ESL

Grammar is at the core of good teaching in ESL.  Yet, the subject is not entirely encompassed by adverbs, pronomial referents, or dangling participles.  There are, of course, cultural boundaries to be examined and interpreted.   This is part of the relation between the ESL tutor and her student:  cultural norms must be identified and sometimes interrogated.  Part of the pleasure is in proper sentences and pronunciation, but certainly the greater share is due to the exchange of values and beliefs.  In this sense, the good tutor of ESL has a command of grammar, but also possesses the quick critical mind to play with expectation and reality.