Tonight I thought I would tell you something about my new job: I would never write about it in such a way that students of mine who might stumble upon the blog could be embarrassed, so there is a lot about my wonderful new students that I would like to tell you but don’t feel able to. But all are charming and chivalrous, we are working hard and laughing a lot and, when I am teaching until 10 pm., which is the case most nights [hence the late posting] they make sure I do not make my way home alone [although I have no worries about walking around on my own at night here]. I feel valued and taken care of!
This is only my fourth week at the school and of course we have had the interruption of the festivities, but at last I have something which looks like a permanent timetable – or as permanent as it will get, given that this is not only Italy but Sicily! For the past two weeks, students have been coming or not coming, changing their hours, insisting on lots of homework but then, having contended for a week with a houseful of bambini and all the relatives, coming back and pleading charmingly, “I couldn’t to study, teacher” . I won’t lose out financially by the postponement of these hours as they have signed up for a certain number of hours and need to complete them; it’s just that you don’t know when they are going to do so! And even now that the festivities are over, some come for a two –hour lesson and have some reason why it should only last for half that time [“It is the birthday of my friend / I go to skiing with my girlfriend” or even “I see this girlfriend yesterday and today I have to see the other girlfriend” – all very Italian priorities which seem fine to me!] I am becoming Sicilian, reader, and they are such lovely people that my pazienza has not yet failed me!
As for their difficulties with English, apart from the usual ones of present continuous versus present simple tense [not so difficult for Italians as for speakers of languages with no continuous tenses], conditionals and articles or their omission, the two problems that everyone has are: pronunciation of –ed in a past participle [nearly always pronounced as a separate syllable here] and the “use” of use, as in : “Italians use to drive on the right.” So you have to explain that in English you can’t use “use” in that sense, ie., for a habit, and that you have to use the present simple, and then you have the nightmare of “used to” [where Italian uses the imperfect tense], “get used to” [where Italian uses a reflexive and “get” complicates everything] and “be used to” [ a bit simpler].
There are methodology difficulties too, as many adult students expect you to follow every activity in their coursebook in precisely the way it is laid out there and they look at you as if you are crazy when you deviate from it. [This reflects the teaching that they have had at school.] Well, for this teacher the coursebook is a guide and I like to liven things up a bit when I can see it is getting boring or the students are sagging. One of my favourite language games is “expanding text” [from a book called “Five Minute Activities” which has saved me many times, especially at that moment towards the end of a long lesson, when you have finished the main activity but there is not enough time to start the next one, or you know it will confuse everybody if you do]: You put a word in the centre of the board such as “go”. Then the students can add up to three words left or right of it, then left or right of the new text and so on, to see how long you can make the text. You alter punctuation as you go, or ask the students to suggest alterations if they are above elementary level; if your students are at a lower level, you can help them by adding “connectors” like “and/because/so” etc. They all seem to like this activity, once they get over the shock of not adhering to the coursebook all the time. Tonight I taught a newly married couple and just stopped myself from saying, “You could try this at home”. I must really be becoming an old crock, reader for I imagine a newly married couple can think of far more interesting games to play with each other than linguistic ones!
This is only my fourth week at the school and of course we have had the interruption of the festivities, but at last I have something which looks like a permanent timetable – or as permanent as it will get, given that this is not only Italy but Sicily! For the past two weeks, students have been coming or not coming, changing their hours, insisting on lots of homework but then, having contended for a week with a houseful of bambini and all the relatives, coming back and pleading charmingly, “I couldn’t to study, teacher” . I won’t lose out financially by the postponement of these hours as they have signed up for a certain number of hours and need to complete them; it’s just that you don’t know when they are going to do so! And even now that the festivities are over, some come for a two –hour lesson and have some reason why it should only last for half that time [“It is the birthday of my friend / I go to skiing with my girlfriend” or even “I see this girlfriend yesterday and today I have to see the other girlfriend” – all very Italian priorities which seem fine to me!] I am becoming Sicilian, reader, and they are such lovely people that my pazienza has not yet failed me!
As for their difficulties with English, apart from the usual ones of present continuous versus present simple tense [not so difficult for Italians as for speakers of languages with no continuous tenses], conditionals and articles or their omission, the two problems that everyone has are: pronunciation of –ed in a past participle [nearly always pronounced as a separate syllable here] and the “use” of use, as in : “Italians use to drive on the right.” So you have to explain that in English you can’t use “use” in that sense, ie., for a habit, and that you have to use the present simple, and then you have the nightmare of “used to” [where Italian uses the imperfect tense], “get used to” [where Italian uses a reflexive and “get” complicates everything] and “be used to” [ a bit simpler].
There are methodology difficulties too, as many adult students expect you to follow every activity in their coursebook in precisely the way it is laid out there and they look at you as if you are crazy when you deviate from it. [This reflects the teaching that they have had at school.] Well, for this teacher the coursebook is a guide and I like to liven things up a bit when I can see it is getting boring or the students are sagging. One of my favourite language games is “expanding text” [from a book called “Five Minute Activities” which has saved me many times, especially at that moment towards the end of a long lesson, when you have finished the main activity but there is not enough time to start the next one, or you know it will confuse everybody if you do]: You put a word in the centre of the board such as “go”. Then the students can add up to three words left or right of it, then left or right of the new text and so on, to see how long you can make the text. You alter punctuation as you go, or ask the students to suggest alterations if they are above elementary level; if your students are at a lower level, you can help them by adding “connectors” like “and/because/so” etc. They all seem to like this activity, once they get over the shock of not adhering to the coursebook all the time. Tonight I taught a newly married couple and just stopped myself from saying, “You could try this at home”. I must really be becoming an old crock, reader for I imagine a newly married couple can think of far more interesting games to play with each other than linguistic ones!
13 comments:
I love this post! Having taught French (not that I'm all that good in it, but can get by in France) and have studied Spanish and Italian (looooong time ago) I love stories about linguistics and the problems people have learning English. I cannot imagine how difficult it must be (so many exceptions). I found the Romance languages quite simple once I got the hang on their backwards and forwards, etc.
You know..."the dog brown"... but "the little house." And the ones I love the most (possessives) "the book of the student."
i liked this Welshcakes, I like your posts that are a little slice of italy, a little slice of you (like the ongoing saga of the post office and the taxis..lol)...it is so different from the world I am in...ta
I think the students are so fortunate to have you as their instructor. I'm curious ... how different is Sicilian from Italian language? If I take a short six week course in italian (to learn some basic phrases before coming to Sicily) will it help in communicating with Sicilians? (Is Sicilian a word or did I make that up?)
Great post Welshcakes. In all the years I have been taking Italian courses no one has ever used that expanding text game. Sounds very interesting.
Glad everything is going swimmingly.
Dogtraining involves linguistics in a way. I tell people to keep commands short and simple but it is difficult because these commands have become so engrained. Why simple? You cannot give a dog the option to choose. Example: "sit"; nothing happens;"will you sit down"; nothing happens; "I told you to sit down"; nothing happens; "please, will you be a good boy and sit down" and so it goes on. What does this mean? The dog has not intention in sitting and is leading its handler a merry dance. So the command is "sit" in a determined but gentle voice and if the dog has no intention in doing it, repeat the command and help him. Once he has done what you have asked him, reward him with a treat and with gentle words.
L'Anglais n'est pas ma langue maternelle so after more than 30 years I am still learning English.
That's a useful language game to remember. I've been playing a numbers game with my godchildren: one person says a number (below 50), the other person can say any number as long as it's not more than 10 more than the previous number and so on and so on until the person who manages to say 50 wins the game. Makes them think (backwards!)
I too love this post. You make it all sound so simple Welshcakes. I`m so glad you are enjoying your Classes and the Students are looking after you. I long to get back to my French studies but at present am hampered by the ongoing dratted Back problem. Incidentally I`ve issued a "Health Report" on my Blog, as so many kind people have been enquiring about my wellbeing. Also to purge the Demons of "Fear of the Unknown" from my soul.
I was intending to learn Latin this year, but can`t at present, track down a suitable tutor.
I`m going to try your Veal Recipe tomorrow, so fingers crossed, I drool each time I look at it. Yum Yum !
Wondeful post! Nice to hear that you are settling into your new job nicely. As a "to be" student I look forward to being able to come up with excuses in the Italian language :)
They are lucky students and couldn't have a finer teacher. I am glad they look after you well and escort you home at the end of the day, and that they fit their lessons around their love lives.
I'm glad you have this job Welshcakes, I hope your freezer is stocked with lots of your fine food so you can put your feet up at weekends. You must be exhausted, but exhilarated.
I dipped a tiny bit of my little finger into Italian. I only learnt very basic bits and it has now all gone but I must tell you of the fun we had in the learning process which concluded each lesson by indulging in some culinary delight or other provided by one of the pupils. The very best was a Hungarian lady who made the best ever Tiramsu! It was so much fun. You sound a very interesting teacher.
Thanks, Leslie.English is indeed, difficult for speakers of Romance languages because English comes from so many roots. Thank you, Abbey. Sometimes I cannot believe I am in this little world over here! TF, you are very kind. I am no expert in the dialect as it is quite different. But you'll have no difficulty in communicating with Sicilians if you take an Ital course. Thanks, jmb. Early days yet... hi, eurodog. That'a very interesting. I must admit I've done the "PLEASE will you...?" bit now and then! You never stop learning a language - even your own! Good number game too, WW! Ciao, Trubes and thank you. Will come over and see for myself how you are in a moment. Hope the recipe behaves for you! Ciao, JP. Looking forward to teaching you! Thanks, ellee. Exhausted's the word! So far, so good... I am cooking and stocking up at the weekends! Thanks, kissa. That sounds like the best way to end a lesson!
Well, I could :) get used :) to posts like this one.
By the way, Welsh, did you ever read Thomas Valentin’s (Sicilian) narrations? Ah, you would like to read them! Between 1966 and 1971 he lived on Sicily. Here his books are unfortunately out of sale. But perhaps your local bookseller can be of help? Just try, and good luck.
Thank you, Sean. How interesting. I will get the local bookseller to seek them out. Pace and auguri from Sicily x
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