Perfection and grammar: not essential for ESL students, or even native speakers
Certain grammar rules unnecessary for comprehension, everyday conversation Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons “Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.” -Salvador Dalí (1904-1989) Spanish surrealist painter Is it always essential to have perfect grammar? Must we always avoid split infinitives, dangling modifiers and grocery shopping lines labeled “Ten Items or Less,” since the sign...
Read MoreBetween life and death: Zombie nouns privilege pretentious vocabulary at the expense of simple clarity
The nominalization of nouns creates abstract, dry and often misleading language “Simplicity is the glory of expression.” -Walt Whitman (1819-1892) American poet Sometimes, it’s fun to play with the English language and transform its adjectives, adverbs and nouns into more complex-sounding words. Playing with word forms can both emphasize a key concept and add an academic tone. Like many other...
Read MoreVolume Matters – Even in Personal Conversations
Why volume matters, especially in difficult student-teacher conferences “Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing.” ―Rollo May (1909-1994) American author and psychologist Student conferences, especially those involving shy students worried about their grade or academic performance, can often be a bit awkward for both the professor and student. ESL...
Read MoreHomophones Can Confuse: A Minor Mistake in Miner Valley
Why it is so important for English learners to tackle homophones in the classroom “For me the greatest beauty always lies in the greatest clarity.” ―Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (1729-1781), German writer English remains an often confusing and difficult language to learn (and teach!) for many reasons. For instance, the gap between a word’s spelling and its pronunciation often presents a...
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 MoreVietnam Embraces English Classes – and Looks for Communicative English Teachers
My recent trip to Vietnam to meet English teachers and lead a professional development seminar at the American-Pacific University, Vietnam lead to many wonderful moments and a few surprising conversations. Teaching English in developing countries always poses challenges, and Vietnam falls into that category. Lt me share a few selective details to provide a brief introduction to education...
Read More
