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One of the best parts of English is its written language. When students write along with speaking the language, everything improves. I used to write articles for italki and many students came to me because of those articles. I would like to start writing them again, and so would many other teachers. So I say, stop recycling old articles and get some new ones from very willing authors and teachers!
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What are you going to miss about social isolation during the coronavirus?
<em style="color: rgb(230, 0, 0);">Nothing</em>?
That's what I thought. Now, I think I might miss:
<ol><li>Driving without traffic.</li><li><em style="color: rgb(230, 0, 0);">Not </em>worrying about not doing enough on weekends because I think everyone else is doing something really special except me.</li><li>Everyone being depressed about something. I'm afraid that when everything and everyone goes back to normal, I might still get depressed or anxious and I'll be the only one.</li><li>Not having to get together with people I'm not crazy about.</li></ol>Know what I mean? Please tell me what you'll miss :)
italki Teacher Ilene
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When do you use ANY MORE as two words—and when do you use them in one word—ANYMORE?
Please use them in sentences and I’ll tell you if you’re right! Tip: ANY MORE has to do with an amount of something. ANYMORE has to do with time— as in NO LONGER.
Ilene
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Everyday OR every day?
<ol><li>The vocabulary you need to discuss the coronavirus, such as <em>asymptomatic</em></li><li>Strong words (verbs and adjectives) to describe the impact the coronavirus is having on your everyday life, work and your family and friends</li><li>Good questions to ask about the virus</li></ol>
Even native-English speakers get this wrong! When do you use everyday and when do you use every day?
We use everyday when we mean <em>daily—</em>happening<em> </em>each day.
I don’t like to wear my everyday clothes to church; I like to dress up on Sundays.
We use every day when we mean all the days of the week.
I like to take a walk every day before work.
Hope this helps!
Two Announcements:
1..New Class:
The CORONAVIRUS Want to Talk about It? (FOR INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED STUDENTS)
The Coronavirus may be the biggest event so far in your lifetime. In the US, that's ALL we're talking about now. Want some good new vocabulary to express yourself in American (or British) English? In this lesson you'll learn:
Please come to my teacher site and check it out.
2. I’m now offering group lessons, starting with you and one other person. Try it!
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From italki teacher Ilene: The CORONAVIRUS Want to Talk about It? (FOR INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED STUDENTS)
Hi Everyone--I hope you're all feeling OK, especially since you're COOPED UP in your home. If you want to practice your ESL during this time, I'm offering a conversation course on it. You can check it out. Or if you want to chat on this discussion page, please go ahead. I'll do some corrections on your entries if you want it.
STAY HEALTHY!
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The Coronavirus may be the biggest event so far in your lifetime. In the US, that's ALL we're talking about now. Want some good new vocabulary to express yourself in American (or British) English? In this lesson you'll learn:
1. Vocabulary related to a pandemic, such as infectious, asymptomatic, test positive or negative, transmission, among many others.
2. The accepted scientific background of coronavirus, so you can "intelligently" discuss the PANDEMIC.
3. Which strong English verbs and English expressions you should use to describe how this major event has IMPACTED your life, your work--and your friends and family.
STAY HEALTHY!
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Great Article: 38 Wonderful Words With No English Equivalent
I think this is a really good article. I didn't write it; I wish I had! Let me know what you think--Ilene Springer
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/38-wonderful-words-with-no-english-equivalent?utm_source=pocket-newtab
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BREAKING BAD--The MOVIE--STARTS FRIDAY!
All Students Learning English!
The Movie Breaking Bad will be on NETFLIX tomorrow, Friday night.
Enoy!
Ilene from Albuquerque, New Mexico
Let me know you think the movie is, compared to the weekly TV series.
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An Amusing Story about my ESL Students in Malta
Telling Tales: ESL Students FREAKED OUT by Meeting the Maltese President by Ilene Springer
<a class="asset-img-link" href="https://www.quintessential-photos-of-new-mexico.com/.a/6a00e55366d77288340240a4a2ec58200d-pi" style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 102);"></a><a href="https://wallpaperscraft.com/download/monkeys_couple_playful_cry_52906/1920x1080" style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 102);">Photo posted on Unsplash.com</a>
"Well, this must be interesting," said Antonio to Roberto, "Look at this long QUEUE(<em>line</em> in American English). We have nothing else to do, so let's go see what it is." Antonio and Roberto TURNED OUT to be in one of my ESL classes when I taught in Malta. They had just arrived in the islands when they saw a long line entering the minister's palace, surrounded by a beautiful Mediterranean garden.
They later told me that they did get on line. It was a beautiful March day in Malta--sunny but not yet OPPRESSIVELY hot as it would be in another month or so. So the guys didn't mind waiting... until it was an hour and they had only gotten inside the gate. It looked like it could be another hour before they saw or met who or whatever the people were lined up to see. "We decided to wait our turn because we had already waited so long already," Roberto told me a couple of days later during his first lesson with me.
Up ahead, they watched, curiously, as women who exited through the gate were wiping their eyes. Finally, Antonio and Roberto got up to what everyone had been waiting for. Antonio said he he heard himself GASP. There, they boys stood, PEERING DOWN at the dead body of Malta's president in his coffin.
Luckily, the president is only a FIGUREHEAD in Malta. If it had been the prime minister, the boys would have had to wait in line for days.
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Telling Tales Out of School: Those very First English Words
<a href="https://www.quintessential-photos-of-new-mexico.com/.a/6a00e55366d77288340240a49a0603200d-pi" target="_blank"></a>
<a href="https://unsplash.com/@elsiezhong" target="_blank">Photo by ELSIE ZHONG@elsiezhong</a>
by italki teacher Ilene Springer
I thought you'd like to hear an amusing story from my early ESL teaching days. Some phrases are in capital letters. Let me know if there are words you want defined.
My boss was a miserable tyrant. She was the Director of Studies at the first ESL school in Malta where I taught.
On this day, I had a beginning/intermediate class of kids from Spain. With most of them having partied the night before in Paceville, Malta's big bar scene, most had headaches and felt really sick during the lesson. Consequently, many had their heads down on their desks instead of listening to my lesson. But there were a few struggling to learn a little, so I let the others sleep.
My boss walked by my classroom which had a glass wall. So when she saw some kids sleeping, she burst in the room and began screaming at the kids, who went into shock.
"You don't fall asleep here in front of the teacher!" she said. Her face got red.
"But we don't feel good," said one student, lifting her head from her desk. (Wow, I was impressed--a beginning student starting to speak English.)
"You be quiet!" GROWLED my boss. " I'm talking now." I have to say that this was the first time I had ever heard an English teacher tell beginning ESL students to be quiet. Usually, we had to PRY their mouths open to get a word of English out.
She flipped around and FLEW OUT THE DOOR, warning me, "Ilene, you tell me if anyone ever falls asleep here again."
I know my JAW HAD DROPPED as I looked at the students and they looked back at me. Honestly, I didn't know what to say. I hated her as much as they probably hated her at that moment. Suddenly, a tall Spanish boy who had been silent for most the lessons (the students were all about 15 years old) pointed at me:
<em> </em>
<em>"Your boss is a B _ _ _ _ !"</em>
I was so proud of him, but I didn't know if I should tell him that. Then a girl sitting next to him darted up to the whiteboard, grabbed a marker and drew a WITCH. Again, I didn't know If I should correct her, based on what her classmate had said.
But all I know is this: watch out--beginning students know more vocabulary that you think.
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Amusing Stories from a Teacher--Boys and Babies
I thought you might like some true anecdotes of what we teachers go through teaching ESL in person (or when substituting for teachers in the public schools). Please ask about any words you don't know--Ilene
I was a guest teacher (we're trying to change the substitute label and its respectability) for a 5th grade science class in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. Behold, on the right of the classroom, there was a model of the lower torso of a woman with a uterus and a full-term baby in it. I can't remember what I was teaching to these 10- or 11-year-olds. But I do remember three boys sauntering up (walking slowly) to the uterine model and inspecting it. (The model baby was a boy.)
One kid snapped the baby out of the model, and to my surprise, started cradling the baby like...a baby. The next kid wrested (forcibly pulled away) the baby out of the first kid's caring arms--and he began cradling it. And the same with the third! I guess they saw me looking at them endearingly (lovingly)--at the wonder of young, usually wild boys, cuddling a baby. Then things changed: the kids starting throwing the model baby to each other. Next, another boy pulled the baby's head off. I yelled at him for damaging school property, and then, with the help of one of his pals, he popped it back on.
Now, I couldn't believe <em>this</em>: I made the kids sit down. But one boy watched me as I struggled to get the baby into the model uterus.
"That wouldn't be my baby," he says. As my eyes questioned him, he indicated (pointed out, showed) the baby boy's little manhood. "Too small."
I think we guest teachers, anywhere from 10 to 50 years older than these 10 year-olds, have to do more to garner (collect) greater respect from kids than merely changing our title.
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