Reference

I have developed the following reference materials for my ESL classes.  I try to come up with activities in my classes that involve meaningful communication and topics the students find interesting.

1000 Wonders of the World

The handout is quite long and I generally resuse long handouts.  I break the students into groups and ask them to make a list of wonders that they have been to or want to go to.  We also discuss the wonders that are in their own country.  A more advanced activity would be to have the students create their own wonder of the world for their country.  The students can draw their wonder on the board or on poster paper supplied by the instructor.  The wonder is then presented to the class.

http://foxhugh.wordpress.com/list-of-lists/list-1000-wonders-of-the-world/

Adjectives 

A standard TOIEC type list that can be emailed to students who want such a list.

http://foxhugh.wordpress.com/list-of-lists/list-of-adjectives

Astrology – Chinese

The teacher goes over Chinese astrology and then asks the students what their sign is and if they are like their sign or not.   I found that most Taiwanese students did know their Chinese sign but knew very little about Chinese elements but found this information very interesting.  

http://foxhugh.wordpress.com/list-of-lists/astrology-chinese/

Astrology – Western

I did this activity in Taiwan and in Korea.  Taiwanese students know their Chinese sign but not their Western sign.  The Koreans knew their Western sign but not necessarily their Chinese sign.  The two systems of astrology can be compared and the student can be asked which system if any fits their actual personality.  Chinese elements can also be compared and contrasted with Western elements. 

http://foxhugh.wordpress.com/list-of-lists/astrology-western/

Buddhist Terminology – Trilingual

I came up with this handout for out reach presentations about Buddhism for my Japanese Buddhist temple in the US.  The handout is geared towards a more academic audience.

http://foxhugh.wordpress.com/list-of-lists/buddhist-terminology-trilingual/

Chinese Sayings

What can I say?  I just love Chinese sayings!  I created this document for my own edification.

http://foxhugh.wordpress.com/list-of-lists/chinese-sayings/

Fortune Telling with Playing Cards

You can tell fortunes with normal playing cards.  I have the students break into groups and let them tell eachother their fortunes but they must do the activity in English or at least a lot of English.  This is a very motivational activity and the students will break out their electronic dictionaries and look up words in the handout without being told to do so!  This is another resusable handout.

http://foxhugh.wordpress.com/list-of-lists/fortune-telling-with-playing-cards/

Harry Potter Spells

I have been teaching in East Asia for ten years and the students in East Asia are suffering from Harry Potter mania.  If there is one novel in English an East Asian student has read then that novel is about Harry Potter.  If the student has not read the novels then they have seen the films.  The student pick their favorite three spells and explain their pick to the class.  The student can then invent a spell of their own.

http://foxhugh.wordpress.com/list-of-lists/list-of-harry-potter-spells/

How will the world end?

A topic that generates a lot of student discussion at the college level.  This is one topic where “your rebels without a cause” students might find interesting.  I personally think the world will end in a whimper not in a bang and probably the human race will die out because of a combination of ecosystem collapse and war.   Interestingly only one or two students will argue that the world will not end and that the future is bright.  I hope this minority is correct but I do not think so.  The list is aimed at college ESL students in East Asia and I would use a shorter and simpler list for secondary students.  If a student does not understand a particular scenario then make reference to a movie.  For example, most students will not understand the term “biotech disaster” but will be familiar with the movie Resident Evil which is based on that premise.  If you have a computer in the class then just show a picture from the movie since the students might not know the title in English.

http://foxhugh.wordpress.com/list-of-lists/how-will-the-world-end-list/

Idioms

A standard TOIEC type list that can be emailed to students who want such a list.

http://foxhugh.wordpress.com/list-of-lists/list-of-idioms

Movie Genres

The movie genre list is for more advanced students that are interested in Western culture.  I go ahead and explain the genres and also mention my favorite films in each genre.  A more advanced and motivated class will have students who actually want you to recommend films they can watch and this is a good way to do this.  I then ask  students what their favorite genre is and why.

http://foxhugh.wordpress.com/list-of-lists/list-of-movie-genres

Native American Totems

 I start the class with a discussion about Native American culture and the role of minorities in a multiculral nation like the US.  Each student then picks a totem that best represents them.  Last but not least the student comes up with a Native American name for their neighbor that consists of a totem and an adjective.  For example my Native American name could be “fat fox” since I have a bit of a beer belly.  I also mention Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse as actual historical examples of this type of name system.

http://foxhugh.wordpress.com/list-of-lists/list-of-native-american-totems

 

Prefixes

A standard TOIEC type list that can be emailed to students who want such a list.

http://foxhugh.wordpress.com/list-of-lists/list-of-prefixes/

Science Fiction Dictionary

 I generally just email this list to the occasional science fiction nerd who is doing a lot of reading in this area in English but is having a hard time with the vocabulary.

 http://foxhugh.wordpress.com/list-of-lists/science-fiction-dictionary/

Slang

There are any number of activities you can do with this list but I generally have students create a dialogue using slang that they do in front of the class with a partner.

http://foxhugh.wordpress.com/list-of-lists/list-of-slang/

 

Suffixes

A standard TOIEC type list that can be emailed to students who want such a list.

http://foxhugh.wordpress.com/list-of-lists/list-of-suffixes/

 

Superheroes

http://foxhugh.wordpress.com/list-of-lists/list-of-superheroes

 

 

Superpowers

I have the student pick their favorite superpower and explain their choice to the class.  I sometimes follow this activity up with a discussion of Japanese versus US superheroes and have the students create US style superhero in groups.  You have to know something about superheroes to do the follow up activity.

http://foxhugh.wordpress.com/list-of-lists/list-of-superpowers/