
Become an Expert at Making New Vocabulary Memorable 💡
Imagine you’re trying to learn Chinese and your teacher introduces you to the character, 日, meaning “sun.” It makes no...
Become an Expert at Making New Vocabulary Memorable 💡
Imagine you’re trying to learn Chinese and your teacher introduces you to the character, 日, meaning “sun.” It makes no...
Upcoming Holiday: Halloween 🎃
While Halloween is not as widely celebrated as is in many English-speaking countries, it has certainly caught on in many...
Why Adult Students from East Asia Say They 'Play' with Friends
You’ve probably heard some adult Japanese or Korean students say, “I play with my friends on the weekends” (meaning “I...
Upcoming Holiday: Mid-Autumn Festival in Taiwan and South Korea 🌝
A major holiday is coming up for our students in South Korea and Taiwan. It’s known as “Korean Thanksgiving” and...
When "Nice" Meant "Foolish" and "Bully" Meant "Lover" — Common Words With Surprising Origins
Nope, nothing is wrong with your eyesight: nice once meant “foolish.” And that’s not all: girl meant “young person (in...
Upcoming Holiday: Seniors Day
Japan has a public holiday that literally translates to “Respect for the Aged Day.” It’s an annual holiday that falls...
Guide to Tutoring Low to Mid-Intermediate Students (= the Majority of Our Students)
In terms of conversational fluency, most of our students are somewhere in the intermediate levels, especially in the low to...
Conversation Topic: Typhoons 🌀🌀🌀
Besides hot, sticky weather, summer brings one other phenomenon to East Asia: typhoons. What does this mean for our students? ...
Why Dogs Are Man's Best Friend — How to Teach Generic Reference
Which of the following is correct? Dogs are man’s best friend. The dog is man’s best friend. A dog is...
Using a Student’s Native Language in Class: Yae or Nay?
“Don’t translate!” “Stop thinking in your native language!” These are common tips that language teachers give their students. Unfortunately, they’re...