Teachers 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 MoreCreating Simple ESL Lesson Plans Around Top Ten Lists for Advanced English Classes
Advanced ESL/EFL classes benefit from making top ten lists “Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.” ―Tenzin Gyatso (1950-) 14th Dalai Lama Americans love to create, read, and discuss top ten lists. Newspapers and magazines use the simple format to summarize large chunks of information in a friendly, easily digestible manner. Year-end issues often expand the technique to create...
Read MoreLearning by Doing and Making “Good Mistakes” in English classes
Why English learners must practice and make “good mistakes” in order to grow “A man’s mistakes are his portals of discovery.” ―James Joyce (1882-1941), Irish novelist and poet How can English language teachers create a rigorous, tolerant and focused classroom atmosphere? One effective technique is encouraging English students, especially ESL students, to “learn by doing” and to “make...
Read MoreFinding more practical materials at CATESOL
Time flies. Or, as the Romans used to say, “tempus fugit.” Two weeks after the CATESOL 2009 convention in Pasadena ended, I’m finally having a chance to sort through the numerous books, doublecheck website leads, and evaluate materials that I picked up. Sometimes “the eyes are too hungry”, and I went a bit overboard in collecting ESL materials and resources for advanced English language...
Read MoreDoes Uncle Sam want immigrants to learn English?
Learning to read, write, and speak English remains a legal requirement for legal immigrants to become citizens in the United States. National polls also consistently show that over 80% of American voters favor making English the official national language. Immigrants to English speaking countries like the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Australia also want to learn more English to gain...
Read More
