Improving the Study Skills of ESL Students

Adult ESL students have unique needs and challenges in learning the English language. Many work and support families which may make it difficult to find time to study, and some may have not gotten much formal education in their home countries, thus not developing good study habits. Following are a few tips for improving ESL … Continue reading Improving the Study Skills of ESL Students

Digital Literacy in ESL Education

As technology in the classroom and digital education become more common, the transition to digital teaching and learning means instructors need to develop the necessary skillset to effectively teach digitally. This is particularly true for ESL instructors teaching computer skills to English language learners. “Electracy” is computer literacy. Using electracy in combination with traditional instruction … Continue reading Digital Literacy in ESL Education

Using PowerPoint in the Classroom

One method of classroom instruction that has become widespread in recent years is the use of PowerPoint presentations. Using PowerPoint presentations as a tool to enhance your lectures can be beneficial to students because it can improve audience focus by breaking down and highlighting important information through a combination of text, graphics, and multimedia. Here … Continue reading Using PowerPoint in the Classroom

Improving Student Participation

In the classroom, there are often a few students who readily and willingly raise their hands to answer questions and contribute to class discussions, while other students hold back and listen passively. Some of these students are shy and uncomfortable speaking in front of large groups of people. Others may be reflective learners who prefer … Continue reading Improving Student Participation

Teaching According to Your Students’ Strengths

Every person has aptitudes in different areas, and different ways in which they learn and absorb information best. Psychologist Howard Gardner proposed the theory that there are eight different types of intelligences which everyone possesses a blend of to varying degrees. They are linguistic, spatial, mathematical-logical, kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic. By incorporating a … Continue reading Teaching According to Your Students’ Strengths

From School to Career: How to Prepare Students for the Workforce

When it comes to new college graduates’ preparedness for their future careers, studies show a great divide between the perception students have of their skills, and what employers see from interviewing and working with recent grads. In areas such as organization, working in teams, and applying skills and knowledge in real-world settings, students were more … Continue reading From School to Career: How to Prepare Students for the Workforce

Combined Academic and Vocational Education Leads to Success

Nearly 60% of students entering community colleges aren’t prepared to take college-level vocational or educational classes and require non-credit remedial courses in math, reading, and writing before they can start on their vocational or academic degrees. Taking months, or even years, of high school-level courses in these subjects before being able to advance to credit … Continue reading Combined Academic and Vocational Education Leads to Success

Online Learning vs. Classroom Instruction

With the rise of online learning in recent years, students have more options with which to accomplish their educational goals. They can take a course, or even earn a degree, entirely online, receive traditional classroom instruction, or utilize a combination of these options, either throughout their curriculum or within a single course. Each option has … Continue reading Online Learning vs. Classroom Instruction

Enhancements to 529 Plan May Soon be Realized

The Senate Finance Committee has unanimously passed measures that enhance the 529 Plan, an educational savings plan that helps parents fund their children’s college education. The 529 Plan is operated by state agencies and organizations, and withdrawals for education expenses are exempt from federal taxes. Among the improvements added to the bill are: Students can … Continue reading Enhancements to 529 Plan May Soon be Realized

Things You Should Know about Teaching Millennial Students

Millennial students have been described in many ways. In one text, “Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation,” the authors describes millennial students with the words “team-oriented, pressured, confident and achieving.” When teaching millennial students, taking these descriptive adjectives into account can help you devise strategies to specifically target their minds and enhance their learning. Some examples … Continue reading Things You Should Know about Teaching Millennial Students