Download or read book Word Myths written by David Wilton and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2008-11-06 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Do you "know" that posh comes from an acronym meaning "port out, starboard home"? That "the whole nine yards" comes from (pick one) the length of a WWII gunner's belt; the amount of fabric needed to make a kilt; a sarcastic football expression? That Chicago is called "The Windy City" because of the bloviating habits of its politicians, and not the breeze off the lake? If so, you need this book. David Wilton debunks the most persistently wrong word histories, and gives, to the best of our actual knowledge, the real stories behind these perennially mis-etymologized words. In addition, he explains why these wrong stories are created, disseminated, and persist, even after being corrected time and time again. What makes us cling to these stories, when the truth behind these words and phrases is available, for the most part, at any library or on the Internet? Arranged by chapters, this book avoids a dry A-Z format. Chapters separate misetymologies by kind, including The Perils of Political Correctness (picnics have nothing to do with lynchings), Posh, Phat Pommies (the problems of bacronyming--the desire to make every word into an acronym), and CANOE (which stands for the Conspiracy to Attribute Nautical Origins to Everything). Word Myths corrects long-held and far-flung examples of wrong etymologies, without taking the fun out of etymology itself. It's the best of both worlds: not only do you learn the many wrong stories behind these words, you also learn why and how they are created--and what the real story is.
Download or read book Vocabulary Myths written by Keith S. Folse and published by University of Michigan Press ELT. This book was released on 2004-03-10 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Vocabulary Myths, Keith S. Folse breaks down the teaching of second language vocabulary into eight commonly held myths. In debunking each myth, he introduces the myth with a story based on his 25 years of teaching experience (in the United States and abroad), continues with a presentation of what empirical research has shown on the topic, and finishes with a list of what teachers can do in their classrooms to facilitate true vocabulary acquisition. The goal of Vocabulary Myths is to foster a paradigm shift that correctly views vocabulary as fundamental in any second language learning process and demonstrates that research supports this goal-that in fact there is a wealth of empirical evidence to support these views. In addition, an important theme is that teachers have overestimated how much vocabulary students really understand, and as a result, the so-called "comprehensible input" is neither comprehensible nor input. The second language vocabulary acquisition myths reexamined in this book are: *In learning another language, vocabulary is not as important as grammar or other areas. *Using word lists to learn L2 vocabulary is unproductive. *Presenting new vocabulary in semantic sets facilitates learning. *The use of translations to learn new vocabulary should be discouraged. *Guessing words from context is an excellent strategy for learning L2 vocabulary. *The best vocabulary learners make use of one or two really specific vocabulary learning strategies. *The best dictionary for L2 learners is a monolingual dictionary. *Teachers, textbooks, and curricula cover L2 vocabulary adequately.
Download or read book Pronunciation Myths written by Linda Grant and published by University of Michigan Press. This book was released on 2014-02-21 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume was conceived as a "best practices" resource for pronunciation and speaking teachers in the way that Vocabulary Myths by Keith S. Folse is one for reading and vocabulary teachers. Like others in the Myths series, this book combines research with good pedagogical practices. The book opens with a Prologue by Linda Grant (author of the Well Said textbook series), which reviews the last four decades of pronunciation teaching, the differences between accent and intelligibility, the rudiments of the English sound system, and other factors related to the ways that pronunciation is learned and taught. The myths challenged in this book are: § Once you’ve been speaking a second language for years, it’s too late to change your pronunciation. (Derwing and Munro) § Pronunciation instruction is not appropriate for beginning-level learners. (Zielinski and Yates) § Pronunciation teaching has to establish in the minds of language learners a set of distinct consonant and vowel sounds. (Field) § Intonation is hard to teach. (Gilbert) § Students would make better progress if they just practiced more. (Grant) § Accent reduction and pronunciation instruction are the same thing. (Thomson) § Teacher training programs provide adequate preparation in how to teach pronunciation (Murphy). The book concludes with an Epilogue by Donna M. Brinton, who synthesizes some of the best practices explored in the volume.
Download or read book Writing Myths written by Joy M. Reid and published by University of Michigan Press ELT. This book was released on 2008 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume was conceived as a "best practices" resource for writing teachers in the way that Vocabulary Myths by Keith S. Folse is one for reading and vocabulary teachers. It was written to help ensure that writing teachers are not perpetuating the myths of teaching writing. Each author is a practicing teacher who selected his or her "myth" based on classroom experience and expertise. Both the research and pedagogy in this book are based on the newest research in, for example, teacher preparation, EAP and ESP, and corpus linguistics. The myths discussed in this book are: § Teaching vocabulary is not the writing teacher's job. (Keith S. Folse) § Teaching citation is someone else's job. (Cynthia M. Schuemann) § Where grammar is concerned, one size fits all. (Pat Byrd and John Bunting) § Academic writing should be assertive and certain. (Ken Hyland) § Students must learn to correct all their writing errors. (Dana Ferris) § Corpus-based research is too complicated to be useful for writing teachers. (Susan Conrad) § Academic writing courses should focus on paragraph and essay development. (Sharon Cavausgil) § International and U.S. resident ESL writers cannot be taught in the same class. (Paul Kei Matsuda) The book concludes with a discussion of students' myths about academic writing and teaching written by Joy Reid.
Download or read book The Confident Teacher written by Alex Quigley and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-05-20 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Confident Teacher offers a practical, step-by-step guide to developing the habits, characteristics and pedagogy that will enable you to do the best job possible. It unveils the tacit knowledge of great teachers and combines it with respected research and popular psychology. Covering topics such as organisation, using your body language effectively, combatting stress, managing student behaviour, questioning and feedback, and developing confident students, it shows how you can build the confidence and skill to flourish in the classroom. This book will be an essential resource for all qualified and trainee teachers wanting to reach their full potential in this challenging but rewarding profession.
Download or read book Listening Myths written by Steven Brown and published by University of Michigan Press. This book was released on 2011-02-25 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume was conceived as a "best practices" resource for teachers of ESL listening courses. It was written to help ensure that teachers of listening are not perpetuating the myths of teaching listening.
Download or read book Assessment Myths written by Lia Plakans and published by University of Michigan Press. This book was released on 2015-03-16 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume was conceived as a "best practices" resource for assessment in the way that Vocabulary Myths by Keith S. Folse is one for reading and vocabulary teachers. Like others in the Myths series, this book combines research with good pedagogical practices. The book opens with an introduction that reviews many key assessment terms and concepts. The myths examined in this book are: Assessment is just writing tests and using statistics. A comprehensive final exam is the best way to evaluate students. Scores on performance assessments are preferable because of their accuracy and authenticity. Multiple choice tests are inaccurate measures of language but are easy to write. We should test only one skill at a time. A test’s validity can be determined by looking at it. Issues of fairness are not a concern with standardized testing. Teachers should never be involved in preparing students for tests. Implications for teaching and an agenda for research are discussed in a conclusion.
Download or read book Myths Behind Words written by and published by . This book was released on 2018-04-18 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Like the constellations in the sky, words such as aphrodisiac, hubris, museum, galaxy and mentor each contain within them a story, if only you knew to look closely. This collection retells the myths behind common words and expressions in English, bringing to life the heroes, monsters and gods whose deeds and battles have left a hidden mark on our language. Compiling more than seventy-five myths, the stories in this book feature well-known figures such as Zeus, Athena, Apollo, Hercules, Achilles, the Amazons, Medusa and the Minotaur. The entries are supplemented with original illustration reproductions of scenes from ancient pottery, and include translations from Ancient Greek epics such as the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Argonautica and Theogony.
Download or read book Second Language Acquisition Myths written by Steven Brown and published by University of Michigan Press ELT. This book was released on 2012-03-15 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume was conceived as a first book in SLA for advanced undergraduate or introductory master’s courses that include education majors, foreign language education majors, and English majors. It’s also an excellent resource for practicing teachers. Both the research and pedagogy in this book are based on the newest research in the field of second language acquisition. It is not the goal of this book to address every SLA theory or teach research methodology. It does however address the myths and questions that non-specialist teacher candidates have about language learning. Steven Brown is the co-author of the introductory applied linguistics textbook Understanding Language Structure, Interaction, and Variation textbook (and workbook). The myths challenged in this book are: § Children learn languages quickly and easily while adults are ineffective in comparison. § A true bilingual is someone who speaks two languages perfectly. § You can acquire a language simply through listening or reading. § Practice makes perfect. § Language students learn (and retain) what they are taught. § Language learners always benefit from correction. § Individual differences are a major, perhaps the major, factor in SLA. § Language acquisition is the individual acquisition of grammar.
Download or read book Origins of the Specious written by Patricia T. O'Conner and published by Random House Trade Paperbacks. This book was released on 2010-08-24 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Do you cringe when a talking head pronounces “niche” as NITCH? Do you get bent out of shape when your teenager begins a sentence with “and”? Do you think British spellings are more “civilised” than the American versions? If you answered yes to any of those questions, you’re myth-informed. In Origins of the Specious, word mavens Patricia T. O’Conner and Stewart Kellerman reveal why some of grammar’s best-known “rules” aren’t—and never were—rules at all. This playfully witty, rigorously researched book sets the record straight about bogus word origins, politically correct fictions, phony français, fake acronyms, and more. Here are some shockers: “They” was once commonly used for both singular and plural, much the way “you” is today. And an eighteenth-century female grammarian, of all people, is largely responsible for the all-purpose “he.” From the Queen’s English to street slang, this eye-opening romp will be the toast of grammarphiles and the salvation of grammarphobes. Take our word for it.
Download or read book Fables from sop and Myths from Pal phatus With a vocabulary by John T White written by Aesop and published by . This book was released on 1876 with total page 84 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Mini Myths and Maxi Words written by Susan K. Weiler and published by Addison Wesley Publishing Company. This book was released on 1986-10 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This lively book combines classical mythology with myth-related vocabulary words. Each of the 27 lessons includes a myth, myth source-words, important English words based on myth roots, and a variety of fun exercises for review.
Download or read book Language Myths written by Laurie Bauer and published by Penguin UK. This book was released on 1998-11-26 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A unique collection of original essays by 21 of the world's leading linguists. The topics discussed focus on some of the most popular myths about language: The Media Are Ruining English; Children Can't Speak or Write Properly Anymore; America is Ruining the English Language. The tone is lively and entertaining throughout and there are cartoons from Doonesbury andThe Wizard of Id to illustrate some of the points. The book should have a wide readership not only amongst students who want to read leading linguists writing about popular misconceptions but also amongst the large number of people who enjoy reading about language in general.
Download or read book A Guide for Using D Aulaires Book of Greek Myths in the Classroom written by Cynthia Ross and published by Teacher Created Resources. This book was released on 1993-04 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introduces children to the gods, people and beliefs of ancient Greek myths.
Download or read book Mythology written by Aileen M. Carroll and published by Walch Publishing. This book was released on 1997 with total page 124 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How do ancient myths relate to contemporary life? The answer lies within this resource, where Greek, Norse, Arthurian, Egyptian, Chinese, African, and Native American myths are narrated and then re-examined through questions, poems, puzzles, family trees, and more. 41 high-interest lessons, each with a reading passage followed by activities Teacher notes include a vocabulary and pronunciation guide, answer key, and suggested extension activities.
Download or read book Myths From Around The World Gr 4 6 written by Doug Sylvester and published by Rainbow Horizons Publishing. This book was released on 1998-01-01 with total page 62 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Students will be taken on an adventure through the world of mythology. They will discover many different types of myths and learn about the cultures that created them. An introduction to Greek, Roman, Norse, and Native North American myths are presented in a very structured format. A “Major Project" allows the students to demonstrate further knowledge of myths by completing a series of activities. Optional lessons allow the students to further thematic connections, identify practical applications, and to simply have fun. A sampling of myths is used in conjunction with the unit to supplement the lesson plan. This Folktales lesson provides a teacher and student section with a variety of reading passages, creative writing activities, crossword, word search and answer key to create a well-rounded lesson plan.
Download or read book Fifty Ways to Teach Vocabulary written by Tamara Jones and published by Wayzgoose Press. This book was released on 2016-05-13 with total page 91 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Without grammar, you can't say much; but without vocabulary, you can't say anything. Vocabulary is the foundation of successful language learning. ESL/EFL learners need to be familiar with a great many words if they want to read, write, listen, or speak with ease. In addition to the sheer number of words and phrases students need to learn, what makes vocabulary acquisition so tricky is that one “pass” is never enough. In order to really “know” a word, learners need to know, among other things, how to spell it, how to pronounce it, what other words it collocates with, what prefixes and suffixes it takes, what grammatical patterns it fits with, and what positive or negative associations it may have. Research shows that students learn the most easily when they are interested and having fun. Games and activities that engage students, whether they are adults or children, will help them create stronger memories and store these memories for longer. This book is divided into three sections: 1. Introducing new vocabulary 2. Reviewing and remembering vocabulary 3. Assessment opportunities and provides 50 ideas (plus one bonus tip!) for helping your students learn and remember vocabulary. Photos and downloadable worksheets are included. The Fifty Ways to Teach series gives you a variety of drills, games, techniques, methods, and ideas to help your students master English. Most of the ideas can be used for both beginning and advanced classes. Many require little to no preparation or special materials. The ideas can be used with any textbook, or without a textbook at all. These short, practical guides aim to make your teaching life easier, and your students' lives more rewarding and successful.
