Paraphrasing is an Essential Conversation Skill!
July 10, 2014
compellingconversations-admin
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.…
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Volume Matters – Even in Personal Conversations
July 2, 2014
compellingconversations-admin
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…
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Creating Simple ESL Lesson Plans Around Top Ten Lists for Advanced English Classes
July 1, 2014
compellingconversations-admin
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…
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Learning by Doing and Making “Good Mistakes” in English classes
June 28, 2014
compellingconversations-admin
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…
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Homophones Can Confuse: A Minor Mistake in Miner Valley
June 20, 2014
compellingconversations-admin
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.”…
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Why We Wrote Compelling American Conversations for Intermediate American English Language Learners
July 18, 2012
compellingconversations-admin
“America needs new immigrants to love and cherish it.” – Eric Hoffer (1902-1983), American writer and longshoreman Compelling American Conversations: Questions and Quotations for intermediate…
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More Links for ESL Teachers About Informational Interviews
June 21, 2011
compellingconversations-admin
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…
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Finding more practical materials at CATESOL
May 5, 2009
compellingconversations-admin
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…
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What Are Reasonable Standards for Listening Comprehension and Speaking Skills for ESL Students?
December 26, 2008
compellingconversations-admin
Tough question! Context, as ever, matters. Looking for a clear, detailed chart to evaluate the speaking skills of your students? Check out the practical chart…
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California Immigrants are Learning English – and Want to Learn More!
September 25, 2008
Eric Roth newBlog
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…
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