Dreams and business plans unfold in English
English emerges as a lingua franca “[English] is the powerful language of resistance—it is the dialect of common sense.” -Walt Whitman (1819-1892) American poet English has rapidly become the international language for business, as a lingua franca. “That is to say, it is used as a medium of communication by people who do not speak the same first language,” explains Andy Kirkpatrick...
Read MoreWord Lovers and World lovers Can Visit FreeRice.Com
Free Rice rewards learning through food donation “The satiated man and the hungry man do not see the same thing when they look upon a loaf of bread.” -Rumi (1207-1273), Persian poet As the price of rice, corn, and other basic food staples increased daily and food riots return to the headlines, we might want to reflect on ways to help the world’s poorest poor. One way that English teachers,...
Read MoreWhat are the 1000 most common words in English?
Importance of authentic vocabulary reflecting interests “Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.” -Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), British author What are the 1000 most common words in English? Wiktionary, an offshoot of the wonderful Wikipedia, offers this answer. Looks, sounds, and feels right. No big surprises. Do I recommend memorizing this list? No. Language should be...
Read MoreWhat should every (college) ESL student know?
What should every ESL student know? Beats me. One size fits all philosophies often seem a bit strange to me. Can anybody really answer this question for every international student and ESL (English as a Second Language) college student? Really? Don’t circumstances, needs, and desires differ? On the other hand, college and university administrators, ESL teachers, future college students, and...
Read MoreTeaching Immigrants English makes daily life better, safer for citizens!
A good society helps its citizens flourish and visitors feel welcome. A good society also invests in education, including teaching immigrants enough English that they can use their considerable intelligence, creativity, and skills in the workplace. Unfortunately, low standards in public education have eroded support for government sponsored education programs. Worse, the few underfunded...
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