Changing Work Titles & Greater Equality
“Habits change into character.” ~Ovid (43 BCE-17 CE), Ancient Roman poet Which is correct: fireman or firefighter? The answer is both! But one has been gaining traction lately, along with many other gender-neutral terms for occupational titles. Here’s why: Many professions were traditionally only open to men. As women have gained greater rights and society has become more...
Read MoreHome vs. House: What does this mean?
“No matter under what circumstances you leave it, home does not cease to be home. No matter how you lived there – well or poorly.” ~Joseph Brodsky (1940-1996), Russian-American poet & Nobel Prize winner What’s the difference between a house and a home? English speakers clearly distinguish the two words. A house is simply the building where people live. It’s...
Read MoreCompelling American Conversations – Teacher Edition Comes Out!
“Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource.” ~ John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), 35th President of the U.S. Are you a teacher looking for fresh tips to flip your classroom discussions? Do you ever wish the Teacher Edition of your textbook was more adaptable to your classroom needs? Chimayo Press, an...
Read MoreStandardized Exams: Ends or Means?
We Just Want a High TOEFL Score! Students often need solid TOEFL scores to study abroad, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Naturally, this need – and ambition – often makes reaching a certain number on the TOEFL exam as the goal of their English studies. Unfortunately, sometimes these imperfect standardized exams – all attempts to measure...
Read MoreWorksheet – or Cheat Sheet – for English Teachers to Observe Conversations and Lead Class Discussions
What do you do while students are having conversations or talking in pairs? Do you have a “formula” for taking notes? Do you focus more on fluency or accuracy? Many English teachers, especially novice ESL instructors, talk more than ideal – and allow their English students to talk too little. Ironically, many ESL instructors make this “good mistake” because they are...
Read MoreAnother Five Star Amazon Review!
Allow me to brag for a moment. Another five-star review for Compelling Conversations: Questions and Quotations on Timeless Topics showed up on Amazon. Consider me pleased! Here’s the entire Amazon review: 5.0 out of 5 stars A wholesome learning resource!, December 4, 2008 By Erika Villafane “Erika” (Miami, Florida USA) – See all my reviews When compelling conversations...
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