Tdol's English Language Blog
Richard Flynn (aka Tdol) is an English teacher and the Site Editor here at UsingEnglish.com. Here, he talks about English usage that catches his eye or ear, and looks at language issues that interest or puzzle him.
Talk a mile in my shoes
I was having lunch a few months ago when I suddenly struggled to get to the end of what I was saying- my voice dipped and wouldn't come back. Within a week or so, I couldn't produce any noise and was forced into a soundless whisper. If I strained a bit, I could just about make a sound that could possibly be heard at very close range. My first medical consultation did nothing, and I had tickets to go abroad that meant going with just this silent croak.
China Holistic English
A few years ago we used to host some pieces written by Martin Wolff and Niu Quiang about their experiments in trying to teach English in new ways in China, which have since evolved into the China Holistic English site.
Budget ESL in the Philippines
There have been a number of articles about the growth of ESL teaching in the Philippines like this, but some of what they are stating don't strike me as right. The Philippines does have potential and in the drive to reduce costs, it is clearly a place to watch out for.
Speaking Activities That Don't Suck
I have English Teacher X's obra prima to read next and have enjoyed the other ebooks - they include a lot of sensible and realistic advice - but I didn't enjoy Speaking Activities that Don't Suck as much.
How To Survive Living Abroad
The next of English Teacher X's ebooks that I have read is subtitled An expatriate guide to not getting robbed, scammed, jailed or killed. In pre-Skype days, I was living in a place in SE Asia where the internet was expensive and used to use an internet cafe across the road Most days I heard someone phoning home to ask their family to send them some money as they'd been robbed. The risks he's talking about are very real, and the first part of the book makes a lot of sense.
English Teacher X Guide To Teaching English Abroad
English Teacher X's Guide to Teaching Abroad is not a guide to classroom practice with some swearing, but a look at what he sees as the realities and expectations of an ESL teacher's lifestyle and working conditions abroad, with lots of swearing.
To travel hopelessly
I was sitting in a restaurant with a friend - who has a Master's, the DELTA and a PhD in ESL- and mentioned something from EnglishTeacherX- you're paid to turn up, regardless of anything like a hangover. He said that the guy's professionalism put him in the shade. ETX has produced two of the golden rules of ESL, though To Travel Hopelessly shows that he learned one from another teacher. Other than turning up however bad you feel, he also says that you must have your fare out of a country. If you don't you can be exploited.
Forums- The Joy
Our site reached its tenth birthday this year. Technology has changed a lot over that time, but the basics of forums have remained, and are still the best thing going for me on the site. When I was doing my MA, learner-driven was a buzzword, but forums are all that. And more besides. The simple act of communicating works.
Forum Policies- Clone of banned user
A number of posts have been deleted in the last few days because they are cloned accounts of a banned user. We're slow to ban members of the forum, but once we ban someone, the ban stays in place and any subsequent accounts that person makes will also be banned. We have two particularly persistent cases that keep coming back. They are different from regular trolls, who come back in hidden guises to try to start trouble.
Forum Policies- Writing Correction
We have a section in our forum for writing. People can submit writing and people may make corrections or comments.
More News...
Browse the complete archive: Archives
- What's New |
- RSS Feeds |
- Site News |
- Site Map |
- Staff & Contributors |
- About Us |
- Link to Us |
- Advertising
- Terms of Use |
- Privacy Policy |
- Copyright © UsingEnglish.com. All rights reserved.
Recent Comments