Ask Why Your Students Want to Learn English
“Well begun is half done.” Ancient Greek proverb Sometimes we forget the most basic questions. What brings the students in your English class into the room? Are they fulfilling school requirements, pursuing academic achievements, or creating new possibilities? How do you motivate your ESL and EFL students to do their best from day one? Asking students for their motives, needs, and...
Read MoreSearch and Share exercises enhance learning resources
Explore with Search and Share worksheets Photo Source: Photo taken by Nicola Sapiens De Mitri “In any field, find the strangest thing and then explore it.” -John Archibald Wheeler (1911-2008) American theoretical physicist We live in a world full of wonderful resources from books to television to the internet. These resources remain invaluable to encourage our students to immerse...
Read MoreHow do you teach the difference between “a” and “the” during conversation class?
Helping English language learners distinguish articles remains important in advanced ESL and English conversation classes “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” ―Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) Dutch painter Does it make sense to emphasize the difference between articles (a, an, the) in an English conversation class? Perhaps. Context matters. Conversation class should...
Read MoreHow Do You Teach the Difference Between “Make” and “Do” in Your English Classrooms?
Distinguishing the difference between make and do in English classrooms “Do all you can to make your dreams come true.” ―Joel Osteen (1960- ) American preacher How do you teach the difference between “make” and “do” in your English classrooms? What do you do? What do you make? What’s the difference, anyway, between “make” and “do”? These simple words cause lots of confusion for...
Read MoreParaphrasing is an Essential Conversation Skill!
Why English teachers should not overlook the importance of paraphrasing “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” ―Albert Einstein (1879-1955) German physicist Paraphrasing matters in conversation too-especially when learning a new language! Experienced English teachers know that students must learn paraphrasing skills to complete academic writing assignments....
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...
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