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Sophisticated English for Global Souls
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28
OCT
2015
smiling female student studying in classroom

Compelling Conversations – Japan Focuses on Fluency and Authentic Communication for Japanese English Language Learners

“The most important thing we learn at school is the fact that the most important things can’t be learned at school.” ~Haruki Murakami (1949- ), Japanese author     Do your English students want to speak more English? Do you currently teach Japanese...
10
OCT
2015
Couple dating in bar, smiling and talking

Search and Share Speaking Activities Can Flip English Classrooms and Become Complete EFL Class Lessons

    “Education is a kind of continuing dialogue and a dialogue assumes, in the nature of the case, different points of view.” ~Robert Hutchins (1899-1977), educator and philosopher How can we create more speaking opportunities for students in our English...
04
SEP
2015
Happy Friends Studying Together

How do you flip your English class? What homework activities do you use to spark lively small group discussions in class?

How do you create lively small group discussions in your English class? What homework do you find most likely to spark student-led conversations? Are you interested in flipping your ESL class so English language learners collect information outside of class and share the...
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)...
10
JUL
2014

Paraphrasing is an Essential Conversation Skill!

If English students can accurately paraphrase a reading, a radio segment, or a verbal statement, they can actively participate in common conversations and classroom discussions. Many English teachers underestimate the importance of this skill, and assume students understand more...
02
JUL
2014

Volume 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...
01
JUL
2014

Creating 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...
28
JUN
2014

Learning 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...
20
JUN
2014

Homophones Can Confuse: A Minor Mistake in Miner Valley

Why it is so important for English learners to tackle homophones in the classroom “For me the greatest beauty always lies in the greatest clarity.” ―Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (1729-1781), German writer English remains an often confusing and difficult language to learn (and teach!)...
23
MAR
2014

Savvy Tips to Score Higher on the TOEFL iBT Speaking Section

What do you do with a problem like the TOEFL iBT test? For worse or for better, the TOEFL test remains the standard assessment of English for international students planning to attend American colleges and universities. As a result, many international ESOL (English Speakers of...