classes have multilevel students to a degree. Obviously, this can be a planning nightmare and a lot of extra work for teachers. The good news is that even extreme differences in language levels can be successfully managed so that students progress.
The Power of Music
TeachersMusicTeacher CafeEducationWhen students make a major breakthrough in learning, it is music to the teacher's ears. There is nothing more rewarding for a teacher, than seeing their students smile and laugh while they learn. Using music in the classroom is a great way for teachers to achieve success with L2 learners.
7 Baffling Phenomena of the Teaching World
TeachersTeacher CafeEducationHumorMany things about teaching are unexplainable. Who started the trend of wearing rubber bands bracelets? How do senior students fit inside of cabinets? Here are seven more phenomena that continue to mystify teachers every year.