What is grammar? It can refer to either the structure of a language as it is used by its speakers and writers (descriptive grammar), or the structure of a language as certain people (most often teachers) believe it is or should be used (prescriptive grammar). It is perhaps best described as ‘this structural foundation of […]
As every teacher knows, learning vocabulary can be very difficult. Not only must learners learn lots of words (upward of 5,000 according to some researchers), but they need to encounter vocabulary several times before they can retain it, and practice it in controlled situations before they can use it automatically. This means that rewriting and […]
It is difficult to understate the important role community has when it comes to learning, with community here meaning a group of people with shared values, a common purpose and similar goals. Were it not important, schools, colleges, and universites would have little reason to exist. When it comes to language learning in particular, a […]
In our current muddled and contentious state of play when it comes to education, it seems that anything can become a battleground for competing ideologies and strongly held opinions, whether or not those opinions can be backed up by solid evidence or data. So I have found it fascinating to follow recent controversies regarding homework—a […]
Pay attention. Focus on your surroundings, physical and psychological. Notice something that bothers you, that concerns you, that will not let you be, which you could fix, that you would fix. You can find such somethings by asking yourself (as if you genuinely want to know) three questions: “What is it that is bothering me?” “Is […]
The God of the Old Testament can appear harsh, judgmental, unpredictable and dangerous, particularly on cursory reading. The degree to which this is true has arguably been exaggerated by Christian commentators, intent on magnifying the distinction between the older and newer divisions of the Bible. There has been a price paid, however, for such plotting […]
The dependency of sight on aim (and, therefore, on value—because you aim atwhat you value) was demonstrated unforgettably by the cognitive psychologist Daniel Simons more than fifteen years ago. Simons was investigating something called “sustained inattentional blindness.” He would sit his research subjects in front of a video monitor and show them, for example, a […]
Our eyes are always pointing at things we are interested in approaching, or investigating, or looking for, or having. We must see, but to see, we must aim, so we are always aiming. Our minds are built on the hunting-and-gathering platforms of our bodies. To hunt is to specify a target, track it, and throw […]
Standards of better or worse are not illusory or unnecessary. If you hadn’t decided that what you are doing right now was better than the alternatives, you wouldn’t be doing it. The idea of a value-free choice is a contradiction in terms.Value judgments are a precondition for action. Furthermore, every activity, once chosen, comes with […]
It was easier for people to be good at something when more of us lived in small,rural communities. Someone could be homecoming queen. Someone else couldbe spelling-bee champ, math whiz or basketball star. There were only one or two mechanics and a couple of teachers. In each of their domains, these local heroeshad the opportunity […]