The holiday season is a magical time to bring festive cheer and rich cultural traditions into your English language classroom. Classic holiday stories and poems not only capture the spirit of the season but also provide excellent opportunities for language learning. In this blog post, we'll suggest some timeless holiday literature and explore how they can be effectively used in the classroom to enhance your students' language skills and allow you to make the most of these festive texts.
This novella tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly old man who is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. Through these supernatural visits, Scrooge learns the importance of kindness, generosity and the true holiday spirit.
How to use in the classroom:
Discussion questions:
- What are the main reasons for Scrooge's initial behavior?
- How do the visits from the ghosts change Scrooge’s perspective on life?
- What lessons can we learn from "A Christmas Carol" about the true meaning of Christmas?
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This short story revolves around a young couple, Jim and Della, who are very much in love but also very poor. They each sacrifice their most prized possession to buy a Christmas gift for the other, only to find that their gifts are now useless. Their acts of love and sacrifice highlight the true meaning of giving.
How to use in the classroom:
Discussion questions:
- What do Jim and Della’s sacrifices tell us about their relationship?
- How does the story illustrate the concept of irony?
- What is the true gift that Jim and Della give each other?
This classic poem describes the magical visit of St. Nicholas (Santa Claus) on Christmas Eve. Its vivid imagery and rhythmic verses make it a delightful read for students of all ages.
How to use in the classroom:
- How does the poem create a sense of anticipation and excitement?
- What details does the poet use to describe Santa Claus and his reindeer?
- How does the poem reflect the traditions and customs of Christmas?
While not everyone will celebrate the holiday season, there are other stories and poems that reflect the mood of the season that you could look at as part of your English language lessons instead.
This poem describes a quiet, contemplative moment in which the speaker stops to watch snow falling in the woods. The serene and reflective mood captures the peacefulness of winter.
How to use in the classroom:
Discussion questions:
- What images does Frost use to create a sense of peace and quiet?
- How does the rhyme scheme contribute to the overall mood of the poem?
- What might the speaker be contemplating as he stops to watch the snow?
It tells the story of a young boy named Nicki who loses one of his white mittens in the snow. As the mitten lies on the ground, various woodland animals, one by one, find the mitten and squeeze inside it to stay warm. The mitten stretches to accommodate each new animal, growing larger and larger. Eventually, a bear sneezes, causing all the animals to tumble out and Nicki finds his mitten again.
How to use in the classroom:
Discussion questions:
- Which animal surprised you the most when it entered the mitten and why?
- Can you describe a time when you lost something important? How did you feel and what did you do?
- How do you think the mitten changed after all the animals were inside it?
Incorporating festive literature into your English language teaching can make the holiday season more enjoyable and educational for your students. By using classic holiday stories and poems, you can help students improve their language skills while also exploring important themes and traditions. These timeless pieces of literature offer rich opportunities for reading comprehension, vocabulary building, creative expression and cultural exploration. We hope these suggestions inspire you to bring some holiday cheer into your classroom this December.Ìý
See our blogs on Creative writing exercises for English language learners and 12 games and puzzles to level up your language learning for some more hints and tips on English language learning.
Learning English with music can enhance learning and create a more engaging and dynamic classroom environment. In a previous post, we discussed if music can help you learn a language; this post looks at how music can be incorporated into the classroom.
Using music in your classroom can help improve student motivation, focus, and retention of information. Here are some ways you can use music to enhance your classroom teaching:
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Have you considered studying abroad? Moving to Canada to study? With more than 100 world-class universities across the country, there’s good reason to. From coast to coast to coast, it offers many international students a safe and supportive learning environment and the opportunity to work after graduation.
Want to learn more? In this guide, we cover ten things you should know about studying in Canada:
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Workplaces are becoming more and more diverse, with employees hailing from various cultures and speaking different languages. This diversity bringsÌývaluable enrichmentÌýbut can also bring communication and collaboration challenges.
That's why corporate language training is crucial. It bridges cultural divides, promotes understanding, and creates a harmonious work environment.ÌýCultural divides in the workplace can arise from various factors, including language barriers. When diverse employees can't communicate effectively, misunderstandings and decreased productivity can occur.
Corporate language training plays a vital role in addressing this issue. It helps employees understand and appreciate different cultures, fostering unity and respect. Language training acts as a catalyst for positive workplace dynamics, driving businesses towards global goals.
Corporate language training greatly enhances communication, benefiting employees' expression of ideas and fostering understanding among team members.
Breaking down linguistic barriers promotes mutual respect, unity, and effective collaboration. It also prevents misunderstandings that may lead to conflicts, improving the overall workplace environment and fostering innovative ideas through successful teamwork.
Corporate language training plays a key role in fostering an inclusive and diverse atmosphere. Learning a new language provides insights into different cultures, promoting a deeper appreciation for diversity and reducing biases. This creates a more inclusive work environment where employees from diverse backgrounds feel understood and valued, fostering a sense of belonging and unity.
Language training also equips employees to engage with global customers and clients, reflecting the company's commitment to diversity. Corporate language training is instrumental in cultivating inclusion and diversity, enhancing corporate culture.
Corporate language training strengthens global business relations. As businesses expand worldwide, employees will interact face-to-face with diverse linguistic backgrounds. Knowledge of another language shows respect for other cultures, which is crucial for trust in business relationships.
The ability to connect across cultures is a game-changer for businesses, helping them build strong international relations. Investing in corporate language training not only benefits employees but also secures a company's global future.
A common language fosters seamless communication, enabling effective collaboration. It cultivates a coherent team dynamic where ideas flow and tasks are executed efficiently. This linguistic unity significantly boosts team performance. Reduced misunderstandings lead to increased productivity. Read our post on performance management for language learning in the workplace.Ìý
As the employees learn and gain confidence in their language skills, they engage, contribute, and excel, driving the team and the business forward.
If done correctly, corporate language training improves employee engagement and retention. Investing in employees' personal and professional development fosters a sense of value and belonging. Learning to speak a new language is challenging yet rewarding, promoting personal growth and cognitive skills.
Language training also brings employees together, fostering teamwork and unity. This increased engagement leads to higher job satisfaction, loyalty, and reduced turnover. Corporate language training is a strategic investment in employee engagement and retention, a key feature bridging linguistic divides in the modern corporate arena.
A competitive edge is crucial for business growth in today's global economy. Corporate language training contributes significantly to this edge, especially in global markets. Proficiency in multiple languages enables businesses to easily enter new markets, communicate effectively and build trust. Employees with language training represent their companies internationally, exhibiting cultural sensitivity.
Companies showcasing expertise, language proficiency, expertise and cultural understanding stand out, reflecting a global-minded ethos. Corporate language training enhances a corporation or company's presence, reputation, and success in the global market.
To implement effective corporate language training, organizations should assess how employees learn languages and current language proficiencies and identify gaps. A skills audit can assist in identifying areas requiring training, taking into account the languages spoken within the company and the skill levels necessary for business strategies.
Moreover, it allows for assessing employees' proficiency in various languages, encompassing written, spoken, and cultural understanding. This proactive approach ensures tailored and valuable language training for the organization and its employees, promoting skill development at all levels.
Understanding cultural nuances is crucial in corporate language training courses. It's not just about learning to speak the language but also grasping the cultural contexts. This includes knowing the etiquettes, conventions, and unspoken rules governing social interactions across cultures. Being mindful of these subtleties prevents misunderstandings, fosters better relationships, and facilitates smoother communication.
Effective corporate language training should include cultural education to equip employees with the cultural insights and skills to confidently navigate these complexities.
Aligning language training with business objectives is a strategic move that ensures relevant, effective, and valuable training.
In an international business context, objectives may include expanding into new markets, improving multilingual customer service, enhancing internal communication among a diverse workforce, or forming alliances with foreign partners.
By defining these objectives, corporations can tailor language learning programs to specific needs, maximizing ROI. For example, if a company aims to enter a new market with a dominant language, the training could focus on equipping employees with linguistic and cultural skills to communicate effectively with potential clients or partners. This alignment ensures successful training implementation and achievement of broader business goals.
