Metaphors in Language Learning
While learning Bahasa Malaysia, I have discovered that some birds are metaphors in their language. The children’s dictionary says “owl” in English, for example, but the Malaysian translation is two…
Think about World View
One lesson that I have used to good effect is to give students a list of animals, vegetables, and minerals (meaning multiple kinds of things) and ask them to prepare…
Children’s Art and Literacy Festival
Abilene is the Storybook Capital of America. Part of the reason for this is the annual Children’s Art and Literacy Festival, CALF. That happened this last weekend and I was…
Vivid Imagery
This is a framework for teaching students to write poetry. It’s fun. It has worked multiple times. It’s here if you want to use it. When I want students to…
1+1= 1 Million!
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” I don’t know who said that or what they meant, but I like it. I also agree with the aphorism,…
Poetry Please
When you want American students to write, start with poetry. (The international students I have taught seemed more comfortable with creative nonfiction or stories.) If you think they will say…