Teaching Tips: Discussing Idioms in the Classroom
December 23, 2015
Chimayo Press
Idioms can be difficult for ESL beginners to make sense of. Here are some examples and tips to get you started.
Read MoreUsing 5W/H Filter & Creating Longer, Better Conversations
November 25, 2015
Chimayo Press
What is the 5W/H filter? Who can use this technique? Where can English students use the 5W/H filter in daily conversations? When can they use this method?…
Read MorePracticing Interview Skills, Staging a Mock Job Interview and Self Evaluation
November 20, 2015
Chimayo Press
Finding work is not always an easy thing, particularly in an uncertain economy such as that of the United States. But how does one get a…
Read MoreHome vs. House: What does this mean?
November 4, 2015
Chimayo Press
“No matter under what circumstances you leave it, home does not cease to be home. No matter how you lived there – well or…
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‘Verbal Energy’ column quirky, insightful, fun
January 3, 2015
Chimayo Press
Christian Science Monitor’s Ruth Walker spotlights English as a fascinating language Photo Source: Christian Science Monitor“There is no such thing as “the Queen’s English.’ The…
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Ask Why Your Students Want to Learn English
December 10, 2014
Chimayo Press
“Well begun is half done.” Ancient Greek proverb Sometimes we forget the most basic questions. What brings the students in your English class into the…
Read More Perfection and grammar: not essential for ESL students, or even native speakers
September 17, 2014
Chimayo Press
Certain grammar rules unnecessary for comprehension, everyday conversation Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons “Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.” -Salvador Dalí (1904-1989)…
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‘Teaching History With Film’ encourages use of film through examples, lesson plans
August 19, 2014
Chimayo Press
Photo source: Wikimedia Commons. Gone with the Wind and Birth of a Nation remain prominent examples of how films can capture an era–for better, or…
Read More Between life and death: Zombie nouns privilege pretentious vocabulary at the expense of simple clarity
August 15, 2014
Chimayo Press
The nominalization of nouns creates abstract, dry and often misleading language “Simplicity is the glory of expression.” -Walt Whitman (1819-1892) American poet Sometimes, it’s fun…
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James T. Keating’s “Writing Modern English” tackles the idiomatic, confusing and wrong
July 16, 2014
Chimayo Press
Source: Japanese Amazon Japanese English Learners and many English teachers can greatly benefit from this logical guide to clear, modern writing “The difference between the…
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