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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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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!)...

CompellingConversations’ compilation of YouTube videos for ESL teachers and students alike “We are not what we know but what we are willing to learn.” ―Mary Catherine Bateson (1939- ), American writer and cultural anthropologist Want to make use of YouTube’s gigantic collection...

Here is a short list of important questions for our English language learners. Can they order food in a nice restaurant? Can students fill in government forms? Can they understand classified ads - online or in a paper? Can they negotiate prices at a yard...

How do you help your ESL students recognize their errors in speaking English? What techniques do you use to make their mistakes “psychologically real” to them? One technique I’ve found effective may seem rather counter-intuitive: encourage them! This unorthodox...

Informational interviews have become a common practice among American professionals, but many English language learners remain unfamiliar with this type of networking and job search activity. ESL teachers can create both compelling classroom assignments and provide opportunities...