Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving

At Imagine Learning, we're thankful for:
  • Customer support calls (even the ones that come in at 4 AM) because the feedback helps us to continually improve our products and services.
  • Working extra hours on tight deadlines because it means we can serve more people and reach out to more children.
  • An office building that's just a little too small because it means we're a growing company.
  • You and all your dedicated work to help children achieve.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Denver's Turnaround Strategy

Imagine Learning English is now an important part of Denver Public School District's turnaround strategy. At Place Bridge Academy, students come from 40 different countries and need intensive language training. The following news clip shows students using Imagine Learning English to help bolster those skills.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Writing with ELs

Writing may seem like the last step in language and literacy development, but according to Katharine Samway’s book When English Language Learners Write, research shows just the opposite. Young children, whether native English speakers or not, can begin to write before being able to read and even before being orally fluent. Of course, children understand more than they are able to write, but even English learners are fully capable of expressing complex thoughts in writing.

With this in mind, we’ve searched for ways to help your ELs get their thoughts out on paper. Whether your students have never before picked up a pen or they’ve already got the basics down, this list of research-based writing activities has something for everyone.

Monday, November 16, 2009

A Brief History of Emoticons : )

Emoticons. You may think of them as a recent fad-- something invented by the Internet generation or Generation Text. But emoticons have actually been around a lot longer than you may think. How long, exactly? How about the nineteenth century?

Friday, November 6, 2009

Beyond Three Cups of Tea

We often hear that it only takes one individual to make a difference and affect change. But do we really believe that we can be that individual? I have been guilty of thinking, I’m just one person. I can’t change the world.

Or can I? There are plenty of people who have proved that one person can make a world of difference. And on a rainy Tuesday morning in Provo, Utah, Greg Mortenson proved it to me.