Job Discussion Forums

[woza17]

Rodger I think the idea of learning English through comics is admirable. My son has a great vocabulary through reading comics, especially Asterics, he learnt language, history and humour, when I go back home, I am going to bring them back to China.
As to the Chinese writers, Lu Xun, Chairman Mao, was asked in the 6os, where would he be today if he was still alive? Chairman Mao replied, in gaol. Why is everyone so pedantic? To be quite honest, I really liked this forum to begin with but it is depressing me, point scoring all the time but I have to say that some of the posters are very eloquent. I do admire their lines of argument, they would also make great lawyers,seriously no offence . But when it comes down to the day, we are trying to have the students carry out a conversation in English with understandable pronunciation. If I can do that I am doing my job. Do any of my learned colleagues out there read any Chinese Literature?
Exasparated
Cai Hong

[PanamaTeacher]

I think literature is a very useful tool; all you have to do is keep things simple. I like to use fables. Here is an example:

THE WOLF AND THE LAMB
A wolf met a lamb that had walked away from the other sheep. He told the lamb that he wouldn't hurt him. Secretly though, he planned to eat the lamb! But first he needed to find a good reason for eating the lamb.
So he said to the lamb, "Last year you rudely insulted me."
"That's impossible," said the lamb in a sad voice, "I was not even born then."
So the wolf then said, "You always eat the grass in my field."
"No, sir," replied the lamb, "I have never even tasted grass."
The wolf tried again. "You constantly drink the water in my well," he said.
"No!" answered the lamb,"I never drank your water because I only drink milk from my mother."
Suddenly the wolf jumped on the lamb and ate him, saying, "Well! I won't be hungry even though you argue against every one of my reasons for eating you."
Moral: “The bad person will always find a reason for his bad actions.”

I don't see how using something like this is too difficult for anybody.

I use this kind of stuff for my SAT classes:

CRITICAL READING PRACTICE

This extract is taken from an article written in the 1930s by a well-known poet.

I have yet to meet a poetry-lover under thirty,
who was not an introvert and unhappy in adolescence.
At school, he sees the extrovert successful and happy,
and himself unpopular; and he feels that he is grubby
and inferior and frightened and dull.

1. According to the author, poetry lovers under thirty generally
a: have a sense of inferiority while in school
b: are always products of boarding schools
c: have an unhappy home life
d: are outgoing as adolescents

It is not till he grows up, till
years later he runs across the heroes of his school days and
finds them grown commonplace and sterile, that he
realizes that he alone has learned how to
draw upon the resources of his inner life.

2. The author regards the introverted adolescent as ultimately lucky because he has
a: become financially successful in an
industrialized society
b: ceased to envy others
c: cultivated inner resources that he will need in
modern society
d: a better general education than those who were
envied in school

At the time, however, his adolescence is unpleasant.
Art for him will be something pessimistic
and hostile to life. To the adolescent this poem
is the authentic poetic note:
“Deep as first love and wild with all regret,
O death in life, the days that are no more.
Now more than ever seems it sweet to die
To cease upon the midnight with no pain.”

3. To the adolescent the 'authentic poetic note' is one of
a: pain and sadness
b: hostility and vulgarity
c: contentment and peace
d: friendship and love


I got all this material from web sites. I just wonder how someone can say they teach a language when all they teach is the selected portion of the language they know how to teach. I taught children with learning disabilities how to read in a bilingual school in the US. It was a lot of work, but it was worth it for the kids. I also don't see how teaching poetry is easier than short stories: I would like to know the reasoning behind that statement. If you think your students can't do it, your students won't do it.