ESL classes should include more conversation activities!
Conversation activities need greater presence in classrooms “Speech is civilization itself. It is silence which isolates.” -Thomas Mann (1875-1955) German novelist Conversation remains a vital social skill for our English students. Naturally, immigrants and international students want to fully participate in their schools, their jobs, and their communities. Speaking clearly in...
Read MoreChoosing to speak English opens doors
As ESL and EFL teachers, we should encourage all English language learners! “A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning.” -Brad Henry (1963- ), former Governor of Oklahoma Our students have chosen to speak English because it opens more doors. We should help them realize their ambitions, support their dreams, and avoid judging their...
Read MoreDreams and business plans unfold in English
English emerges as a lingua franca “[English] is the powerful language of resistance—it is the dialect of common sense.” -Walt Whitman (1819-1892) American poet English has rapidly become the international language for business, as a lingua franca. “That is to say, it is used as a medium of communication by people who do not speak the same first language,” explains Andy Kirkpatrick...
Read MoreWord Lovers and World lovers Can Visit FreeRice.Com
Free Rice rewards learning through food donation “The satiated man and the hungry man do not see the same thing when they look upon a loaf of bread.” -Rumi (1207-1273), Persian poet As the price of rice, corn, and other basic food staples increased daily and food riots return to the headlines, we might want to reflect on ways to help the world’s poorest poor. One way that English teachers,...
Read MoreUnexpected events at TESOL Convention
Pleasant surprises at TESOL Convention “Expect the unexpected.” -ProverbI kept an open schedule, previewed some workshop titles, and conducted more research than usual before going to the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages convention in New York. I expected crowds, chaos, and constant choice. Still, the stark reality of 7,000 teachers descending on a few floors of three...
Read MoreGoing Beyond the ESL classroom
Teaching English and Engaging the World “When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” -Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD), Roman Emperor How can we encourage our students to speak to more strangers in English? Can we move class discussions beyond the predictable textbook lessons? Are shopping malls,...
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