TOEFL Junior Comprehensive Test Discontinued
TOEFL Jr. Comprehensive Test Scrapped -TOEFL Jr. Standard to Remain- ETS has decided to stop using the TOEFL Junior Comprehensive. There were troubles with the multi-media part of the exam, so they have decided to stick to the TOEFL Junior Standard for now. As someone who wrote a textbook on the TOEFL Junior Comprehensive, this is…
TOEFL JR–What is TOEFL Junior?
What is TOEFL Junior? TOEFL Junior textbook A lot of people are asking about the TOEFL Junior test these days. I'll tell you what I think, as someone who wrote the book on it. (Yes. I literally wrote the English section of a book on it! I am actually a freelance textbook writer by day.) TOEFL JR…
Another Side to Student Loans
Student loans are a big problem, and suddenly the media has noticed it. But let's look at them from another angle. Multi-ethnic students (not my description mind you) discussing how to pay off their student loans Who is profiting from these loans? The government, yes, they are making money on them. Businesses, yes, they are…
Double the number of US college students studying abroad? Generation Study Abroad
Generation Study Abroad That's the new campaign from the IIE, the Institute of International Education. The aim is to double the number of US college students going overseas. In ten years. Why? The number of US students who went overseas in 2011-12 was 295,000. It's pitiful. By comparison, China has 235,000 in the US, and that…
Japanese Students in US Colleges Will Triple in the next Ten Years
I teach in Japan. Looking at the trends here, what is certain to happen, I have no doubt that the number of Japanese studying in international colleges will increase, by 300%, over the next ten years. The growth will come mainly in universities in English-speaking countries, in particular the United States. Why? Japan's current educational…
The Dangers of Teachers Having BIG Egos
You have seen the teachers with the giant egos. You know who they are. You might even be one. If you are a student, you've had one or two. We all have. An ego can be a good thing--you are proud of your work. Your confidence in what you are teaching, your passion, will incite…
Why learn writing?
Why teach writing? Why make kids learn it? Writing is humankind's most difficult form of communication. Simply by interpreting lines on a page, we learn Why learn writing? facts, imagine experiences, and transmit messages. We can learn the thoughts of people thousands of years gone, from other cultures, and express thoughts that millions of people…
Have High Expectations!
I was talking to a teacher from America last week, and was disappointed and shocked by what I heard about her Challenge your students to ; school's expectations for students. Unfortunately, low expectations or no expectations are common. Teachers do not give bad grades, such as Fs or anything below 60. Mediocre effort is awarded…
Coursera and Four Reasons to Love it
Four reasons to love Coursera Do you love learning new things? Elearning is Fun! It think that most teachers love to learn. If so, you should try Coursera. 1. Coursera is great because you can take college courses that interest you in many subjects. They have cooking courses, psychology courses, literature courses, computer language courses,…
Passion is everything.
Fitz Crittle Passion, enthusiasm, motivation, is everything. Passion is essential in any job, any part of life, and it is vital in education. Think. We've all had boring teachers, and I hope we've had some that are exciting. What is the difference? Passion of course, but where do we get it? You need to get…