Using narrative tenses

This morning I woke up bright and early. The ground was covered in a thick blanket of snow and everything looked so beautiful outside. I pulled on warm clothes and boots and took my two dogs Duffy and Maguire for a  snowy walk.

At the end of our walk I let them off their respective leads and into a small paddock at the side of our house where they could run freely. As I stood looking at the scenery I thought how marvelous it would be to have more students come to stay and study with us in 2010.  In any season the scenery is wonderful, the place welcoming and the opportunity for making excellent improvement in English language skills assured.

As I was thus looking and contemplating, I heard a loud meow and there, atop the gate was our little black cat, Nip (her brother, Tuck,  has gone walkabout again). I called to her and she came bouncing over the snow towards me. All of a sudden Maguire spotted her and leapt across to join us followed, in a flash, by Duffy.  All three animals began gambolling in the snow – it was a lovely scene and I hadn’t a camera!

Leaving the cat and dogs I flew into the house to get the camera. It hadn’t been put back in its usual place so took a while to track down. After a frantic hunt, I rushed back to the paddock camera in hand to find the animals scattered!

The perfect picture of animals having fun in the snow had gone! I did manage a few shots which you can see here but sadly the original masterpiece will remain forever in my head only!!

OK,  let’s get down to the topic. I’ve highlighted my use of tenses in the piece.

Can you identify them all and consider why each one was used?

I wrote the piece ‘off the cuff’ and completely spontaneously so the tense usage is random.

• Past simple - you will see that this tense is used far more than any other. This makes sense, the incident is in the past and the ’story’ mostly relates the events that happened in a sequential way.
• Present perfect – there is only one use here – in a reference to the missing cat. The cat is missing , we only know this - no other information is provided.  He may return. This is a classic Present perfect use. (see posts on Present perfect  and choosing simple or continuous )
• Present simple -  again one use when describing the scenery. This is a state and unchanging.
• Past perfect - two occurences; when referring to the whereabouts of the camera – clearly the camera was used by someone else before the events of this story took place and on returning to the paddock – the frolicking of the animals in the snow is now relegated to the past.
• Future tense – this is the final tense used referring to a missed chance to capture the scene and preserve it for the future.

When relating stories and events we tend to use mostly the past simple,  present perfect and past perfect tenses as a frame work and hang on the other tenses where required. It is important to sequence the events in order to choose the correct tense.

Try this Gapfillers exercise on narrative tense use.

This post is the second of six on English verbs and tenses.

More information on English courses at Fleetham Lodge  and see here on the blog Fleetham Life

English Verbs that Confuse!

Before I begin this post I have to report that a few days ago I was asked ‘What is a tamper-evident-seal? I was thrilled at this question. It proves that some of what I am saying about language exposure is right!! So flowers for me. Hurray!!! If you have read my posts on increasing vocabulary you will know what I am talking about if not then you can find out here (More Vocabulary on the go)

I thought it was time to say something about verbs in English. This is a daunting task as there is so much to say! I decided to begin with two thorny verb problems

• verbs that are similar in usage and as a result often confused
• verbs which are confused although they are in fact opposites

Verbs with similar meanings

make/do, take/bring, been/gone etc..

The difference between these verbs is often quite subtle. They often have similar meanings but are used in different ways.  Sometimes the meaning is identical but a preference for one has been made in English (see post on collocation)

Here is a list of the most commonly confused verbs:

• make/do (see my post on this)
• been/gone
• have/take

These verbs collocate with certain words. Find a list of these in your grammar book and make sure you know which to use when. 

• lay/lie

Lay describes an action – They laid out the papers for signing.

 lie a state  – He found the papers lying on the table.

Lay takes a direct object.

• raise/rise

Raise describes an action done by someone – to raise tax

rise describes the action itself  – taxes will rise 

Raise always has a direct object.

• talk/speak

These have very similar meanings and can be used interchangeably. – I’ll talk/speak to her about it.

 However there are some differences;  

a formal speech uses speak - He spoke to the Board of Directors.

Also when referring to languages – She speaks French, Italian and Japanese.

Talk would be used for speaking at length – He talked to them about his war experiences.

• steal/rob

Again very similar in meaning. We use rob for the place that suffered the theft and steal for the items taken.

They robbed the shop and stole cash.

Check in your grammar book to make sure you have them right.

Verbs with opposite meanings

Although this may sound strange some verbs with opposite meanings can be confused. The two most common pairs are;

• lend/borrow

Borrow from (you take the item) -  Can I borrow your pen?

Lend to (they give the item) – Can you lend me your pen?

• bring/take/fetch

Bring means that you carry the item with you here - Can you bring some salad with you to the picnic? (towards the speaker – the picnic may be at the speaker’s home)

Take means you carry the item with you there – Can you take some salad to the picnic?  (away from the speaker – the picnic is in some other place)

Fetch is used when you have to collect something and then bring it with you. – Can you fetch the car from the garage tomorrow?

Make sure you understand the difference and then memorise and practise!!

Try these exercises on Gapfillers

Will a longer school day/year increase student achievement? #edchat summary

6pm CET/ 12pm EST Edchat Summary

Last evening’s #edchat summary was another lively event with fast and furious discussion and lots of ideas, opinions and information shared as ever! This topic comes up often with teachers, learners and parents constantly struggling to fit all they have to do into a day and still have time to ’stand and stare’.

I’m not sure there was a consensus, but the main points which recurred were:

• Shouldn’t we be looking at the whole school day/year concept and decide if it is still a suitable model for the 21 century?
• How would the extra hours/days be used – we don’t want/need more of the same
• Use extra time for teacher development and learning
• Consider year-round schooling
• The importance of good discussion before considering change and involving all parties (parents, learners, teachers, admin, authorities)
• The use of technology as away of extending learning beyond the school/college gates

What some participants had to say.

colonelb

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@ShellTerrell Yes, but only if quality of learning improves along with it. #edchat

colonelb

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I’m also wondering why we have to continue to think in terms of traditional school days and years. Progress as you learn. #edchat

clarkmusic

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School day is already long, if you include homework. Retention might improve if year is broken up differently. #edchat

DeronDurflinger

- #edchat I don’t know if the answer is a longer day/year, but we need to be more flexible in how we use our time.

kmadolf

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Eistein’s def of insanity: Doing things the way we’ve always done them & expecting diff results. Longer school day/year fits def. #edchat

malcolmbellamy

-  p

upils are better off with short bursts of quality than long periods of boredom #edchat

web20classroom

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I believe many teachers would favor a long day or year if it meant more time for meaningful instruction… #edchat

bgillett

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Learning needs to encompass more than just 7:30-2:30 each day. #edchat

cybraryman1

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The real answer is what and how knowledge is being taught. The length of day & year is not the problem. #edchat

irasocol

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@rliberni Only if it is a completely different school: architecturally, systematically, curricularly, assessmentally #edchat

kmadolf

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Rather than lengthening day/year, should consider year-round schooling. #edchat

kylepace

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@ShellTerrell Some teachers say they would be in favor of year round school with multiple 2-3 week breaks. Anyone doing this? #edchat

web20classroom

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RT @colonelb:Im also wondering why we have to continue to think in terms of traditional school days and years.Progress as you learn. #edchat

andi1984

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All the organisatorical stuff can be better discussed without wasting too much precious time. #edchat

esolcourses

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@rliberni Not in favour of it. Don’t think a longer school day is the answer. IME, many kids struggle to maintain focus as it is #edchat

hadleyjf

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#edchat Following the conversation with my 8th graders

SimpleK

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@ShellTerrell We had year-round school here a few years ago. it was great. My son did much better with shorter more frequent brks #edchat

 

web20classroom

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RT @bgillett: Learning needs to encompass more than just 7:30-2:30 each day. #edchat

edtechsteve

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We need to prove we can use the time we NOW have right before we add a single minute #edchat

mtrump

12/8/2009

12:04 PM

RT @ShellTerrell: Which do you prefer a longer day or year? #edchat – Neither

MatthiasHeil

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Ideally, borders between “learning” and “holidays” should dissolve. #edchat

SErwin

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I think we need to become more efficient. #edchat

kmadolf

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Traditional model based on agrarian calendar – what a concept to design schools to fit THIS century’s realities. #edchat

sudam09

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Eduation should not be a commercial activity and hence private participation should be discouraged. Govt should run the ed Instns. #edchat

tamaslorincz

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Unfortunately in my neck of the woods the less time students spend at school the more they can learn ;-( #edchat

daveandcori

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#edchat effective use of time is needed too. And, use technology to “extend the school day”

MrR0g3rs

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@kylepace no! less physical time in school. schedule now is based on an ancient paradigm set up to protect sacred cows #edchat

irasocol

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I favor 24/7 year-round secondary school buildings, but with student choice of hours-like unis-and lots of study/recreation options #edchat

tamaslorincz

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The more I look at the damage we do to tyhe students the less I believe in schools.Schools should’ve redefinded themselves by now. #edchat

SErwin

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I have gained more knowledge outside of my normal schooling than within. Ex – Why r we using twitter? Students must do same #edchat

kylepace

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If e-learning for students isn’t a way to go, maybe e-learning PD for teachers to give more instructional time and less pull out? #edchat

EnglishProfi

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@rliberni A longer school day/year would have to have more pay or more teachers. #edchat

evab2001

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RT @ShellTerrell The problem with longer hrs is that children have less time with their families #edchat

iMrsF

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RT @rliberni: How about virtual classrooms that offer options to kids/students after ’school’? #edchat

cristinaluminea

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RT @colonelb: “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Einstein #edchat

This is just a flavour. For the complete transcript see here

If you want stats on participation in #edchat see here

@hadleyjf  was participating with Grade 8 students and we look forward to her survey results on their opinions of #edchat (they liked the idea of 4 days of school followed by 3 days off and a shorter summer holiday)

@techmunoz  polled a middle school class (also watching – I think) and they preferred a longer day to changing the summer holiday

We also had some fabulous links provided – great information!

Links shared

socratech

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Our charter network: http://www.kipp.org has been successful implementing longer school days: 7:00-5:00 everyday with Sat schools. #edchat

timesed

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#edchat Much discussion in the UK has been about starting the school day *later* to suit teenagers’ body-clocks http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6018000

socratech

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RT @PostSchools JAY MATHEWS school day is too short. If we’re serious about achievement, need more time. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/class-struggle/2009/12/why_cant_regular_schools_expan.html#edchat

elanaleoni

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The Race to Nowhere talks about the issues we’ve talked about on #edchat. You can request a screening 4 your school. http://www.racetonowhere.com/

kylepace

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RT @socratech: Tracking An Emerging Movement: A Report on Expanded Time Schools in America #edchat http://ow.ly/JXh8

ShellTerrell

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I also believe stdts need to spend time away fr desks! Here are some ideas http://prestwickhouse.blogspot.com/2009/12/step-outside-of-classroom.html#edchat

timesed

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@nothingfuture #edchat - Some historians think the link between agriculture and the school year is a myth, anyway http://bit.ly/5BNkPa

MrR0g3rs

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@ShellTerrell i agree. we should use stuff like this from @mrrobbo http://mrrobbo.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/a-kinesthetic-reading-adventure/#edchat

frankcrawford

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@ShellTerrell #edchat Online PD available (professional development link) here. http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/journeytoexcellence/

kmadolf

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@misterlamb Exactly! “Not knowing how to apply the knowledge is no knowledge at all.” http://theonlinecitizen.com/2009/11/why-i-prefer-canadas-education-system-world-ranking-or-not/ #edchat

TheoOliveira

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i’m not sure if u guys know about, bu here’s go http://www.aft.org/pubs-reports/american_educator/summer2002/askcognitivescientist.html#edchat

New to Edchat?

If you have never participated in an #Edchat discussion, these take place twice a day every Tuesday on Twitter. Over 400 educators participate in this discussion by just adding #edchat to their tweets. For tips on participating in the discussion, please check out these posts!

• Edchat: Join the Conversation
• Using Tweetdeck for Hashtag Discussions

More Edchat

• If you would like to join others in transforming the discussion into action, please feel free to join the Edchat group on the Educator PLN ning.
• Jerry Swiatek does an incredible job of posting each archived transcript on the Edchat wiki created by Steve Johnson. This way you can look back at your favorites!
• Follow other Edchatters and make sure you are on this Twitter list if you participate in Edchat!
• Read summaries of the 7pm EST/1 am CET Edchat discussions.
• Want more links? Check out these Google Docs of previous Edchat topics!

Challenge:

If you’re new to hashtag discussions, then just show up on Twitter on any Tuesday and add just a few tweets on the topic with the hashtag #edchat.

What do you think makes an effective digital portfolio? Leave a comment!

My Edublog Award nominations

A bit of a ‘last minute Larry’ but at the eleventh-hour here are my personal nominations.

There is so much out there and the list of  educators producing valuable and thought-provoking content is growing so fast that it’s difficult to keep up!!

My Personal Recommendations for the Edublog Awards 2009

Best individual blog -  Shelly Terrell  Teacher reboot camp

Best new blog -  Teaching village 

Best individual tweeter  - Tom Whitby 

Best group blog - The Afghan Women’s writing project

Best class blog -  Writing4Business   

Best student blog - Marcus Brendel   Der Englisch Blog 

Best resource sharing blog  - Larry Ferlazzo 

Most influential tweet / series of tweets / tweet based discussion  #edchat 

Best teacher blog -    Kalinago English

Best librarian / library blog - Bright Ideas 

Best elearning / corporate education blog  Sue Waters

Best educational use of audio - Sean Banville

Best educational use of video / visual – Russell Stannard

Best educational use of a social networking service -  Heike Philp’s Virtual Round Table

 Best of luck everybody!!

Create a PLN

You may have come across this acronym which is being talked about a lot at the moment but if not, it stands for Personal Learning Network. This is a group of people with whom you have a connection and from whom you are able to progress your learning.   Many of  these networks are found on social media sites such as twitter but learning networks can effectively be anywhere. Your network might be at school or work or you may find them at a club or social group. You may have several networks all for different aspects of your personal learning development.

Your PLN can even be anonymous!!

I discovered a great new PLN last week ! I live on the outskirts of a small village in North Yorkshire (see my blog Fleetham Life) and last week I took my first ever ride on the local bus to the nearest town about 12 miles away and what a journey it was!!

For the first couple  miles we were just two passengers plus the bus driver.  After getting to the village a few more people boarded and then the information share began!

1.   First on the agenda was an update on the secondary school run and how the children had dressed up and one had left some money on his bus. He knew it was one of two children and had made arrangements for it to be returned by the evening driver!

• Lots of good examples of conditional sentences here, narrative tenses and some modals too: She must have been worried.  If only I’d seen it before they all left.  The children had been told to dress up,

2. We then moved on to the local weather. Our bus driver/PLN moderator gave us the low-down on which areas had been flooded, which bridges and roads were closed and the local forecast in the coming days.

• Present continuous for weather – It’s raining in Thirsk. More modals – Richmond should be clear by this afternoon. Future – The next few days will be fine.

3.   Next we had a few jokes just to jolly the journey along. These mostly from the driver but one or two ‘regulars’ joined in too! I was a lurker, listening and laughing.

• Jokes can be very useful listening practice, do you get it? Do you understand the puns (check out Gapfillers joke section)

4.   The next topic of conversation was about a recent large lottery win and this sparked a discussion about ‘What I would do if I won the lottery’ I’m sure you’ve all done this exercise in class at some stage but here it was in real life!

• Good uses of conditionals!!

5.   The next topic was about the local housing market – which houses had been sold, which were for sale, how much etc…

• Great use of passive, That cottage was sold last week. Present perfects They have been trying to sell for 6 months.

6.   We just had time to discuss health and fitness before we reached our destination! The driver, it turned out was a bit of a jogger! Other people proffered their own preferred methods of keeping fit.

• A lot of present perfect – I’ve been …. for ….. use of the present simple for routines I run 5 miles every day.

This is all well and good you may say but what is the significance?

For me it was a true PLN giving me all the local news and information that might be important to someone living in the area. It was also a very jolly and enjoyable journey.

For learners – never under-estimate the value of any language experience (this could be on TV or online too). The use of language that you have learned in class in a real context reinforces it and you are also likely to pick up something new!!!

Language Immersion

A short immersion experience can send your language to the next level very quickly.

I thought I’d turn my attention in this post to ways of really giving your language skills a big boost. As with all things life often takes over and our good intentions for daily practice go out of the window. It pays then, from time to time, to try and give your language development some undivided attention.

The very best way of doing this is to go to a country where the language is spoken. You have several options and each of these has their merits:

Go on holiday

• Will you go alone? If not, then realistically how much language are you likely to use while you are there? If you do go alone then will you use every opportunity to speak? I know I might be more inclined to be anonymous and mooch around in silence! It depends on your personality. If you are likely to take advantage of the chance to develop and improve then  go for it, it is a lovely way to relax, see the country and hone your skills.

Take a language course

• You could do this in your own country which is still valuable, perhaps find a native speaker teacher to help you. Or, you could choose a course overseas there are many to choose from. Obviously you need to consider the cost of the course and the accommodation.
• Here are a couple of directories to help you see what is available Study Global  and  English in Britain  which features accredited courses. I have included these as examples. There are many more around. Do your homework and compare and contrast.
• Don’t just consider capital cities they can be expensive and there are often courses in other parts of a country which are just as good and will allow you to explore a different area. (see my RLI blog  on why not to choose London for your course).
• The best accommodation is probably with a family so that you can use your language all day. Make sure you tell the school exactly what your needs are on this front. Some schools offer hostels where you can still practise albeit with other non-native students or self catering accommodation. Again do your homework.

Home Tuition courses

• These courses offer you the opportunity to live in your teacher’s home which gives you a real immersion experience with your own personal guide and mentor. To my mind they offer the best immersion experience. You will receive formal language lessons (usually one to one but some teachers have 2 or 3 students staying at once) These teachers are also wonderful hosts and you will feel very welcome in their homes. (If you scroll down on the blog cited above you will find a posting on these courses).
• Here are some  sites to have a look at (in no particular order): Home Lingua, Regent, SGI, InTuition  Live and Learn Homestays  RLI  again do your homework and do some research to find what you want. There are others this is just a sample.

If you want to come to Yorkshire for your Home Tuition course then here is a flavour! I’d love to see you there!

More English vocabulary on the GO!!

This post is a follow-up to my last one  Ten ways to improve vocabulary. Having outlined some ideas I thought I’d better ‘put my money where my mouth was’ and give a concrete example. So, his morning I spent 15 minutes perusing items on my breakfast table and in my bathroom and came up with the following list of sentences and words which, I think,  are useful. I hope that among them will be some new things but also perhaps some that you may have overlooked and not brought into your own active vocabulary and usage.

There was one new word for me and a couple of phrases that I hadn’t really noticed before.

Here you are, my 15 minute vocabulary accumulator!!

1. Naturally rich in vitamin C, Vitafit (product) orange juice from concentrate is made entirely from specially selected juicy oranges. 

• Did you notice this wonderful use of inversion of subject? Something I am always asking students to do in their essays! Great style!!

2.  Once opened, store upright in the refrigerator and consume within 3-4 days.

• Look at this great use of imperatives for instructions – so economical and offering great clarity – next time you have to write a list of instructions remember - less is more!!

3. no artificial anything!

• I love this!  I hadn’t though about using it before. Great phrase No….. for emphasis and here the use of no + anything gives great impact. 

4. Who’d  have thought such a tasty breakfast could fit so well into a balanced diet!

• Use of modal verbs, the opening phrase is definitely one to remember for your own writing!

5.  If you’re as mad about X as Jo is then you‘ll love Y!

• Lovely combination of the first conditional and as….as

6.  Slide finger under centre flap

• Did you know flap?

7. Insert tab under flap to close

• Did you know tab? Did you know about this combination of flap and tab for closing boxes?

8.  Multigrain cereal coated with sugar and honey, fortified with vitamins and iron.

• Have you seen this use of to coat and to fortify before?

9.  This product is packed by weight and not by volume.

• Did you know that you can use by …… by and add not to make it negative? Another simple phrase I hadn’t thought about much.

10.  This container is fitted with a tamper-evident-seal

• This is a new word for me. OK perhaps it’s a bit obscure but you never know when you might need to say - “Does that have a tamper-evident-seal?”

11.  Do not exceed the stated dose.

• Did you know this use of to exceed? Did you know dose? These are actually important words in this context.

12.  Cod Liver Oil provides the recommended daily requirements of Vitamin A & D both of which are necessary for the maintainance of healthy skin, strong bones and teeth.

• Nice conjunction here to remember. Also use of vitamin in the singular but I think we need and after healthy skin! Use of maintainance makes the sentence very neat.

 13.  A stylish bamboo soap tray to use within any bathroom setting.

• Did you know that a soap container is called a tray (or dish) and how about the word setting? Very useful this as a synonym to area, place, venue …

14.  Apply a ribbon of toothpaste across the head of the toothbrush.

• Did you know to use ‘ribbon’ for something squeezed from a tube, did you know that the brush part of a toothbrush was called the head?

15.  For children under 7, use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.

• It might be useful to collect words used to describe amounts and size, shape of items.

16.  Daily rinsing will help combat germs.

• Have you seen this use of to combat before?

17.  Apply to wet hair, lather, rinse and repeat.

• Do you know this word (lather)?

18.  Pour under running water and swirl?

• Can you swirl?

Here are two which are not from my house but which if you visit London and the UK you will learn immediately.

19.  Mind the gap

• What’s all that about? A strange phrase telling you to be careful when you get off the train as there’s a space between the train step and the platform. It takes 19 words to explain! What a great phrase!!

20.   No trainers

• Another succinct phrase meaning - Don’t wear tennis shoes, training shoes or sneakers in this place – 11 words!

 

10 ways to increase your vocabulary

Widening vocabulary is always a desire of advanced students (and native speakers too!). There are so many words in English that it is sometimes difficult to know where to begin.

In this post I suggest 10 things you can do to extend your vocabulary. I also recommend two things that I normally tell you NEVER to do!!

• Get out your bi-lingual dictionary
• Translate

So, here goes;

 My Top 10 tips!!

1. Use a bilingual dictionary - look up words you come across but don’t understand and make a note of them or even better use them straight away! (see my post on choosing dictionaries)
2. Choose one lexical set at a time -  for example animals, can you, hand on heart, say that you know the English word for all the animals? Think of all those you don’t know and look them up in your own language. Do the same for other lexical sets.
3. Sign up to Gapfillers word of the day - it’s free and you can get your word sent by email if you register as a free member, 5 words a week, 20+ per month, that’s 260 a year and you don’t have to do anything! (Gapfillers word of the day)
4. Play scrabble!- you’re allowed to use your dictionary!
5. Read and translate – choose a short passage in your own langauge and translate it into good English, oh, and please use your dictionary!!
6. Use a thesaurus – write down a list of words you like to use and look up 3 synonyms for each in the thesaurus.
7. Do crosswords – use a dictionary to help you or do interactive ones online (there are a few on Gapfillers)
8. Listen to the radio and write down any words you don’t know – choose a short piece, you can approximate the spelling and then look them up in your dictionary.
9. Choose a short, difficult, reading passage and do the same – make a list of the words and look them up.
10. Look around where you are now - do you know the words for everything you can see? – make a note of the ones you don’t in your own language and then use your dictionary to find out the English word. Do this whenever you have a few spare minutes. Too many words? Give yourself a limit of 6 or 10 etc.. each time.

To do all of this in one place become a Gapfillers! full member. Post a useful comment here for a free full membership!!

Do I have to read?

Yes you do if you want to improve and learn!!

Students often say to me that they don’t like or enjoy reading. I find this very difficult to believe as most of our world today with the internet and social networking and email involves a lot of reading (and writing too).

If you want to improve your vocabulary and use of language in both speaking and writing then the more you read the faster this will happen. Inputs (listening and reading) drive outputs (speaking and writing). With language, familiarity, far from ‘breeding contempt’,  fixes words and phrases in your mind. (see my post on improving listening skills). Reading is a very accessible and relaxing way to boost your language skills and learn about other things as well.

Does it matter what I read?

Absolutely not! A language learner is in the unique position of being able to learn and absorb useful information from anything at all that they read. I once took a random selection of bathroom items into an Advanced English class (shampoo, shower gel, cosmetics etc..) and handed them around to the students. They had to write down any words on the products that they hadn’t seen before (even if they could guess the meaning from the context). I was amazed that we had a list of over 20 words from this exercise. This was reading!

I haven’t got time and it takes too long!

The above example illustrates, I think, that reading doesn’t need to take any time out of your day.

Start the day with reading!

• Read your shampoo bottle or shaving cream tube. Peruse the cereal packets at breakfast, use what is around you. You will find a lot of repetition on these products and the more you see these words and phrases the more they will become part of your own language and you can then use them.

Read on your way to work/college

• Are there things around you? Adverts on the underground or bus. Instructions at the station or airport? Be curious about everything you see in the target language. (I make an assumption here that you are living in the country where this language is spoken. If not then it is true that you will have to look for examples yourself – the internet can provide some).  

Read at lunch!

• Does your sandwich packet have writing on it? Anything useful here? Does the cafe or restaurant have information on the walls or the counter? Read what is on the menus other than the list of dishes.

Get the free paper on the way home!

• Many cities offer these. You can pick them up all over. Pick out one or two short articles or just read the adverts!!

Spend the evening reading.

• Check out the instructions on your food packets. Use subtitles on your TV programme for a short while.

So what have you learned?  I would be surprised if you hadn’t  picked up at least a couple of words and a great phrase or two to bandy around in the coming days!

What about more in-depth reading?

It is true that the above strategies are more about picking up new words than really honing reading skills and developing sophisticated structures to use. If you are a reader (I’m thinking about books here) in your own language then the transition to a new language will not be difficult. If you are one of those people who don’t really like reading books then start with newspapers, magazines etc or replicate in the target language whatever you enjoy reading in your own language.

Reading is boring, I have to look too many words up in the dictionary!

If you read with a dictionary then this is true. Why are you reading with a dictionary? You need to decide whether your reading is  ’an exercise’ (in which case it should be a short piece that you can analyse for meaning and vocabulary) or whether you are reading a novel or short story for pleasure and to improve language skills? With the former a dictionary is helpful and it should enhance rather than impede your understanding. With the latter a dictionary will be disastrous! It will force you to concentrate on the minutiae of individual words rather than the big picture of the story. You will lose the flow of events and yes, become frustrated and bored.

Don’t worry about not understanding every word or even everything. If you get the  gist then keep going and you will find that the more you read the more you will understand until the experience becomes a pleasure! After that there will be no stopping you! (see my post about thinking in English - it applies to any language)

Many years ago when I began to learn German I was given a short story to read by my Father. In the beginning I struggled with every page and could only get a handful of words. There were a few cartoon pictures which helped with the story. I persevered and by chapter 3 I was beginning to follow the story. I was only a beginner and the book was short and simple  but I managed to gain a lot from it (though I am not a good German user now having neglected it for many years!)

Different writers have different idioms.

Each time you pick up a book by a new author you need to spend a little time getting into their idiom (their way of writing). For a native speaker this may take a page or two but it is still part of the process, engagement isn’t immediate and you will need patience to tackle novels and short stories. So as with all other aspects of language learning don’t lose heart, gradually and with perseverance you will not only ‘get through’ the book but enjoy it too! If not then choose another book – ‘don’t stick fast’  as my grandmother used to say!!

 Try these reading exercises:

For a ‘quick fix’  British newspaper readers

For greater depth  The Stranger – first Episode 

For a grammar based reading exercise

Why has education become so adversarial?

I am diverting  in this post from language per se to express my great concerns for some aspects of education today and how I worry that in some respects we have lost our way.

I have come across the word ‘banned’,  ‘not allowed ’ ‘must not’ and ’compulsory’ more and more of late in school newsletters,  teachers comments on school policies on using the internet and education news items in general.

Parents in the UK are cheating to get their children into the best schools. Should we even have best schools?  Are parents ‘cheating’ if they decide to buy or rent a house in a particular school catchment area? Why do they feel the need to do this? And, how has the government got the brass neck to call them cheats and criminals? The cheats and criminals are surely those who allow a situation like this to develop where each and every child does not have the same access to the best education!!

Parents who cheat to get school places will be prosecuted

Schools can fine parents if they take their children out of school for a day. I had to do this recently due to work. My daughter was studying the Egyptians so I arranged for a friend to take her to the British Museum while I conducted my work nearby. I consider the day to have been of great benefit to my daughter and I wasn’t fined because the school disagrees with the scheme – but who came up with this idea? What does this do to the parent/school relationship?

Schools reluctant to fine parents who take children out of class

So much for the parents. How about the teachers? With the current explosion in social media, internet resources and access to information  they should be in seventh heaven!  But no, with blanket bans in many schools, colleges and even universities on sites like YouTube, Facebook  and even email, censorship is alive and well. So is, as a result, not being in touch with where many children, teenagers and young adults spend their time.

YouTube banned in schools

This article tackles a very serious issue and one that schools and teachers have to take very seriously. I think it would be unlikely that  teachers would be using such material in their lessons and students would be more likely to access  material out of school so how does a ban help? Also, surely banning simply makes it more attractive. Shouldn’t we trust teachers to select and use material sensibly and appropriately as they are trained do. The rule nowadays seems to be to punish the masses for the behaviour of the minority.

So, finally, where are the children and students? Emphasis on target setting, league tables of school performance, endless testing (is there, in fact, time to actually teach?) and total central control over the classroom has created an environment where some children/students are stressed, some bewildered, some disillusioned and most on the ‘value-added’ conveyor belt of the educational production line.

In fact the whole concept of ‘value-added’, a manufacturing term, suggests one thing to me;

• Children and students are having things done to them, they are part of an external process.

So, why have we moved from an arena of collaboration to one of adversary? Isn’t the pursuit of good education by government, parents and teachers a given, like motherhood and apple pie?

My personal feeling is that in the pursuit of so-called excellence we have thrown the baby out with the bath water. Education seems now to be about me, my life, my wants and my desires. It is micro and the focus is narrow. This is ironic at a time when the internet has given us such unfettered access to the world of knowledge.

My definition of education would be - to prepare people to take their place in the world.

Here are the skills they need:

• A knowledge of who they are, where they are and where they have come from – this is history and geography
• The ability to communicate well – this is language, mother tongue and other languages
• Knowledge of  their place in the world and universe – this is science
• The ability to keep themselves fit and healthy – more science
• Being able to function economically and practically in society – this is maths,
• The ability to work with others, to compete where needed, take failure on the chin and celebrate success with decorum – this is sport, playing in the playground and cooperating in the classroom
• The skill to work in a team to produce successful outcomes – this is sport, music and drama
• The ability to produce and appreciate beauty – art, music, poetry, creative writing, gardening, cooking…
• Respect for other people, our environment and other creatures – science, RE (and it’s equivalents)
• Discipline – the school environment but also sport and music

And read, read, read – this is the key that unlocks everything.

I’m sure there are more. With our crowded curriculum placing emphasis on such things well-being, leadership, and now horror of horrors ‘twitter and facebook’!! ( How do you teach those? They are TOOLS!! Fabulous tools, exciting tools and they bring teaching into the 21st century but they are only tools) we are in danger of losing sight of the fact that we have everything we need and innovation is more about presentation and methods of exploration than revolution!

Exit Winston Churchill, enter Twitter … Yes, it’s the new primary school curriculum

OK, enough ranting, where does this fit in with language training? Simply do what you do but find different ways to do it. The possibilities offered by the internet for language learning are incredible. The ability to engage with teachers and native speakers across the world has never been so easy.

The availability of the internet should democratise learning and teaching for all so lets stop the adversary and embrace our brave new world!!

Here are some other thoughts on Education that are worth a look:

Rolling up the odd sleeves

How schools stifle creativity

The state of Now in Education #140conf

So what exactly is a college for?