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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
School boards, education problems, and a new $350 million dollar high school!
Teaching remains an art, and excellence remains rare - especially in a bureaucratic age. The ancient Socratic methods and modern enlightenment ideals have increasingly fallen out of favor in American public schools - from elementary and middle school
- August 31st, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
What are you doing differently this semester in your ESL class?
What are you doing differently this semester in your English class? As a new semester begins, I face the familiar task - and pleasure - of selecting new materials and creating new forms for my oral skills class. One goal is to have students use the i
- August 24th, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Conversation tip #15: Seek to Understand
Seek to Understand Have you ever seen two emotional people talk past each other? Both talk and neither listen. Both want to tell the other, and don’t want to hear – or understand – what the other person is saying. This happens too often in str
- August 20th, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Playing and Watching Sports
Have you been watching the Olympics? What has surprised you the most? Why? Who has inspired you? How? The Olympics reminds us of heroism, sacrifice, excellence, and beauty. It can also spark many conversations. Although I have not had the pleasure of
- August 17th, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
How do you teach the difference between “make” and “do” in your English classrooms?
How do you teach the difference between “make” and “do” in your English classrooms? What do you do? What do you make? What’s the difference, anyway, between “make” and “do”? These simple words cause lots of confusion for English lan
- August 15th, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
PBS Provides More Resources for ESL, EL/Civics Adult Educators
ESL/Civics tip Public Broadcasting System (PBS) continues to expand their valuable non-commercial services for listeners, including English teachers and ESL instructors. Take the free online tour of PBS ESL/CivicsLink, an online professional dev
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
What is the electoral college? Why does it matter?
How did George W. Bush actually become President of the United States? After all, he received fewer popular votes for President than Al Gore, didn’t he? How could Al Gore win the popular vote and still lose the 2000 U.S. Presidential election?
- August 11th, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Conversation tip #14: Ask a question
“Do you want to know how to start a conversation? Ask a question, and listen.” Robert Bly (1926- ), American poet and activist That’s not a bad starting point, is it?
- August 5th, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
ESL Conversation worksheet: Imperatives vs Polite Requests in the Workplace
Workplace Communication Tip 3: Politely Make Suggestions Style matters – especially when we talk with our co-workers, consumers, patients, and supervisors. English language learners, immigrants, and far too many English speaking workers sometimes f
- August 3rd, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Why Teach About Solzhenitsyn in English Classrooms?
“Own only what you can always carry with you; know languages, know countries, know people. Let your memory be your travel bag.” Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008), Russian writer and Nobel Prize winner Alexander Solzhenitsyn, an exceptional
- July 31st, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Simple questions to ask English Language Learners in Week 1
In conversation, it is often helpful to show other people that we understand what they are trying to say. A smile, a nod of the head, and eye contact are encouraging to others at work and at home. Frowning, shaking one’s head no, or looking awa
- July 30th, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
It was an Earthquake, not a Lifequake! We’re lucky!
As CNN and the other global news organizations rushed to tell the world, a 5.4 earthquake hit Los Angeles yesterday. The earth shook, people got scared, and fears of “the big one” entered the minds of millions. The shaking lasted for almost a min
- July 27th, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Conversation tip #12: Nice truck!
Sometimes a simple comment leads to a delightful conversation. Today I noticed a very, very old truck parked on the street while walking my dog. “She’s as old as I am,” replied the owner from his frontyard. He soon came to the sid
- July 26th, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
How do you close your last class in a satisfying, summer ESL program?
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 stu
- July 22nd, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Teaching English Language Learners: What Seems to Work in American Public Schools
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 writ
- July 20th, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Volume matters - even in personal conversations
Student conferences, especially with shy students worried about their grade or academic performance, can often be a bit awkward for both the professor and student. ESL (English as a Second Language) students, sometimes insecure about their pronunciat
- July 19th, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Gratitude is heaven itself
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 s
- July 18th, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
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 enou
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
What is a lifequake? Is that a real word?
Earthquakes remain a concern for people living in many places, including my home in Southern California. This awareness, and fear of sudden shaking and buildings falling, enters into many conversations. I recently read a wonderful term and vocabular
- July 16th, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Another inspiring Huxley quote for English teachers
“There’s only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self… Every man who knows how to read has it in his power to magnify himself, to multiply the ways in which he exists, to make his l
- July 6th, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Teaching Quotations Creates Lively ESL Classroom Discussions, Shares Insights
Why do you recommend using classic quotations in ESL classrooms? “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free…it expects what never was and never will be.” Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), U.S. President and principal author of the Declaration o
- July 2nd, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Enjoying Easy English Times and Exploring the EET Website
“In every curving beach, in every grain of sand, there is the story of the earth.” Rachel Carson (1907-1964), biologist and environmentalist The mailman brought the “Summer Fun” issue of Easy English Times yesterday, and it made me s
- June 27th, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Have You Read English Teaching Forum Yet?
Have you read English Teaching Forum magazine yet? It is another outstanding resource for English language teachers whether working with adults in Africa, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, South America, or teaching immigrants and future citizens ins
- June 24th, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Teachers Urge Google to Create Search Engine for K-12 Students
How do students conduct online research for their K-12 classes? Do they systematically pursue a topic, use critical thinking to evaluate sources, and focus on the assigned topics? Or do they wander, often confused and easily distracted, from site to
- June 19th, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Learning by Stumbling (again) and finding Classroom 2.0
As readers of this blog will soon discover, I believe in experimenting and finding new resources. Following an emailed lead, I discovered an impressive website for teachers called Classroom 2.0 . What attracted me? The site meets me where I am - an
- June 17th, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Compelling Conversations site is up and running again!
Sometimes you don’t appreciate something until you lose it. My website, down and out for almost a week of tech turmoil as I changed server, host, and webmaster, demonstrates this point. The site, www.compellingconversations.com , has been resto
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
TaLKing in English, Talking about English, and Learning Korean
Sometimes we confuse talking about English with talking in English. As English teachers, we need to gently encourage our students to talk as much as possible in English, and only sometimes in English. And as world citizens, we should learn as much ab
- June 16th, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Can I turn that paper in next week?
Sometimes time just seems to escape, and we fall behind. Despite the alarm clocks, cell phones, and wrist watches, and many labor-saving appliances, the hours just seem to rush by, the work piles remain, and time vanishes. Modern life can feel more h
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Learning by Doing and Good Mistakes in English classes
How can English language teachers create a rigorous, tolerant, and focused classroom atmosphere? One effective technique is encouraging English students, especially ESL students, to “learn by doing” and “make good mistakes” as they expand the
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Creating Top Ten Tip lessons for Advanced ESL/EFL classes
Americans love to create, read, and discuss top ten lists. Newspapers and magazines use the simple format to summarize large chunks of information in a friendly manner. Year end issues often expand the technique to create “100 best” or the year
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Make time for conversations - in and outside of English classrooms
The art of conversation, once considered the sign of a civilized individual, seems less common today. Yet I treasure the moments of sharing experiences, collecting news, and exchanging ideas. I make a point of knowing my neighbors, allowing casua
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
English Language Teaching Tip #12: Ask a Question on Your Attendance Sheet
Can you recommend a good movie? What’s your favorite song? What’s your favorite color? How do you prepare for a test? How do you relax? Do you have a favorite English word? Can you turn a bureaucratic requirement into a communication tool to expr
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Paraphrasing skills matter in conversations too
Paraphrasing remains a critical skill in academic classrooms and in the larger world. The ability to re-phrase and re-state, usually called paraphrasing, allows students to confirm information, accurately convey information, and avoid plagiarism prob
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
ESL classes should include more conversation activities!
Conversation remains a vital social skill for our English students. Naturally, immigrants and international students want to fully participate in their schools, their jobs, and their communities. Speaking clearly in English allows individuals to expr
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Do you teach the difference between “a” and “the” in conversation class?
Does teaching articles (a, an, the) make sense in a conversation class? Perhaps. Context matters. Conversation class should encourage English students to express their ideas, practice familiar words and syntax, and develop greater confidence in effec
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Conversation Starter #10 - Can you recommend a good book?
Books and literature still matter in our 21st century global culture of blogs, especially for starting conversations. In the past few days, I have had three engaging, satisfying conversations with strangers about books. How? Is that a good book? Wha
- June 12th, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new entry on: Compelling Conversations in the ESL/EFL world
Can I turn that paper in next week?
Sometimes time just seems to escape, and we fall behind. Despite the alarm clocks, cell phones, and wrist watches, and many labor-saving appliances, the hours just seem to rush by, the work piles remain, and time vanishes. Modern life can feel more h
- June 11th, 2008
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Eric18 has posted a new blog review on: Brown Thoughts
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Eric18 has posted a new blog review on: Confessions Reborn
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Eric18 has posted a new blog review on: My Happiness Haven
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Eric18 has added My Happiness Haven to his favorite blogs.
My Happiness Haven
This is my place for everything that is positive: things that I am thankful for, things that made me smile, laugh, giggle, things that are heart-warming, blissful, and joyful ... in short an asylum for MY happiness (HAPPY NEST!) -
Eric18 has posted a new blog review on: Earthly Explorations
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Eric18 has added Earthly Explorations to his favorite blogs.
Earthly Explorations
Welcome to my roller-coaster. My rantings about this and that. My more HUMAN side compared to my other blog. Sit back, relax and enjoy the ride! Read at your own risk! -
Eric18 has updated his friends list.
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Eric18 has joined the discussion: Legalized Prostitution
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Eric18 has added SIMPSONS 2007 to his favorite blogs.
SIMPSONS 2007
ALL ABOUT THE SIMPSONS
