Minimal Pairs

Minimal pairs are sets of words that differ in only one sound. In addition to minimal-pairs, there are near-minimal pairs, which are also often confused.   Minimal Pairs – Nouns tire – tiger pepper – paper   Minimal Pairs – Verbs tap – top stack – stock     Near-Minimal Pairs teacher – T-shirt  (Spanish…
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Communicating a Message to Diverse Groups

Communicating a message to diverse groups When communicating a message to diverse groups of immigrants and refugees, it is not always necessary to have an interpreter for every language group. Many parts of the world are covered by patchworks of multiple languages. In Africa, for example, French, Arabic and Swahili (and sometimes English) serve as…
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How to Communicate with Limited English Speakers

The ability to communicate well with adults with limited English requires a special set of skills. It is quite different from communicating and establishing rapport with someone from your own language background. Speaking more loudly does not necessarily help. Using more words to explain it can create even more confusion. Here are some tips and…
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