The ESL Miscellany A Treasury of Cultural and Linguistic Information

The ESL Miscellany, now in its sixth edition, is a well-loved, eclectic compendium of useful and interesting information for teachers and advanced English Language Learners. It is known among teachers as “the book you would most want to have with you if you were stuck on a desert island or teaching in a very remote place.” It can be used in the following ways: 1) as a resource for developing your own lessons or a complete curriculum; 2) as a photocopiable source for handouts; 3) as a guideline for those who practice eclecticism; and 4) as a reference book for teachers and advanced students of English anywhere in the world. The ESL Miscellany is divided into five parts called Aspects, which consist of extensive, reliable lists covering almost every aspect teachers need: - The Linguistic Aspect contains information about the language (North American English) itself, including Phonology, Morphology, Lexicon, and Grammar. - The Communicative Aspect outlines the way in which the language is used to send and receive messages. It includes checklists of Situational Contexts (basic daily needs, work, education, recreation) and checklists of Topical Content (food, cooking, eating, clothes), as well as a Communicative Functions Checklist for various language levels. - The Cultural Aspect provides extensive information about the culture of the US and Canada, and their respective people and governments. Interesting and helpful statistics support this information. Topics include cities and states of the US, provinces and major cities of Canada, entertainers, heroes, the US National Anthem, the Canadian National Anthem, the Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance, and more. -The Metalinguistic Aspect and Miscellaneous Materials section includes materials which help facilitate the teaching/learning process as well as various materials which don’t fit neatly into other categories. Topics include a Glossary of Grammatical Terms, a Guide to Pronunciation, and more.

Ray Clark, co-author of The ESL Miscellany, was on the staff of the School for International Training in Vermont, USA for over 30 years as a teacher trainer for Peace Corps programs in Iran, India, and Korea, as an ESL teacher, as the director of SIT's intensive English program, as a faculty member and director of the MATESL Program, and as teacher-Director of ESP programs in Islamabad, and Istanbul. He has also done teacher training for Marlboro College and Southern New Hampshire University's MATESL program in Hanoi, Vietnam. He has authored over a dozen books for Pro Lingua Learning.