The Fish Bowl Activity

Just as its name sounds, during this activity students would be as fish in a pool or pond with fishermen surrounding them.Students will be seated in two concentric circles with the inner circle smaller. The "fish" in the inner circle or "bowl" would read and/or discuss a topic the teacher has specified. The "fishermen" would be listening silently "not to scare" the "fish" away. After the specified time for the discussion is over, the "fishermen" are ready to comment on what was said by agreeing, disagreeing, evaluating, or any other suitable comments.

After that, the roles and the circles are switched. The "fishermen" would become the "fish" who will discuss the same topic introducing new ideas related to it and the new "fishermen" would listen to comment later. 

The activity provides great chances to train students to listen critically and evaluate what they heard. It also trains them to evaluate and give effective feedback. It could be used to discuss an article students had read, a topic for writing, an up coming event or issue or any other topic the teacher wants students to discuss.

Another creative way to introduce listening and speaking to our English classes hopefully you will find it useful and engaging.

Reseacrh Webquest

Research is at the foundations of advancement and development of nations at the different levels. All this progress we feel and live springs out from reseach. Due to that great importance dedicated to research, it's essential to learn how to conduct and write a profssional research paper that abides by international standards and guidelines. Most students find research writing a hassle. To determine a topic, narrow down to the thesis and to fetch for relevant information are among the most difficult tasks. Plagiarism is the only shelter and an easy exit to get the job done. This however would be fatal for your results and a perversion of intellectual properties protected by the law. Research can be made easier by following the steps presented in this webquest.

Another effective practice in today's business markets and politics is the art of public speaking. Within a few minutes, you can gain or lose your audience forever, whether they were a small group or the whole nation. To master that art you have to learn and practice its skills and strategies.


Here lies the importance of this webquest: it aids and guides you, in addition to in-class instruction, to achieve those important skills and integrate them into your personal expertise repertoire. 

Hands-On Research

Emotional Intelligence

By definition, EQ, or emotional intelligence quotient, is the "capacity to blend thinking and feeling to make optimal decisions and craft effective solutions."

It is believed that EQ is a set of kills that can be taught and practiced.  When this is properly done, EQ can make a difference at work, school and home. If EQ skills are effectively practiced, a noticable growth is noticed in the individual's thinking abilities, relationships, and decision making.

This is very important for teachers to look at. Intelligence is not only the famous type we know, emotional intelligence is another important type that can aid our students in improving their academic and real life achievemnets. EQ training helps learners know their personalities better, imporve their social skills, and make better decisions.

Teachers and Expectations

"Teachers touch eternity for they never know where their effect ends." I strongly believe in this saying for it summarizes how teachers shape the future. When children first come to school, they're a soft dough that we can mold and create the personalities we wish to see in the future. Whatever we start at school will go on with those children till the end of their lives, and probably to the lives of their children. 

Usually we have expectation for each and every student in our class, so we need to be careful with those expectations since our students will be what we have expected them to be. Why is that? Simple because we start to deal with them under that label thus directing them to meet that expectation. This final result is the effect we left on those children's lives forever. So, dear teachers, be careful to make that effect a bright one!

Paper Carousel

As language teachers, finding effective and engaging learning activites is always our quest. One of the activities I used to enjoy doing with my students was the paper carousel. It's a reading collaborative activity in which students read and respond to a given prompt in circles. The activity starts by asking the groups to read the assigned part and respond to a given prompt or question like: summarize the major events, evaluate a certain character, describe the mood, or any similar prompt. Then each group has to write down one single response to the prompt and pass the paper to the next group who will read the previous response and add to it. The activity goes on until each group get back their own paper after they have had the chance to write on all the other groups' papers. Finally, groups share their ideas with the class. 

This activity is engaging for students since they get the chance to work together and share their answers. It gives them the chance to evaluate others' answers and answer in response to those answers. 

Try it... I'm sure you and your students will enjoy it. 

During paper carousel, my students used to enjoy leaving their seats and sitting on the floor.