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Proceed with Caution: Gender-Neutral and Plural Pronouns
How to approach pronouns in English class
“The world is still a weird place, despite my efforts to make clear and perfect sense of it.”
How unfortunate it is that English has no gender-neutral pronoun, one to use when saying “he or she” is either too tedious or ambiguous. John McWhorter of the New Republic argues in this article that in fact we’re stuck with “she” and “he” and won’t ever be adopting “ze,” “hesh” or the other words proposed to solve this problem. McWhorter argues that pronouns are such ingrained descriptors for English speakers that we would resist any changes.
Naturally, this led me to reflect on how I approach the topic with my ESL students. As many readers know, my default advice is change the sentence into a plural. When that’s impossible, I follow the lead of many advertisers and American politicians and recommend using “they” when I meant “he or she.” (Many academic feminists prefer using the clunky “she or he” in writing, but that clunky PC phrase is almost never heard outside of universities because it is so awkward and self-conscious.)
Readers of the blog will know I also dislike the rigid enforcement of grammar rules that are really guidelines. Yet this pesky pronoun question often comes up in class, and remains a source of considerable debate among word mavens, linguists, and English professors because pronouns remain essential building blocks of English. We often need to teach this lesson quickly and clearly – and guide often confused English students. Bottomline: I agree with McWhorter that no gender-neutral pronoun will suddenly become mainstream, and I also agree that for now, “they” is the closest thing we have to one. Professional propagandists – in advertising, politics, and marketing – understand this commonsense principle.
Yet English students facing standardized exams such as the TOEFL, SAT and other standardized tests/nightmares should conform to outdated traditional grammar rules to reach target score. We write, and choose our grammar, for our audience.
Does this mean that the grammar fundamentalists are right and we’re cheating when we use “they” for a singular pronoun? Not at all. Choosing “they” makes sense in almost all real world contexts, and mature writers acknowledge and consider the context of their words. Therefore, I advise students to use “they” where it feels natural – and recognize the grammar trap if they take standardized exam.
What do you (or should I say “thou”) teach your English language students? Consider me curious.
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Homophones Can Confuse: A Minor Mistake in Miner Valley
Why it is so important for English learners to tackle homophones in the classroom
“For me the greatest beauty always lies in the greatest clarity.”
English remains an often confusing and difficult language to learn (and teach!) for many reasons. For instance, the gap between a word’s spelling and its pronunciation often presents a challenge for English learners. Another source of confusion and many headaches remains the surprisingly large number of homonyms and homophones―different words with the same pronunciation. Just as computer speech software programs like Siri on the iPhone find it difficult to distinguish the number two from the preposition “to” from the word “too”, so do many listeners.
A “good mistake” I made while recently traveling with friends in Northern California emphasized the confusing nature of homonyms. We were looking for a wine tasting tour in Sonoma and Napa Valley, a beautiful area that attracts many tourists. The driver wanted directions to a winery called “Miner Valley,” so the passenger asked Siri for directions. Siri, the impressive iPhone personal assistant, provided detailed driving directions to “Minor Valley” winery nearby. This “good mistake” cost us thirty minutes, but did emphasize the importance of context in understanding everyday conversations. Few native English speakers will misunderstand the noun “miner,” the hard working people who hunt for gold, silver or coal for a living, with the important adjective “minor,” which means small or unimportant in most situations. Yet town and winery names can still be confusing and colorful. Both “Miner Valley” and “Minor Valley” happened to be the names of two fine wineries in the area. (Do they whine about each other’s wine? I don’t know, but that pun came to mind.)
Of course, English language learners make these sort of “good mistakes” all the time. While we might seldom confuse “by” the bank for “buy” the bank, it’s easy to confuse “realize” for “real lies.” Sometimes our students complain, or whine, about our how confusing English is for them to master. And if they “eat” their final syllables like “s” or “r,” even attentive listeners can find themselves confused too. Did the ESL student mean “mine,” “mines,” “mind,” or “miner?” To understand each other, we must, therefore, continue to emphasize the importance of word endings – even in advanced ESL and EFL classes – so listeners can better comprehend what our students want to say. If the context is unclear or vague, we might not know if the speaker is referring to a miner or minor problem. Many comedians, of course, delight in these situations, but homophones can haunt English students. English teachers and English tutors can turn these common good mistakes into teachable moments and practical lessons in speaking skills. We must first admit that English is a crazy language.
If you’re interested in learning more about homophones, you might enjoy reading Wikipedia’s informative article on homophones or reviewing an impressive list of many confusing homophones/homonyms. I enjoyed reading both.
How will you make homophones easier to handle?
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Fantastic YouTube videos for the ESL classroom
CompellingConversations’ compilation of YouTube videos for ESL teachers and students alike
“We are not what we know but what we are willing to learn.”
Want to make use of YouTube’s gigantic collection of ESL and language-related videos, but don’t know where to start? Every semester, I compile a diverse set of useful, relevant and interesting videos for a wide range of difficulty levels. Here’s the ten favorite this time around to share with your advanced English (or ESL) students:
1. English Pronunciation – vowel changes in stressed and unstressed syllables
This 2011 video by AccurateEnglish uses common words to highlight how to pronounce English vowels in stressed and unstressed syllables. In seven minutes, Lisa Mojsin, author of “Mastering the American Accent,” reviews common mistakes she encounters in her English classes, and uses a rubber band as a visual tool to demonstrate which vowels should be stressed.
2. Being a Good Conversationalist – Responding to Good News and Bad News
VOA Learning English, in a 19-minute Google+ Hangout session, displays the proper responses to good news and bad news in English. This video from 2013 features Guest Jane Mairs, writer of the Ask the Editor column for Merriam-Webster, who explains why certain responses are polite or impolite in conversation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sw43u03DOg&list=PLd9hCvj34W5irATxowScyiIUmZLJa5Ym_&feature=share&index=1&w=470&h=280
3. Job Interview – Learn English
Duc Lai gives a six-minute breakdown of the job interview process while providing several tips along the way. In two different job-interview settings, this video from 2010 explains why certain questions are asked and notes that the word ordering changes when a sentence is transformed into an inquiry.
4. How do Accents Work?
Made in 2014, this video covers a very relatable topic to English learners. Brainstuff – HowStuffWorks delves into the explanation of how accents work in roughly six minutes. This concept is explained in terms of social, geographic and scientific aspects, and with the help of diagrams, is made easy to understand.
5. The World We Explore- Sir Ken Robinson Zeitgeist Americas 2012
In this video from 2012 by zeitgeistminds, Sir Ken Robinson, known for his work covering the imagination and education, explores creativity in our education system and society. Throughout the twenty minutes, Robinson engages the audience and uses anecdote to push forward his point that the standardization of school systems is stunting creativity. This leads many to ask: are we educating or miseducating in our classrooms?
6. How to Improve Spoken American English – Sound Like a Native Speaker
Rachel’s English, a prolific YouTube Channel for teaching ESL, uploaded this six-minute tutorial in 2013. By using a “Ben Franklin exercise,” Rachel shows that with just a recording of a native speaker, students can begin to sound like ones themselves.
7. Advanced English 1a – Vocabulary – Olympic Games
The first in a 2008 playlist by JenniferESL, this eight-minute video is designed for upper-level students wishing to learn the vocabulary of a common conversation. Jennifer, well-known for her YouTube channel, teaches Olympic vocabulary words in context by using a multiple-choice scenario. The other videos in this playlist follow a similar structure for different topics, such as Olympic Games grammar and Yard Sale vocabulary.
8. Difficult words “world,” etc
AccurateEnglish uploaded this 5 minute lesson in 2009 in order to help students pronounce the most difficult words. In this quick guide, Lisa Mojsin presents little tricks to show how students should “imagine” the spellings of these words in order to pronounce them correctly.
9. What Makes a Word Real?
TEDtalk host Anne Curzan discusses in 17 minutes what makes a word “real” and why people should not resist the emergence of new words, like “adorkable.” This video, which came out in 2014, explains why certain words are in the dictionary, and at what point does a word become “real.”
10. Daniel Gilbert- The Surprising Science of Happiness
In 2012, TEDtalk host Daniel Gilbert discusses how our “psychological immune system” determines our happiness, independent of whether or not things go according to plan. His interesting examples of people who face adversity yet are still happy lead us to wonder what the true path to happiness is–and all in just 21 minutes.
How do you use YouTube in your classrooms?
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Skype Makes Tutoring English with Clients Across the Globe Easy and Comfortable
Explore the benefits of using Skype to tutor English learners around the world.
“A conversation can be made easy. Just ask a question and then listen.”
As millions of English-learners across the globe take advantage of new technology, English tutors may want to consider hosting their sessions via Skype. At no additional charge, both parties can Skype and hold live conversations from home.
This modern approach remains particularly advantageous to tutors offering their services beyond their neighborhoods, or even beyond their country’s borders. Skype also allows both teacher and student to “share their screens,” thus allowing for effective sharing of teaching material and student work. Perhaps the most useful capability is the record option: tutors and students alike can benefit greatly from being able to re-watch videos of their sessions.
Tutoring Tips for Skype
Here are some quick things to keep in mind when tutoring on Skype:
-Watch the informative 2009 Time Magazine video How to Ace a Skype Job Interview. Although clearly intended for job seekers, it provides a concise overview of helpful screen management tips for English tutors and teachers using Skype
-Set up an account with an easy to remember, appropriate username and an appropriate photo
-Familiarize yourself with the application, and how to video chat, share screens, record, etc.
-Test your microphone, speakers and webcam using Skype’s testing service before hosting any sessions
-Prepare for the English tutoring sessions, even if teaching conversation skills
-Set a clear agenda for the tutoring session and share materials with the client
-Host sessions from an appropriate, well-lit room
-Wait to start the clock until the microphone, speakers and webcam have been properly connected for both parties
-Ask questions and let the English student practice their English speaking skills
-Provide both direct and indirect feedback on the students’ “good mistakes” in a friendly manner
-Remember to periodically share screens or have the student display his or her work
-Advertise – for free – your Skype lessons on your resume at www.eslteachersboard.com and/or www.eslboards.com
-Consider offering a short free online session as an a teaser for your online tutoring
Additional Considerations
A good ESL tutor will still assess their students’ initial level and outline short-term and long-term goals for the meeting. However, because travel time and transportation costs are no longer part of the equation, tutors can now schedule shorter, more frequent meetings as well as the longer sessions. One hour seems most comfortable for me, but some more experienced ESL tutors have found 90-minute and two-hour sessions work too. Of course, the longer the session, the more crucial the need to carefully prepare for the English lesson.
You can also check Skype’s page on online tutoring to answer additional questions regarding the ins and outs of teaching over webcam. Since Skype is nearly as interactive as face-to-face, English tutors should consider its benefits when hosting their teaching sessions. Many students appreciate the ability to review the recorded sessions. You can encourage this reflective practice by asking about their reactions to watching themselves in the previous lesson.
Consider Using Compelling Conversations
Many Skype tutors have chosen to use Compelling Conversations materials to provide clear structure and help English language learners keep the conversation flowing. Naturally, I’m pleased with this unexpected development and appreciate this 21st century method of holding face to face conversations – across borders – in real time. English tutors will find our ready-to-use conversation lesson plans make teaching speaking skills easy and relaxing.
If you are considering teaching English as a profession, tutoring English conversation on Skype provides a practical way to both explore the field, gain practical experience, and put some nickels in your pocket.
Will tutoring English and teaching conversation skills on Skype be in your future?
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Savvy Tips to Score Higher on the TOEFL iBT Speaking Section
What do you do with a problem like the TOEFL iBT test?
For worse or for better, the TOEFL test remains the standard assessment of English for international students planning to attend American colleges and universities. As a result, many international ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) students often adopt the TOEFL test scores to self-assess their own ability in English too.
Of course, standardized exams – including the computer-based TOEFL-iBT – remain unfair to anxious students prone to extreme cases of test anxiety. It also assumes a false equivalency between responses to a computer and responses to actual, live conversations with individuals. (This difference in assessing speaking skills is why I strongly believe the IELTS remains a more authentic test of speaking skills, but the TOEFL remains far, far more popular among American universities as a measure of English language skills.)
TOEFL Scores Matter
Still, the imperfect TOEFL test remains part of current English learning experience for millions. An imperfect standardized test also provides more information to university admissions committees than no standardized test scores. When people have hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of applications to sift through, sometimes abstract numbers provide a reassuring sense of objective depiction of student potential. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, “standardized testing is the worst possible form of applicant evaluation, except for all the rest.”
Students, even the students that I currently teach in the United States, often seek to improve their TOEFL scores. My standard advice on the speaking section has been practice speaking on a computer, time yourself, paraphrase and don’t parrot question, listen carefully, and videotape your responses. Giving your opinion and providing a short reason in less than 30 seconds remains a practical everyday life skill, and practice can help improve TOEFL test scores too.
Listening to a Friend – and TOEFL Expert
Sometimes friends can help. I met Brent Warner two years ago, and we have had the opportunity to see each other at a number of CATESOL conferences. He’s become a bit of a TOEFL maven between his teaching and tutoring Japanese students for seven years for the TOEFL. He also currently works as the Academic Manager at Kaplan International in Irvine, California and deals with TOEFL headaches and desires on a regular basis. He’s one of my “go to” experts on TOEFL and edtech questions because he’s developed an expertise in an area I prefer to avoid.
Brent is also the author of a useful primer on TOEFL called title=”How to Pass the TOEFL iBT Test: Know What to Expect to Improve Your Score”>(http://www.amazon.com/How-Pass-TOEFL%C2%AE-iBT-Test-ebook/dp/B007Z55G4I/ I asked a simple question: “What else should I recommend students do to improve their speaking scores?”
Know the TOEFL Test: Structure Matters
“Know the TOEFL test; structure matters”, is a quick summary of Brent’s advice. “And read my book.”
His straightforward ebook steers away from countless practice drills. Instead, the book focuses directly on the structure of the TOEFL iBT test. As an English teacher who has never taken the test, I found it quite illuminating. Understanding that structure helps qualified students – and English teachers – save time and move through the test more efficiently and confidently.
Brent argues that understanding the TOEFL test structure allows test takers more time to think about the content of the questions during the test rather than trying to decipher “the best way” to answer. Never forget that the TOEFL iBT remains partly a test of knowledge about the TOEFL iBT as well as English.
Specific TIPS for TOEFL Speaking Section
In consideration of speaking, Brent wisely emphasizes that the speaking sections of the TOEFL test remain limited at best in comparison with natural, authentic communication. Who watches the clock and talks to recorded voices on a computer and pretends this is a natural conversation? Unfortunately, the TOEFL test remains the answer.
• “When the test gives an independent question prompt, you are expected to give an answer. While this is very common in standardized tests, the fact that there is no response may put many testers off-balance. In the real world, even if we are speaking into the screen of our phones, at the very least we can reasonably expect to get an indication that we are being listened to, and more commonly some sort of positive feedback that lets us know we are on the right track.”
• “In integrated question prompts, testers are expected to synthesize information from a listening and a reading passage, then compare and contrast the two and summarize it all in their own words. Admittedly this is a useful skill, especially for college-bound students. In practicing for the test, however, students often feel as though it’s only practical to compare a lecture with textbook passages and they quickly lose motivation to continue. It’s important to take these skills outside of academics and show how they can be used in daily life by talking about the news, movie reviews in comparison to your own opinions, and any of the myriad ways we might need to synthesize information. Making these skills practical and applicable outside of the realm of the test is hugely important to teachers, and should be integrated into the core of the TOEFL test as well.”
• “Speakers sometimes get so caught up with trying to give a perfect answer that they often forget there is a human being on the other end of the test. A light and breezy style focusing on being easy to understand rather than structurally perfect may provide a much welcome relief to the test grader. Remember that they may have been listening to similar answers for hours before they get to your response, so anything you can do to stand out from the crowd will only help you.”
A Quick Primer
I remain skeptical of the TOEFL test’s validity as a real measure of authentic English-speaking skills. However, Brent’s book demonstrates how English language learners can take back some control by deciphering the TOEFL test structure. His advice on understanding what ETS wants by their own definition of a “high quality” answer helps reduce the stress and confusion surrounding the controversial, highly influential test. Numbers do, after all, often provide precision and clarity. Warner’s ebook serves as a quick primer for TOEFL iBT test takers and English teachers working to help students improve their scores. And I would remember that practice seldom makes perfection, but it does make progress.
Bottomline:
Some problems, like the TOEFL iBT test, can best be handled by preparation and practice. Brent’s ebook helpful in both understanding the TOEFL and deconstructing its inner logic. I like his sensibility and trust his judgements, especially on the test’s strengths and limitations. International students facing the TOEFL iBT test might also find it a valuable resource as they seek a target TOEFL score. Reading this ebook is one way to manage the TOEFL iBT problem. You can read more on Brent’s thoughts and reviews on TOEFL resources at www.toeflibtbook.com . I learned from it; you might too.
Finally, let’s hope more dedicated international students and English language learners reach their target TOEFL score!
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