Hi everyone, I've been pretty busy lately. I attended a 'social networking conference' this past week, interviewed a singer songwriter, and was preparing classes for new online students. So, I didn't have any time to get a podcast out. But, I think I'm back on track. This is a short podcast about some of the tools I use to network with students and teachers, and of course friends. For those who are new to 'networking tools' it will be of interest. Certainly, if you have any questions about any o...
Nov 14, 2009•5 min
I was watching tv the other night, and David Letterman's show came on. He was interviewing the ever provocative Madonna, and started asking her what she liked on her 'pie'. Cheese?...No, it's bad for you...Olives?...No, I don't like them....Salami?.... No, it's full of fat....Anchovies?... No, they're too salty.....(no wonder Guy Ritchie gave up)..anyway,I was thinking 'what's he talking about, it sounds like he's describing a pizza too me'. So it turned out he was describing a pizza which, you ...
Nov 05, 2009•21 min
I like it when people respond to my emails. If I sent an email specifically addressed to you, would you respond? Or would it depend on who I was, and what I did? When would you respond? Immediately, within a week, or never? Well, you might get away with it some of the time, but not all of the time. In other words you might be running the gauntlet. If you think your 'email culture' is similar to the English speaking email culture then I can tell you you're mistaken. It isn't. The culture of writi...
Nov 04, 2009•14 min
This struck me as pertinent to the current economic, and global climate, and so I was moved to make a video about the subject. The story of The Blind Men and the Elephant is also strongly related to my views on education and Personalized Online Learning and Teaching. Certainly the movement towards online learning is gaining momentum. In my opinion we will see big shifts in learning and teaching in the coming years as online learning, mobile learning and web 2.0 technologies gain popularity. Let'...
Oct 30, 2009•17 min
Hi there, Well, my Brazilian students will be happy with me....because at long last I've produced a recording of some soccer vocabulary. If you are going to make 'small talk' why not make 'soccer talk' right? Small talk is the art of conversation about nothing, so I think 'soccer talk' might be better. Do you agree? Why? Well everyone loves soccer and has a favourite team so it's a brilliant way to start a conversation. Now, if you can carry that conversation forward with some knowledgeable voca...
Oct 27, 2009•9 min
This is a short introductory podcast to an extended subscriber version. This podcast was lots of fun to make. When I was in Southern Spain many years ago I remember eating a Paella by the sea, made by an old lady in a beach side restaurant. There was nothing special about the restaurant at all. The decor wasn't modern, or trendy, indeed it was a very old fashioned place. Almost forlorn looking. But what attracted me was the smell wafting out the doors. Oh, it was fantastic. I knew the seafood wa...
Oct 25, 2009•4 min
A few weeks ago I produced a short video for phrasal verbs that are formed with the verb'get'. Well, as part of our online course I produced this short glossary. So, I thought I'd share it with you. The online course is available for $15.00, which includes a feedback/review class with a native english teacher.
Oct 23, 2009•15 min
Have you seen this question on your twitter account? What... you haven't got a twitter account? Well, this is a good example of present continuous tense, and it means.......? Yes, that's right, it means 'what are you doing, now'. You can also use tomorrow, as in, 'what are you doing tomorrow?' Or you can use other time expressions like 'later','this morning', 'tomorrow morning', 'tonight', 'later this week'. That's the present continuous. Use it on twitter, and practice saying what you're doing ...
Oct 21, 2009•2 min
How often do you negotiate? Once a month, once a week, or perhaps everyday. How do you negotiate? What's the best way to negotiate? In this series we answer these questions and more. Listen to the first part of the first module of a 4 part online series which investigates the subject of Creative Negotiation. Topics Include Approaches to Negotiation - Advocate - Introduction to creative. - Ways to Generate Ideas - Other Styles Emotion in Negotiation. - positive and negative effect. - emotive effe...
Oct 20, 2009•15 min
When you're reading in a second language you don't need to understand everything. Try to understand a little at a time. Eventually the words will show themselves again, in a different media and you'll think 'hey, there's that word again'. You don't need to seek them out in a dictionary. With time, the context will build in your mind, and you'll begin to understand the meaning at which time it'll enter your vocabulary. It takes time. Repeated attempts, with different contexts. A combination of vi...
Oct 11, 2009•10 min
Two students told me today that they didn't understand 'colloquial language' and had difficulty understanding native speakers. It's a common problem. But it doesn't need to be. Not if you have the recently released 'On the Go' English Language System 'Mate'. It travels with you, and makes learning a language easy and affordable. Have you got yours yet?
Oct 07, 2009•13 min
English classes are boring!! That's what our students told us. So what did we do? We involved the students in the creative process. Our students control next weeks lesson. They determine what they're learning and when. Yes, it means they have to collaborate but...wow, now the lessons are fun, interesting, varied and dynamic. Our students write the curriculum...how good is that? Is it the future..we don't think so, we think it's the now!
Oct 06, 2009•4 min
Rio de Janeiro won the Olympics today, so I thought I'd send a quick podcast of my thoughts. Abracao para todos os Brasilieros.
Oct 03, 2009•4 min
