Random House New Releases - Education - Bilingual Education

Como aprend� ingl�s by Tom Miller

2007-09-18T00:30:00-05:00

Como aprend� ingl�s 55 latinos realizados relatan sus lecciones de idioma y vida
Edited by Tom Miller

Trade Paperback, 288 pages | National Geographic | Biography & Autobiography; Foreign Language Study; Education - Bilingual Education | $16.95 | 978-1-4262-0098-4 (1-4262-0098-6)

How I Learned English by Tom Miller

2007-08-21T00:30:00-05:00

How I Learned English 55 Accomplished Latinos Recall Lessons in Language and Life
Written by Tom Miller

Trade Paperback, 288 pages | National Geographic | Biography & Autobiography; Foreign Language Study; Education - Bilingual Education | $16.95 | 978-1-4262-0097-7 (1-4262-0097-8)

All over the world there are people struggling to master the quirks and challenges of English. In today's America, many millions of them are Latino—and in this eloquent collection, nearly 60 of the best known contribute fascinating, revealing, often touching essays on the very personal process each went through to achieve this common end. Their successes are inspiring. Their pieces, engaging and entertaining all, express the whole range of emotions that learning any new language entails.

Congressman José Serrano, for example, describes learning English from Frank Sinatra records. Cuban-American author Oscar Hijuelos picked it up as a sick little boy in an American hospital bed. Many find it a daunting ordeal; for others English came easily. But from TV personality Cristina Saralegui to Hall of Fame baseball player Orlando Cepeda, every last one remembers what it felt like to do battle with bizarre idioms, irregular verbs, and all the other incomprehensible intricacies that tangle the tongue.

And of course, every new English-speaker has a tale to tell: an immigrant yearning to assimilate and achieve, or a political exile suddenly far from home and alone, or a child who just wants to fit in. Their fears and triumphs will resonate with everyone who has shared this exasperating, exhilarating experience, whether last year or a lifetime ago. This wonderful, eclectic, inviting collection speaks to—and for—all of them, and goes directly to the heart of the national debate on language and immigration.

Speak American by Dileri Borunda Johnston

2000-04-25T00:30:00-05:00

Speak American A Survival Guide to the Language and Culture of the U.S.A.
Written by Dileri Borunda Johnston

Trade Paperback, 240 pages | Random House Reference | Education - Bilingual Education | $8.99 | 978-0-375-70468-0 (0-375-70468-X)

Imagine that you're from England, or India, or Hong Kong, and your English is impeccable. But when you travel to America, you get a funny look when you tell a colleague,"I'll knock you up tomorrow at half-eight." And you can't find bangers on a single restaurant menu.

You feel like you speak a foreign language-because you do! You need to know how to survive in American English, and this book will help you do it. This user-friendly guide focuses on the vocabulary that newcomers to the U.S. really need to know. Arranged by subject, from driving to shopping to eating, the book includes information on basic cultural and linguistic differences between British and American English, including particular pitfalls to watch for, and a handy glossary.

Each chapter begins with a quick-reference summary of key confusable words. Americanisms, grammar, and cultural points.

Offers guidance on social issues such as tipping and addressing people.

Perfect for travelers, businesspeople, and students.