An advanced student and I recently explored ways Americans soften their spoken speech. In the world of ESL, there’s a good amount of material on hedging devices for academic writing, but it’s been an interesting challenge to see how much of it can apply to conversation. The goal in any exchange is not just to…
Why Teach Foreign Words in English?
In my latest vocabulary lesson on YouTube, I teach eight foreign words used in English. The lesson was partly inspired by a conversation I overhead at the hairdresser’s. One woman called out to the other as she was leaving, “Call me sometime next week. We’ll have a tête-à-tête.” It’s not the first time my ESL-attuned ear…
3 Tips for Teaching Basic Vocabulary
I had the pleasure of Skyping with a group of teachers in Costa Rica last month. Although the focus of our live session was on pronunciation and speaking skills, we had time for Q&A at the end. One teacher asked me for ideas to make learning basic vocabulary more fun. I gave some tips off…
Combinations with Gerunds: Reducing Confusion, Increasing Accuracy
It stands to reason that if a large number of words are creating confusion, part of the problem may be resolved by dealing with smaller amounts at one time. There are many grammar charts in print and online: verbs followed by gerunds, verbs followed by infinitives, nouns followed by infinitives, and so on. The lists…
‘If Need Be’ and Other More Formal Uses of Conditionals
Conditionals are a topic I’ve addressed multiple times on my YouTube channel, and I plan to return to them again soon. Just a few more lessons, and I think I’ll have covered conditionals quite thoroughly. Do you also feel that it takes several lessons and plenty of practice to do justice to this topic? I…
Making Student Presentations Sparkle
I’ve become very fond of student presentations as a means to develop language proficiency and overall confidence. When diligent preparation leads to successful delivery, it’s a particularly satisfying experience for the learner and for the teacher. I’m also learning how to guide this process efficiently. Have you discovered some best practices? Please feel free to…
Phrasal Verbs in Context
If there’s one piece of advice I have for students about phrasal verbs, it’s not to learn too many at once. If I work with a set of more than ten phrasal verbs, then I make sure that some of them are already familiar to the students. I think our job as teachers is to…
How to Make the Transition between Informal and Formal Speech Fun, Clear, and Memorable
Every learner has his or her strengths and weaknesses. I’ve observed how some students are completely relaxed in conversation, but struggle to write for professional or academic purposes. I’ve also seen the opposite: students can write articulate, effective essays, but fail to recognize which words and structures sound out place in everyday exchanges. Proficiency in…
Teaching the Parts of Speech: What to Keep and What to Part With
I’ve taken on the challenge of teaching the parts of speech at the request of a YouTube viewer. The request brings up the old question of how much terminology is worth knowing. Obviously, knowledge of all the terms doesn’t equate with fluency. As I state in my three-part lesson, knowing how to use words is…
TESOL 2018 Highlights: My Take-Away from Different Presenters
I had to cut my TESOL experience short this year due to the overlap with the Easter holiday, but I’m happy that I still managed to pack some take-away thoughts with me. I always jot down lots of notes at sessions I attend, and then I reflect on them back at home when I’ve had…
TESOL 2018 Highlights: Creativity Through Collaboration
For the second year in a row, Mary Allegra of University of Carabobo in Venezuela enticed me into the Electronic Village with her session title. Last year she co-presented in the EV about Quizizz (read post). This year she teamed up with her colleague Monica Fernandez to demonstrate possibilities with Google Slides. Their session was…
TESOL 2018 Highlights: Online Tools for ELLs
Visiting the Electronic Village at the annual TESOL convention is a must for me. Even a single visit can result in the discovery of a few different resources. The title of one presentation this year immediately caught my attention: Three Powerful Online Tools for Skills Development. The presenter, Silvia Laborde of Alianza Cultural Uruguay-Estados Unidos…
