Teaching Matters: How to Add Student Voices to Classroom Discussions
“Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.” -Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), British author and Nobel laureate This Teacher Edition Tuesday post, a weekly series based on ten teaching tips from the recently released Compelling American Conversations – Teacher Edition, addresses classroom participation and bringing more international student voices into community...
Read MoreTeaching Matters: How much can we rely on standardized tests to assess?
“Education is helping the child realize his potentialities.” ~Erich Fromm (1900-1980), German social psychologist and pscychoanalyst By Andrea Schmidt, Guest-writer Standardized tests: how helpful are they in assessing one’s true skill level? This question has been asked by students and teachers alike, time and again. There is no denying that these tests’ formulaic...
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...
Read MoreVolume Matters – Even in Personal Conversations
Why volume matters, especially in difficult student-teacher conferences “Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing.” ―Rollo May (1909-1994) American author and psychologist Student conferences, especially those involving shy students worried about their grade or academic performance, can often be a bit awkward for both the professor and student. ESL...
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