tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78122334532287879222024-03-13T10:15:06.084-07:00Fiona's ESL BlogFiona's ESL BlogFIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-13920643753508976602016-09-16T11:39:00.000-07:002016-09-16T21:12:16.001-07:00Lesson Download: Terry Fox, Canadian HeroThe road at the bottom of our street has had the signs posted for days: SPECIAL EVENT.<br />
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The Terry Fox Run has been a part of my life since the early 80's, running in school runs and then, joining my sons in theirs. Stretching and warming up on the basketball courts at the front of the school—the principal shouting through a microphone that nobody could hear while the kids shook out their sillies and challenged each other to 100 laps. To me, hands down, Terry is the Great Canadian Hero, not least because he continues to inspire and motivate generation after generation of young Canadians.<br />
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I almost fell off my chair one spring when a class of Chinese students from the Maple Leaf school network in China out-fact-ed me on Terry Fox. Guess what: these kids have been running for Terry too. For years. For Terry. (For Cancer). In China.<br />
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Because the Maple Leaf schools use British Columbia's curriculum (a unique and special partnership), these middle and high school students not only knew about Terry, but deeply respected him. We had some fun that week! To you, Terry. Thank you.<br />
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An oldie-but-goodie blog post about Terry can be found here: <a href="http://fionasotherblog.blogspot.ca/2007/06/hip-idea-of-branding-fox.html">Fiona's Other Blog</a> and the ESL lesson I developed for that class can be downloaded here:<br />
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(Even if you aren't teaching ESL, it's a great blended-learning lesson that incorporates some very moving listenings from CBC and a YouTube video that will have you reaching for your tissue.)<br />
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<embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="400" src="https://www.box.com/embed/kkbigkxtdlu73n5.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="566" wmode="opaque"></embed>FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-23259651438130288772016-03-29T22:05:00.000-07:002016-04-07T03:06:18.375-07:00Out of Office ReplyThis month marks the four-year anniversary since I stepped foot in an ESL classroom. One day I was a teacher and then. Well, then I wasn't.<br />
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I felt sick one Friday afternoon.<br />
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So. There I was, not a teacher, but a patient. A scared, medically-illiterate newcomer patient who no one had time to teach. There was no time.<br />
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And then I was a recovering patient, in isolation at home for weeks and months, starting to walk again, trying to digest what I'd been through. Angry for what I had and had almost lost. Grateful for my life but mostly angry. Angry because the doctors had failed in their duty. Angry because the life I had known was altered forever. But mine isn't a story of loss or anger. Nor is it a story of new beginnings. It is a story of starting something fresh and different from a familiar foundation—seeing and doing from a new perspective.<br />
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When the anger fog cleared and my strength improved, I still wanted to teach, but, more than anything: I wanted to unite my students with their community. The missing link for me as an adult educator in a domestic ESL environment was that the wealth of cultural and global knowledge my students possessed and shared was locked behind the classroom door at the end of day. My students had so much to give to the community and no one was listening—or took the time to listen.<br />
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The safe, inspiring, creative space we had built together allowed so much. Confidence. Language acquisition. Skill development. Cross-cultural awareness (if you've never seen a true example of multicultural diplomacy and negotiation, just watch a group of students from 6 different countries/cultures/language groups complete a project together). I've said it before: the ESL classroom is the shiny pearl of the Great Canadian Multiculturalism Project. It is no accident.<br />
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But the Project isn't complete and that inspiring space lacking if it doesn't touch the wider community. As I write this, I think: I'm an evangelist. And that's o.k. You see, when the fog cleared, I decided to bring the stories of these gifted, brave, multi-faceted, skilled, educated "ESL students" to the community. I decided to help them speak and write their knowledge and experiences (in English, of course—I'm an ESL instructor for goodness sake!). I decided to take everything I knew and the incredibly massive amount of things I didn't know—graphic design, publishing, marketing, public relations...the list goes on—and create a new space beyond the classroom door. A space where newcomers and immigrants can say: Hey! I'm here, and this is my story, my background, my culture, my knowledge. And a space where those more established in Canada can say: Welcome! Let me tell you a bit about me, what I know, and about our community.<br />
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That awesome space is <a href="http://www.heremagazine.ca/" target="_blank">HERE! MAGAZINE</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">* </span>and I'm proud to say that not only has my classroom door burst wide open, but the students are leading the lesson. Just as it should be.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*launched in 2013 from the impossibly beautiful city of Victoria B.C., Canada</span><br />
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<br />FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-77122115678094683252015-11-10T12:23:00.000-08:002015-11-10T10:16:36.716-08:00Lesson Download: November 11 - Remembrance/Veterans/Armistice Day [RE-POST]<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The day is almost upon us and regardless of what you call November the 11th or how you commemorate it, it is an important day of reflection. In the adult ESL classroom, the subject of war can often be considered taboo, as our students have come from such diverse backgrounds. Some of our students have done obligatory military service in Korea, Brazil, Mexico, or elsewhere. Some of our students have been victims of war and endured horrors we can only imagine and that have scarred them and their families forever. Some of our students still bear the pain and, somewhere deep, the grudges of their parents or grandparents who fought in the World Wars. Some students may be reluctant to engage with peers who hail from countries that were once (or may still be) considered bitter enemies of their own country. It is a complicated topic, fraught with landmines of fear, pain, and distrust. Every once in awhile, though, it's important to open the door to discussion, to conflict, to the taboo, if only to take a look and see if we're ready to go there. To grow a little. To understand ourselves and each other a little better. Peace is up to us.<br />
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With that, I leave a lesson on November 11, Canadian-style. It's meant to open up discussion and give us all food for thought. I didn't include discussion questions for the song and cloze because I thought it might be nice just to let the students do a private journal reflection after the song. You might get the students to create their own doves at <a href="http://tagxedo.com/">tagxedo.com</a>. Enjoy the lesson - copy it, share it and let me know how it went and what reflections emerged!<br />
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If you are curious about the poppy (pic above) and Canadian customs around the poppy, here's my blogpost: <a href="http://fionasotherblog.blogspot.ca/2011/11/what-to-wear-poppy-red-is-new-black.html">"What to Wear - The Poppy (Red is the New Black)"</a><br />
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<iframe src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B113xrkdEliiYi1wODFwOUotWXM/preview" width="440" height="680"></iframe>FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-29715895150504802772015-08-13T18:28:00.001-07:002015-08-13T18:30:10.056-07:00Lesson Download: Digging In On The Urban Farm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, delicious fresh food doesn't exactly grow from the palm of your hand, but your hands are most definitely involved! Lucky me got to spend an afternoon with word mentor and urban farmer Tracey Cook to learn some of the basics of urban farming—a.k.a growing fruits and vegetables and sometimes raising chickens, bees... </div>
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Tracey impressed upon me the importance of composting and creating nutrient-rich soil, so I thought I'd focus part of the lesson on composting (p.s. I made that compost visual all my myself!). Word mentors like Tracey help me build authentic lessons that are hopefully also fun and useful! Love to hear what you think about this newest addition to the <a href="http://eslenglish-fiona.blogspot.ca/p/lessons.html" target="_blank">Here! Magazine "Learn Here" collection</a>. Click image to view, print, or download lesson. <a href="http://www.heremagazine.ca/here!-magazine-learn-here.html" target="_blank">Read the article here</a> and read the rest of the wonderful <a href="http://www.heremagazine.ca/here!-magazine-summer-issue.html" target="_blank">Summer Issue here</a>!</div>
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<br />FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-36577954155151822262015-05-26T08:15:00.001-07:002015-06-17T11:45:17.259-07:00Top 100 Language Lovers 2015!Tickled pink to make bab.la's illustrious list of the <strong>Top 100 Language Lovers 2015</strong>! Thank you, everyone, for your votes of support<b>. </b>I count myself honoured to be included in this group of hard-working and talented language lovers, teachers, and learners from around the world. Go check us out!<br />
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FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-74538551622105673072015-05-22T08:50:00.000-07:002015-05-23T20:12:18.893-07:00TOP 3 Lessons on the BlogEveryone is doing the lists these days! There's even a name for them: LISTICLES!! Seriously. Article + List = Listicle. (For a very funny article about listicles, read this: <span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #351c75; font-family: freight-text-pro, 'Chronicle SSm A', 'Chronicle SSm B', 'Sentinel SSm A', 'Sentinel SSm B', freight-text-pro, ff-meta-serif-web-pro, adelle;"><a href="http://www.niemanlab.org/2013/10/the-3-key-types-of-buzzfeed-lists-to-learn-before-you-die/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">The 3 Key Types of BuzzFeed Lists To Learn Before You Die</a>)</span> </span><br />
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<a href="http://eslenglish-fiona.blogspot.ca/"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Eslenglish-fiona.blogspot.ca</b></span></a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/eslenglish" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>@eslenglish</b></span></a> have even been nominated for a list! <a href="http://www.lexiophiles.com/english/top-100-language-lovers-2015-lets-get-it-started-tll15" target="_blank">Bab.la's TOP 100 Language Lovers and TOP 100 Language Twitterers</a> (or something like that). Thank you Bab.la! I will post the voting link when it is available, so you can show me some love.<br />
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In the meantime, I've done some digging on <i>my very own blog</i> to create my own list: TOP 3 Lessons on the Blog. These are the three lessons most often viewed and/or downloaded BY YOU, in order of awesome (click to view or download):<br />
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<a href="http://eslenglish-fiona.blogspot.ca/2013/01/lesson-download-to-regret-or-not-to.html" target="_blank">#1: To regret or not to regret? </a></h3>
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<a href="http://eslenglish-fiona.blogspot.ca/2013/12/lesson-download-all-about-my-family.html" target="_blank">#2: All About My Family Doctor</a></h3>
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<a href="http://eslenglish-fiona.blogspot.ca/2014/03/lesson-download-at-gym.html" target="_blank">#3: At The Gym</a></h3>
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<b>Special Mention:</b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="http://eslenglish-fiona.blogspot.ca/p/serious-girl-talk-lessons.html" target="_blank">Most Popular New Category: <i>Serious Girl Talk</i></a></span></b></div>
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Not sure what this list might tell us about the state of ESL but glad you're enjoying the lessons! Love to hear how it's going in your classroom—please leave a comment! Off to read more fascinating listicles, like maybe "<a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/40-things-that-will-make-you-feel-old#.niamxwrXE" target="_blank">40 Things That Will Make You Feel Old</a>" or "<a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/paws/awkward-cat-sleeping-positions#.feXNdBL5n" target="_blank">25 Most Awkward Cat Sleeping Positions</a>"....</div>
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FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-29508314420485448072015-04-22T20:07:00.000-07:002015-04-22T20:08:39.578-07:00Amazingly-awesome other thing I do!Yes, it's true, I have a double life. Actually, more of a 1/4+ life, because it's eerily similar to my *real life*. Confused?! Me too! Full disclosure: not only am I a materials developer extraordinaire (?), I also design, develop, and edit a digital and print magazine for newcomers to Canada called: (wait for it...)<br />
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">Here! Magazine</span></b></div>
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Lucky you, reader, teacher, learner, friend—we have just launched our first fully-interactive digital edition! And here it is:</div>
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and if the iframe doesn't work, click this image:<br />
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This is a special edition celebrating newcomer entrepreneurs. Our regular issues include ESL lessons, Canadian Literature excerpts (with audio from the authors!), and citizenship and history quizzes! Check out <a href="http://www.heremagazine.ca/">www.heremagazine.ca</a> to access all resources! </div>
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p.s. some of the lessons are here on the blog under the tab "Here! Magazine!"</div>
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FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-65709965904692887452015-04-11T17:52:00.000-07:002015-04-11T19:54:37.531-07:00Lesson Download: Advanced Grammar with Definite and Indefinite ArticlesFlashback to 2007! One of the first lessons I've created—hard to believe it was eight years ago. How much has changed in the classroom and in the world since then!<br />
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The format might be a bit dated, but grammar never goes out of style...Or does it?! A great review of articles to get your students' brains firing first thing. Most of the content is geared for higher levels but some of the speaking activities could be adapted for lower levels. As always, I would love to hear how the lesson worked for you and your learners!<br />
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<iframe height="480" src="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B113xrkdEliieHF4TlItT0JQRGM/preview" width="440"></iframe>FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-83977582002464565932015-03-09T12:18:00.000-07:002015-03-09T19:59:05.549-07:00Lesson Download: Sewing and Patterns 101<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Designer entrepreneur Meaghan Smith is an amazingly talented woman! I was tickled pink when she agreed to be a word mentor and help me build a lesson introducing the basics of sewing and patterns. An audio interview with Meaghan is also embedded in the QR code and is well worth a listen (thanks to my hubby over at <a href="http://29erradio.com/">29erradio.com</a>!).</div>
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click on image or <a href="http://www.heremagazine.ca/assets/sewingandpatternswithanswers.pdf" target="_blank">here for pdf download with answers</a>!</div>
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FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-51232169996847255562015-03-09T11:18:00.002-07:002015-03-09T11:21:03.579-07:00Lesson Download: Families and CommunicationI love this lesson not just because my beautiful mother is the hard-working family mediator introduced below but because it is a good reminder for all of us, English-language learners or otherwise, of the many definitions of "family" and the importance of word choice in fostering good communication and positive relationships. Thanks, Mom!<br />
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<a href="http://www.heremagazine.ca/assets/familyfall2014withanswers.pdf" target="_blank">click here or on the image to view, download, or print the lesson (with answers)</a><br />
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<br />FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-43840531871947570632014-09-14T14:58:00.002-07:002015-03-05T12:28:40.962-08:00Lesson Download: Understanding Slang...?Yes, another lazy lesson post...but a fun, lazy lesson post AND one with great QR audio built in—ready for scanning or clicking! This particular content makes me feel <i>very </i>old but grateful to have young folk around to tell me what's up. Totes rad!<br />
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Click on image or <a href="http://www.heremagazine.ca/assets/slanglessonwithanswers.pdf" target="_blank">here for pdf download with answers</a>!<br />
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p.s. this is from Here! Magazine's amazing Summer 2014 Issue, full of all things language, education and culture. PLUS almost every feature and column includes authentic QR audio to supplement the content. Great for listening and reading practice. Teachers: just pop it up on your classroom screen and let your students click or scan with their own devices! Learners: use your phone or tablet to listen along! <a href="http://issuu.com/heremagazine/docs/here_magazine_summer_2014_web" target="_blank"> Full digital issue here</a>. </div>
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FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-18515173149666869202014-03-19T19:54:00.000-07:002015-03-05T12:29:51.215-08:00Lesson Download: At The GymYou will probably be unsurprised to hear that launching a new magazine takes up a great deal of TIME. Loads and loads of time. Issue #2 - <a href="http://www.heremagazine.ca/">www.heremagazine.ca</a> - is winging its way all over Victoria B.C. Canada as I type this. Hurrah for the Here! team. The community feedback has been incredible!<br />
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So...please forgive me as I substitute a new blog post with a second Here! Magazine language lesson, created with personal trainer and word mentor, Sharon Jacobson. Images for Pinterest and viewing, link is to pdf download for personal or classroom use. Enjoy! (p.s. check out the QR code for <i>direct </i>audio clip - sooooooooo cool.)<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;"><b>AT THE GYM - a beginner's workout</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.heremagazine.ca/assets/gymlessonwithanswers.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Click here for link to pdf download</span></a><br />
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FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-65308166828518234692013-12-09T19:05:00.000-08:002015-03-07T09:04:52.958-08:00Lesson Download: All About My Family Doctor<span style="font-size: large;">It's me! I'm back! Oh, you weren't wondering where I've been? Ah, that's o.k. I'm tough, I'm an ESL teacher...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Actually, my teacher hat is on the hook for the foreseeable future as I wrestle my new project to the ground: Here! Magazine - a language and culture quarterly for women new to Canada. The last six months of building and launching have been inspiring and challenging as I forge new relationships in the newcomer community </span><span style="font-size: large;">outside of the classroom</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and learn the ins and outs of the magazine world. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the mandates of the magazine is to help make language and culture accessible to new Canadians; another is to build cross-cultural understanding through a mutual exchange of knowledge and experience - a two-way welcome wagon, if you will! You can learn more about the content and our vision at <a href="http://www.heremagazine.ca%20/" target="_blank">www.heremagazine.ca</a>. In the meantime, here is the language lesson from the launch issue of Here! Magazine. It's yours for the classroom, private study, or wherever you need it. Enjoy!</span><br />
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-Bb_wIRAWJbd0tVbXlheW1BQVE/edit?usp=sharing" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">Click here for link to pdf download</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-53623644778083518152013-09-03T13:49:00.000-07:002013-09-04T08:07:07.339-07:00Teaching Abroad: 4 things that can go wrong and what you can do - by William Lake<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Things are crazy busy here in </span><a href="http://eslenglish.ca/" style="font-size: x-large;">eslenglish.ca</a><span style="font-size: large;"> world (launching a new magazine - </span><a href="http://heremagazine.ca/" style="font-size: x-large;">heremagazine.ca</a><span style="font-size: large;"> - in November!). We are pleased as punch to have fellow ESL teacher and blogger, William Lake, do a little moonlighting here at Fiona's ESL Blog to tell us all about the challenges and the wonders of teaching English in Cambodia and elsewhere. If you're thinking about teaching abroad or just want a glimpse of what it might be like far away from home, then read on...</span>(oh, and send William some PG Tips and HP if you're so inclined!)</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Teaching English in a foreign country can be a rewarding and great experience. Some people choose to do it for a few years to fund their travels, whilst others make a career out of it by working in exotic locations. But it isn't always that easy, sometimes things go wrong and when you’re living and working in a foreign country, you might not know how to fix these problems. Here, I outline 4 things that might go wrong with English teachers working in a foreign country and what you can do about it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>1.</b> <b>Culture Shock</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Culture shock can happen to even the most accustomed of travellers and it can happen to anyone at any time. Basically, culture shock is a feeling of disorientation that comes with visiting, living or working in a new culture. You will probably encounter unfamiliar food, language, weather, and customs, etc. and it can leave you feeling depressed, scared and in some cases it can affect your health. To try and help, I would suggest easing yourself in gently. Try to familiarise with your new culture step by step. If you’re unsure about the food, eat food that you are familiar with. Try to meet other expats and make some new friends and ask them for advice (most countries have forums dedicated to expats). Just try to do it step by step. If you really don’t like the culture or country then leave for somewhere new (this should be your last resort!).
I’ve personally never suffered from culture shock. I visited my first foreign country (Tunisia) at 5 years old and have pretty much been to a new country every year from then on and I’m 32 years old now! Hopefully, I won’t ever get it. I have seen other people with culture shock and it really doesn’t look like a pleasant experience. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>2. Missing Home</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Feeling homesick is another common problem for people teaching abroad. Often we’re 1000s of miles away from our friends and families and it can leave some people feeling vulnerable and lonely. Nowadays, however, this doesn’t need to be such a problem. With modern air travel, you’re never really more than 24 hours away from home and if you want to visit, it’s relatively easy to do so (providing you have the money!). Another thing that I do is to try to contact my family and friends as regularly as possible and in the modern world with SMS, smart phones, Skype, and other things; this is easier, quicker and cheaper than ever before!
You might even be missing some of the home comforts, but I’ve found that you can buy a lot of the products that you know from home in most countries around the world. So stay in regular contact with people you love and buy the small things that you want, you’ll soon find that this feeling goes away and you’ll be enjoying your new life in no time at all. For some people, however, this feeling persists and gets steadily worse and you might need to acknowledge that living abroad might not be for you.
I don’t really miss too much from home. Other than missing my friends and family, I’ve grown accustomed to living abroad. There isn’t really anything that I can’t live without, but a friend came to visit me recently in Cambodia and asked what I would like from home. I jumped at the opportunity to get a few things that I haven’t found here in Cambodia. They brought me some PG Tips tea, a potato masher and some HP sauce. Although I can do without these things, they did make me feel a little closer to home! </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5DWOmun7uFzWGOXgFHAiPkBtuiw1ED54I0Ncu9v_K3t49sSxKpBz1mOjJSsaHQKF5YUuHULDxbqLidJJ2_KpzQH1oGmqmE68Kf9GT-rK5g2XyhfrOh6tjSJpP-es0QOQr2PWyC_ubhw/s1600/William2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5DWOmun7uFzWGOXgFHAiPkBtuiw1ED54I0Ncu9v_K3t49sSxKpBz1mOjJSsaHQKF5YUuHULDxbqLidJJ2_KpzQH1oGmqmE68Kf9GT-rK5g2XyhfrOh6tjSJpP-es0QOQr2PWyC_ubhw/s320/William2.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<i>"This is a picture of Kep, Cambodia. Kep is one of my favourite places in Cambodia. It’s a very small and sleepy seaside town with very little to do other than eat great food and lounge around doing nothing. Both of which are 2 of my favourite things to do!"</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>3. Employer Problems</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">If you have a problem with your employer in your own country, you are usually either well versed on the law and what you can do or you know where to find appropriate advice about how to handle the situation. Unfortunately, in a foreign country we don’t have this same luxury. If you experience problems with your employer and you think it is unfair, there might not be a lot you can do about it. I’ve always gone down the route of trying to avoid these types of issues from the beginning and only generally work in schools where I’ve found good reviews online by other teachers or spoken to other expat teachers living in the country and asked for their opinions and experiences.
Sometimes, however, you might have issues and don’t really know what to do about them. Your rights as a foreigner will differ in each country, so it’s difficult to give specific advice, but here is some general advice. Most countries have employment laws, so read up on them. You might find that you have no rights; therefore, I would cut my losses and find a new employer. Finally, ask the locals for advice, they should know what to do and be able to give you appropriate advice.
Personally, I’ve been lucky with schools that I’ve worked in and never really had any serious problems. There’s been a few niggling problems like getting paid a few days late, having no books or repeatedly given the wrong books, but nothing big. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eIbGat82xJb0KuLxt_LQx8pndhl32FBGggzqC3yB7Qd-3uWT0P69n5YM4oZja_7OcBEMY78CgUM63kB6hHC3wPM7RwRA2Pg67ATkyxlZFk3wTHWrwfUQ0nf3qTDcD5hqRz2cdH3Yyjo/s1600/William.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eIbGat82xJb0KuLxt_LQx8pndhl32FBGggzqC3yB7Qd-3uWT0P69n5YM4oZja_7OcBEMY78CgUM63kB6hHC3wPM7RwRA2Pg67ATkyxlZFk3wTHWrwfUQ0nf3qTDcD5hqRz2cdH3Yyjo/s320/William.jpg" width="320" /></a><i>"This the view from Phnom Srei (Girl Mountain) in Kampong Cham, Cambodia. There are 2 mountains side by side, the other being Phnom Bro (Boy Mountain). The story is that there was a competition between the men and women in the village who could build the highest mountain before the sun came up. The women knew that they had no chance of beating the men so instead they built a big light that looked like the sun and the men stopped working. They women then continued to build the mountain and built a taller mountain than the men. The locals say it shows that women are more intelligent than the men!"</i><br />
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<b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">4. Student Problems</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Finally, you might encounter problems with your students. They might be unruly, difficult to control or even rude to you. I haven’t often encountered these problems with students, but when I have, I first seek the advice of my colleagues, especially the native teachers. If this doesn't work, I then seek the advice of the principal or school director and explain my problems. I once had a situation where nothing worked, the students didn't want to learn and they didn't want to be there. I tried all sorts of things to help! I tried making the lessons more interactive, splitting the students into smaller groups, keeping them busy with different activities and everything else I could thing of. Finally I tried playing the disciplinarian (this is always my last resort).
After none of these worked, I asked for a different class and explained why I didn’t want to teach them. The director was unsurprised and said that every teacher has this problem with that particular class and that’s why the class was given to the new teacher because nobody wanted to teach them! He said to stick it out for a few more weeks and consequently found me a new class. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZos1lhyphenhyphen_guwwauOmB7bn76E00lmGDpRduR5cca5zJzYqA4GiWcaKDtFSNL91wat4vILxicT_kawqhGvNWKqYCZa3EJjENn7Uz7Qzo6AgvdExjJyAXOIDxjOr_2dHJ_qYKW-Uh-o0_ZCE/s1600/William3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZos1lhyphenhyphen_guwwauOmB7bn76E00lmGDpRduR5cca5zJzYqA4GiWcaKDtFSNL91wat4vILxicT_kawqhGvNWKqYCZa3EJjENn7Uz7Qzo6AgvdExjJyAXOIDxjOr_2dHJ_qYKW-Uh-o0_ZCE/s200/William3.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<i><b>William Lake is an ESL Teacher, TEFL Lecturer and Cultural Studies Lecturer at Build Bright University in Siem Reap, Cambodia. He publishes ESL information for both teachers and students on his <a href="http://blog.about-esl.com/" target="_blank">blog</a> and can be found online on: </b></i><br />
<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/allaboutesl" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </b><br />
<b><a href="http://www.blogger.com/-%20https://twitter.com/WillLakeESL" target="_blank">Twitter</a> </b><br />
<b><a href="http://plus.google.com/u/0/117351004672886436212" target="_blank">Google Plus </a> </b><br />
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FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-64861613309902542752013-04-28T18:13:00.000-07:002013-04-29T11:53:09.942-07:00Improve Your Global Business English<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">The Fabulous Functionall Resource Review #3</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><em>One of the goals of this blog is to help you sort through the overwhelming number of language resources available to choose the materials that are right for your language learning or teaching journey. Not only is there a plethora of resources, they don't come cheap. Let this old hat do the research and save you time and money. Lord knows, we teachers need more of both! - Fiona </em></span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: inherit;">for more information about my reviewing approach click <span style="text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://eslenglish-fiona.blogspot.com/2010/05/fabulous-functionall-resource-review.html" style="text-decoration: none;">here</a></span></span></em></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;"> About 15 years ago, at one of my first teaching jobs, I was given the assignment of teaching a Brazilian businessman "Business English". I'm not sure why I was asked or what his ultimate impressions were but let's just say it was a learning experience all around. I had no business background. I was a geeky linguistics graduate. The small school where I was teaching had few "Business English" resources, all of which were outdated or extremely basic or both. At that time, there was also very little available online. My student and I cobbled our lessons together, based on his particular needs and what was essentially my ability to fake it. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #444444;">Fast forward to </span><strong style="line-height: 20px; text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #073763;">I</span></em></strong><span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #073763;">mprove Your Global Business English</span> <span style="color: #444444;">- </span></span><span style="color: #444444;">t</span></span><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">his resource would have saved my skin 15 years ago. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><strong>Book for Review:</strong><b> </b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #073763; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><strong><em>I</em></strong><strong><em>mprove Your </em></strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #073763; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><strong><em>Global Business English</em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Authors:</b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><em><b>Fiona Talbot </b></em></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><em><b>Sudakshina Bhattacharjee</b></em></span></span><br />
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<strong style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 29.09090805053711px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #660000;">In Depth Resource Review:</span></strong></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">Au</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">thor Fiona Talbot has referred to </span><b style="color: #073763; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;"><em>I</em></span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;"><em>mprove Your Global Business English</em></span></b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;"> as <b>an "office guide" used for "self-development"</b>. This is a good description. It is certainly well-suited to independent study and reference but this doesn't exclude it from being a great classroom resource as well.<b> It is smart, thoughtful, practical and relevant</b>. My four favourite things!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTHd3ZP4dhyTzDYVqfqJb7m547rnwWwR9Um7GLTj2OWiCJf7ASgbyn7U3-P1jQ9jFUYenZhxWva_O93NLEKAAxsijTaWMKE43q3ZGQPhsjbEXWhvkTQnUq3KxO2AG-coMUiVMbnFshY_A/s1600/global2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTHd3ZP4dhyTzDYVqfqJb7m547rnwWwR9Um7GLTj2OWiCJf7ASgbyn7U3-P1jQ9jFUYenZhxWva_O93NLEKAAxsijTaWMKE43q3ZGQPhsjbEXWhvkTQnUq3KxO2AG-coMUiVMbnFshY_A/s400/global2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Webdings; font-size: 48.18181610107422px; line-height: 54.54545211791992px;">¨</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: #660000; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444;">The Introduction does a nice job of explaining a) </span><b style="color: #444444;">who the book is for </b><span style="color: #444444;">b) </span><b style="color: #444444;">how to use it</b><span style="color: #444444;"> and c) </span><b style="color: #444444;">the book's terminology and spelling (Mid-Atlantic!) philosophy. </b><span style="color: #444444;">It also makes it obvious that only advanced English language learners or native speakers will be able to negotiate the book's meaning and fully engage with its content. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-size: large; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">The book addresses important themes including:</span></div>
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<li><span style="color: #b45f06; line-height: 20px;"><b style="background-color: white;">defining global business English within your organization</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06; line-height: 20px;"><b style="background-color: white;">understanding cultures, subcultures and approaches to businesses and workplaces</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06; line-height: 20px;"><b style="background-color: white;">the changing face of writing in the digital age</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06; line-height: 20px;"><b style="background-color: white;">common challenges in business English</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06; line-height: 20px;"><b style="background-color: white;">using email efficiently</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06; line-height: 20px;"><b style="background-color: white;">writing for impact</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06; line-height: 20px;"><b style="background-color: white;">writing agendas, notes, and minutes of meetings</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06; line-height: 20px;"><b style="background-color: white;">how to write for Twitter</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06; line-height: 20px;"><b style="background-color: white;">offering or requesting support</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06; line-height: 20px;"><b style="background-color: white;">using the right words to motivate</b></span></li>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 20px;">If some of this doesn't sound like a language learning resource, you're right. <b>It is as much a business resource for native speakers as it is a language guide for business English learners and it strikes a nice balance between the two</b>. I think this is what makes </span><span style="color: #073763;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;"><em>I</em></span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;"><em>mprove Your Global Business English </em></span></b></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: large; line-height: 20px;">so relevant and useful. It doesn't look at language in a vacuum but in the context of its purpose. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-size: large; line-height: 20px;">And rest assured, the content is well-supported with activities and review exercises that would be very adaptable to an ESL/EFL environment:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-size: large;">Of course, no resource is perfect - there is a great deal of content crammed into what could have been spread over two or three volumes (which I guess also means you get your money's worth!). I s</span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: large;">ometimes found the organization odd and confusing (for example, "The purpose of this book" passage really belongs in the introduction, not in Chapter One). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #444444;">You know how I love my visual cues and I'm always all about less talk, more action, so I do feel </span><b style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;"><em>I</em></span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;"><em>mprove Your Global Business English</em></span></b><span style="color: #444444;"> is text-heavy and that may intimidate some learners and educators. I'd like to see more "check-ins", exercises, images, perhaps even some field activities (a.k.a. 'homework') for self-assessment and practice. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #444444;">Despite these weaknesses, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend </span><b style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;"><em>I</em></span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;"><em>mprove Your Global Business English </em></span></b><span style="color: #444444;">to any Business English educator or learner as there is much here to draw upon and expand upon - it's a reference and guide that will be dog-eared in no time! </span></span></div>
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FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-1439515215834708482013-04-03T13:10:00.000-07:002013-04-04T10:46:12.887-07:00Pronunciation and prejudice<span style="font-size: large;">The class was dynamic: the students young, engaged, goofy, courageous. They were Chinese high school students with excellent vocabularies and confidence to spare. I took to them instantly. Perhaps it was mutual.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I gave them fun tasks and then some challenging projects and they surpassed my expectations every time. But. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The students often complained that nobody in the shops or restaurants, on the streets, or on campus understood them and their often simple requests. You see, outside of the classroom and beyond my protective #ELT net, my students' English accomplishments fell on deaf ears. Or, to re-phrase, their words fell on ears unaccustomed to their accents and, seemingly, reluctant to stretch <strike>a lobe</strike> familiar boundaries. F</span><span style="font-size: large;">or the untrained and impatient listener, </span><span style="font-size: large;">these students were very difficult </span><span style="font-size: large;">to understand. On the surface, it might even seem and feel like prejudice, much like when my mother-in-law pretends not to understand someone helping her out from a call centre halfway around the world. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But let's face it. Pronunciation prejudice goes both ways and might be summed up thus:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: #0c343d;">1) Native listeners and speakers who can't be bothered to negotiate misplaced stress, an off-vowel, or a fumbled consonant cluster</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">2) English language learners who may have mastered the syntax, vocabulary, grammar, and meaning of an utterance but don't take honing their pronunciation seriously</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Of course, when discussing "intelligibility", it is more complicated than that and ongoing research has resulted in a multitude of explanations, none of them mutually exclusive. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I remember in my early teaching days, repeating to my students a theory I half-remembered from a lecture that suggested "stress misplacement" was the most significant cause of misunderstanding, or lack of intelligibility, between speaker and listener. I hadn't ever bothered to source my assertions but I certainly had vats of empirical evidence in my own classroom and in my own life. </span><span style="font-size: large;">However casually I tossed this theory out to my students, it seemed to make them seriously consider and invest in the pronunciation component of their language learning. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Thanks to Dr. Google McLinguist, I have no trouble these days finding support for my then-flimsy pedagogy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">An example:</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">"some accounts of speech processing raise the possibility that the stressed syllable of a word provides the listener with a code that links directly to the representation of the word in the mind"</span></i><br />
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and in this paper's conclusions: </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>"the consequences of misinterpreting even a small</i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>number of content words can be extremely damaging to global understanding"</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://203.72.145.166/TESOL/TQD_2008/VOL_39_3.pdf#page=36" target="_blank">full paper here</a></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In other words, what I had been saying to my students all along: "They don't understand you, despite your good grammar and natural vocabulary, because it's not how they <i>expect</i> to hear you say it". The listener is <i>already programmed</i>. ESL teachers, on the other hand, have a certain listening flexibility after years of negotiating intelligibility and meaning with non-native speakers of various backgrounds.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I am obviously far from an expert in this field but t<b>he crux of it is this: we can't train all the listeners.</b> All the perfect grammar and stellar vocabulary in the world may just fall on deaf ears if we don't include or even <i>emphasize</i> pronunciation teaching and practice. With globalization, pronunciation teaching has become a bit of minefield of accents, dialects, and political correctness. Educators wonder what to teach and what to correct or accept. As with any other aspect of language learning, it is a delicate balance and an environment in which ultimately, the educator can only share his or her own experience and knowledge.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">In the end, we want our students to be confident, to be successful, and to be heard. After all their hard work, that's the least we can give them. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>p.s. speaking of experts, the talented and brilliant Dr. Bill Acton of Trinity Western University has created an intuitive, effective haptic pronunciation program called, yup, </i><b>"Acton Haptic"</b><i>. If you're like me and so-so at pronunciation teaching and not sure where to start, this all-inclusive video-based program does it all. Press play and you and your students learn together. </i><a href="http://www.eslenglish.ca/#!actonhaptic/csbz" target="_blank">Test run </a><b><a href="http://www.eslenglish.ca/#!actonhaptic/csbz" target="_blank">Acton Haptic</a></b><a href="http://www.eslenglish.ca/#!actonhaptic/csbz" target="_blank"> here</a><i> and </i><a href="http://hipoeces.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">read about Dr. Acton's research here</a>.</span></div>
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FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-53372124396060291832013-02-10T22:02:00.000-08:002015-03-07T09:04:08.116-08:00All about my friendsSo it's that day again. It's the Anti-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Day" target="_blank">White Day</a>. Or the who-the-heck-is-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadie_Hawkins_Day" target="_blank">Sadie-Hawkins</a> Day. It's HEART day or pink-&-red-shirt day. It's I-wish-he-would-call-me-day or let's-go-have-fun-regardless day. Ok, it's also the day my husband proposed to me on an impromptu night away, rustling through his bag for a hidden ruby & diamond ring before asking me to never leave his side. He confessed later: "I didn't want it to be on such a predictable day but it just seemed right". There was nothing predictable about his proposal and there hasn't been much predictable since.<br />
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Whatever love is in your life this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine's_Day" target="_blank">St. Valentine's Day</a>, 2013, there is always the love of our friends, be they our BFFs or partners-in-life. Or if we're lucky, both. Here's a Valentine lesson discussing and celebrating the many types of friendship. All from my words for women & girls, <i><a href="http://www.seriousgirltalk.com/" target="_blank">Serious Girl Talk Series</a>. </i>I know, totally awesome. You're welcome. Oh wait, and I stuck some of it on <a href="http://pinterest.com/eslenglish/esl-materials-i-have-created/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> too. Don't say I don't love you.<br />
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For ESL, intermediate +, reading, writing, grammar, speaking, pronunciation. Great quotations & stimulating discussion. My Valentine to you - hard-working teachers & learners.<br />
<embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="580" src="https://www.box.com/embed/8osj9yefn20l9hq.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="386" wmode="opaque"></embed>
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And here's the issuu version for you ipadders:
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<script async="true" src="//e.issuu.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script></span>FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-70517398413177545512013-01-22T10:05:00.000-08:002015-12-13T14:45:13.724-08:00Lesson Download: to regret or not to regret?<span style="font-size: large;">The new year is well upon us but you may still be looking back on 2012 and wishing: <b><i>if only...</i> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Or you might be casting back to just last week and eyeing the tattered shreds of your s<b>hort-lived 2013 resolutions</b>. No matter, regret isn't just for <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/jan/17/lance-armstrong-oprah-winfrey-interview-live-blog" target="_blank"><b>Lance Armstrong</b></a> (?), it's a chance for all of us to alternately </span><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: x-large;"><b>hang our heads and shrug our shoulders</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> when things have gone a little pear-shaped. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Here's a fun and serious exploration of the <b>language we use to express regret</b> or perhaps a lack thereof. W<i>hich will it be for you today?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Feel free to <b>download, print, share, or make paper airplanes </b>with this <b><i><span style="color: #351c75;">great ESL lesson for intermediate-advanced young adult/adult students</span></i></b>. The Teacher Guide with extra activities and tips is here too!</span><br />
<iframe height="480" src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B113xrkdEliiNTdRZ2kyZngySzg/preview" width="440"></iframe>FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-36105839341634090652012-12-05T21:49:00.000-08:002012-12-06T17:24:34.145-08:00An Insue by any other name<span style="font-size: large;">An ESL student phenomenon that has never ceased to surprise, dismay, and sometimes amuse me over the years is the student acquisition of the "English Name". </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>It probably has its roots in the early communicative and the "when-you-walk-through-this-door-your-every-thought-breath-utterance-will-be-English" approaches</b>, </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">but sometimes it smacks of colonialism or something Saidian & "other"-associated. Whatever its beginnings, on some level, for better or for worse, it irks me. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">My class roster is a naturally changeable beast, typically from semester to semester and program to program, but also with the ebb and flow of immigration waves. When I first starting teaching more than 15 years ago, 90% of my adult ESL students were Japanese; now, in my western Canadian classroom, Saudi and Chinese students battle for top billing. I am, of course, thrilled to engage with any culture or language group. However, perhaps not every language group would say the same for me. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Full disclosure: I S-U-C-K at pronouncing some of my students' names. My Chinese pronunciation in particular is shockingly mutilative. </span><span style="font-size: large;">(<i>hundreds of my former students are furiously nodding their heads up and down right now</i>)</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">In the early days, I never questioned the Kings, Dragons, Roses, Jets, Felicias, Chastitys, Moons, or Suns but over the last few years I've made a point of trying to get to the origins of "the English name". Sometimes I'm told that their English teacher back home "assigned" it, </span><span style="font-size: large;">or that it sounds like their 'real' name, or that it's their Christian name, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">(totally get it, Sister Rosa; one half of my Korean nun-pair one fabulous year. </span><span style="font-size: large;">p.s. was sweating that dating & marriage unit until you told me you'd tried marijuana.)</span></b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">or that they just wanted to switch it up in a new country. Sometimes it's obvious why <i>when they cringe as I audibly butcher their names during the first roll call</i>. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">But let me say this:</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <i><b>your 'real' name is YOU!</b> </i>I want to know <u>that</u> you and what that name means in your language and what it meant to your parents and what you like or don't like about it. I want you to teach me and your classmates how to say it properly. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I hate when a classmate of yours quietly asks me your name 8 weeks into the semester when I'm partnering you together for an activity. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">I want to hear your name in our classroom because I believe it makes you heard and seen in this new place and this new language in which you have so bravely chosen to learn, love, and succeed. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">So, my fellow educators and learners, let's make sure we build our classroom community from the ground up, starting with learning each other's names inside and out. Name collages? Name games? Red rover, red rover, I call Zhi Qiang over? Love to hear what you do to celebrate names in the classroom.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">This is dedicated to Insue and to Jesse <i>(which sounds nothing like Dae Kyeong, does it?)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b>Good name-changing advice from 'Philip "do-not-be-creative" Guo':</b> <a href="http://www.pgbovine.net/choosing-english-name.htm" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, Times, serif; line-height: 1.3em;">How to choose an English name</a><br />
<br />
<b>Aw, hell, pick a random name with BarryfunEnglish:</b> <a href="http://www.barryfunenglish.com/tools/english-name-maker">English Name Maker</a><br />
<br />
<b>Or ask yourself those deep name-changing questions @ English Gateway:</b> <a href="http://www.englishgateway.com/ArticleVm.aspx?SectionID=d110128e12974f6bb118fcb081764008&ArticleID=0f61f7ef617543358f9577214fa2024c">What's In A Name?</a><br />
<br />FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-44872385329715133512012-10-24T12:41:00.000-07:002015-03-07T09:39:55.693-08:00Lesson Download: "Canadian Languages"Although I'm still crying from laughter, thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/SSavides">@SSavides</a>' tweeting of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah6WEo2y7do&feature=youtu.be">"Learn English with Ricky Gervais"</a>, here's a new, fabulous project-based, blended-learning lesson on "Canadian Languages" that helps explore the Canadian census findings on our official languages and the growth of the allophone! Sounds complicated but it's great fun, I promise. Free for you to use and share, courtesy of yours truly and Camosun International.<br />
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<embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="650" src="https://www.box.com/embed/y51ebud8mm1oc34.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="356" wmode="opaque"></embed>FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-11412566932369944862012-10-08T21:53:00.000-07:002012-10-08T21:53:02.556-07:00Pin to Learn - Learn to PinIt's true. I joined Pinterest about a month ago. I don't know why exactly. I don't bake and, while I like traveling and shopping, I don't seem to actually get to do <i>either</i> very often. But something about <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Pinterest</b></span> seems like a natural fit for <b><span style="font-size: large;">education and educational materials</span></b> and well, I do both of those <i>quite</i> often. I have my "pin it" on my toolbar and am tickled when a cool infographic or resource crosses my web-path and *poof*, I can pin it to my board! Unfortunately, I've discovered my flash-based website coughs up not a single pin and yup, you guessed it, neither does my box.com-embedded lesson download on blogger. So, without further ado, I have converted my latest lesson to jpg, just so I can pin it for your viewing pleasure. Oh, and you probably guessed this as well: <span style="font-size: large;">It's a Pinterest project-based lesson. </span>Happy pinning!<br />
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p.s. You are more than welcome to print and use but if you want the original copy, just <b><a href="mailto:fiona@eslenglish.ca">email</a></b> me and ask nicely! Oh, and of course, check <a href="http://pinterest.com/eslenglish/"><b>my pinning-progress out on Pinterest</b></a>. And...I love comments, so please do.<br />
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<br />FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-46541038324070002592012-06-21T20:48:00.003-07:002015-03-09T10:56:40.134-07:00Lesson Download: "First Nations on Vancouver Island"Enjoy & share this new lesson! Created for Camosun College International by yours truly. INTERMEDIATE + LEVEL. Love your feedback too!<br />
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<embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="400" src="https://www.box.com/embed/kgdrm17methzfu5.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="466" wmode="opaque"></embed>FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-75019667192592868142012-06-12T12:52:00.000-07:002012-06-13T08:33:19.944-07:00It's so Canadian, eh? though!Oh, <i><b>Daniel</b></i> - you were such a great student: curious, gregarious, <b>witty</b>, and kind. Something always bugged me <i>though</i>. You would suddenly interrupt class with a shout: <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">FI<span style="color: #20124d;">ONA, YOU SAID IT AGAIN!</span></span><br />
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I didn't mind though because I knew your <b>keen</b> linguistic mind was at work, whittling away at grammar rules and English language patterns.<br />
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I was stymied, though, because however often I tried to explain and answer your questions, you stared back at me, <i>mystified</i> and <b>suspicious that I hadn't quite told the whole story</b>.<br />
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So, for you, my former, fabulous student. Here is the whole story. <span style="font-size: large;">The Story of Though, Canadian-style:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Though</span> began life as an "although", sometimes an "even though", burdened with awkward spelling and sharp competition. Though is tight with his cousins, "however", "but", "despite", "in spite of" and especially close with "that said", though the family resemblance is sometimes hard to spot on first sight. <span style="font-size: large;">Though</span> often prefers to be fashionably late and make a statement. I doubt he'd admit it, though. I must confess, I like <span style="font-size: large;">Though</span> quite a bit.<br />
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<i><b>Is Though particularly Canadian?!</b></i> Though I like the suggestion, I'm not so sure, and though I hear him all around me and often <i>from</i> me, I haven't yet seen research that substantiates such a claim. I would like that, though. I detest the tag question, eh?, which supposedly defines the "Canadian" dialect.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Though</span> is more concession than contradiction. It's the word you can turn to when all your thoughts have been exhausted. Though is a <i>gentle</i> reprimand or hopeful <b>encouragement</b>. If its ubiquity is courtesy of Canada, then that's just perfect. Don't bring it up at the <b>G20</b> though; they might not have a clue what you're talking about.<br />
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Though this might not clear it all up for you, <span style="font-size: large;">Daniel</span>, I hope you have enjoyed the story. I sincerely hope you <i>"got it"</i> though because I can still see your accusing <span style="color: #351c75;"><b>bright eye</b>s</span> across the classroom tables.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>quick reference guide for Daniel and other travellers to Canada:</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">though=although=even though</span></b><br />
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<i>as in:</i> <u>Though/Although/Even though</u> I like Canadians, they smell too much like maple syrup. FOCUS: Canadians are smelly<br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>starring *though* as its wonderful self:</b></span><br />
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<b>1.</b> I had a great time in Tofino! We went surfing in the most incredible waves and stayed at an awesome hotel. It rained everyday <u>though</u>.<br />
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(hint= <u>Though/Although/Even though</u> Tofino was great and we surfed in the most incredible waves and stayed at an awesome hotel, it rained everyday) FOCUS: It rained. Boo.<br />
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<b>2.</b> Omigod! That Canadian guy was super-creepy. He talked to me all night and when his phone buzzed he didn't even check it. He's like some engineering student or something. Anyway, he blabbed on about Canada and pipelines and how important they were. He wanted to know who I voted for in the last election. As if! He was cute <u>though</u>.<br />
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(hint=....?) You tell me. Seriously. Write your answer below.<br />
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Is <span style="font-size: large;">Though </span>your friend too? Look forward to your comments.<br />
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<br />FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-6592717532551589582012-04-29T15:33:00.002-07:002012-05-03T09:45:56.825-07:00Your going to be mad, but Team Grammar may have lost this one<span style="font-size: large;">When it first started, we linguists and teachers were pretty smug. It's </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">just the teenagers,</i><span style="font-size: large;"> we may have snickered. And then, </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">those lazy texters. </i><span style="font-size: large;">And then perhaps we started to sweat a little and tug at our collars because suddenly it was on Facebook, Twitter, our students' essays, and egads, even work emails. </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">From colleagues!</i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Yes, we too made the occasional error. Worse: sometimes we didn't catch it in time before it was *poofed* out into cyberspace. But the very, VERY worst of all?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Nobody noticed. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I do not admit defeat easily, but the ubiquitous use of the possessive adjective "your" when and where "you are" or its contraction "you're" is required is as common as, well, the use of the word "ubiquitous". At what point, my prescriptivist friends, do we wave the white flag and stop snickering? Doesn't usage trump all? The people have chosen. After all, it's only a teeny 'be' verb we've disappeared. We disappear it in newspaper headlines all the time<i>. </i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Of course, it's not just a tiny 'be' verb left behind, but entire grammatical constructs abandoned hastily on the side of the road. That 'be' verb is part and parcel of its continuous or passive form, or (<i>excuse me while I dry my eyes) </i>of its participle partner. How lonely those other halves must be, with their -ing's and -ed's hanging out there for the world to see.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I envision children in 2025 asking their teachers (um, I mean <i>devices) </i>why we write <i>They are walking down the street </i>and<i> She is walking down the street </i>but <i>Your walking down the street. </i>I envision myself waiting for the second part of a text after I receive: <i>your awesome</i>. Oh, wait. I already do that. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I suspect it will become just another weird English anomaly that we geeky teachers get to explain to new language learners as they struggle with grammar and context. One day, though, we'll forget how it all started and have to refer to our OED app, which might read something like this: </span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b style="font-size: x-large;">Your </b><span style="font-size: large;">(yor, </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">y<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; line-height: 19px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">ər</span></span><span style="font-size: large;">) </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">n. + v.</i><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><b style="font-size: x-large;"> </b><span style="font-size: large;">Contraction of "you" and "are"</span><b style="font-size: x-large;"> </b><i style="font-size: x-large;"> </i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">[Forms</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">: </i><b style="font-size: x-large; font-style: italic;">You're</b><i style="font-size: x-large;"> </i><i><span style="font-size: large;">Obs. rare</span></i><i style="font-size: x-large;"> </i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>2009 </b><i>Fiona's phone. "You're such a good friend"</i></span><span style="font-size: large;">]</span><br />
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<img src="http://edudemic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/badgrammar.jpg" />
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<br />FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7812233453228787922.post-70470339145224537852012-01-17T15:26:00.000-08:002012-01-17T15:32:53.468-08:00Email & laser tag: edtech baby steps to team-buildingWhen Jax* told me her students didn't have her email address, I think my mouth dropped open a little. I might have spluttered something about maintaining boundaries and then went back to my marking. In the back of my mind, though, I was musing about dinosaurs and rotary phones.<br />
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Jax is an engaged, smart, witty, and hard working teacher. She's well-read, well-travelled, well-spoken and totally dedicated to her students. So why isn't she in email contact with them?<br />
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I have to confess I only started communicating with my students electronically about 2 and half years ago but I could never go back to the way it was before. For one, my students find it helpful - they can ask a quick question, send in their homework, or share something personal that they might not be able to say in class. For another, <i>I</i> find it helpful - it helps me stay organized, is easier for marking written assignments, and most of all, helps me get <i>and </i>keep my finger on the pulse of my class.<br />
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In an adult multicultural ESL classroom, one of the most difficult challenges is team-building, getting the students to work together in a way that benefits them all. By starting a term off with a collective, connective email, you set the stage for communication and collaboration. Mid-term? Laser tag. Trust me. You'll never use a rotary phone again.<br />
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No excuses - debunking email/DM myths:<br />
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<i>I'm worried about protecting my privacy and my students' privacy!</i><br />
There are many platforms and programs that conceal email addresses and other sensitive information. You never have to use your personal email and your students sure won't use theirs.<br />
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<i>It's not very professional to send emails to my students.</i><br />
Almost every single communication is now acceptable via email. If you conduct yourself in writing as you would in the classroom, then it's up to you how professional you are.<br />
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<i>It's so time-consuming. </i><br />
Limit the tasks and correspondence to what you can handle. <b>Alert:</b> students have lives too and don't spend every waking moment wanting to email or DM their teacher.<br />
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<b>If email is your edtech-baby step, then it's time to take it.</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*might be her real name, might not</span>FIONA BRAMBLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335896980338849613noreply@blogger.com0