Hands-on English back issues.

This is an up-to-date, chronological listing of the contents of each of our back issues, more than fourteen years' worth, for those who really like browsing! You may find activities here that you can use with your students! (All of our back issues are still available; some of the older ones as reprints.)  
Back issues are $7 each, but if you order 10 or more they are discounted at $6 each!

Vol. 1

No. 1 (May/June 91): Three 'Strip stories' for group work, mapping technique for vocabulary, how 'scribes' help students to learn, cartoon dialogs for all-skills practice, 4th of July puzzle, a banquet as cultural activity. (12pp) $7.

No. 2 (July/Aug 91): A conversation activity using if/would, a religions crossword puzzle and cultural activities, hints on organizing teacher materials, a checklist for directing student writing, controversy cards for discussion. (12pp) $7.

No. 3 (Sept/Oct 91): 'Ice-breakers' for new students, 'find someone' questionnaire, student progress chart, grammar using want to, free-writing exercise, and working with a shy student. (12pp) $7.

No. 4 (Nov/Dec 91): Irregular verbs board game, five ideas for busy teachers, 'apartment building' information-gap exercise, controlled composition, working with multi-level classes, editorial on ESL public image. (12pp) $7.

No. 5 (Jan/Feb 92): Famous Americans information-gap activity, multi-level crossword on employment, 'what happens next?' reading & predicting, adjectives worksheet, editorial on gestures. (12pp) $7.

No. 6 (Mar/April 92): Student generated photo stories--a multi-skills activity, conversation wheel, crossword on citizenship, editorial on official English, hints & tips, index to Vol. I. (12pp) $7.

Vol. 2

No. 1 (May/June 92): A crossword on multi-cultural origins of food, grammar practice with can and could, English nicknames, 'One-question interview,' humorous look at testing, hints & tips and more! (12pp) $7.

No. 2 (July/Aug 92): How to avoid teacher burn-out, dictionary puzzle, grammar practice with relative clauses, conversation starters about sports, 'penpals in class'--a group writing activity, review of an ESL text, hints & tips. (12pp) $7.

No. 3 (Sept/Oct 92): Using folktales with adult ESL, role-playing a folktale, getting students to review kid's books, puzzle on U.S. elections, present perfect grammar about Clinton, reviews, hints & tips. (12pp) $7.

No. 4 (Nov/Dec 92): Crossword on world events, jigsaw learning activity about pumpkin pie, chart for teaching measurements, a friendly student interview, editorial about teacher isolation, getting students to speak English. (12pp) $7.

No. 5 (Jan/Feb 93): Conversations about death, two reports on Minigrants projects, grammar activity on making comparisons, starting a class journal, getting students to talk about pictures, hints & tips and more. (12pp) $7.

No. 6 (Mar/April 93): Lesson-planning technique, nine ways to use art in ESL, gadgets for teaching, 'Creature Feature,' multi-level puzzle on the body, report on a Minigrants project, hints & tips, index to Vol. II. (12pp) $7.

Vol. 3

No. 1 (May/June 93): Puzzle on team sports, grammar tense review, 'round robin' stories for reading and writing, ordering ESL materials, how to reduce handouts & photocopying, Minigrants project report, reviews, hints & tips. (12pp) $7.

No. 2 (July/Aug 93): Occupations game, two occupations puzzles, Minigrants awards announcement 93, how to apply for a grant, a student incentive project, letters from readers. (12pp) $7.

No. 3 (Sept/Oct 93): Dictionary puzzle and game, news captions activity, student interview using Why?, editorial on language learning myths, book review, hints & tips, and more. (16pp) $7.

No. 4 (Nov/Dec 93): Survey activity with present perfect, a class puts on a "Pizza Restaurant," multi-level dictation, using volunteers in class, editorial on the appearance of sounds, book reviews, hints & tips. (16pp) $7.

No. 5 (Jan/Feb 94): Puzzle and discussion activity about school issues, grammar activity on articles, a wood-working project, writing commemorative poems, student reports on video, and more. (16pp) $7.

No. 6 (Mar/April 94): A school copes with the death of a student, multi-level puzzle on everyday actions, shopping activity, article on 'coining,' how to use language experience stories. (16pp) $7.

Vol. 4

No. 1 (May/June 94): 'Thought cards'--a speaking activity, all about closed-caption video, working with multi-level classes, getting online, puzzle on careers, student research about inventions, how to organize an idea file. (16pp) $7.

No. 2 (July/Aug 94): Puzzle on ways to say 'thank you,' a questions activity for all levels, 40 helpful hints to make teaching easier, a family literacy project, book reviews, editorial on the state of adult ed careers. (16pp) $7.

No. 3 (Sept/Oct 94): Multi-level crossword on time, combining sentences, reading about scams, cross-cultural quotations, make a jack o'lantern, using CNN Newsroom. (16pp) $7.

No. 4 (Nov/Dec 94): Puzzle on Christmas customs, group writing activity, a student-made achievement test, designing your classroom, having students take class minutes, book review. (16pp) $7.

No. 5 (Jan/Feb 95): Puzzle on saying "no," making connections in your lessons, a prepositions activity, Blockbuster Video lesson, a Valentine's Day project, correcting student writing, review of "Sing It!" (16pp) $7.

No. 6 (Mar/April 95): Word search on saying "yes," practice with abbreviations, writing a Mother's Day card, a consumer economics project, special insert on political action. (20pp) $7.

Vol. 5

No. 1 (May/June 95): 'Student-made tongue-twisters, many ways to use dialogs, a puzzle about apologizing, report on a school's multicultural fair, a teacher joins a new class, index to Vol. 4, editorial on teaching with a team, book review. (16pp) $7.

No. 2 (July/Aug 95): Multi-level crossword on courtroom language, word processor activities for your students, practice with averages, grammar practice with "How often..", a student survey about entertainment, editorial on successful teaching. (16pp) $7.

No. 3 (Sept/Oct 95): Multi-level dictation, "Dance card" conversation activity, hints & tips, an essay by an immigrant, a group activity comparing restaurants, online resources, book review, tips on starting an ESL network. (16pp) $7.

No. 4 (Nov/Dec 95): Crossword puzzle on buying a car, 'Interviews galore!' seven interview topics with questions, report on a cookbook project for elders, grammar with do & don't, danger vocabulary, book review, editorial, online resources. (16pp) $7.

No. 5 (Jan/Feb 96): Getting publicity for your ESL program, crossword on language learning, 'diamond' poetry your students can write, verb wheel for irregular verbs, teaching large classes, more strip stories. (16pp) $7.

No. 6 (Mar/April 96): A clever way to teach modals, using your neighborhood as teaching material, puzzle on places, more ideas for large classes, netsurfing for ESL info, editorial on the need for more English programs. (16pp) $7.

Vol. 6

No. 1 (May/June 96): A vocabulary sorting game, a student-written ESL brochure, using word maps, grammar activity with 'might have been', crossword puzzle about summertime, a student's poem about spring, review of "True Stories in the News," a reader. (16pp) $7.

No. 2 (July/Aug 96): A letter about the joys of teaching, an oral history project,interview about the Olympics, puzzle about expressing uncertainty, two vocabulary exercises about fruits & vegies, reviews of 3 books, where to find teaching ideas online, hints & tips. (16pp) $7.

No. 3 (Sept/Oct 96): Multi-level dictation about the US elections, crossword on elections, a spelling game & a categories game, reviews of 13 sources for games, grammar activity on forming questions, hints & tips, and more. (16pp) $7.

No. 4 (Nov/Dec 96): Crossword puzzle on holidays, a listen-and-do exercise in paper-folding, a variation on 'Jeopardy', dictation relays, models for creating your own business card, tips on using the Grolier Encyclopedia CD Rom, a questioning game. (16pp) $7.

No. 5 (Jan/Feb 97): A categories word game, report on a 'Mystery Party' project, multi-level crossword about winter, review of a book on multi-level classes, a reading activity on obituaries, hints & tips, and what you can find online at Linguistic Funland. (16pp) $7.

No. 6 (Mar/April 97): An editorial about illegal photocopying, teaching for citizenship, a reading & dictation about eyeglasses, crossword on past tense verbs, grammar activity on pronouncing -ed endings, hints & tips, and more. (16pp) $7.

Vol. 7

No. 1 (May/June 97): A class-to-class writing activity, ideas for teaching weather vocabulary, a multi-level puzzle about reading, a conversation activity to practice encouraging responses, a report on a computer project, hints & tips and more. (16pp) $7.

No. 2 (July/Aug 97): A new 'conversation wheel', a list of ESL publishers to contact, a multi-level crossword puzzle about numbers, pronunciation of numbers, grammar with 'more than' and 'less than,' a numbers dictation, online opportunities and more. (16pp) $7.

No. 3 (Sept/Oct 97): An article from the field about how readers recruit students for their programs, a description of the award-winning projects for the 1997 Hands-on English Minigrant awards, how to do collaborative writing with your students, a conversation activity about storms and floods, a multi-level crossword puzzle about nutrition, a suggested discussion about the "food pyramid," a reading passage about Raymond and his truck, a sentence-combining exercise and a mult-level dictation. (16pp) $7.

No. 4 (Nov/Dec 97): An editorial about exemplary program administrators, report on a city-wide scavenger hunt in St. Louis, an article on teaching writing with smells, a multi-level crossword puzzle about food, a guessing-game activity in which students describe how to make a sandwich and other foods, lots of homework ideas for beginning-level students, some especially interesting hints & tips, and a review of book on how to teach ESL. (16pp) $7.

No. 5 (Jan/Feb 98): A checklist for a self-critique of how your teaching's going, making a 'New Year's Quilt' about your students' hopes and dreams, a project in which students prepared welcoming materials for new students, a copyable reading activity about the Olympics, with discussion questions and a fill-in-the-verb grammar exercise, a multi-level crossword puzzle about shopping, a conversation activity called "I have two cats" that's easy to prepare, a report on a project in which students taught a lesson on how to do something, more ideas about recruiting students for your program, hints and tips and more! (16pp) $7.

No. 6 (Mar/April 98): A description of an ESL book cart project in which students are introduced to pleasure reading, a story about a community newspaper that prints a literacy column for new readers, a multi-level crosswork puzzle about fixing things, a vocabulary matching exercise, how to use newsprint in your classroom, using the classic film "The Red Balloon" for ESL instruction, a categories word game, an editorial about the knowledge your students bring to the classroom, plus letters from readers and more. (16pp) $7.

Vol. 8

No. 1 (May/June 98): A multi-level dictation exercise about a bicycle accident, a helpful checklist of what every newcomer to the U.S. should know, a multi-level crossword puzzle about going to the hospital, a vocabulary exercise about different kinds of doctors, idiom practice, a lively activity called "Stand up if you're wearing red" with a description of Total Physical Response (TPR) activities, a report on a literacy quilt project in Wisconsin, three book reviews, and more! (16pp) $7.

No. 2 (July/Aug 98): A report on "Let's talk!", a teacher's project to bring community and class together, 'Controversy cards' to get your students talking and writing, a multi-level crossword puzzle on storms and natural disasters, 'Where do they live?", a simple ESL game, "Oh, sorry to hear that!", a conversation activity to practice sympathetic responses, an article on using a technique called 'dicto-comps' and more. (16pp) $7.

No. 3 (Sept/Oct 98): This is an extra-big issue! Ideas on creating a class community (even in an open enrollment program), tips on teaching beginning students, a reading activity about a bicycle accident (adapted for literacy level students), a multi-level dictation about asteroids, a listening activity that teaches students how to verify what they've heard, a multi-level dictation called 'Taking care of business' about errands students might have, a vocabulary exercise about different kinds of stores, a guessing game about a mystery object, information on seven citizenship websites, a citizenship crossword puzzle, a grammar activity on relating the news, a review of the Oxford Picture Dictionary, news & notes and more. (28pp) $7.

No. 4 (Nov/Dec 98): A picture story for literacy/beginning students about Linda's misfortunes in preparing for Christmas, an article about how students brainstormed solutions to the problems of a (fictional) unhappy housewife, how to make a board game called "Going to Hawaii" that is customized to your students, a multi-level crossword puzzle about leisure activitities, a conversation activity about hobbies, a grammar activity based on this to practice the structure "enjoy ___-ing", a conversation activity about wishing someone well called "Have a good trip!", a review of four citizenship videos to use as teaching resources, news & notes, and more! (16pp) $7.

No. 5 (Jan/Feb 99): A picture story for literacy/beginners about a drunk driver, a writing activity for any level called "Literary Valentines," a grammar activity practicing future constructions by speculating about the world 50 years from now, a multi-level crossword puzzle about technology, a vocabulary activity also about technology, some ideas for designing quiz games for your students, including instruction cards for a small-group game, a description of "static cling sheets" as a classroom teaching tool, some tips on teaching dictation skills to students preparing for the citizenship exam, news & notes, and more! (16pp) $7.

No. 6 (Mar/April 99): A picture story for literacy/beginners about preparing dinner, a vocabulary board game about car problems (you can adapt this to any topic), an article about using volunteers in your ESL classroom, two crossword puzzles about states and cities in the U.S., a Minigrant report on an ESL landscaping project, a multi-level dictation about planting seeds in spring, a conversation activity, "I'm sure you can do it!" about encouraging someone who is discouraged, and an article about preparing your students for their citizenship interview. (20pp) $7.

Vol. 9

No. 1 (May/June 99): Tips on teaching older students, a newspaper treasure hunt to practice scanning skills and get familiar with a local paper, a map activity about Serbia and the Baltic region (can be used as a listening activity or as a reading activity), a multi-level crossword puzzle called "Paying for things" about all kinds of money issues, "Talking about time," a conversation activity to practice different verb tenses (both a beginning and intermediate level version are included), an editorial about preparing students to deal with unsympathetic listeners, book reviews about A to Zany, Community Activities for Students of English and Chalk Talks, hints and tips, and more. (16pp) $7.

No. 2 (July/August 99): A report on our 1999 Minigrant awards and our new Advisory Board members, a report on a student handbook project, two exercises to practice communicating with gestures (charades and a role-playing game), a multi-level crossword puzzle on keeping cool in the summer, a 'hidden message' puzzle to practice summertime vocabulary, a conversation activity about plans, hopes and dreams, a report from a citizenship program on an in-house newsletter to encourage student citizenship success, and an 'Idea file' activity in which students play the role of important people in the news, and more. (16pp) $7.

No. 3 (Sept/Oct 99): A multi-level dictation on the topic of how to learn English, some tips on the technique of using bulletin boards effectively, an easy-to-do warm-up game to help students review new vocabulary, a multi-level crossword puzzle about the library, a dictation exercise also about the library, a field activity with a questionnaire for students to take with them on a discovery visit to a library, a reader shares her digital camera technique for creating real-life reading materials, hints and tips for teaching irregular verbs and for organizing the clutter of ESL materials, and more. (16pp) $7.

No. 4 (Nov/Dec 99): A simple vocabulary activity suitable for literacy-level students but adaptable to higher levels, suggestions on having your students stage an awards ceremony, a multi-level crossword puzzle on keeping warm in the winter, a roleplay activity called 'The party game' that involves all the students at once and has a surprise ending, a beginning-level reading passage about New Year's resolutions, a grammar activity that practices future structures while talking about making and breaking resolutions, a review of Using the Newspaper to Teach Basic Living Skills, a workbook-style text with newspaper activities, and more. (16pp) $7.

No. 5 (Jan/Feb 00): A reading activity about scanning the newspaper for information, a conversation activity about guessing in which students practice this with role cards, a grammar exercise about making comparisons which is student-centered and interesting, a multi-level crossword about colors, a vocabulary game about colors, and a cultural activity about the traditional associations of colors, an article about the United States census of 2000 and how to encourage your students to participate, and more. This issue also includes a reader survey form so that we can get your feedback. (16pp) $7.

No. 6 (March/April 00): A report on the results from our Reader Survey; 6 good hints & tips contributed by readers; a technique for having students evaluate ESL listening materials; a student-centered grammar activity that practices "can" and "can't"; an interview activity about the students' neighborhood; a short reading and vocabulary activity about spring cleaning; a multi-level crossword puzzle also about spring cleaning; a multi-level dictation about TV violence and its effect on children; a recipe that teaches cooking terms; a review of English for Everyday Activities, A Picture Process Dictionary; and more! (16pp) $7.

Vol. 10

We can hardly believe this is our tenth year! Where has the time gone? Thanks to our readers, the great teaching ideas just keep coming!

No. 1 (May/June 00): Twenty ideas for 'class starters' that make good use of the time right before class begins; A report from a teacher on her program's multi-class smorgasbord of activities called 'Thursday options'; a reading activity called 'The best job in the world' (mildly humorous); Two puzzles at two levels about jobs; a useful activity on understanding the acronyms (like CBS, IBM) that students will hear in the news; a puzzle about these frequently mentioned organizations, a whole bunch of conversation ideas in an article called 'Getting to know you'; a review of a book on assessment in literacy and adult ESL; a short review of 'The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down'; hints and tips, and more! (16pp) $7.

No. 2 (July/August 00): A multi-level dictation on the summer Olympics; a multi-level crossword puzzle also on the summer Olympics, an article from a teacher about how to hold a mini-Olympics in your classroom; a grammar activity about phrasal verbs; an idea for making a board game about 'Events of the month' using a calendar as the board; a conversation activity about dilemmas; a review of a new book of short plays for ESL students about American heroes; and more! (16pp) $7.

No. 3 (September/October 00): This issue includes a multi-level crossword puzzle on the theme of 'Changes for fall,' a listening activity about the seasons, a reading activity about the history of voting rights for women, a conversation activity called the 'photo wheel,' a vocabulary review game that students can design themselves, some tips on teaching about elections, a review of TPR Student Kits for beginning level students, and an invitation to join our Advisory Board. (16pp) $7.

No. 4 (November/December 00): There are plenty of activities to practice family vocabulary in this issue--a multi-level puzzle about relatives, a reading activity about Princess Diana and the British royal family, a worksheet with a family tree for the royal family, and a multi-level dictation based on the same reading passage. Also in this issue are some out-of-class activities your students can do for homework at 3 levels, a grammar activity to help students practice forming questions (this one can be played as a team game), a review of Match It! (a book of vocabulary games), information about the new Adult Education program standards available from TESOL, and some good hints & tips. (16pp) $7.

No. 5 (January/February 01): This issue has several activities on the theme of clothing--an easy pantomime game to practice basic vocabulary, a short dialog about shopping for clothes that your students can use in a role-playing activity, and a multi-level crossword puzzle about shopping for clothes (levels A, B and C). Then, some dictionary activities to help your students get familiar with using a monolingual English dictionary--3 short games similar to a scavenger hunt, and a crossword puzzle for which students use a dictionary to find the answers. Not only that, but this issue also includes an editorial about difficult teaching conditions in the adult ESL field, letters from readers and an article for beginning teachers by Abbie Tom on how to get started with your new class. (16pp) $7.

No. 6 (March/April 01): Three activities about income taxes--a multi-level dictation on people who procrastinate, a scrambled sentence story on the filing process, and a multi-level crossword about filling out the forms. Also, a grammar activity on using 'modals of advisability' (ie., should, ought to) by writing letters from an advice columnist; a conversation activity about what students did on the weekend, an article by Abbie Tom on how to organize your ESL course by themes, a book review about The Uncle Sam Activity Book of citizenship activities, and a whole bunch of hints & tips. (16pp) $7.

Vol. 11

No. 1 (May/June 01): This spring issue includes a multi-level crossword puzzle about--you guessed it--spring! There is also a multi-level dictation about a high school graduation ceremony, a fun tongue-in-cheek grammar activity called 'Spy interviews' in which students claim to have special agent skills, a reading/research/report activity about endangered animal species, some homework ideas for beginning-level students, and another article for new teachers from Abbie Tom with some advice about lesson planning. (16pp) $7.

No. 2 (July/August 01): Four activities about 'Moving day'--a story about the Wu family moving to a new apartment, a scrambled sentence activity to use as warm-up or as reading/writing material for literacy-level students, a multi-level crossword puzzle about moving, and a board game for follow-up and discussion of this topic. This issue also includes a lovely article by John Sparks about using magazine pictures with his students, and eight great hints & tips from other teachers about using pictures. We also bring you an interesting report from a Minigrant project in Texas, in which students created an information booth about 'Home Safety' for a community health fair. Finally, three ready-made interview charts help get your students speaking and listening. (16pp) $7.

No. 3 (September/October 01): This issue includes a timely article about 'Football season,' with a multi-level dictation ready for you to use. An easy multi-level crossword puzzle about money is complemented by another article on how to teach students about bank accounts. You'll find an interesting report on a Minigrant project from London, Kentucky, in which students wrote their own guidebook and went on a scavenger hunt in their community. A technique from a teacher in Minnesota has adult students working with teddy bears and stuffed animals for writing and speaking. You'll also find a conversation activity to practice apologies, hints and tips, and more. (16pp) $7.

No. 4 (November/December 01): Here you'll find a multi-level dictation exercise with five different levels, called 'A student dinner', about a familiar event--a holiday potluck meal. This issue includes two activities on the theme of using the newspaper. One is a multi-level crossword about the different sections and kinds of information available in the paper. The other is a treasure-hunt style scanning exercise in which your students look for certain words or topics in the paper; this one has four levels of difficulty available. 'Analogies' is an interesting and fun word activity that requires some thinking to do, and can be applied to current events if you wish. Twenty-six examples are given for your students to work on, or you can invent your own. Finally, two articles about teaching pronunciation--hints and tips about what works and what doesn't, and an easy system for teaching vowel sounds. Also, letters from readers and an editorial about what kind of focus on tragic events is appropriate in the classroom. (16pp) $7.

No. 5 (January/February 02): This issue brings you a multi-level crossword puzzle about going to the movies, in response to all the recent hype about new movies. You'll also find a related conversation activity, 'Talking about movies,' to get your students started presenting their own reviews. Also relevant right now, a reader has sent us an interesting discussion activity, 'The Olympic spirit for ESOL students,' in which students compare themselves to Olympic athletes using Venn diagrams. In response to our plea for ideas, another reader has sent us lots of ideas for connecting students to community. There's a short multi-level dictation 'Remembering winter'--were winters really snowier back then or do people just remember them that way? A pronunciation activity helps students practice emphasis, or the music of English, and reviews of two pronunciation books give you some ideas for further resources. A fun role-playing activity provides a good starting point for further language work, and any level of student can do it. And finally, an editorial about impending cutbacks in education funding. (16pp) $7.

No. 6 (March/April 02): In this issue you'll find a multi-level dictation and discussion activity about "TV-Turnoff Week," a chance for people to take charge of how much TV they, or their kids, watch. There are two (opposite) puzzles to practice opposites, an article with suggestions for teaching maps and directions, and a helpful list of ESL publishers and their contact info. Hints & tips include: a technique for creating puzzles for which the students write the clues, an idea for having students design an imaginary restaurant, a clever interview activity to practice making appointments, and a simple guessing game. (16pp) $7.

Vol. 12  

No. 1 (May/June 02): This issue focusses on understanding paychecks. We bring you a dictation/problem-solving activity that will help students discover what all those numbers mean on their pay stubs. Then, there's a multi-level crossword to practice paycheck vocabulary again. Students give 'How to do it' presentations in a report on one teacher's month-long project. Our Dear Abbie discusses working with ESL seniors with tips and resources. A conversation activity gives your students practice saying 'no' politely. We review two books of interest, English for Everyday Activities, Basic Edition and Pearls of Wisdom, a folktales book. Hints & tips include more map ideas, teaching with songs, and using films in ESL. Finally, we invite you to help us with future book reviews (see editorial). (16pp) $7.

No. 2 (July/August 02): In this issue you'll find some great ideas for teaching about driving a car. 'Dear Abbie' responds to a reader's question with quite a few lesson ideas related to driving and driving vocabulary. She also gives us a ready-to-use "listen and say" vocabulary exercise. There's a multi-level dictation called "Going to the DMV" that continues this topic.Our crossword puzzle this time is two puzzles about countries and capital cities. A teacher shares her technique for corresponding by email with stay-at-home students, and in our hints & tips section several teachers send suggestions for appropriate movies for ESL students. You'll find a book review of Real Basics; A Beginning Text for Immigrants. We also include letters from readers, a note about our price increase, and a message about the US Refugee program's difficulties.

No. 3 (September/October 02): The new, extra-large fall issue includes more tips on teaching about driving, and a crossword puzzle on 'Car parts and driving' sent in by a reader. Our multi-level crossword puzzle this time is "About writing" and the vocabulary students need in school. A five-level dictation activity also on writing is about 'A letter to the editor' of the local newspaper. It's about a student who didn't like what the newspaper wrote about his country. We also bring you a ready-to-use Q&A card game with an example using numbers as the theme, but it's adaptable to any topic you are working on. "Dear Abbie" addresses a reader's concern with speaking comprehensibly. As usual, she provides many practical tips. Another good idea, 'Stories with sounds' has students taping their stories with sound effects. This works well for Halloween stories or other kinds of stories as well. (20pp) $7.

No. 4 (November/December 02): The multi-level crossword puzzle in this issue is about household appliances. There's a follow-up activity to practice prepositions by arranging appliances in a kitchen. A listening-speaking activity about Shopping for a greeting card gives you a simple example of a 'strip story' for group practice. A conversation activity sent in by a reader called "Young and old" has students discussing a photograph of the teacher when she was younger with her grandmother. The students talk about the advantages of being old or young, and what the two age groups can teach each other. "Dear Abbie" offers many good ideas for how to include review in your lessons. A multi-level dictation gives an example of a recorded message on an anwering machine, and 5 levels for the students to try. Many hints & tips for end-of-the-year lessons, and more! (20pp) $7.

No. 5 (January/February 03): This issue includes an article on 'Learning about maps' from Linda Phipps. She offers 19 concrete ideas for working with maps in class. A multi-level dictation about Exercise and good health gives students practice at 5 levels and discussion material about the need for exercise. This is followed up with a board game to help students practice the new vocabulary. A more advanced vocabulary activity has students discussing various health problems and risk factors related to lack of exercise. A reader sends us a report on her "drop-in center" and the kinds of short-term help she and her staff can offer. "Dear Abbie" gives us some tips on starting a new unit. A multi-level crossword puzzle about Driving a car gives students two different puzzles and 4 levels of difficulty to try. A fun conversation activity has students practicing how to ask for clarification--"Can you say that again, please?" Two book reviews, and an editorial about how memory works...and more! (20pp) $7.

No. 6 (March/April 03): This issue includes a multi-level dictation about Arbor Day with 5 levels of difficulty. The multi-level crossword puzzle is about Learning English, and it includes a warm-up interview activity about learning strategies. A grammar activity to practice prepositions has students arranging a table for a birthday party. We also include a report from a reader about how she uses clipart to prepare teacher-made lessons, with samples of 3 of her worksheets. Our own "Dear Abbie" discusses her thoughts about using English in the classroom instead of giving help in the students' first language. Hints & tips sent in by readers include a nice idea for answering machine practice, and a great story-retelling technique. Two book reviews, and more! (20pp) $7.

Vol. 13  

No. 1 (May/June 03): This issue has a reading and a multi-level crossword on going to the optometrist and optician's, called 'Getting new glasses.' There is also a multi-level dictation on seasonal allergies, called 'Spring is allergy season.' We revisit the wonderful technique called the 'one-question interview' with two sets of questions for you to try--one is for a civics lesson called 'About your city,' the other is 'About food.' In addition there is a page of dictionary practice activities to help students get familiar with using an English/English dictionary. A grammar grab-bag exercise, 'Excuses, excuses!' teaches modals of ability like couldn't. A related conversation activity, "I couldn't come to class because I had to go to the INS," has students roleplaying some excuses to practice these forms. Finally, a reader sent us some nice tips for making 'Lessons from a student story.' And more! (20pp) $7.

No. 2 (July/August 03): This issue has a reading activity about calling the doctor, called 'Talking about symptoms." For follow up, there's a multi-level crossword with three levels also about describing symptoms. Finally, a conversation lesson gets students to practice talking about their symptoms in a role-playing activity. The multi-level dictation in this issue is 'Traffic-hazard--summer heat!' a story about road construction and someone's car overheating. Four levels are provided, plus discussion questions. In addition, a reader sends in her techniques for learning students' names; there's a grammar exercise to practice using reported speech when talking about current events, with a follow-up conversation activity, 'Did you hear about...' A newspaper scanning activity, 'Countries in the news,' gives students a chance to talk about current events while gathering factual information. There is a book review on the new edition of Index Card Games, hints & tips, a report on our reader survey, and more! (20pp) $7.

No. 3 (September/October 03): In this issue, 3 crossword puzzles at 3 different levels help students practice vocabulary about speaking English. As a warm-up to this activity, there's a questionnaire about speaking English which the students can use to interview each other. The multi-level dictation in this issue is on a timely topic: telemarketing calls! Students can discuss personal strategies for dealing with these as well as public policies. Adult students love to give their opinions, so we bring you another set of our popular Controversy cards for lively discussion. A reader sends us a simple beanbag game called 'Getting to know you' which you can adapt to many activities. A grammar exercise about hurricane damage practices combining sentences with 'but.' We bring you an updated list of ESL publishers and their website addresses, some very nice hints & tips, and more! (20pp) $7.

No. 4 (November/December 03): For the holiday season, this issue includes a puzzle about holiday customs and a multi-level dictation "A double holiday," about one family's Christmas tradition. Other activities in the issue focus on the theme of housing and looking for an apartment. The multi-level crossword puzzle, Apartment hunting, offers 3 levels of practice with vocabulary and abbreviations commonly used in newspaper ads. For beginners, three simple dialogs on Asking about an apartment help them to learn the vocabulary they need to interact with a landlord. For higher level students, a ready-to-use conversation activity, Find the perfect apartment, gives students a role to play as either landlord or prospective tenant. For vocabulary work, an example of Vocabulary bingo is provided with examples about furniture and appliances. Abbie Tom's clever listening exercise "Listen and say" with furniture definitions is a wonderful follow-up. Finally, there is an open-ended board game, Talk about your home which gives students a chance to use what they've learned in conversation. Also letters, tips, and more! (20pp) $7.

No. 5 (January/February 04): This issue brings you a multi-level crossword puzzle about the very necessary skill of Using the telephone. The multi-level dictation is a story about collecting souvenirs, a topic with cultural interest which gives your students a nice opportunity to share some of their own mementos. By popular demand, there is also some verb practice in the form of a set of crossword puzzles about past tense verb forms. Teacher Linda Holden contributes an article on Using visual art to teach pronunciation. Lynette Bowen sends her enthusiastic Tips for including new volunteers, a useful way to make the most of program resources while training new teachers. Do your students know how to correct someone who makes a misstatement? The conversation activity Polite corrections gives them a way to practice this. Plus, two book reviews, letters, tips and more! (20pp) $7.

No. 6 (March/April 04): You'll find a multi-level crossword puzzle about the weather, with follow-up speaking activities including a student-made weather report. We also have a new version of our very popular grammer exercise on pronouncing '-ED' endings, with two more sets of verbs for intermediate and advanced learners. Abbie Tom contributes her description of a classic ESL exercise for speaking and listening, called 'Student survey.' A ready-made Conversation board game with 34 topic cards challenges your students to practice their speaking skills. A reader contributes a work-related lesson about moving boxes in a warehouse, to teach & practice location words. A true story, with text and picturesfor reading activities, about a student who lost some important papers, called "Han's briefcase." This is followed up with a multi-level dictation of the same story. A book review of Across the U.S., a new reading text. Also, letters, an editorial and more! (20pp) $7.

 Vol. 14  

No. 1 (May/June 04): The multi-level crossword puzzle in this issue is about Getting groceries--there are three puzzles at three levels of difficulty. To go along with that there is a listening & speaking activity called In the supermarket. Students look at a map of the supermarket and take turns asking about food items. A reading activity, A garden mix-up, tells the true story about an immigrant family's experience planting cucumbers. This story is also offered as multi-level dictation, with 5 levels of difficulty. Also in this issue you'll find a grammar activity, Pronouncing '-s' endings in which students discover the rule for themselves. A new version of our Student progress chart is offered as a useful tool for helping your students focus their efforts and see their own progress. Two book reviews are included, letters, hints & tips, and more! (20pp) $7.

No. 2 (July/August 04): Our multi-level crossword puzzle for this issue is All about mail, with vocabulary relating to the post office. A hidden word puzzle relating to correct addressing of envelopes should be fun for your students. Related to this is a story called Wrong mailbox, about a letter delivered to the wrong person and what happened next. This story comes with a multi-level dictation with 5 levels of difficulty. You'll find another grammar activity, Find the spelling rule, about the two different sounds of the letter "c". And in Spelling rule match-up, your students can read 12 spelling rules and match these with an example of each rule. Also included are a writing activity, a review of an ESL board game, letters, hints & tips, and more! (16pp) $7.

No. 3 (September/October 04): This issue has two geography puzzles, U.S. States west and U.S. States east. This activity includes some map work. There is a multi-level dictation about a parent with an overweight child. Discussion topics for this include food, exercise, health and cultural issues. We bring you another grammar 'discovery' exercise in which students find the spelling rule for one-syllable words ending in double letters. A contributor describes a creative, self-esteem boosting activity in which the students make poster-sized collages about themselves using pictures cut from magazines. In our 'Tools & techniques' section, we describe seven more ways that pictures can contribute to lively ESL lessons. We bring you one ready-to-use example of an activity called 'What's the story?' in which students create a story based on several unrelated pictures. Finally, we are especially pleased to offer you a very nicely thought-out board game on job hunting skills. This activity is carefully described with instructions for preparing the board and question cards, with some follow-up suggestions as well. We hope your students enjoy this game. (20pp) $7.

No. 4 (November/December 04): This hefty issue has two activities about using cash machines: a multi-level crossword puzzle called "Getting some cash from the ATM," and a photo story with nine photos called "Peter gets some cash." The story also has sentence strips for a scrambled story exercise. Speaking of electronic transactions, on the topic of identity theft, we have an intermediate-level reading passage that goes into detail about how to protect yourself. And there is a much shorter, simpler article on identity theft that we offer as a multi-level dictation. For beginning level students, we bring you an envelope-addressing activity called post office practice. As a follow-up you'll find a 'Listen & say' activity on post office vocabulary. Other activities include some homework ideas for language projects your students can work on over the holiday break; a dictionary practice activity; an article on low-budget lessons, with ideas on how to save money on photocopying costs. (20pp) $7.

No. 5 (January/February 05): This issue has a reading about the science of earthquakes and tsunamis. This is followed by a multi-level dictation about the recent tsunami in Asia. There is a simple crossword puzzle (with three levels) about household appliance vocabulary. Then a more challenging multi-level set of puzzles about household problems such as appliances breaking down. Once students have practiced some of this vocabulary, they can do a conversation activity, also about household problems. (What do you do when the kitchen faucet is leaking?) There is a lovely multi-skill grammar lesson on 'used to' which includes music and personal stories as well. And, a class activity to demonstrate the use of the present perfect continuous. Your students will enjoy the ESL game 'Categories race' in which they think of as many words as they can for each category, like "things in the news," etc. As a follow-up to the article in our last issue, we include more low-budget lessons, with six ideas that don't require fancy supplies. Plus, letters from our readers. (20pp) $7.

No. 6 (March/April 05): This issue has a travel theme, with a multi-level crossword puzzle and a categories activity about travel vocabulary. There is also a wonderful multi-skills sharing project called "Packing for America." Your students may be very interested in participating in this one. You'll find also a short reading passage on a topic of concern in the news lately--overweight and obesity. In particular, this article points out why this is a concern for immigrants as well as for Americans born here. A Grammar grab-bag activity called 'Concentrate on contractions' is useful for beginning students. A reader contributes a suggested conversation activity about cross-cultural food items, called 'Superword Thursday.' And finally, we give information on how you can give input to the U.S. Congress concerning education funding for adult programs. Plus, letters from readers and two book reviews. (20pp) $7.

 Vol. 15

No. 1 (May/June 05): The eighty-fifth issue of HOE (whew!) has a clothing focus, with four puzzles at different levels on clothing vocabulary, and a 'listen and say' activity also about clothing. An idea file article gives you further suggestions for teaching this topic. There is a reading and discussion activity about American quilts for your students who are interested in culture and traditions. Also on the topic of quilts there is a multi-level dictation with five levels provided. A conversation activity, to help your students practice expressing concern, offers some role-play options. And, Abbie Tom writes about Class starting routines with some of her useful, practical suggestions for getting your class off to a good start and giving your students confidence. Plus, letters from our readers and a READER SURVEY that we hope you'll respond to. We need your input to plan future issues! (20pp) $7.

No. 2 (July/Aug 05): This issue has a multi-level crossword puzzle about Using computers. There is reading about a NASA spacecraft Meeting a comet, with a multi-level dictation on the same topic offered at five levels. A fun vocabulary activity called Alphabet opposites is provided with several suggestions for use. There is a short reading about Temperatures with some conversion exercises (Fahrenheit and Celcius). We also have a roleplaying activity for conversation practice, called "Get well soon!" Finally, Linda Phipps offers some hints and tips for teaching individual learners. (16pp) $7.

No. 3 (Sept/Oct 05): Hurricanes are the focus of this issue, with a longer reading passage about hurricanes (intermediate level), a shorter reading about hurricanes with a multi-level dictation for all levels, a map work exercise about hurricane geography, and a student-centered listening activity about hurricane categories. In addition we suggest a discussion on being prepared for emergencies. On a more cheerful note, there is a scrambled story and discussion activity about garage sales, and a multi-level crossword puzzle also about garage sales. (16pp) $7.

No. 6 (March/April 06): Filling up the gas tank is one focus of this issue. We have a short reading with a multi-level dictation called Out of gas, with plenty of discussion questions so your students can air their views on the current topic of gas prices. For beginning level students there are some illustrations and story strips to help clarify the vocabulary and understand the story. And as long as we're talking about driving, there's a grammar exercise about driving rules to practice have to/don't have to and must/must not. The multi-level dictation in this issue is about television. Three different puzzles at three levels are provided. Related to that is a conversation activity with a number of discussion questions about TV and some homework suggestions that should lead to further discussion. Reader Lynette Bowen contributes an article on new uses for dictations and includes some simple examples for you to try. We also include a verbs puzzle to practice some past tense verb forms. Letters, hints & tips, and more! (16pp) $7.

 Vol. 16

No. 1 (May/June 06): A true story about a student who lost his wallet on the bus is the topic of 'Lost and found,' a multi-level dictation with 5 levels of difficulty. As a supplement to this story we have a series of 8 stick-figure drawings to illustrate it, as well as some simple story strips to do a scrambled story or matching exercise.  The multi-level crossword puzzle in this issue is called 'Safety: Please be careful!' and covers basic home and car safety topics. There is a short reading about car safety seats for children, with a few discussion points. A reader contributes a multi-level dictation that she created from her students' own writings, about a visit to the public library. We hope this will inspire instructors to try this for themselves. As a follow-up, There's a library board game for oral communication practice. Finally, the editor offers a discussion of using stick drawings in the classroom, and explains why she's not embarrassed about her lack of artistic ability. (16pp)  $7.

No. 2 (July/August 06): One of the themes in this issue is going to the dentist. We offer a vocabulary matching exercise, all about dental care, as a warm-up. This is followed by a 330-word reading, "A dentist appointment," which describes a routine visit for preventive care.  A shorter version of the story forms a multi-level dictation (Levels A through E) about going to the dentist. Another theme is photos--taking them, sharing them and talking about them. The multi-level crossword puzzle about photos provides three separate puzzles for your students. A conversation activity about cameras and photos is also included. A variation of a well-known technique, the 'strip story' is called 'strip stories extreme' and provides a challenging listening and speaking exercise to try with your students. A simple grammar exercise to introduce gerunds can be used even with beginning-level students. Hints & tips in this issue includes a nifty pronunciation technique and an interview activity called 'in the hot seat.' (16pp) $7.

Vol. 17

No. 1 (May/June 07): More about junk food and eating healthy food in this issue, with a multi-level dictation, "Food for teens." A mother worries about the food her kids are eating outside the home. A follow-up vocabulary brainstorming exercise helps students identify various words for people. The multi-level crossword is called Saying 'thank you' and presents many scenarios where thanks are expressed. A follow-up conversation activity has students role-playing situations where they thank each other. A wonderful, practical article on Field trips for adult ESL/ELL gives you ideas and inspiration for making a field trip worthwhile for your students. Hints and tips include talking about birthdays for practice with dates, and map work ideas. (16pp)  $7.

No. 2 (July/August 07): This summer issue has photos from a farmer's market with discussion questions for conversation. Then there is a story about some people who sell vegetables at the farmer's market. You'll also find a student interview about sports, which prepares students for the multi-level crossword puzzle about team sports. An article on "Preparing for job interviews" gives you 16 suggestions for working with students as well as a list of grammar items that are important to practice before job interviews. Abbie Tom has a column "On sharing with students" about what's appropriate to discuss in class about yourself. And finally, a conversation activity called "Correct me if I'm wrong" has students correcting each other on citizenship facts. 

Vol. 18

Vol. 19

Vol. 20

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