Cities attract the young, the strong, and the ambitious. Cities also provide housing, jobs, and hope for those fleeing boredom, economic crisis, and war. Our 21st century cities, like our English classrooms, reflect the diversity of the human experience.
Millions move from the countryside and across the globe to live in new cities every year. Cities provide employment, culture, and education. Cities are exciting. Yet, sometimes danger also lurks in cities. Many students struggle with economic pressures, culture shock, and criminal activity. Shouldn't we discuss these conflicting pressures in our ESL classrooms?
Teaching English in Los Angeles and Santa Monica I’ve found that students, who come from across the globe, eager to talk about cities. Some English students share stories about moving from rural areas and small towns to an international city; other students enjoy telling about their travel experiences. Discussions naturally touch on housing, employment, and lifestyle choices. English language learners – whether adult immigrants creating a new home or university students living abroad – can reflect on their experiences and share insights discussing urban life.
Are you a city person? Why?
How are cities different from small towns?
What cities have you visited? Lived in?
What attracted you to this city?
What do you find stressful about city life?
What do you find satisfying about living in a city?
This month Exploring Cities, one of my favorite chapters, is highlighted as a free chapter on Compelling Conversations. Perhaps you will create some compelling conversations about cities in your classroom too. Check it out.
Ask more. Know more. Share more.
Create Compelling Conversations.
Visit www.CompellingConversations.com
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Easy English Times Publishes "Reading Pleasures" as Conversation Activity
Easy English Times, an adult education newspaper for English language learners published in California, adapts a chapter from Compelling Conversations each month. The editors selected "Reading Pleasures", one of my favorite chapters, to run in their November-December issue. Since Easy English Times focuses on the needs of beginning and intermediate ESL students, the editor selects the most accessible sections and adds dictionary definitions, creating a satisfying instant conversation activity.
Here is the Easy English Times Instant Activity for November-December.
Instant activity: Conversation
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Reading pleasures and tastes
The activities below come from a book for English as a second language learners by Eric Roth and Toni Aberson. The title is "Compelling Conversations: Questions and Quotations on Timeless Topics." (See ad on this page.)
Exchanging views: Reading is a solitary* activity, yet it can bring people together in conversation. Interview your partner and exchange reading experiences.
1. What are some books that you have read and enjoyed?
2. Have you ever re-read a book? Which? Why? How many times?
3. Do you have a library card? Do you like to browse* in bookstores?
4. Have you ever been in a book club? What kinds of books do/did you read in the book club?
5. Did your mother or other family member read to you as a child? Did you have a favorite story? What was it?
6. Where did you first learn to read? At home? At school?
7. What were your favorite books as a child? Who was your favorite author? Why?
8. As a teenager, did you have any favorite books, comics, or magazines? Can you describe them?
9. Which magazines or newspapers do you scan now*? Why?
10. Who are some famous writers from your country?
11. Can you think of some movies that are adapted from novels?
12. Do you prefer reading fiction or non-fiction? Why?
13. Do you have a favorite writer or poet? Who?
14. Did you have to memorize any poems in school? Which?
15. Have your read any good biographies? Memoirs*? Self-help books?
16. Are you reading a book now? What is it? Can you describe it?
17. Do you think books and magazines make good gifts? Why?
18. What book are you planning to read in the near future?
Quotations: Memorize your favorite quotation and author's name. Share it with someone.
1. "Reading is to the mind, what exercise is to the body." --Richard Steele (1672-1729), Irish writer
2. "No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting*." --Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689-1762), British author/critic
3. "The pleasure of all reading is doubled* when one lives with another who shares the same books." --Katherine Mansfield (1888-1923), short story writer and poet
4. "However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act upon them?" --Buddha (563-483 BC), founder of Buddhism
5. "Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them all." --Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), essayist
6. "I would rather be poor in a cottage* full of books than a king without the desire to read." --Thomas B. Macaulay (1800-1859), historian
7. "A book should serve as the ax* for the frozen sea within us." --Franz Kafka (1883-1924), novelist
8. "Any book that helps a child to form the habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him." --Maya Angelou (1928-), American poet
9. "A truly great book should be read in youth*, again in maturity and once more in old age, as a fine building should be seen by morning light, at noon and by moonlight." --Robertson Davies (1913-1995), Canadian novelist
On your own: Bring in a book which is important to you. Show the book to the class. Tell them the author, the title, and the reason why this book is important to you.
VOCABULARY HELP*
ax - An ax is a tool for cutting wood.
browse - If you browse in a store, you look at things in a casual way, in the hope that you might find something you like.
cottage - A cottage is a small house, usually in the country.
doubled - When something doubles or when you doubled it, it becomes twice as great in number, amount, or size.
essays - Essays are short pieces of writing on a particular subject.
lasting - You can use lasting to describe a situation, result, or agreement that continues to exist or have an effect for a very long time.
memoirs - A person's memoirs are a written account of the people who they have known and events that they remember.
scan - When you scan written material, you look through it quickly in order to find important or interesting information.
solitary - A solitary activity is one that you do alone.
youth - Someone's youth is the period of their life during which they are a child, before they are a fully mature adult.
*Definitions from the Collins COBUILD Intermediate Dictionary of American English, published by Heinle, a part of Cengage Learning © 2008 and the Newbury House Dictionary of American English 4th edition, by Rideout. © 2004 Monroe Allen Publishers. Heinle, a part of Cengage Learning enjoys an exclusive license with respect to the copyright and all the exclusive rights comprised in the copyright in the work and all revisions thereof.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I love these monthly columns because they keep me connected to adult education and my decade of teaching immigrants and refugees in Los Angeles and Santa Monica. The atmosphere in those classrooms, where everyone volunteered and no one worried about grades, is something quite special. We were just adults sharing our experiences, insights, and languages.
Ask more. Know more. Share more.
Create Compelling Conversations.
Visit www.CompellingConversations.com
Here is the Easy English Times Instant Activity for November-December.
Instant activity: Conversation
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading pleasures and tastes
The activities below come from a book for English as a second language learners by Eric Roth and Toni Aberson. The title is "Compelling Conversations: Questions and Quotations on Timeless Topics." (See ad on this page.)
Exchanging views: Reading is a solitary* activity, yet it can bring people together in conversation. Interview your partner and exchange reading experiences.
1. What are some books that you have read and enjoyed?
2. Have you ever re-read a book? Which? Why? How many times?
3. Do you have a library card? Do you like to browse* in bookstores?
4. Have you ever been in a book club? What kinds of books do/did you read in the book club?
5. Did your mother or other family member read to you as a child? Did you have a favorite story? What was it?
6. Where did you first learn to read? At home? At school?
7. What were your favorite books as a child? Who was your favorite author? Why?
8. As a teenager, did you have any favorite books, comics, or magazines? Can you describe them?
9. Which magazines or newspapers do you scan now*? Why?
10. Who are some famous writers from your country?
11. Can you think of some movies that are adapted from novels?
12. Do you prefer reading fiction or non-fiction? Why?
13. Do you have a favorite writer or poet? Who?
14. Did you have to memorize any poems in school? Which?
15. Have your read any good biographies? Memoirs*? Self-help books?
16. Are you reading a book now? What is it? Can you describe it?
17. Do you think books and magazines make good gifts? Why?
18. What book are you planning to read in the near future?
Quotations: Memorize your favorite quotation and author's name. Share it with someone.
1. "Reading is to the mind, what exercise is to the body." --Richard Steele (1672-1729), Irish writer
2. "No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting*." --Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689-1762), British author/critic
3. "The pleasure of all reading is doubled* when one lives with another who shares the same books." --Katherine Mansfield (1888-1923), short story writer and poet
4. "However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act upon them?" --Buddha (563-483 BC), founder of Buddhism
5. "Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them all." --Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), essayist
6. "I would rather be poor in a cottage* full of books than a king without the desire to read." --Thomas B. Macaulay (1800-1859), historian
7. "A book should serve as the ax* for the frozen sea within us." --Franz Kafka (1883-1924), novelist
8. "Any book that helps a child to form the habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him." --Maya Angelou (1928-), American poet
9. "A truly great book should be read in youth*, again in maturity and once more in old age, as a fine building should be seen by morning light, at noon and by moonlight." --Robertson Davies (1913-1995), Canadian novelist
On your own: Bring in a book which is important to you. Show the book to the class. Tell them the author, the title, and the reason why this book is important to you.
VOCABULARY HELP*
ax - An ax is a tool for cutting wood.
browse - If you browse in a store, you look at things in a casual way, in the hope that you might find something you like.
cottage - A cottage is a small house, usually in the country.
doubled - When something doubles or when you doubled it, it becomes twice as great in number, amount, or size.
essays - Essays are short pieces of writing on a particular subject.
lasting - You can use lasting to describe a situation, result, or agreement that continues to exist or have an effect for a very long time.
memoirs - A person's memoirs are a written account of the people who they have known and events that they remember.
scan - When you scan written material, you look through it quickly in order to find important or interesting information.
solitary - A solitary activity is one that you do alone.
youth - Someone's youth is the period of their life during which they are a child, before they are a fully mature adult.
*Definitions from the Collins COBUILD Intermediate Dictionary of American English, published by Heinle, a part of Cengage Learning © 2008 and the Newbury House Dictionary of American English 4th edition, by Rideout. © 2004 Monroe Allen Publishers. Heinle, a part of Cengage Learning enjoys an exclusive license with respect to the copyright and all the exclusive rights comprised in the copyright in the work and all revisions thereof.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I love these monthly columns because they keep me connected to adult education and my decade of teaching immigrants and refugees in Los Angeles and Santa Monica. The atmosphere in those classrooms, where everyone volunteered and no one worried about grades, is something quite special. We were just adults sharing our experiences, insights, and languages.
Ask more. Know more. Share more.
Create Compelling Conversations.
Visit www.CompellingConversations.com
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Who Makes the Rules? Who Chooses the Rulers? Obama Confirms Power of American Democracy!
Who makes the rules? Who chooses the rulers? Can citizens peacefully replace corrupt leaders?
In the United States of America, voters enjoy their opportunity to hire and fire the President. On Tuesday, American citizens voted, selected a new leader, and millions of people around the nation smiled, laughed, and felt hopeful again. Senator Obama, as so often, captured the power and beauty of the peaceful transfer of power in his eloquent victory speech.
"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer. "
Barack Hussein Obama (1961- ), President-elect of the United States
I, like so many Americans, feel very proud. We are coming back – to our ideals, our citizens, and our best traditions! The United States, the first nation explicitly created on enlightenment ideals, will become an inspiring 21st century nation.
This surprising election seems like a very teachable moment. Immigrants and international students can rest assured that they made the right decision to come to the United States. English language learners around the world should feel the enlarged possibilities that come with our strange tongue. European sceptics and Arab critics should candidly reassess their prejudices about Americans and the American government. After all, Obama – the son of an international African student and an adventurous Midwestern scholar – has just won the Presidency of the United States. Where else could that happen?
Let's talk about the power of elections and democratic values in our English classes. Let's discuss the possibilities for peaceful reform, voting, and the rights of citizens to choose their own leaders. ESL/Civics classes always discuss these questions, but English teachers should also celebrate this Anglo-American tradition in English language classes around the world. Let's start defending Western values in our classes- and even promoting western democratic principles. Human rights matter. Democracy matters. Freedom counts. The good society can face its problems, openly debate vital public policy issues, and peacefully elect new leaders.
Click here for a free advanced ESL conversation lesson on Voting from Compelling Conversations.
Ask more. Know more. Share more.
Create Compelling Conversations.
Visit www.CompellingConversations.com
In the United States of America, voters enjoy their opportunity to hire and fire the President. On Tuesday, American citizens voted, selected a new leader, and millions of people around the nation smiled, laughed, and felt hopeful again. Senator Obama, as so often, captured the power and beauty of the peaceful transfer of power in his eloquent victory speech.
"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer. "
Barack Hussein Obama (1961- ), President-elect of the United States
I, like so many Americans, feel very proud. We are coming back – to our ideals, our citizens, and our best traditions! The United States, the first nation explicitly created on enlightenment ideals, will become an inspiring 21st century nation.
This surprising election seems like a very teachable moment. Immigrants and international students can rest assured that they made the right decision to come to the United States. English language learners around the world should feel the enlarged possibilities that come with our strange tongue. European sceptics and Arab critics should candidly reassess their prejudices about Americans and the American government. After all, Obama – the son of an international African student and an adventurous Midwestern scholar – has just won the Presidency of the United States. Where else could that happen?
Let's talk about the power of elections and democratic values in our English classes. Let's discuss the possibilities for peaceful reform, voting, and the rights of citizens to choose their own leaders. ESL/Civics classes always discuss these questions, but English teachers should also celebrate this Anglo-American tradition in English language classes around the world. Let's start defending Western values in our classes- and even promoting western democratic principles. Human rights matter. Democracy matters. Freedom counts. The good society can face its problems, openly debate vital public policy issues, and peacefully elect new leaders.
Click here for a free advanced ESL conversation lesson on Voting from Compelling Conversations.
Ask more. Know more. Share more.
Create Compelling Conversations.
Visit www.CompellingConversations.com
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