Program - Re-launching the overall direction

Drafting it now. Please check back, or send a message through the Comments section below.

Program - the English Problem

Drafting it now. Please check back, or send a message through the Comments section below.

Dissertation - the Use of Humor in TESOL

This graduate student is an adult TESOL teacher in a non-English-speaking country. She noticed that when she made jokes in class, specific students participated more fully in oral activities such as discussions and role-playing. She decided to investigate this as a teaching strategy, and to what extent it might be effective, by comparing two of her learner groups. One group would have lessons straight from the coursebook, and she deliberately attempted to minimize the incidence of humor both planned and spontaneous. The other's lessons would be accompanied by planned humor on her part and deliberate attempts to provoke spontaneous humor.

Dissertation - Contraceptive use in Sub-Sharan Africa

This researcher had conducted a meta-study of contraceptive use and availability in Sub-Saharan Africa. She had spent so much time on her research and had so much data that she developed writer's block. Actually, it was more like writer's reverse as she was virtually running away from her project and the submission deadline was looming.

English Language and the study thereof

To be honest, English teachers teach three distinct but related subjects: the use of English, the study of English Literature and the study of English Language. Far too frequently, English teachers are prepared in the first two of these, but they have at best a passing knowledge of the third. The study of English language includes dialects, advertising and commercials, the language of power and so on. A knowledge of semantics, sociolinguistics, pyscholinguistics, philology inter alia is invaluable and will unlock English to teacher and student alike.

Teaching Fantasy Writing

From Narnia to Harry Potter to Middle Earth, fantasy writing is popular amongst students. Yet writing fantasy is not as easy as it appears. Too often, teachers follow a "deep end" approach and results are disappointing. Simple steps and story prompts can produce some wonderful pieces, while providing excellent teaching and learning opportunities.

Starting an Immersion or Dual-Language Program

Immersion or dual-language programs* are now becoming popular in the US especially. However, elsewhere in the world they have existed for at least 150 years! To be successful, they must be carefully and thoughtfully designed and implemented.

(*Sometimes these programs are called "bilingual", but that is really a different thing.)