Job Discussion Forums

[buravirgil]

It went best for me when I could communicate my own enthusiasm. I can remember teaching Dracula to sophomores and practically screaming, “Look at all the different voices in this book! Stoker’s a ventriloquist! I love that!” I don’t have much use for teachers who “perform,” like they’re onstage, but kids respond to enthusiasm. You can’t command a kid to have fun, but you can make the classroom a place that feels safe, where interesting things happen. I wanted every 50-minute class to feel like half an hour.
-- The Atlantic, 09-2014

Most of the discussion I've read about this article points out a misidentification of the Oxford, or serial, comma.

King's On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft is better than F. Scott Fitzgerald's, but Flannery O'Connor's Mystery and Manners cannot be beaten.

[spiral78]

Very interested in what way this might link to EFL/ESL, as it's not at all apparent to me.

Is the intent to illustrate the value of enthusiasm? If yes, that's a bit far-fetched in our context as the audience King was 'screaming' at were native English speaking teenagers who (most likely) know his work at least a bit; the situation's wholly different for the vast majority of EFL/ESL teachers who don't happen to be extremely famous writers.

Is it about 'make the classroom a safe place where interesting things happen?' More do-able, but in this respect, fairly obvious. I doubt any of us would argue the points, though the degree to which 'we' accomplish this certainly will vary given individual conditions (also related to students, their number, and general culture). These aspects are not entirely within our control as teachers.

Make every 50 minutes feel like 30? Again, cool, but EFL/ESL teachers are not entirely in control of this aspect, either. I'd like to see even Stephen King make a 50-minute mandatory test prep class for a bunch of unmotivated teenagers do this (consistently; of course sheer star power would be a huge help that most EFL/ESL teachers wouldn't have).

Neither is it the case that most of us are teaching non-native English speakers to write novels in English, so not sure of the relevance of the three books you cite.

In short; I don't see any relevance here, frankly.

Unless you're actually trying to start a discussion about commas

[buravirgil]

[spiral78]

[damn_my_eyes]

The character from The Shining who writes "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" over and over again, he reminds me of some of the posters on here.
Relentlessly posting, 8,000 9,000 10,000+ and with nothing interesting to say.

[fluffyhamster]

I'd hardly call King's writing "pulp horror". I read On Writing more for the autobiographical than style advice though. King's general advice on writing isn't bad, but often he's just repeating, just in a less shrill voice, the "nuggets of nothingness" almost ('Avoid the passive where an active sentence would be "better"', 'Omit adverbs and other "unnecessary" words', and so on) that seem to have been doing the rounds since at least Strunk & White.

An intelligent reader will interpret and use such advice appropriately and proportionately, but some seem to fall into the trap of following things to extremes (e.g. = 'You can never use a passive') and thinking that THAT is what will improve their writing...but it just ends up wonky. Language Log has a lot of posts on this kind of stuff, and have even mentioned a style guide that they actually like along the way (I don't recall the title, unfortunately).

Ultimately I'm not sure one can learn (or rather, actually do) that much about writing other than simply by getting on with it and trying to say what one wants to say (reading similar prose will obviously help). Books like King's are more to (re-)awaken a passion for imagination and flights of what-if fancy than to grind through whatever supposed "mechanics".

Anyway, thanks for posting the interview, Buravirgil. I've read a number of King's earlier works and short stories so I have some interest in the guy and like the fact that he was a teacher once (albeit not of ESL or EFL).

[Capt Lugwash]

Considering hitherto the only "horror" writer I used to read was Poe, I am actually a huge fan of King and have read all the books I have thus far found that he wrote.

Although he speaks in a foreign tongue I can usually get the gist of it but what strikes me about his style is that you aren't really reading a book. You are, late at night, sitting in a cabin with a brandy glass in your hand in front of a log fire while he is three feet away in a rocking chair telling you the story.

That I believe is the reason for his phenomenal success. He doesn't write AT you but TO you.

[fluffyhamster]

[Capt Lugwash]

That is of no interest to me, I was simply commenting on my view of his books. Maybe the accident affected his brain.

[fluffyhamster]

You mean there's no place in your life for trashy but quite fun movie adaptations?! What is the world coming to?!?! Maybe The Raven (John Cusack) would find more favour with you, be more up your street (or dark alleyway), Cap'n?

[Capt Lugwash]

Sorry never even followed yours or Bura's links. Simply appreciate the man's writings.

I have many other things that occupy my time when I am not actually working and this ESL Cafe is a small part of it.

[fluffyhamster]

Yes, you mentioned 'em on another thread. And I really should be running along myself rather than letting the Cafe ruin my life! Just say NO!

[Capt Lugwash]

Me too. First class of the year in the morning.

[fluffyhamster]

Give 'em hell or the gangplank, Cap'n!

[Capt Lugwash]

Can't. 3 year students and my class is pointless as it gives them no credit towards their diploma. If they want a degree they have to return for 2 more years and the vast majority are deadheads.

Can't wait for the freshmen to finish their army training.