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English Teaching Forum 2017, Volume 55, Number 1
Find suggestions for teaching the pragmatics of complaining, developing group dynamics, and starting a book club—and much more.

Find suggestions for teaching the pragmatics of complaining, developing group dynamics, and starting a book club—and much more.

Format: Text
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Table of Contents

Pragmatics of ComplainingExpand

This article presents twelve activities for teaching the pragmatics of complaining, including strategies, tasks, and specific scenarios. 

Author: Amanda Hilliard
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Group Dynamics: Belonging in the ESL ClassroomExpand
The author provides suggestions for English language activities that promote bonding at the beginning of a course, during a course, and at the end of a course. 
Author: Pham Huynh Phu Quy
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Book Clubs as a Tool for Community Building and Language EnhancementExpand

The author uses her own experience starting and facilitating a book club to give advice to others interested in creating a book club in their schools or communities. 

Author: Jessica McCaughey
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Reader's GuideExpand

This guide is designed to enrich your reading of the articles in this issue. You may choose to read them on your own, taking notes or jotting down answers to the discussion questions below. Or you may use the guide to explore the articles with colleagues. 

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Teaching Technique: Board Games in the English ClassroomExpand

Learn how to play a game called “Business Decisions” and see how it can help students develop their language and business acumen.

Author: Daniel Clausen
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Teaching Technique: Timed Partner Reading and Text DiscussionExpand

This engaging partner-reading activity provides students with an opportunity to improve their reading comprehension and text-based discussion skills. 

Author: Michael Giovacchini
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My Classroom: GeorgiaExpand

This article profiles the teaching context at Gori State Teaching University and describes how Khatuna Kharkheli develops creative lessons to motivate her students to learn and achieve success both in and out of the classroom. 

Author: Melanie Baker
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Try This: The Great Mini-Debate Expand

Debates remain popular in English language courses, and this activity gives students a low-stress opportunity to develop their speaking debating skills; seven debate themes, with suggested topics, are provided. 

Author: Heather Benucci
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The Lighter Side: Debate DialogueExpand

This puzzle is a Debate Dialogue with words missing from arguments and counterarguments on the topic, “Mobile technology is more helpful than harmful.”

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The Lighter Side: Debate VocabularyExpand

Enjoy these two puzzles related to the topic of debates. One puzzle gives "For" and "Against" statements with blanks that must be filled in. The second puzzle, available only online, is a crossword that features vocabulary commonly used in debates.

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