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TEFL Magazine
As the Brazilian novelist Paulo Coelho once said, “We can become blind by seeing each day as a similar one.” Teachers around the world suffer from burn out, boredom, and stress especially when teaching the same level or subject day in and day out. When a vacation is out of reach, perhaps what you really need is a touch of uncategorized miscellanea to spin you in a new direction. TEFL magazine offers short articles and ideas on a variety of subjects to inspire and lift you out of the teaching trenches. Respect in the ClassroomLearning how to earn your students’ respect is key to having a well ordered, properly managed ESL classroom. You know from your own time at school that there were some teachers who you just did not mess around with. These teachers have a natural authority without needing to rant, rave and shout at the class. This article gives you some key actions and behaviours that you can easily do to put yourself on the path to becoming THAT kind of teacher who has a well mannered classroom with no apparent effort. (more…) ESL Channels on YouTube
Many English teachers are using YouTube in a variety of ways. Some use YouTube to reinforce pronunciation and grammar, while others use it to lighten up the classroom. Here are some popular ESL YouTube channels: Jennifer’s ESL Treat your Students to a Quote of the Day
Clean Up your Computer Week
Day 1: Back up Important Files Help Students Water their Own Plants
Within 18 months, twice as many of the residents from Group 2 had passed away. Those who were still living and caring for their own plants from Group 1 were healthier both physically and mentally than at the beginning of the study. On the other hand, the health of those who had survived from group 2 had gone downhill. This type of study is useful for those who have loved ones living in hospitals or nursing facilities, but it can also apply to language teachers or teachers of any discipline. (more…) More than Chirping on Twitter
Many people think twitter is just for mobile phone users or that twitter is a waste of time. When you first check out twitter it may seem a bit pointless. What can you actually say in 140 characters? Pardon me for using my grade 6 grammar teacher’s least favourite phrase but the short answer is “a lot”. Top 10 things Teachers of English are doing on twitter: (more…) If you would like to see an article on a special subject why not let us know?
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Do you use YouTube in the classroom? Do you assign YouTube for homework? Do you make YouTube quizzes?
Everyone has a favourite quote. Quotes are useful to teachers because they act as easy discussion starters. Students can offer opinions about what they think a quote means, what they think inspired a person to have the original thought, and what modern day situations apply. Quotes also offer a unique opportunity to explore new vocabulary and usage. 
Though January is often referred to as “clean up your computer month,” it makes sense for teachers to do this chore in the summer. Don’t try to do everything in one day. Take a week and clean up a little each day. By the time your next class begins, you will be able to find everything you need.
In a *study by psychologist and writer Dr. Ellen Langer, nursing home residents were given a plant for their rooms. The residents were divided into two groups. Group 1 was told to take care of their own plants. Group 2 was told that the nursing staff would take care of the plants. The residents in Group 1 were also encouraged to take an active role in their own personal care, including making decisions as to how they wanted their room to look and feel. Residents in Group 2 were told that the staff would take care of details such as medication and room setup. 
When I tell people that I use twitter for work purposes I often hear this complaint: “I don’t get twitter.”