English conversation is governed by six simple patterns showcased in the book. The book is currently part of the English education curricula in more than 60 countries.
$10.00
NOTE: Originally published in 2009 as English is Stupid. If you own a copy of English is Stupid, Students are Not, you don’t need English is Crazy.
English is Crazy is a must for every teacher who needs to help students speak English confidently. Recommended for all Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Levels.
Julia Chemali, TCDSB, Toronto, Canada
Additional English is Crazy Resources
Purchase supplementary book-PDFs, Posters and Flashcards. Download free Handouts
Hundreds of classroom exercises and activities that feature individual sounds, holding sounds as the building blocks of language.
• Companion to Chapter one of English is Crazy
• 150 photocopiable exercises 8.5”x11”
• 280 page printable PDF
$10.00
I love English is Crazy and the EPA Workbook. In a very short time I see a big difference in my students’ speaking and listening. It is so encouraging to see breakthroughs in confidence and ability so quickly.
English is non-phonetic, spelling does not make sense. Learners access expressions and fluency through sound association not spelling.
• Thompson Vowel Chart
• Dictionary of Expressions created for ESL students by ESL teachers 6”x9”
• Cat got your tongue? See page 61
• 284 page printable PDF
$10.00
I am a non-native ESL teacher. I set up an English Training Center here in my country. For us, How Do You Say? is the cream of the crop. We are very grateful to you. Thank you.
Abdullah Koufa, Guinea, West Africa
Speaking Made Simple – Full Course Curriculum
Speaking Made Simple – Full Course Curriculum
Sheridan College course curriculum suitable for all learner levels. Only available from Thompson Language Center as a photocopiable PDF
• Thompson Vowel Chart
• Sheridan College course curriculum suitable for all learner levels. 8.5”x11”
• 375 page printable PDF
Jargon-free, the booklets are an easy read. Charts and diagrams in the Backpacker’s Guide to Teaching English help you stick-handle your way through razor-sharp assessment, using first language, the value of context and word stress, culture, body language and everything else you didn’t know about how English works.
Cracking the Code
Book 1 – Pronunciation
Pronouncing English confidently is fun and easy with the Thompson Vowel Chart color connection found in Book 1 on Pronunciation.
$4.99
Need for Speed
Book 2 – Conversation
The Three Rules that accelerate speaking English effectively outside the classroom are featured in Book 2 on Conversation.
$4.99
You don’t Say
Book 3 – Fluency
The secrets to the intellectual leap required to converse at the highest levels of English proficiency are in Book 3 on Fluency.
$4.99
The full Package
Books 1, 2, 3
Myriad charts and diagrams help with razor-sharp assessment, using first language, the value of context and word stress, culture, body language and other goodies you didn’t know about how English works.
$12.99
Just wanted to say what an absolutely brilliant idea, to connect the sounds of English with colors! I am an International student in South Korea. I speak English, so my new Korean friends asked me to teach them. Sure I said, but how? The Backpacker’s Guide to Teaching English PDFs arrived in my Inbox and we were good to go. Thanks to your wonderful booklets it was easy to help them learn and practice. Travelers need these books desperately!Many thanks & keep up the good work!
Tanya Cooper, Washington USA
Posters
Print up to 24”x36” – Download as PDFs
Thompson Vowel Chart
1476 is why learners study English but their speaking doesn’t improve. Speaking and Writing evolved separately. School only teaches writing. When students know this, they feel better about themselves.
If you get one thing from this website, let it be this. By simply associating the 16 vowel sounds of English with the color names that feature those sounds, the keys to Pronunciation and Fluency: word stress, linking and expressions, are yours on a single page.
$5.00
The History of English
The History of English highlights why learners study English but their speaking doesn’t improve. Speaking and Writing evolved separately.
In Backpacker’s English and English is Crazy
Patterns are the blueprint for how things work holistically. Here are the six patterns that govern all English conversations, regardless of accent. No exceptions.
Vennglish circles visually represent the vast disparity between written and spoken English. It explains the popularity of English is Crazy and the dire need for How Do you Say?
Vennglish compares the 26 symbols used in writing to the 40 symbols that represent English sounds. This poster shows how and where the Roman or Latin or ABC alphabet falls short of representing English.
$5.00
The Elements of Conversation and Fluency
The Elements of Conversation and Fluency showcases the aspects of successful communication and their relative importance. Learners worry less about what isn’t important and experience better, real-world results
$5.00
The Roadmap to Fluency
The Roadmap to Fluency is a storyboard of the six chapters of English is Crazy, It captures and prioritizes the sequence of critical components enroute to conversation mastery.
$5.00
The Colors of Alphabet
The written and spoken worlds meet here. Letters are things. All words are a color. By definition, each letter must be a color, given by the vowel sound in its name.
*A Canadian version of this chart with Zed is also available.
$5.00
Writing and Speaking
Writing and Speaking looks at the similarities in the components of written and spoken English. There is only one. Expressions. This Venn demonstrates just how different RW/LS English are.
$5.00
EPA Periodic Table of English Sounds
EPA Periodic Table of English Sounds is a bone for the scientific community. Attaching new information to old is a primary vehicle for learning. Accuracy, logic, objectivity and relevance are the playing field of the scientific community. And it’s cool.
$5.00
The English Phonetic Alphabet (EPA)
The English Phonetic Alphabet (EPA) is a keyboard-friendly set of symbols that represent English sounds. Consonant Sounds on the left, Vowel Sounds on the right
$5.00
Flashcards! Fabulous Learning Tools!
Regular Past Tense ‘ed’ (24 cards 8.5″x11″ )
‘ed’ makes three different sounds
•/d/ stopped
•/t/ walked
•/id/ added
24 colorful flashcard PDFs make practice fun Cardstock recommended. Laminate if possible
30 flashcard PDFs using corporate vocabulary and images.
‘ed’ still makes three different sounds, even at the office
•/d/ agreed
•/t/ purchased
•/id/ added
Cardstock and laminate if possible
$5.00
Regular Plural Nouns ‘s’ (26 cards)
26 colorful flashcard PDFs print to 8.5”x11”
s’ on regular plural nouns makes three different sounds
•/s/ in books
•/z/ in rings
•/iz/ in dishes
$5.00
3rd Person Singular Verbs ‘s’ (26 cards)
26 colorful flashcard PDFs print to 8.5”x11”
Third person singular ‘s’ makes three sounds
•/s/ in talks
•/z/ in gives
•/iz/ in teaches
$5.00
Thompson Vowel Flashcards ( 16 Code Words)
Our old friend has some new friends! The double examples straight from the Thompson Vowel Chart are available as a set of 16 vowel sound flashcards
• With a good set of colored pencils (Staples brand) and a class set of this document, students create their own TLC Vowel Chart and the pronunciation of every word in English goes home with them
• The sounds of English are in the center, go through each sound with the client
• If the sound is in their language, leave its symbol in the center, if not move it to the pink crescent on the left The sounds the client needs to focus on are isolated in 10 min
Thompson Language Center 
