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‘Chandos’ Portrait of Shakespeare in the National Portrait Gallery, London “There’s not a man I meet but doth salute me As if I were their well-acquainted friend.” Shakespeare’s A Comedy of Errors, Act IV, Scene 3: William Shakespeare (1564-1616), British playwright...

“I’m a great believer that any tool that enhances communication has profound effects in terms of how people can learn from each other, and how they can achieve the kind of freedoms that they’re interested in.” ~Bill Gates (1955- ) American business...

“Education is an ornament in prosperity, and a refuge in adversity.” ~Aristotle (384-322 BCE), Ancient Greek philosopher and scientist Can teaching English to new immigrants and refugees make the United Kingdom safer? Is learning English essential to successfully...

“Habits change into character.” ~Ovid (43 BCE-17 CE), Ancient Roman poet Which is correct: fireman or firefighter? The answer is both! But one has been gaining traction lately, along with many other gender-neutral terms for occupational titles. Here’s why: Many...

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...

Certain grammar rules unnecessary for comprehension, everyday conversation “Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.” -Salvador Dalí (1904-1989) Spanish surrealist painterIs it always essential to have perfect grammar? Must we always avoid split infinitives, dangling...

The nominalization of nouns creates abstract, dry and often misleading language “Simplicity is the glory of expression.” -Walt Whitman (1819-1892) American poetSometimes, it’s fun to play with the English language and transform its adjectives, adverbs and nouns into more...

Emergence of ELF unites people, brings praise, and generates discussion on English student needs “I’m a great believer that any tool that enhances communication has profound effects in terms of how people can learn from each other, and how they can achieve the kind of...

The main focus of language programs, especially in high schools, should be helping students develop authentic language skills so they can actually read, write, listen, and speak English - both inside and outside the classrooms and away from multiple choice exams.

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,...