Sound Conversations: Oral Language Solutions for Vietnamese Language Learners

“I am tomorrow, or some future day, what I establish today. I am today what I established yesterday or some previous day.”  – James Joyce (1882-1941), Irish novelist How many Vietnamese English language learners (ELLs) are in the United States? What are the specific challenges many Vietnamese learners of English face? What ESL classroom techniques and personal edtech tools...

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Sound Conversations: Oral Language Solutions for Vietnamese Language Learners

“I am tomorrow, or some future day, what I establish today. I am today what I established yesterday or some previous day.”  – James Joyce (1882-1941), Irish novelist How many Vietnamese English language learners (ELLs) are in the United States? What are the specific challenges many Vietnamese learners of English face? What ESL classroom techniques and personal edtech tools...

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Making Introductions, Part 2: Small Talk

“A conversation can be easy. Just ask a question and then listen.” -Robert Bly (1926-), American poet and author Previously on the blog, we discussed the importance of first impressions. A firm handshake goes a long way, but what happens afterward? How do we teach English language learners to keep a conversation going post-introduction? When speaking with someone new, many Americans...

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Making Introductions, Part 1: Shaking Hands

“From small beginnings come great things.” – American proverb First impressions matter.  The gateway to many compelling conversations remains the greeting. As the proverb says, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. However, breaking the ice can often be an awkward, even  difficult task. For shy international students, greeting and meeting strangers...

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Seeing the World Through Photographs (again): Photo Exercises for the English Classroom

“When you look at my pictures you are seeing my life.” – Douglas Kirkland (1934-), American photographer Photographs capture moments, inform viewers, and start conversations. In last week’s blog post, we discussed how street photography documents moments and events without the subjects’ consent. These candid, sometimes startling images, can provoke intense...

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