Learning Twigs

Open (Source) English <-> Mind the Gap

 

 

 

This is the final 'Open Sauce' resource for 2011 -- not sure whether there will be more next year, but even if this is the 'end of the line' just remember that there are another dozen or so templates and themes with a variety of activities and applications demonstrated in the Open English Archive of the blog.

 

This particular template showcases material for a pretty much open unplugged approach to language teaching. It has a lot of crossover with Teaching Materials Design Masterclass 12 ('Summer Unplugged') and represents something of a journey from the first Open Source ('Picket Fence') resource, where a lot of specific applications were suggested.

 

 

Here are the teaching/application suggestions and ideas for Mind the Gap...

 

 

 

And here are the Open Source/'Open Sauce' downloads:

 

Open English - Mind the Gap (PDF)

Open English - Mind the Gap (MS Word)

Open English - Mind the Gap (Compatible)

 

 

 

On behalf of the team here at English Raven (me, myself and I), I hope you've enjoyed the Open Source materials and they've given you some new resources and teaching ideas to consider. I've certainly enjoyed making, exploring and sharing them here on the blog!

 

 

 

;-)

 

 

 

Open Sauce English: The PARSNIPs Edition (Warning - spicy!)

 

 

 

For those teachers willing (and able) to try out some more controversial topics with their students, I have some templates set up for some of the so-called 'taboo' PARSNIP (Politics, Alcohol, Religion, Sexuality, Narcotics, Isms, Pork) themes. The only one of those not represented here is 'Ism'. 

 

These are all open source (or open sauce, as I've become increasingly fond of calling it) materials, and if you are looking for application ideas to go with them there are dozens presented in various ways throughout the rest of the Open Source English material bank.

 

 

So, here they are, for the daring...

 

 

 

 

Open English - Stars and Sparks (PDF)

Open English - Stars and Sparks (MS Word)

Open English - Stars and Sparks (Compatible)

 

 

 

 

Open English - Cheers (PDF)

Open English - Cheers (MS Word)

Open English - Cheers (Compatible)

 

 

 

 

Open English - Like a Prayer (PDF)

Open English - Like a Prayer (MS Word)

Open English - Like a Prayer (Compatible)

 

 

 

 

Open English - Just a Couple (PDF)

Open English - Just a Couple (MS Word)

Open English - Just a Couple (Compatible)

 

 

 

 

Open English - Bitter Pill (PDF)

Open English - Bitter Pill (MS Word)

Open English - Bitter Pill (Compatible)

 

 

 

 

Open English - Ham it up (PDF)

Open English - Ham it up (MS Word)

Open English - Ham it up (Compatible)

 

 

 

Of course, these templates aren't specifically about just barging into the classroom space with a PARSNIP sledge hammer (bellowing: "Take that, yeah! Got you squirming yet?"); they work for a variety of different (perhaps less controversial) themes from which the PARSNIP element could just be an optional extension.

 

Anyway, see what you make of 'em!

 

 

;-)

 

 

 

Open (Source) English <-> Turn the Page

 

 

Open Sauce Downloads:

 

Open English - Turn the Page (PDF)

Open English - Turn the Page (MS Word 2007)

Open English - Turn the Page (Compatible)

 

 

Application ideas:

 

 

 

 

Get some more open sauce to spice up your teaching options in the Open Source English section of the blog!

 

 

;-D

 

 

 

Open (Source) English <-> Think Deeply

 

 

 

Open English - Think Deeply (PDF)

Open English - Think Deeply (MS Word 2007)

Open English - Think Deeply (Compatible)

 

 

 

 

 

More of this sort of stuff in the Open (Source) English section of the blog.

 

 

;-D

 

 

 

Open (Source) English <-> For Rent

 

 

 

The sixth instalment in the Open Source English series goes with the theme of 'For Rent'. While the grid presented here is precisely the same as that featured in instalment five ('Time Flies'), in this case I explain how to use it for a chain story application, one of my favourite collaborative and interactive writing activities.

 

 

 

 

And the open source downloads...

 

Open English - For Rent (PDF)

Open English - For Rent (MS Word 2007)

Open English - For Rent (Compatible)

 

 

There are also other Open Source English resources with accompanying video tutorials/ideas in the Open English section of the blog.

 

 

- JR

 

 

Open (Source) English <-> Time Flies

 

 

 

Here is the fifth installment in the Open (Source) English series of materials I've been presenting on this blog. Open Source (I also like to think of it at time as 'open sauce'!) is a very apt name for this sort of material, because you can adapt it at will for your own classroom use but it also works very much from the idea that we are opening the learners (and the learning space itself) as rich sources of potential communicative content and language.

 

Here's a quick look at the Time Flies edition, why it was made this way and how you might use it.

 

 

 

 

 

Here are those open source downloads:

 

Open English - Time Flies (PDF)

Open English - Time Flies (MS Word 2007)

Open English - Time Flies (Compatible)

 

 

Remember there is a variety of other Open Source English resources with accompanying video tutorials/ideas in the Open English section of the blog.

 

Whether or not time is on your side, hope this helps... :-)

 

 

- JR

 

 

 

Open (Source) English <-> On the Money

 

 

 

Well, hope this is reasonably on the money for someone out there looking for some fresh new 'open' ideas and materials!

 

Here are some of my ideas and suggestions on how you might use this resource:

 

 

 

 

And here are those open source downloads for those who want them!

 

Open English - On the Money (PDF)

Open English - On the Money (MS Word 2007)

Open English - On the Money (Compatible)

 

 

Remember there is a variety of other Open Source English resources with accompanying video tutorials/ideas in the Open English section of the blog.

 

Hope you feel a little richer...

 

 

- JR

 

 

 

Open (Source) English <-> Turn Right

 

 

 

 

It's Thursday, which on the English Raven blog means Open (Source) English time... This is the third set of materials, and hopefully the video below explains all you need to know about it:

 

 

 

 

 

Downloads, anybody?

Open English: Turn Right (PDF)

Open English: Turn Right (MS Word 2007)

Open English: Turn Right (Compatible)

 

 

If you like this at all, remember there are other resources similar to this in the Open English section of the blog.

 

Happy driving!

 

 

- Mr. Raven

 

                                    

Open (Source) English <-> Take a Seat

 

 

 

Time now for the second addition to the Open (Source) English collection and apologies in advance if it does come across as being somewhat clinical...

 

Here's the Raven take on what this material could be about and how you might use it in a classroom:

 

 

 

 

 

And here are the downloads:

 

Open English: Take a Seat (PDF)

Open English: Take a Seat (MS Word 2007)

Open English: Take a Seat (Compatible)

 

 

Be sure to let me know how the materials work (or don't work!) for you and your learners, remembering of course that it is up to you (and them) to make them work...

 

This, previous and all future Open English materials can be found in the Open English section/category of the blog. Be sure to share!

 

 

- Raven Out

 

                            

Open (Source) English <-> Picket Fence

 

 
 

 

Here is the first of the Raven Open (Source) English materials... and below you can get a bit of an introduction to the idea as well as some suggestions on ways to use it.

 

 

 

 

Here are the free downloads for this material:

Open English: Picket Fence (PDF)

Open English: Picket Fence (MS Word 2007)

Open English: Picket Fence (Compatible)

 

 

Remember that it's all open source material ('share alike'), though if you do change and/or add stuff, I'd love to hear from you and learn from what you did.

 

 

Enjoy your open sauce (more on the way next Thursday...)!

 

 

- Mr. Raven

 

 

 

Open English

 

 

 

This is a new section coming to the blog... VERY soon!

 

The basic idea?

 

Open source materials (with some of my more flamboyant attempts at design skills) to facilitate something along the lines of an emergent language teaching approach, with videos presenting ideas on how to use the materials as they are and/or adapt them as you like. They should be applicable to a wide range of ages and levels (not to mention contexts).

 

Opening soon... Stay tuned.

 

 

;-D