English-speaking countries Have you ever wondered why you have to learn English at school? Did you know that the world speaks English? Do you know how many countries in the world have English as an official language? First, you need to know the origins and history of the English language. Visit the links on the left in the correct order to find out many interesting facts and figures about English, and try to answer these questions (you may want to copy the questions into your notebook or print them out to make your work easier): 1. After the hard work, have fun watching the four videos and discover how different English sounds in England, Australia, the USA and India.
Project-based learning, the USA and Authentic Video in the EFL classroom | El... The Globe Trekker/Pilot Guides video collection is a treasure trove for any English teacher. It encompasses extensive material from every corner of the world, and especially English-speaking countries are lavished with attention. Australia, Canada, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, England – you name it. Even individual cities are endowed with an approx. 50-minute complete video of its own, like London, New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New Orleans to name but a few. Covering the United States satisfactorily in the language classroom is a daunting project, especially if you want to give your students more than a superficial understanding of its history, geography, language and people. Most textbooks for EFL students fall short in this respect, and it’s understandable – time available is limited and there is so much more that needs to be covered. In addition to making this initial decision, there are quite a lot of follow-up issues to consider: The next step is more work-intensive.
Listen to English around the World. Click on any of the flags below to hear accents from some of the main English-speaking countries. Hear more English accents. One of the best ways of improving your English is to listen to radio news and discussion in English on your computer. Using the links below you can get instant access to English language radio news programmes wherever you are in the world, without a radio. Listen to the Bible in MP3 format Listen to film soundclips Syrian Journey: Choose your own escape route The Syrian conflict has torn the country apart, leaving thousands dead and driving millions to flee their homes. Many seek refuge in neighbouring countries but others pay traffickers to take them to Europe - risking death, capture and deportation. If you were fleeing Syria for Europe, what choices would you make for you and your family? The routes, options and outcomes in this Syrian Journey feature were based on real stories uncovered by extensive research as part of a BBC Arabic digital project exploring migration from Syria. Research by Mamdouh Akbiek, Eloise Dicker Illustrations by Gerry Fletcher. Get involved We would like to know what you would take with you if you were forced to flee your country. Use the hashtags #whatwouldyoutake and #Syrianjourney to post your choices, with images and/or video. See what Syrian migrants who made the journey took with them Survivors' stories Real stories from people who risked the journey from Syria. Media playback is unsupported on your device
Speaking In the wake of the Ferguson, Missouri, shooting of Michael Brown and the chaos that has ensued, many Americans are asking questions about race, the police, education, and power. While looking to find a good video that showed both sides of the story on the shooting, I found that there were really no great sources that sufficiently showed enough detail for both sides at the same time. Therefore, I looked to a fiction story that really helped to send a message about race that hits home no matter which side of the fence one may be sitting on with this issue. Please consider using this in your discussions for your ESL class. This discussion focuses on facts, inferences, and unreal conditionals. I believe that a video like this can help to open up interesting and helpful conversation where there are usually only inflamed rhetoric and emotional judgments. CAUTION: This video is quite emotional and may be difficult for some students to watch. #AmeriCAN Downloadable Worksheet Pre -Discussion:
How Many Countries in the World Now that is a question that's somewhat difficult to answer, as there is no one right answer. Many sources offer different answers, and depending on the source, there are 189, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195 or 196 independent countries in the world today. NOTE: On Saturday, July 9, 2011, southern Sudan declared itself the independent country of South Sudan. This is the culmination of a six-year process that ended a long, brutal civil war that caused the deaths of millions. In many ways this is still a controversial event, and the country's status could possibly change in the future. As of May 1, 2008, the United Nations has 192 official members (including Montenegro and Serbia - the two newest nations). Most of the current World Almanacs use 193 countries, which is probably the best answer, but what about Kosovo? A note regarding Greenland: It voted in favor of increased self-rule in November 2008 and acquired complete responsibility for internal affairs in June 2009. Sources: worldatlas.com
5 TED-Ed Lessons to use in your American History classroom Carla Staffa, Burnsville Senior High School American history teacher (and all-around rockstar), uses TED-Ed Lessons in her classroom to supplement her curriculum, start conversation and spark curiosity. We caught up with Carla to find out which lessons she uses the most and what she hopes her students take away from each one. 1.) The fight for the right to vote in the United States - Nicki Beaman Griffin “The fight for the acquisition of voting rights is one that has been fought by numerous groups, yet not all eligible voters take advantage of this right. 2.) “This lesson sets the stage of a meeting that transforms our country forever — an unlikey result for a meeting that originally intended to amend the Articles of Confederation. 3.) “In this lesson, students learn how the Kansas-Nebraska Act divided the country and contributed to the start of the American Civil War. 4.) 5.) “Minnesota is home to many American Indians – the Dakota being one of our larger tribes. Want more?
Teaching English Roar – Katy Perry – ESL lesson plan | Anna Edu The song “Roar” perfectly fits the topic of gender roles/stereotypes, feminism. Besides, it’s a great source of idioms, set expressions and phrasal verbs. That’s how I would use it in class. 1. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. in ESL lesson plans by Anna FASTEN SEAT BELTS 2 - Travel by Continent - Europe Fasten Seat Belts, a light hearted guide to avoid misunderstandings while travelling. An innovative way to learn languages and pick up cultural tips. Travel by Continent / Europe In the Netherlands, it is the custom on someone's birthday to... Gifts, Miscellaneous, Do's & Don'ts, Netherlands Grec AP Audio program, Greece Neerlandais AP Audio program, Netherlands In Greece, you may see people mock spitting, for luck: « ftou ftou ftou... Body Language, Do's & Don'ts, Greece Turc AP Audio program, Turkey In Spain, in tapas bars, you are expected to throw rubbish on the floor. Bar Culture, Table manners, Do's & Don'ts, Spain In the Netherlands and Germany, don't walk on bicycle paths ! Miscellaneous, Do's & Don'ts, Germany, Netherlands In Denmark, Norway and Sweden, wait for the host to propose a toast and... Bar Culture, Table manners, Visiting people, Do's & Don'ts, Denmark, Sweden Allemand AP Audio program, Germany Portugais AP Audio program, Portugal In the UK, stand on the right side of the escalator Travel
What is TEFL | Teaching English as a Foreign Language Teaching English as a Foreign Language, or TEFL, as it’s most commonly referred, involves teaching English as a foreign language in countries where English is not the primary language. It is important to understand that TEFL is different from TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), in that TEFL educators teach English abroad, while English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers educate non-native English Language Learners (ELLs) located within the U.S. However, TEFL educators may find that the acronym TESOL (or versions of it) are often used abroad to describe TEFL. Some estimates put the number of people speaking English in the world at more than 1 billion, which means that more people speak English as a second language than there are native English speakers in the world. Emerging markets all over the world now teach English as a second language, both to school-age children and adults. Where Do TEFL Educators Work? What Does TEFL Involve? TEFL Requirements Back to Top
IfItWereMyHome.com Canada A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. The land now occupied by Canada was first inhabited approximately 16,000 years ago by aboriginal peoples. The beginning of the 20th century saw Canada's early involvement in World War I due to British control of its foreign affairs. Today, Canada is characterized by its socially democratic programs such as universal health care, the Canda Pension Plan, and Canada Student Loans.