Teaching Matters: Introducing Informational Interviews to Your Advanced ESL Class
“You have to know how to accept rejection and reject acceptance.” – Ray Bradbury (1920-2012), American author Speaking skills – in particular interview skills – matter. Job interviews – a perennial topic on this blog – are often stressful, especially for English language learners. A broad consensus … The post Teaching Matters: Introducing...
Read MoreChimayo Press Catalog Spotlight: Compelling Conversations for Fundraisers
Chimayo Press’s Fall 2016 catalog is here, featuring four new titles in addition to our previous collection. Featured in this week’s catalog spotlight: the game-changing Compelling Conversations for Fundraisers. Compelling Conversations for Fundraisers takes Chimayo Press in a new direction entirely. It is the first in a planned series of books tailored for the workplace,...
Read MoreBridging 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...
Read MoreResources: Dissecting an Advertisement
“If you don’t know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else.” ~Dr. Laurence J. Peter (1919-1990), Canadian-American educator When looking for a job, it’s important to assess what employers really want from potential hires. This is a crucial step in drafting tailored resumes, or resumes targeted at a specific employment opportunity. Sometimes, however,...
Read MoreEnglish language learners should beware of saying ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah’
Yeah Yeah Yeahs is a popular indie band, but “Yeah, yeah, yeah” is a problematic response to job interview questions. “In common use almost every word has many shades of meaning, and therefore needs to be interpreted by the context.” -Alfred Marshall (1842-1924), British economist Television personalities, celebrities, and basketball players often respond to questions...
Read MoreInformational Interviews Help ESOL Students Succeed and Connect to Jobs
“If you don’t know where you’re going, you will probably end up somewhere else.” – Dr. Laurence J. Peter (1919-1990), Canadian-American educator How do you find good jobs in a bad economy? What job search technique is widely taught and practiced at elite private universities, but seldom used at community colleges, adult schools, and high schools? Why do I consider...
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