Ask Your English Students to Review TED.Com videos – and Create Compelling Conversations
How can you encourage your advanced ESL students to develop their speaking skills and tap their interest in our rapidly changing world? Create compelling classroom assignments that respect their intelligence, engage their curiosity, and model great speaking skills. Let your students be hunters, gathers, and presenters of new information to their classmates! Adding a homework assignment that...
Read MoreSpeaking Together to Write Academic Definitions
“The beginning of wisdom is in the definition of terms.” Socrates (469 BCE–399 BCE) , Greek philosopher Getting students to speak can be a challenge, especially in ESL courses focused on academic writing. Flexibility remains essential. How does one, for instance, teach the difficult task of writing formal academic definitions in a communicative style? The challenge becomes more...
Read MoreFluency Requires Practice
“To know and not do is to not know.” The Talmud Fluency requires practice. Our students also know that speaking English can be both satisfying and stressful. Therefore, we require speaking activities in class – and strongly suggest ways to speak more out of class. Our students want to be fluent, but they often hesitate to practice their speaking skills. Many students do not...
Read MoreAn ESL Author Looks at an ESL website with New Eyes
Sometimes we don’t see what is in front of our eyes. Today I learned a bit more about my own website from a fellow English teacher and friendly fan. A gentleman from Tennessee called my home, thanked me for the sample conversation materials, and asked some insightful questions about the updated Compelling Conversations website. I appreciate his call – and his giving a practical...
Read MoreDwell in Possibility: Discussing Books Enlivens ESL Classes
“A word is dead when it is said, some say. I say it just begins to live that day.” Emily Dickinson Cheap pleasures can sometimes be the most satisfying. Reading, an activity that often costs nothing, falls into that category. Reading provides many pleasures and many insights. So does talking about reading. Following a December ritual, I’ve been reviewing the year and find many...
Read MoreConversation Tip #10: What brings you here?
Sometimes a simple, flexible question can create compelling conversations. “What brings you here?” remains one of my personal favorites. Many job interview experts like this question because it allows applicants to explain their motives. In fact, the open-ended question almost forces applicants to clearly focus on their goals. The question works even better for far less stressful...
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