We recently discovered Stickyball.net, which is a fine resource site for teachers that really takes the hassle out of finding original resources for ESL lessons. Why not check it out:
We particularly liked the jokes page: http://www.stickyball.net/jokes.html and the free downloadable alphabet books: http://www.stickyball.net/phonics.html
We asked site owner Brian Giles a few quick questions to find out more about the site!
What is the purpose of your site?
I started my site to share the various teachers' resources and materials that I had made and developed over the years.
What is there for students and teachers on your site?
My site is mainly for teachers; I have several free worksheets in the areas of phonics, grammar, and vocabulary, as well as printable writing activities for advanced students and some simple game ideas that I've used in my classes. I also have two series of ebooks (ESL phonics and ESL dialogues) that can be downloaded through Paypal, and a series for adults coming soon.
How did you come up with the idea for your site?
I often searched the internet for specific worksheets, handouts, or ideas, only to come up empty-handed and write the materials on my own. As such, I decided that the worksheets, ebooks, and handouts that I had developed might be useful to other teachers who may be in a similar situation to me.
Have you got any advice for... a) new teachers of English? b) students of English?
I have some basic teaching tips on my site. The best advice I ever received came from one of my good friends, an experienced ESL children's teacher, as I was a newbie teacher who was getting very frustrated with my classes. We were playing pool and I was complaining, and he looked at me and said, 'Remember. They're just kids.' Later, as I was probably still complaining, he looked at me and said, 'Remember. You're the adult.' Those two pieces of advice, while ridiculously simple, have stuck with me, because it's easy to forget how young your students actually are, and it's important to remember your role as a teacher, mentor, and, well, adult.
Thanks for sharing with us, Brian, and best wishes with Stickyball.net!
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