Using Youtube in the ESL Classroom: Karaoke and more

Youtube.  What would I do without you?  Where would I get my cute-things-doing-cute-things fix?  Where would I get to hear news segments in autotune?  And where else, pray-tell, can I watch 36 seconds of a baby eating a watermelon from the inside?

Youtube is a cool tool in the ESL classroom.  Here's how I used it.

Watching Short Student-Selected Youtube Videos

Sometimes, I let my students choose youtube videos to watch.  The idea was that they would talk about it, and then so would the rest of the class.  This didn't always work as well as I had hoped.  Oftentimes the kids didn't have much to say, or didn't want to say much.  I heard "I like it," quite a lot.  If I asked "Why?" they would say something like, "Because."  So much for student talk time...

And, they had some issues following the criteria for selecting a video.  Here were my guidelines: It had to be in English, it had to be less than 4 minutes, and it had to be "appropriate".

No matter how many times I said it, there were a few kids (and classes) that always (and I mean always) chose something that broke one of the rules.

Here are a few examples:


The Fail Videos

These contain minimal English, aren't always appropriate, and are always so so long and excruciating to watch.  Basically, Fail videos consist of something terrible (usually physical) happening to someone.  I spent a lot of time having moral dilemmas with my eyes closed before closing the tab.

The Sad/Funny/Cute Baby Animal Videos

The sadder the better, so they can laugh and go "awww" at the same time.  And babies (animal babies, no less) totally speak English, right?  So it's educational.

The Really Disturbing Videos

If you didn't think the Fail videos were bad enough, try the Happy Tree Friends series.  One of my 8th grade classes was obsessed with it.  The first time they put it on, I had no idea.  It sounds so sweet, so innocent, but as you can see from the video above, it's not.  They played me, and then I threw up in my mouth, and reduced all of their grades by 1 point.

The list of youtube video offenders is endless: Best Of Family Guy compilations, Counter-Strike videos, and many many videos involving troll-face.




Including this one:


I never really got troll face.  I still don't.  But my students are all about ... it?  Him?  Hmm.









Karaoke!  

Karaoke is so much fun with younger classes.  Start with a group song that most people know.  Use songs with lyrics on the video in karaoke style, but don't use videos without vocals.  Many students need the vocals in order to sing along and to build their confidence.  My karaoke classes were like parties, we all had such a blast!  And we all know kids (and everyone, really) learn best when they're having fun.  I teach best when I'm having fun, too.

my 7th grade girls singing their hearts out

Prepare a list of go-to songs in case your class is quiet and no one steps up to the plate to choose a song.

Popular songs for my students included:

Rolling in the Deep - Adele
It's My Life - Bon Jovi
Let it Be - the Beatles
Coldplay - Paradise

Choose a song in their native language and try to sing it!  They will love this, and maybe, if you're lucky, they will help you.

This was my Hungarian song of choice:

Listening Activities with Music

I often turn to youtube for my listening activities (I will post some of these soon), and it saves on paper because the kids are able to see the lyrics visually.  The downside is that sometimes the lyrics are incorrect.  Also, while I am a fan of trees, I also think some kids function much better with a piece of paper to hold.  It also gives them a place to write notes and translations, if they need to.


Cute, Funny, or Controversial Clips

I show cute or inciting video clips.  This ranges from anything between a gay marriage stance to the baby eating the watermelon from the inside.  Why?  Either to prove a point, illustrate an accent, spark a debate (ha ha ha, yeah right), or just share something ridiculously funny/cute.

Grammar Points

If you are looking for videos to help you teach grammar points, check out this guy's blog.  He has tons of grammatical lesson plans that go with movie clips, all of which you can find on youtube.

. . .

I'm curious how you all use youtube and videos in the classroom, and if there are any particular videos you found that went over well in the classroom.  I'm also always happy to see any cute or funny videos you want to send my way.  As long as it's not Happy Tree Friends.

Easy Peasy Lesson Plan: Imagine If Game

Imagine If

We made "Imagine If" cards last week, based on this game, where you vote on what you imagine someone would be if they were an invention/crime/cartoon character.  It has been a blast to play with our students!  If you don't have the game, don't worry -- it is very easy to re-create.

Grades: Primary - High School.  One group of my 8th graders was resistant when I explained the game, but after we started to play, they had so much fun.  I haven't tried it with high schoolers yet, but I believe that with modified cards some of my classes would be into it.

You need: Index cards and a pen.  That's it.

Our cards look like this:

Imagine if I was an animal that could fly.  Which flying animal would I be?
Sparrow
Hawk
Pigeon
Parrot
Eagle

To make other cards, simply replace the italicized text with another prompt.

Some of the other cards we created were, "Imagine if I was a/an..."
texture
taste
drink
invention
electronic
in a movie
musical instrument
season

Here is how the game works:

One student (Student A) comes up in front of the class and reads the card aloud to the class.
Each student writes down their vote of what they think that student would be.
Student A votes too, but keeps the vote secret.
When everyone has voted, each student reads their vote, and Student A reveals their vote.
Any student that voted for the Student A's choice gets a point.
Student A gets as many votes as students who voted for his/her choice.

For example, if Student A voted for 'hawk' and 5 students in the class voted for 'hawk', each of the 5 students would receive 1 point, and Student A would receive 5 points.

Reflection:


This is a very fun and revealing game in how well students know one another, and how they perceive each other.

Talk time is high!  Students are reading the card, repeating the choices, and even facilitating the game in some cases!  To my amazement, some of my classes orchestrated the game themselves without direction from me.

I imagine that some students could even work together to create the cards.

---

Have fun and as always, let me know how this works for you.

Easy Peasy Lesson Plans: Personality Quiz

Hello dear readers.  I am starting a new feature.  Once a week I will write about an easy peasy lesson plan that has been successful for me, and that I hope will be successful for you as well.

Scouring the internet for lesson plan ideas is like bra/shoe/toaster shopping.  It can take a long time before you find something close to perfect, and even then adjustments must be made.  On that note, I hope this will be helpful for all of you ESL teachers out there!

---

Personality

Grades: 8-11, possibly some 7th graders

You will need: some English-Native Language dictionaries, personality quizzes and result pages (see the bottom of the post)


1. Brainstorm "Personality" on the board


- what is a personality? (translate to native language, what someone is like, personal characteristics, personality traits)

-CCQ (concept check question, meant to ensure understanding) personality using students in class (what is Roli's personality like?  do you think Fanni is shy?) and/or celebrities.

- where does our personality come from? (family [genes or influences], friends, life experiences, our surroundings, zodiac signs)


In some classes I asked each student to list a personality trait.


Another idea is to challenge the students to a competition -- students work in pairs and write as many personality traits as they can.



2. Take personality quiz
I went around as the kids filled out the surveys, offering help as needed.


3. Calculate your score


4. Read and discuss results
The students read their results, and translate words as necessary.


I talked to the kids about their results.  Did they agree?  Which parts were true of their personality? Which parts were untrue?  If they didn't agree, was there a different personality description that fit them better?


We also compared results, and I asked them what they thought of their classmates' results.


If you would like a more structured lesson (or to ensure your students actually understand their results and are not just agreeing without knowing what they are agreeing to), you could have the students translate their result (younger or less advanced students can translate the adjectives), and/or list what was true and not true for them.


It would also be fun to compare the results in the class on the board using a graph, and look for parallels.  I did this activity shortly after a lesson on Zodiac signs, and it could be interesting to compare zodiac signs to these personality results.




Reflection:
Every class has loved this lesson!  I have done this with 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th graders.  I think it appeals to adolescents especially as they are developmentally quite self-centered and focused on self-discovery.

Speaking levels were higher than usual!  And . . . finally, relevant vocabulary!

One more thing: make sure to stress that this is not an actual "test."  One of my students, upon calculating her score, changed all of her answers so that she would get the highest score.

---

1. When do you feel your best?

a. In the morning
b. During the afternoon and early evening
c. Late at night

2. You usually walk

a. Fairly fast, with long steps
b. Fairly fast, with short, quick steps
c. Less fast, head up, looking the world in the face
d. Less fast, head down
e. Very slowly

3. When talking to people you

a. Stand with your arms folded
b. Have your hands clasped
c. Have one or both your hands on your hips
d. Touch or push the person to whom you are talking
e. Play with your ear, touch your chin, or smooth your hair

4. When relaxing, you sit with

a. Your knees bent with your legs neatly side by side
b. Your legs crossed
c. Your legs stretched out or straight
d. One leg curled under you

5. When something really amuses you, you react with

a. A big, appreciative laugh
b. A laugh, but not a loud one
c. A quiet chuckle
d. A sheepish smile

6. When you go to a party or social gathering you

a. Make a loud entrance so everyone notices you
b. Make a quiet entrance, looking around for someone you know
c. Make the quietest entrance, trying to stay unnoticed

7. You're working very hard, concentrating hard, and you're interrupted. Do you..

a. Welcome the break
b. Feel extremely irritated
c. Vary between these two extremes

8. Which of the following colors do you like most?
a. Red or orange
b. Black
c. Yellow or light blue
d. Green
e. Dark blue or purple
f. White
g. Brown or gray

9. When you are in bed at night, in those last few moments before going to sleep, you lie

a. Stretched out on your back
b. Stretched out face down on your stomach
c. On your side, slightly curled
d. With your head on one arm
e. With your head under the covers

10. You often dream that you are

a. Falling
b. Fighting or struggling
c. Searching for something or somebody
d. Flying or floating
e. You usually have dreamless sleep
f. Your dreams are always pleasant

Add up your points using the table below:

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G
1	2	4	6
2	6	4	7	2	1
3	4	2	5	7	6
4	4	6	2	1
5	6	4	3	5
6	6	4	2
7	6	2	4
8	6	7	5	4	3	2	1
9	7	6	4	2	1
10	4	2	3	5	6	1

Analysis

Over 60 points: Others see you as someone they should "handle with care" You're seen as vain, self-centered, and who is extremely dominant. Others may admire you, wishing they could be more like you, but don't always trust you, hesitating to become too deeply involved with you.

51 to 60 points: Others see you as an exciting, highly volatile, rather impulsive personality; a natural leader, who's quick to make decisions, though not always the right ones. They see you as bold and adventuresome, someone who will try anything once; someone who takes chances and enjoys an adventure. They enjoy being in your company because of the excitement you radiate.

41 to 50 points: Others see you as fresh, lively, charming, amusing, practical, and always interesting; someone who's constantly in the center of attention, but sufficiently well-balanced not to let it go to their head. They also see you as kind, considerate, and understanding; someone who'll always cheer them up and help them out.

31 to 40 points: Others see you as sensible, cautious, careful and practical. They see you as clever, gifted, or talented, but modest...Not a person who makes friends too quickly or easily, but someone who's extremely loyal to friends you do make and who expect the same loyalty in return. Those who really get to know you realize it takes a lot to shake your trust in your friends, but equally that it takes you a long time to get over it if that trust is ever broken.

21 to 30 points: Your friends see you as painstaking and fussy. They see you as very cautious, extremely careful, a slow and steady plodder. It would really surprise them if you ever did something impulsively or on the spur of the moment, expecting you to examine everything carefully from every angle and then, usually decide against it. They think this reaction is caused partly by your careful nature.

Under 21 points: People think you are shy, nervous, and indecisive, someone who needs looking after, who always wants someone else to make the decisions and who doesn't want to get involved with anyone or anything. They see you as a worrier who always sees problems that don't exist. Some people think you're boring. Only those who know you well know that you aren't.

Teaching: Ranting, Raving, Cute Pictures, and a Video guaranteed to make you smile

Yesterday, if you had asked me about teaching (or even if you hadn't -- sorry Kathryn), I would have been ranting.  I was sweaty and seething after a day at the high school, just wrecked.  I taught five classes in a row, and it was just one of those days.  The whining was incessant.  The kids couldn't even be quiet during a movie.  In one class, instead of watching the movie, kids played mah jong and some kind of shoot-em-up game on the computers.  The violent tapping of keys and idiotic teenage chuckling was really getting to me, not to mention the talking.  Okay, if we are having a lesson and kids are bored, they start talking, I get it.  But this was a movie.  A movie.  Can't they at least sit quietly through a movie?  Shouldn't they be grateful I am showing them a movie?  

I went up to one of my kids, putting a hand on his shoulder: "A.  This is the only time I am going to ask you to do nothing the whole class.  Can't you do that?"  He couldn't.

...

After my tenth grade class, a student stayed in with me to show me a short video clip.  A 12th-grader in the hallway saw me in the classroom.  We often chat in the hall.  He has been known to say cute things such as "If I had your shoes, I would do the same."  [referring to my living and teaching in Hungary.]  Okay, so that is the only cute thing he has said, but it was pretty damned cute.

So, I saw him in the hallway and he called out to me: "She's crazy!" meaning the girl in the class with me.  The girl who could hear him.

I walked outside of the door.  He was grinning like an idiot.  Okay, that sounds mean to write, but it's an expression so you can picture this grin plastered on his face, right?  Anyway.  "Don't be a dick," I said to him, and shut the door.

...

On the bright side, I saw one of my tenth graders in the hallway and asked how his day was going.  "Sucky," he said.  He's one of the few students I talk to honestly about my hard days, and I told him my students were being buttheads.  He thought I meant that I anticipated that his class was going to be difficult.  "I will bring the energy," he told me.

True to his words, he walked in and said, "Hi Jess!  What's crackalackin?"

Oh I was so grateful.

But on a whole, my day was tough, and it got to me, as it does 75% of the time (and that might be a generous figure).  I was so frustrated with my students, with the Hungarian education system, with how out of the loop I feel, with the lack of communicated, the lack of motivation, the "joke" that my job sometimes feels like.

...

Today, on the other hand, after five classes in a row at the primary school, I love teaching.  

I am consistently, amidst my moments where I am saying to myself "Jump ship! Jump ship!" or muttering not-so-kind words under my breath, having small moments where I do silent fist-pumps and say to myself, "Yessss!  You kick ass!  You are a real teacher!"

Like this one:

7th grade class: B is working with D.  D is going to dictate sentences, from memory, to B.  B says: "This will be terrible.  D has a slow brain. He can not do it.  He will not know the words and he will have problem."  He has a smile on his face; he knows he is being a jerk.  "B," I say to him kindly and firmly, "if he has trouble, you will help him, because you are a helping kind of guy," and I walk away.  

I know he is helpful, and I know he is not cruel.  He has the potential to be kind and helpful.  It feels good to remind him of this.  To expect this from him.

Here are some peeks of the lessons this week.  One of the many perks of living with Kathryn is that we can share lesson plans.  She had the ingenious idea to do a lesson on taste, and this has been very popular with my 5th, 6th, and 7th graders.

First, we learn taste words in English and Hungarian.  

 Then, I introduce a food (we tasted dark chocolate, gummy bears, granola bars, wasabi peas, sour candy, pretzels, and cranberries) and the kids guess what it will taste like.

Next, we close our eyes and taste the food.  This is Milan's thinking pose.

 About to taste yummy gummy bears.

Laura is not sleeping.  She is in dark chocolate heaven.

I asked them to let the dark chocolate melt on their tongue.  After a moment, I told them they could chew the chocolate.  "No!" Laura cried out, her eyes still closed, savoring it.

After they guessed, and tasted the food, they wrote down what the food actually tasted like.

...

In one of my favorite seventh grade classes, we did a lesson about the post office today.  Here is a video of a post office role-play.  But before the video, I have to share this with you:

We were brainstorming about the post office, and I asked them: "Who works at the post office?"

"Post officers!"

...

transcript:

B: Hello.

R: I want some postcards.

B: Here is some. Choose one.

R: It's all ugly. Please give me some more nice.

B: Here that's all our postcards.

R: I want this one.

B: Okay, that's 1 pound.

B: Are you serious?

R: Yes.

B: 1 pound??

R: 1 pound.

B: I don't give it to you until you don't pay it.

R: Give it, please.  I will pay it.  I promise.

B: You promise?

R: I promise.

B: Are you serious?

R: I, I serious.

[Jess - call he police!]

B- Hi police.  He steal postcard from me.  ... Oh!  No, he is back.  He is going to pay.  

R: Here it is.  My invisible money.

B: Oh thank you.  It's a new technology.

Feelings and Fevers: In the Classroom

Spring is here, and so is spring fever.  I just want to be outside, and so do my students.

I had the hardest teaching day last week at the high school.  My 9th graders didn't seem human -- heads on desks, eyes blank, bodies itchy.  It was like talking to sacks of potatoes.  Or maybe that was just me, and it's all a projection, as usual.  In my 10th and 11th grade classes, we explored slang.  After my 10th grade class, which was chattier than usual, a student came up to me.  "This lesson was..."  He stopped talking, took a breath, and I braced myself for all kinds of negative adjectives, none of which I was in the mood to hear.  "Were we so annoying today?" he asked me.  I sighed.  "You know you guys are one of my favorite classes," I told him, "But sometimes you are so loud."  He looked at me with serious sparkling eyes, "Yes I know, but I don't know what we can do about it."  Sigh.  "I think you guys can be better.  I'm just having a bad day," I told him.

And this, so often, is what it comes down to.  I had 9th graders for two painstaking periods, and I let it get to me.  Then, I had my 11th graders, many of whom refused to participate, one of whom spent the whole class applying her makeup.  Then, by the time the 10th graders rolled around, I was kesz.  Finished.  Spent.

I need to not let challenging classes get to me.  I need to not declare a lesson to be a failure just because a couple of kids don't have it in them to participate.

We are humans after all.  We're all doing the best we can, and that is different from moment to moment, class to class, day to day.

I need to remember one of my students in 10a, who said the sweetest thing the other week.  At the beginning of our lesson, I saw that the kids were largely ignoring me and had their vocab out.  This means one thing: they had a test coming up.  I stopped what I was doing and asked them if they wanted to study for their test.  I offered to help.  But one of my students said to me, "No, Jessica, I want to do what you want for us to do."

It's not always like that, but it is sometimes, and that is what I should focus on.

Meanwhile, in primary school . . .

Today we talked about feelings in my 6th grade classes.  First, we reviewed feeling words in English and Hungarian.  The kids and I both love this part.  I love it because it really helps my vocabulary, and they love it because, well . . .  I think half of them love to see me fail, and half of them love to see my Hungarian improve.  

In a class last week with my 7th graders, we did a modified lesson with "Bieber Fever" and I was writing vocabulary related to being sick on the board.  After teaching this lesson about 10 times last week, I now know sick, snot, booger, fart, sneeze, tissue, headache, stomachache, sore throat, fever, puke, cough, flu, cure, prescription, and even diarrhea.   One of my students called out to me, "Your Hungarian is awfsome!"  (Awfsome is how he pronounces it.)  

Then there are the other kids, who come up to the board, erase the entire Hungarian word I wrote, and write it anew, just to add an apostrophe I missed.

It is humbling to be learning their language, and I think it helps them to see me struggle, to see me so confused ("Where is the D sound?!  Hungarian is crazy!"), and to see me trying.

Back to the feelings lesson . . .

After vocab review we built sentences and practiced "I am/I feel sad" and "She is/she feels sad."

The fun part was the relay race.

I divided the class into two teams, and taped photos depicting different emotions in the middle of the board.  The kids had to race to write complete sentences (i.e. "She feels bored") on the board next the the appropriate picture, and the first team to finish won.

The kids were into it, and I actually got some photos of the process.

A worksheet followed this relay race, giving the kids a chance to practice the vocabulary and sentence structure we practiced.

This lesson was successful all around!

Gems from the classroom lately:

Me: Don't you want to come up and play charades?

7th grader: No, no.  I am socially awkward pingvin [penguin].  --laughter--

Two of my 8th graders wrote this dialogue:

Doctor: Hello, what's your problem?
Patient: I've a diarrhea.
Doctor: Oh, you must drink a lot of fluids! And I write a prescription for you.
Patient: Hey. Who cut the cheese?
Doctor: Sorry. 

Bieber Fever

I am sick this week.  And it's not the Bieber Fever.  Something about being sick in a foreign country (even though this is kind of my home since I live and work here) is awful.  But it's kind of handy, because I am realia, as we say in the ESL classroom.  Kathryn and I created lesson plans about being sick and going to the doctor, and I am a real-life example of sore throat, cough, and misery.  

Being sick also provides a natural opener for the lesson plan.  The downside is I don't feel I have sufficient brain cells to teach said lesson plan.  Anyhow, this morning I wrote "I AM SICK" on the whiteboard and we went from there.  The students read this dialogue Kathryn and I wrote, and then wrote dialogues of their own. 

AT THE DOCTOR’S OFFICE

Doctor: How are you feeling today?
Patient: Uggghhhh.  I feel like dying.  I am miserable.  Kill me now!
Doctor: Hmmm.  Well that’s not my area of expertise.  Why don’t you go listen to Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber performing a duet together.  That should do the trick.
Patient:  That’s why I’m here.  I think I’m allergic to Ju-ju-.... I can’t even say it, but I can’t stop listening to his awful music!
Doctor: Oh dear.  This is worse than I expected.  We haven’t yet found the antidote for the Bieber Fever.  Let me examine you and take your temperature to see how badly you’ve been affected by this terrible disease.  One moment while I put on my protective body suit.  Can’t be too careful -- this is a highly contagious disease.
Patient: I should have listened to my friends. They warned me about the Bieber Fever, and told me to get vaccinated.
Doctor: Please open your mouth and say “Aaaahhh.”  … Hmmm.  It looks like your throat is swollen.  I was afraid of this.  Have you been singing along to Justin Bieber?
Patient: Ummm... well... ah...
Doctor: You can tell me anything.  Because of doctor-patient confidentiality, I won’t tell a soul.
Patient: Ok.  Well, yes.  I have been singing along to “Baby Baby.”
Doctor: Oh dear.  
Patient: Doctor!  Please help me!  I am in so much pain!  What can I do?
Doctor: I’m afraid it’s too late to get vaccinated, as you’ve already been infected by the Bieber Fever, but I can write you a prescription for some antibiotics and pain killers.  Please get lots of rest, drink plenty of fluids, and for God’s sake, STOP listening to Justin Bieber!
Patient: Thank you doctor!  You have saved my life!

Two of my students came up with these short dialogues, which have been placed (with their permission) into my ESL hall of fame:

Doc: Stay calm.  This operation will go easily.

Patient: Thanks doc.  This is my first operation.

Doc: Its okay.  This is my first operation too.

---

Patient: Am I able to play on the violin after the operation?

Doc: Sure.

Patient: This is amazing.  I've never been able to play on the violin.

---

One of my high school students told me: "Jessica!  We love you that hate Justin Bieber!" 

I love you guys too.

---

In my sixth and seventh grade classes yesterday, we also talked about being sick and they read a simpler Visiting the Doctor dialogue.  Here are some snippets from their dialogues:

Doctor: What's the problem?

Patient: I am deading.

...

Doctor: Hi.  How are you?

Patient: I feel sick.

Doctor: Really?  Why?

Patient: I don't know ....... you're the doctor!!

---

Fun fact of the day: In the U.S. we say "Achoo!" and Hungarians say "Hapci!"

Which do you think sounds more like an actual sneeze, or do you say something else entirely?

In the Classroom: Friends

The last couple of weeks I've been doing lessons on "Friends" with my 6th and 7th graders.  We start by talking about describing words, and then we move one to describe people in the classroom.  Csabi is silly, Molli has beautiful blue eyes.  I wrote a short paragraph describing my friend Megan, and then I ask them to write several sentences describing on of their friends.

Here are a few of my favorite bits:

Molli and Nori wrote about each other.

As a warm-up for this class (and because I am tired of asking "How are you doing?" and hearing "Thanks!" or "I am fine thanks.") we talked about different ways to answer "How are you?"  One of the options I gave was "super-duper."  It is so gratifying when my students use vocabulary I teach them.  Especially in such a cute way.

It breaks my heart to correct sentences like "We hang together always."

A wonderful piece by Benjamin about his "favorite friend", Barni.

"160 centimeters?" I asked Benjamin jokingly, surprised by the accuracy.  He shrugged and made that non-committal "eh-uh-eh" sound.  I guess it was a guess.  :)

We also played "Guess who" with people in the classroom.  I wrote all of our names on little pieces of paper, and one student came up to the front of the room and I gave them a name of a classmate.  Other classmates would ask yes or no questions (hopefully something like "Does she have curly hair?" although sometimes they asked "Is it Bence?") until we guessed who the person was.  

In one class, my name was up.  A student asked, "Is she nice?"  Dominic, who was at the front of the class, bobbed his head back and forth and made a really long squiggly thinking noise: "Mmmmmyes."  Right answer, Dominic.  That was a close one.

As a follow-up to this lesson, we reviewed is and has as well as the describing words, and then I gave them what I call 'sentence strips' -- a sentence that has been cut up word by word.  Working in teams of two, they had to solve as many as they could.  I used the target vocabulary, and made lots of silly sentences.

One group of girls called me over with squeals.  They were working on the sentence "Jessica is a little bit chubby and very, very silly."  They waved a yellow card that said "chubby" toward me.  "Don't chubby!  Don't chubby!"  "Eh..." I said, but they wouldn't budge.  This made the sentence very difficult to complete, but they refused to call me chubby.

What was meant to be "Giraffes have incredibly long necks but people do not" turned into "Giraffes have long necks but incredibly people do not"  -- hah!

Tomi and Lotti built sentences with such enthusiasm.

Robi and Daniel.

 Dora and Reka.  I never expected these two to get so into a lesson.

They started to mix the sentences to create new sentences, and even added words of their own!

It's great to have an ESL lesson that is so successful.  I am planning to modify this by making "parts of speech" sentence strips, which will be color-coded by nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, etc. and students will have new challenges.  We can practice verb tenses, making lists (when to use commas, when to use 'and'), the order of describing things (like long blond hair), or even competitions to make the longest, silliest, or most alliterative sentence.

Yay teaching!

Superheroes and other Characters

Today I taught a lesson about Superheroes.  The kids created their own superheroes.  Although no one drew me, I have come to the conclusion that teaching requires super-powers.

Daniel's superhero's power: "His shoes get very bad smell and he kill lots off people his shoes smell."

Robi's superhero!
Stats:
Name Mr. Awesome
Powers Shoot fireballs; be awesome
Costume awesome face
Statistics (he meant characteristics or strengths) strong, awesome, brave
Weaknesses (before I told him how to correct it, it said "weaks") Nothing because he is awesome!!  xD

This is the primary school where I teach on Fridays.

My desk.  Notebook, water bottle, and To the Top are mine.

Teacher's lounge.

Waiting for the bus.

Home sweet home.  

Quite possibly the cutest carousel ride ever.  The kids ride in baskets.

Waking down the street to my Wednesday school.