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Sophisticated English for Global Souls
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07
NOV
2008

Let’s Talk About the American Elections, Voting, and Democratic Values in English Class

Who makes the rules? Who chooses the rulers? Can citizens peacefully replace ineffective, unpopular leaders? Yes, we can! In the United States of America, voters enjoyed their opportunity to hire and fire their President. People voted, machines counted the votes, and millions of...
30
SEP
2008

CATESOL Conference Highlights Practical ESL Teaching Techniques

Are you looking to share practical techniques with your fellow English teachers? What works in your ESL classroom? What tends to work in other ESL classrooms? Why? The Los Angeles Regional CATESOL conference, titled “WWW. What Works and Why” at Biola University on October 25...
25
SEP
2008

California Immigrants are Learning English – and Want to Learn More!

Do American immigrants want to learn English? Are the children of Spanish-speaking adult immigrants learning English? What are the recent trends in California and Los Angeles? A recently released Census Bureau report, based on the 2007 Census information, shows that – shock,...
12
SEP
2008

How can they say that? Why is that junk on television?

ESL students, international visitors, and many American citizens often express shock, dismay, and outrage over television programs. How can the news show people struggling on a rooftop, a criminal cursing the police, or a comedian mocking a vice-presidential candidate – or...
15
AUG
2008

PBS Provides More Resources for ESL, EL/Civics Adult Educators

ESL/Civics tip Public Broadcasting System (PBS) continues to expand their valuable non-commercial services for listeners, including English teachers and ESL instructors. Take the free online tour of PBS ESL/CivicsLink, an online professional development service for ESL teachers....
14
AUG
2008

What is the electoral college? Why does it matter?

How did George W. Bush actually become President of the United States? After all, he received fewer popular votes for President than Al Gore, didn’t he? How could Al Gore win the popular vote and still lose the 2000 U.S. Presidential election? The short, unpleasant answer...
03
AUG
2008

Why Teach About Solzhenitsyn in English Classrooms?

“Own only what you can always carry with you; know languages, know countries, know people. Let your memory be your travel bag.” Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008), Russian writer and Nobel Prize winner Alexander Solzhenitsyn, an exceptional writer of rare courage, died...
18
JUL
2008

Does Uncle Sam want immigrants to learn English?

Yet funding for English language classes, especially for adults, remains quite limited. Government programs only help students learn rather basic English, often around 1200 essential words. Students can “pass” all their ESL classes and learn enough English to hold low-level jobs....
06
JUL
2008

Teaching Quotations Creates Lively ESL Classroom Discussions, Shares Insights

Why do you recommend using classic quotations in ESL classrooms? “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free…it expects what never was and never will be.” Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), U.S. President and principal author of the Declaration of Independence Classic quotations,...
12