1. Staying organized and incorporating language learning into classroom management while you’re at it J. E. Seibert Tokyo International University of America 2009 Organizing Tips for New (and not so new) ESL/EFL Teachers

2. Why stay organized? Reduces teacher and learner anxiety Increases shared assumptions Creates a predictable classroom “culture” where the outside culture may be confusing Maximizes use of prep and teaching time Allows for novelty and creativity within a predictable framework Makes you look like you know what you’re doing Makes teaching the course again easier

3. Checklist of things to do Lesson plan form Template for handouts or web pages Template for handouts or web pages Student number Term/year start up

4. Course schedule and day’s “agenda” Post the course schedule and homework Website calendar example Website calendar example Have a student write the day’s agenda on the board

5. Calling on students

6. Making pairs and groups

7. 1. Name cards: easy to move around 2. Old scrabble tiles for determining order

8. Making pairs and groups 3. Vocabulary review Give a different review word to each student in half the class and a corresponding definition to the other half 4. Using dictionaries for pronunciation Write a new or difficult word on cards: enough words for half the class or a third of the class (for groups of 3). Give each student a card. Each student looks up the word, practices saying it, then circulates saying the word. Students compare their pronunciations.

9. Making pairs and groups 5. Grammar review Half the class has sentence beginnings and half have sentence ending. Students circulate and find a partner that allows for a correct sentence. 6. Geography For pronunciation, allocate place names: two or three students have the same name. They find each other. For content knowledge, half the class has a place name the other have each has the geographic location

10. Timing activities “Kitchen” timer Three-minute timer

11. “Job” cards Bright cards of different colors For example Leader Recorder-Reporter Time keeper-Trouble shooter

12. Using board space The same information always in the same place

13. Dartmouth Recorder for student speaking http://helix.dartmouth.edu/dl- recorder/ http://helix.dartmouth.edu/dl- recorder/

14. For absent students: folders with handouts and returned work

15. Password protected web access My favorite: Gradekeeper http://www.gradekeeper.com/ Electronic grade books A B C D E F

16. Storing materials for next time: paper and/or on a web server Notebook File box