"If you can't learn the way I teach, I have to teach the way you learn."
Social Work 101 Instructor, St. Louis Community College at Forest Park, Fall 2001
The above quotation is what most impressed Elaine Kirn-Rubin, originally known as Harriet Elaine Fendelman, during a Sabbatical designed to bring her back to her language-acquisition/pedagogical roots. In keeping with her project title, "Language Learning in Older Adults," what she managed to realize best is that no matter how "young" or "old" an individual is, that person acquires language and remembers content in a way unique to his/her background, culture, experience, previous education, personality, and available resources. It is up to--and most gratifying for--both instructors and students to connect and communicate in regard to their teaching/learning styles, needs and preferences, curricula, materials, methods, cooperative vs. competitive activities, etc.
The “creative force” behind Authors & Editors, Elaine has over 45 years of experience in elementary through university English as a Second or Foreign Language teaching, tutoring, teacher training, and consulting—abroad and in the United States. She has learned and taught at universities, in public schools and community-college districts, and at conferences; from and to large and small groups and individuals. In addition to many other publications, she has researched and planned, created and revised, and tested the use of most of the products offered in the Authors & Editors Catalog.
Elaine is ready, willing, and eager to help (and to learn from) inexperienced and experienced teachers with teaching tips, curriculum outlines, handouts (downloads) from previous presentations, lesson plans, ready-to-go lessons (both archived and updated), and most of all—materials, techniques, and creative ideas. She also offers background information on the field of language acquisition/teaching, coaching, and professional development (teaching training workshops).
More information about Elaine's experience and work before the existence of Authors & Editors may be available at social or professional networking sites. For info about the availability of textbooks originally authored for commercial publishers or distributors, try typing in the name H. Elaine Kirn. Or search for book or series titles themselves, such as the twenty Regents Illustrated Classics, Scenario: English Grammar in Context, Ways with Words: Vocabulary Puzzles & Activities, Interactions I Reading, Interactions 1 Grammar, English Through Citizenship, the ETC Program: A Competency Based . . . , and All Spelled Out (now entitled Basic & Everyday Spelling Workbooks). Note that most of these works are (also) available, some updated and many "printed on demand," from Authors & Editors.
More information about Elaine's experience and work before the existence of Authors & Editors may be available at social or professional networking sites. For info about the availability of textbooks originally authored for commercial publishers or distributors, try typing in the name H. Elaine Kirn. Or search for book or series titles themselves, such as the twenty Regents Illustrated Classics, Scenario: English Grammar in Context, Ways with Words: Vocabulary Puzzles & Activities, Interactions I Reading, Interactions 1 Grammar, English Through Citizenship, the ETC Program: A Competency Based . . . , and All Spelled Out (now entitled Basic & Everyday Spelling Workbooks). Note that most of these works are (also) available, some updated and many "printed on demand," from Authors & Editors.
