Dwelling in Possibility: The Benefits of Intensive Reading for ESL Students

“A word is dead when it is said, some say. I say it just begins to live that day.” ―Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), American poet What are the benefits of intensive reading for ESL students? How can reading for pleasure spark teachable moments in the English classroom? Reading can be a great – and over… The post Dwelling in Possibility: The Benefits of Intensive...

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Teaching with Skype: Practical Platform Advice for Beginners

“Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. But make sure you don’t make the same mistake twice.” —Akio Morita (1921–1999), former chairman Of Sony Corporation What are some of the advantages of teaching via Skype or other online video-chat options? How can you, the teacher, make the most of Skype as an inn… The post Teaching with Skype: Practical Platform...

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Teaching English on Skype: Practical Platform Advice for Novice Online ESL Tutors

“Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. But make sure you don’t make the same mistake twice.” —Akio Morita (1921–1999), former chairman Of Sony Corporation What are some of the advantages of teaching English on Skype? How can you, the English teacher, make the most of Skype as an innovative educational … The post Teaching English on Skype: Practical Platform...

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Why Not Create a Safer, “Global” Version of Compelling Conversations? (Part I)

“Only the educated are free.” —Epictetus (55-135), Greek philosopher Over the years, many English teachers have asked if I plan a “global” version of Compelling Conversations so it can be used everywhere, including closed countries like China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. What does this mean? As in most … The post Why Not Create a Safer, “Global”...

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Review: What Should Every College ESL Student Know?

“The most important thing we learn at school is the fact that the most important things can’t be learned at school.” —Haruki Murakami (1949–), Japanese author What should every ESL student know? Beats me. “One size fits all” philosophies often seem a bit strange to me. Can anybody really answer this… The post Review: What Should Every College ESL...

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Teaching Matters: Observing and Leading Class Discussions

“The true spirit of conversation consists in building on another man’s observation, not overturning it.” —Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton (1803–1873), British novelist/politician What do you do while students are having conversations or talking in pairs? Do you have a “formula” for taking notes? Do you focu… The post Teaching Matters: Observing and...

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