2013年11月30日 星期六
2013年11月29日 星期五
2013年11月28日 星期四
2013年11月27日 星期三
2013年11月26日 星期二
2013年11月25日 星期一
Grammar Teaching/Learning
I always tell students the best way to learn a grammar point is by memorizing an example sentence and then making sentences with the new pattern. Usually, before they are invited to make sentences, I ask them questions using the pattern. This way, they know they're learning something they can use to talk about their life.
2013年11月24日 星期日
"Xinyi Line set to open today, offers free EasyCard rides"--from The Taipei Times
One way to improve our reading ability is by reading what we have been familiar with. With background knowledge, we'll find our reading going more smoothly and thus faster because it is easier to guess the meanings of the new words. This is the reason why I posted the following news story in today's entry. It's about the MRT system in Taipei.
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2013/11/24/2003577578
Xinyi Line set to open today, offers free EasyCard rides
By Mo Yan-chih / Staff reporter
Sun, Nov 24, 2013
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2013/11/24/2003577578
Xinyi Line set to open today, offers free EasyCard rides
By Mo Yan-chih / Staff reporter
Sun, Nov 24, 2013
2013年11月23日 星期六
2013年11月22日 星期五
Grammar Activity
Today, when teaching the grammar point: S + order/command/suggest/require/ask + that + S (should) + V, I had the students work in pair and each ask their partner to do something. Then they had to tell everyone what their partner asked them to do using this new pattern. The following is an example:
2013年11月21日 星期四
"We Are the Champions"
Today I taught the song "We Are the Champions" to Class 221, a special class for gifted athletes. A beautiful and powerful song. Since the topic of Unit 5 in their textbook is the Boston Red Sox winning the championship in 2004 after an 86-year wait, this song fits perfectly. After singing the song, I wrote on the blackboard a sentence I read in the newspaper the day before yesterday:
"What would you sacrifice for what you believe?"
Then we had a brief discussion about this topic.
"What would you sacrifice for what you believe?"
Then we had a brief discussion about this topic.
"Selfie named word of the year for 2013"--from CNN
In my yesterday's blog entry, you read a BBC news story on selfie being named word of the year for 2013. Later last night, I found a CNN article on the same topic. Interestingly, visiting the CNN webpage, you'll find photos of celebs taking selfies.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/19/living/selfie-word-of-the-year/index.html
Selfie named word of the year for 2013
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/19/living/selfie-word-of-the-year/index.html
Selfie named word of the year for 2013
By Ben Brumfield, CNN
November 20, 2013 -- Updated 0529 GMT (1329 HKT)
2013年11月20日 星期三
"'Selfie' named by Oxford Dictionaries as word of 2013"--from BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24992393
'Selfie' named by Oxford Dictionaries as word of 2013
19 November 2013 Last updated at 03:31 GMT
'Selfie' named by Oxford Dictionaries as word of 2013
19 November 2013 Last updated at 03:31 GMT
"Selfie" has been named as word of the year by Oxford Dictionaries.
2013年11月19日 星期二
BBC Interview with Mayday
My friend Candice (李淑慧老師) posted on FB this BBC interview on November 4 with Mayday, a Taiwanese rock band.
2013年11月18日 星期一
2013年11月17日 星期日
2013年11月16日 星期六
lyricstraining--A Good Website for Learning English Songs
My friend Sarah (殷彩鳳老師) introduced to me an amazing website yesterday where English learners can go through the challenge of filling words in while listening to a song. To check it out, please follow the steps:
1. Click the link down below.
1. Click the link down below.
2013年11月15日 星期五
Grammar Learning
One way to make learning grammar fun and effective is by using sentence patterns to talk about real life. In this way, not only do learners find it easier to get familiar with the form of a new patttern but they also know its function. For example, yesterday and today in Class 219 and Class 214 when we came to the pattern "needn't + V," I had students tell their partner what they don't think their ideal mate need to be or do. Then I asked them to tell me what they found about their partner. The following are some sentences they made:
2013年11月14日 星期四
Imagination Is More Important Than Knowledge
This late afternoon I took my mom to the hospital. We stayed there for about 4 hours. On our way out, I saw Albert Einstein's words on the wall near the exit:
"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
2013年11月13日 星期三
Human Flesh Search Engines (HFSE)
Lesson 7 "No Escape from the Web" is about human flesh search engines (HFSE). It raises an interesting issue: Is it proper to hunt down via the Internet those who do not violate the law but social norms? The following YouTube video presents two examples of how the HFSE works. If you are interested in this topic, you might like to go on to read a NYT article about this phenomenon.
2013年11月12日 星期二
The First Class
Today I met two of the classes for the first time. As usual, I didn't just get directly to the textbook and teach. First, I broke the ice by introducing myself and then having them write some information about themselves on the back of a small card, including their name, mobile phone number, how long they'd been learning English, how they liked English, and what they loved doing. On the front of the card is their number. I told them if no one volunteers to answer questions in class, I'll draw a number for the mission.
2013年11月11日 星期一
Why Google Glass?--a TED Talk
I'm going to teach as a substitute teacher for three weeks starting tomorrow. The three classes are all juniors. As usual, Studio Classroom is included as a learning material for two of the classes. To get familiar with what the students have learned from the magazine recently, I went through the November issue until Nov. 11. There is an article about Google Glass, which is quite new to me. Though I've heard of it, I know little about it. Out of curiosity, after listening to the two-day program of the article, I searched TED and found this 7-minute talk by Sergey Brin on Glass. Will show the students the video in class tomorrow or ask them to watch it at home, depending on whether we'll have time for it. Thanks to technology, Sergey Brin talks about this innovation right before our eyes.
2013年11月10日 星期日
Childhood music lessons 'leave lasting brain boost'
As the following news story shows, learning music in childhood may have a great impact on language learning.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24802433
Childhood music lessons 'leave lasting brain boost'
6 November 2013 Last updated at 01:59 GMT
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24802433
Childhood music lessons 'leave lasting brain boost'
6 November 2013 Last updated at 01:59 GMT
2013年11月9日 星期六
CET 20th Anniversary Celebration
Today is CET's 20th anniversary. At this afternoon's celebration tea party, seeing Mr. Chou, a mentor of mine, and those old friends who once worked together to breeze some new and good ideas into Taiwan's English education via the CET magazine, I felt on the top of the world. Oh, I still feel our shared fire of passion for education.
2013年11月8日 星期五
"Dance with My Father"--a Song about Family, Love, and Loss
This afternoon on my drive home, I heard this song on the radio and was really touched by it. It brought tears to my eyes.
Dear friends, please cherish your parents.
Sung by Luther Vandross:
Dear friends, please cherish your parents.
Sung by Luther Vandross:
2013年11月7日 星期四
2013年11月6日 星期三
Empathy
This is what I posted on my FB page today, and I think it is very important.
"In my opinion, one of the most important things to teach kids/students is "empathy (同理心)." With it, you respect, love, are filial to your parents, help, work hard, do not cheat, etc., because you feel as the recipient of your act. With empathy, businessmen would not sell fake products because they could know how it feels to be hurt by those who they trust."
"In my opinion, one of the most important things to teach kids/students is "empathy (同理心)." With it, you respect, love, are filial to your parents, help, work hard, do not cheat, etc., because you feel as the recipient of your act. With empathy, businessmen would not sell fake products because they could know how it feels to be hurt by those who they trust."
2013年11月5日 星期二
2013年11月4日 星期一
A Joyous Gathering with Friends
2013年11月3日 星期日
2013年11月2日 星期六
TFG Class Reunion
2013年11月1日 星期五
This is Cool!--Virgin America's Unusual Safety Video
The video takes five minutes 7 seconds to watch.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/10/30/travel/virgin-america-safety-video/index.html
'Step Up' meets robot dancers in Virgin America's new over-the-top safety video
By Frances Cha, CNN
October 30, 2013 -- Updated 1000 GMT (1800 HKT)
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