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23
JUL
2014

English language learners should beware of saying ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah’

Yeah Yeah Yeahs is a popular indie band, but “Yeah, yeah, yeah” is a problematic response to job interview questions. “In common use almost every word has many shades of meaning, and therefore needs to be interpreted by the context.” -Alfred Marshall...
16
JUL
2014

Easy English Times newspaper remains a great resource

ESL students can read news, stories and Compelling Conversations “Newspapers always excite curiosity. No one ever puts one down without the feeling of disappointment.” ―Charles Lamb (1775-1834) English writerThere’s no denying the value of an engaging newspaper: it keeps us...
16
JUL
2014

James T. Keating’s “Writing Modern English” tackles the idiomatic, confusing and wrong

Japanese English Learners and many English teachers can greatly benefit from this logical guide to clear, modern writing “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.” –Mark Twain (1835-1910)...
14
JUL
2014

McREL standards provide universal guide for teachers

Foreign language classrooms could benefit from McREL standards “You are never too old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream.” ―C.S. Lewis (1889-1936) British author While conducting research for a review on Journeys In Film, a nonprofit dedicated to teaching social study...
13
JUL
2014

English as a lingua franca unifies people

Emergence of ELF unites people, brings praise, and generates discussion on English student needs “I’m a great believer that any tool that enhances communication has profound effects in terms of how people can learn from each other, and how they can achieve the kind of...
12
JUL
2014

‘English is Stupid’ spotlights new teaching, learning approach

Judy Thompson discusses how to overcome English as a crazy language “English is a funny language that explains why we park our car on the driveway and drive our car on the parkway.” ―American sayingESL teacher and pronunciation maven Judy Thompson’s new book boasts a surprising...
11
JUL
2014

“English in Los Angeles” inspires conversation with splashes of color

Piera Fumagalli fuses vocabulary, grammar and idioms with LA “People cut themselves off from their ties of the old life when they come to Los Angeles. They are looking for a place where they can be free, where they can do things they couldn’t do anywhere else.̶...
09
JUL
2014

Reflections from Fourth of July, Independence Day

Source: Wikipedia Commons Drawing inspiration from the American holiday “I have sworn upon the altar of god eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.” ―Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), Principal author of the Declaration of Independence and Third U.S....
02
JUL
2014

Journeys in Film promotes use of movies, documentaries to teach

How films can explore and examine cultures in classrooms   Source: PBS.org “Film has the power to educate the most visually literate generation in history.” ―Liam Neeson (1952- ) Irish actorNeeson speaks specifically about Journeys in Film, a nonprofit organization founded...
26
JUN
2014

Proceed with Caution: Gender-Neutral and Plural Pronouns

How to approach pronouns in English class “The world is still a weird place, despite my efforts to make clear and perfect sense of it.” ―Hunter S. Thompson (1937-2005) American journalist How unfortunate it is that English has no gender-neutral pronoun, one to use when saying “he...