By

Many phrasal verbs with "take" and "make" have multiple meanings and are easy to confuse. By "taking" a look at context, we can "make" comprehension easier!

  “There is a role and function for beauty in our time.” – Tadao Ando (1941–), Japanese architect Introducing Teacher Edition Tuesday, a new weekly series based on ten teaching tips from the recently released Compelling American Conversations – Teacher Edition! What makes a...

“They know enough who know how to learn” – Henry Adams (1838-1918), historian Where do millions of dedicated teachers find affordable, readymade lessons? What if you could reap real benefits from all of your original supplementary classroom materials? Why haven’t we done this...

Christian Science Monitor’s Ruth Walker spotlights English as a fascinating language   “There is no such thing as “the Queen’s English.’ The property has gone into the hands of a joint stock company, and we own the bulk of the stock.” Mark Twain...

“Well begun is half done.” Ancient Greek proverb Sometimes we forget the most basic questions. What brings the students in your English class into the room? Are they fulfilling school requirements, pursuing academic achievements, or creating new possibilities? How do...

Ending conversations and looking forward to new ones!   “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” -Walt Disney (1901-1966) American business magnate, animator, producerEvery...

Questions keep the conversation flowing   “Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.” -Voltaire (1694-1778) French Enlightenment WriterAsking questions always generates more conversation; after all, an answer always follows. As mentioned before,...

Immersion in literature, current events, arts stimulates conversation   “When you’re curious, you find lots of interesting things to do.” -Walt Disney (1901-1966) American business magnate, animatorAre your students sometimes unsure of what to talk about? Perhaps they...

Accept–and enjoy–the inevitability of silence! “Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.” -Francis Bacon (1561-1626) English philosopher Many Americans feel uncomfortable with silence, even on crowded elevators or standing in lines with strangers. Some Americans...

Context determines boundaries of conversation “Respect for ourselves guides our morals; respect for others guides our manners.” -Laurence Sterne (1713-1768) Anglo-Irish novelist How wonderful that there are so many possible relationships to cultivate through conversation!...