Friday, July 10, 2026

Write the First Letter (for Vocabulary)

(TESOL Ideas--Any Vocabulary Set)

Over the past year, I had been struggling with how to do writing activities with a kindergarten class (who didn't know how to read and write yet).
One idea my mentor suggested to me is instead of having the students write out the whole word (as I had done when I taught elementary school age children in Vietnam), I could have them just write out the first letter of the word.
Below is an example of how this would work.  It was designed for a kindergarten class who already had some exposure to letters and sounds (i.e. a kindergarten class in the spring term, not the fall term).  We did it as an all class activity.  I put the worksheet up on the projector, and elicited from the class what the names of the pictures were.  Then we sounded out the first letter of the word together.  Then the students told me what letter made that sound, and I wrote it down on my copy on the projector, and they also copied down the same letter on their paper.
This is an example for desert plants and animals: docs, pub

   nake

   izard

   awk

   abbit

   ouse

   actus


The Secret of NIMH: Movie Review


As I mentioned in the video, I have seen this movie many times before.  (And I've talked about it on this blog before here and here.)  But because I didn't start reviewing movies I was rewatching until 2020, I've never had the chance to talk about it on this blog before now.



Links to stuff mentioned:

Video comparing the fighting choreography to The Vikings: https://youtu.be/WetvmkuDCiQ?si=WHBt1G0OT1Dnemnt


Apologies for getting cut off at the end.  The video camera I use automatically stops at 30 minutes.  But I had said most of what I wanted to say.

Related Playlists:




Thursday, July 09, 2026

Write the Words Next to the Picture: Vocabulary Practice

(TESOL Ideas--Any Vocabulary Set)

This is an activity that I've used many times before on this blog, but I was just realizing that I never formally listed it under my list of activities for vocabulary.  Well, better late than never.
This is an activity that works best with vocabulary that can be visually represented, so it tends to work best with lower level students.  But at the same time, the students need to be able to read and write at least a little bit for this activity to work (so in most countries, it's not appropriate for students below 6 years old or so.)

Here is an example of a time when I used this activity (docs, pub)--from English World 2: Unit 1 p.24-25 Reading.  You can see that at the top of the sheet I have a word bank, and the students match the words from the word bank to the pictures.  
This activity would take place during the clarification stage of a vocabulary lesson.

Write the words next to the picture:

carry, clean, climb, ladder, lights, steps, wash, watch


___________________ ___________________

______________________________________________

_________________________________________________

___________________________________________


Wednesday, July 08, 2026

Rockford Dam Overlook, and some of the nearby walking areas: Guide to West Michigan

(Travelogues--West Michigan)



Places Visited in this video:
Rockford Dam Overlook: 215 N Main St, Rockford, MI 49341
White Pine Trail
Pickett Park
Richardson-Sowerby Park: 65 S Main St, Rockford, MI 49341
Rockford Dog Park
Peppler Park 3 E Bridge St NE, Rockford, MI 49341
Rogue River Nature Trail

This is part of my project to document places of interest in West Michigan.  For more information on what this is and why I'm doing it, see the bottom part of this blog post here: https://joelswagman.blogspot.com/2026/01/guide-to-west-michigan.html

Related Playlists:



Monday, July 06, 2026

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen by Jack Kirby: Book Review


Started: June 5, 2026

As mentioned in the video, I had read many of these issues before when I read the 4th World Omnibus volumes 1 and 2 back around 2008.  However, I am not counting this as a reread because this is a different collection.  And also, I never actually finished the 4th World Omnibus Volume 2, and so I didn't finish read the last half of the issues contained in this volume.  
(I didn't review the 4th World Omnibuses at that time, because I didn't start including comic books in my book review project until 2022.)








See also: 
How Jack Kirby Characters from the 1970s Figured in the Superman Comic books of the Early 1990s: https://joelswagman.blogspot.com/2017/05/interesting-random-facts-how-jack-kirby.html


Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen by Jack Kirby Playlist: https://youtu.be/42YLSQHPgQ0?si=8uE3fYTKbqCJ39o8

Sunday, July 05, 2026

This Week in Booktube: July 5, 2026
(These are the Booktube videos I watched this week. As always, I encourage you also to check out each of the videos I've linked to down below.  Support Booktube.  And let me know what you've watched this past week.)

Google document: docs, pub

Bookish 25 Books That Capture the American Experience

Marian H Men in Charlotte Brontë's Villette - Analysis of Chapters 17-20.5

William’s Library More Books From India

Abby Reads "The Red Pony" by John Steinbeck | A 5P Review

Book Time with Elvis Hello BookTube

Twelve Months of Christmas "Pony Express Christmas" #ridealong! This is a book worth reading. 

Joseph Francis Burton Let's Run!! June 2026

Steve Donoghue Epic Comic Book Wednesday Flash Gordon

Joe's Probably Reading Channel Direction Going Forward

Bucky749 Jeremy’s dvd review cartoon craze Harvey street kids before the street

jim's books reading & stuff What are YOU reading Wednesday (59)?

Abby Reads A Willing Suspension of Science | Expedition and Evidence in Verne, Wells and Crichton

Joseph Francis Burton Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë - book discussion

Sunday, June 28, 2026

This Week in Booktube: June 28, 2026
(These are the Booktube videos I watched this week. As always, I encourage you also to check out each of the videos I've linked to down below.  Support Booktube.  And let me know what you've watched this past week.)

Google document: docs, pub