Pakistan struggles to reverse falling university language skills
Max de Lotbinière
Guardian Weekly, June 15, 2010
A project launched in 2004 to halt declining English language skills among students at Pakistan’s public universities has entered a second three-year phase amid concern that low language proficiency continues to hamper higher-education reforms and is putting the latest international research out of reach for academics.
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IELTS: Basic English literacy not enough to land jobs abroad
Ehda M. Dagooc
phil Star, June 14, 2010
CEBU, Philippines - Despite basically literate in English, Filipinos continue to lose employment opportunities overseas because of lack of a deeper follow through in the English subjects provided in schools.
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Bilingual education one way to break barriers to learning
A.M. COLE
The News-Gazette, June 13, 2010
Evelin Luna carries herself with an air of confidence uncommon for a 15-year-old. She is comfortable around adults, aware of the issues concerning the local Latino community and unafraid to address the Urbana School Board in her native language.
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Diversity Is Strength! It’s Also…The Emerging “Long Term English Learner” Problem In U.S. Schools
Steve Sailer
VDare, June 13, 2010
Over the last decade, a bipartisan consensus has been emerging among politicians, the prestige press, and leading philanthropists: the racial gap in achievement is the fault of—schoolteachers!
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Rwanda: English Language Will Attract Investors
all Africa, June 11, 2010
This week, we reported that the Ministry of Public Service and Labour has embarked on a three-year intense programme to teach more than 5,000 civil servants the English language.
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President praises Taipei County’s English program
Focus Taiwan News Channel, June 11, 2010
President Ma Ying-jeou on Friday praised Taipei County for its efforts to promote language education.
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BPOs catalysing English school enrolments: study
Subrahmanyan Viswanath
Deccan Herald, June 11, 2010
The stupendous spurt seen in ITeS / BPO centres in the country is catalysing large scale enrolment in schools, particularly, English, according to a study by University of Chicago.
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Teaching English to young kids is a non-issue
The Korea Herald, June 10, 2010
Perhaps it’s Taiwan’s too-rapid democratization that has turned its people a little too pugnaciously argumentative for comfort. They tend to express disagreement or quarrel over almost anything that isn’t or shouldn’t be an issue. Democratization is evolved, and an instant democratization, like the one Taiwan has experienced, could cause friction.
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Is English proficiency such a big deal for Brazil IT?
Angelica Mari
ComputerWeekly.com, June 10, 2010
Following this blog post by my colleague Karl Flinders, I asked a few experts and IT buyers here at the Brasscom summit in Brazil about the issue of fluency in English.
One of the key areas of focus for Brazilian IT trade body Brasscom is to ensure that It workforce is equipped to meet future demand and that includes improving English language skills.
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Britain’s new romance language is English
JENNIFER QUINN
google, June 09, 2010
LONDON — Love may have its own language — but that’s not good enough for the British government.
It wants English, too.
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Can you say that in English?
Dipankar De Sarkar
Hindustan Times, June 09, 2010
Remember how some prospective Indian in-laws would ask the demure bride-to-be, ‘Beti, can you please say something in English for us?’ Well, be prepared to be confronted with similar questions… but by British visa officers this time around.
Men and women applying to join their spouses or marry in Britain from now on will be asked to sit a compulsory English language test in their home country.
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CII regrets lack of English language skill of engineering students
Abhijit Das
MyNews.in, June 09, 2010
Howrah: Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Chairman, Eastern Region, Kurush N Grant today regretted that about 25 per cent engineering students in India did not have proper knowledge of English language which makes getting a good job difficult task for them.
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We need an Academy of English to save our beautiful language
Gerald Warner
Telegraph.co.uk, June 08, 2010
The attempt by the Queen’s English Society to create an Academy of English, on the model of the Académie Française, is both welcome and long overdue. Authoritative bodies exist to maintain the purity of the French, Spanish and Italian languages, but English has been left to fend for itself at a time when it is under unprecedented attack.
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Brazilian says English language skills in short supply in Brazil
Karl Flinders
ComputerWeekly.com, June 08, 2010
While I am focussing on IT offshoring to Brazil, as my colleague Angelica Mari is seeing it for herself, I thought I would tell a story about somthing that happened this weekend.
I was out shopping with my partner and two kids. Me and my little boy and girl were waiting as mamma was trying on clothes.
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10 Ways to Support English Language Learning With The New York Times
HOLLY EPSTEIN OJALVO
The New York Times, June 07, 2010
Many people don’t realize that The New York Times can be quite accessible for English Language Learners. Due to its focus on current events and news, using The Times to learn vocabulary and practice reading can be much more inviting and rewarding than a textbook. And NYTimes.com has some extra tools and features that are particularly useful for language learning.
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60 percent California school students fail English test
sify News, May 29, 2010
Nearly 60 percent students in California’s high schools are unable to pass English proficiency test despite over six years of US education.
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Local students shine in English proficiency test
DALE HOYT PALFREY
Guadalajara Reporter, May 28, 2010
A select group of students and graduates of Chapala’s Conalep vocational high school and the Instituto Tecnologico Superior (ITS) are rightfully proud of their recent accomplishments in a specialized English-language training program. Eleven young men and women were selected from a field of 50 candidates to hone their foreign language skills in preparation for the application of the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC).
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Medical: Many can’t read medical instructions
LEE BOWMAN
The Republic, May 26, 2010
Whether from lack of understanding due to language barriers or because drug and medical instructions are so poorly written, millions of Americans regularly are at risk of getting improper care.
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93.9% pass class language assessment
news.gov.hk, May 25, 2010
The percentage of candidates meeting the English language proficiency requirement are 66.2% in reading, 42.7% in writing, 71.9% in listening, 43.7% in speaking and 93.9% in classroom language assessment, the Examinations & Assessment Authority says.
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Students’ English skills improving
TODD GUILD
Register Pajaronian, May 22, 2010
Pajaro Valley Unified School District students made modest improvements in English-language fluency, gains similar to those of students countywide and statewide, according to proficiency test results released Friday by the California Department of Education.
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Lodi, Galt English proficiency test scores fall
Jennifer Bonnett
Lodi News Sentinel, May 21, 2010
California English Language Development Test results show a decrease in the percentage of English-language learner students in Lodi Unified School District scoring at the advanced and early advanced performance levels compared to last year.
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Colombian graduates struggle with English
CAMERON SUMPTER
Colombia Reports, May 19, 2010
English language competency among Colombian university graduates is still inadequate, despite courses and exams designed to ensure proficiency, reports El Tiempo.
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SC students deficient in reading
CAROLYN MURRAY
Count on News 2, May 17, 2010
South Carolina Kids Count today released a report examining the issue of early reading proficiency in South Carolina. The report’s release coincides with dissemination of a national report “Early Warning! Why Reading by the End of Third Grade Matters,” by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
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Govt will go ahead with BM-English policy
The Star Online, May 17, 2010
PUTRAJAYA: The Government is going ahead with the “Upholding Bahasa Malaysia, Strengthening Command of English” policy, which is expected to start in 2011.
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English is a second language for 1 in 6 primary school children
LAURA CLARK
Mail Online, May 15, 2010
One in six primary school children does not speak English as a first language - twice as many as a decade ago.
The numbers who normally speak English as a foreign language topped half a million for the first time - putting teachers under ‘significant’ pressure, a teaching union warned.
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Language schools’ bookings up ‘marginally’ in 2010
Scott Grech
The Malta Independent Online, May 12, 2010
Scores of English language school students can already be seen roaming around the popular areas of St Julian’s, Valletta and Sliema, but newly elected FELTOM (Federation of English Language Teaching Organisations Malta) president Alex Fenech has warned against complacency, “as the industry is nowhere near reaching arrival figures recorded in 2007 and 2008”.
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Teaching English as second language bridges gap
Edward Guthmann
SFGate, May 10, 2010
Imagine you’ve just arrived from Seoul or Tokyo. You’re a student at Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Your English is decent, but when you sit in the classroom and the instructor drops colloquialisms and obscure cultural references, you’re lost.
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For Filipinos, English proficiency is fading
John McLean
The Christian Science Monitor, May 10, 2010
Call-center agents, Filipinos chatting on their headsets to inquiring English-speaking customers half a world away, were supposed to provide the answer to the Philippines’ economy. They could be drawn from the country’s famously large pool of English speakers to tap into the lucrative offshoring and outsourcing (O&O) market.
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Court: It’s OK to teach Science and Maths in English
M. MAGESWARI
The Star Online, May 8, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR: In a test case brought by four students, a High Court has ruled that it is constitutional for Mathematics and Science to be taught in English.
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One school, two languages - An in-depth look at bi-lingual education
Anthony Congi
KIDK.com, May 6, 2010
BONNEVILLE COUNTY - When you first walk in, this kindergarten classroom seems like any other. Lots of happy kids learning about letters, coloring, and singing songs. But most of these children spoke almost no English when the school year started.
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[Viewpoint] A three-way English competition
Kim Whan-yung
JoongAng Daily, May 5, 2010
Lately, opinions that the 21st century will be “the era of Korea, Japan and China” or “the century of Asia” are assuming great prominence. The Korea-China-Japan summit meeting scheduled for the end of the month will provide an opportunity for the three countries to pursue an East Asian alliance.
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Mother tongue: A hot button issue
Eugene KB Tan
Today, May 5, 2010
Language policy planning is taken very seriously in Singapore.
Given the island’s multi-lingual make-up, language is both a socio-economic and political resource.
So, it is no surprise that language policies require a delicate balance of competing - and sometimes, conflicting - objectives, interests and expectations.
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Accented teachers may be better for English language learners: study
Valerie Strauss
The Washignton Post, May 5, 2010
A new study on how well students learn second languages from teachers with accents suggests that Arizona may be making a mistake by trying to remove heavily accented Hispanic teachers from classrooms filled with Hispanics trying to learn English.
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Pitch perfect: Learning languages to boost careers
Joanne Babbage
BBC, May 5, 2010
Flanked by cabinets stuffed with trophies and silverware, Polish international midfielder, Radoslaw ‘Raddy’ Majewski, is learning English in the City Ground boardroom with tutor Liz Nathan.
He has just signed a three year contract with Nottingham Forest Football Club after months of speculation.
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Shanghai Is Trying to Untangle the Mangled English of Chinglish
ANDREW JACOBS
The New York Times, May 2, 2010
SHANGHAI — For English speakers with subpar Chinese skills, daily life in China offers a confounding array of choices. At banks, there are machines for “cash withdrawing” and “cash recycling.” The menus of local restaurants might present such delectables as “fried enema,” “monolithic tree mushroom stem squid” and a mysterious thirst-quencher known as “The Jew’s Ear Juice.”
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Growth in Indian ITeS sector boosts English-language school enrolment
Pallavi Singh
liveMint.com, May 2, 2010
New Delhi: The value of a college degree dawned on Tabassum Naaz’s family only when the 22-year-old village woman landed a job at Aegis business process outsourcing in Gurgaon, a hub of information technology-enabled services (ITeS) on the outskirts of New Delhi.
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Boost for rural schools
Chitra S Nathan
The Star Online, May 2, 2010
Some 10,000 students from rural schools in Negri Sembilan will benefit from the second instalment of the secondary English language enrichment and communication teaching (Select) project launched by Tunku Naquiyuddin Tuanku Ja’afar recently.
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English translates into career success
DEREK SANKEY
The Calgary Herald, May 1, 2010
When Aminata Sagno emigrated to Canada from West Africa with her husband in 2006, she moved to Quebec because she could speak only French.
Trained as a doctor in her homeland, the couple decided to move to the Prairies so they could learn English, landing in Saskatoon for her husband’s new job.
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Yong: Good English key to prosperity
The Star Online, May 1, 2010
KUCHING: Proficiency in English will not make Malaysians lose their identity or cultural heritage, said the Deputy Works Minister.
Datuk Yong Khoon Seng said anyone who argued that improving one’s English would somehow corrupt or compromise one’s sense of Asian values was actually narrow-minded.
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English teacher's helper
Alex Leff
Global Post, April 30, 2010
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — The melody sounded familiar, but not the lyrics. Entirely unconcerned about accuracy, a Costa Rican taxi driver was serenading his passenger with what he sensed could be the words — or at least sounds — to Elton John's "Sacrifice."
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Japan’s English skills lag behind those of China and South Korea
Hiromu Namiki
Daily Yomiuri Online, April 28, 2010
We all know that English is important, but how good are Japanese at using the language? In this special section, Eisuke Sakakibara, who was known as “Mr. Yen” when serving at the Finance Ministry as vice finance minister for international affairs, and Aoyama Gakuin University Prof. Mitsue Allen-Tamai examine the problems in English education in Japan.
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‘How r u’ with our degraded state of English?
Guelph Mercury, April 28, 2010
A few years ago, before I had the use of social networking sites such as Facebook, I would send letters to my great aunt out in Alberta. One thing I always made sure of was that my grammar was correct, and that I had neatly constructed sentences. I wouldn’t want to send her pages full of the chicken scratch that I used at school.
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Hurdle to higher education
The New Nation, April 27, 2010
ACADEMICS, according to recent press reports, have identified ‘weakness in English’ as a major hurdle to higher education in the country and called for effective government initiatives to overcome the same. They pointed out that lack of proficiency in English both among teachers and students has limited their ability to cope with the rapid developments in the arena of knowledge...
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Jejenese are a teacher’s bane
ANGELO G. GARCIA
Manila Bulletin, April 27, 2010
Language in general has changed over the years. It continues to evolve in so many ways and forms that every generation has its own kind of language to communicate. And because of technology, these new language forms easily spread like virus among groups of people.
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Learning English in South Korea is no joke
Grace Cho
The Retriever Weekly, April 26, 2010
When an Australian-Korean friend asked me to take her to the area around Hongik University to shop, I was hesitant because I didn't want to spend too much money. Nevertheless, I ended up going and being more entertained by the sights than by the clothes. And by sights, I mean signs with English on them. There was a bar called "Ho Bar," a store called "Gangster," and a club called "Boobi Boobi." Amused, I asked a Korean friend why they were named the way they were and she told me that "Ho Bar" was short for "Host Bar" and "Boobi Boobi" is what Koreans call the way people dance at clubs.
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English-Language Media a Double-Edged Sword?
Lynette Lee Corporal
Inter Press Service, April 26, 2010
The English language, as a medium for reporting in the region, is both a boon and a bane for many countries in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of getting ‘heard’ or generally being ignored by the global community.
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Jejemon in the Philippines
Joseph F. Nacino
CNET Asia, April 26, 2010
One thing that’s recently caught the attention of the local social network zeitgeist is the idea of “jejemon”.
According to the UrbanDictionary.com definition, a “jejemon” is someone who has managed to subvert the English language to the point of incomprehensibility and online lynch squads. I can’t blame them: Trying to decipher jejemon-speak feels to me the equivalent of hearing nails on a blackboard.
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New system triggers English fear
The Standard, April 26, 2010
Under the new curriculum, it will take a student six years instead of seven to complete secondary education.
Some universities are worried that the English- language standard of new students may be affected because of the shorter time they spend in secondary school.
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Bilingual Education Cited For Poor Malay Language Proficiency Among Students
Fitri Shahminan
The Brunei Times, April 26, 2010
Bandar Seri Begawan - The bilingual education system may have played a role in students not able to speak the Malay language efficiently, the acting director of the Language and Literature Bureau (DBP) said Saturday.
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Technological teaching aids shown to board
Charlene Polk
delmarvanow, April 25, 2010
NEWARK -- Teachers recently showed school board members the latest technology assets available to Worcester County students -- and the improvements they're bringing about -- during several demonstrations.
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New vocabulary program aims to train critical thinkers in grade schools
BRADLEY BOUZANE
The Gazette, April 22, 2010
Reading is not comprehension. Memorization is not learning.
Catherine Snow saw too many middle school students reading texts, but not understanding their content. So she and a group of education experts decided to do something about it.
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BPO sector still top revenue draw
Business Mirror, April 21, 2010
AMID the continuing scarcity of qualified people for work in business-process outsourcing (BPO), call centers remain the top revenue earners in the BPO industry as shown by National Statistics Office (NSO) preliminary data released recently.
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Official bilingualism: from failure to farce
Lorne Gunter
National Post, April 21, 2010
It used to be called the "bilingual belt," a narrow strip of Canada with its western anchor in Ottawa, following the St. Lawrence River through Montreal and Quebec City and ending in northern and eastern New Brunswick.
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Get hired/promoted/noticed—anywhere in the world
NIKKI CONSTANTINO
Manila Bulletin, April 20, 2010
Miranda* , 47 , was on top of her game when news about the approval of her petition to migrate to the US arrived. She was at executive officer level here in the Philippines, had a total of eight managers reporting directly to her, with a daily cup of coffee (black, two sugar) always waiting on her desk when she got to the office.
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Student tutors teach practical English skills
Zina Kumok
Indiana Daily Student, April 20, 2010
It’s past noon on Saturday and grad student Alicia Arnold is reciting a tongue twister.
“Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager managing an imaginary menagerie.”
She laughs at herself and begins to explain the phrase to two eager female Asian students. They ask what a menagerie is and Arnold looks up the proper definition on her iPhone.
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Singapore Highlights Initiatives To Raise English Proficiency
admin
Gov Monitor, April 19, 2010
Speech By Mr S Iswaran, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Education, at the Opening Ceremony of the Inaugural APEC-RELC International Seminar held on Monday, 19 April 2010 at SEAMEO Regional Language Centre.
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BPO without a twang
BERNARDO M. VILLEGAS
Manila Bulletin, April 18, 2010
I had occasion to listen to Mr. Fred Ayala, Chairman of the Business Processing Association Philippines, address a group of young, highly motivated professionals about the prospects of the BPO Industry in the next decade or so. Mr. Ayala also heads the group of companies engaged in IT-related services of the Ayala group and is one of the most knowledgeable Filipino executives about this fast growing industry that in 2008 already earned for the Philippines over $6 billion...
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Why do English teachers have to be native speakers?
MELINDA JOE
The Japan Times, April 15, 2010
In Japan, non-native English-language instructors from South Asian countries are challenging cultural stereotypes and putting a new face on the industry. And it hasn't been any easy task.
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Is it Time to be a Bilingual Nation?
Steve Leveen
HuffPost Social News, April 14, 2010
When you hear "Press 1 for English" on a phone recording, does it annoy you? Shouldn't today's immigrants have to deal with English as immigrants before them did? And hasn't a common language been one of the key factors in keeping our great country united?
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The value of an English education — a lesson not yet learned
Rohinton Ghandhi
The Suburban.com, April 14, 2010
The teacher briskly walked into the Grade 6 class, put down his books and almost immediately started writing on the blackboard. He neatly printed five words in each of the six columns with the headings, nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, articles, and conjunctions, across the width of the board. From the selection before them, he then challenged his students to correctly form five complete sentences using one word from each column. Spelling and penmanship counted, as it was a simple pencil and paper exercise without the distractions of today’s technologies.
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BILINGUAL EDUCATION IN SRI LANKA - PART III: Self-directed learning benefits
Daily News Online, April 01, 2010
It is commonly accepted that successful learners are reflective, self-directed and able to use a range of learner strategies in effective and appropriate combination. The more strategies the learner uses the more they can investigate, process and be thorough in their learning. Thus there is a close link between self-directed learning and strategy practice.
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NEAC: Malaysia losing skilled talent
Bernama
The Star Online, March 30, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is losing its skilled talent which it needs to drive future growth as many are leaving to seek better opportunities elsewhere, said the National Economic Advisory Council (NEAC).
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English tests for guest workers
Elizabeth Roberts
The Royal Gazette, March 29, 2010
Guest workers will have to prove they speak competent English before they can come to Bermuda from April 1, Immigration Minister David Burch has announced.
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Only 6% of applicants get jobs in call centers: BPAP
TJ Manotoc
ABS-CBN News, March 28, 2010
MANILA, Philippines - Call center jobs will be harder to find for those who are not prepared. Data from an industry group showed that out of every 100 applicants in a call center, only a handful are able to make it to the final cut.
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Her ma’am pays for her education
MELISSA SIM
The Star Online, March 28, 2010
USWATUN Khasana, 28, went for English lessons, took a diploma in culinary arts and is even learning to drive.
All these courses were paid for by her employer, Veronica Chua.
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Are we losing mother tongue?
Anand Soondas
The Times of India, March 27, 2010
By the time Shyamoli Panchal returns home each evening she has miraculously mutated from an eight-yearold schoolgirl to a knocked-around war veteran. Her knees are bruised and often bleeding, her socks are gathered in an ungainly heap at the bottom of her legs, and her ponytail, neat and shampoo-shining in the morning, is shapeless and wild.
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Now, English test must for serving pilots, ATCs
The Times of India, March 26, 2010
NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday issued a new rule that stipulates that Indian airlines must conduct proficiency tests in English for serving pilots and submit them to the regulator. This comes fourteen years after the world witnessed the worst-ever midair collision between two aircraft at Charkhi Dadri, attributed to a lack of proficiency in English of pilots in one of the planes. The test is mandatory for air traffic controllers (ATCs) as well.
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Like, totally mastering the English language
Chris Must
Smiths Falls EMC, March 25, 2010
I don't know about you, but I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for anyone born in another country who is able to master English as a second language.
Our language after all, doesn’t seem to follow many consistent rules. Every rule has its list of exceptions - remember “I before E, except after C?”
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Grammar matters more than phonetics
PETER RAY
The Star Online, March 25, 2010
I WISH to refer to the letter by Liong Kam Chong “Stress on grammar, not phonics”(The Star, March 24) and I fully endorse the views expressed.
One has to question these decision makers in the Education Ministry who come up with such ideas in trying to import a whole bunch of foreign teachers to teach Malaysians to pronounce English words as spoken by native speakers and at what cost to the taxpayer?
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Chinese traditionalists fear rush to English
Daniel Bardsley
TheNational, March 25, 2010
BEIJING // As Diao Jun throws rubbish into his pedal-powered dustcart, a small radio plays in the background. This may be the Chinese capital, but in between songs, the DJs on the radio do not chat in Mandarin Chinese. On Easy FM, the Beijing station Mr Diao prefers to listen to, they chat in English.
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English boost for more pupils
Leow Si Wan & Yeo Shang Long
The Straits Times, March 25, 2010
SCHOOLS have gone the extra mile beyond hiring English-language facilitators to create a culture of good English.
At Seng Kang Primary School, for instance, a mysterious character in a trench coat, called Uncle Biblio, appears during the silent-reading periods. With a signature tune blaring out on each of the random times he shows up to hand out postcards or bookmarks to the most conscientious readers, he has raised a buzz about reading in the school.
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How do we teach our children english?
Bangkok Post, March 25, 2010
For a number of years, I was involved in English training for business focusing on the approach called “English for Special Purposes” within the industry. What that meant was teaching the participants to use language specific to jobs or needs: English for accounting, telephone English, presentations, and other subjects.
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Culture Shock: “Teaching English with Dr. Seuss”
Victoria DeSalvo
Mountain Echo, March 24, 2010
“I wish that I had duck feet. And I can tell you why. You can splash around in duck feet. You don’t have to keep them dry.” As I stood in front of a cluster of 7 year olds in a classroom decorated with flags and maps of America and England. Their eyes were fixated to the front of the room as I enthusiastically read the wise words of Dr. Seuss.
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Dutta hails NE English writers
The Assam Tribune, March 22, 2010
GUWAHATI, March 21 - Noted writer Arup Kumar Dutta on Sunday applauded the writers of North East contributing in the English language observing that such writings have projected the dilemma as well as aspirations of the region before a global audience.
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English language compulsory for all university students in Sri Lanka
ColomboPage, March 21, 2010
Mar 21, Colombo: In an effort to prepare the Sri Lankan university students to meet the global challenges, learning English language would be made compulsory for all the university students, Minister of Higher Education Prof. Visva Warnapala said.
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English corrodes Samoan language, says ministry
Radio New Zealand International, March 19, 2010
The Samoan Ministry of Education says the prevalence of English is having a corrosive effect on Samoan dialects with some words now needing English translations to explain them.
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Abusing Slow News Days: Common Mistakes in English
Thom Holwerda
OSNews, March 18, 2010
Since everybody in the technology world is apparently having a vacation, and nobody told me about it, we’re kind of low on news. As such, this seems like the perfect opportunity to gripe about something I’ve always wanted to gripe about: a number of common mistakes in English writing in the comments section. I’ll also throw in some tidbits about my native language, Dutch, so you can compare and contrast between the two.
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Good English begins at work
Rick Lim Say Kiong
Today Online, March 18, 2010
IT IS heartening to know that an English Language Institute is finally being set up in Singapore, with the purpose of spearheading efforts to raise the standard of English here.
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Express yourself
Rowena Orejana
The Aucklander, March 17, 2010
An English-language course helps migrants make themselves more easily understood at work, reports Rowena Orejana.
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Speaking English our way
Daily News, March 17, 2010
Using the English language as a livelihood tool for the youth of the country has been recognized by the Special Presidential Task Force, President’s Secretary Lalith Weeratunga said.
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The emergence of English
Bibek Debroy
Indian Express, March 16, 2010
New Delhi : This is odd. West Bengal’s Left Front government has done its best to replace English with Bengali, but at the all-India level, English has replaced Bengali.
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English teachers learn new methods
Gia Loc
Viet Nam News, March 16, 2010
CITY — With simple English songs and chants, Huynh Thi To Anh, an English teacher at the Trieu Thi Trinh Primary School in District 10, is able to control her class and stop her students from being noisy and unruly.
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China's English idolatry
Zuo Likun
China Daily, March 16, 2010
English is a language, a tool not a toy. Thus we will learn it, to chat not to strut.
The ecstasy all starts with a tongue-in-cheek, “dog wears cat bell.”
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Arroyo pushes English use in schools, teacher training
Joyce Pangco Pañares
Manila Standard Today, March 15, 2010
PRESIDENT Gloria Arroyo said Monday schools nationwide must revert to using English as the medium of instruction to make Filipinos globally competitive amid the booming information communication technology sector.
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Taking a look at grammar: Part I
Michael Ricci
Auburn, March 14, 2010
Usually when someone tells you to watch your language, they are speaking about language that might be inappropriate around women or even children. Here, we are speaking about our use of proper and correct English. Every society has its own language that is used by its people to communicate their thoughts.
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Indiaspeak: English is our 2nd language
The Times of India, March 14, 2010
More Indians speak English than any other language, with the sole exception of Hindi. What’s more, English speakers in India outnumber those in all of western Europe, not counting the United Kingdom. And Indian English-speakers are more than twice the UK’s population.
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An innovative teaching method
Keith W.Wright
The Star Online, March 14, 2010
In previous columns, 10 English teaching methodologies have been considered briefly to give a general appreciation of some of the methods used to impart the six English Macro language skills of Reading, Listening, Viewing, Speaking, Writing and Interpreting.
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Reading develops language skills in kids
The Times of India, March 13, 2010
Reading to young children at home can play a big role in developing their English language skills, a new study has found.
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Dual-language classes are popular offerings in area school districts
Shirley Jinkins
Star-Telegram, March 11, 2010
When Principal Lisa Dunn arrived at her northeast Grapevine elementary school March 1, 25 parents were camped out under tarps and tents, eager to snag spots for their children in the district’s first dual-language program.
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Postech becomes all-English campus
JoongAng Daily, March 13, 2010
POHANG, North Gyeongsang - Starting this spring semester, Pohang University of Science and Technology, or Postech, is operating as an English-language campus in which all classes, seminars, meetings, written notices, executive documents and theses will be in English.
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English for learning other subjects in English
Asantha U. Attanayake
Daily News Online, March 13, 2010
We have now turned slowly and gradually to English medium instruction in schools and in the Faculties of Arts that do not have English medium in certain universities. Some universities, due to two major practical problems, are still pondering over the issue: one, potential problems of students with low proficiency levels in having to study in English medium and two, predicaments of teachers who are not competent enough to teach their subjects in English.
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English as a life skill from village to town
Daily News Online, March 13, 2010
A Special Ten Day Training Program is being organized by the Royal College Colombo on the initiative of Principal Upali Gunasekera, to train 35 English language teachers of the school in the delivery of Spoken English Skills to students.
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Extra instruction at home can jump-start reading skills of children
One India, March 12, 2010
Washington, March 12 (ANI): Reading to young children at home can play a big role in developing their English language skills, a new study has found. The research has appeared in Learning and Instruction.
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Schools call Indian NGOs’ bluff on English language workshops
Nantha Kumar
Free Malaysia Today, March 12, 2010
SHAH ALAM: Several Tamil schools in Selangor yesterday called three Indian NGOs’ bluff for claiming they had conducted “at least one English language programme” in each of the 97 schools in the state.
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Bonus for bilingual skills?
The Straits Times, March 12, 2010
WASHINGTON - A US lawmaker on Thursday proposed offering extra pay to federal workers who are bilingual or multilingual, saying the government needed to do more to assist Americans who are not fluent in English.
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Healthcare chiefs ordered to check all foreign doctors can speak English
Lyndsay Moss
The Scotsman, March 12, 2010
MEDICAL employers across Scotland are being warned to check that any doctors they employ are fit for the job and can speak good enough English.
The General Medical Council (GMC) is writing to NHS managers and private health companies to highlight gaps in what the regulator is able to check with medics wanting to work in the UK.
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English language schools call for change in policy
Lincoln Tan
The New Zealand Herald, March 12, 2010
Enrolments in English language schools have been “flat” despite an overall growth in international student numbers, says a leading industry figure.
The sector is hoping policy changes this year will help revive the industry, says Rob MacKay, chairman of English New Zealand.
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U.S. Struggles to Hire Thousands of Bilingual Workers Needed for Accurate Count
Ana Campoy
The Wall Street Journal, March 11, 2010
DALLAS—The U.S. Census Bureau is scouring Texas for an oddly elusive worker: the Spanish-speaking American who qualifies for the job.
Texas is home to more Hispanics than any other state except California, and the pool of job seekers should be brimming due to the highest unemployment rate in years. Yet the agency can't seem to come up with enough workers.
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New book tries to make English appear less ‘stupid’
Bill Rea
Caledon Citizen, March 11, 2010
It’s been said that English is a difficult language to learn, but an Inglewood writer has tried to address that.
Judy Thompson recently launched her new book, English is Stupid, offering some insights into her methods for teaching the language.
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Moves to lift English proficiency
Leow Si Wan
The Straits News, March 10, 2010
‘Unresistable offer’, ‘This is a self-cleaning cafeteria’.
Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Education S. Iswaran showed these examples of misused English in slides to members of the House on Wednesday, much to their amusement and chuckles.
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CPPCC member: Beware of English invasion
Wang Jingqiong
China Daily, March 10, 2010
BEIJING: With more and more publications mixing Chinese with English, measures and regulations should be adopted to avoid English invading Chinese, suggested Huang Youyi, director of the China International Publishing Group.
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Stop mangling the English language
Anna-Maria Kostovska
Spartan Daily, March 9, 2010
I am concerned about American college students' use of the English language.
Not too long ago, I was critiquing student essays for my fiction writing class, and I was forced to read through page after page of poor grammar, incorrect use of punctuation and other errors.
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Do not overlook English, says Talib
BorneoPost Online, March 8, 2010
BINTULU: The government’s emphasis on English does not mean Bahasa Malaysia (BM) — the country’s national language — is not important in the nation-building efforts.
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English language: Make it a compulsory pass subject at SPM
Samuel Yesuiah
NST Online, March 8, 2010
THE report “New English curriculum next year” (NST, Feb 14) on the proposal to introduce language arts and use of correct phonics in the new curriculum to assist students in mastering the language is a huge change from the current curriculum.
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‘Weakness in English major obstacle to higher education’
The Financial Express, March 8, 2010
Academics have identified weakness in English as a major barrier to higher education in the country and called for effective government initiatives to overcome the problem, reports BSS.
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Dalits look upon English as the language of emancipation
Pallavi Singh
Livemint, March 8, 2010
New Delhi: I dream of an English full of the words of my language.an English in small letters and English that shall tire a white man’s tongue an English where small children practice with smooth round pebbles in their mouth to spell the right zha.
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For French students, an English lesson teaches so much more
John Kelly
The Washington Post, March 8, 2010
This time last month, our household grew by one: a 16-year-old French girl named Charlotte Soutif, one of two dozen students from Lycée Paul-Louis Courier in Tours who were doing an exchange with Richard Montgomery High in Rockville.
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Pro: English should be official language of U.S.
Lourdes Vasquez
Victoria Advocate News, March 7, 2010
Proposed law The English Language Unity Act of 2009 was introduced in February 2009. One of its co-sponsors is U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, a Republican who represents most of the Crossroads region. The act would declare English as the official language of the United States. The bill would require the United States government to conduct most official business in English...
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How English Learning Made Easy
Sanjay Kumar
Pr-inside, March 7, 2010
It has been said that English is the hardest language to learn, but when you take online lessons, you will find that English learning is quite easy. This is because with these lessons you can choose your own schedule and review each lesson as many times.
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India's Aspiring English Speakers
Sadanand Dhume
The Wall Street Journal, March 2, 2010
At 8 p.m. on a Saturday, Rajeev Chamoli could be glued to a television screen watching cricket, or out with friends at one of this city’s many pubs. Instead, Mr. Chamoli, a 27-year-old software programmer, sits under a ceiling fan in a boxy classroom practicing his English along with five other students. “I would say I’m a very positive attitude guy,” says Mr. Chamoli in response to a teacher’s question. “I have an aggressive personality.”
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WHY DO YOU NEED “ENGLISH” ?
Saranga Wijeyarathne
Daily Mirror, March 7, 2010
I met one of my friends who was in the university few years back. He was talking to me very fluently in “ENGLISH” like someone who had was just come from UK. It was a great surprise for me. This guy who came to the university from Hanguranketha and I could recall he told me he saw the “English Alphabet” for the first time after coming to University...
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National Grammar Day: March 4 (March Forth)
Professor Mark J. Perry
Benzinga, March 5, 2010
Yesterday was National Grammar Day: "Language is something to be celebrated, and March 4 is the perfect day to do it. It's not only a date, it's an imperative: March forth on March 4 to speak well, write well, and help others do the same!"
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Will English become India’s weakness?
Pallavi Singh
Livemint.com, March 4, 2010
New Delhi: Inside a classroom in Mumbai’s Vile Parle neighbourhood, eight-year-olds are intently listening to the sounds of English characters and words, and watching them take shape on a television screen.
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Social Internet use encourages lazy communication
Sarah Hinson
The Blue Banner, March 3, 2010
The overwhelming prevalence of social Internet use and text messaging as a means of self-expression reveal a serious shift in the English language toward lazier, less complex communication.
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Top 5 Ways to Learn A Language – For Free
Olga at Going Global
Going Global, March 3, 2010
Aspiring international professionals have the advantage of kicking off their international career even before moving abroad. The nature of the global marketplace opens an arena of opportunities for individuals who can communicate in more than one language. Language competency adds to your marketability and positions you as an internationally savvy professional.
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Non-English speaking students...accommodate or teach them to think in English
Delma Blinson
Beaufort Observer Edition, March 3, 2010
There is always a danger when one frames a complex issue that oversimplifies the issue that much will be lost. But such is often essential in order to foster a useful debate of that complex issue. Bilingualism is such a case. Having said that we will attempt here to frame that issue in a simple manner in the hopes of contributing to a significant debate here in Beaufort County that seems to only grow as the years go by.
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Dual Language Learners: What Early Educators Need to Know
Maggie Severns
The New American Foundation, February 26, 2010
Dramatic change may be on its way in America’s education system with new federally funded grants and an emphasis on common standards likely to affect how and what the next generation of Americans learn. These shifts garner a lot of media attention. But another trend, no less significant, is also emerging:
Every year, more and more kids are entering our public schools speaking a language other than English.
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English Grammar: A Forbidding and Formidable Subject
Phil Guarnieri
Floral Park Dispatch, February 26, 2010
Do you know what the greatest conversation stopper in the world is? Pay attention, this could come in handy when encountering a bore at a cocktail party. When the bore asks what you do for a living, arch your eyebrows and inform them in your most professorial tone of voice that you teach English grammar. Watch carefully as a wave of self-consciousness stymies the nuisance into a tongue-tied wreck...
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Jaipur festival highlights changes in English-speaking literary world
Lucy Holland-Smith
The London Book Fair, February 26, 2010
“The annual Jaipur Literary Festival in India symbolises a change in focus among the English-speaking literary world.”
That is according to Wall Street Journal writer John Krich, who says that the increasing popularity of the event is representative of a “gravitational shift” in the literati’s perceptions of where the industry’s foci lie.
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English a must for studies, say USM foreign students
Andrea Filmer
The Star Online, February 23, 2010
GEORGE TOWN: Post-graduate students in Universiti Sains Malaysia are surprised by a claim that a foreign student could not understand either English or Bahasa Malaysia.
All my studies are in English, so of course I have to speak and understand the language« HUSSEIN ALBAZAR
Several foreign Masters and doctoral students said English was a must for their studies at the university and they also needed it for everyday interaction.
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Texting: A Battle Between English and Shortcuts
Elyse Miller
Kesq.com, February 23, 2010
PALM DESERT - Conversations are moving from face-to-face to screen-to-screen. More people are chatting online and through text messages, especially young teens. They've created short cuts and abbreviations so they can send more messages in less time. Some people worry the text language is hurting the proper English language, but others say it's all part of evolution.
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Issues: Many attaches cannot speak English'
The Jakarta Post, February 22, 2010
Many Indonesian attaches lack basic language competency, some are even unable to speak English, an official said Wednesday.
"Incompetent Indonesian attaches keep disrupting the goals set by our ambassadors," said Imron Cotan, the secretary-general of the Foreign Ministry, during a hearing at the House of Representatives.
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GMA to visit public schools to check on teachers' English proficiency
Manila Bulletin, February 21, 2010
It will be back-to-school of sorts for President Arroyo, a college professor before joining the government in the 1980s.
As the government steps up the training program for public school teachers, the President has bared plans to visit public elementary schools to personally check how well teachers speak and teach the English language.
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Wakayama school uses iPod Touch for English lesson
The Japan Times, February 20, 2010
WAKAYAMA (Kyodo) An elementary school in Wakayama has recently had an open English-language lesson using iPod Touch, with students watching video images of a native speaker on the small display of the digital handset.
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750 Saudi Arabian students to study English here
Fiona Gartland
Irish Times, February 20, 2010
SOME 750 Saudi Arabian students are to begin studying English in Dublin this April at a new institute of education.
The Citywest Institute of Education, developed by businessman Jim Mansfield, in Saggart, has secured a contract with the ministry of higher education in Saudi Arabia to tutor the students in English. The contract is worth €250 million to the company over six and a half years.
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Panicked diplomats 'call in sick' to avoid speaking English
Tom Allard
Sydney Morning Herald, February 20, 2010
JAKARTA: The head of Indonesia's foreign affairs department has expressed concern that some of its diplomatic attaches have such a poor command of English they ''freak out'' and regularly cancel appointments.
And while some envoys are calling in sick to dodge meetings, others have been lining their pockets by rorting the travel budget - part of a scam exposed this month.
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The Internet will make you smarter - experts
Kyiv Post, February 19, 2010
LOS ANGELES, Feb 19 (Reuters) - An online survey of 895 Web users and experts found more than three-quarters believe the Internet will make people smarter in the next 10 years, according to results released on Friday.
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Tagum City chants in communication proficiency
PIA Daily News Reader, February 17, 2010
Tagum City (17 February) -- The National Council for Children's Television (NCCT), Department of Education (DepEd), World Class Language Center, Oro Eco Enterprise and Convergys will stage for the third time the National English Jazz Chants Festival 2010.
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ICT employers prefer English-speaking skills over aesthetics
JMD Abangan
PIA Daily News Reader, February 13, 2010
Davao City (13 February) -- Employment nowadays no longer requires one to be young, beautiful and handsome, but strongly favors those who have good command in English. This is particularly true in the information-communication technology (ICT) industry.
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BPO firm to hire thousands on positive industry outlook
Ben Arnold O. De Vera
The Manila Times, February 13, 2010
Stream Global Services Inc., a business process outsourcing (BPO) firm that merged with eTelecare Global Solutions Inc., said it would hire thousands of workers this year as it remains upbeat that the country would become the next leading outsourcing destination.
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CNA celebrates launch of new English-language Web site (Update)
Central News Agency
Taiwan News Online, February 03, 2010
Taipei, Feb. 3 (CNA) Nearly 100 guests representing foreign missions in Taipei, as well as international and domestic media and government officials attended a launch party Wednesday for CNA's new English-language Web site, Focus Taiwan (focustaiwan.tw).
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Danish firm Vestas to open huge I.T. hub in Makati City
Alma Anonas-Carpio
Business Mirror, March 7, 2010
A Danish company specializing in providing wind-power technology solutions has announced that it is opening in the Philippines its largest information-technology hub outside of its main IT office in Randers, Denmark.
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India's Aspiring English Speakers
Sadanand Dhume
The Wall Street Journal, March 2, 2010
At 8 p.m. on a Saturday, Rajeev Chamoli could be glued to a television screen watching cricket, or out with friends at one of this city’s many pubs. Instead, Mr. Chamoli, a 27-year-old software programmer, sits under a ceiling fan in a boxy classroom practicing his English along with five other students. “I would say I’m a very positive attitude guy,” says Mr. Chamoli in response to a teacher’s question. “I have an aggressive personality.”
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Universities told to boost English programs
Guy Healy and Andrew Trounson
The Australian, February 10, 2010
UNIVERSITIES are being warned to increase their English language programs for international students given the potential for a review of the migration points system to recommend higher levels of proficiency.
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The Difficult Mechanics of the English Language
Karole Honas
Local News 8, February 09, 2010
IDAHO - Idaho State Senator Mike Jorgenson is introducing some anti-immigration bills through the legislature this year. One of his ideas: Written driver’s license tests in Idaho would be given in English only -- no interpreters allowed.
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English is the language that unites us
Steve Kaufmann
Vancouver Sun, February 8, 2010
The history of Vancouver and “British” Columbia’s does not sit well with UBC Prof. Henry Yu. He wants us to reject our past, including the dominance of English in our lives.
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Universities recruit students with inadequate English
Maggie Dolan
BBC News, Inside Out, February 8, 2010
A BBC investigation has found evidence that suggests some universities under financial pressure accept overseas students who lack adequate English.
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Teaching English to Colombian Police
Nebraska.tv , February 09, 2010
UNK is recruiting students from what may seem like an unlikely place.
Professors Dr. Keith and Lisa Terry went to Colombia this past summer to teach English to members of the national police force. Some of them have followed the Terrys back to UNK.
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English without Chinese at exams ‘traitorous'
Wu Yiyao
China Daily, February 7, 2010
SHANGHAI: Four Shanghai universities that included an English test in their independent admission examinations but chose to leave out Chinese have come under flak for giving “more importance to a foreign language”.
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Foreign students to face stricter English language test in Britain
The Times of India, February 7, 2010
LONDON: Foreign students from India and other countries outside the European region who want to study in Britain will have to sit for a stricter English-language test and will be banned from bringing over dependents if they are studying short courses, the government announced Sunday.
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English As The Global Business Language
UbaidIllah Mash
The Australian, February 04, 2010
Bandar Seri Begawan - Proficiency in English is a necessary requirement for any professional working in a global business environment, said the vice-chancellor of Institut Teknologi Brunei (ITB) during the opening of the second English for Business & Technology (E4BT) Conference yesterday.
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How Is Language Learnt?
Literacy News, February 03, 2010
In general, one of the most extraordinary features of human beings is language acquisition. When we say language acquisition, that is mean either the first language acquisition or the second language acquisition. In this domain, we should distinguish between the first language and the second language.
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English simple to grasp? Easy to say so
Jeff Kaley
Waurika News - Democrat, February 03, 2010
WAURIKA — Over the course of nearly 33 years in this biz, I’ve discovered several truisms, the most important of which may be: If you’ve got an assignment, you can write under all sorts of conditions.
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Universities concerned over student literacy
570 News: All Around Radio, February 01, 2010
Some concerning news about Canadian student literacy as the University of Waterloo says 30 per cent of its students are failing its mandatory English Language Proficiency Exam.
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English fever catching up among youths
Fatima Sidiya
Arab News, January 23, 2010
JEDDAH: An 11-year-old Saudi schoolgirl works hard at improving her English at school.
But Fatima Abdul Wahab, who is in her first intermediate year at a public school in Madinah, is trying to become what she refers to as a “Saudi-American.”
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Foreign workers must pass English test to qualify for skilled status
Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid
Channel NewsAsia, January 23, 2010
SINGAPORE : To qualify for skilled levy status, foreign workers in the hotel, food and beverage (F&B), and retail sectors in Singapore will have to pass a listening and oral English test.
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Ajman to require English training for more than 600 employees
Yasin Kakande
The National, January 18, 2010
More than 600 municipal workers in Ajman will have to take English classes this year so they can better serve people.
The municipality launched the mandatory English training programme yesterday with the hope that the staff will have a working knowledge of the language by the end of 2010.
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Gordon, Teodoro, Villar bat for English
Christine Herrera
Manila Standard Today, January 16-17, 2010
Three presidential candidates are pressing for the return of English as the medium of instruction and the official language in court hearings and transactions in government.
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The importance of grammar (Part lll)
By KEITH WRIGHT
Manila Bulleting, January 13, 2010
Knowing why a word or word group is being used in a grammatically correct way can be just as important on one’s journey to becoming a superior speaker and writer of English as knowing how to use words correctly.
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And the 'Word of the Decade' is...
Kristine Servando
abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak, January 13, 2010
MANILA, Philippines - Experts from the American Dialect Society's (ADS) chose "techie" words as "Word of the Year" and "Word of the Decade."
In a press statement on the website of ADS, "tweet" was voted as the Word of the Year while "google" was voted as the Word of the Decade.
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Research to find effects on brain of bilingualism
BBC, January 12, 2010
A project at Bangor University aims to explore the benefit of being bilingual.
Researchers will be recruiting 700 people aged between two and 80 to take part in the £750,000 programme.
Prof. Virginia Gathercole said the obvious benefits included being able to converse and to participate in two cultures.
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News digest of local media -- English ability
Central News Agency/ Taiwan News, December 18, 2009
Taiwanese schoolchildren's English ability is second-best in non-English-speaking Asian nations, but older students lag behind other countries in the region, according to the results of recent international examinations.
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RP should continue improving English proficiency
Marvin Sy
The Philippine Star, December 09, 2009
MANILA, Philippines - Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Augusto Santos reiterated yesterday that the Philippines should continue efforts to improve English proficiency as other Asian nations, including China, have increased their standing as the region’s most competitive nations.
Santos said China is catching up with India in terms of English proficiency and this development would have an impact on the competitiveness of the Philippines in sectors requiring English language fluency.
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China overtaking India in English usage: study
Indo Asian News Service, November 20, 2009
London, Nov 20 (IANS) India is falling behind China in its attempts to increase the use of English, risking squandering a key economic advantage, a new report says.
A 'huge shortage' of teachers and quality institutions means China may now have more people who speak English than India, says the study by the British Council, Britain's international cultural relations body.
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CEPD's new English proficiency program won't work wonders
Joe Hung
The China Post, April 24, 2009
The Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) has just approved a proposal made by the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission to improve English proficiency in Taiwan.
Under the project, the CEPD is ready to spend NT$200 million a year from 2010 through 2012 to use Hanyu pinyin in Romanizing all street names and signs for public places, and open an unspecified number of English villages to familiarize youngsters with the use of that universal language.
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Fearing English in the Philippines
By Isabel Pefianco Martin
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 12 April 2008
Sometime ago, at a teacher training session I conducted, I made the mistake of suggesting that Math and Science teachers consider code switching (using English and Tagalog) as a strategy for making lessons less difficult for their students. I did not know that the school had just implemented an English-only policy in the classrooms, corridors and faculty lounges. No wonder teachers and students rushed to the quadrangle during break time!
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The new English in Camp Aguinaldo
DJ Yap, N.Dizon, T. Quismundo
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 12 April 2008
Jojo and Glo, once upon a time. They may be on opposite ends of the political divide now, but there was a time Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Jejomar Binay were phone buddies.
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