Teacher Discussion Forums

Sorry this post seems to have shown up twice, and I can't figure out how to delete it.

In class, I do not like to use translations unless I really have to. I always encourage students to build a picture in their minds but to translate word by word. I presume you meant "I always encourage students to build a picture in their minds but *not* to translate word by word." (I hate when I m...

Hmmm you raise an interesting point. I think all of my adult students use some kind of translation to understand what they are doing. I know as a language student, I never really became fluent, and spent a lot of time translating things in my head. The major difficulty with translation in my opinion...

Speaking of websites, the U.S. Library of Congress has a website aimed at Junior High/High School kids which my adult students really like. It's called "America's Library" and has several sections. There is one called "Jump Back in Time" located at http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/jb

On a 'physician heal thyself note' are any of us fluent in a second language? How did you learn? I'm certainly not fluent in Thai, but for what I've learnt, I'd say comprehensible input was a huge factor, and being able to recognise patterns and therefore grammar and word classes in the input was a...

Do you think the language acquisition is more effective than grammer for adults learning ESL? Why? Your any comments & feedback will be highly appreciated. Hmmm not sure which kinds of activities you are comparing for "effective" language acquisition. However, having taught adults ESL for over thir...

The answer is: A-- In a restaurant. M is a waiter or waitress, and works in a restaurant. John, a waiter, is going to arrive at the restaurant late. M is going to have to wait on John's tables (serve the customers that sit at the tables assigned to John). M doesn't want to do it all him/herself, so ...