[ELTWeekly Volume 6, Issue 18 | July 21, 2014 | ISSN 0975-3036]

---

Helping English language learners distinguish articles remains important in advanced ESL and English conversation classes

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” ―Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) Dutch painter

Does it make sense to emphasize the difference between articles (a, an, the) 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 effectively communicating in English. In this regard, content remains king. Given how little most of our ESL students speak English outside of classes, we as teachers need to provide many speaking opportunities for them to develop greater fluency.

Sometimes there is tension between teaching grammar and encouraging students to speak. If we monitor and correct each and every grammar error, many ESL students may feel intimidated or discouraged. Some will choose to remain silent or reduce their participation. English teachers working in many Asian classrooms have often experienced students embracing this face-saving technique. Therefore, in a conversation class, I usually tilt much more toward fluency than grammatical accuracy. (more…)

[ELTWeekly Volume 6, Issue 16 | June 30, 2014 | ISSN 0975-3036]

---

CompellingConversations’ compilation of YouTube videos for ESL teachers and students alike

“We are not what we know but what we are willing to learn.”

―Mary Catherine Bateson (1939- ), American writer and cultural anthropologistWant to make use of YouTube’s gigantic collection of ESL and language-related videos, but don’t know where to start? Every semester, I compile a diverse set of useful, relevant and interesting videos for a wide range of difficulty levels. Here’s the ten favorite this time around to share with your advanced English (or ESL) students:

1. English Pronunciation – vowel changes in stressed and unstressed syllables

This 2011 video by AccurateEnglish uses common words to highlight how to pronounce English vowels in stressed and unstressed syllables. In seven minutes, Lisa Mojsin, author of “Mastering the American Accent,” reviews common mistakes she encounters in her English classes, and uses a rubber band as a visual tool to demonstrate which vowels should be stressed.

2. Being a Good Conversationalist – Responding to Good News and Bad News

VOA Learning English, in a 19-minute Google+ Hangout session, displays the proper responses to good news and bad news in English. This video from 2013 features Guest Jane Mairs, writer of the Ask the Editor column for Merriam-Webster, who explains why certain responses are polite or impolite in conversation. (more…)