EducationPoint

Speaking and speaking well are two different things, with the latter undoubtedly more important. The disparity between the two is narrower among people who use only their mother tongue and broader for those wanting to speak or use a language other than their lingua franca. This principle also applies to writing. Read full article »

I’ve noticed how many schools have difficulties that, when analyzed, are essentially communication problems. All organizations have to communicate externally and internally. As external communications affect enrolments, more effort is often put into external communications: PR, advertising, attendance at fairs and conferences, etc. than internal communications. Read full article »

Communication is one of the most important skills anyone can develop. We have to communicate to get anything, to cause change, to motivate, to disrupt. Learning how to effectively communicate with others is a powerful skill. Read full article »

If you’re anything like most teachers, you’re probably constantly looking for new ways to encourage your students to practise their oral English and speak spontaneously. This month, we’re going to consider the value of the ‘presentation’ in achieving this. Read full article »

There are 4 key skills when you learn a language:

* listening
* speaking
* reading
* writing Read full article »

English remains a dominant and universal language, which presently serves as a connection-link between great varieties of different nations. Now English is spoken mainly in every corner of the world. It is very convenient in terms of facilitating contacts between people from different countries.

The British council put the figure of 750 million English language speakers. Read full article »

Chinese is a language, or a group of languages, spoken by 1.3 billion people worldwide. If you believe Chinese to be one language, rather than a grouping, it is the single most commonly spoken language on the planet. It is spoken in countries like China, Taiwan Singapore, and Malaysia. If you are interested in learning Chinese, it can be intimidating and challenging. But learning Chinese can also be rewarding, and knowing it can have benefits for your career, and help to improve your travels to Asia. Read full article »

A language is a living substance, which evolves under the influence of different factors. Being very flexible English language constantly enriches its vocabulary with the words invented by the language speakers, making it more colorful with new idiomatic expressions, and at times refills its stocks with the borrowings and neologisms. English just amazes by its extraordinary linguistic diversity. Read full article »

The English language is the most commonly spoken language on Earth, either by native speakers or by people who have learned it in addition to their first language. More and more people everyday have the desire to learn English as a second language. The type of people who wish to learn it run the gamut from children in other countries who are required to learn English as part of their school curriculum, business professionals that wish to be able to communicate with their English-speaking peers, to immigrants who come to English-speaking countries such as the Unites States who need to learn the native language in order to gain employment, citizenship, and acceptance in their new home country. Read full article »

Is learning a foreign language ever easy ? Yes. If you are five and move to another country …

But what about for the rest of us who are no longer five, and need to be polite when travelling for business or for pleasure ? I think that the answer is yes, language learning can be easy provided you don’t want or need to learn too much.

The key to successful language learning in my mind is not to set the goalposts too high. It is rather like running. Read full article »