Years ago (and I mean many, many years ago), I had a college classmate named Allison who was, shall we say, a little bit radical. She thought that many languages were fundamentally sexist because (she felt) that there weren't many ways for women to be present in grammar, and that that meant that if a language tended to favour masculine forms, the language caused people, in turn, to think in a sexist way.
That idea may appear to be radical, but it's not a new one. As this New York Times article shows, people have been trying to make the connection between language and thought for a very long time (http://tinyurl.com/33adeud.)
It's a good article, maybe a bit long, but works well in describing why that idea (called the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis) isn't always correct.
Enjoy!
8.30.2010
8.25.2010
We're outta here...see you Monday!
Hi, everybody....
Just a quick note to let you know that we're taking off to Santiago de Compostela this weekend, but we'll be back on Monday with more fun and stuff.
Have a great (early) weekend!
Just a quick note to let you know that we're taking off to Santiago de Compostela this weekend, but we'll be back on Monday with more fun and stuff.
Have a great (early) weekend!
8.24.2010
...and while we're on the topic of English and immigration...
...I had a chance to talk to my friend Nancy over the weekend. Nancy is a program officer with Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and she confirmed that yes, indeed, people who want to immigrate to Canada should do the IELTS exam, just as before.
There is some talk about introducing a new exam, but that's not for another year, and candidates who want to apply now should and can do the IELTS to show how well they can speak and work with English.
There is some talk about introducing a new exam, but that's not for another year, and candidates who want to apply now should and can do the IELTS to show how well they can speak and work with English.
What it's like for us...
There's another great essay on the "Facts and Arguments" page of today's The Globe and Mail. This one talks about a Canadian woman who went to Zurich, Switzerland, six years ago, and how she deals with the language barrier -- and people's attitudes about what living in another country should be.
http://tinyurl.com/33kklnc
This essay also includes audio, so you can listen to the essay while you read it, or before/after.
Enjoy!
http://tinyurl.com/33kklnc
This essay also includes audio, so you can listen to the essay while you read it, or before/after.
Enjoy!
8.23.2010
NEW! STOP SPANGLISH - The Intensive Course
- Have you been studying English for years, but still feel like you're not getting better?
- Do you want to study for a Cambridge Exam, but are afraid that you can't use your English enough to pass?
- Are you unsure why you still keep making the same mistakes, over and over again?
- Do you find that you're unable to develop your "English brain" and stop translating when you speak in English?
- Do you think you'll never really understand how to speak correctly?
You may be surprised to learn that most Spanish students of English find it extremely difficult to get beyond an intermediate level. But many students are also very surprised to find that English is actually a very simple language because of its lack of flexibility.
In many ways, English can't do the same things that Spanish does - and when you learn how limited English really is, you can make great progress in learning how to eliminate mistakes and reduce the amount of translation you need.
Over eight hours, you will learn:
- How rigid English syntax is - and why that is an advantage for you
- The seven ways to organize verbs
- How to train yourself to stop speaking and writing in Spanglish
- The important connections between grammar and pronunciation
- Valuable English-only dictionary skills - get rid of that old dictionary and find the one that works best for you!
...all this and more for only €129! (that's a 35% discount!)
WHEN: September 10, 17, 24 and October 1st (Friday afternoons), 15:00 - 17:00
WHERE: Hexagone Idiomas, c/ López de Hoyos (Metro Avenida de América)
FOR MORE INFORMATION... Write us at stop (dot) spanglish (arroba) yahoo (punto) es!
8.19.2010
Life (and immigration) isn't always fair
One thing that's surprised me a lot this month is that I'm getting calls from a lot of people who want to improve their English...because they want to leave Spain and go live in another country. If you're among them, be warned that Canada now has new rules about language proficiency. These rules do not necessarily help people who have already achieved a high level of English... like, you know... English literature professors from the United States!
http://tinyurl.com/2cbf45y
I have a friend who works for CIC, the Immigration authority. I'll see if I can find some more information about the exam.
http://tinyurl.com/2cbf45y
I have a friend who works for CIC, the Immigration authority. I'll see if I can find some more information about the exam.
Another Stop Spanglish classic...
This one was taken in the Puerta del Sol, in Madrid.Poor tourists...
If you're looking for a private teacher....
So here we are, in the middle of August. Within the next few days, as people start returning from holidays, many potential English students are going to start looking for English classes. A lot of people will choose to attend classes in an academy. Many will start looking for private English teachers, either for work or for fun. In most cases, the relationship between teachers and students will generally be pretty positive.
That said, every year, there are cases where one side, or the other, ends up disappointed. A lack of communication can prevent students from getting the help they need, and it can also prevent teachers from really understanding how they can work effectively with their students.
I'm not going to say that I'm an expert on student-teacher relationships. I have, however, taught for twelve years in different countries, and I hope that the information I can offer you will help you find and work with the teacher who's best for you.
THOUGHTS FOR STUDENTS:
Be honest with yourself before you're honest with your teacher. If you're going to hire a private teacher, be aware that you are helping provide someone with a salary. Who are the students who give up after three weeks? They're the students who do not have a clear idea of what they want to accomplish, or what they want to do, BEFORE the class.
Sit down with yourself for an hour and ask yourself the following questions:
- What are the things I currently do with my level of English?
-What are the things I cannot do, but either need or want to do?
- What are the things I need to do to bring my level up?
- How much time per week -- in AND out of class - am I willing to dedicate to working on my English? (Remember that, for every hour you spend in class, you need to spend an hour practising and working on your skills.)
- Do I really need English for my job, or do I say that because I think everyone else expects me to have English skills?
- What are the fun things that I can do that will keep me interested in English?
If you cannot answer those questions, please think twice before you contact a private teacher. Classes in a group situation in an academy may be a better option, because it's sometimes more fun to learn with other people than to learn alone.
Don't be cheap. If you want to have classes with a teacher but you think the teacher is too expensive, it's acceptable to negotiate. It is NOT acceptable to send the teacher insulting e-mails or to ask for the price of classes to be cut by half. You wouldn't ask your lawyer to lower his fees. You wouldn't ask your accountant to lower her fees. You wouldn't ask your dentist to lower his fees. It's not acceptable to do that with a teacher. I'm sorry if this sounds rude, but if you cannot afford a teacher's fees...look somewhere else for a different teacher.
One side note to that: If you're employed full-time want to take private English classes, and you're worried about the cost, ask your Human Resources department if the company has a student payment program. A surprising number of companies in Spain DO reimburse employees (=pay them back) for part of the cost of classes; they usually do this if the teacher is an autónomo and can issue invoices. It doesn't hurt to ask your company if they do this; and, if it's not company policy, ask your boss(es) to consider doing it. (Remind them that reimbursing is a LOT less expensive than hiring a company to give in-house classes.)
Remember that the teacher is trying to create lessons and tasks to help you improve. (What I basically mean is: Learn to follow instructions.) If I give you a writing task, I don't want you to spend half an hour telling me the answer. If I give you a grammar exercise that asks you to write the answer in complete sentences, don't give me two or three words. You may think that it's boring to do all that work, but that work is what makes you get better. Please do the work as it's presented to you, not as you think that you want to do it. I can't tell the difference between a student who doesn't understand a task and a student who simply doesn't feel like doing the work.
If you want to terminate your relationship with your teacher, be honest about it. Don't disappear. Attend your classes and let us know at the earliest moment if you can't attend. If you have a personal issue, like illness or family or money problems, be honest about it. Don't cancel eight classes in a row and then expect your teacher to help you four months later. Don't "forget" to pay your teacher for a month and expect the teacher not to notice.
THOUGHTS FOR TEACHERS:
Learning a language is scary. If you've never done it before, you should try it; it can be enriching and humbling at the same time. We have more credibility as teachers if we've been there before ourselves.
Don't sell yourself short. Don't work for less money than you think you rightly deserve. If the student doesn't want to pay what you're asking, let him or her find someone else. If you have a specialized skill that you think would be useful for students, for God's sake, make sure they know it. Market yourself well -- that includes presenting a professional images, preparing classes well, and knowing how to say you're sorry if something doesn't go right.
Each one teaches one. This is just a personal opinion, but I think the best classes I have are the ones where I learn just as much as the student does.
There is no finite pot of riches. And what I mean by that is that, professionally, you have little to lose and a lot more to gain if you help other teachers and work with them. Business guru Suze Orman likes to say that generosity pays off in ways you could never imagine; be kind and generous and you'll get back more than what you gave. If you have teacher friends who are on Twitter, follow them and retweet their posts. If you need that couple of days off, offer your classes to a buddy (trust me, I have never seen a case of one teacher stealing another's student - students are not credit cards or Bic pens.) Like the song says, you get what you give.
These are just my thoughts. Please feel free to share yours.
That said, every year, there are cases where one side, or the other, ends up disappointed. A lack of communication can prevent students from getting the help they need, and it can also prevent teachers from really understanding how they can work effectively with their students.
I'm not going to say that I'm an expert on student-teacher relationships. I have, however, taught for twelve years in different countries, and I hope that the information I can offer you will help you find and work with the teacher who's best for you.
THOUGHTS FOR STUDENTS:
Be honest with yourself before you're honest with your teacher. If you're going to hire a private teacher, be aware that you are helping provide someone with a salary. Who are the students who give up after three weeks? They're the students who do not have a clear idea of what they want to accomplish, or what they want to do, BEFORE the class.
Sit down with yourself for an hour and ask yourself the following questions:
- What are the things I currently do with my level of English?
-What are the things I cannot do, but either need or want to do?
- What are the things I need to do to bring my level up?
- How much time per week -- in AND out of class - am I willing to dedicate to working on my English? (Remember that, for every hour you spend in class, you need to spend an hour practising and working on your skills.)
- Do I really need English for my job, or do I say that because I think everyone else expects me to have English skills?
- What are the fun things that I can do that will keep me interested in English?
If you cannot answer those questions, please think twice before you contact a private teacher. Classes in a group situation in an academy may be a better option, because it's sometimes more fun to learn with other people than to learn alone.
Don't be cheap. If you want to have classes with a teacher but you think the teacher is too expensive, it's acceptable to negotiate. It is NOT acceptable to send the teacher insulting e-mails or to ask for the price of classes to be cut by half. You wouldn't ask your lawyer to lower his fees. You wouldn't ask your accountant to lower her fees. You wouldn't ask your dentist to lower his fees. It's not acceptable to do that with a teacher. I'm sorry if this sounds rude, but if you cannot afford a teacher's fees...look somewhere else for a different teacher.
One side note to that: If you're employed full-time want to take private English classes, and you're worried about the cost, ask your Human Resources department if the company has a student payment program. A surprising number of companies in Spain DO reimburse employees (=pay them back) for part of the cost of classes; they usually do this if the teacher is an autónomo and can issue invoices. It doesn't hurt to ask your company if they do this; and, if it's not company policy, ask your boss(es) to consider doing it. (Remind them that reimbursing is a LOT less expensive than hiring a company to give in-house classes.)
Remember that the teacher is trying to create lessons and tasks to help you improve. (What I basically mean is: Learn to follow instructions.) If I give you a writing task, I don't want you to spend half an hour telling me the answer. If I give you a grammar exercise that asks you to write the answer in complete sentences, don't give me two or three words. You may think that it's boring to do all that work, but that work is what makes you get better. Please do the work as it's presented to you, not as you think that you want to do it. I can't tell the difference between a student who doesn't understand a task and a student who simply doesn't feel like doing the work.
If you want to terminate your relationship with your teacher, be honest about it. Don't disappear. Attend your classes and let us know at the earliest moment if you can't attend. If you have a personal issue, like illness or family or money problems, be honest about it. Don't cancel eight classes in a row and then expect your teacher to help you four months later. Don't "forget" to pay your teacher for a month and expect the teacher not to notice.
THOUGHTS FOR TEACHERS:
Learning a language is scary. If you've never done it before, you should try it; it can be enriching and humbling at the same time. We have more credibility as teachers if we've been there before ourselves.
Don't sell yourself short. Don't work for less money than you think you rightly deserve. If the student doesn't want to pay what you're asking, let him or her find someone else. If you have a specialized skill that you think would be useful for students, for God's sake, make sure they know it. Market yourself well -- that includes presenting a professional images, preparing classes well, and knowing how to say you're sorry if something doesn't go right.
Each one teaches one. This is just a personal opinion, but I think the best classes I have are the ones where I learn just as much as the student does.
There is no finite pot of riches. And what I mean by that is that, professionally, you have little to lose and a lot more to gain if you help other teachers and work with them. Business guru Suze Orman likes to say that generosity pays off in ways you could never imagine; be kind and generous and you'll get back more than what you gave. If you have teacher friends who are on Twitter, follow them and retweet their posts. If you need that couple of days off, offer your classes to a buddy (trust me, I have never seen a case of one teacher stealing another's student - students are not credit cards or Bic pens.) Like the song says, you get what you give.
These are just my thoughts. Please feel free to share yours.
8.18.2010
Q&A: Candy Lee Laballe on TOEFL and MBAs
No doubt about it: if you want to study in the US, the TOEFL exam is THE exam that schools ask for. As more students think about applying for graduate business school programs, demand for TOEFL exam prep has shot up... something Candy Lee Laballe, head of MBASpain, knows very well. We spoke with Candy today about what kind of language skills business schools are looking for.
==================================================
Most of your work is with students who want to study MBAs in the States. What level of English do MBA students need?
An MBA student needs to be nearly fluent, both to follow the fast pace of discussion in the classroom and to participate actively in study groups which are a required aspect of most programs.
If students can't communicate at that level, what are the things they do that prevent them from getting better?
It all comes down to fluency: the ability to integrate the four parts of communication (reading, listening, writing and speaking), which are the four parts of the TOEFL exam). Practice. At this level (MBA,TOEFL) it really is no longer about grammar, but about usage.
How closely do MBA programs look at TOEFL scores? If a school has two ideal candidates but only one place, does the candidate with the higher TOEFL score get in?
The TOEFL score in terms of MBA admissions is a benchmark, nothing more. If a school asks for 100, then you need 100 - 105 will not give you an edge. But don't think scoring close to the benchmark is enough. Dee Leopold, director of admissions and financial aid at Harvard Business School, which requires a 109 TOEFL, has said don't bother applying with a 108. With TOEFL, you need to meet the minimum required by the school--that is all.
If you could offer one piece of advice to students who want to improve their English to study in the States, what would it be?
Get daily immersion in the language. If you don't work in an environment where English is used regularly, then fill your MP3 player with American English podcasts such as This American Life or Harvard Business IdeaCast. Try to read for an hour a day on a wide variety of topics in websites such as http://www.nationalgeographic.com/, http://www.sciencedaily.com/, http://www.historynet.com/, http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/. You also need to build up your communication skills in writing and speaking. Consider hiring a private English teacher for in-person or phone classes to work on these areas.
For more information, be sure to visit MBASpain's website, at http://www.mbaspain.com.
==================================================
Most of your work is with students who want to study MBAs in the States. What level of English do MBA students need?
An MBA student needs to be nearly fluent, both to follow the fast pace of discussion in the classroom and to participate actively in study groups which are a required aspect of most programs.
If students can't communicate at that level, what are the things they do that prevent them from getting better?
It all comes down to fluency: the ability to integrate the four parts of communication (reading, listening, writing and speaking), which are the four parts of the TOEFL exam). Practice. At this level (MBA,TOEFL) it really is no longer about grammar, but about usage.
How closely do MBA programs look at TOEFL scores? If a school has two ideal candidates but only one place, does the candidate with the higher TOEFL score get in?
The TOEFL score in terms of MBA admissions is a benchmark, nothing more. If a school asks for 100, then you need 100 - 105 will not give you an edge. But don't think scoring close to the benchmark is enough. Dee Leopold, director of admissions and financial aid at Harvard Business School, which requires a 109 TOEFL, has said don't bother applying with a 108. With TOEFL, you need to meet the minimum required by the school--that is all.
If you could offer one piece of advice to students who want to improve their English to study in the States, what would it be?
Get daily immersion in the language. If you don't work in an environment where English is used regularly, then fill your MP3 player with American English podcasts such as This American Life or Harvard Business IdeaCast. Try to read for an hour a day on a wide variety of topics in websites such as http://www.nationalgeographic.com/, http://www.sciencedaily.com/, http://www.historynet.com/, http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/. You also need to build up your communication skills in writing and speaking. Consider hiring a private English teacher for in-person or phone classes to work on these areas.For more information, be sure to visit MBASpain's website, at http://www.mbaspain.com.
Looking for help with business English?
A lot of business learners complain that they don't have time to practice outside of class. I'm not sure if that's true or not (after all, this IS a country where people have breakfast twice a day and spend a considerable amount of time drinking coffee!), but if you have found that it's hard to practice your business English when you're not in class, go to YouTube and take a look at the Business English videos that BizPod has created:
http://www.youtube.com/user/bizpod
The videos, which are about ten minutes long, cover a wide range of subjects. Among the topics that they have, you can find information about business vocabulary and writing skills. It's a useful solution if you don't have a lot of time to practice when you're not in class.
http://www.youtube.com/user/bizpod
The videos, which are about ten minutes long, cover a wide range of subjects. Among the topics that they have, you can find information about business vocabulary and writing skills. It's a useful solution if you don't have a lot of time to practice when you're not in class.
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