Fluency Requires Practice
“To know and not do is to not know.” The Talmud Fluency requires practice. Our students also know that speaking English can be both satisfying and stressful. Therefore, we require speaking activities in class – and strongly suggest ways to speak more out of class. Our students want to be fluent, but they often hesitate to practice their speaking skills. Many students do not...
Read MoreLooking for An ESL Book to Improve Speaking Skills? SMDP Recommends Compelling Conversations!
Santa Monica, California attracts artists, scholars, busboys, maids, actresses, models, sales people, mechanics, and film directors from around the world. Naturally, this upscale, coastal city provides many adult education classes, private language classes, and hosts English as a Second language workplace programs. The local newspaper, The Santa Monica Daily Press (SMDP), also covers immigration...
Read MoreLet’s Talk About the American Elections, Voting, and Democratic Values in English Class
Who makes the rules? Who chooses the rulers? Can citizens peacefully replace ineffective, unpopular leaders? Yes, we can! In the United States of America, voters enjoyed their opportunity to hire and fire their President. People voted, machines counted the votes, and millions of people around the nation smiled, laughed, and felt hopeful again. Senator Obama, as so often, captured the power and...
Read MoreWords of solace for a crammed semester
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are,” advised President Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt. These words of solace often comfort me when I stress myself out trying to cram too much material into lessons. How can I cover everything that I want in a single semester? It’s just impossible. For every new activity, I must let an old one go. If I add a Youtube homework...
Read MoreWhy Teach About Solzhenitsyn in English Classrooms?
“Own only what you can always carry with you; know languages, know countries, know people. Let your memory be your travel bag.” Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008), Russian writer and Nobel Prize winner Alexander Solzhenitsyn, an exceptional writer of rare courage, died today. English teachers, lovers of literature, and people of conscience will find his long obituary in the International...
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