The language instructs itself. We are merely the vehicle. We need to get out of the way as the language goes about its business of bringing communication. The room is not big enough for a self-absorbed teacher who thinks that he or she is always on stage.

If we can focus a bit less on the skills (the bone) and try to establish a more genuine and compelling and soft and flowing communication with our kids (the marrow) we may be able to find out the magnificence of this work. Genuine and compelling and soft and flowing communication is what comprehensible input

Two days ago in an email message Tina Hargaden asked Dr. Krashen: Q. Is Non-Targeted input less efficient? Someone recently said that with only a hundred hours of class time we need targets and that Non-Targeted work can only exist in a perfect ideal world. I’m wondering if there’s data to back that up. A.

To invoke the image from Rabelais, we have focused too much on the outside part of the bone – the skills – and not enough on the bone marrow – FLOW and a sense of soft heart centered communication with our students. We can’t be blamed. Schools have had that effect on us. We started

I feel that I have finally uncovered, via bloody hands and fingers, the nature of this work. I feel as if I’ve been off track for fifteen years now. It is because I worked in schools, so no blame. I see now that the real nature of this work with comprehensible input lies in being

In the following exchange, who asked and who answered? (Hint: they are both familiar names in our PLC.) Q. Is Non-Targeted input less efficient? Someone recently said that with only a hundred hours of class time we need targets and that Non-Targeted work can only exist in a perfect ideal world. I’m wondering if there’s

Sorry to keep talking about the Invisibles. The old stuff just lacks the power I find there. Many who have been trained in their use are finding out the same thing. The concept does need explanation and I intend to get going on a video on how to use them in class that is very

I just got an email from John Daley in Boston who, talking about ways to best present CI to our colleagues, offered up the best image I have yet heard on how to reach out to others about CI: …we don’t catch fish by jumping in the water and choking them….

How do we teach using CI in 1:1 or very small group situations? Nothing has worked so far. It’s been a kind of a leitmotif question here over all the years, one we really haven’t been able to answer. I believe that an answer, a really good answer, can be found in the Invisibles. During

Jim has been with the group for many years. He is always changing and evolving. Here is an excellent report describing what he is up to these days: Lately the way I’ve approached CWB has changed. After a few conversations with Bryce and others about how they do personal interviews, I’ve found myself more comfortable talking

A repost from when I was in India last year: If a class is being gnarly, put them immediately on a worksheet program. I did so recently because a lot of my diplomat kids are going back to countries next year where it is all grammar. Their parents, knowing this, have expressed “concern” that their

Some points about how people acquire languages: From Dr. Beniko Mason: “The best way to improve in a foreign language is to do a great deal of comprehensible, interesting reading. The case for self-selected reading for pleasure is overwhelming.” From Dr. Stephen Krashen: “Language acquisition does not require extensive use of conscious grammatical rules, and