Teaching Matters: Do Our Students Need to Swim in English or Pass Grammar Tests?

“The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts.” ~C. S. Lewis (1898-1963), British novelist, theologian, and literary critic   Last week we discussed English as a lingua franca (ELF), and how emphasis on a mutual understanding between conversation partners remains the goal. Earlier last month, we questioned what standards were reasonable for...

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“Good Enough”: English as a lingua franca & a uniting force

“I’m a great believer that any tool that enhances communication has profound effects in terms of how people can learn from each other, and how they can achieve the kind of freedoms that they’re interested in.” ~Bill Gates (1955- ) American business magnate, philanthropist  As more people learn English, using English as a lingua franca (ELF) has become increasingly...

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In the News: Will the U.K. Debate over Teaching English to Reduce Islamic Extremism Travel Here?

“Education is an ornament in prosperity, and a refuge in adversity.” ~Aristotle (384-322 BCE), Ancient Greek philosopher and scientist Can teaching English to new immigrants and refugees make the United Kingdom safer? Is learning English essential to successfully integrating into England? Will forcing fundamentalist Muslim immigrant women to attend English classes lead to their...

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Teaching Tips: Approaching Immigration Issues in the Classroom

  “For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support.” ~George Washington (1732-1799), 1st President of the United States   Millions of people, around the world,...

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Conversation Tips: The Power 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. Likewise paraphrasing remains a vital skill for English language...

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