THE GREAT AMERICAN JOKE

I was talking to a guy at work who seems to be at least semi-conscious politically and I found out that in spite of his early progressive political views and avoidance of military service during the Viet Nam war (“the war was wrong,”), he is now reading a book by a right wing activist glorifying the sting operation that ( Read more... )

I don't know why (I should have learned by now), but I am flabbergasted by the number of non-native speakers throughout the world who are learning high-level English.  I studied TESL and taught college-level courses to international students in the U.S. and saw how many new arrivals from different language backgrounds learn it well when they are " ( Read more... )

RE: President Obama
TO: The Democratic National Committee

To Whom It May Concern:

I know that it is not president Obama’s fault that we are saddled with a corrupt and anachronistic economic and political system, but I must say I am disappointed about how fast he has been sucked into it.  His genuine concern for average (mostly unemployed) Americans ( Read more... )

 
ESL Teaching Philosophy

In English for Specific Purposes, edited by Thomas Orr, the author’s introduction makes clear the distinction between English for General Purposes and English for Specific Purposes.  He states that EGP is the “common core of English that is shared by most of its speakers.” [and is presented] “as a linguistic system to a ( Read more... )

 
This is a rather academic essay I wrote after much thought, some experience in Japan and some research.  It was published in a German magazine, Lebende Sprachen and in the Indiana TESOL publication in 2002.
Introduction

Japanese society is complex, sophisticated, enigmatic and contradictory.  Similarities to western culture abound, yet striking ( Read more... )