Blogs About Teaching, Language and Culture
The journal is a place where we feature blogs about teaching business English, business Spanish, language, culture, their intersection, the craft of teaching, and an exploration into the nature of learning itself. Business English and business Spanish is more than merely a specific distinction of ESL (English as a Second Language). A business English or Spanish course is only as good as the teachers who are leading it. You cannot expect to activate the imaginations and curiosity of students if it is not present within the teacher. This blog site is a place where we can explore those stories that evoke and stir our own sense of wonder for it is this sense of wonder that we feel is so precious to steward in both ourselves as teachers and within the students we teach. In that sense, the teacher part of us stays connected to that aspect within us that is childlike and curious about the world. By following our fascination, we continuously stoke the flame of wonder inside of us which feeds our teaching practice. We have a particular fascination with the deeper layers of culture that lie beneath the veneer of what constitutes the popular culture that is associated with English language speaking countries like the USA, Ireland, Great Britain, and others. We will also explore the “otherness” of other cultures and cultural traditions from around the world. We feel there are many stories that demonstrate the complexity of how culture and language are interrelated and showcase the remarkable ability of the human spirit to help us to adapt to foreign and challenging circumstances–something that is a hallmark quality in good students. We seek to tell these stories.
Latest Journal Posts
English Courses for Business: 8 Most Important Features
What features do the most successful English courses for business have in 2023? Here are 8 features of successful business English learning experiences I’ve observed from the almost 20 years we have been offering them to our corporate clients. Table
Office English Course: 3 Keys for Success
In my almost twenty years of teaching office English courses for our corporate clients across the U.S., I’ve learned a lot of techniques and approaches that support the most effective outcomes but in the end, I have found that there
Language Learning: The Vital Role of Inefficiency
When we talk about language learning, the language aspect is easy enough to understand. It’s the learning aspect that requires more consideration. How do we define “learning?” Is learning the harvest of a creative endeavor that requires a genuine investment
English Training: Finding Beauty in Learning
One of the biggest disappointments for me is to see how the way so many English training programs are designed to be very utilitarian and transactional; as if the objective is to robotically transfer information about how to communicate in
Business English Learning: The Importance of Wonder
In the business English learning environment, it’s important to create optimal conditions where learning can best be supported. It paradoxically requires relaxing loosening the starchy collar of business sensibilities and allowing for a more playful dynamic to emerge–one that is
Corporate English: Encouraging Students to Take Risks
Corporate English: Encouraging Students to Take Risks The natural goal of any teacher in a corporate English class is to create an environment where the students feel comfortable. But there is a balance that needs to be honored. If students
Business English ESL: The Dazzling Power of Curiosity
Business English ESL: The Dazzling Power of Curiosity In my experience offering business English ESL courses to our corporate clients, learning a second language holds a natural sense of fascination for a lot the language program participants. There is
