Making Introductions, Part 2: Small Talk
“A conversation can be easy. Just ask a question and then listen.” -Robert Bly (1926-), American poet and author Previously on the blog, we discussed the importance of first impressions. A firm handshake goes a long way, but what happens afterward? How do we teach English language learners to keep a conversation going post-introduction? When speaking with someone new, many Americans...
Read MoreMaking Introductions, Part 1: Shaking Hands
“From small beginnings come great things.” – American proverb First impressions matter. The gateway to many compelling conversations remains the greeting. As the proverb says, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. However, breaking the ice can often be an awkward, even difficult task. For shy international students, greeting and meeting strangers...
Read MoreChimayo Press Catalog Spotlight: Compelling Conversations for Fundraisers
Chimayo Press’s Fall 2016 catalog is here, featuring four new titles in addition to our previous collection. Featured in this week’s catalog spotlight: the game-changing Compelling Conversations for Fundraisers. Compelling Conversations for Fundraisers takes Chimayo Press in a new direction entirely. It is the first in a planned series of books tailored for the workplace,...
Read MoreTeaching Matters: Email Etiquette Part 2
“Education is learning what you didn’t even know you didn’t know.” —Daniel J. Boorstin (1914–2004), American historian Reviewing email etiquette in the classroom remains an essential challenge for English teachers. We must prepare English language learners for the professional world. Last week, we discussed how to write a clear, concise subject line, and...
Read MoreTeaching Matters: Email Etiquette, Part 1
“They know enough who know how to learn.” —Henry Adams (1838-1918), American historian Email has become a part of our daily life in the 21st century. We send so many emails that we sometimes forget the difference between casual and more formal types of communication. As a result, emails are documents that can make positive or negative impressions and can document in print our...
Read MoreBridging the Gap: How English for Professionals courses aid international engineers
As both lecturer and master lecturer, respectively, in the Engineering Writing Program and American Language Institute, I have worked with many international engineering students at USC (home of award-winning engineering publication, Illumin). To my knowledge, engineers sometimes find it difficult explaining key concepts to non-specialists, and speaking English as a second language often adds to...
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