Why Not Create a Safer, “Global” Version of Compelling Conversations? (Part I)
“Only the educated are free.” —Epictetus (55-135), Greek philosopher Over the years, many English teachers have asked if I plan a “global” version of Compelling Conversations so it can be used everywhere, including closed countries like China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. What does this mean? As in most … The post Why Not Create a Safer, “Global”...
Read MoreWhy Are So Many EFL Textbooks So Bland, Boring, and Culturally Tone Deaf?
Why are so many EFL Textbooks so bland, boring, and culturally tone-deaf? Allow me to ask a more polite question. How can English teachers working abroad and international English textbook publishers both respect local cultures and create more engaging English classroom lessons? The challenge may be more complicated than you might suspect. A long, informative, and detailed exchange on a TESOL...
Read MoreThe 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 MoreLocation Matters for EFL Teachers: Modifying English Content to Match Local Context
“To know and not do is to not know.” – ancient Jewish proverb Directing a private international high school in Vietnam last year provided many lessons. English might be the subject, but the context, as so often, became paramount. As English teachers, we often begin by asking simple questions as we prepare our classes. Who are our students? What do they expect from their English...
Read MoreDoes Teaching English Open Minds in Closed Societies? – Part 1
Does teaching English open minds in closed societies? Are repressive governments “right” to fear the spread of English? Can the mania for learning English destabilize a rigidly controlled nation? In short, are dictators smart to jam the radio broadcasts of Voice of America, censor the Internet, and control textbooks in English programs? Will the worldwide fashion for learning English...
Read MoreWhat Does Success Mean? What Definition Works for You?
Sometimes the simplest questions create the best conversations. What does success mean? What definition are you using? How is that definition working for you? After a hectic summer teaching English and directing a private high school English program in Vietnam, I’ve been asking myself these questions quite a bit. I learned many lessons, deepened a close friendship with two old friends, met...
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