• Short, High-Interest Articles for Extensive Reading: # 18: “Would You Return a Lost Wallet?”

Leave a reply

(This posting includes a handout which you are welcome to use with your students.) *

Imagine you see a wallet on the sidewalk. You are the only person who sees it. Inside, there is some money and a business card with an email address. Now, you have to decide: do you keep it or return it?

Many people and experts thought most finders would keep the money. However, a large study in 40 countries showed this was not true.

To see if people are honest, researchers left 17,300 wallets in 355 cities around the world. Some wallets had no money, but others contained about $13 of that country’s money ….(See complete article below.)

(This posting includes a handout LINK AT THE END OF THIS POST which you are welcome to use with your students.) *

For background information about these articles and for suggestions for how to use them with your students, see  • Introducing “Short, High-Interest Readings”  Also, I’ll be adding more of these articles in the right-hand column: ESL Reading> Short, High Interest Articles for Extensive Readings

Here is the 18th article. You can download the article for your students by clicking on the link at the end. Also included are three optional exercises: True-False Questions; Paraphrasing Exercise; Reflection Exercise.

Continue reading →

A Six-Word Phrase That Improves Students’ Cooperation

Leave a reply

Early in the term, I realized one of the students, Benji, was the type of student who would have trouble following the social norms of the class—such as coming to class on time. I had heard that other teachers had struggled with him, and I could imagine how they approached him. I knew I was going to have to be creative.

One day, there was a loud lawn mower outside out room, so I asked Benji if he could do me a favor and close the window. He smiled, jumped up, closed it and returned to his seat. Then he looked at me and we smiled at each other. From that day on, I noticed Benji becoming much more cooperative, including coming to class on time.

I suddenly realized the power of the phrase, “Could you do me a favor?”

It seems logical that if we do a favor for someone–like lending them a pen–it will make them more likely to reciprocate and do us a favor, for example, make some photocopies for us. However, the Benji experience was the reverse. Psychologists call it the “Benjamin Franklin Effect.” Asking someone for a small, easily fulfilled favor (like borrowing a pen, asking for directions, or opening a window) is often more effective at building a connection than offering to do something for them, which can sometimes feel transactional or overwhelming.

Continue reading →

• Understanding Gerunds: A Puzzle-Solving Approach

Leave a reply

(This posting includes a handout which you are welcome to use with your students.)

Here is how you know that a set of grammar exercises looks like fun puzzles to your students. You pass out the handout and start to explain the directions, but before you’ve had a chance to talk, many students begin to do them.

The key to making “grammar puzzles”: use an inductive approach.

The grammar-puzzle / inductive approach works well for helping students correct common mistakes with gerunds.

For a good puzzle to engage someone, there needs to be some mystery and steps to follow to solve it.

Continue reading →

• Short, High-Interest Articles for Extensive Reading: # 17: “Why We Love To Be Scared”

Leave a reply

(This posting includes a handout LINK AT THE END OF THIS POST which you are welcome to use with your students.) *

Tami’s heart is beating faster. In the movie, a teenager hears a noise in the basement late at night. He slowly walks down the dark stairs. Tami closes her fingers tightly. Her eyes open wide. Then she covers them as the teenager gets to the bottom. When the movie is finished, she immediately starts looking for another scary one for next week.

People like Tami often feel uncomfortable when they watch scary or horror movies. However, when they choose a movie to watch, they often choose this type. In fact, in the past 10 years, the number of people watching scary movies has increased faster than any other type, for example, adventure, action, drama and comedy.

Psychologists have found interesting reasons why people enjoy these movies.

(See complete article below.)

For background information about these articles and for suggestions for how to use them with your students, see  • Introducing “Short, High-Interest Readings”  Also, I’ll be adding more of these articles in the right-hand column: ESL Reading> Short, High Interest Articles for Extensive Readings

Here is the 17th article. You can download the article for your students by clicking on the link at the end. Also included are three optional exercises: True-False Questions; Paraphrasing Exercise; Reflection Exercise. 

Continue reading →