What Are Reasonable Standards for Listening Comprehension and Speaking Skills for ESL Students?
Tough question! Context, as ever, matters. Looking for a clear, detailed chart to evaluate the speaking skills of your students? Check out the practical chart with ten categories for listening comprehension and speaking skills developed by the United States Office of Refugee Resettlement and revised by the Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning. Where did I find it? As so often, I went to...
Read MoreConsumer Product Reviews: A Popular, Practical ESL Speaking Activity
Let ESL Students Give Product Reviews in the New Year! Do you let your English students write and deliver product reviews? Consumer reviews help ESL students develop research skills, use critical thinking, and share their consumer choices. The giving and receiving of gifts has become a central feature of Christmas, Hanukkah, winter solstice and New Year celebrations. We live – for worse or for...
Read MoreWhat ESL books do you recommend?
This simple question has been posed twice in emails this week. Both ESL students and teachers know that too many textbooks fail to engage readers. Yet rather than focusing on the many sins of the many boring textbooks, let’s focus on those few informative, practical, and interesting ESL books that we like. Here is a quick, superficial, and by no means comprehensive list of English as a...
Read MoreExploring Cities in ESL Classrooms
Cities attract the young, the strong, the ambitious, and the hungry. Millions move from countryside and across the globe to live in new cities every year. Cities provide jobs, culture,and education. Cities are exciting. Yet, sometimes danger also lurks in cities. Do you like living in cities? Which cities have you visited? Which cities you found most satisfying? Why? Teaching English in Los...
Read MoreReading Pleasures and Tastes Adapted for Easy English Times Column
Easy English Times, an adult education newspaper for English language learners published in California, adapts a chapter from Compelling Conversations each month. The editors selected “Reading Pleasures”, one of my favorite chapters, to run in their November-December issue. Since Easy English Times focuses on the needs of beginning and intermediate ESL students, the editor selects...
Read MoreLet’s Talk About the American Elections, Voting, and Democratic Values in English Class
Who makes the rules? Who chooses the rulers? Can citizens peacefully replace ineffective, unpopular leaders? Yes, we can! In the United States of America, voters enjoyed their opportunity to hire and fire their President. People voted, machines counted the votes, and millions of people around the nation smiled, laughed, and felt hopeful again. Senator Obama, as so often, captured the power and...
Read More
