The Language of Opportunity – Wabash profiles an English Teacher
Small American colleges often love their ambitious graduates. Wabash College, my alma mater and outstanding private liberal arts college in Indiana, certainly celebrates her favorite sons and treats them like stars. This fall’s Wabash Magazine advises graduates to “Look East, Young Man” as it celebrates the opening of the College’s new Asian Studies Center. Inside, the magazine editor...
Read MoreSpeaking Together to Write Academic Definitions
“The beginning of wisdom is in the definition of terms.” Socrates (469 BCE–399 BCE) , Greek philosopher Getting students to speak can be a challenge, especially in ESL courses focused on academic writing. Flexibility remains essential. How does one, for instance, teach the difficult task of writing formal academic definitions in a communicative style? The challenge becomes more...
Read MoreFluency Requires Practice
“To know and not do is to not know.” The Talmud Fluency requires practice. Our students also know that speaking English can be both satisfying and stressful. Therefore, we require speaking activities in class – and strongly suggest ways to speak more out of class. Our students want to be fluent, but they often hesitate to practice their speaking skills. Many students do not...
Read MoreConversation Tip #10: What brings you here?
Sometimes a simple, flexible question can create compelling conversations. “What brings you here?” remains one of my personal favorites. Many job interview experts like this question because it allows applicants to explain their motives. In fact, the open-ended question almost forces applicants to clearly focus on their goals. The question works even better for far less stressful...
Read MoreConversation Tip #9: Ask Clarifying Questions!
What is a clarifying question? What do you mean? Can you be more specific? Can you give us some examples? What do you exactly mean? Sometimes our English students need help asking questions, especially critical questions that allow them to clarify concepts and better participate in conversations. One crucial skill that needs to be explicitly taught – after being informally modeled in class...
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