Using 5W/H Filter & Creating Longer, Better Conversations
November 25, 2015
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What is the 5W/H filter? Who can use this technique? Where can English students use the 5W/H filter in daily conversations? When can they use this method?…
Read MorePracticing Interview Skills, Staging a Mock Job Interview and Self Evaluation
November 20, 2015
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Finding work is not always an easy thing, particularly in an uncertain economy such as that of the United States. But how does one get a…
Read MoreHome vs. House: What does this mean?
November 4, 2015
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“No matter under what circumstances you leave it, home does not cease to be home. No matter how you lived there – well or…
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‘Verbal Energy’ column quirky, insightful, fun
January 3, 2015
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Christian Science Monitor’s Ruth Walker spotlights English as a fascinating language Photo Source: Christian Science Monitor“There is no such thing as “the Queen’s English.’ The…
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Ask Why Your Students Want to Learn English
December 10, 2014
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“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…
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Perfection and grammar: not essential for ESL students, or even native speakers
September 17, 2014
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Certain grammar rules unnecessary for comprehension, everyday conversation Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons “Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.” -Salvador Dalí (1904-1989)…
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‘Teaching History With Film’ encourages use of film through examples, lesson plans
August 19, 2014
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Photo source: Wikimedia Commons. Gone with the Wind and Birth of a Nation remain prominent examples of how films can capture an era–for better, or…
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Between life and death: Zombie nouns privilege pretentious vocabulary at the expense of simple clarity
August 15, 2014
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The nominalization of nouns creates abstract, dry and often misleading language “Simplicity is the glory of expression.” -Walt Whitman (1819-1892) American poet Sometimes, it’s fun…
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James T. Keating’s “Writing Modern English” tackles the idiomatic, confusing and wrong
July 16, 2014
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Source: Japanese Amazon Japanese English Learners and many English teachers can greatly benefit from this logical guide to clear, modern writing “The difference between the…
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McREL standards provide universal guide for teachers
July 14, 2014
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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.…
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