Job Discussion Forums

lozwich · Joined: 25 May 2003 Posts: 1536

Every morning, after the national anthem at 6, the radio station I listen to plays their morning show promo. It goes:

"One, Two, Tres!!"

One day (reminder here that this is at 6 in the morning) it took me about 2 minutes to figure out what was kind of odd about that.

awest · Joined: 30 Jan 2009 Posts: 34 Location: DF

I also find myself not leaving the house with out earrings or a little makeup...something I never really did.

I am starting to catch myself saying...I'm backing, instead of I'll be back.

El Gallo · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 318

I was drinking with a friend the other night and agreed to take a dinner with him, but when I sobered up, I forgot where I was going to take it. Razz

wildchild · Joined: 14 Nov 2005 Posts: 519 Location: Puebla 2009 - 2010

a bit off topic, but i didn't find the appropriate thread.

I had my students translating sentences the other day:

Mi mama cocina mal. "My mother cooks evil"

no necisito dinero, solo amor. "I don't need money, I just need the sun"

Very Happy

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

When speaking or writing English, I don't bother with apartment any more. Depto is so much faster, both spoken and written. I think even depa is common, but I don't use it.

MO39 · Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 7:10 pm Post subject:

wildchild · Joined: 14 Nov 2005 Posts: 519 Location: Puebla 2009 - 2010

I'm teaching Spanish to gringos (see my profile). The admin. are quite the traditionalists (i work at a Catholic prepa) and want to see lots of written work. I'm not big into Grammar-Translation activities either (one semester of Latin convinced me of that) but i think they can be fun, when taken in moderation.

thanks for the input.

Very Happy

MO39 · Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 10:02 pm Post subject:

Here are a couple of examples from an email I sent today:

The new connection should be in place in 5 d�as h�biles, which will give me time to figure out what to do with the installation kit I was given when I signed up for the cheapest paquete.

and another:

I also don�t know if he wants recibos��probably

rafomania · Joined: 25 Mar 2005 Posts: 95 Location: Guadalajara

i dont think a bit of translation hurts if done as a filler not too often. I get a short magazine article in Spanish and get the students to write it out in English. They love it.

MO39 · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 7:58 pm Post subject:

Dragonlady · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 8:29 pm Post subject:

deleted

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

I agree, Dragon Lady. I found this indepth and well-researched study, A Step Forward to Using Translation to Teach a Foreign/Second Language quite interesting.

http://e-flt.nus.edu.sg/v5sp12008/machida.htm#2%20Translation%20as%20a%20teaching%20method

MO39 · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 10:46 pm Post subject:

Dear Dragonlady,

Perhaps I came on bit strong about the validity of using translation to teach English because it's something I feel strongly about. Also, I have taught English in the States a great deal to multi-lingual groups of students, where obviously translation as a teaching device is not a possibility. And I can say that I've never used translation in any of my classes over the many years I've been teaching except in one kind of situation. That's in private classes where I might translate a word or two (to or from Spanish), but only after all other attempts to help the student understand have failed. I really feel that it's important to maintain an "English Only" atmosphere in the classroom to encourage the students to begin to think in English rather than translating all the time from their native tongue. This might be idealistic on my part, but it is a major part of my teaching philosophy! Very Happy

MO

rafomania · Joined: 25 Mar 2005 Posts: 95 Location: Guadalajara

I agree that translation on a regular basis isnt good, you need to learn how to think in another language and translation doesnt help with this. Learning Spanish for me, I learnt the language by talking and listening and there are expressions or words etc i can use in Spanish but dont know the exact English translation (probably cos there isnt one!). But i dont think a little translation exercise once in a blue moon either at a beginner level, (for example, to test how well a student understands a new concept such as do does did-questions) or more advanced level does a lot of harm to the student. I do see where MO39 is coming from but I wouldnt say you have to avoid translation like the plague (how do you say that in spanish, lol, sorry)