Tag Archives: Nathan Hall

Automotive Language Lessons Can Give Your Students the Drive to Learn

Nathan Hall
Nathan Hall

Cars hold a high position in the American culture’s teenage psyche. Cars may be necessities for students attending schools in rural areas or background noise to kids in cities, but you’re not likely to find a student who is completely apathetic about … Continue reading

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6 Steps to Making New Words Go From Unknown to Acquired

Nathan Hall
Nathan Hall

Years ago, I began Chinese lessons to better understand what it’s like to learn a language. I went from feeling giddy when I recognized a few characters to frustrated at how many I didn’t understand in the time it took … Continue reading

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How 3 Tiers of Vocab Make It Easier to Learn New Terms

Nathan Hall
Nathan Hall

Despite almost 40 years of speaking English, I often reach for a dictionary when adapting lessons for my ELLs. And, most of the time, I’m not happy with what I find. I usually get a concise definition that, while accurate, is … Continue reading

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Teaching English to Digital Natives: Common Computer Concerns for ELLs

Nathan Hall
Nathan Hall

Those of us who remember computers being a novelty in the classroom probably also remember being told how the new generation of students are “digital natives.” The assumption is that children who grow up surrounded by computers see nothing strange … Continue reading

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4 Ways Art Can Make Your Activities More Interesting

Nathan Hall
Nathan Hall

The neat thing about visual art is that it’s hard not to have an opinion when you see it. What makes it good or bad? How does it make you feel? What does it remind you of? Anyone who sees a … Continue reading

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Helping Secondary Students Develop Scientific Literacy

Nathan Hall
Nathan Hall

Secondary ELL teachers who focus on content-based instruction quickly become masters at adapting vocabulary. With a little familiarity of the subject and the assignment’s goals, they can turn a seldom-used word into something more conversational faster than most people can … Continue reading

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Movie Day: 3 Ways for ELLs to Get the Most Out of Films

Nathan Hall
Nathan Hall

Anyone who grew up in the American school system has memories of watching movies in class. Maybe the teacher wanted you to see a different historic period or understand a play or novel the class was reading a little better, … Continue reading

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3 Ways to Get the Most Out of Fiction Reading for ELLs

Nathan Hall
Nathan Hall

Being married to an English teacher, I’ve had many conversations about the value of literature in education. My wife talks about the beauty of classic stories and the need for students to reflect on the ideas while the beauty of … Continue reading

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