This video is the BOMB! It is captivating, absorbing, a story par excellence but also SILENT! Yes, silent films are great for getting students to produce language -- and after all is said and done, that most often is the hardest thing to do, getting the students speaking and learning language by just communicating. That is our job, to get the students so absorbed in the communicative act that they forget they are learning. When we forget and are not consciously fixated on the… Continue

NEWSLETTER ARCADE TED TALKS… Continue

I've been investigating many new "chatterbots", artificially intelligent characters that can help students practice and learn English online. Dave our wonderful chatterbot is under the knife but I think I've foun… Continue

Michael Jackson will never die! I truly believe that and when we commit to excellence, no matter what else our manner, a part of us will live forever. Michael Jackson touched eternity and we will enjoy his genius forever and anon.

I've traveled and taught English around the world. Wherever I was, I could count on one thing -- being able to talk about the music of Michael Jackson. He truly was an idol, an icon everywhere and everyone, no matter th… Continue

Long time to sign in facebook, huh!
Now I am using my uncle's PC in the living room. That's why it's hard to do the personal activity like writting diary everyday. Futhermore, my two little cousins wanna use it every monents when I am using. They love games so much, also chatting too.

Now, just want to summerize what have been going on several days. I have been moving and living in my uncle's house for more than one week. Everything seems ok now. Eating together makes me not have to cook, actua… Continue

There is only ONE word that can be placed in each blank and complete the sentences. Can you guess what that MAGIC word is? Only look at the answer after you've thought a little about it!

_____ I helped my dog carry my husband's slippers yesterday.

… Continue

Like Karenne, I'm making a sort of "call-out for help". But I don't like to frame it as "help", rather fun collaboration.
(And Karenne, I will ineed answer your post after writing this one, I go way back to 1976 for my strongest influences).

The idea is simple. I have a great Broadway musical song which can be exploited for EFL ESL students. The file is sitting here on my desktop, and I want to use it as a soundtrack for a video. The challenge is to find images - stills or moving pictures - whi… Continue

Hi ya,

This is a call-out for help on a piece I would like to do soon on my blog about women in the field of English language teaching, linguistics or anything related to TESOL, TEFL, TESL...

Could you please tell me who influenced your teaching and/or who inspired you to become a better English language teacher?

HOWEVER, there is a small catch - I don't want just names ;-).

I want details!

i.e. not, = Penny Ur

but instead as much as you can find that will help me write the piece!

e.g.… Continue

I've long been one who "protests" the dictionary as a form of enslavement! It is a traffic cop, a false prophet saying and prescribing what words are "right" and which are "wrong". BAAAAAAHHHHH

This delightful TED Talk is really entertaining and in her quirky way, this "lexicographer" pleads for technology to liberate words and give us a beautiful dictionary where words , ALL words are equal and beautiful and loved. It's a great watch and you'll pick up a few beautiful words.… Continue

I've been thinking recently about how good teachers foster "noticing" in their students. Good teachers somehow get students to notice the "deeper" stuff about language - the nuance and information that just isn't on the surface and easily translatable or apparent.

This really can't be done directly. One might think so and I'll resp… Continue