Why Won’t My Learner Speak More English at Home?: Part II

In a linguistically isolated household, no one over the age of 14 speaks English comfortably. In these households, the family mainly speaks in their native language.This post explains the force of linguistic isolation and how tutors may never be able to get their students to speak English at home. 

Why Won’t My Learner Speak More English at Home?: Part I

Many tutors may find that, despite their continuous encouragement, it is difficult, if not impossible, to get their learners to speak more English at home. In fact, outside of the two hours of tutoring each week, learners may not be speaking any English at all. From a tutoring perspective, nothing would help a learner improve their English more than more practice; however, getting non-English speakers to step out of their comfort zone to achieve this goal is easier said than done.

The Silent Period for ESL Learners

Learners of any new language, including English, will experience a period during which they can comprehend speech but are unable to speak themselves. This is known as the silent period and while it's perfectly normal, there are many misconceptions about what is actually going on during this period.

Activities Fitting your Learners' Learning Styles: Bodily-Kinesthetic Learners

This post explores different ways to make the most of your learner's learning style and help them become successful learners. Try these techniques and activities to help your bodily-kinesthetic learners.

Teaching Using Narratives, Part 2

More information about how to teach using personal narratives written by yourself and your learner, including an example narrative.

Teaching Using Narratives, Part 1

What is a narrative and how can you use it to help your learner? In this series of posts, I describe the narrative teaching method, including to create a narrative and how it provides insight into which aspects of language your learner needs help with.

Teaching Vocabulary: Lists and Techniques

Vocabulary is one of the most essential parts of language, but it can be hard to know where to begin when teaching new words. A good way to go about it is by topic, using imagery to explain words effectively and easily.