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 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...
Read MoreNegative headlines and trendlines for ESL in California
Adverse effects of public education budget cuts “Only the educated are free.” -Epictetus (55-135), Stoic Philosopher The dollar continues to decline in value. The national budget, seldom balanced, has zoomed deep into mega-debt during the Bush II era with two expensive wars, a deepening recession, and record tax cuts for the wealthy. The California state budget runs at least a $14...
Read MoreGoing Beyond the ESL classroom
Teaching English and Engaging the World “When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” -Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD), Roman Emperor How can we encourage our students to speak to more strangers in English? Can we move class discussions beyond the predictable textbook lessons? Are shopping malls,...
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