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burnsie
Joined: 18 Aug 2004
Posts: 489
Location: Beijing
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 Posted: Sun Oct 24, 2004 1:02 pm Post subject: |
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I was reading something the other day and came across the word 'school' and the original meaning.
It was originally a Greek word 'skool' (sorry not sure of the spelling correctly) but it means 'leisure' in Greek.
So how did 'skool' become 'school' in modern times?
It was because the greeks the 'pioneers in rational thinking' considered time to think and learn to be a privalege, fun and enjoyable and free time was taken to learn about the world.
Now it's just a pain to most students.
Interesting article Chris C. |
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Roger
Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Posts: 9138
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| Posted: Sun Oct 24, 2004 1:03 pm Post subject: |
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| kev7161 wrote: |
ON THE OTHER HAND (this is in response to my previous post here):
Itochattering . . . Once I assign a written assignment or pass out a worksheet, you could hear a pin drop in class. Now they have something they can focus on. I'm sure many of you will agree that many students are far better in reading and writing English than they are in speaking. That's not supposed to be the idea of my "oral" class, but sometimes silence is golden! |
They are NOT good at READING and WRITING either, don't delude yourself!
The hodgepodge of CHinglish I get to read from university students with up to ten years of formal English study to their belt is nauseating!
I also have a lot of beef with this claim that they lack "self-confidence" to speak English; it's not my fault if they lack it, nor is it the English language's fault. It's their upbringing, and English is but one of all subjects in which they display their mediocrity.
This is bewcause they are conditioned to "know" rather than to handle a skill or a language; knowing is all. But even their "knowledge" is full of gaps. They learn without enthusiasm because their schooling is a straitjacket.
I am also convinced their attention span is way shorter than mine. Lack of concentration power, lack of focus. Always doing two or sevral things at the same time - nothing with their minds focused on fully.
When they do homework they also have their private conversations with their peers or with someone on their mobile phone. Or they do homework while watching TV and eating snacks. |
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