New-entry from Italy - hi!
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- andrea
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New-entry from Italy - hi!
Hello
I have just entered and would like to exchange ideas and opinions about anything is linked with English language, cultures and traditions.
I am Italian and teach English to 11-14 - yo - students in a school near Florence.
Andrea
I have just entered and would like to exchange ideas and opinions about anything is linked with English language, cultures and traditions.
I am Italian and teach English to 11-14 - yo - students in a school near Florence.
Andrea
Dixie,great!!!Hey, English teachers! hehe
Hello Andrea, welcome to the club! Like Arale just said, we'd love to get to know you and exchange some teaching ideas. Welcome!
Do you often use music to improve listening skill ?Students like music much but in my town, using music is still rare. I'd like this method ! :(
_Arale_
- andrea
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New-entry from Italy - Hi!
Hi Dixie and Arale! :)
Well, i like to use music in my lessons, but i have found it a bit exhausting up to now. I have often had to cope with something which didn't work, and it's even difficult to find something whic could completely satisfy the class.
But i sometimes try with music, yeah.
thanks for your welcome! :D
Andrea
Well, i like to use music in my lessons, but i have found it a bit exhausting up to now. I have often had to cope with something which didn't work, and it's even difficult to find something whic could completely satisfy the class.
But i sometimes try with music, yeah.
thanks for your welcome! :D
Andrea
- Dixie
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- andrea
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New-entry from Italy - hi!
Hi Dixie abd GreatJim :)
i think you're both right.
Music can be useful to learn English - in it you can analyze several grammar structures, enrich your vocabulary, learn about common or particular phrases. I find out it is useful especially thanks to the rhythm, and rhyme, as in poetry.
i must also admit that you can not make music as a starting point to learn (and to teach) English, at school.
Our duty is to teach the language starting from a standard basis (as we do for italian), helped by specialized text-books.
If we keep faithful to this reference point, then we can add examples taken from several sources such as everyday life, press, poetry, music.
The fact is everything is useful to learn a language. I depends on what you consider as the best way.
In my opinion (led to it through experience as an ESFL) is to overcome a certain shyness, a psychological difficulty, when someone has to speak a language that is not his/her mother tongue.
Andrea
i think you're both right.
Music can be useful to learn English - in it you can analyze several grammar structures, enrich your vocabulary, learn about common or particular phrases. I find out it is useful especially thanks to the rhythm, and rhyme, as in poetry.
i must also admit that you can not make music as a starting point to learn (and to teach) English, at school.
Our duty is to teach the language starting from a standard basis (as we do for italian), helped by specialized text-books.
If we keep faithful to this reference point, then we can add examples taken from several sources such as everyday life, press, poetry, music.
The fact is everything is useful to learn a language. I depends on what you consider as the best way.
In my opinion (led to it through experience as an ESFL) is to overcome a certain shyness, a psychological difficulty, when someone has to speak a language that is not his/her mother tongue.
Andrea
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Is that really?
OK,you are all teachers.YOu decide.
One truth is i ever met a teacher,she really like english song.Since the song was something about the western culture.But,who cares?
Sometimes I think movie is more persuasive.But unfortunately,I hadn't seen enough when I was a student.
And one another truth is,music can make person mad.
OK,you are all teachers.YOu decide.
One truth is i ever met a teacher,she really like english song.Since the song was something about the western culture.But,who cares?
Sometimes I think movie is more persuasive.But unfortunately,I hadn't seen enough when I was a student.
And one another truth is,music can make person mad.
- andrea
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New-entry from Italy - hi!
Hi
hey, Dixie, Arale, GreatJim.
Please, could we also add , there may be place for music, for movies, and for other ways to learn English?
Varying is better, don't you agree?
Andrea
hey, Dixie, Arale, GreatJim.
Please, could we also add , there may be place for music, for movies, and for other ways to learn English?
Varying is better, don't you agree?
Andrea
- Dixie
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Of course!! Movies are also a good source. I remember, when I was in High School, I took an optative subject called "Welcome to Hollywood". It was an advanced English subject where we were shown some movies such as Beauty and the Beast, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, or Aladdin. I remember we first were introduced to the movie by learning some of the new vocabulary we would encounter there. We worked on its vocabulary or new grammatical structures for two or three sessions, and then finally we watched the movie, which besides being in English was also subtitled in this language. After watching the movie, the following sessions would be focused on what we had learned. So it was fun and interesting. I remember the first time I heard the expression to make a dream come true was in that class :D I don't remember the movie though, but it might have been Aladdin... I don't know... Also "The X marks the spot" from Indiana Jones :D:D:D:D hehehehe.
Really, music and movies are good teaching materials too. Kids get easily bored with theory, as well as the teacher. So it's good to vary.
Really, music and movies are good teaching materials too. Kids get easily bored with theory, as well as the teacher. So it's good to vary.
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No,Arale,that's you teachers' thought,you know what is the students' thought?Arale wrote:Music can make a person mad if he thinks music is mad !!!!! Is that right?
It is right if you have to listen to some kinds of music you are not fond of.
_Arale_
the music can make them mad,they know it,but they just love it.
sometimes i really hate music.
But you teachers really can't feel that.
- andrea
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New-entry from Italy - hi!
GreatJim.
you are making interesting statements about music and stundents likes and dislikes.
Now, please, don't generalize saying teathers can not feel anything about your needs.
I don't agree.
Andrea
you are making interesting statements about music and stundents likes and dislikes.
Now, please, don't generalize saying teathers can not feel anything about your needs.
I don't agree.
Andrea
- andrea
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New-entry from Italy - hi!
Sorry for my mistakes:
students'
teachers
andrea
students'
teachers
andrea
- andrea
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New-entry from Italy - hi!
Hey RedRose :D
i have got but give you a :) :P RedRose!!
Take care
:D Andrea
i have got but give you a :) :P RedRose!!
Take care
:D Andrea
- andrea
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New-entry from Italy - hi!
Hi Jonrey10 :)
how are you
what's that your'e smoking.... a cigar? :D
Andrea
how are you
what's that your'e smoking.... a cigar? :D
Andrea
you should take care of yourself, Jon! I am sorry to know you got sick(flu). I hope you recover earlier!jonrey10 wrote:I'm fine. I wasn't on vacation, I got sick last week. Nice picture, I'm getting crazy right now...RedRose wrote:Jonrey, welcome back! what about your vacation?
and thank you for your appreciation
- jonrey10
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no problem... :DRedRose wrote:you should take care of yourself, Jon! I am sorry to know you got sick(flu). I hope you recover earlier!jonrey10 wrote:I'm fine. I wasn't on vacation, I got sick last week. Nice picture, I'm getting crazy right now...RedRose wrote:Jonrey, welcome back! what about your vacation?
and thank you for your appreciation
c",) I'm here... all the way c",)
No greatjim,students now are very active.Teachers and students are equal.What teachers do is students'wish.What we have tought are required by our students.The student is the centre of teaching activity. We are just guiders.No,Arale,that's you teachers' thought,you know what is the students' thought?
the music can make them mad,they know it,but they just love it.
sometimes i really hate music.
But you teachers really can't feel that.
_Arale_
- andrea
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New-entry from Italy - hi!
Hi teachers and not -
i'd put aquestion:
do students in your own countries happen to choose the topic to work at? I mean, do you have an amount of hours (per week) to teach English, among which, there are some hours at your disposal to develop your planned activities, and other hours that students may choose to have or not?
I'm asking this, beccause our Minister, Mrs Moratti, made a change according to which, i teach English 2 hours per week carrying on the Ministerial Programme, with a text-book, then there is a 3rd hour that is called "facoltativa"; it means that the students may choose not to have English - it depends on the topic and teacher's skill to attract, excite, entertain them.
This change has caused a chaos among English teachers in Italy (and not only English)
I hope i gave a quite good explanation.
Anybody could make comparisons, or could suggest anything?
thanks
Andrea
i'd put aquestion:
do students in your own countries happen to choose the topic to work at? I mean, do you have an amount of hours (per week) to teach English, among which, there are some hours at your disposal to develop your planned activities, and other hours that students may choose to have or not?
I'm asking this, beccause our Minister, Mrs Moratti, made a change according to which, i teach English 2 hours per week carrying on the Ministerial Programme, with a text-book, then there is a 3rd hour that is called "facoltativa"; it means that the students may choose not to have English - it depends on the topic and teacher's skill to attract, excite, entertain them.
This change has caused a chaos among English teachers in Italy (and not only English)
I hope i gave a quite good explanation.
Anybody could make comparisons, or could suggest anything?
thanks
Andrea
- andrea
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New-entry from Italy - hi!
Ehm .... ehm.... Dixie, I feel ashamed for my beloved Minister
Well, there's more!
This year we had the introduction of a second foreign language (compulsory) - i'm talking about Media-school (lower-intermediate? maybe? i don't know exactly - 11/14 yo students, anyway).
However, The introduction of a new subject didn't mean increasing teaching hours.
Some subjects had a reduction of time.
Such a mess!
Yes, what would the students take, and, what would teachers do in that empty hour?
Andrea
Well, there's more!
This year we had the introduction of a second foreign language (compulsory) - i'm talking about Media-school (lower-intermediate? maybe? i don't know exactly - 11/14 yo students, anyway).
However, The introduction of a new subject didn't mean increasing teaching hours.
Some subjects had a reduction of time.
Such a mess!
Yes, what would the students take, and, what would teachers do in that empty hour?
Andrea
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Re: New-entry from Italy - hi!
Yes,basically teachers are good.Sometimes they compromise to students' need .But unfortunately.the chance is very little.andrea wrote:GreatJim.
you are making interesting statements about music and stundents likes and dislikes.
Now, please, don't generalize saying teathers can not feel anything about your needs.
I don't agree.
Andrea
But maybe that's just ok.For you can't expect too much.
I am not a student now.when i say to myself.what i learned when i was a student,I just can't give myself a good answer.
for example,i learn the english language almost by myself in these years.because the lessons can meet my need.
One truth is they worry to lose control about the class.So they can't stimulate the student's original thought.
So for the teacher ,I shall say,one need them,but they can't give you something.And you can't rely them.
Nice to meet you.anyway.
My parents are both teachers.They instruct me many things,But they also have many problems themselves.And they just couldn't solve them well.
- andrea
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New-entry from Italy - hi!
GreatJim
it's interesting what you are writing about. I find it interesting. And it's true: teachers are much worried about keeping the class quiet. If you have20/25 students in front of you you have to attract their attention in order to explain concepts and look for a feedback (that's important for me).
And even more true: teachers have problems, as they are human beings.
The fact is, we should collaborate with students to find out good topics and ideas. Collaboration is the best thing, i think, and young people have creativity, fantasy, they are spontaneous and quick - some elements that any human being is bound to lose in part, or at all, while getting older.
It's a pity that you have not a good memory of school-time and teachers, but trust me, a lot of people (me inclusive) have such memories. There a re only few teachers that i can save from the clam. And now, I am struggling in order not to keep stuck in there for a long time.
Nice to meet you GreatJim.
Andrea
it's interesting what you are writing about. I find it interesting. And it's true: teachers are much worried about keeping the class quiet. If you have20/25 students in front of you you have to attract their attention in order to explain concepts and look for a feedback (that's important for me).
And even more true: teachers have problems, as they are human beings.
The fact is, we should collaborate with students to find out good topics and ideas. Collaboration is the best thing, i think, and young people have creativity, fantasy, they are spontaneous and quick - some elements that any human being is bound to lose in part, or at all, while getting older.
It's a pity that you have not a good memory of school-time and teachers, but trust me, a lot of people (me inclusive) have such memories. There a re only few teachers that i can save from the clam. And now, I am struggling in order not to keep stuck in there for a long time.
Nice to meet you GreatJim.
Andrea
- serenella
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Arale, I agree with you.
Teaching a language means teaching to communicate, so group-work is very helpful, even if it causes noise in the classroom.
Anyway, I have found some classes which were strictly organized according to quitness, I mean each student was matched in his/her desk with another student he/she didn't like or who was very different in behaviour, opinion, etc. In such a way teachers prevented them from talking during the lesson, but proposing pair/group work was impossible without changing the whole layout of the class and a lesson time is too short for organizing couples and moving seats.
Teaching a language means teaching to communicate, so group-work is very helpful, even if it causes noise in the classroom.
Anyway, I have found some classes which were strictly organized according to quitness, I mean each student was matched in his/her desk with another student he/she didn't like or who was very different in behaviour, opinion, etc. In such a way teachers prevented them from talking during the lesson, but proposing pair/group work was impossible without changing the whole layout of the class and a lesson time is too short for organizing couples and moving seats.
- Butler
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- Dixie
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I use exactly the same method. Maybe we could share some song titles and the grammar used in there :PButler wrote:I use music a lot to help students listen and understand, I remove certain words from the lyrics of a song and they have to write them back in while listening to the song. Good fun and I use short songs (3 minutes).
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- Dixie
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Wow I got that one, Another Day in Paradise. I was just listening to it a while ago on my way back home. So your teacher used it in your class? That's interesting Kind of a sad song though :DAsep wrote:My teacher played "Creep" by Radiohead, "Another Day in Paradise" by Phil Collins, and many more.
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