McREL standards provide universal guide for teachers
Foreign language classrooms could benefit from McREL standards “You are never too old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream.” ―C.S. Lewis (1889-1936) British author While conducting research for a review on Journeys In Film, a nonprofit dedicated to teaching social study through film, I came across the Mid-Continental Research for Education and Learning (McREL) standards. For teachers,...
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 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 MoreCalifornia Immigrants are Learning English – and Want to Learn More!
Do American immigrants want to learn English? Are the children of Spanish-speaking adult immigrants learning English? What are the recent trends in California and Los Angeles? A recently released Census Bureau report, based on the 2007 Census information, shows that – shock, shock – immigrants overwhelmingly want to improve their English skills. It also shows that a slight majority (51%) of...
Read MoreSchool boards, education problems, and a new $350 million dollar high school!
Teaching remains an art, and excellence remains rare – especially in a bureaucratic age. The ancient Socratic methods and modern enlightenment ideals have increasingly fallen out of favor in American public schools – from elementary and middle school to high school and adult school. The gap between the desires and needs of our students and the bureaucratic mandates of our local...
Read MoreConversation tip #12: Nice truck!
Sometimes a simple comment leads to a delightful conversation. Today I noticed a very, very old truck parked on the street while walking my dog. “She’s as old as I am,” replied the owner from his frontyard. He soon came to the sidewalk. “Made in 1931.” Although I’m hardly a car guy, we proceeded to have a rather detailed and informative conversation about...
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