Bridging the Gap: How English for Professionals courses aid international engineers

As both lecturer and master lecturer, respectively, in the Engineering Writing Program and American Language Institute, I have worked with many international engineering students at USC (home of award-winning engineering publication, Illumin). To my knowledge, engineers sometimes find it difficult explaining key concepts to non-specialists, and speaking English as a second language often adds to...

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Teaching Matters: Preparing Student-Centered Materials for the Classroom

  “If it is language that makes us human, one half of language is to listen.” – Jacob Trapp (1899-1992), American religious leader   Part 3 of Teacher Edition Tuesday, a weekly series based on ten teaching tips from the recently released Compelling American Conversations – Teacher Edition! We previously discussed the importance of classroom design in fostering a communicative learning...

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Compelling Conversations for Fundraisers is out!

June 20, 2016 Chimayo Press releases Compelling Conversations for Fundraisers to help nonprofits increase their fundraising success through the art of conversation How does a one-person development office raise sufficient funds for a vital non-profit? Which conversations should fundraising professionals focus on to deepen relationships and strengthen institutions? What ingredients and values...

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Teaching Phrasal Verbs – Fun with Take and Make

“Make change your friend.” – Bill Clinton (1946-), 42nd President of the United States Part of Teacher Edition Tuesday, a weekly series based on ten teaching tips from the recently released Compelling American Conversations – Teacher Edition! “Take” and “make” create many common phrasal verbs. One could “take” several English lessons just going over the intricacies of their...

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What makes a conversation-friendly English, ESL or EFL classroom?

  “There is a role and function for beauty in our time.” – Tadao Ando (1941–), Japanese architect Introducing Teacher Edition Tuesday, a new weekly series based on ten teaching tips from the recently released Compelling American Conversations – Teacher Edition! What makes a conversation-friendly English, ESL or EFL classroom? Sometimes it’s the little things that matter. Creating a...

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