a) Music: English songs can be used for a wide variety of ESL learning and teaching activities. They can start discussions on a topic or even become the centre of debate. This is especially true of songs that develop a particular theme. Songs are also great for teaching listening. One of my favorite exercises with music is completing the blanks as students listen or listening and choosing the correct words from two words than rhyme, for example cry and try. You can teach grammar with songs in many ways. Most English songs sometimes sacrifice grammar for smooth rhyme. This makes them very good grammar teaching tools. You can ask students to find the mistakes or ask them how we would normally say it. Most songs reflect the background of the singer, why not do activities on something like varieties of modern English; or simply by comparing two songs ask students to figure out where the speaker is from and why. This is especially good for lessons that show the differences between British

  Using Blogger or Word Press as free platforms for blogging, you do not need to have extensive knowledge and computer skills to set up, operate, post to and enjoy your own personal blog. Benefit 1: Blogging Attracts Competent, Like-Minded Professionals Just who are you writing for then? Well you, of course, first and foremost. However, when you write and post passionately on a topic a funny thing usually happens, you'll soon attract others who share similar outlooks, goals, triumphs, problems, trials and tribulations as you do. They will in turn, share with you on how they cope with similar occurrences on their end, what they think, and what's worked - or not - for them in their situations. You'll know, in no uncertain terms, that you're not alone. Benefit 2: Blogging is an Excellent Way to Document Your Experiences Do you now keep a diary, a teaching journal or an ELT scrapbook? How about your EFL learners? If you or they do, or you have thought about doing so, your b

 For those speaking English as a second language (ESL), making the same mistakes can be frustrating and have negative effects on learning and speaking. Quite often it is down to having the wrong approach in the first place. Here are five approaches to learning and speaking English that could easily be changed. Learning formal English. Conversational, everyday English is not formal and a lot of grammar and vocabulary text books teach formal English. In my experience, many language schools and teachers also teach the formal language. The problem is when one goes to a native English speaking country, one cannot understand or join in conversations because of not understanding the informal language. I have heard countless stories of English speakers going to England or America and not being able to understand real English conversations. Therefore it is important to listen to and speak everyday, conversational, informal English. Translating from the mother language into English. ESL speakers