Tag Archives: Robert Sheppard

Corpora in Adult Ed

Robert Sheppard
Rob Sheppard

What Is a Corpus? Corpse, marine corps, corporation, and corpulent all derive from the Latin word corpus, meaning body. That Latin word corpus also exists, intact, in English, but rather than an anatomical body, it refers to a body of … Continue reading

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Against Music in ELT

Robert Sheppard
Rob Sheppard

This post is sure to incur some teacherly ire. A lot of teachers aren’t going to like this, because a lot of teachers love using music in English class. That includes me. However, I have come to the reluctant conclusion … Continue reading

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Three Levels of Complexity in ESOL Placement

Robert Sheppard
Rob Sheppard

Placement testing is tough. Doing it well can be time consuming and resource intensive, and doing it with insufficient rigor can lead to “slippery” leveling, where, say, a level 3 one year is different in ability from a level 3 … Continue reading

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ESOL Community Scavenger Hunts

Robert Sheppard
Rob Sheppard

Scavenger hunts can be a really fun addition to your adult ESOL activities repertoire. They get students out of the classroom and into the community, they can be structured to require a lot of communication in English, and they engage … Continue reading

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360° Photos for ELT

Robert Sheppard
Rob Sheppard

Every innovation in tech has the potential to be or become an advancement in ed tech. So, every time we hear about a new technology, we ought to pause and ask ourselves, what could this mean for my classroom and … Continue reading

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ESOL and Healthy Communities

Robert Sheppard
Rob Sheppard

English and Healthy Communities What makes a “healthy community”? When I first heard the phrase, I pictured UnderArmour-clad model-bodied suburbanites jogging to Equinox past Trader Joe’s, Sweetgreen, and BeGood, scarcely breaking a sweat. But perhaps that says more about unhealthy … Continue reading

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What’s Op-Docs?: A Fantastic Source of Authentic Input

Robert Sheppard
Rob Sheppard

When I first got access to an LCD projector for my English classes, I scoured the Internet for bite-sized videos, short enough to be appropriate for use in class. I used TV commercials, movie trailers, short films, even music videos. … Continue reading

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4 Highlights From a Great Adult Ed Resource

Robert Sheppard
Rob Sheppard

It can sometimes be tricky to find research, literature, and professional development materials that are focused specifically on adult immigrants. One invaluable resource, as many of you may know, is the LINCS website. As the About page explains, LINCS (a somewhat … Continue reading

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