Learning English
13Mar
13 Mar 2018
English Will Remain The International Language
The dominant position of English as an international language seems to create controversy in certain circles. Some French people for example, resent the increasing importance of English in the European community. Claude Hagège is a spokesman for this point of view. French used to be the language of diplomacy and the preferred language of international exchange. […]
Read more English Will Remain The International Language07Oct
Syrian Refugees Will Need to Invest in Language Skills
Refugees are flowing into Europe. The newspapers, TV news and social media are reporting on the desperate plight of people fleeing war in Syria and elsewhere, or people who are simply seeking a better life in Europe. Europe is not the only area into which refugees are flowing. We are witnessing a massive movement […]
Read more Syrian Refugees Will Need to Invest in Language Skills13May
Should More Money Be Spent On Language Education?
More money should be spent on language instruction says this article from The Atlantic. Yet many of the arguments strike me, a language learning enthusiast, as out of date. “Educators from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C., this past Thursday to lobby in the interest of world languages. It was Language Advocacy Day, an annual […]
Read more Should More Money Be Spent On Language Education?08Apr
A glimpse of the Maidan
I don’t know how many people follow these events in Russian but the following exchange provides some insight into the dynamics of the Maidan and yet another example of how Russian TV deliberately edits video to spread misinformation. FAKE: Witnesses Say Euromaidan Participants were Paid Want to learn Russian from content you love?
Read more A glimpse of the Maidan07Apr
Language and politics, Ukraine and Quebec
Language and politics often go together. Language is often as much a political weapon as a means of communication. Ukraine and Quebec are examples. For a fascinating glimpse into the tensions of Ukraine, if you understand Russian, watch today’s episode of ShusterLive. I was treated to political debate in front of 6 students from Donetsk […]
Read more Language and politics, Ukraine and Quebec11Jul
US Politics. Obamacare. What’s the problem?
What is behind the resistance to a compulsory universal health insurance program in the US? I do not always understand US politics, but I am really lost on the health care issue. The US spends amost twice as much per capita on health as most OECD ...
Read more US Politics. Obamacare. What’s the problem?27Feb
Stonewalled by the bureaucracy again.
The British Columbia provincial government decides how immigrant ESL funds are spent in this province. Thanks to my local member of the Provincial Legislative Assembly, I was put into contact with the Minister of Advanced Education, to whom I wrot...
Read more Stonewalled by the bureaucracy again.