Reading Pleasures and Conversation Starters
A new semester begins, new students enter our classes, and returning colleagues greet us. What can talk about that will go beyond the work-related activities? Books. Teachers, especially English teachers, love to talk about their summer reading. Reading remains a cheap pleasure and an excellent conversation starter. * Can you recommend a good book? * What did you this summer? * What are reading...
Read MoreConversation Tip #4: Ask Questions and Take Turns
Why state the obvious? Why take turns asking questions? Why ask follow up questions? Common sense and social skills don’t seem to be universal. Conversation skills remain a vital soft skill that many scientists, engineers, shy people, and English language learners struggle to master. A key technique is just asking simple questions to keep a conversation moving forward. Asking follow up...
Read MoreMaking Accurate, Sound Comparisions in ESL/EFL Conversation Classes
ESL teachers, especially working with oral skills and pronunciation, face a difficult task. Is there a single, correct form of English that should be taught? Should all English speakers sound like Americans or British? What if EFL students plan to study in Australia or Canada? The question is far more complicated than many English pronunciation instructors admit. How do you say that again? Which...
Read MoreWhat is Your American Dream?
What is your American Dream? This remains one of my favorite questions to ask new immigrants and American citizens. I asked that question, followed by, “why” in a regular column for Easy English Times this month. I gave the last words to Toni Morrison, the Nobel-Prize winning author. “The function of freedom is to free somebody else.” Easy English Times, published in California, ran an ESL...
Read MoreWhere Do English Language Learners Live in the U.S.A?
Sometimes a picture, or in this case, an interactive map is worth a thousand words. The United States continues to attract more legal immigrants and refugees each year than any other nation in the world. We also have an estimated 10 million immigrants who have crossed the borders without waiting for their official invitations. People travel thousands of miles to start new lives here, and join...
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...
Read More
