Federico Riva

The teaching of Business English has a number of differences from teaching regular classes in a school. The student groupings are often mixed and they will be learning English for a whole variety of reasons. In this blog we look at some of the do’s and don’ts of teaching BE.

Games can be very useful in all stages of a lesson if used correctly. As most games are not invented for use as EFL activities they will need to be adapted. In this blog we will look at a couple of very well known games and how they can be used for speaking practice activities.

Discipline in the classroom is an important aspect of the overall rapport you build with your classes. In this blog we will look at some of the major factors that can affect how our classes behave.

Classroom interaction is in part dependent upon the relationship that exists between the students and the teacher. This relationship involves the rapport that exists within the classroom. In this blog we will consider some techniques to help build rapport in the classroom.

When using the ESA methodology, there are a number of lesson formats available. In the third of this series we look at a Patchwork lesson. What does a Patchwork lesson look like and for what level of student is it most appropriate?

When using the ESA methodology, there are a number of lesson formats available. In the second of this series we look at a Boomerang lesson. What does a boomerang lesson look like and for what level of student is it most appropriate?

In this blog post, we will look at an actual example of an ESA straight arrow lesson plan. We will include examples of the activities used and their purpose. You can adapt this plan to a variety of other uses and levels.

We explained in the previous ESA blog how Harmer had realized that the ESA format would become predictable if that was the only type of lesson. Here we explore the other two types of format he suggested, what they involve and who they are generally for.

ESA is a three-stage methodology where each of the letters represents a particular phase of the lesson. The first one being called the Engage phase, the second the Study phase and the final one the Activate phase.

Developments in the study of Psychology starting from the 1950's led to new theories of learning. These theories were translated into new methods. One such method was called Suggestopedia. What does this method involve and how effective does it appear to be?

It has been noted that the function of the brain is separated into two sides (hemispheres) commonly known as the left and right brain. What specific functions are included in the two sides of the brain and how did this information become incorporated into a mainstream ESL teaching methodology.

What are some of the most important reasons for planning our lessons? Covering these ideas will then inform us as to what we should actually put on our lesson plan. In this blog post, we cover both these aspects of lesson planning.