Robots write news. Is that right?

Robot “reporting” has arrived, whether you like it or not. Personally, I consider it a gift. Turning press releases into news stories is a drag, and writing articles about the simple fact that it had snowed (a common occurance, where I worked) bored me to tears. I agree with the AP’s Lisa Gibbs: AI writing … Continue reading →

Who’s on worst?

As an English teacher in the Paris region, I have noticed that many French people complain that 1) English is a difficult language to learn and 2) French people are notoriously poor at doing so. The first proposal is at once obviously true, yet perplexing. After all, the English we speak and write emerged through … Continue reading →

NUEVAS TECNOLOGIAS Y COMUNICACION PUBLICA

Es el final del año escolar para bastantes de nuestros estudiantes y queremos cerrarlo haciendo un resumen somero de algunas de las ideas y reflexiones que han surgido en los análisis y debates en nuestras clases de español sobre la evolución de la comunicación pública hoy. Las nuevas tecnologías han provocado 3 grandes cambios en … Continue reading →

Are you ready to die for your job?

Journalism can be dangerous, and it seems to me that the situation has only gotten worse in my lifetime (50 some odd years and counting). In the United States, journalists are merely harassed, spit upon, assaulted and otherwise disrespected, disdained and treated with contempt. Here in Europe, a whole lot of journalists have been murdered … Continue reading →

National Poetry Day, in the UK

And that rhymed. Of course, poetry does not have to rhyme but you probably remember your childhood attempts, at school or otherwise, at writing a ryming poem.  Having recently been made aware of the fact that today is National Poetry Day in Britain, I decided to revisit one of my favourite poems by one of … Continue reading →

Word play

If you have a pretty good level of English, here is a video on the subject of my mother tongue that I think is very funny:   Continue reading →

Only in America…

https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/09/teens-think-they-shouldnt-have-to-speak-in-front-of-the-class/570061/ Only in America would this happen. I’ve got news for these kids, and for you: Everyone should be encouraged to do things that make them uncomfortable (within the bounds of propriety, of course), or even things that scare them witless (within the bounds of reason, of course). This practice leads to personal growth. Try … Continue reading →