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Issue 71 Editorial
People of all ages and ethnicities find a common bond in the performance arts and many relish the opportunity to experience even for just one night “the smell of the greasepaint and the roar of the crowd!” In our lead article “Welcome to the Drama Club!”, Alexis Finger notes that many teachers would like to use drama in the ESL classroom but are not sure how they can implement such an initiative or even if they can justify its value as a learning tool to their peers. Alexis explains how these hurdles can be overcome by providing practical advice on how a successful production can be mounted and in doing so, how teachers can enjoy the enormous rewards that the use of drama can bring to an English class.
As the world recession bites deeper, recent graduates are finding it difficult to obtain employment in the constricted job market. Many young people (and more mature individuals who have taken early retirement or have been made redundant) are turning to teaching EFL as an option that will give them valuable experiences of living and working around the world – and some may consider taking up the profession as a fulltime career choice. Southeast Asia has long been a popular destination for native English speakers who want to teach and Thailand, one of the more “developed” countries is familiar to those who have traveled to resorts such as Koh Samui or have seen the cult movie, “The Beach” with Leonardo diCaprio. Of course, the reality of working in a country is far different from a vacation or vicarious experience and, as Dr. Timothy Cornwall points out in his article “Finding the Right EFL Teaching Job in Thailand,” EFL teachers often have to work in less than ideal conditions with long hours for little pay and have limited opportunities to put on their tourist hats and hit the bars and the beach. Having said that, teaching in “The Land of Smiles” can be rewarding and enjoyable as working westerners get a chance to see the “real” country and its people. In the thirty years that she has been an educator, Dr. Caroline Knight has found that students of all ages—from first grade through graduate school—enjoy illustrated books as long as the books are selected to suit the interests of the students. In our feature article, “Using Illustrated Nonfiction Books to Enhance Student Learning”, Caroline discusses the use of nonfiction books as powerful learning tools for English Language Learners. Continuing our theme of visual aids as effective aids to language teaching, “A picture tells a thousand words” may be an old cliché but it still holds true for young learners in classes taught by Dr. Natasa Intihar Klancar. In her article, “Using Picture Flashcards With Young Learners” Natasa suggests how picture flashcards can make lessons enjoyable, lively, creative and effective.
Geneva Gay defines culturally responsive pedagogy as the use of cultural knowledge, prior experiences, frames of reference, and performance styles of ethnically diverse students to make learning encounters more relevant to and effective for them. In “Becoming A Culturally Responsive Teacher,” Sharroky Hollie explains how culturally and linguistically responsive teaching can enhance learning for all students.
Ben Ward
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ContentsDepartmentsEditorial
News Briefs
Conference Calendar
Reflections
Features
Welcome to the Drama Club!
Alexis Finger
Finding the Right EFL Teaching Job in ThailandTimothy Cornwall
Using Illustrated Nonfiction Books to Enhance Student Learning
Caroline Knight
Becoming A Culturally Responsive Teacher
Sharroky Hollie
Using Picture Flashcards With Young Learners
Natasa Intihar Klancar
