‘Teaching History With Film’ encourages use of film through examples, lesson plans

Photo source: Wikimedia Commons. Gone with the Wind and Birth of a Nation remain prominent examples of how films can capture an era–for better, or for worse. How and when to use film in classrooms, and why “The difference between life and the movies is that a script has to make sense, and life doesn’t.” -Joseph L. Mankiewicz (1909-1993) American screenwriter Film remains a powerful, if...

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James T. Keating’s “Writing Modern English” tackles the idiomatic, confusing and wrong

Source: Japanese Amazon Japanese English Learners and many English teachers can greatly benefit from this logical guide to clear, modern writing “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.” –Mark Twain (1835-1910) American author and humorist How do you know if you’re doing “well” or if you’re doing “good?”...

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Globish – or Global English – Becomes Mainstream

Have you heard about the international bestseller Globish by Robert McCrum? Suddenly the term Globish seems everywhere. McCrum, who wrote the influential book “The Story of English”, argues that English has become Globish because it is the world’s international language. Partly descriptive and partly prescriptive, the author reviews the astonishing spread of English, its many changes...

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Conversation Tip 5: What has pleasantly surprised you today?

What pleasantly surprised you today? This question often causes people to pause, reflect, and change their dialogue. It gives us a chance to remember some moments of satisfaction, and reminds us that almost every day provides some unexpected moments. “What surprised you today” works too. But I prefer adding the “pleasantly” to counter dialogues that can run to the...

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