(no subject)

[arisha]

So this whole ESL business is harder than I'd thought it would be! I started volunteering at the ESL Study Centre last week (although due to various failings at life I've only actually done two days so far) and for the most part I'm enjoying it (really the only part I'm not enjoying is the part where I have to get up in the morning), but man! Already I have been asked questions about English that I really do not know the answer to, and I really don't like this feeling! How can you spend all day every day with something and yet not be able to explain it?! Today one of the students asked me the difference between "such as" and "such a." I can usually think of example sentences pretty quickly but actually explaining this stuff is a completely different matter. During orientation, the teacher in charge of the centre stressed that we're volunteers, not teachers, and so it's okay if we don't know some of this stuff, but augh, it still makes me want to learn it all so I don't feel like such an idiot having to confess that I don't know. :| So yeah, haha, at the moment at least I kind of prefer getting students who just want to have a conversation in English. xD

Since I'm going to the centre again tomorrow I'd better be getting to bed, but I shall leave you with this video that the_wykydtron linked me to. I have no idea what it is about this video, but it is Pride and Prejudice and ridiculousness and every time I watch it it gets funnier: Posh Dancing.

Comments

[aurora-lime.livejournal.com]

BAHAAHAHAAAHAHAHAHAHA

Oh caroline...

I know your feelings on the ESL English sitch... I too was often faced with those questions when I was at the ESL centre and doing my practicum. (At the moment of course, my students don't know enough English to ask those questions, nor do they really care..) Those fears of answering a question incorrectly or not knowing the answer can be quite debilitating. It really undermines your confidence as a teacher. My only advice would be to pick up a good Engish grammar book and bring it with you, and if you're super keen, take student's emails and email them once you found an answer. There's nothing wrong with saying "I don't know for sure, so I'll look it up for you and let you know." Once you get used to answering types of grammar questions, certain descriptions of things will get easier for you. You really only need to learn it and remember it once afterall! haha.

Hang in there!

[the-wykydtron.livejournal.com]

It's your second day - don't beat yourself up about this! We both know you are very good at speaking and writing this language. Talking about it will come to you.

IT'S MEANT TO GO BOY-GIRL, BOY-GIRL.

Ah love eet!

(That was me speaking French, could you tell?)

[alchymyst.livejournal.com]

Haha, I know the feeling... my husband has tried to learn Russian (my first language) a few times, and every time he asks me something about grammar, I realize I have no clue!! I can explain English grammar much better, simply because I actually had to learn it in order to speak the language.

XD

[homodachi.livejournal.com]

"I assure you that it gives me no pleasure." *scowwwwwl*

Re: XD

[arisha.livejournal.com]

That's my favourite part! xD

[frauleinfrog.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I definitely have that problem here sometimes. The teachers will ask me how we say something, and I'll say, "Like this~", and then they'll say, "But why not this~". And then I will just be like, "...because." Luckily, I've gotten a little better at picking out why stuff is better or worse, but it's still wicked frustrating when you don't know or there is no reason.

On a more specific note, I think that "such as" and "such a" are different because "such as" allows you to give a general example, and "such a" means you're referencing a specific thing in terms of what you were just talking about? Like, "There are many large cats in the world, such as tigers" versus, "In a large city, public transportation is essential. Such a city requires myriad forms of efficient and timely transportation." Probably you worked that out yourself, though. ^^;

Disco fever~ XD