Is They Okay? Is it okay to use “they” for a singular pronoun of unknown gender?

‘Chandos’ Portrait of Shakespeare in the National Portrait Gallery, London “There’s not a man I meet but doth salute me As if I were their well-acquainted friend.” Shakespeare’s A Comedy of Errors, Act IV, Scene 3: William Shakespeare (1564-1616), British playwright How acceptable is it … The post Is They Okay? Is it okay to use “they”...

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Teaching Matters: The Art of Teaching “Unplugged”

  “The art and science of asking questions is the source of all knowledge.” – Thomas Berger (1924-2014), American novelist What is teaching “unplugged?” How does this approach enhance language learning for students? What kinds of activities can English teachers implement that reflect this style… The post Teaching Matters: The Art of Teaching...

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Teaching Matters: Introducing Informational Interviews to Your Advanced ESL Class

“You have to know how to accept rejection and reject acceptance.” – Ray Bradbury (1920-2012), American author Speaking skills – in particular interview skills – matter. Job interviews – a perennial topic on this blog – are often stressful, especially for English language learners. A broad consensus … The post Teaching Matters: Introducing...

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The Value of Playback: Recording Student Presentations and Making Good Mistakes in Real-time

“Don’t sweat the small stuff, and it’s all small stuff.” – Dr. Richard Carlson (1956-), bestselling American author and psychologist Creating a classroom atmosphere of tolerance, understanding, and constructive criticism remains a constant challenge. How do you help your ESL students recognize their… The post The Value of Playback: Recording Student...

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Have you taught English in Vietnam? Share your insights in a brief survey!

“One day of traveling broadens the mind.” – Vietnamese proverb What have you found satisfying about teaching English in Vietnam? How do you select or create EFL materials to help your students learn English? What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started teaching English in Vietnam? We would like to include your insights! Teresa X. Nguyen and I are collecting...

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Responses Needed: Teaching in Japan General Survey!

“When love is deep, much can be accomplished.” – Shinichi Suzuki (1898-1998), Japanese violinist and world famous music educator What have you found satisfying about teaching English in Japan? How do you select or create EFL materials to help your students learn English? What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started teaching English in Japan? We would like to...

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