Blogs from Work/Life English

How to Put Together the Parts & Pieces That Make Language Work: Vocabulary Competencies Part 1.

If English is regarded as a jigsaw puzzle—a complex set of components that work in coordination with one another, how can we best identify and asse...

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How to Put Together the Parts & Pieces That Make Language Work: Grammar Competencies Part 1

How to Put Together the Parts & Pieces That Make Language Work: Grammar Competencies by Arthur & Elaine Rubin In any sequence of English-l...

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How to Put Together the Parts & Pieces That Make Language Work: Phonics & Spelling Competencies Part II

This article covers the second half of Parts & Pieces B: Do Phonics & Spelling. To see all the “Parts & Pieces” available for each of t...

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How to Put Together the Parts & Pieces That Make Language Work: B = Phonics & Spelling

If the English language is regarded as a puzzle (a complex set of components that work best in coordination with one another), here’s a categorizat...

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How to Teach Your ESL Students Integrated Language Skills

Sometime in the 20th Century, teachers, administrators, materials developers, and publishers got the idea that English instruction could be divided...

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How to Put Together the Parts & Pieces That Make Language Work: A = Know the Alphabet

(Part A = Know the Alphabet) Like so many subjects of study or interest, the English language can be regarded as a puzzle—a complex set of compon...

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Hate to Write? Two Simple Ways to Relieve the Pain

Look up “Learn to Write” online and you’ll be treated to handwriting models and steps in creating calligraphy—one letter or character at a time. T...

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How to Teach Writing by Using Letters, Numbers, Words, Phrases & Sentences

Just as in acquisition of other language skills, in writing (printing, cursive, typing, texting) it makes sense to start with the smallest pieces o...

Literacy though Advanced reading for ESL and English Improvement

How to Teach "Text Literacy" with Different Kinds of Printed Material

Usually, “literacy” means competency in reading & writing print matter. Even so, much of the reading people do in everyday life is either visua...

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How to Teach "Visual Literacy" with Images

Usually, “literacy” means competency in reading & writing print matter. "Visual literacy" means the ability to look at and understand types of ...

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Speaking: Oral Skills mistakes in American English

How to Teach/Learn Everyday and Challenging Kinds of Speech

Not so long ago, there were clear rules and directives for the teaching/learning of Oral Communication. These were designed for use in both casual...

Adult English education English as a Second Language teaching English from home

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How to Achieve Communicative "Perfection:" Use Perfect Listening Comprehension & Perfectly Clear Speech

Frustrated with what passes for “communication” in today’s linguistically evolving world? What do these humorous attempts to get and give info make...

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