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“To know and not do is to not know.” – ancient Jewish proverb Directing a private international high school in Vietnam last year provided many lessons. English might be the subject, but the context, as so often, became paramount. As English teachers, we often...

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.

Time flies. Or, as the Romans used to say, “tempus fugit.” Two weeks after the CATESOL 2009 convention in Pasadena ended, I’m finally having a chance to sort through the numerous books, doublecheck website leads, and evaluate materials that I picked up. Sometimes “the eyes are...

Many English teachers, especially novice ESL instructors, talk more than ideal - and allow their English students to talk too little. Ironically, many ESL instructors make this "good mistake" because they are so dedicated. What, after all, are they supposed to do while students...

What new English words will you learn in 2009? Which English words will you teach? Do you have a way with words? Are you a lover of word trivia and origins? Are you an English teacher? If so, consider listening to the celebrated public radio show in 2009! Forget forcing students...

Easy English Times, an adult education newspaper for English language learners published in California, adapts a chapter from Compelling Conversations each month. The editors selected “Reading Pleasures”, one of my favorite chapters, to run in their November-December...

Who gets to speak in class? Whose ideas count? Who chooses the assignments? How do students receive feedback? Do students have a chance to conference with their instructors? Can YouTube be a valuable source for homework assignment? Do you want your students to become...

Class bookends, both beginnings and endings, deserve special attention. This truism becomes more important in short term summer English programs where ESL students have traveled thousands of miles to study English. As so often, I tend to learn by stumbling. Yet, over the years,...

Do English language learners, or English as a Second language students, learn better in sheltered programs? Should students receive some instruction in their native language – and if so, for how long? Are there clear differences to effectively write and speak fluently? Teaching...

A bright college student asked a simple vocabulary question that threw me this week. “What is the opposite of jealous“? What is the opposite of jealous? Generous? Selfless? Confident? I found myself discussing various possibilities with students adding in situations....