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Academic life

92 articles
Grammar lesson plan: 3 activities to teach the passive voice
5 min read 5 min

There are tons of uses for the passive voice. But rather than reading 30 pages on the matter or listen to a lecturer profess its values, students need...

Best practices and tips for effective pair work
3 min read 3 min

Working in pairs is one of the most-loved set ups in the language classroom. However, without  proper care and attention, these moments can crumble in...

An introduction to Total Physical Response (and four activities to try)
3 min read 3 min

Do you have beginners or young learners in your schedule? We bet you (and they!) will get a lot out of Total Physical Response. Not sure what that is?...

How (and why) to encourage failure in your classroom
5 min read 5 min

Some refuse to speak.Some prefer not to participate.Some turn red every time you mention their name.Some are perfectionists.Others stutter and struggl...

Here’s how to smash Monday morning blues
3 min read 3 min

Sunday night jitters in the last hours of the evening followed by a less than smiling start to the week. We’ve all had those days (usually Mondays) wh...

Ten must-know whiteboard games
5 min read 5 min

One of your biggest classroom allies is right in front of you: the whiteboard. With a healthy dose of teamwork, competition, and movement, these ten a...

Grammar lesson plan: Prepositions
4 min read 4 min

This may seem like an easy topic. But don’t let the title fool you. Prepositions are a complex part of speech, and a teacher should have an arsenal of...

More time management tips (from teachers who are rocking it!)
4 min read 4 min

Teaching: a constant balancing act between students’ needs, curricular requirements, greater institutional pressures, parents, career goals, and your ...

Help prepare your students to study abroad: 8 tips
4 min read 4 min

Preparing to study overseas is an exciting time for any student when expectations, questions, and nerves are at an all-time high. As their teacher, yo...

How to avoid hitting the end-of-semester wall: 10 tips
4 min read 4 min

The new year has faded into just “the” year, marking and planning has taken its toll, there’s always something new to organize or plan, and burnout ha...

Teaching in Chad was surprising. Here’s why (part 1)
5 min read 5 min

Teaching is a passion, they said,Teaching is a skill, they taught,But teaching must come from within and without,For it must shoot the head at the hea...

Our favorite tip to kick-start students’ reading skills
4 min read 4 min

Reading and writing are perhaps the most overlooked  skills when learning English, but are just as important as listening and speaking. Reading is ano...