What I like about Top Notch Series...

This is the first term that TOP NOTCH (LONGMAN) is being taught in all the classes in Jahad. I was honored to be the first teacher to teach this book in Jahad once they were testing it. So I had to have a deeper study about the book before teaching it. I did some research about the book and the writers. Both of the authors (Allen Asher and Joan Saslow) are truly successful teachers and they have made plenty of good changes in writing the series. Their motto in composing the book is “let’s make English unforgettable”, and if you review the whole pack, which includes the book and additional material, you will see they have done their best to make English unforgettable. Other excellent features of TOP NOTCH series are:

1-    UNIT GOALS and NOW I CAN…: on the first page in every unit, there is a small box on the right side titled UNIT GOALS. This is where we read WHY we are studying the unit and WHAT we can do after we have studied it. This will help the teacher and the student to realize what to teach and learn. At the end of the unit, in the page titled UNIT WRAP-UP, we see the same items being listed as the abilities of the person who has studied the unit. If a student wants to know whether he/ she has learned the unit completely or not, he/she only has to see if he/she is able to do what this part asks him/her to do.

2-    MOVIES: TOP NOTCH comes with excellent movie sequences which no book has ever had with the same quality. What really amazes me is that the authors of the book try to tell us that in order to understand a sentence or a topic, we don’t have to understand all the words said. The sequences of the movie which are shot in parks or busy streets do not have good sound quality and they have deliberately tried to give it a sense of reality. I really don’t even know if those who take part in those sequences are aware that the movie is being produced for ESL learners of English. This really makes us forget we are in a class and therefore makes it look like a real-life situation. Each sequence has an ACTIVITY WORKSHEET in the movie book that is really fun to do.

3-    WEBSITE: TOP NOTCH has two websites which provide educational and fun stuff related to the books:

a.    http://www.pearsonlongman.com/ae/topnotch/

b.    http://www.tnpronunciator.com/

The second website is a Pronunciator website which helps us with the right pronunciation of the words.

4-    RESEARCH-BASED ACTIVITIES: As we move through the information era, TOP NOTCH tries to let the students enjoy the fun of EXPLORING and DISCOVERING facts. So once in a while the student is asked to have a research on something and present the results in the class.

5-    COPY & GO: As it is stated clearly in the book, the COPY and GO book is for those busy teachers (like me) who do not have time to prepare extra activities for their classes. The book gives you various exercises instantly and you really can COPY and GO to the class with no fear of misspelled words or irrelevant questions.

I hope the teachers and the students have fun teaching and learning TOP NOTCH and as the authors hope, make English unforgettable!

Here is the link to other TOP NOTCH fun stuff:

• ·         TOP NOTCH FUNDAMENTAL (A&B) companion website (http://wps.pearsonlongman.com/topnotchfund/)
• ·         TOP NOTCH 1 (A&B) companion website (http://wps.pearsonlongman.com/topnotch1/)
• ·         TOP NOTCH 2 (A&B) companion website (http://wps.pearsonlongman.com/topnotch2/)
• ·         TOP NOTCH 3 (A&B) companion website (http://wps.pearsonlongman.com/topnotch3/)
• ·         TOP NOTCH presentation by authors (http://www.brainshark.com/brainshark/vu/view.asp?pi=299672654)
• ·         TOP NOTCH DIGITAL (Demo) (http://www.pearsonlongmansupport.com/Downloads/samples/TN_2_Demo/index.html)
• ·         TOP NOTCH SONGS (http://www.pearsonlongman.com/ae/topnotch/pophome.html)
• ·         TOP NOTCH standards and tests (http://www.pearsonlongman.com/ae/topnotch/correlations.html)

How to Use Commonly Misused Words (1)

"Affect" and "Effect"

Effect

1."Effect" is a noun referring to something that happens as a result of something else, e.g., "The antibiotic had little effect on the illness."

Class Control

I believe that every student has a way to his heart . Some are harder to get in and some are easier. It's just the matter of knowing how. No revenge no irritation why a student behaves like the way he does .We must not feel that he ought to fail just because he coudn't show a decent manner in the way we expected.

Teaching is one of the hardest job in the world – it demands a great deal of patience and tolerance all through the day .
A good teacher takes the extra effort needed to ensure that the children understand what’s taught, not just in the way of lessons but in the way of life too. Sometimes a teacher’s patience is put to the test in the form of difficult students, those who will just not fall in line with the rest of the class. And at others, the whole class acts up and there’s chaos all round. At times like this, it’s no use shouting and tearing out your hair in an attempt to regain control of your unruly class. Instead, keep your wits about you and try to restore order in a systematic way.

The following tips should help in such situations:

Very often, you’ll find that the confusion and noise are the result of the handiwork of just a few miscreants who are bent on causing trouble. If you can ferret them out and segregate them from the rest of the class, you’ll find that you have an easier time of controlling the class.
The troublemakers are often just seeking attention with their attempts to disrupt the class and lessons. Instead of taking them to task in front of their classmates and embarrassing them, talk to them in private and try to understand why they play up in class.
Children who cry out for attention in negative ways are often neglected at home or are affected badly by other problems that add to their mental stress. They may feel inadequate because they are poor at lessons and have trouble keeping up with class work. Punishment only adds to their belligerence and does not do anything positive to help them overcome their shortcomings. Offer to help them out with lessons or homework till they’re able to catch up with the rest of the class.
Sometimes there’s a student who’s designated class clown without a formal coronation or ceremony. He/she feels the need to make the other kids laugh all the time, even at the cost of getting into trouble. The clown does not realize the seriousness of his/her activities and is breezy and even irreverent in the face of your reprimands. A serious talking-to helps in such cases. Make the student work on the positive aspects of having a great sense of humor.
Instead of shouting at random people in the class, sit at your desk and wait patiently for the din to die down. If your patience does not pay, punish the class as a whole rather than just one or two students.
Positive words and actions help in keeping order in the classroom. Praise works wonders when offered at the right time and in the right spirit without sounding contrived or exaggerated.
Making your classes creative and interesting engages the children’s attention and does not allow them to misbehave or cause trouble. Make the effort to add something innovative to each day’s lesson so that the students look forward to them.
Kindness dealt with a firm hand works wonders in keeping a class under control. Understand even as you let the children know that they cannot walk all over you. The difference between a good and great teacher likes in how he/she handles not just lessons, but also a class full of human beings.

Students' Rights and Responsibilites

YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO fair and equal treatment.  IN this classroom, it does not matter if you are male or female, who your brother or sister is, what your parents earn, or in any other way.

YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO be safe in this classroom.  In this classroom, no one may cause you injury or discomfort.  This includes the right to have your property left alone and undamaged.

YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO hear and be heard in this classroom.  Others will be quiet as you speak and you will quietly listen as others speak.

YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO be respected.  You do not have to put up with unkind remarks or name calling because of race, sex, religion, physical strength, size, features, friendship groups, age, culture, handicap, financial status, clothing, classroom performance, etc.

YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO learn in this classroom.  No one has the right to disrupt you or make it difficult for you to learn.,  Teachers should be free to teach and students free to learn without being interrupted by inconsiderate or unruly students.

YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO learn what it means to be a responsible and successful student.  Guidance and direction are meant to aid you as a student and a citizen of this school community.

YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO:

• treat others with consideration, realizing that all of us are unique.
• make this classroom safe by following the safety rules and not causing injury to others or damaging/using the property of others without their permission.
• participate in the classroom activities appropriately by listening, speaking, or writing.
• respect others, adults and students, and uphold their rights.
• LEARN. You will prepare for class, be on time, pay attention, complete work, and not distract yourself or others.
• push yourself, keep trying, ask questions if you don't understand.

Grammar Tenses Mix

Grammar Tenses Mix
Level: upper intermediate
Bewley's Oriental Cafés

Fill the gaps with the correct tenses.

1. Bewley's ..........(be) an old Irish tea house chain.
2. The history of the famous Bewley's Oriental Cafés ...........(begin) in 1835 when Charles Bewley .............(import) over 2000 chests of tea directly from the Chinese province of Canton to Dublin.
3. It.............. (not / look) like a great deal today, but back then it........... (be) a coup: no man before ..............(dare) to import tea directly into Ireland.
4. Bewley's initiative................. (put) an end to the East India Trading Company's tea monopoly which before 1835 ...........(force) the Irish to import their tea from London.
5. Samuel Bewley's son Joshua also................ (become) a tea merchant.
6. Like his father, he........... (import) tea into Ireland.
7. The Irish ..............(like) the idea of not having to import old tea from London.
8. A tea expert ............(notice) that even the poorest Irish people ..............(buy) only the finest tea.
9. By the end of the 19th century a tea culture........... (develop) in Ireland.
10. In 1894, Joshua's son Ernest Bewley........... (want) to stimulate the market for a product that...............(be) rather unknown that far: coffee.
11. In the back of his shop in Dublin's George's Street, he ..........(begin) to run coffee making demonstrations.
12. His wife.......... (bake) scones to go with the coffee, and the couple soon........ (find out) that their idea........... (be) extremely popular among customers.
13. That ............(mark) the beginning of the first Bewley's Oriental Café.
14. In Dublin's Grafton Street, Ernest Bewley.............. (open) another Bewley's Oriental Café in 1927, on which he................ (spend) nearly 60,000 Pound.
15. Still now the interior furnishings and wonderful stain glass............... (provide) a very special oriental flair.
16. During World War II, Bewley's ................(must restrict) the supply of tea to an ounce per head, and many customers .................(switch) to coffee.
    

Present Perfect Continuous

Use the verbs in brackts in the Present Perfect Progressive in the sentences. Example: She _______________ tennis for half an hour now. (to play) Answer: She has been playing tennis for half an hour now. or She's been playing tennis for half an hour now.

1) I this website since 1999. (to run) 2) My parents for years. (to smoke) 3) He for his girlfriend since 6 o'clock. (to wait) 4) We in Greece since last August. (to live) 5) Max and Paul their bikes all day. (to ride) 6) They in the sun for hours. (to lie) 7) Emily on the computer for too long. (to work) 8) It since I came home. (to rain) 9) You to music since 12:30. (to listen) 10) Frank for the last 20 minutes. (to dream)

Present Perfect

Put in the verbs in brackets into the gaps. Use Present Perfect. Example: I _____________ my father's car. (to wash) Answer: I have washed my father's car.

1) Karen me an e-mail. (to send) 2) Dave and Pat the museum. (to visit) 3) I at the pet shop. (to be) 4) They already their rucksacks. (to pack) 5) Marcus an accident. (to have) 6) We the shopping for our grandmother. (to do) 7) I just my bike. (to clean) 8) Emily her room. (to paint) 9) Lisa and Colin to a concert. (to go) 10) My friends smoking. (to give up)

Teachers Roles in the class

During a lesson, a teacher needs to manage the activities and the learners in the classroom in different ways. This is called “Teacher Roles”. Every teacher changes roles during a lesson, depending to the target of activities, lesson aims and the level and age of the learners. Here are some roles teachers often take:

Role	The teacher…
Planner	Prepares and thinks through the lesson in detail before teaching it, so that it has variety and there are appropriate activities for the different learners in the class.
Informer	Gives the learners detailed information about the language or about an activity.
Manager	Organizes the learning space, makes sure everything in the classroom is running correctly.
Monitor	Goes around the class during individual, pair and group work activities.
Involver	Makes sure all the learners are taking part in the activities.
Parent / Friend	Comforts learners when they are upset and unhappy.
Diagnostician	Is able to recognize the course of learners’ difficulties.
Resource	Can be used by the learners for help and advice.