More Australian Grammar from Helga Burry
Back in 2016, I talked to Helga Burry about her first book: Let’s Connect: An Australian ESL Grammar Workbook. It’s been a little wait, but at last, Let’s Connect: Book 2 has just come out, so I thought I’d interview Helga and ask her about the new book. (Full disclosure: I saw a draft during her writing process, but only saw … Continue reading
Reflections on being a language learner
I wrote last time about my experience of volunteering in Greece; part of the excitement was living in a country with an unfamiliar language AND script. I knew I wouldn’t learn much Greek, but was hoping to put myself in the position of some of my learners, when they encounter the English script for the first time. Of course, in some … Continue reading
Reflections on being an ELT volunteer
I just got home from Greece after a term away: I had three amazing weeks exploring and the rest teaching English as a volunteer in Athens. Other teachers have asked me about this, and I wanted to write about it. However, there are dozens of little agencies helping migrants/displaced people across Europe – all very different, and working in different … Continue reading
Puzzles for ESOL learners (again!)
Why am I so obsessed with puzzles? Last week I got back from the fabulous QATESOL/QCAL mini-conference in Mackay, where I had to admit that some of the things I claim for puzzles can be argued against too; I’ve been thinking more about this since then. Are puzzles really non-elitist? I say how much I like the universality of crosswords, … Continue reading
Real Grammar: a chat with Carl Eldridge
In this post, a chat about Real Grammar (out last year) with author Carl Eldridge: Carl, I know you were wanting to create something different from the usual grammar books. What has the reaction been to Real Grammar? The reaction has been great. Students tell me they finally understand how grammar works and can now make their own sentences with confidence. Which … Continue reading
