http://hillsboroughliteracy.org Teaching adults to read and to speak English Sun, 16 Oct 2011 03:26:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://hillsboroughliteracy.org/stories/comment-page-1/#comment-352 Joy Langone Sun, 16 Oct 2011 03:26:49 +0000 http://hillsboroughliteracy.org/?page_id=241#comment-352 Two of my ESL students had what they thought was a great idea for ways to hear English. They saw one of those signs offering a seminar on bankruptcy that said FREE SEMINAR. They were not having financial problems, but thought they could sit in the back of a big room full of people and just hear many people talk and ask & answer questions in English. They went to the seminar and there was only one other couple there! The people doing the seminar were asking them all these direct, personal questions, like if they owned a car or owned their home, etc. The husband decided to save face, he'd just say they were there for information for a friend...which really made it sound like they were just embarassed, but needed help with a bankruptcy. They did end up getting what they came for....practice hearing and speaking English! Just not the way they'd planned. Two of my ESL students had what they thought was a great idea for ways to hear English. They saw one of those signs offering a seminar on bankruptcy that said FREE SEMINAR. They were not having financial problems, but thought they could sit in the back of a big room full of people and just hear many people talk and ask & answer questions in English. They went to the seminar and there was only one other couple there! The people doing the seminar were asking them all these direct, personal questions, like if they owned a car or owned their home, etc. The husband decided to save face, he’d just say they were there for information for a friend…which really made it sound like they were just embarassed, but needed help with a bankruptcy. They did end up getting what they came for….practice hearing and speaking English! Just not the way they’d planned.

]]> http://hillsboroughliteracy.org/stories/comment-page-1/#comment-168 Joy Wed, 21 Jul 2010 05:26:40 +0000 http://hillsboroughliteracy.org/?page_id=241#comment-168 My 2 students and I were sharing potato salad recipes during a 4th of July lesson. One was listing the ingredients for her recipe and said, "Oh, and also garbage." I asked if she was sure....garbage? The other student interjected, "Yes, and mine too. Mine has garbage." We were all searching eyes, looking for where the miscommunication was when it dawned on me - they meant CABBAGE. We all had a good laugh & I now tell them I know the secret ingredient for Columbian AND Venezuelan potato salad! That tops my previous student with is "monkey pie" meaning PUMPKIN pie! We need to start our own TEFL cookbook, ha, ha. My 2 students and I were sharing potato salad recipes during a 4th of July lesson. One was listing the ingredients for her recipe and said, “Oh, and also garbage.” I asked if she was sure….garbage? The other student interjected, “Yes, and mine too. Mine has garbage.” We were all searching eyes, looking for where the miscommunication was when it dawned on me – they meant CABBAGE. We all had a good laugh & I now tell them I know the secret ingredient for Columbian AND Venezuelan potato salad! That tops my previous student with is “monkey pie” meaning PUMPKIN pie! We need to start our own TEFL cookbook, ha, ha.

]]> http://hillsboroughliteracy.org/stories/comment-page-1/#comment-143 Diane Thu, 07 Jan 2010 05:42:32 +0000 http://hillsboroughliteracy.org/?page_id=241#comment-143 My student shared with me that he filled out an application all by himself for the first time ever. It was an application for his library card! I am so proud of him and his accomplishments. My student shared with me that he filled out an application all by himself for the first time ever. It was an application for his library card! I am so proud of him and his accomplishments.

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