Teaching Matters: How democratic is your ESL classroom?
“Education is a kind of continuing dialogue and a dialogue assumes, in the nature of the case, different points of view.” ~Robert Hutchins (1899-1977), former President of University of Chicago and educational philosopher Continuing on the theme of creating a better classroom this semester, it is essential to make sure there is an ongoing dialogue between teachers and...
Read MoreTeaching Matters: What Are Reasonable Standards for Listening Comprehension and Speaking Skills for ESL Students?
“Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education.” ~John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), 35th President of the U.S. Tough question! Context, as ever, matters. Are you going into a new semester of class looking for a clear, detailed chart to evaluate the speaking skills of your students? Check out the practical chart with ten categories for listening...
Read MoreResources: Links for ESL Teachers About Informational Interviews
“The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” ~Vidal Sassoon (1928-2012), British hairstylist and businessman Late last year, we published a blog post on mock job interviews and self-evaluation. In connection to that, here are some helpful links we’ve found in the past for teachers and students alike to encourage networking and a better sense of...
Read MoreTeachers and Tutors Should Know About Compelling Conversations
English teacher and tutor Joan V reviews Compelling Conversations “We all like to be recognized not for one piece of fireworks, but for the ledger of our daily work.” ―Neil Armstrong (1930-2012) American astronaut Sometimes you just have to smile. Praise, especially from an experienced colleague, on a difficult project feels satisfying. In the last week, I’ve received three emails from Joan V.,...
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...
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