Talking Points English

28/01/2016

Wow! Can you imagine living in a place where you didn't see the sun for two months each year? Not because of rain or clouds, but because it doesn't rise high enough to reach the place! How would you handle it? Would you like it? Hate it? What kinds of things would you do to deal with it?

The people in a tiny town in Greenland manage to stay (reasonably) happy even without the sun. But they're sure glad to have it back.

15/01/2016

And then sometimes it doesn't matter whether you speak English! Here's something fabulous that transcends language entirely. How many of the pieces featured here are you familiar with?

14/01/2016

Idiomatic expressions are a riot! Here's a handful of cat idioms. Can you think of any others?

12/01/2016

Yesterday, in the midst of grieving for this artist, icon, who accompanied me from adolescence to adulthood and whom I adored with all my heart, I was profoundly stirred by the breadth of his impact. From all over the world, I witnessed an astonishing outpouring of love and admiration. What a hero was lost with his death. And yes, I'm so glad he fell to earth!

Author and illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka gave us our favorite tribute to David Bowie.

03/09/2015

Is la rentrée, also known as "Back to school," getting you down? Here are a few ways of describing tiredness. Can you think of other vocabulary associated with being sleepy?

We're feeling a bit like this today!!

02/09/2015

This beautiful quote by the marvelous Oliver Sacks seems a perfect way to celebrate the rentrée.

"Whether it is by learning a new language, developing a passion for beekeeping or simply thinking about an old problem in a new way, all of us can find ways to stimulate our brains to grow." --Oliver Sacks, New York Times Opinion, 2010

Sacks' death last weekend leaves the world a poorer place. He will be much missed. He is, already.

17/07/2015

Un article intéressant sur les langues, la relation entre les mots et leurs significations, et comment le cerveau les négocie. J'aime bien y réfléchir, ainsi qu'à leur lien à l’acquisition d'une nouvelle langue, aux couches au-dessus qui s’intègrent dans notre moyen d’interprétation.

Whether or not they involve genuine abstraction, words offer a way to reason and communicate — a respite from the tyranny of the specific, says commentator Tania Lombrozo.

09/07/2015

& here's the accompanying Ted Ed video!

It’s obvious that knowing more than one language can make certain things easier — like traveling or watching movies without subtitles. But are there other advantages to having a bilingual (or multilingual) brain? Mia Nacamulli details the three types of bilingual brains and shows how knowing more th…

09/07/2015

There are a multitude of reasons why you might want to learn a foreign language. A job or job search, an interview for a job, professional communication of one sort or another, or more leisure-associated activities like travel -- these are the most common reasons I hear for why people want to learn English. But there are all sorts of other reasons for studying a foreign language! This is an interesting article about the brain benefits of foreign language learning.

Plus, one big reason to send your favorite kid to language class NOW.

09/07/2015

A Talking Points English, je vous propose des cours de langue conçus pour vous inciter à parler. Je vais vous aider à surmonter l’appréhension et d’autres obstacles de façon à ce que l'anglais commence à devenir naturel et familier dans votre bouche. Grâce à la conversation, détendus et sans pression, nous pourrons commencer à construire votre confiance et vos progrès vers la maîtrise de la langue.
J'appelle ma classe une «salle de classe décentrée» parce que je me situe comme un facilitateur qui vous encourage à progresser vers une solide aisance en anglais ; ce qui veut dire que, pendant que je corrigerai la grammaire et vous aiderai à développer votre vocabulaire, je ne serai pas debout à l'avant de la classe, en face de vous, comme lors d’un cours classique.
Les cours d'anglais à Talking Points English sont des aventures partagées au cours desquelles je vous aiderai à vous épanouir et à évoluer comme un anglophone.

09/07/2015

At Talking Points English, I offer language classes which are designed to get you talking. I will help you overcome anxiety and other hurdles so that English starts feeling natural and familiar in your mouth. By using conversation, relaxed and without pressure, we can start building your confidence and moving toward fluency. I call my classroom a "decentered classroom" because I operate as a facilitator, encouraging you to move toward a reliable ease with your language; this means that, while I will be correcting grammar and helping you develop your vocabulary, I will not be standing at the front of the classroom lecturing. English classes at Talking Points English are collaborative experiences in which I help you flourish and grow as an English speaker.

07/07/2015

Flowers, buds, petals, stems, leaves, twigs, weeds and dried grass, old stone walls, fortifications, paving stones ... summer is rich with great vocab! And we haven't even started on the colors and fragrances, shapes and sizes, weather, climate, long days, short nights. An abundance of conversation possibilities ...