Category: Entrepreneurial Wellness

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What Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to teach English-as-a-Second Language?

July 2024 Vol 6 Issue 7

Tell Your Story Newsletter (TYSN):
Teaching English as a Second Language
Let us help you tell your story!

Welcome Mid-July 2024! Summer is here!

Late spring and early summer in Saskatchewan began so cool and rainy that many of us lamented (around the proverbial office water-cooler): “Will we ever see the sun this summer?”

But less than three weeks later, high heat set in, with temperatures reaching 30 degrees Celsius or higher. After a brief reprieve last weekend (marked by refreshing breezes and short downpours), we can expect to return to the low 30s by the end of this week.

Journalist and author Joanne Paulson lamented in a message to me how “ridiculous” it is that we complain about both the cool and the intensely hot weather, never satisfied with either (and often not noticing whatever comes in-between).

Marketing maverick Sara Wheelwright (of Trusted Saskatoon) reminded us over Facebook how summer should be done, soaking up the sun and the melodies last week of Saskatoon’s Jazz Festival, fast on the heels of a joyous visit with extended family at her lakefront cottage. . . . And
much more to come!

After too many years of what I call “Pandemic summers,” I spent Canada Day with close friends in Burlington, walking some of the shoreline of Lake Ontario. And, since holidays are seldom times to eat wisely, some of the memorable meals we enjoyed included delicious hamburgers at Canada’s “The Works” and (one day later) Japanese fare at “k & b sushi,” in Oakville.

Since I’ve been hoping that “high summer” may take you into the great outdoors, good reader, I’ve kept this month’s features shorter and simpler than earlier ones.

In “Article One,” I visit ESL teacher and teacher-trainer, Carl Cameron Day, on what Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be useful in the ESL classroom.

In “Storytellers’ Corner,” I have fun visiting five “common Latin terms everyone should know,” from contributors to the online resource, “Grammar Check.”
Rather than insisting that everyone “should” know these Latin terms, I offer them instead as a source for experimentation and laughter, at your next BBQ or party. (More Latin terms will follow, next month.)

Enjoy this beautiful season, good readers, so that wonderful memories (forged by your closest relationships) will buoy your spirits as we proceed through the last half of this year’s orbit around the sun.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth Shih
Principal
Storytelling Communications
www.elizabethshih.com
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IN THIS ISSUE:
ARTICLE 1: What AI tools can be used to teach English-as-a-Second Language?
STORYTELLERS’ CORNER: Five Common Latin Terms to Know
SHOP NEWS
ABOUT US
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ARTICLE ONE: What AI tools can be used to teach English-as-a-Second Language?

In a recent webinar from my language training institute, TEFL.org, English-as-a-Second Language teacher (ESL) and teacher trainer, Carl Cameron-Day, shared his insights on how we can use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the ESL classroom.

For many teachers and writers, AI raises complex, ethical questions that Carl acknowledged. But to start, he addressed: How is AI currently used to teach the English language? Here are some of his answers:

(1) Some standard examinations for non-native speakers of English (e.g. Duolingo, Trinity) are now being graded by AI.

(2) ESL teachers use AI platforms to grade and check for plagiarism in student assignments. (For e.g., teachers can copy and paste student work into AI to test for originality and correct citation of sources. One such platform is “Originality.ai,” although critics have already said these sites function imperfectly).

(3) AI can be used to generate materials for class, such as reading exercises. Otherwise, preparing teaching materials can consume hours of teachers’ time and challenge us to make them fresh and interesting.

(4) Problematic: Students may use AI to write assignments. So teachers should still manually review assignments and be wary of plagiarism (see also #2, above).

(5) Apps are now being used for language study (e.g. Duolingo), so students can practice their oral skills in their own time and space, without having to visit a language lab or library.

Carl also cited some applications of AI that may help ESL teachers:

(1) To help to make syllabi – writing syllabi is a hard task to do, when you have limited experience as a teacher. AI can help to create a first draft. Similarly, you can create an outline for one-on-one tutoring via AI.

(2) To prepare exercises pitched to students’ literacy levels.

(3) To prepare yourself if you haven’t taught a particular type of class before (e.g. Business English or IELTS preparation classes).

(4) To adapt content to your student(s) because AI is generic and needs customizing to meet
students’ needs.

(5) To derive curriculum (e.g. Type into ChatGPT: “Show me a syllabus in English for a Chinese CLB level 3 speaker with poor pronunciation.”) You will likely need to break down your research to use more than one prompt, to retrieve complex/detailed knowledge. But remember that the AI retains your earlier prompts and its answers to them, as you continue in the
same session.)

(6) To practice your skills at writing effective prompts (e.g. “Make me an elementary reading lesson for an eight-year-old boy who is learning English.”) You can derive a story, activities, test for comprehension, vocabulary, etc.

(7) To assess students: AI can review errors and weaknesses in students’ writing, as well as their speaking and pronunciation.

(8) To review AI’s own ideas for quality, accuracy and appropriateness for your audience. Tools like Otter.ai will transcribe students’ speaking, during a Zoom/Teams meeting, to show problems and mistakes you can correct for them (e.g. “Please show me the errors in the following text . . .” (You can also paste writing into Grammarly.com, which is powered by AI, or
into MSWord, which everyone expects to integrate AI . . . )

Other uses of AI for teachers:
(1) To find/make pictures for “warmers” to lessons or
activities (e.g. https://www.craiyon.com/)

(2) To create quizzes for students (e.g. https://www.quizgecko.com)

Troubleshooting tips for using AI in classrooms:
(1) Check anything created by AI—where did it come from; don’t assume its source is good, or that the material is error-free.

(2) Be careful when talking about AI with colleagues—personalize your lessons and don’t publicize that you use AI; some older or more experienced teachers will think you lack a work ethic (and not that you are “working smarter, not harder.”)

(3) Show students how to use AI effectively and not just as an “easy way out.” Check the ages of your students to avoid overusing AI with young children.

(4) Experiment with prompts, especially with writing more verbs than normal.
If, like some teachers participating in Carl’s webinar, you fear you’ll be replaced by an AI bot, his advice was to take heart.

Carl said there will still be a need for a teacher at the front of the room, to effectively correct students’ errors. He concluded the webinar by mentioning that particularly difficult for AI is to correct pronunciation well (e.g. to decipher foreign accents and how to remedy them); and to explain grammar, structure, style and so on, with warmth, humour and kindness. (Carl has these qualities
in spades and encourages other teachers to use them, too.)

So what other uses of AI can you think of, for ESL teaching, or for any educational purposes, overall? How can we prevent AI from overthrowing our teaching of English and other languages and skills?

And now it’s your turn. How do we maintain firm ground as teachers or writers, in this age of AI? How can we remain what Nick Usborne terms, “humans in the loop?”

Please write in; I’d be delighted to share your insights in future issues of TYSN.
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STORYTELLERS’ CORNER . . . .

STORYTELLERS’ CORNER: Words, Stories, Riddles and Jokes on Writing and Editing . . . 

Five Common Latin Terms to Know (from grammarcheck.net)

(1) A priori (From what is before). E.g.: ” ‘All bachelors are unmarried’ is an a priori statement.”

(2) Ad hoc (For this situation). E.g. ” ‘The library was turned into an ad hoc shelter, during the storm.”

(3) Ad infinitum (To infinity). E.g. “Sandra complained about her work ad infinitum.”

(4) Ad libitum or Ad lib (As you desire). E.g. “Some actors were great at ad lib during their scenes.”

(5) Ad nauseam (To the point of sickness). E.g. “We heard an ad nauseam speech about his medical problems.”

There will be more Latin terms to use, in next month’s issue of “Tell Your Story Newsletter!”

If you have never studied Latin (for long), how might you make use of these terms in common parlance–for entertainment if not edification?
Please share your stories with me; I’d be delighted to cite you in a future issue.
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SHOP NEWS:

As I mentioned earlier, I am grateful to have enjoyed several days of holidays with old friends in Burlington. A change of scene is so important, especially for those of us who work from home. My deepest thanks to Arian and family for sharing their home and many dinners out with me!

I loved walking near Lake Ontario and admiring the glorious blue and mauve hydrangea bushes, which were more limited in number and size than the white variety. I especially enjoyed evening walks with Arian in her family’s “Orchard” neighbourhood, and hope to host their visit to Saskatoon in upcoming years.

I also remain grateful for smooth air travel to the staff of Air Canada, including no labour strikes in summer’s high travel season.

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Extra special thanks to Steve Cavan, whose many hats include those of ESL teacher, mentor and
editor. Steve graciously took over a recent project on a short time frame for a new client, when my schedule was overbooked.
He also continues to mentor me as I adapt to teaching on different platforms and using some new resources.

For all of these reasons–and more–I have only high praise for Steve. . . I wish him and his lovely wife, Kathy, all the very best as they explore retirement in Italy, this fall!

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Many thanks also go this month to Cathy M., a research librarian at U of S Murray Library, for assisting me in finding and printing an article available to alumni (in-person). The process reminded me of the importance of alumni updating/resetting our passwords on the U of S network–details needed to allow alumni to download journal holdings efficiently, when visiting campus libraries.

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Thank you also to client Greg Gilroy for asking me to edit his memoir this summer. It is a “legacy” document about his career as a veteran Saskatoon bus driver.

The audience for his memoir is newbie drivers (who can benefit from his experience) and senior colleagues, who will find that Greg’s thoughts, memories and laughter resonate with them.

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I’m glad to share housesitting and elder care duties with Parish Nurse, Laura, whose deep knowledge of nursing and patient care have supported me throughout the past six years of my elder care. And thank you to all of you who quietly and sometimes thanklessly visit the elderly throughout our city and province, when loneliness and sadness among them are such an epidemic.

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Thank you to my dear friend Lesley who invited me to enjoy a lovely afternoon in her glorious garden in River Heights.
Luscious flowers (from ornate peonies and hydrangeas to the self-seeding miniature violets and bachelor buttons) in vivid colours provided a visual feast; and conversation with Lesley brought much serenity, too.

The garden took me back to early childhood memories of flowers grown by my grandmother’s cousin, some 45 years ago.

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Although deadlines caused me (and several others) to miss our freelance writers’ “roundtable” meeting in early July, I plan to catch up with members’ updates at our August meeting.

Our group’s collective articles for the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild’s “Ask a Freelancer” series were well-received and fun to write! (We offered our insights on topics of creativity, writerly resources, pitching for contracts and time management.)
The group plans on repeating collective articles on new topics, in a few years’ time. Special thanks to writer Ashleigh Mattern for coordinating these articles!

There are always new people to thank and new work to promote. But this is a wrap for mid-July!

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ABOUT US:

Between 2011 and December 2018, Elizabeth Shih Communications chronicled the stories of B2B marketing and communications on the Prairies and across the country.

Effective January 1, 2019, I rebranded as “Storytelling Communications.” I help new and economic immigrants to secure better jobs or contracts by improving their English skills; and I help individuals and companies to tell their legacy stories.

Interested in learning more? Please contact me through my CASL-compliant
website (www.elizabethshih.com).

After I receive your message, I’ll be pleased to discuss projects with you!

Please visit my website for more information (www.storytellingcommunications.ca).

 

 

 

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How is AI helping English as a Second Language teaching platforms? Pros and cons on italki.com . . .

How is Artificial Intelligence (AI) helping  English as a second language teaching platforms? There are pros and cons to using AI, as this week’s blog posting shows.

I have taught English for the past  three-and-a-half years on the online platform italki.com  . Last week, three of italki’s staff—“Yisen” (aka Jonathan Cook, professional teacher), Jake (AI product manager, who uses only his first name) and Co-Founder, Kevin Chen–spoke on a webinar about how AI is helping English as a second language teaching platforms to succeed.

Today, anyone involved in any form of communication knows that AI is rapidly evolving and becoming increasingly integrated into the work of every industry, including language (and other) education.  The panel spoke about  how AI tools are currently being beta-tested on italki.com, so interested teachers can seek opportunities on the platform to contribute to the development and application of AI.

The panel discussed how trends of AI will impact language learning:

  • ESL teachers should not panic, since AI won’t replace them. Yisen stressed that the human part of education is irreplaceable.
  • With online ESL teaching, the “magic” happens when the teacher connects with a learner/student at a personal level (e.g. “aha” moments occur, in the process of learning, which involve Emotional Intelligence [EI]). AI can never replace teaching that includes EI (e.g. emotional intelligence–factors like empathy and feelings).
  • Co-founder Kevin commented that AI and human teaching are not identical in nature, so that AI cannot repace humans. (We are what Nick Usborne in another context calls “the human in the loop.”)
  • Teachers remain the most important contributors to a student’s language learning.
  • AI is best when it’s used to empower people; humans should always be in control. 

Three uses of AI that will benefit students/learners on italki (pros):

  • Teachers can find inspiration for preparing lessons, using AI tools.
  • Teachers can secure exercises and materials to share with their classes.
  • Students/Learners can use bots to practice their conversation, role-play, or ask questions from their studies that they do not understand.

Some current limits (cons) on using AI (across all platforms and industries):

  • It can be hard to verify the accuracy and validity of some AI-generated information (e.g. errors, “hallucinations” are two examples of this).
  • Students/Learners often feel frustrated and lost, when the bots they use don’t understand where they’re at, in their language learning process. Learners get discouraged when bots don’t acknowledge their struggles and challenges.
  • italki.com uses AI to enhance the relationship between teachers and students/learners, to “add value, not to take away from all of those human elements” (Yisen).

Some AI tools for teachers to adapt on italki, itself:

  • A “Learning Plan”—AI can assist as a planning tool—(i) as a habit builder—to track the number of lessons per week and progress from one class to the next. (ii) for defining the focus of lessons—Students/Learners can stay motivated for longer by telling teachers the areas they want to cover.
  • A “Lesson Preparation Tool”—AI can help teachers plan and create content for an upcoming lesson—such as talking points; a variety of types of in-lesson exercises: (i) fill-in-the-gaps (ii) multiple choice (iii) unscramble words and more.

AI takes a transcript of a lesson on the platform and can develop a summary from in-class learning and conversations. These summaries help students fine-tune their studies and review. For instance, AI can provide a topic summary, a list of vocabulary, a list of idioms and expressions, a summary of the major grammar points of a lesson, all of which can fuel learners’ motivation and commitment to learning.

 

The panel’s closing thoughts about AI use on italki.com:

It’s important to note that both students/learners and teachers need to consent to having their classes recorded. The panel said that italki values privacy; it does not sell or share  recordings with any third party.

Both students/learners and teachers can opt out of using AI. But AI tools are only increasing in value over time, so it makes sense to start using them now.

The bottom line is that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is helping to strengthen English as a second language teaching platforms: italki is not alone here! The market is huge.

Yisen also added that teachers on the platform can join the “AI Teacher Community” by signing up over email. There teachers can talk with each other, ask and answer questions, share news (something I intend to do soon!).

Inside the teacher community is the local AI division, where teachers can participate in surveys and (beta) user-testing for AI development on the platform. Further, teachers can practice using AI tools to gain familiarity with them before applying them in class.

The upshot is yes, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is helping  English as a second language teaching platforms to succeed. But there are pros and cons to using AI for language learning (and for everything else).

I’m just starting to integrate AI into my teaching over italki.com  .  Some of my students from Eastern and Western Europe have expressed an interest in using AI to improve their language skills, since the tech is clearly here to stay.

And now it’s your turn: What do you think about the influence of AI on online learning platforms (e.g. italki.com)? If you are a language learner, have you found AI helpful?

If you teach languages to newcomers or other learners, how do you use AI to enhance the learning process?  

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Do languages evolve like biological species? An Answer in the mid-June issue of ‘Tell Your Story Newsletter’ . . .

June 2024 Vol 6 Issue 6

Tell Your Story Newsletter (TYSN):
Teaching English as a Second Language
Let us tell your story!

Welcome Mid-June 2024!
As I prepare this issue of “Tell Your Story Newsletter,” we have had over a week of grey skies and nourishing rain, punctuated by one or two “thunderplumps,” (downpours of fat, heavy raindrops), as described by English lexicographer (wordsmith extraordinaire), Susie Dent.

Today, though, the sun banished the grey clouds to make weekly activities and errands more pleasant!

With Father’s Day approaching this weekend, I hope you will find some time to spend with family, even if the “great outdoors” may not be as sunny and warm as we’d like.

This mid-June issue of “Tell Your Story Communications” is dedicated to the wonderful complexity and capacity of the English language–something I regularly contemplate, when I teach newcomers.

In “Article One,” this month, I visit the contention (presented by staff writers at “The Economist” that languages (including English) evolve like biological species do. . . . English as a Second Language learners (ESL) take note, if English seems a less-than-straightforward language to you!

And in this month’s issue of “Storytellers’ Corner,” I share 10 “obsolete” words that blogger Julia McCoy thinks we should revive. Then I step back to ask, “why do words matter so much, anyway . . .?”

As summer begins to unfurl, I wish each of you time to relax and recharge–body, mind and spirit–in the company of the family and/or friends you most enjoy.

While Saskatchewan’s northern lakes are a beautiful setting for time with loved ones, her many urban parks are also lovely. Consider Saskatoon’s Forestry Farm Park and even small neighbourhood ones,
such as the G.D. Archibald and Wilson Parks. All are child-friendly.

Which favourite haunts will you visit, this summer?

Enjoy this beautiful season, good readers, so that the prosperity of your relationships and the memories they create will be yours, now and always.

Sincerely yours,
Elizabeth
Principal
Storytelling Communications
www.elizabethshih.com
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IN THIS ISSUE:

ARTICLE 1: Do languages evolve like biological species? Staff writers at ‘The Economist’ have an answer . . .

STORYTELLERS’ CORNER: Amazing, obsolete words in the English dictionary” that we should revive + the bigger picture of why words matter!

SHOP NEWS

ABOUT US

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Article One: Do languages evolve like biological species? Staff writers at “The Economist” have an answer . . .

As readers will know from prior issues of my enewsletter and prior postings of my blog, I often read the writing of a set of staff writers at “The Economist” who adopt the collective name of “Johnson” (after Samuel, himself, the 18th-Century lexicographer and author).

The “Johnson” writers discuss fascinating contemporary aspects of English language and culture with close research into their historical roots.

In one such article, “Johnson” (as I’ll refer to them, hereafter) wrote that Charles Darwin saw that there are parallels between the evolution of languages and that of biological species.

Today, linguists, philologists and lexicographers (e.g. British lexicographer Susie Dent) tell us that languages are developing and changing all the time. Often, intellectuals view these changes as positive or neutral, but not necessarily negative.

New uses of words appear and old ones disappear.

Terms like “doomscrolling” and “mansplaining” and changes to the meaning of words like “epic” and “branding” show evolution, just as other words fall away.

The latter words exist by the thousands, including, for example, “crapulous” (feeling ill from excessive eating or drinking) and “grumpish” (meaning sullen or grumpy). (For more on obsolete words, see “Storytellers’ Corner,” below, this month.)

Contemporary linguists and philologists apply methods from other sciences to try to organize and explain changes in language. This contrasts the past, Johnson says, when “influence once ran the other way,” when “discoveries in linguistic history [left] a mark on evolutionary theory.”

For instance, Johnson cites the late 18th-century British judge, William Jones, stationed in India, who argued that Sanskrit’s similarity to Latin and Greek was not due to “chance.” Jones proposed (more persuasively than his peers) that there was “a parent language,” like a parent species in biology, from
which these other languages were descendants —“Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, Persian and other European tongues.”

By the 1830s, Jones’ insight, elaborated upon by philologists who had followed him, was picked up by the young Charles Darwin, who thought that evidence that different languages had evolved from a single parent language required a much longer human history than sourcebooks like The Bible
allowed.

Thirty-five years later, Darwin analyzed the parallel between the development of language and evolution, writing that both were “developed through a gradual process,” that was “curiously the same.” Having observed that changes to language occur over long periods of time, he thought it was
possible that one language had “given birth to both Hindi and English,” as Johnson reports.

The emergence of different species of course occurs both in language and in biology. Darwin found that finches separated on different Galapagos islands developed into different species, and that those who contributed to the survival of the group became prevalent by natural selection. “When
such changes accumulate,” as Darwin argued, you develop “two different species.”

Linguistic populations when separated by distance or physical barriers (e.g. oceans, mountains) have similarly differentiated. Small and random changes to pronunciation or to the meaning or grammar of words may be too small for a tribe to notice them. But as many generations pass, with numerous
neologisms arising from a mix of old syllables and mistakes or irregularities to create new words, native “speakers gradually lose the ability to converse with [one] another—[so] two speciating populations being to lose the ability to mate” (Johnson).

Contemporary linguists and philologists have observed other parallels between evolution and language development. Words, writes Mark Pagel (Reading Univ.), are like genes in being “discrete, heritable unities.”
As “Johnson” says, DNA replicating is like my “language teaching” (ESL) to economic immigrants!

“Physical fossils resemble ancient texts,” Johnson argues. But he notes that there are also differences, the largest of which is that “the chief driver of biological evolution—natural selection—is mostly absent in language.”
Johnson observes that whereas a bad mutation can kill an animal (or human), changes in language aren’t usually fatal.

Words may change meaning not to “avoid a predator, but because they help people communicate.” And new meanings for a word may not pertain to the “fitness” of its meaning or speaker. As Johnson notes, a celebrity’s use of a word may “take off quicker” than an academic (neologist)’s, simply because the celebrity has more followers on “X” or “TikTok.”

Johnson writes that “there is a deep and revealing relationship between linguistic change and biological evolution—along with some [major] differences.”

The final shared feature between these two kinds of evolution is that development is not “a process of ever-increasing sophistication.” Both organisms and languages “change to fit their environments.

They may not always become more refined,” Johnson writes. “But neither are they in decline,” he concludes, despite the ongoing lament of traditionalists (in both fields).

And that gives regular users of language, ESL/TEFL teachers and students alike–not to mention native speakers who resent the effects of immigration–much to contemplate.

And now it’s your turn: What do you think about the parallel of biological for linguistic evolution?
Do you agree or disagree with what their relationship has taught us (as summarized by “Johnson”)?
Please write in; I’d be delighted to hear from you.

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STORYTELLERS’ CORNER . . . .

STORYTELLERS’ CORNER: Words, Stories, Riddles and Jokes on English Writing and Editing . . .

This month: “Amazing, obsolete words in the English dictionary” that we should revive + the bigger picture of why words matter!

 

In a recent blog posting on expresswriters.com, American copywriter Julia McCoy has collected “30 amazing, obsolete words in the English dictionary we should bring back to life.” McCoy asserts that words in English do have a limited lifespan. Some originate before present-day
English developed, while others have been “completely ditched.”

To keep this column quick to read, I share below just 10 seldom or never-used words that McCoy thinks were “retired” before their time. Then I’ll reflect more broadly on why words matter at all, with help from English lexicographer,
Susie Dent.

(1) “Groak”—means “to watch someone silently, as they eat,” hoping they’ll share with you. (e.g. How can I enjoy my perogies while that woman is groaking me?)

(2) “Snowbrowth”—from the 1590s, it refers to freshly melted snow. (e.g. Last night there was a snowstorm, that blanketed the yard. But now, it’s merely snowbrowth.)

(3) Excogigate—from Latin origins that mean “to bring out by thinking,” this word means “to plot, plan [or] devise,” but not in a linear way. (e.g. What is Bruce excogigating over there?)

(4) Apricity—from the 1620s, this means “when it’s a cold winter’s day, but the sun is gloriously warm.” (e.g. Although temperatures may be -40 degrees Celsius, apricity makes Saskatoon winters bearable.)

(5) Twattle—means “to gossip.” (e.g. Stop twattling and get back to work!)

(6) Elflock—means “if you have wavy hair and you wake up with it tangled and mangled. . . as if elves have tied it into knots during the night.” (e.g. Have you seen the state of his elflocks today?)

(7) “Gorgonize” – from the early 17th Century, means “to have a mesmerizing effect on someone.” (e.g. I was gorgonized by the sight of him, as he entered the room).

(8) “Curgluff”—a Scottish term from the 19th Century, it means an “intense shock.” (e.g. When you plunge into that cold ocean water and want to scream, you’ll experience curgluff!)

(9) “Snoutfair”—a 16th Century term that refers to “a good-looking person.” (e.g. Janet’s new boyfriend is a total snoutfair!)

(10) “Monsterful” —from the 1820s, it means “something rather extraordinary and wonderful. (e.g. The movie was every bit as monsterful as the trailer promised.)

Why do words like these above matter so much? In other reading this month, I learned that psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett has found that having the vocabulary to articulate happy feelings can help us to manage our emotions better.
Similarly, having fun words for sad feelings can make us feel less alone. Words matter and it’s important that anyone who wishes can learn to listen, speak, read and write English well.

In an interview in “The Guardian” newspaper (September 2023), etymologist and lexicographer Susie Dent reports that non-native speakers of English around the world now outnumber native speakers. So there will be many “new Englishes” in these people’s “hands and mouths,” around the world.

Dent sees this positively, not as a threat, saying, “English has always evolved by mistake . . . The example I give is the Jerusalem artichoke, which has nothing to do with Jerusalem and is not even an artichoke. The plant is a heliotrope—it turns toward the sun—but because we couldn’t pronounce the
Italian ‘gira sol,’ we thought ‘Jerusalem’ would do.” She refuses to despair about the future of language or of the world it reflects.

When asked for favourite words, Dent names one that resonates most with me: “respair.” It means “the opposite of despair; it only has one record in the dictionary, and it means to recover from despair.” But, she adds, “it also means hoping for better days around the corner. Having fresh hope
and optimism.”

And now it’s your turn: What do you think of retired words like those McCoy has collected? And do you think changes and growth in the English language are something to “respair” about, as Susie Dent does?

Please write in: I’d be delighted to hear from you!
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SHOP NEWS:

Since the last issue of TYSN, I’m happy to report that a “reconvention” of “Table 32,” from May 15th’s gala of the Women Entrepreneurs of SK (WESK), has occurred!

While some at our table (notably me) did not dress as opulently for the gala as other attendees (thinking, “this is not the Academy Awards” . . . .) and while we laughed about being in the “nosebleed” seats, four of our table’s original six women entrepreneurs happily reconnected last week at Prairie Sun Brewery.

And others sent regrets until we meet again. We plan to reconvene to support each other’s businesses by sharing referrals, resources and strategies
for living our best lives.

Now that’s what I call networking!

Thanks to Suzanne Anton, Keshia Gamola and Sandra Miller for returning to the metaphorical table; Annie Charles, Kristen Pierce , Aimee Brown and some new entrepreneurial “sisters” will likely join us in August!
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As summer transforms our yards, gardens and minds, many Saskatchewanian entrepreneurs head to one of the province’s 100,000 lakes or travel out-of-province to see family and friends. In both cases, you may find yourself wishing for a local food or artistic product to enrich a meal or as a
housewarming gift.

When seeking just that, I was delighted recently to revisit Sask-Made Marketplace at 8th Street and Louise Avenue (Louis the 8th Mall). I was impressed to find a much larger range of inventory than earlier existed, in pre-pandemic times.

Last week, for instance, I particularly appreciated Grassland Greens’ microgreens, several varieties of bison meat, photographs by Debra Marshall, local paintings and pottery from several Saskatchewan artists, fruit products and syrups (including those made with local haskap berries),
handmade jewellery, beeswax candles, alpaca products and more . . . .
And the staff were welcoming and cheerful.

If you haven’t visited Sask-Made Marketplace recently, do please consider visiting soon!

Some of their many food products are available in small sizes (under 100 ml), accepted by airport security, if you find yourself flying this summer.
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Special thanks to Marketing Maverick (and CEO of “TrustedSaskatoon”), Sara Wheelwright, for thoroughly reviewing my website and social marketing last month, as I work on promoting my ESL teaching services. . . .

Sara’s marketing prowess helped identify key areas for development: Thank you, Sara! And similarly, another thanks goes to Toronto designer, Oliver Sutherns, who has helped me to perform numerous edits that are deepening my entrepreneurial reach.

I recommend both Sara and Oliver for marketing and design work, respectively; and I encourage you to reach out them directly.
They are extraordinary!
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I’m especially pleased to share that my 10+ year old writers’ group, “Saskatoon Freelancers’ Roundtable,” has submitted our fourth and final collective article in the “Ask a Writers’ Group” series, for this year’s quarterly issues of the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild magazine (SWG), “Freelance.”

In all, Ashleigh Mattern, Julie Barnes, Adele Paul, Ashlyn George and I have co-authored four articles on topics such as time management, how to find clients, writerly resources and more. Each of us (when available) has taken a turn at editing these group articles for SWG’s online magazine.

“Freelance” magazine’s publications coordinator, Sheila Fehr, has responded warmly to our contributions and it’s been lovely to see them in digital format!

Special thanks to Ashleigh Mattern for managing correspondence, negotiating the contract for the series and for submitting the article I edited, on my behalf.
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Alumni (or “alum” as some prefer) of the Praxis School of Entrepreneurship (PSE), take note: You are warmly invited to attend a late summer potluck lunch at the PSE’s downtown office (131 Wall Street). Date: TBA–soon!

Camaraderie, friendships and business contracts have all transpired from alumni networking. And working on the PSE alumni directory still interests many of us.

Rumour has it (haha!) that alum Barry Frain, Megan Kent, Christina Cherneskey, Jolene Watson, Sheridan Trusty and Cody Demarais (frequent PSE flyers) may attend, bringing some favourite cooking to share.

Stay tuned to this newsletter (and upcoming blog issues) for details!
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AND . . . if you, or someone you know, is wanting to start–or grow–a business in SK, please get in  touch with the PSE’s Administrator, Elaine Mantyka; or Coordinator, Silvana Cracogna; at (306) 664-0500 or by email at info@globainfobrokers.ca

Funding opportunities are available, as are accommodations for entrepreneurs with differing abilities. PSE Chief Visionary Office Monica Kreuger, and Chief Facilitator Deanna Litz will transform how you think about entrepreneurship–and life!

Intake occurs regularly, but seats fill up quickly. So contact the PSE—NOW!
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Thank you to some of my ESL students, past and present, including William Wang, Eliane Gaume,  Maryna Kostiuk and to former mentor, Mahmoud Allouch, for providing testimonials for my ESL teaching services that I recently uploaded to my website.

Reading these individuals’ reviews is both humbling and encouraging.

Thank you to each of you!

Do you have news to share on topics of language and communication or on entrepreneurship in Saskatoon (and surrounding areas)?
Please reach out to me and I’ll try to include it in a future issue!

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ABOUT US:

Between 2011 and December 2018, Elizabeth Shih Communications chronicled the stories of B2B marketing and communications on the Prairies and across the country.

Effective January 1, 2019, I rebranded as “Storytelling Communications.” I now help economic immigrants get better jobs or secure larger contracts by improving their language skills; and I also write and edit the legacy stories of individuals and major companies.

Interested in learning more? Please contact me through my CASL-compliant website. After I receive your message, I’ll be pleased to discuss projects with you!

Please visit my website for more information (www.storytellingcommunications.ca) .

 

 

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AI Policy for Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) and Editing Communications Documents (at “Storytelling Communications”)

Some of my clients ask if I use AI tools when teaching ESL and/or editing communications documents.

So here is my policy:

I specialize in teaching classes of English as a Second (or Additional) Language that are logical and effective. To accomplish that, I often create exercises and assessments myself, in the role of teacher — doing the important thinking, strategizing, and teaching myself — especially when I conduct a “Needs Assessment” and set up curriculum and content.

I do, however, use some resources from Cambridge University Press, onestopenglish.com, and other online sources for grammar exercises, accent reduction theory and related topics.

I also, occasionally, consult AI to generate fresh angles to teach matters of English (listening, speaking, reading and writing).  For example, I might use AI to:

  • Research a topic and to generate and assess pedagogical methods for it (e.g. reputable sources for curriculum that I review myself).
  • Provide insights into what learners (of a particular demographic) may need, in addition to reviewing learners’ LARC assessments (CLB levels) and conducting “needs assessments” at the outset of starting language classes.
  • Occasionally, to brainstorm fresh examples, scenarios, stories, analogies, metaphors, turns-of-phrases, etc. to use when I teach.
  • When editing communications copy, to review my original work for accuracy; and to suggest other edits and improvements.

If you provide me with information about yourself (as a learner or client) that is confidential, I will never input that information into an AI without your approval.

Bottom line: Regardless of how I use AI tools, my teaching will always be customized and will leverage my three+ years of teaching ESL; and, for communications clients, will leverage my 13+ years of editing and writing experience.

Do you have other questions about how ESL studies will occur in this AI age? Please write me an email! I’ll gladly discuss further and will set up classes that directly address your needs as a learner. 

 

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When can pauses & interruptions help our conversations? An answer in the mid-May issue of TYSN!

May 2024 Vol 6 Issue 5

Tell Your Story Newsletter (TYSN):

Specializing in Entrepreneurial Storytelling

Let us help you tell your story!

 

Welcome Mid-May 2024! 

As I prepare this issue of “Tell Your Story Newsletter,” the  delicious rain that fell last week in Saskatoon has caused trees, bushes and plants to “green up” beautifully.

And with the milder weather, we can again wear barefeet in sandals (woo hoo!). And our days continue to lengthen (the sun setting at nearly 9 pm, now), which means more patio and backyard time!

Cue Gershwin, “Summer-time, and the living is easy!”

I’m planning a visit to Patterson Gardens, as soon as the splendour of our flowering fruit and lilac trees unfurls. . . And how about a trip to a local greenhouse to admire (and select) a few annuals and plants?

In Article One of this month’s newsletter, I visit some surprising truths about how pauses and interruptions not only allow for, but also help, good conversation.

And in “Storytellers’ Corner,” I visit the work of British etymologist Susan Dent on quirky words, both from other cultures and from Britain.

May this late spring and forthcoming summer bring you JOY through time in nature and among family and friends; and through renewed health and growth, after another Prairie winter.

And may prosperity also greet you, valued readers.

Thank you for reading another issue of “Tell Your Story Newsletter,” now more than 13 years in production!

Sincerely,

Elizabeth

Principal

Storytelling Communications

www.elizabethshih.com

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IN THIS ISSUE:

ARTICLE 1: When can pauses and interruptions help good conversation? Writers from “The Economist” weigh in . . . . 

STORYTELLERS’ CORNER:

Some quirky words in English–from Susie Dent

SHOP NEWS

ABOUT US

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Article One: When can pauses and interruptions help good conversation? Writers from “The Economist” weigh in . . . . 

Before the Pandemic, “The Economist’s” collective of writers who compose under the name of Samuel “Johnson,” wrote an article on how verbal ticks and routine interruptions are “lubricants to conversation, not killers.”

Many of us strive to eliminate “um” and “uh” from our professional speaking, right? Consider Canadian PM Justin Trudeau before and after he received formal speech training. But recent analysis of human conversation practices show that minor words (e.g. “mm-hmm” and “uh-huh”) provide important pauses that are vital to good conversation.

Learners of English (especially English as a Second Language), take note!

The “Johnson” writers begin with the case of British PM (c. 1980s), Margaret Thatcher, a politician “known for a voice that brooked no disagreement.” Thatcher took elocution lessons to sound more forceful when she led Britain’s Opposition.

However, even after she became PM (1979-1990), she often used interruptions in the interviews she gave. Researchers who studied clips from the early 80s discovered that most often, “those hearing [her] interrupted phrases” [“um,” “uh,” “mm-hmm,” “uh-huh”], including her interviewers, “thought that the prime minister was ending her conversational turn.”  Most often, then, those interrupting her were not (as we might assume now) rude or domineering.

What explains pauses and interruptions in speech? The Australian linguist, Nick Enfield, discovered that humans abide by a linguistic rule called “no gap, no overlap,” in which people instinctively react to the end of another’s conversational turn by beginning their own, in about 200 milliseconds (the “time it takes a sprinter to respond to a starting gun”).

This is more interesting when we consider that it takes about three times as long (600 milliseconds) for a speaker to plan what they are going to say, by cognitively retrieving the words and organizing how they will use them.

People must then plan to begin responding well before their conversation partner has stopped (be it Margaret Thatcher or Mr. Bean). This requires “fine attention to the cues signalling the end of a turn, such as a lengthening of syllables and a drop in pitch,” Enfield says.

Not coincidentally, using a downward shift in pitch is frequently encouraged from speakers who want to sound more authoritative (as Thatcher did). Clips show she repeatedly dropped her pitch when she predicted an interruption.

21st-century business communicators (like yours truly) are often urged not to listen with the intention only of responding, instead of first (more empathetically) perceiving the speaker’s meaning and intention. But linguists like Enfield have found the boundary between listening and responding is more complex than that practice would have it.

And contrary to the assumption that speech patterns will vary between cultures, Enfield found that dynamics of human conversation are “similar from culture to culture,” from both major to minor languages and from rich to poor countries, throughout history.

For instance, the pattern of “no gap, no overlap” applies to ethnicities in ways that defy cultural concepts (or stereotypes). For instance, in contemporary Japan, speakers who are thought to be polite allow one of the shortest gaps before starting to reply: “In answering ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to a question,” Enfield says, “the Japanese, on average, . . . reply before the questioner’s turn is over.”

He argues that this is not rudeness, but a practice that keeps the conversation flowing. Each speaker helps the other: words we might consider to be mindless throat-clearing (or verbal tics), such as “uh,” “um,” “mm-hmm” and “uh-huh” in fact “signal to the other speaker [listener] that a turn is not quite finished, that the speaker is planning something more. This makes sense only in the light of the split-second timing with which speakers take turns.”

Paradoxically, if there is “no gap” between turn-taking, there will be no “overlap.” The conversation will flow better and both speakers feel recognized and heard.

The “Johnson” writers note that men are more likely to use “pause-fillers” (esp. “uh-huh”)  than women are (although women favour “mm-hmm”), and speculate that this may result from men’s eagerness to “hold the floor.”

Enfield refers to research from past decades, including one experiment where several speakers “were asked to tell about a near-death experience, while listeners were given a distracting task, like pressing a button every time the speaker used a word starting with ‘I.’ ”

As a result, the listener was less able to encourage the speaker with “mm-hmms,” without which the speakers felt unable to cope: “[The speakers] paused more [and] used more ‘um’ and ‘uh’ themselves, and repeated the dramatic lines of their stories, desperate for affirmation” that they’d been understood and appreciated.

The “Johnson” writers note that Roman statesman and philosopher Cicero (1st C., BCE) was not the first to record “rules of conversation, which included taking turns and not going on too long.”

In fact, such rules have been discovered in many cultures long before Cicero’s. The “Johnson” writers say such rules may be part of “shared social instincts” among early humans, and “a product of evolution” over millennia.

The “Johnson” writers observe that the next time you find yourself pinned at a networking event by “a bulldozer or a bore,” know that they are more to be pitied than despised,” the “Johnson” writers conclude: Such speakers “are lacking a basic human skill” or capacity for relation. They efface not just “gap” and /or “overlap” but altogether the very identity of their listeners.

The “Johnson” writers conclude that conversation is fascinating not because it is hard to achieve, “but [for] how well people subconsciously cooperate to make it seem easy.”

And like many human skills, sharing conversation with others improves with practice: “If you don’t use it, you lose it.”

And now it’s your turn: How have you noticed “no gap, no overlap” in formal conversation with others? 

Could we re-write our social expectations for silence between shared conversation?

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STORYTELLERS’ CORNER . . . . 

STORYTELLERS’ CORNER

This month: Quirky words–some from abroad and

some “home-grown”– in English

Perhaps it’s the result of recent efforts to reduce my professional library that I happened upon some quirky etymology during my reading.

British lexicographer and etymologist, Susie Dent, has shared many complex words on YouTube.

She reminds us that the English language has borrowed words from countries all over the world—some with recognizable names and some, not. Here are three examples:

  • “Tsundoku,” from Japanese, is “the act of buying yet another book that you fully intend to read, but never quite get around to” (beware, you buyers at used book stores and fairs this spring and summer!)
  • “Shampoo” has origins in Hindi where “campo” means to “press” or “squeeze.” Originally, getting one’s hair cleaned involved heavy massaging and pounding of the flesh—affecting both the head and the hair that grew on it! . . . British and European colonialists took these treatments (and fragrant soaps and lathers) back “home,” where they were passed down through the ages.
  • “Ketchup” is based on a Chinese word, “Ke-chiap” for a brine of pickled fish that was taken from Vietnam to China and then altered by the British until it became the tomato sauce that (centuries later) dominates supermarket shelves in the Western world!

Some words may originate in the UK, but are happily onomatopoeic, and which Dent collected in one of her recent books, Roots of Happiness:100 Words for Joy and Hope.  This is a book for children intended to bring beauty and fun to them during Pandemic times.

Examples from it are “mubble-fubbles,” for feeling down or depressed.

Also, “thunderplump” refers to the “sudden downpour of fat, heavy raindrops that leaves us drenched and dripping in minutes” (more often a UK than a Canadian Prairie commonplace).

What “weird words” are floating in your office, mind or family? Please write in; I’d be delighted to share them in a future issue 

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SHOP NEWS:

Last night (the evening of May 15th) was an especially joyous one, as Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan (WESK) gathered for their annual awards banquet. 

 

Awards were given for “Community Involvement” to Andrea Crittenden; “Indigenous Entrepreneur Award” to Destinee Peter; “Innovation Award” to Chelsea Stewart; “Growth & Expansion Award” to Maegan Mason and Cari Thiele; and “Resilience Award” to my colleague, Jolene Watson

 

Congratulations to all recipients and to all nominees! 

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WESK’s “Achievement Award” was given to veteran communications leader (and one of my first freelance clients, back in 2011), the amazing Adele Buettner, who shared 10 of her best tips for entrepreneurial success.

Congratulations to all of the women attendees, nominees as well as winners; award sponsors,  and to WESK’s board, staff and planning committee, all whose hands-on effort made the gala the best it’s ever been!

Thank you to all of them!

 

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Thank you to Joanne Fogarty ( Director of Employment & Learning) and Josephine Mensah (Employment Counsellor), YWCA, who hosted a recent job fair for newcomers to Saskatoon, where I discussed opportunities for newcomers’ language classes in Saskatoon.

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Thank you to my IT specialist, Jordon, for again discussing subtle tech matters with me, despite the many demands that cover his metaphorical desk!

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Thank you to Jolene Watson for referring me to Linda’s Printing, whose high-quality business cards and marketing materials have earned them admiration and plenty of clients!

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Alongside copywriter, journalist and creative writer, Ashleigh Mattern, I thoroughly enjoyed walking through the opening morning of “Gather,” Saskatoon’s second farmers’ market, on May 4th at River Landing.

“Gather” features local farmers’ meat, dairy (and this summer—fresh fruit and veg), as well as international cuisine, local jewellery, candles and soaps. It was reminiscent of “The Forks” (in Winnipeg) and the “Eau Claire” market in Calgary.

Vendors were just getting started on the 4th, but the atmosphere was generous and friendly.

Several restaurants and food trucks had scrumptious looking (and fragrant) cuisine. The market’s products are not intended to be low-priced, but to build local businesses who work so long and hard for our community.

Gather’s atmosphere is pleasant to immerse oneself in, especially with summer on the horizon!

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This issue of TYSN is dedicated to Edward (Ted) Gilroy, an extraordinary man with entrepreneurial instincts  who lived, laughed and loved fully in his nearly 100 years.

My childhood would not have been the same without his stories and jokes. My deepest condolences to his widow and sons. I am the better for having known him and share in his family’s sorrow.

Rest in Peace, “Uncle Ted.”

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ABOUT US:

Between 2011 and December 2018, Elizabeth Shih Communications chronicled the stories of B2B marketing and communications on the Prairies and across the country. 

Effective January 1, 2019, I rebranded as “Storytelling Communications.” I now help new and economic immigrants to get better jobs or secure more contracts by improving their language skills. And I also write and edit the legacy stories of major companies.

Interested in learning more? Please contact me through my CASL-compliant website (www.elizabethshih.com).

After I receive your message, I’ll be pleased to discuss projects with you!

Please visit my website for more information (www.storytellingcommunications.ca).