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teaching English; imposter - help!
Topic Started: May 19 2008, 05:12 AM (354 Views)
sarah_blueparrot
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Fulla-Carp
I've been teaching English to someone for a couple of weeks now, an hour at a time. Although - if I say so myself - I have a very good grasp of the language, as one might expect, me being English, and although my spelling and pronunciation is on the whole excellent, he asks many questions about grammar, most of which I am unable to answer. I can suggest to him the best way of saying something, but I am unable to say why. Sometimes I can't even think of the right English word. Currently I am trying to help him with the conditionals in all their tenses, and the modals (ah, the damn modals) would, should, ought to, must etc which are bloody hard to explain. I am also having trouble thinking of what to teach during the lessons, and it is a bit strange teaching an adult.

I am planning on taking a TEFL course in September (unless this whole experience makes me doubt my teaching ability altogether) when I will hopefully learn what to do properly. Till then, can anyone help - give suggestions on how to explain or how to learn to explain, what to suggest during the lessons, and anything else that might make me feel less of a fraud when he pays me?

Thanks.

Please feel free to point out any spelling mistakes to prove my point.
Death is simply a shedding of the physical body like the butterfly shedding its cocoon. It is a transition to a higher state of consciousness where you continue to perceive, to understand, to laugh, and to be able to grow.

- Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
My memory works well with visuals, so if this guy's the same way, I'd say Sentence Diagrams FTW!

I cite irreconcilable differences.
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jon-nyc
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Cheers
Not much advice to offer. My MIL is an ESL teacher and I can certainly say that knowing English and teaching English are entirely different skills.

Didn't you (re) learn grammar when you learned French? I had completely forgotten all aspects of grammar until I started learning other languages.
In my defense, I was left unsupervised.
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sarah_blueparrot
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Well I certainly learnt more about English whilst learning French than I remember having done during English lessons, but the problem now is that I'm learning French from French, so that doesn't help.

From my point of view I can't understand why he would actually spend money on me, and am wondering if he wishes he didn't have to, which is a rather uncomfortable feeling. I suppose I correct him well enough when he talks but I'm not sure if that's enough for either of us. I need to sleep.
Death is simply a shedding of the physical body like the butterfly shedding its cocoon. It is a transition to a higher state of consciousness where you continue to perceive, to understand, to laugh, and to be able to grow.

- Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
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Frank_W
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Heh.... I can empathize. Living in Japan, I had lots of people say, "Teach me English," as if it were no more complicated than teaching someone how to do a mathematics problem. :doh:

It never occurred to me how complex the English language is, until I lived in another country. Good luck, Sarah.
Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin."
Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!"
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sarah_blueparrot
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Meh... Thanks. I think I'll need it!
Death is simply a shedding of the physical body like the butterfly shedding its cocoon. It is a transition to a higher state of consciousness where you continue to perceive, to understand, to laugh, and to be able to grow.

- Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
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DivaDeb
HOLY CARP!!!
Aqua Letifer
May 19 2008, 08:16 AM
My memory works well with visuals, so if this guy's the same way, I'd say Sentence Diagrams FTW!

yep

Never underestimate the power of the sentence diagram. People who enjoy crosswords and other puzzle-type games usually enjoy diagramming sentences. It's fun.
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Frank_W
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The other thing to remember (and use for teaching, too), is to play word games, and to couple things with images that are risque`, absurd, or violent. I know the moralfags will be all upset, but this is how the brain works. Anything coupled with those three categories will be remembered forever.

My grandfather, who hadn't been in Japan in 50 years, still remembered how to count to three in Japanese, because it's "Ichi, ni, san." ("Itchy knee -san.")

That's why most people, when learning a new language, learn "Hello, please, thank you," and then, "I want to take you to bed," and, "I want to kick your ass."

The images associated with such things are powerful, and instead of rote memorization, you've suddenly coupled the left and right brain -- both with powerful imagery, as well as the memorization side of things.

Something else I did, when I lived in Japan, was to keep a notebook. Whenever I heard a word that "jumped out at me," I would write it down, and then either ask someone what it meant, or look it up. Then, in conversations with people over the next couple of weeks, I would do my best to use the new word in sentences.

I would eavesdrop on conversations in restaurants and train stations, to hear how people spoke, and the way they phrased things, so that I didn't sound like a book when I talked.

I would mimic people on TV, if I liked their voice and intonation.

When I talked to myself, either aloud or in my head, I would use the target language, no matter how flawed or imperfect. As I became better and more fluent, I began to switch into that language "mode," so that I wasn't constantly having to translate and retranslate, whenever I wanted to speak or join a conversation.

Little things, but powerful.
Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin."
Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!"
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Qaanaaq-Liaaq
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My university Spanish professors told us [size=7]NOT[/size] to ask questions concerning Spanish grammar to native speakers who don’t have a college degree in teaching Spanish. Why? Because they lack the depth.

The professors were correct. My neighbor at the time was a native speaker from Spain. She could answer questions concerning Spanish but couldn’t explain why something was right or wrong. She could only just shrug and say: “say it like this because it sounds right”. She lacked the depth of Spanish grammar construction for example, an indirect object prounoun comes before a direct object pronoun, etc.

I suspect you’re in the same situation as my neighbor. Brush up on sentence construction, type of words (noun, verb, preposition, etc.), and grammar rules.
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sarah_blueparrot
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If I have learnt nothing else this year - which is not true - I have learnt a great deal from observing teachers. It's very interesting to go back to school in a different environment from the habitual adult-child relationship, and I have learnt many things worth doing and many things worth not doing. I know what makes a bad teacher, and currently I am one, but at least I recognise that already. I know what makes a very good teacher, but I'm so far from that at the moment it's unreal.

I had a look at the sentence diagrams, and to be honest I didn't understand how they would be useful. I've never been strong on the names of grammar (subject, object, verb etc) and with French I seem to have learnt it without having to use them, which is fantastic.

The trouble with my client is that his English is very good already. He speaks as if he thinks in English, rather than French. He makes a few silly mistakes, which are misleading as to his level, but really he just wants to polish it, which means that my corrections are useful, but my many "I don't know, but I'll look it up!"s are not. :banghead:
Death is simply a shedding of the physical body like the butterfly shedding its cocoon. It is a transition to a higher state of consciousness where you continue to perceive, to understand, to laugh, and to be able to grow.

- Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
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Frank_W
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Sometimes, just telling him, "I don't know why. That's just the way English is," is enough, if his English is already pretty good. Polishing is quite easy, if he's already got a handle on the structural underpinnings.
Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin."
Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!"
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sarah_blueparrot
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Well, yes, but then I feel dumb and wonder why he still turns up. sigh.
Death is simply a shedding of the physical body like the butterfly shedding its cocoon. It is a transition to a higher state of consciousness where you continue to perceive, to understand, to laugh, and to be able to grow.

- Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
(You know, bringing this up will probably not even help, but I thought I'd give it a shot just in case.)

Keep in mind that there are no "laws of English." There are only guidelines.

Now you know me, I'm a guideline Nazi. But even I'm one to admit that one should only adhere to the guidelines when it's advantageous to do so. (I mean look, my last sentence started with a conjunction, so I'm not a total grammar l4m3r. :P )

As with so many things, focusing on the intent should probably steer you towards a good explanation for why things are the way they are.

The purpose of language is communication. So for example, what is it about dangling participles that impedes communication?

I think that if you have this in mind, it should help some. I don't think describing the rule is as important as explaining why one should follow it.
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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Frank_W
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sarah_blueparrot
May 19 2008, 11:58 AM
Well, yes, but then I feel dumb and wonder why he still turns up. sigh.

Well, you are awfully cute... :wub:
Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin."
Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!"
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Kincaid
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HOLY CARP!!!
The thread title made me think that some French guy was paying for English lessons just to be with you, Sarah. I thought he was an "imposter" because he was hiding the true level of his English skill. Hmmm...not a bad plan.
Kincaid - disgusted Republican Partisan since 2006.
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sarah_blueparrot
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Thanks :smooch:

Aqua, it didn't really help as I want to be able to explain why, but thanks anyway :biggrin: I'll just have to wait till September.
Death is simply a shedding of the physical body like the butterfly shedding its cocoon. It is a transition to a higher state of consciousness where you continue to perceive, to understand, to laugh, and to be able to grow.

- Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
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sarah_blueparrot
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Kincaid
May 19 2008, 07:06 PM
The thread title made me think that some French guy was paying for English lessons just to be with you, Sarah. I thought he was an "imposter" because he was hiding the true level of his English skill. Hmmm...not a bad plan.

Heh, I wish! :lol: But he actually wants to learn something.
Death is simply a shedding of the physical body like the butterfly shedding its cocoon. It is a transition to a higher state of consciousness where you continue to perceive, to understand, to laugh, and to be able to grow.

- Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
sarah_blueparrot
May 19 2008, 09:07 AM
Thanks :smooch:

Aqua, it didn't really help as I want to be able to explain why, but thanks anyway :biggrin: I'll just have to wait till September.

Well that's what I mean. I think it's okay that you can't cite which exact rule he's breaking, but if you can just explain why it sounds bad, that might be better information.
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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Frank_W
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Aqua Letifer
May 19 2008, 12:14 PM
sarah_blueparrot
May 19 2008, 09:07 AM
Thanks :smooch:

Aqua, it didn't really help as I want to be able to explain why, but thanks anyway :biggrin: I'll just have to wait till September.

Well that's what I mean. I think it's okay that you can't cite which exact rule he's breaking, but if you can just explain why it sounds bad, that might be better information.

Exactly.
Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin."
Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!"
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Axtremus
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HOLY CARP!!!
Simply put, the English language is simply an inferior excuse of a language with too lose a structure and way too many exceptions for no good reason. Hard though they tried, even the Americans couldn't improve it much. :shrug:
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
Axtremus
May 19 2008, 09:31 AM
Simply put, the English language is simply an inferior excuse of a language with too lose a structure and way too many exceptions for no good reason. Hard though they tried, even the Americans couldn't improve it much. :shrug:

If your understanding of the language restricts you to repetition and bland adverbs, then I can see why you'd feel that way. ^_^

Nothing wrong with English. It has its relative strengths and weaknesses, as with any other.
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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sarah_blueparrot
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Fulla-Carp
Axtremus
May 19 2008, 09:31 AM
Simply put, the English language is simply an inferior excuse of a language with too loose a structure and way too many exceptions for no good reason. Hard though they tried, even the Americans couldn't improve it much. :shrug:
Death is simply a shedding of the physical body like the butterfly shedding its cocoon. It is a transition to a higher state of consciousness where you continue to perceive, to understand, to laugh, and to be able to grow.

- Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
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Frank_W
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Resident Misanthrope
Axtremus
May 19 2008, 12:31 PM
Simply put, the English language is simply an inferior excuse of a language with too lose a structure and way too many exceptions for no good reason. Hard though they tried, even the Americans couldn't improve it much. :shrug:

Fine. Stop using it. -The End.
Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin."
Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!"
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