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Sophisticated English for Global Souls
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20
SEP
2008

Who ranks English language programs and ESL schools?

How would you choose an English language school? What if you lived in Korea, Spain, China, Brazil, Turkey, or Vietnam? What factors would influence your decision? How would you find out the school’s reputation? Who ranks ESL programs? What is their criteria? Hundreds of thousands...
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....
15
JUN
2008

Why not create a culturally sensitive Compelling Conversations?

Why I chose not to censor Compelling Conversations to increase accessibility “Only the educated are free.” Epictetus (55-135), Greek philosopher Many English teachers have asked if I plan a “culturally sensitive” version so Compelling Conversations can be used in more...
15
JUN
2008

Dreams and business plans unfold in English

English emerges as a lingua franca “[English] is the powerful language of resistance—it is the dialect of common sense.” -Walt Whitman (1819-1892) American poet English has rapidly become the international language for business, as a lingua franca. “That is to say, it...
15
JUN
2008

Word Lovers and World lovers Can Visit FreeRice.Com

Free Rice rewards learning through food donation “The satiated man and the hungry man do not see the same thing when they look upon a loaf of bread.” -Rumi (1207-1273), Persian poet As the price of rice, corn, and other basic food staples increased daily and food riots return to...
15
JUN
2008

What are the 1000 most common words in English?

Importance of authentic vocabulary reflecting interests “Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.”  -Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), British author What are the 1000 most common words in English? Wiktionary, an offshoot of the wonderful Wikipedia, offers this...
15
JUN
2008

Negative headlines and trendlines for ESL in California

Adverse effects of public education budget cuts “Only the educated are free.” -Epictetus (55-135), Stoic Philosopher The dollar continues to decline in value. The national budget, seldom balanced, has zoomed deep into mega-debt during the Bush II era with two...
15
JUN
2008

Going Beyond the ESL classroom

Teaching English and Engaging the World “When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” -Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD), Roman Emperor How can we encourage our students to speak to...
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