New Releases by Thomas Jerome Baker

With the election of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the USA, America once again is forced to realize that the real threat to its liberties has always come, not from its foreign enemies, but from its enemies within. As the case for President Trump''s treason and impeachment is laid before the American public daily, the time has come to re-examine the treason of Benedict Arnold (Patriot-turned-Traitor), by using a comparative analysis with Donald Trump. Is Trump a traitor? Should Trump be impeached? At the very least, we must ask ourselves: Is Trump a Benedict Arnold? Benedict Donald? The answer is complex, controversial, and contradictory. It is a Shakespearean tragedy of epic proportions. The names change, the times change, but treason remains the same dark, despicable crime.

What is it like to be an indie author, to write, to publish, and to promote your own book? Is it worth the time, the effort, the sacrifice, to become an indie author? All twenty one authors in this book share the same conviction. Namely, yes, it is worth the effort, the time, and the sacrifice. Self-publishing, for all the work it entails, means you, the individual author, are in charge of your own destiny. You don''t have to find a publisher, because you are the publisher. You control everything about your book. "Everything" means all the hard work, yes, but also a higher percentage of revenues. You control all rights and ownership. You publish when you are ready to publish. For example, since 2011, I have published over 150 books. That''s 27 books a year for the past 6 years. Try doing that with a traditional publisher.In this book, you will find 21 indie authors. Some, like me, have published dozens, even hundreds of books. Others have just published their first books. The common characteristic we share, is that we are writing because we love writing. That''s why we do it. Not a one of us has quit our day job. According to Guy Kawasaki, "a successful self-publisher must fill three roles: Author, Publisher, and Entrepreneur-or APE." With all due respect to Mr. Kawasaki, you will find a different definition of success in this book. The successful writer is a writer who enjoys writing. If money, fame, and glory come our way, it will be happily accepted. More importantly, if these things NEVER come our way, we will still be content, satisfied, and pleased. The enjoyment, and pleasure of writing, you see, is its own reward. In that sense, this book is informative, because it shows 21 indie authors fulfilling their dreams. To all those would be writers, who are yet to fulfill your dream, this book is dedicated to you. If these 21 people could do it, so can you.

It''s not "locker room banter." Statistics tell us that perpetrators of sexual violence often know the victim. According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), the largest anti-sexual violence organization in the USA, 3 out of 4 rapes are committed by someone known to the victim. Not only that, every two minutes, another American is sexually assaulted. And whether you wish to believe it or not, 57% of the perpetrators are white, vs. 27% black.What does RAINN do? RAINN carries out programs to prevent sexual violence, help victims, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice. Since 1994, RAINN has helped more than 2.3 million people.Why this title for a book about crime? Lorrie Morgan''s honky tonk classic, "What Part of No Don''t You Understand?" forcefully relates the anguish of a victim of sexual harassment. The story is a simple one. A woman goes to a bar. A male patron sees that she is alone. He sends her a rose, which she refuses. Undaunted, he sends her a drink, which she refuses. Undaunted, he asks her to dance. She replies, "What Part of NO Don''t You Understand?" In this book, you will find crimes in which that same question would have been warranted. This gives the book its name.This book was inspired by Donald Trump. It would not have been written were it not for Mr. Trump''s infamous, "Access Hollywood" tape in which he refers to kissing women without their consent and grabbing women by their genitals. He apologized to the American people for his comments. In his apology, he called his comments, "locker room banter." However, statistics refute Mr. Trump''s apology. Statistics tell us that 1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. If we believe the numbers, sexual assault is a reality for millions of Americans. It''s not locker room banter...

If what we read entertains us, speaks to us, or makes us aware of the human condition, then it is literature. How to best teach literature? I share my knowledge about teaching literature, gained from 15 years teaching experience. This book is intended for students of English Language and Literature Teaching. New and experienced teachers will find it a useful resource also. Informed by theory and practice, it explores current approaches of teaching close reading of complex texts. It is applicable to instructional settings from middle school to university. It promotes integrated teaching of the four skills. Critical literacy is promoted for engaging with and interpreting literary and informational texts. Readers will have opportunities to engage with poetry, fiction, and informational texts.

Learn how to write a love letter. Love letters are immortal. Love letters live forever. In a world dominated by technology and social media, hand-written love letters are still worthwhile. Love letters should not be considered out-dated, old-fashioned, and definitely, not a lost art. Love letters live forever and one day more.Love letters take on their immortal character when the letter comes from the depths of your heart and soul. Your innermost thoughts and feelings, when received by the person you love, will be a treasured memory for all the days to come. In fact, this book shows many examples of immortal love letters. These love letters live on and on and on, even past the time when both the writer and receiver have long disappeared from the face of the Earth.Love lives on. That is why I make the effort in this book to motivate you, dear reader, to write love letters to the one you love. A special occasion such as Christmas, Valentine''s Day, Easter, Mother''s Day, Father''s Day, a birthday or anniversary would be a perfect time to write a love letter to your beloved. It is a unique and incredibly personal gift that your partner will treasure forever.Who knows? It is possible that you might take up writing love letters as a fundamental part of your relationship. Let me leave you with a final thought. As you read this book, you will find out that the most beautiful and most profound love letter was never delivered. Written, yes, but never did the person who it was meant for, never did that person see the letter. Let me conclude by saying that no matter how beautiful a love letter may be, it must be delivered. Don''t forget that part.

Genre: Christian Fiction / Young Adult / Teens / Mythology / Historical Fiction / Feminism / Religious and Inspirational Fiction / Family Saga / Love and Romance/"Emily & David''s Quest: A Saga of the Ancient Family Trilogy", is a Quest for the Holy Grail, the blood of Jesus Christ himself. At stake is the fate of the world. Set in a cave in Valencia, Spain, in Glastonbury, England, and the very bowels of the Underworld, it is dialogue-driven, fast-paced, and unpredictable. The protagonists, Emily and David, must race against time to find the Holy Grail before Alicia, the Sorceress, finds it. Alicia has dragons and demons from the Underworld to help her.Both barely 18 years old, all Emily and David have on their side is David''s stories and Emily''s courage. This is an uneven fight if there ever was one!David and Emily will fight evil with Christian fiction, legends, fairy tales, history, mystery, fantasy and mythology in this epic battle of good versus evil.A real page turner, this fast read will make you think about the power of love in all its forms long after you finish reading.It is the exciting finish to this ancient Story Teller family saga which spans the centuries of recorded time. Its twists and turns will keep readers engaged and guessing until you turn the very last page.Emily and David must face their worst fears. They discover the past is unwilling to let them live out their lives peacefully, happy and content as the Last Story Tellers.Their stories and their faith in things unseen are all they have in their quest to save the world from Alicia, the Sorceress, who has been waiting a thousand years for this opportunity to rule the world!Alicia''s desire for power and immortality leads to the ultimate showdown of good vs evil. Emily and David will find themselves forced to make decisions that will affect all eternity.On their quest to save the world, they will be met with sisters and sorcery, magic and mysticism, devils, dragons and demons. Emily and David''s quest will rekindle your faith in the power of redemptive love."Everyone deserves a second chance" is a theme that flows throughout the book. Book 1 and Book 2 (box set: $0.99 cents)Story Tellers: In Pursuit of Happiness: Witches, Wizards & WarlocksThree Quotes from Book 2:1. "There stood a man and a woman in a circle of love, squared by the son''s love, each standing triangular to the other, forming a final circle to enclose the whole." 2. To your quest be true... 3. "...the fate of Earth, its only hope to survive, lay in the hands of a boy, David, the Son of Solomon..."

Who is this book intended for? Answer: Everyone. Students of debate will find it interesting, useful, and helpful. ALL people who are concerned with social equality, equal opportunity, and justice will find this book extremely useful. One of the most important uses of this book is not what your opinion is after you finish reading the debate between my friend and myself, but the opportunity to see how two people with extremely opposite views were able to interact with one another in a mutually respectful manner on a very contentious issue. The outcome? You, the reader, can decide who won.When topics are emotionally charged, the current wisdom is to be silent, don''t talk about anything that might make someone else angry, upset, or afraid. When we follow this advice, we never learn how to talk to one another about things that matter. This debate between Mr. Clark and myself clearly teaches how people can talk to one another about things that matter.With this book, you are privileged to see how debate helps people with different opinions, different perspectives and different cultural experiences, to talk with one another, to share their views and visions with one another. I sincerely believe that this exercise helps bring people together, even when all you can do, sometimes, is agree to disagree. Allow me a final quote: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." ~ Elie Wiesel What would you do? Why? The Holocaust showed the world that it is a very good idea to rethink what makes humans civilized. Is it our willingness to help our fellow human beings? Then why did we betray the Jews in World War II? How did the Nazis manipulate us? Why did we refuse to stand up to evil? This book will help you to search for the answer to the question that only you can answer for yourself...

"17 Amazing and Inspiring Speeches" is a resource book to help teachers, students, and anyone interested in becoming an effective public speaker. I present and comment on 17 superb speeches that illustrate effective public speaking. This book is a "gold mine". With 17 individual speeches, you can use the book page by page, or speech by speech. It is so diverse, you will never get bored while you achieve your goals.

How best to use the speeches in this book? There is no one "best" way to benefit from the material in this book. As a point of departure, read each speech. Read them silently and read them aloud. Then read them again. And again. Again...Appreciate the sounds of the words, for they are beautiful. Notice the use of repetition, humour, irony, wit, allusion and alliteration. Practice giving the speeches. Place yourself in the "shoes" of the speaker. You become Cato, Demosthenes, Abraham Lincoln, Booker T. Washington, Chief Joseph, Chief Red Jacket, Brutus, Mark Antony, William Pitt and William Wilberforce. See the world as they saw the world, and deliver the speeches...

George Orwell is an enigma, a man ahead of his time. Despite his brilliance, he was antifeminist. So, how would he portray nontraditional women, emancipated women, strong women, revolutionary women? Would they escape being relegated to the sidelines, marginalised, or worse, silenced? Would Orwell give these women an authentic voice and a major role? Surely, such women would be the protagonists of their own story? By analysing George Orwel''s Animal Farm, I seek to answer how he portrayed revolutionary, emancipated Russian women.

You and I are long-suffering fans of La Roja, Chile''s national soccer team. How can I say such a thing about us? It''s because Chile has a 100-year history of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Many times, in many places, home and abroad, we discovered a way to lose, usually after having played like world champions (2007, 2000, 1987, 1962, 1955, 1954, 1952, 1945, 1920). That''s why we suffered, but we kept on loving La Roja, even when we knew in our heart of hearts what our ultimate destiny would be.Yes, we knew, deep in our hearts, we would lose again. And again. And again. It was our destiny. If there was a second place, it was ours...unless there was a third place. Then we would gladly give up second place in order to have third place. Worse than that, for example, Chile was not allowed to compete in the 1990 and 1994 World Cup. An entire country paid the unjust price for the misconduct of one person. In their prime, a generation of world class players was denied World Cup participation. No matter what happened, Chile kept coming back for more. Of course, La Roja would then give us more suffering. Mind you, I''m talking about passionate suffering of the soul. The passion has been burning brightly since 1895, when the Football Federation of Chile (ANFP) was founded. Now you know why we play the beautiful game, win or lose. It was beautiful in 1920, 1945, 1952, 1955, 1956, 1987, and 1991. World Cup Chile 1962 was as good as it got for most of us. We won third place in the world, the whole world. Olympics 2000 was great too (another 3rd place). Four times we got close, second place, but never first. Yes, winning second place, four times, is a great moral victory, but we were never champions. Then Marcelo Bielsa came to Chile and taught us a new way to play. We attacked, we pressed the other team all over the field. Our confident, high-energy, aggressive, free-flowing, and fluid style made us winners. When Jorge Sampaoli became coach, he did things "the Bielsa way." And we kept on winning. After 99 years of losing, Chile, playing beautifully, finally won her first championship. We are champions, now, always, and forever...

This book is dedicated to young and old alike. It is a centuries-old myth, with monsters and love, that has been passed down from generation to generation on the island of Chiloé. This island is located in the extreme southern sector of Chile, far from the urban center of the country. This fact partly explains the fertile ground available for the myth''s survival to the present day. More importantly, its context is a superstitious world that sought to explain the mysteries of the natural world through the medium of dreams and myths. In fact, according to Joseph Campbell, "Myths are public dreams, dreams are private myths." "People say that what we''re all seeking is a meaning for life. I don''t think that''s what we''re really seeking. I think that what we''re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances with our own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive." ~ Joseph Campbell, "The Power of Myth".

With news of the first diagnosed case of Ebola in the U.S., the public is on edge and trying to find fast answers about just how vulnerable they are to the deadly virus. This book provides answers from the most reliable and the most authoritative sources possible. The sources are from a wide variety of perspectives: social, cultural, political, economic, health and medical. (quote) U. S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power: "Ebola has no greater friend than fear. The virus thrives on it. We see fear in the affected countries... It is fear that leads community members to stigmatize survivors of the virus, or the relatives of those who have died, or even the health professionals and other people aiding in the response...A 24-year-old survivor in Guinea told me she had lived three lives: her life before Ebola; her life in the hell of her infection; and her life since recovering. She said the stigma she has suffered since beating Ebola has made her current life the hardest. The stigma had so affected her that she said she was amazed by President Obama''s embrace of Nina Pham, the Texas nurse who was just cured of Ebola. When I went to give this young woman survivor a hug goodbye, though, she demurred and offered a fist bump. She did not seem yet to fully trust that she was cured or to recognize that she had done nothing wrong - only the virus had...It is fear that has caused some of those who develop a fever or other symptoms not to come forward to seek help, putting themselves and the people around them at greater risk. Fear that going to seek care will make them sicker, or that seeking help will alienate them from their communities...We also see fear in countries like my own (USA), whose active participation is critically important to bringing this outbreak under control. All over the world, governments and our fellow citizens are afraid that if we send doctors or nurses or soldiers or engineers or other volunteers to the affected countries, we will put our own communities at risk...The fear is understandable. Many of our countries, like those most affected, are dealing with Ebola for the first time, and it is a dangerous and terrifying virus...We must ask ourselves: twenty years from now, when we look back on this historic crossroads, will we want to say we left this fight to the people of the affected countries? Will we want to say we did not act because we thought others would win the fight without our help? Will we want to admit that fear held us back? If we will not want to give these answers when we are asked in twenty years - and make no mistake, we will all be asked - we have to do more."

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." ~ Charles Dickens, "A Tale of Two Cities" In the Dickens'' quotation we find a contradiction. How can the "best" be the "worst"? Likewise, most debate coaches have differing interpretations about debating. As a debate coach, I emphasize the practical, namely, you learn to debate, by debating. I dedicate this book to all teachers, coaches, and students worldwide, and especially to the non-native speaker of English. Since most books on debating are aimed at native speakers of English, this book addresses this disparity while still being useful to a native speaker. For example, there are many practice activities, drills and exercises. This makes it a highly practical book for the non-native speaker, who above all else, will benefit most from such practice. Nonetheless, it also addresses debating theory, both inductively and deductively. Therefore, it is an excellent resource book for all debaters, debate coaches, and teachers to have. Finally, debating helps you to understand that others see the world differently. This understanding promotes mutual respect and tolerance of diversity. In this way, debate plays a role in building a better world for everyone to live in...

This is a multiple-genre, short story. Books like this can be produced when writing is liberated from the confines of genre. Multi-genre books are important, because they respond to a changing world in which we can do new things, write in new ways. It provides a new dimension to the concept of "crossover books", which appeal to young and old alike. The multi-genre book, rather than appeal to a wide age range, appeals to a wider range of reading tastes. For example, a look at the wide variety of review headlines for this book confirms its ability to be enjoyed across genre boundaries.Self-Published Authors have the freedom to tell the story she/he wants to tell, constrained only by the limits of the imagination. The SPA can write like Salvador Dali painted, freely, uninhibited by the boundaries, conventions and restrictions of any genre. This is a revolution that is currently going on, in which hybrid texts are being produced. Yet such writing places demands on reading comprehension that have gone largely unnoticed and unaddressed. We see this when the narrow perspective of genre conventions and expectations is used to judge hybrid, genre-crossing texts. This mismatch between text type and genre is clearly evident. What about the future? I see a future in which readers can and do embrace a new way of understanding hybrid, genre-crossing, boundary blurring, multi-genre texts. I am optimistic this will eventually occur, as more and more multi-genre books are being made available around the world for readers to read, enjoy and engage intellectually with...Synopsis: An Italian-Chilean teacher of English travels From Santiago de Chile to Florence, Italy to celebrate New Years in his mother''s home country. What he will discover is a centuries-old love story that will defy his imagination. How this happens is a mystery that involves the paranormal and time travel. In the end, this is a poetic, mystical and magical tale of the true nature of love. It is the dilemma that every love story from the beginning of time has been faced with, namely: How long are you willing to wait for the one you love? Read this book for the surprising answer to that question...

Stones & bones are part of our oral tradition. We find stones & bones in folktales, mythology, and religion. What people like about the oral tradition is the ability to change the story, each time you tell it. The result is unique and entertaining. You recognise the story, but it''s different, unlike anything you have ever heard before. It''s like going into the kitchen on the day after Thanksgiving. You get a meal by making some unusual combinations: a pinch of salt here, a bit of sugar there.I have taken stones and bones, stories and myths, folklore and tradition, a bit of religion, a pinch of love, a bit of travel, mixed it all up with an incredible long distance romance and built it up around a dynamic protagonist who you will either love to hate, or hate to love...For dessert (yes, you get dessert too), there is also birth, rebirth, a battle for immortality and ultimate power to rule the world. It all comes down to the choices that an unlikely hero will have to make about who to trust, and who not to trust. Finally, this book is dedicated to you, the reader. I hope you enjoy your story. These stones & bones, I humbly offer for your reading pleasure. Enjoy...

To be a good public speaker, never give up. Face your fear. "Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." ~ James BaldwinIn this book, I share my story, from a variety of angles, of how I face my fear of public speaking. I don''t preach, I don''t lay out a magic formula. I simply share different ways I deal with public speaking, from a variety of viewpoints, stories, activities, some old, some new.I study people, I do what ancient speakers did to train themselves, like Demosthenes, an ancient Greek lawyer from Athens who was often humiliated and made fun of due to a speech impediment before becoming a much admired public speaker. And then who can forget England''s King George, a man with a stammer and a nation to lead. To lead a nation, in wartime, you must speak to your people - in public - in spite of your speech impediment, despite the stammer, despite the fear.I share people and stories and activities that helped me. I am convinced you will be helped, there is something here that will aid you in overcoming your fear. At the very least, by knowing my experience, you will know that public speaking fear is normal, and using the information that helped me, begin to search for your own way of dealing with your fear. In fact, it must be your way. You are the one who suffers, and you must help yourself. Know you are not alone. I admit that speaking in public scares me to death, and I am a teacher of English, a leader, a person responsible for helping young people reach their full human potential. Nonetheless, I am afraid of public speaking, always have been, and always will be. That fear is constant. It is a feeling of sheer terror, when you are about to open your mouth in public, and risk humiliation if what you say, or don''t say, is foolish. It is the kind of fear that is best resolved by simply, well...just being quiet, literally keeping your mouth closed. Except that doesn''t make the problem go away, it only defers it for another day. It''s like being haunted by a ghost, when the night comes, the phantom returns, the fear of public speaking visits us again.Most people are afraid of public speaking, many to the point of a phobia. I am afraid of public speaking, just like you are. We worry about being embarrassed, making a fool of ourselves, getting humiliated by something we said. In fact, some people become absolutely terrified, paralysed, by the very thought of being shamed by public speaking. In fact, many studies have shown that people fear public speaking more than death! This makes sense to me. Death happens only once, with public speaking we die a thousand deaths! A common myth about the fear of public speaking is that it''s possible to completely eliminate it. In my case, I can''t eliminate it, but I have learned to control it, to make it work for me, not against me. You can too. Even the most confident public speakers, people like Bill Gates, Barack Obama, Tina Fey, Warren Buffet, Socrates, Aristotle, Demosthenes, Cicero, Thomas Jerome Baker, will all tell you that they feel some degree of anxiety before stepping in front of an audience. Call it stage fright or phobia. Call it fear or simply nervous anticipation. The fact is, we all have to overcome nervousness when we have to talk in front of a group, large or small. As the stakes get higher, you will feel anxiety. The most common way to try to eliminate your public speaking phobia is by "desensitization". As with any phobia, you have to put yourself through the anxiety-inducing experience so many times, again and again, until your body stops reacting to it, or until you learn how to make your nervousness and anxiety work in your favor, and not against you. However, not only is this a long, difficult process, but most people give up before they reap the rewards for their efforts. If I have a secret, again, it''s this: be perseverant. Never give up, and you will become the best public speaker you can be.

(Revised & Updated February 2014) I Live in Chile. ¡Viva Chile! I am fascinated with, and deeply in love with Chile (encantado & enamorado). That will be the main aim of this book, namely, to share my life in, and my love for, this beautiful country, my beloved Chile. In doing so, you must realize that I am no tourist, I LIVE in Chile. I can only talk about those things which have had a significant impact on me, personally. I give you history, food, culture, language, landscapes, music, song and dance. I allow you to see Chile in a whole new light, through the eyes of a foreigner who loves living in Chile.I wish to share "my Chile" with you, much as one would share a bottle of fine wine with a friend. A glass for you, and a glass for me. ¡Viva Chile! Cheers!Chile can be intoxicating to the senses, just as the wine is intoxicating if one is not careful. It is wise to experience her slowly, to take your time, again, as with a bottle of fine wine. Your enjoyment of Chile will be increased if you approach your relationship with her in this manner. Smile at Chile, and she will smile back at you. Walk with Chile, and she will walk with you. Dance with Chile, and she will dance with you. Sing with Chile, and she will sing with you. Chile has the driest desert in the world (the Atacama) in the north and the coldest region in the world in the south, the Antarctic. In between there are beaches and mountains, vineyards and forests, countryside and sprawling cities. To this, add the traditions and culture of Chile, her cuisine, a hearty South American food, the land itself with her recurring natural disasters, and finally, the people, who never cease to amaze me with their resilience and ability to withstand earthquakes, tsunamis, storms and volcanic eruptions., My amazement borders on the incredulous, even after 12 years living here.Chile, as I have come to know her, is a mystical place, a magical place, and yet a melancholy kind of place. She is all alone at the end of the world. She is like a beautiful woman at a royal ball, so marvelously dazzling and charming that no one dares approach her, leaving her to be admired from a distance, and to go home alone, again...So you see, when you are in Chile, there is no need to hurry. It is a place that time has forgotten. And when time has forgotten itself, one day can last forever, or only for a moment. Enjoy the moments that you have in Chile, make them last as long as you need them to last.Your moments can be magical moments in this beautiful country. Your moments can be unforgettable moments in this beautiful country. Once you are here, whatever happens to you, whatever you do, is like nothing you have ever done or seen before. I know this because, "I live in Chile". This is my life experience. ¡Viva Chile! Be purposeful in what you see and do while in Chile. Take the time to feel the sun and the wind and the rain caress your skin. If you do this, you will remember how Chile has made you feel. Then, when the time has come for you to return to your country, you will go happy, and at the same time, feel sadness that you must leave her. Parting can be bittersweet, emotions mixed, yet with memories that will remain vivid for a lifetime...

** This book is for teachers, educators, students, parents, administrators, everyone who has a stake in education. By definition, that is everyone. Timeless issues that concern teachers everywhere are looked at (good teacher, bad teacher, teacher conduct at work and away from work, social media, for example) to gain reflective insights which both challenge and confirm our beliefs about education. Being a teacher in Chile, after all, is no different than being a teacher anywhere else in the world.** Chile is a beautiful country that has stolen my heart, my imagination, and become my reality, my life, for the past 14 years, and will become my future reality. Chile, she needs good teachers. Come to Chile, and I will share her with you. Are you a good teacher? You might ask me: "How do you become a good teacher?" My answer: Love. First, love what you do. Love being a teacher so much that if you had the power to be anything on Earth, pilot, astronaut, doctor, dentist, taxi-driver, singer, dancer, artist, musician, anything at all, you would still choose to be a teacher. Love being a teacher, that''s the most important thing to do, that''s number one. In the pages of this book I share with you my love of being a teacher in Chile. I care about teaching, and the issues that impact teaching and learning, not only in Chile, but worldwide. I hope you will also enjoy "Being a Teacher in Chile" as much as I have. I share with you in the pages of this book an honest look at some contemporary issues that affect all teachers, in all countries of the world. Bienvenido. Welcome to my Chile!The common thread that runs throughout this book is Chile, its teachers and its education system, which is similar to all other education systems worldwide, considering its purpose, which is to educate its people. I use case studies from other countries to contrast what I offer about Chile. This acts to contextualise the book in both local and global terms, which is beneficial. Ten Themes in this book are: 1. Teacher competency2. What is a "good" teacher?3. Too sexy to teach? Behaviour away from work 4. PPP: Methodology for student engagement 5. The Native Speaker Fallacy (Why knowing English is not enough)6. A Native Speaker Case Study (Real world ) 7. What is a "bad" teacher? (Not a movie!)8. Identifying good teachers (and hiring them)9. Defining Teacher Quality10. The Power of Teacher Teams (What Harvard says) 11. Finally, we put it all together, a synthesis: Being A Teacher in Chile...* After reading this book, you will have new insights into some timeless issues which concern teachers the world over nowadays. You may want to investigate further, do research, or discuss the topics with your colleagues. Teaching is neither isolated nor passive. Ultimately, I believe this book will promote your active participation in your profession, both in and out of the classroom.

Who is to blame for poor test results? Is it always, ultimately, the teacher? Read this book for a different answer to this enigma. Read this book for a different perspective as to the ultimate responsibility of the teacher, the learner, or the system. Still you might ask: "Why this book?" This book is written by a teacher, for teachers and learners of languages, not only English, worldwide. It deals implicitly and explicitly with questions of interpreting test results, washback, and the inevitable, preparing for international exams, regardless of type.Yet beyond these considerations, there is the historical aspect. In today''s globalized world, it seems we forget things that happened only a decade ago. Thus, we repeat the mistakes of the past, unnecessarily. This book plays a role in remembering what we have done in the past, especially in English Language Teaching, Testing & Learning.Yet, is this book able to make a contribution? Does it provide new knowledge, new insights? Despite the hasty conceived generalization that socioeconomic factors explain everything, I believe this book has something new to say, the ability to shed a fresh light, from a different, closer perspective than what we have been provided thus far. I am talking about the view from the classroom, the teacher''s "unheard voice" to what has been left unsaid...Yes, the public, worldwide, is often led to believe that poor children can''t learn. They go to poor schools, with weak teachers, with low hopes and low self-esteem, hopeless and helpless. Yes, we know, this is what worldwide is often the case for the underprivileged masses.To exemplify, Carolina Schmidt, the current Minister of Education, here in Chile, said, (I paraphrase in my own words): The situation here in Chile is that learning English is a socioeconomic privilege. Reading this book will provide you with a different way to view the teaching, learning and testing of any foreign language...

This catalog / "book of books" is dedicated to, and written for, all the people, worldwide, who want rest, relaxation and reading pleasure during the summer. Summer is the perfect time to disconnect from the stress and strain of your busy year. With a paperback book you can travel to distant places or reflect on topics that help you to improve in the coming year!Createspace puts the paperback in your hands, now, when you need it most. You will find something of use and of value in these books to help you achieve your personal goals.Reading is always a journey, never a destination. Somehow, you never really "get there", reach the final destination (complete the journey), because we constantly discover something new that we hadn''t considered before. With a paerback book in your hands, it doesn''t matter if you are lying on the beach or sailing across the ocean or still in bed at 2 in the afternoon, you will enjoy your reading journey.When you are finished with your book, discuss it with a friend, a colleague, or a family member. Better yet, surprise the people you love and who you care about. Buy them a paperback book. Especially if you like the book, then you know they will like it too! Your friends, family and colleagues will appreciate your thoughtfulness. Don''t forget to include a personal message from you to them in your gift! I thank you in advance for selecting one of my paperback books. I appreciate your loyalty. Like always, if there is anything I can do to make your reading experience more enjoyable, please let me know. Your feedback is important to me, and I will do everything in my power to accommodate your wishes. Finally, please accept my best wishes for you and your family. Enjoy a wonderful summer! Again, best wishes for a fantastic, unforgettable summer!

***ReViewed, ReVised, ReEdited, & RePublished on June 14, 2015.*** This update includes a case study of a successful, self-published author who took 20 years to get published. The case study is called, "Maids of Misfortune", and it was added as an appendix. Also, updated statistics from the publishing industry and various experts are referred to throughout the book where appropriate. This book is a journey. It is told as a story, set in its historical context of what it means to do something you have never done before. I invoke the names of people who have achieved great things by teaching themselves what they needed to know. You are in good company, with presidents and poets, generals and soldiers, rich men and poor men, Nobel Prize winners, artists, architects, inventors and scientists. True, some of these people were geniuses, but most were just common men and women like you and me. If they did it, so can we. The one thing they all have in common with you and me is that they had to teach themselves. Like you and me, they were autodidactic. No matter how frustrated they became, they stayed focused on their goals, and ultimately, achieved them. Why? Because they never gave up, even when it took 20 years, they never gave up. You and I are in good company, so we won''t give up when we run into difficulties. Self-publishing is highly skilled, technical work, even for people who know what they are doing. For you and me, it is a daunting, challenging task. We must be inspired, we must be motivated. If you are like me and most other people, your first try at self-publishing will be frustrating. Ask other people to help you when you need it. It''s not an admission of failure, it''s a sign of wisdom to ask for help. Just never give up, and you will succeed. Perseverance will take you from an elementary, basic skill level to an advanced, highly skilled level. Patience, with yourself, is needed. As time goes on, you will get better and better at self-publishing. I guarantee it. I have given you a set of tips and principles that helped me when I first began. They will be worth your time to reflect on. Remember, if we can connect to the stories of the people who came before us, and were successful, then we can be successful also. The information in the book is complete and thorough. Like the previous edition, I used the self-publishing steps in the book to self-publish this book. Anytime you feel like something is missing, or incomplete, understand that I have given you all of the information that I used to publish this book. Backtrack, and you will surely find a solution to whatever problem you may be having. Finally, the purpose of this book is to help you self-publish, to help you make your dream to become a successful writer, a moneymaking writer, come true. It''s not easy to do for everyone. Some of us require more effort to achieve the results we want. For others, self-publishing is so easy that it seems like almost anyone can do it. I did it, and I believe you can do it too. That''s why I wrote this book, to help you publish your book. You can trust me, because I have self-published more than 100 times. I know what I''m talking about. If you wait for a publisher, you might never see your book(s) published without paying a high price. If you self-publish, your book will be published. In fact, ALL of your books will be published. How much will it cost you to get published? Absolutely nothing! That''s right, $0.00 to get your book(s) published. Get this book and get started on your self-publishing journey today.

For more than 400 years, the personal essay has been one of the richest and most robust of all literary forms. Distinguished from the detached, formal essay by its warm, friendly, conversational tone, its loose structure and drive towards candor and self-disclosure, the personal essay seizes on the minutiae of daily life - vanities, fashions, food, culture, language and identity. It is poetry, it is song, it is speech, at once both call and response in the hands of a master story teller. It offers insight into the questions that we are all grappling with today in our increasingly globalized world which affects all people in all places everywhere on the planet: the worth of a university education, MOOC pedagogy, the digital footprint we leave behind, and the essence of Islamic inventions and how to understand Islam itself, through the eyes of its great inventor, and those who profess the Islamic faith. The goal of course, is greater tolerancxe and respect for one another, all people, of all persuasions, in peaceful coexistence, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once dreamed it could be. That then, is the ultimate transformative power of education, to bring us from knowing, to understanding...

"Written for new teachers, experienced teachers, parents of English Language Learners worldwide, and students from all disciplines with a need to know how students learn English in actual day to day practice. This book provides an actionable answer to the question of "How Do Students Learn English?" through the discovery method applied to case studies and actual experience, in reality.If encountering the topic for the first time, this is a clear and practical introduction to experiential Second Language Acquisition (SLA). It shows actual students and teachers grappling with SLA issues in an interdisciplinary manner. To do this, we "stand on the shoulders of giants" like Wittgenstein, Gass & Selinker.Storytelling becomes the medium to illustrate SLA in action, without being heavy on explanation. This is an inductive, discovery approach to deep learning about SLA in action.How a second language is acquired; whether English, French, Yu''pik, or Mapudungun is what the second language learner needs to know; whether in the USA, Canada, Singapore, China, Chile or any other location worldwide, we all need to find relevant answers to know why some learners are more successful than others. The book introduces in a warm, friendly, first-person, engaging fashion a range of fundamental concepts - such as SLA in adults and children, in formal and informal learning contexts, and in diverse sociocultural settings - and takes (in the tradition of Gass & Selinker) an interdisciplinary approach, encouraging students to consider SLA from linguistic, psychological, and social perspectives."Second Language Acquisition: This book is designed to inspire readers to reach for their dreams in language learning. Buy this book. Read it. Share it with everyone you know. You - and they - will be glad you did!

It is estimated that over 1 billion people are currently learning English world wide. According to the British Council, as of the year 2,000 there were 750 million English as a Foreign language speakers. In addition, there were 375 million English as a Second Language speakers. The difference between the two groups amounts to English as a Foreign Language speakers using English occasionally for business or pleasure, while English as a Second Language speakers use English on a daily basis.These impressive numbers are driven by adult speakers around the world who use English to communicate in the workplace. It is a commonly held misconception that these speakers need English to communicate with native speakers. While ESL is required for those living and working in English speaking cultures such as the UK and USA, it is equally true that English is used as the lingua franca between nations where English is not the primary language. In a globalized world, the number of English learners around the world is only expected to further grow as the global trend to begin teaching English to young learners at increasingly younger and younger ages continues.Teaching English Language Learners Worldwide contains relevant ELT pedagogy, educational theory, and is a Practical Guide for both the new and esperienced teacher. The practical guidebook offers educators practical strategies for teaching in all settings: EAL / EIL / ELL / ESL / EFL worldwide. It is written by a teacher of English who has over a decade experience in a variety of settings, including language institutes, schools, and university, with all ages and levels, from beginner to advanced.The book is written in a friendly, engaging, authentic, practical voice. It makes for easy reading and reference while motivating and interacting with the reader. The author is the Past-President of TESOL Chile, and thus is no stranger to the controversial topics in English Language Teaching, which he takes head on in this book. The writer says: "This is the book I wish I had when I first started teaching English language learners. It would have made me a better teacher." It provides research-based instructional techniques which have proven effective with English learners at all proficiency levels. The author requests you write a review for this book if you find this book to be helpful to you in your practical teaching, where it is most valuable. Thank you in advance for your support.

Este libro es una realidad debido a todos los voluntarios de EdCamp Chile. Ellos se dedicaron a la proposición de que los profesores pueden aprender entre pares, gratuitamente, que podemos colaborar, cooperar y comunicar de una manera positiva, para ser mejores profesores, para beneficiar nuestros estudiantes.EdCamp Chile es posible gracias a nuestros patrocinadores. Ellos son personas y organizaciones muy especiales que creen en profesores ayudando a profesores. La calidad de la educación, después de todo, sólo se puede lograr con profesores de alta calidad.Muchísimas gracias, por todos los que apoyaron EdCamp Chile. Tienen nuestra gratitud. Esperamos poder colaborar con ustedes el próximo año, año tras año. Estimados Lectores: Todos los fondos recibidos por la venta de este libro se destinarán a apoyar Edcamp Chile.Este libro está dedicado a todos los profesores que están buscando constantemente la excelencia, en el mundo entero.

I wrote "Epiphany in A Cluttered Room because writing is life for me. I live to write and I write to live. It''s the first thing I do when I wake up and it''s the last thing I do at night. If I stopped writing I would probably stop living. It is who I am, a writer. Writing gives me the opportunity to share my views, my creativity and my passions with other people around the world, and that is absolutely amazing to me, even nowadays, that what I write from my cluttered office in my home in Chile gets read by some person in China or Turkey or England or anyplace on the globe. It''s modern day magic, and I''m the magician. Beyond the marvels of magic, I feel compelled to share my stories with other people in hopes that my words may provide the inspiration that they have been looking for, to create hope and support for anyone who needs it. My Epiphany is your epiphany, for all of us....

This book is a book of books. It is not only for English teachers, but all teachers, at all stages of their careers, from beginner to seasoned veteran. Teacher professional development is an always evolving, never-ending process. It concerns all teachers, at all stages of their careers. This book covers four critical areas that are most often left to chance by English Language Teachers worldwide: 1. Teacher leadership development, 2. Dealing effectively with standardised tests, 3. The use, misuse and abuse of the students'' first language, the "Mother Tongue", and 4. Connectivism, or self-initiated, connected learning in the digital age. I like to call Connectivism, "Constructivism on Steroids" due to its exponential capacity to bring people and knowledge together. I sincerely believe there are 4 things every teacher of English, worldwide, should know:1. The Mother Tongue2. Educational Leadership3. The National English Test4. ConnectivismI therefore set out in this book to bring these four topics together, in a coherent, non-sequential fashion. The "Mother Tongue" responds to research and practical experience that says teaching English, in English, is how we get our best results. "Educational Leadership" fills a gap by raising our awareness of our individual leadership potential, while the "National English Test" is how we are currently defining the quality of our teaching on a collective, national level. Finally, "Connectivism", as a theory of learning for a digital age, gives a view of what the future holds up as a promising way forward in ELT pedagogy. I am sure your teaching practice will be positively affected & enriched by the reading of this book. I hope you enjoy the journey of discovery that lies before you....To write and publish such a book as this one, there is an army of people who play a role. In self-publishing, however, there is an army of one. I am that "army of one". I felt a need to bring together four topics which are rarely spoken of in ELT in any consistent or exploratory manner, though by no means taboo topics: 1) The Mother Tongue, 2) Leadership, 3) The National English Test, and 4) Connectivism. My hope, obviously, is that this book will make a contribution to fill the existing gap betwwen theory and practice. In reflection, dialogue, and ultimately, in our practice, we seek to find the secrets of becoming the best possible teacher we can be.Self-publishing, as we can see by my example, is a valid way for teachers to ask questions, raise issues, explore profoundly, consistently, and durably, to inform the knowledge and practice of other teachers. It is with this in mind that I encourage other like-minded teachers to self-publish, as I have done, and in anticipation of your future efforts, rejoice in your contribution to the development of our knowledge about what works best in English Language Teaching. Thomas Jerome Baker is the Past-President of TESOL Chile (2010 - 2011). He is the Coordinator of the English Department at SEK International High School in Santiago, Chile. Thomas is also a member of the "Comunidad de Innovación Escolar" (School Innovation Community), sponsored jointly by the Education 2020 Foundation and the Telefónica Foundation. He is a past member of the Advisory Board for the International Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association (HETL), where he also serves as a reviewer and as the HETL Ambassador for Chile.Thomas enjoys writing about a wide variety of topics. His writing ranges from historical fiction to romance, from the autobiographical to the biographical, from English Language Teaching (ELT) to the wider field of educational leadership and evaluation. If you have read and enjoyed any of his books, please take the time to write a positive customer review. Thank you, dear reader(s), in advance, for your time, your support and your generosity...

I have always been a "gifted teacher", as John Dewey put it, in his 1929 book, "The Sources of a Science of Education". I am intuitive. I prepare classes, anticipate problems and alternative pathways through a lesson. Yet, if I am honest with you, I must say that I try to be fluid, to "flow" from beginning, to middle, to end.Bruce Lee, the famous martial artist, put it like this: "Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless. Like water. Now, you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put it into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put it into a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow, or it can crash. Be water my friend." John Dewey admitted that "...success in teaching is often not in any direct ratio to knowledge of educational principles." This is often true in English Language Teaching, where years of study can produce a teacher well-schooled in culture, sociology, psychology, pedagogy and grammar, yet deficient in the ability to speak, read, understand, or write in English, or vice versa.Nonetheless, Dewey felt that, "But what is overlooked ...is that the successes of such individuals tend to be born and to die with them: beneficial consequences extend only to those pupils who have personal contact with such gifted teachers... the contributions of such men and women in the past have been thus confined, and the only way by which we can prevent such waste in the future is by methods which enable us to make an analysis of what the gifted teacher does intuitively, so that something accruing from his work can be communicated to others."In essence, that''s what my books are about, leaving a written record of my intuitive experience, so it may be shared with others, now and in the future...