What Are the Key Ingredients of Second Language Acquisition?

I never thought stepping away from digital distractions would lead me back to the kitchen.  But as I started enjoying cooking more, something clicked.  And I realized this while chopping onions last night (eyes watering from both the onions and the epiphany 😉): Every great dish has a few essential ingredients. And so does learning […]

What Matters More: Teaching Methods or Human Connection?

“Success depends less on materials, techniques, and linguistic analyses, and more on what goes inside and between the people in the classroom.” If you’ve been to a session on Dogme ELT, teaching unplugged, or reactive teaching, chances are you’ve heard this quote before. After all, it is present in every session, workshop, or it is […]

Is Being a Native Speaker a Vaccine for Good Pronunciation?

For a very long time, many language learners have incorrectly believed that the key to mastering pronunciation is having a native-speaking teacher. If you think about it, it sounds logical: if you want to sound like a native, learn from a native. But as pronunciation expert John Levis bluntly puts it: “Native teachers can be […]