Random Quote
One man alone can be pretty dumb sometimes, but for real bona fide stupidity, there ain't nothin' can beat teamwork.
---- Edward Abbey
To get something done, a committee should consist of no more than three men, two of whom are absent.
---- Robert Copeland
Just because your voice reaches halfway around the world doesn't mean you are wiser than when it reached only to the end of the bar.
---- Edward R. Murrow
There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun.
---- Pablo Picasso
We don't know a millionth of one percent about anything.
---- Thomas A. Edison
it's probably not a good idea to underestimate my ability to make an ass out of myself—just when I seem to have it under control, I'll turn around and surprise you.
---- Tenser said the Tensor
This may be the most interesting blog theme I've ever seen. http://eflgeek.com/index.php Definitely in my top 5 at least.
---- Steve Dembo
Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.
---- H. G. Wells
The important thing is not to stop questioning.
---- Albert Einstein
Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence.
---- Robert Frost
Sleep is a symptom of caffeine deprivation.
---- Author Unknown
Always be wary of any helpful item that weighs less than its operating manual.
---- Terry Pratchett
A magician pulls rabbits out of hats. An experimental psychologist pulls habits out of rats.
---- anonymous
I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.
---- Albert Einstein
Drink coffee! Do stupid things faster!
---- unknown
Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.
---- Abigail Adams (1744 - 1818)
The great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap between one's real and one's declared aims, one turns as it were instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish spurting out ink.
---- George Orwell
If the English language made any sense, a catastrophe would be an apostrophe with fur.
---- Doug Larson
"It was on my fifth birthday that Papa put his hand on my shoulder and said, 'Remember, my son, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.'"
---- Sam Levenson
Man invented language to satisfy his deep need to complain.
---- Lily Tomlin
The least of learning is done in the classrooms
---- Thomas Merton
America believes in education: the average professor earns more money in a year than a professional athlete earns in a whole week.
---- Evan Esar
No one can understand the truth until he drinks of coffee's frothy goodness.
---- Sheik Abd-al-Kadir
A university is what a college becomes when the faculty loses interest in students.
---- John Ciardi
Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths theater.
---- Gail Godwin
Newspaper Topics
Last fall I taught a couple of classes (3 hours total) with newspaper articles and discussion questions and then again this Spring I’ve been teaching a company class with two students. These students are quite fluent in English and their only requirement was that we discuss newspaper articles. The topic did not matter. I got to choose and format the discussion the way I wanted to.
Instead of merely printing up the article and bringing it to class, I instead copied it into MSpublisher, formatted it, added vocabulary notes and discussion questions. I then emailed the article to students 1-2 days in advance of the lesson for them to read it and be prepared for discussion. The articles are from a variety of news sources and most of them should be usable in any country or context with adult learners.
I’ve uploaded an archive file (11.2mb) with all articles so far in both publisher and pdf format. If you have pdf then you’ll be able to modify them to your own uses. Here are two sample articles to take a look at before you download the whole archive: metrosexual and toronto subway strike.
update
I’ve finished another article on cloning dogs and pets for class this week. It’s not included in the archive, so if you want it, you’ll have to get it separately.
If you like these or find them useful, please leave a comment.
Sean. inscribed these words of wisdom on Saturday Jun 7, 2008 at 10:08 AM
Materials | Lesson_Plans |





Sabrina wrote 5 words on Sunday Jun 8, 2008 at 02:24 AM
Great Resource!!! Thanks for sharing!!!!
Sean. wrote 21 words on Sunday Jun 8, 2008 at 05:45 PM
Sabrina,
It’s good to hear you found it useful. Thanks for dropping by, I hope to read more of your comments.