MSI Press Blog

  Today's fortune cookie is associated with Mommy Poisoned Our House Guest (Leaver).  Read more about the Shenan Leaver and his book HERE . Currently on sale for $5 at MSI Press webstore .cookie, Mommy Poisoned Our House Guest, Shenan Leaver Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .   Interested in publishing with MSI Press LLC? Check out information on  how to submit a proposal . Interested in receiving a free copy of this or any MSI Press LLC book  in exchange for  reviewing  a current or forthcoming MSI Press LLC book? Contact editor@msipress.com. Want an  author-signed copy  of this book? Purchase the book at 25% discount (use coupon code FF25) and concurrently send a written request to orders@msipress.com.  Want to communicate with one of our authors? You can! Find their contact information on our  Authors' Pages .    

  Betty Lou Leaver's book, Think Yourself into a Language Learning Superstar , is featured in January Magazine . For more posts about Betty Lou Leaver and her books, click HERE .

  MSI Press has added to its collection of affiliated books a book coedited by Dr. Stephen Stryker (California State University at Stanislaus) and MSI Press author, Dr. Betty Lou Leaver: Content-Based Instruction in Foreign Language Education. Published by Georgetown University Press "a while back," so to speak, it was an immediate classic and remains so. To purchase this book on Amazon. click  HERE . For more posts about Betty Lou Leaver and her books, click HERE . For more posts on language learning, click  HERE . To see more affiliated books and learn about affiliated status, click  HERE . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .   Interested in publishing with MSI Press LLC? Check out information on  how to submit a proposal . Interested in receiving a free copy of this or any MSI Press LLC book  in exchange for  reviewing  a current or forthcoming MSI Press LLC book? Contact editor@msipress.com. Want an  author

  Chapter One What is an ISP? An Individualized Study Plan (ISP) is a tool to use in planning your lifelong language-learning endeavors. I emphasize “lifelong” here because the achievement of native-like proficiency is, indeed, an effort that takes many years, and if one wants to retain near-native proficiency, once achieved, one needs to continue one’s study for as long as that language is important in the career or personal interests of the individual. For many learners, the ISP is one of the most important tools at their disposal to achieve their high-proficiency goals.  ISPs can take many forms. There is no particular format that is required. There is no particular place that they should be kept. The form and format of the ISP is every bit as individualized as the plan itself. Some folks like to keep a date book. Others prefer a checklist. Yet others like to use diaries. It all depends on the individual learner and his/her learning styles and personality types.  Although this volum

  We pause our Tuesday talks with authors to share information about to share our activities today, August 16, the one-year anniversary of the death of Carl Leaver, MSI Press co-faounder, primary graphic designer, and usual typesetter. We asked everyone who knew him to eat a piece of chocolate in his memory. It is not too late for others to do the same. Rather than repeat the in memoriam statement of a year ago, here is the link: IN MEMORIAM CARL LEAVER . More posts about Carl can be found HERE .  We began the day at the cemetery, beside his vault, and shared a rosary and his favorite breakfast -- corned beef hash -- with him, placing a favorite tablecloth from Damascus, with fine gold-thread embroidery that is unique to that area where Carl had spent time. Then we took some coffee cake bread to the firemen who so many times during the last months of his life would come and pick him off the floor or take him to the hospital. After that was lunch with friends and the priest who had org

  MSI Press managing editor, Dr. Betty Lou Leaver, recently returned from conducting a workshop at Emory University, a follow-up to a workshop she conducted there last spring. For more posts about Dr. Leaver, click HERE . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .   Interested in publishing with MSI Press LLC? Check out information on  how to submit a proposal . Planning on self-publishing and don't know where to start? Our  author au pair  services will mentor you through the process. Interested in receiving a free copy of this or any MSI Press LLC book  in exchange for  reviewing  a current or forthcoming MSI Press LLC book? Contact editor@msipress.com. Want an  author-signed copy  of this book? Purchase the book at 25% discount (use coupon code FF25) and concurrently send a written request to orders@msipress.com. Want to communicate with one of our authors? You can! Find their contact information on our  Authors' Pag

  This week's book back story features Individualized Study Plans for Very Advanced Students of Foreign Language s by Betty Lou Leaver,  from the author -- Ironically, given the popularity of this book, it was the fastest and easiest I have ever written. Based on years of experience working with highly proficient language students, in 2003 I put together a conference presentation to share "what works" with other teachers. Many of those in attendance wanted a copy of the power point slides, but my slides are nearly always just prompts for more in-depth information. I decided to write up the information behind the slides instead of just sending the slides. It took the better part of a week, but when I was done, I discovered I actually had a book! Purchase the paperback at 25% discount with coupon code FF25  at the  MSI Press webstore . For more posts about Betty Lou Leaver and her books, click HERE . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Follow MSI Press on  Twitter , 

  A new affiliated book, but not a new book, for sure. Task-Based Instruction in Foreign Language Education is a classic and came out in 2005. It was co-edited by MSI Press author and managing editor, Dr. Betty Lou Leaver, with Jane Willis of England, well-known for her work in TBI. The book is published by Georgetown University Press and is universally available -- and used in many countries as a handbook, a textbook, and a manual of examples of how to teach task-based language courses in any language. There is also an impressive theory section, written by Jane. The book combines examples of a wide range of TBI programs from several countries and continents and has become a staple for faculty development in government institutions as well as private institutions. For more posts on Betty Lou Leaver, click HERE . To reach Jane Willis's website, click HERE . For more posts on language teaching, click HERE . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Fa

  This week's book back story features Intrepid: Fearless Immigrant from Jordan to America by Carl and Betty Lou Leaver from the publisher -- When Carl Leaver's beloved cat -- with quite a unique personality -- died from cancer, he found one way to deal with his grief was to compile the pictures he had made over the 11 years of Intrepid's life into a story. For sure, Intrepid did have a story. Ironically, Carl died from cancer three years ago. Intrepid is buried with him. Purchase the paperback at 25% discount with coupon code FF25  at the  MSI Press webstore . For more posts about Carl Leaver and his books, click  HERE . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .   Interested in publishing with MSI Press LLC? Check out information on  how to submit a proposal . Planning on self-publishing and don't know where to start? Our  author au pair  services will mentor you through the process. Interested in receiving a

  Ever seen those planes in airplane magazines -- learn languages like a diplomat? The implication is that a course being sold teaches you like diplomats are taught. Misleading. I taught diplomats for six years. While the "courses" are generally ripped off, older, public-domain courses that very likely were used at the Foreign Service Institute at some point in time, they actually do not represent how diplomats are taught since diplomats learn language from interactions with skilled teachers, working in highly individualized environments and very small classes. Very little of what they do in their intensive day-long classes can be represented in a textbook, which generally is just a jumping-off point for work on language development.  That said, a few MSI Press books are written or edited by teachers who did teach or supervise teaching programs for diplomats. They wrap the theory in content meant for non-diplomats, self-learners, or specific kinds of language classes in ways

  Recently released - the audiobook for Think Yourself into Becoming a Language Learning Super Star! by Betty Lou Leaver. This book encompasses traditional tips that have worked for most people and then goes way beyond them. adjusting them to individual learners and teaching the learners to develop their own heuristics for rapid and successful language learning. Within these pages, the reader can find a trove of treasure, such as strategies and tactics reading, listening, writing, and speaking mental management ways to manage cognitive dissonance ways to control emotional reasoning the connection between health and language learning understanding and improving memory knowing how personality type and cognitive style affect learning successfully preparing for tests Read less For more posts about Betty Lou Leaver and her books, click HERE . Purchase this book at discount from the MSI Press webstore . Use Coupon Code FF25 for 25% off. Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Follow MSI Pr

  Betty Lou Leaver, Ph.D., author of several MSI Press books in her own name, pseudonymously, and as the amanuensis for Sula, Parish Cat at Old Mission, contributed a chapter, together with colleagues. Dr. James Bernhardt of the Foreign Service Institute, and Dr. Chrsitine Campbell of the Defense Language Institute about teaching for peace at U.S. government language institutions. For a beautiful music-and-video presentation of the book authors, click HERE . Print available from Wayfair For posts about or by Dr. Leaver and her books, click HERE . For posts about Sula's books, click HERE .

  excerpt from  Intrepid  by Carl Leaver and Betty Lou Leaver Preface All cats are special, but occasionally one is unique—so unique that you know that this one time, this one cat’s lifetime, is the only time you will encounter such a soul. That makes every day with the cat a delightfully special day, and it makes the death of such a cat a real tragedy. The memories linger, and they are no less sharp a year, or two years, or three years later than they were when they took place. Intrepid was just such a cat for us. So many things remind of us him nearly every day: replacing a light bulb—he would always climb the step ladder to help, putting up a Christmas tree—we never could when he was around because he would eat it or any plant, and the silence of waking up in the morning—he always woke us by pushing onto the floor any moveable item he found on the bureau (and, regardless of weight, he could usually find a way to move any item there). Missing Intrepid is part of our daily life now. F

  CB and the late Carl Leaver, MSI Press authors Meet our author-dads who have written absolutely splendid books for fathers (and others) about all sorts of topics! (Some are no longer with us, but their works in life and in literature live on.) And, yes, of course, we continue to sell their books. Wally Amidon (deceased) The Musings of a South Carolina Yankee Read MSI blog posts about Wally . TL Brink How to Argue with an Atheist Read more posts about TL Brink  HERE . Dave Brown (co-author) One Simple Text.. KOPS-FETRHLING.INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARD LEGACY. AWARD: INSPIRATION/MOTIVATION HOLLYWOOD BOOK FESTIVAL FINALIST Read MSI Press blog posts about Dave  HERE . Dr. Frederic Craigie Weekly Soul AMERICAN BOOKFEST BEST BOOK AWARD FINALIST; INSPIRATION BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD GOLD: MIND, BODY, SPIRIT READER VIEWS LITERARY AWARDS SILVER: MIND/BODY/SPIRIT READER VIEWS LITERARY AWARDS SILVER: RELIGION KOPS-FETHERLING INTERNATIONAL BOOKS AWARDS HONORABLE MENTIONN: INSPIRATION/MOTIVATION Read M