TED Talk: The joy of lexicography
TeachersReadingTeacher CafeEducation...Is the beloved paper dictionary doomed to extinction? In this infectiously exuberant talk, leading lexicographer Erin McKean looks at the many ways today's print dictionary is poised for transformation. An oldie but a goodie from TED.
Read Theory
TeachersReadingTeacher CafeEducationRead Theory is a website offering free online reading exercises to students of all levels, from beginner to GRE, focusing on comprehension and critical thinking. The program encourages students to continue reading and moving up levels with badges and contests. It also allows teachers to sign up an entire class at once and track students' progress and activity on the site.
Storybird
TeachersReadingTeacher CafeEducation...Storybird is a website that allows students to make and read short stories accompanied by beautiful illustrations. The site is easy to use and the great artwork stimulates students' creativity and story-telling skills. Completed stories are easy to share with peers and other classes on any device.
Vocabulary
TeachersReadingTeacher CafeEducation...A vocabulary learning platform with images, games and activities for all types of classrooms. A resources for teachers and students to practice vocabulary.
Word Bucket
TeachersReadingTeacher CafeEducation...Word Bucket is a personal English dictionary, notebook and vocabulary learning game. Students can save all new words to their personal Bucket and learn them through tests and games.
"Vape" Word of the year 2014
TeachersReadingTeacher CafeLanguage...Last year it was "selfie" and in 2012 it was "GIF". Oxford University Press have chosen "vape" as this years winner. The word, which the dictionaries's blog defines as both a verb and a noun for the whole category of popular tobacco atomizing devices.
14 Weird Words That Literally Contradict themselves
TeachersReadingTeacher CafeLanguage...Contronyms are words which have two more or less opposite meanings. The word is a contronym; it can mean hit, as in hitting someone, or it can mean miss, as used in baseball.
Literacy Through Photography for English-Language Learners
TeachersPhotographyReadingTeacher Cafe...Paulo Freier encouraged a broader definition of literacy to include the ability to understand both "the word and the world". Literacy includes reading, writing, listening, speaking and analyzing a wide range of texts that include both print and non-print texts.
How to Use the Google Newspaper Archive
TeachersHistoryReadingTeacher Cafe...A short YouTube video about the basics of using Google Newspaper Archive for classroom use. Search for local and regional content for your students, classes and lessons.
8 Ways to Get Reluctant Readers to Read
TeachersReadingTeacher CafeEducationReading is known to have obvious benefits, such as improving vocabulary and increasing the breadth of knowledge that one has. But recent studies have shown other benefits of reading.
Once Upon a Device- Reading Activities
TeachersReadingTeacher CafeEducation...Often, teachers have to use material that is older than the students, written in archaic language, and that take place in countries and imaginary worlds our learners have no experience with. Activities should help learners visualize and experience these worlds and have a better understanding of the mindset of the characters. Many apps inspire creativity and provide multimedia rich experiences and story creation.
Timeline Creations: Sutori
TeachersCreativityReadingTeacher Cafe...Create and explore with your students today. Sutori is a website that allows users to create timelines in visual ways. Teachers can post content, ask questions and elaborate on answers.
Mr. Glue Stories- An Interactive and Recordable Story App
TeachersReadingTeacher CafeMr. Glue Stories is an entertaining new story app that allows you to create one-of-a-kind adventures, which can be personalized to include names, artwork and voice. When it is finished, the masterpiece can be saved and then shared with teachers, family and friends.
What Does the Next- Generation School Library Look Like?
TeachersFutureReadingTeacher CafeWhat do libraries need to be doing to bring people back through their doors? With so many alternative ways to find information, libraries are now adapting and adding non-traditional elements to expand their offerings.
6 Fetching News Article Resources for ESL Students Online
TeachersReadingTeacher CafeAre your students are taking interest in those popular stories popping up on their social media feeds? If so, give them the knowledge the yearn for with this collection of student focused news resources.
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.
13 Strategies to Improve Student Classroom Discussions
TeachersReadingTeacher CafeEducation...As teachers know well, finding and using textual evidence is challenging for students- choosing a solid piece of evidence or creating a clear interpretation can be overwhelming. These 13 teacher and expert-tested strategies will strengthen your students' ability to find and use evidence from any text.
Teaching Students the Skills of Expert Readers
TeachersReadingTeacher CafeEducationThe most effective way for students to learn reading strategies is through explicit and direct instruction. It is important for teachers that model these strategies to the class to give students a clear understanding of they were given the task and to complete it properly.
Digital Literature Circles
TeachersReadingTeacher CafeEducation...Digital Literature Circles Help Readers Create, Compose and Connect: highlights how to integrate technology into lessons to enhance discussion and reading not only in the class but beyond the school day as well.
Online Resources For Students Not Literate In Their Home Language
TeachersReadingTeacher CafeEducation...Students not literate in their home language can have challenges, including the fact that most online resources require some degree of literacy. Here are a few online resources that can be helpful.
Using Emojis to Teach Critical Reading Skills
TeachersReadingTeacher CafeTechnology...Internet- inspired trends may not seem important, but the way students seamlessly navigate emoji usage is similar to critical reading skills practiced in class. Emojis offer an engaging opportunity to transfer digital skills to a written context.