A great number of British people think that the way that the language is spoken on the British Isles is "proper" English and is the source language, the Holy Grail of English. In actual fact that is not true, and the way that the language has evolved in America leaves American English (AE) with correlates to the earlier form of English that existed when the Pilgrims hopped onto the Mayflower, many of which are not heard these days on Albion's crowded shores.  Continue reading...

November is a great month to steep your students in historical "primary" documents. You could have students read President Wilson’s 14 points in anticipation of Armistice Day (November 11th, now called Veteran’s Day) and the Gettysburg Address to commemorate Lincoln’s famous speech which was delivered on November 19th, 1863.  Continue reading...

Okay, now that I've got your attention, let's talk hooks. In journalism we might call these leads, but the general concept is the same. Those first few lines are essential in catching your reader's attention, whether you're a novelist or a student writing an essay.  Continue reading...

With the rising emphasis on preparing students for standardized tests in reading, writing and math in the classrooms of the U.S. today, it's easy for the "other" subjects — Science, Foreign Language, Social Studies, the Arts and so on — to feel neglected. As an English teacher, I feel the disparity too, especially in teaching the upper grades.  Continue reading...

Here in Portugal, teachers of English have been scratching our heads a bit recently over what words should sound like. We found it to be quite a conundrum.  Continue reading...

Unless students are nautically inclined, they might not be able to distinguish different geographical terms relating to bodies of water like strait or gulf. Here's a worksheet teachers can use to help them navigate the tricky sea of words.  Continue reading...