Colleagues talking around an office table, illustrating everyday communication idioms

English Idioms: Communication & Conversation — 10 Expressions You Need to Know

English is full of figurative language for the simple act of talking. We warn people not to beat around the bush, praise someone who hits the nail on the head, and wince when a friend accidentally spills the beans about a surprise party. Communication idioms describe not just what we say, but how carefully —…

students in an ESL classroom during a Community Language Learning lesson

Community Language Learning: 7 ESL Techniques

Community Language Learning (CLL) is a 1970s teaching method, created by psychologist Charles Curran, that puts students in a circle and has the teacher act as a “knower” who translates what students want to say into English. Students record their own sentences, transcribe them, then analyze the grammar together — turning their own conversation into…