Job Discussion Forums

[vikuk]

[Lorean]

Doh! Missed the part about kindergarten kids.

Yeah, kids do a good enough job learning through immitation.

[nogreasyhippies]

Wow thanks everyone. They schwa, the schwa, I should have known. Phonics and how to teach it has never been my strong suit. Brian, cheers for the suggestion, I'll use it first thing tomorrow.

Yup dmanuk, you guessed it, I'm in Quanzhou, Fujian. I Have noticed that similar sound at the end of statements, especially when calling on people by their names. Lily-ah, Leo-ah. So its just a south china condition?

Obviously sticking with the kids for long term and seeing them through their English education would be infinitely preferable, but I'm only with them for a couple of hours a week. I think positions similar to mine have been referred to as "McJobs" elsewhere close-by. I don't think I'll last past Spring Festival for the simple reason that I don't think any of my students are learning anything, probably my fault, but thats another thread.

Cheers

[Brian Caulfield]

Hang in there Nogreasyhippies the kids are learnign don't worry. There is this silent period that everyone goes thru. Stephen Krashen talks about I think I spelled his name wrong , If someone can correct me. I met many teachers like you who lose their voices everyday saying things like "Sit Down. Don't Pull her hair. Don't throw that out the window. Put that in the trash can. " These are the same things their moms say at home so it is going in.

[dmanuk]

ok nongreasyhippy, i think i have some more info on this after speaking to my mum who's from HK.

the 'ahh' - or as she says it "gah" - has no real purpose apart from emphasis. it acts like a tag question, much as we would say "innit/isn't it" or "yeah" etc.

so, in my weak phonetic cantonese and without a phonetic script - e.g. "hai lei deensee gah" is "its your TV innit/its your TV yeah?"

as far as i'm aware this is only used in cantonese.

however, this may possibly mean that the reason your students are using it is because they aren't sure they're using the right word? or pronounciating it correctly?

this makes sense in my mind at least, especially as your students are kindergarten age. they are still at an age where they have acquired their language by copying and don't really understand the rules about why and when they use it - but they do know that when they seek clarification they add the "gah/aah/uh" sound to the end of a sentence.

dictionary.com says tag questions are "A question used after a statement when seeking or expecting confirmation of that statement, as wasn't he in He was here, wasn't he?"

the cure? drill words more. build their confidence.

hope that helps.