English page claims to be creating an online grammar book with descriptions, lessons, etc. But they reject a perfectly good lesson that meets all the criteria they list for possibly rejecting a site. Instead, English page has put only their own sites in the future perfect chapter of the grammar book; lots of drills with no context. Why is online language learning stuck on decontextualized grammar drills? I think that englishpage is creating this grammar book not to help students, but to make money. Why else would they reject my perfectly good lesson but include their shabby drills?
Why not read the rejection letter and check my future perfect class out for yourself. Tell me what you think. Am I wrong?
We would like to thank you for submitting the link:
http://www.eslgo.com/classes/business/credibility.html
submitted on 20-Jan-2004. This link has been considered by our staff. If we
choose not to accept this particular link, it will be for one of the
following reasons:
1. Content is not a grammar description or lesson.
2. Duplicate URL
3. Errors in content
4. Errors in interactivity
5. Content cannot be evaluated because it is not in English.
Remember that we are trying to create an online grammar book. We are
looking for grammar lessons, grammar descriptions, grammar reference
materials, or online grammar tools. General ESL sites or non-grammar
content will not be accepted.
well your lesson has typos
future perfct
and I don't find it a particularly good lesson. I think it is more of an exercise with little explanation of the grammar point.
Additionally there is really no need to whine about being rejected. accept it and move on. submit your lesson elsewhere or re-do it so that it is closer to what they are looking for. Finally you could write back and ask for more specific feedback.
As it stands, you sound like a whiny adolexcent who's mother won't let them stay out past curfew.
Posted by: reader at March 15, 2004 10:33 AMThanks for finding that typo. I fixed it.
As for the "exercise with little explanation", if you can point me to better future perfect resources online, I'd be delighted. However, it is difficult to find contextualized exercises with opportunities to practice the grammar in the same context. I started ESL go because I couldn't find any.
Do I sound like a whiny adolescent? Perhaps. The low quality of online language learning materials available is probably my biggest pet peeve. If we're educators, shouldn't we know better? Reading grammar rules and doing drills out of context are not enough for most English learners.
Posted by: James Trotta at March 15, 2004 3:53 PMGranted out of context grammar drills are inappropriate, but it is hard to make something like that online. I think your site is great, but if that other site doesn't like your material, I would just move on.
Posted by: reader at March 17, 2004 2:35 AMThe letter you posted says, "IF WE CHOOSE NOT TO accept this particular link, IT WILL BE for one of the following reasons ...."
TENSE! TENSE! TENSE!
Notice that this is not a rejection letter but rather a form confirmation of receipt of your submission and a notice that it has been considered for inclusion in the website. If your submission were rejected the letter would say, "We chose not to accept this particular link because..." Or something indicating rejection, rather than indicating it might be rejected.
TENSE! TENSE! TENSE!
I can't resist asking, "If we're educators, shouldn't we read better?" Or did you get an actual rejection letter that you've failed to post?
Posted by: KS at March 22, 2004 5:50 PMSpeaking of tense,the "has been considered" should tell you that they have made a decision. I suppose their letter could have said "If we have chosen..." or "We ahve chosen to reject the class because..." We all need to remember that in real life we don't communicate the way grammar books want us to. When you say that this was not a rejection letter, you are wrong.
I would think that you could just trust me when I say that my class was rejected. I posted the actual rejection letter, but not the subject of the e-mail: "Your link has been rejected". I'm pretty sure I interpreted that correctly...
Posted by: James Trotta at April 21, 2004 6:44 AMESL blog is one of many Blogs for learning English & teaching English. Translation services information.