August '09 Newsletter (1)
 
Hello to everyone Out There
 
I really hope I don't bore you with this message; but I fear my writing has become very dull recently, hence:
 
How to write a press release - Advice from one of the UK's best journalists
New neuro-science research - Babies learn languages the Out There way (kind of)
UK Blight - The social problems we have and their causes: High level discussion topic
FREE membership update - You love it!
Old Jokes Home
 
I tried to write a press release about our first EOT course book for teachers to use in class and which has copiable student worksheets (Intermediate TD4, buy it here http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/7281074 for GBP 14.75 or ebook GBP 3.56).  It was difficult because there was so much to say and our book is (we are pretty sure) the first ever English course book designed to be used with online social media and programs like Skype.
 
Anyway, I know one of the UK's best investigative reporters and all-round journalists and asked him what he thought and why my press release didn't get picked up (used by newspapers).  He was brutal in his criticism, but fair and it makes for interesting (and amusing) reading:
 
http://www.languagesoutthere.com/articles/howtowriteapressrelease
 
A neuro-scientist who needed to teach some nine month old babies some Mandarin for an experiment used very similar techniques to those we use in our lesson plans as well as some more traditional forms of teaching and a control group. The only one that worked was...the one like Out There! Stephen Krashen sent me a research paper by the same scientist that said that social interaction and multiple listening experiences were crucial to first language acquisition. Very interestingly, the researcher finished the paper asking whether her findings could be applied to second language acquisition. We think the answer may be 'yes'.
 
Read it all for yourselves here:
 
http://www.languagesoutthere.com/articles/teachyouEnglishlikeababy
 
Discussion topic - Social disease in the UK (and elsewhere). A TV programme about a USA city that is the global centre of crystal meth addiction (a powerful, cheap and easy to manufacture type of amphetamine or 'speed') caused me to start thinking about why some people destroy themselves, their bodies, their own lives then other people's, and what the real causes might be.  This blog rant might be useful as a discussion topic in class, Out There in the real world or online with an Out There practice partner.
 
http://www.languagesoutthere.com/articles/drugsobesitybingedrinkingknifeviolence
 
How's the free membership coming along, I hear you ask?  Really well, lots of people are becoming free members and this is what one academic and English teacher running a university English department in the Philippines thinks (permission to use asked and granted):
 
Hi Jason! Thank you for considering me your new online subscriber. I like your program; the issues and concerns about teaching language(s), teaching materials, and teaching strategies that I obtain from your website help me in my delivery of content (information) to my ESLstudents here in Xavier University, Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines. Thank you. Anita Oblina Associate Chair Department of English Language and Literature
 
So, why don't you sign up and have a go? You could learn like a baby and then help your students or friends to do the same.
 
http://www.languagesoutthere.com/categories/FREEMEMBERSHIP
 
Old Jokes Home:
A nun, a priest, an  Irishman, a Scotsman, a rabbi
and a blonde walk into a bar.
The bartender looks at them and asks,
"Is this some kind of joke?"
 
Until next time...and do please keep the feedback coming!
Cheers
Jason