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Sophisticated English for Global Souls
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07
JUN
2016
students discussing notes

What makes a conversation-friendly English, ESL or EFL classroom?

  “There is a role and function for beauty in our time.” – Tadao Ando (1941–), Japanese architect Introducing Teacher Edition Tuesday, a new weekly series based on ten teaching tips from the recently released Compelling American Conversations – Teacher Edition! What makes a...
22
MAR
2016
Newspaper classified ads

Resources: Dissecting an Advertisement

“If you don’t know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else.” ―Dr. Laurence J. Peter (1919-1990), Canadian-American educator When looking for a job, it’s important to assess what employers really want from potential hires. This is a...
10
JUL
2014

Paraphrasing is an Essential Conversation Skill!

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. Many English teachers underestimate the importance of this skill, and assume students understand more...
20
JUN
2014

Homophones Can Confuse: A Minor Mistake in Miner Valley

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.” ―Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (1729-1781), German writer English remains an often confusing and difficult language to learn (and teach!)...
15
AUG
2013

What Three Tips Would You Share with Novice ESL / EFL Teachers?

What three tips would offer new a ESL/EFL teacher? Hall Houston, author of Provoking Thought: Memory and Thought in ELT, posed this question to several prominent English language trainers and teachers last year. Sean Banville, Russell Stannard, Chia Suan Chong, Nik Peachey, Scott...
18
JUL
2012

Why We Wrote Compelling American Conversations for Intermediate American English Language Learners

“America needs new immigrants to love and cherish it.” – Eric Hoffer (1902-1983), American writer and longshoreman Compelling American Conversations- Vietnam: Speaking Exercises for Vietnamese Learners of Englishand Quotations for intermediate American English...
15
DEC
2011

Do Informational Interviews Have a Place in Business English Programs?

Speaking skills – especially in stressful situations – matter. Most quality Business English and VESL (Vocational English as a Second Language) programs provide extensive training and practice  in both short and long job interviews. Job interviews are stressful...
25
JAN
2010

Passion and Persistence: Self-Published ESL Authors Tell Their Stories

What motivates ESL teachers to become authors? Why do many of these authors self-publish? What’s their likelihood of success? Naturally, I’m quite interested in these questions – and hope other English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers will share my interests. The...
29
JAN
2009

English Teaching Professional Strongly Recommends Compelling Conversations!

"In sum, Compelling Conversations is a recommended resource for teachers who want to make their conversation classes more learner-centered," wrote reviewer Hall Houston. "It should be especially appealing to those who who to escape the confines of the...
09
DEC
2008

Another Five Star Amazon Review!

Allow me to brag for a moment. Another five-star review for Compelling Conversations – Vietnam: Speaking Exercises for Vietnamese Learners of Englishand Quotations on Timeless Topics showed up on Amazon. Consider me pleased! Here’s the entire Amazon review: 5.0 out of...
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