Do Informational Interviews Have a Place in Business English Programs?
Speaking skills – especially in stressful situations – matter. Most quality Business English and VESL (Vocational English as a Second Language) programs provide extensive training and practice in both short and long job interviews. Job interviews are stressful – especially for English language learners. In fact, many adult, community college, and university ESL programs also...
Read MoreMore Links for ESL Teachers About Informational Interviews
Informational interviews have become a common practice among American professionals, but many English language learners remain unfamiliar with this type of networking and job search activity. ESL teachers can create both compelling classroom assignments and provide opportunities for ESL students to explore their career options by including informational interviews in their courses. As readers of...
Read MoreGlobish – or Global English – Becomes Mainstream
Have you heard about the international bestseller Globish by Robert McCrum? Suddenly the term Globish seems everywhere. McCrum, who wrote the influential book “The Story of English”, argues that English has become Globish because it is the world’s international language. Partly descriptive and partly prescriptive, the author reviews the astonishing spread of English, its many changes...
Read MoreCATESOL Accepts Presentation on Informational Interviews
How can English teachers help adult, college, and university students expand their network of professional contacts while improving their interview skills? What practical speaking exercise includes both off-campus interviews and classroom presentations? How can ESL teachers add informational interviews to their oral skills curriculum? What are informational interviews, anyway? What makes them...
Read MoreAre you prepared? Are you ready? Aren’t you nervous?
During the last hectic week of international travel and professional development presentations, I’ve been heard a few simple questions over and over. Are you ready? Are you prepared? Aren’t you nervous? Do you have enough time to do that? When are you going to sleep? Friends – and close relatives – ask these questions out of concern and curiosity. I appreciate their...
Read MoreWhat ESL books do you recommend?
This simple question has been posed twice in emails this week. Both ESL students and teachers know that too many textbooks fail to engage readers. Yet rather than focusing on the many sins of the many boring textbooks, let’s focus on those few informative, practical, and interesting ESL books that we like. Here is a quick, superficial, and by no means comprehensive list of English as a...
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