It was Christmas 2007.
I was at my girlfriend’s home.
It was my first visit.
Why I Stopped Correcting My Students’ Grammar Mistakes
Daily Lessons / blog posts
The #1 English Speaking Myth
“I just need to talk more.”
Sound familiar?
“In school we only studied grammar and took tests. We never spoke. Now I know the rules but I have trouble speaking. Therefore I just need to talk more.”
Why You Should Stop Listening To Business English Podcasts
Want to improve your business English?
How about listening to a business English podcast?
Sounds perfectly logical, right?
But… it’s not a good idea.
Here’s a true story that shows you why.
3 Questions You Should Never Ask Your English Teacher
I used to teach group classes.
And then I switched to private lessons.
And here’s a fact:
Students who have a private teacher improve faster.
Here are some tips on how to use your private teacher to improve even faster.
The Truth About Your Horrible, Terrible, Horrible Grammar Mistakes
Do you make grammar mistakes?
Of course you do.
And actually, it’s not such a big deal.
How To Build Your Vocabulary 35% Faster
“Where’s Trutnov?” I asked.
One of my Czech friends was trying to tell me but she was having problems. She confessed – a little embarrassed – that she always confuses the English words for “east” and “west.”
And she didn’t know why.
A couple weeks later, while I was building my own vocabulary by reviewing my Czech flashcards, I noticed I was mixing up the words for “push” and “pull.”
And I didn’t know why.
But then…I found out!
The answer… interference theory!
And yes, it’s as boring as it sounds. If you have trouble sleeping at night, you can read some academic papers written about it.
But let me save you the pain and suffering.
INTERFERENCE THEORY: when you learn two or more words at the same time, and the words are related (ex. types of metals, names of trees, a list of phrasal verbs for movement, etc.), your brain doesn’t like it and will make you feel stupid when you try to remember them.
Advertisers have known this for a long time. They know that if you see a commercial for a Skoda and then immediately after it a commercial for a Fiat, you’re less likely to remember which had the new brake system and which had the new heated seats. So instead, Fiat chooses to play their commercial after the latest “Fast and Furious” movie trailer.
Why A Volcano Is The Best Place For Your Grammar Books
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Has this ever happened to you?
You’re speaking English and then you start to think about the grammar…
Or maybe you do some exercises in your grammar book and then try to speak…
And your speaking isn’t better — it’s worse!
Why is that? What’s going on?
5 Reasons Why You Don’t Need Another Certificate
#1 Exam Certificate ≠ English
People who are good at taking tests are good at taking tests.
Sometimes they can also have a conversation.
But not always.
Quick story: I used to have a student who was quite fluent. He wasn’t perfect, but whatever he wanted to do or say in English, he could do it or say it.
And then one day I convinced him to study for the FCE. After several months and several chapters into an FCE text book, he took the exam.
And passed it.
Barely.
And during those months…his English hadn’t improved!
I’ve also known students who had many certificates, but they…still…talk…like…dis.
So if you want practical skills – speaking, understanding, writing – then watch TV, read books, talk to strangers… and stop practicing test taking!
An Introvert’s Secret Weapon For Speaking English Like a Native Speaker
“Introverts actually get better grades and are more knowledgeable, according to research.”
“Introverted leaders often deliver better outcomes than extroverts do.”
“Some of our transformative leaders in history have been introverts.”
English Is Not A Dead Rat
English Is Not A Dead Rat
And Why English Should Not Be Taught In School
by =&0=&
Let me explain.
In 9th grade I took biology.
I hated it.
But one week Mr. Beetly announced we were going to dissect dead rats.
And my dissection partner was going to be Liz Schumacher.
Now biology was interesting.
Every day Liz and I cut up the rat, we removed pieces of the rat, and we learned the names for the pieces.
I really loved that dead rat. He taught me so much about anatomy, myself, life, death…
Liz, on the other hand… well, I guess she didn’t find the situation so romantic…
15 YEARS LATER
I arrived in Prague on a Saturday and after a weekend of sightseeing I was siting in a classroom learning how to be an English teacher.
And suddenly, it was the story of the dead rat all over again.
They gave us the language.
We cut it up.
We learned the names of the pieces.
And then we taught students how to do the same.
But this time, there was a final step:
Put the pieces back into the rat and tell the rat to jump off the table and run back to the sewar.
In other words, our students had to use the language. To speak. And to speak fluently.
Well, that usually didn’t work so well.
English Should Not Be Taught In School
The problem starts in school.
You have a math class and a history class and a science class.
And then you go to English class.
And you use the same methods to learn English as you did to learn math and science.
And that’s the problem.
English is not an academic subject.
It’s not something you need to study and take apart and analyze.
Instead, it’s something you need to DO.
When I was in school we had all our academic subjects – science, math, etc. – during school.
Then after school we did activities, like sports or music.
Now imagine this:
What if instead of dissecting English for years in a boring, stressful classroom…
Instead you spent those years doing English after school?
Speaking, listening, reading, having fun…
Where would your English be today?
