Teaching Matters: Preparing Student-Centered Materials for the Classroom
“If it is language that makes us human, one half of language is to listen.” – Jacob Trapp (1899-1992), American religious leader Part 3 of Teacher Edition Tuesday, a weekly series based on ten teaching tips from the recently released Compelling American Conversations – Teacher Edition! We previously discussed the importance of classroom design in fostering a communicative learning...
Read MoreTeaching Phrasal Verbs – Fun with Take and Make
“Make change your friend.” – Bill Clinton (1946-), 42nd President of the United States Part of Teacher Edition Tuesday, a weekly series based on ten teaching tips from the recently released Compelling American Conversations – Teacher Edition! “Take” and “make” create many common phrasal verbs. One could “take” several English lessons just going over the intricacies of their...
Read MoreWhat makes a conversation-friendly English, ESL or EFL classroom?
“There is a role and function for beauty in our time.” – Tadao Ando (1941–), Japanese architect Introducing Teacher Edition Tuesday, a new weekly series based on ten teaching tips from the recently released Compelling American Conversations – Teacher Edition! What makes a conversation-friendly English, ESL or EFL classroom? Sometimes it’s the little things that matter. Creating a...
Read MoreDo you use Teachers Pay Teachers Yet?
“They know enough who know how to learn” – Henry Adams (1838-1918), historian Where do millions of dedicated teachers find affordable, readymade lessons? What if you could reap real benefits from all of your original supplementary classroom materials? Why haven’t we done this sooner? Exciting news, readers: Select chapters of Compelling Conversations and Compelling American Conversations (with...
Read MoreContext Matters with Conversation Idioms
“Confidence contributes more to conversation than wit.” ~Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680), French writer Conversation styles are wonderfully varied. Just as one size never truly fits all, one conversational approach may not be appropriate depending on the situation. Fortunately, in the English language there are myriad idioms we use to distinguish these different modes...
Read MoreHow Do You Use Compelling American Conversations in Multilevel ESL Classes?
“People have one thing in common: they are all different.” ~Robert Zend (1929-1985), American writer Compelling American Conversations provides an invaluable resource for teachers in the common situation of teaching multilevel adult ESL classes with ongoing enrollment. ESL teachers with multi-level classes must plans lessons that address the needs of the new students constantly entering...
Read More
