2015年3月31日 星期二
Speak English, My Dear Students
Finding this sheet of paper, I collected my memories of all those times when I had my students talk to me in English...
2015年3月30日 星期一
The Next, And then the Next...
2015年3月29日 星期日
"Trusty translation"--A Column in The Student Post for English Learners
Trusty translations 精譯求經
2015年3月28日 星期六
2015年3月27日 星期五
"Teach students everyday English please"--from Sunday China Post
"How to increase your pleasure in reading"--from Sunday China Post
I stocked quite a few copies of Sunday China Post like this. For the sake of de-cluttering, I've got to throw all of them away except one or two copies. Thanks to the digital camera, I can still keep some good articles in them. Among them is the "Ask Alexander" column, which deals mostly with English learning. I guess it was the main reason why I kept the papers. The following is an example:
2015年3月26日 星期四
2015年3月25日 星期三
"Adding Excitement to Your Classroom"--Speech Handouts from Studio Classroom
(Please click the photo to enlarge it.)
Doing the cleaning-out, I found the handouts given during a speech by Ruth Seamans from Studio Classroom years ago. If my memory serves me right, it was more than 10 years ago. All the tips provided were what I tried my best to do when teaching.
The sentence on page 1 "Teacher should speak English in class. If you don't, why should your students?" contains a good argument.
P.S. Finding this precious handouts reminded me of the book A Perfect Mess. Had I thrown them away, I would not be able to share it here now. Why didn't I share then? Well, I hadn't started my blog by then.
2015年3月24日 星期二
On Reading--"青春名人堂/閱讀 是拿來用的 不要只是讀"--from UDN
青春名人堂/閱讀 是拿來用的 不要只是讀
2015-03-24 09:00:03 聯合報 今日登場/鄭俊德
我每月收到的書很多,每月收到的稿更多,對於編輯工作者而言,無論是讀書或是讀稿都是一種需要大量閱讀的工作。曾聽過在出版社擔任編輯的朋友分享,很多人以為他的工作會讀到很多書,其實不然,有時候回到家是不太閱讀的。
我每次演講時總會被問到,怎樣可以很快讀完一本書(大家似乎都希望很快讀完),或是如何面對網路的大量資訊。面對這些問題,我是這樣回答:
2015年3月23日 星期一
My Favorite Teacher--from Studio Classroom
This essay was written by Billy Haselton, a Studio Classroom teacher. Since I couldn't find it online. I'd like to type it up and share here. You can see how teachers make a difference. Following the essay are words from Billy's favorite teacher and some ideas for showing appreciation to teachers.
My Favorite Teacher
by Billy Haselton September 27-28, 1999, Studio Classroom, pp. 32-33
I love math. All those Xs and Ys and equations…solving word problems…playing with numbers and formulas…I call this fun. Maybe you’re surprised that a Studio Classroom English teacher could enjoy math so much. You’ll understand better when I tell you about my favorite teacher, Mrs. Lou Cleveland. She taught me—you guessed it—math. Actually, though, I haven’t always enjoyed math. In fact, in 7th grade, I hated it.
"Ten Ways to Simplify Your Life"--from Studio Classroom
The article was written by Mark Golin.
Living Principles
1. Just say "no" to unnecessay commitments.
2015年3月22日 星期日
"There Could Soon Be a Pill to Make Us More Compassionate"
http://time.com/3753383/compassion-brain-chemistry/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews
There Could Soon Be a Pill to Make Us More Compassionate
Alice Park @aliceparkny
How brain chemistry influences compassion
Biology may have a lot to do with our behavior, especially in social situations. And that means our social interactions could be manipulated by a pill.
2015年3月21日 星期六
MRQE--A Movie Review Search Engine; plus Reasons for Using Films in English Class
MRQE (Movie Review Query Engine)
http://www.mrqe.com/
Doing the decluttering in my study, I came across a notebook that contains notes I took from several speeches. One of the speeches held at Taipei Municipal Dazhi High School on March 8, 2004 was entitled "Implementing DVD Feature Films into English Curriculum. The speaker was Chin-chien (金堅老師).
2015年3月20日 星期五
An Entertaining and Eductional Trip
(Photo from Mei-chu)
This past Tuesday, I went with my high school classmates and some of their friends to Shihshanhang Museum of Archaeology at Bali in New Taipei City.
(FYI: http://www.sshm.ntpc.gov.tw/)
2015年3月19日 星期四
‘Top ten’ principles for teaching reading
‘Top ten’ principles for teaching reading
Ray Williams
ELT Journal Volume 40/1 January 1986 © Oxford University Press 1986
"…
The following are my ‘top ten’ principles:
- In the absence of interesting texts, very little is possible.
2015年3月18日 星期三
Signs of High and Low EQ
http://eqi.org/signs.htm
Signs of High and Low EQ
Note: This was written before I made a clear distinction between innate emotional intelligence and what happens later in life...So it is better to think of these as signs of a healthy or well-developed innate emotional intelligence.
Listed below are general characteristics of people with high and low EQ, as I define it. Obviously, these are generalizations, but are helpful as guidelines. Please note that these lists include general signs of high and low self-esteem, as well as other variables which have not in fact been specifically correlated to emotional intelligence as defined by Mayer and Salovey. Future work will attempt to more clearly differentiate between self-esteem, emotional intelligence and my definition of EQ.
Signs of High EQ
2015年3月17日 星期二
A Very Important Skill To Learn To Be Successful in the World Today_2005 NHSH English Writing Contest_First Prize
內湖高中94學年度英文作文比賽
What is a very important skill a person should learn in order to be successful in the world today? Choose one skill and use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
第一名作品 三年十四班 林琪亞
2015年3月16日 星期一
Three Compositions by Joy, a former NHSH Student: The Thing I Want to Do Most after I Enter College, My Best Friend, When I Am Feeling Down
These are three essays written by Joy (林妙鍾), a former NHSH student who graduated in 2000. They were written either in writing class or on a mock exam. Joy won the fourth place in a nationwide English writing contest held in Kaohsiung in 1999. After graduating from NTU, where she majored in chemistry, and working for one year, she went on to study at Cornell University for her master's and doctoral degrees.
Today I found these three compositions of hers in a folder. Before throwing the papers away, I'd like to type the essays up and share them here.
The Thing I Want to Do Most after I Enter College
2015年3月15日 星期日
"Waitress gets 130% tip, heartwrenching note"--from USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/03/14/newser-heartbreaking-tip-message/24756355/
Waitress gets 130% tip, heartwrenching note
Arden Dier, Newser staff 11:40 a.m. EDT March 14, 2015
A waitress in Tennessee was brought to tears this week when a customer left her a generous tip and a moving message.
2015年3月14日 星期六
A Gathering with Brian, after So Many Years
We caught up on what we'd missed for these years. His studies, life experience, philosophy of life, etc. When he told me that among the 50 countries he'd been to, the most appealing one to him is Iran, I was a little perplexed, given the current situation there. According to him, people there were nice, never suspicious of others and not coveting what didn't belong to them. But that was years ago and he didn't know if it stays the same now.
2015年3月13日 星期五
Annual Chinese New Year Banquet with Chiehshow Colleagues
2015年3月12日 星期四
Designer Pronunciations--a Good Website for Brand Lovers
Designer Pronunciations
Do you know how to pronounce brand names, such as IKEA, Versace, Evian, Hermes, Loewe? The above link is provided by English Digest (Jan. 2007).
2015年3月11日 星期三
Nutrition and Crime?--"洪蘭/吃得營養 預防犯罪"--from UDN
http://udn.com/news/story/7340/757412-%E6%B4%AA%E8%98%AD%EF%BC%8F%E5%90%83%E5%BE%97%E7%87%9F%E9%A4%8A-%E9%A0%90%E9%98%B2%E7%8A%AF%E7%BD%AA
洪蘭/吃得營養 預防犯罪
2015-03-11 02:08:41 聯合報 洪蘭(中央大學認知神經科學研究所教授)
高雄監獄有六個犯人認為獄政不清,保外就醫不公,鋌而走險,挾持了典獄長,最後六人自殺,結束了這個悲劇。
「不平則鳴」,自古皆然。最近媒體報導的監獄黑暗面,確是令人觸目心驚。若是這六條人命可以換到獄政清廉,倒也值得,只怕沉痾已久,難以見效。
2015年3月10日 星期二
These 20 Regrets From People On Their Deathbeds Will Change Your Life
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/these-20-regrets-from-people-their-deathbeds-will-change-your-life.html
These 20 Regrets From People On Their Deathbeds Will Change Your Life
by Kyle B. Hart
You’re going to die someday.
Perhaps the 5 most powerful words ever spoken to me. No matter how immortal we feel waltzing through life’s ups and downs, we all must someday stare death in its devious eyes as we reflect on our lives.
2015年3月9日 星期一
"「Lazy Susan = 懶惰的蘇珊?」十組含有名字的常見俚語你一定要會!"--from CommonWealth Magazine
http://blog.cw.com.tw/blog/profile/260/article/1925
「Lazy Susan = 懶惰的蘇珊?」十組含有名字的常見俚語你一定要會!
2015年3月8日 星期日
"23 Things Top Students Do"--from Lifehack
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/23-things-top-students.html
23 Things Top Students Do
by Tom Miller
They are the ones you catch out of the corner of your eye. They get their exam back, calmly flip through the few (if any) errors they made, and swiftly place their 94% into their bag.
My comments: What caught my eye in the first paragraph is the words "flip through the few (if any) errors they made. Learning from mistakes helps us better ourselves.
2015年3月7日 星期六
One Day When We Were Young...
2015年3月6日 星期五
Thumbs Up for Their Effort
Before getting rid of an old magazine, I go over it very quickly to see if there are any good information or articles worth keeping through photo-taking. Yes, there are quite a few, like the above pages, which I found this evening. These illustration pages are followed by four long dialogues and some extra information, such as a checklist, an E-ticket, and the procedure before and after the flight.Thinking about the effort the authors/editors put into the magazine, I cannot but hold my thumbs up.
"28 Internet acronyms every parent should know"--from CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/08/living/internet-acronyms-every-parent-should-know/index.html
28 Internet acronyms every parent should know
By Kelly Wallace
Updated 3:24 PM ET, Fri January 9, 2015
Editor's Note:
Kelly Wallace is CNN's digital correspondent and editor-at-large covering family, career and life. She is a mom of two girls. Read her other columns on digital life and follow her reports at CNN Parents and on Twitter.
(CNN)If you think you are tech savvy all because you know what "LOL" means, let me test your coolness.
Any idea what "IWSN" stands for in Internet slang?
2015年3月5日 星期四
"The ABC Song of Loving Yourself"
I don't remember how I got this song, or perhaps it was introduced by a student to his/her class. There was a time when I had students teach their classmates a song once a week.
THE ABC SONG OF LOVING YOURSELF
2015年3月4日 星期三
Happy Chinese New Year!
(Photo from Mr. Chen Shih-lu)
Every year, we NHSH retirees got together duing the Chinese New Year at the school we taught to wish each other all our best. At today's gathering, Mr. Lin Hui (林煇校長), the first principal of NHSH, talked about giving rather than wishing to receive. He mentioned that those who always want to get something from others won't be happy because they will very often be disappointed. Besides, he added that even when one is suffering, if they can humbly take it as something they are destined to go through without complaining, they will more probably ride out the difficulties. Glad to hear the words at the beginning of the CNY.
2015年3月3日 星期二
"Fast Fashion: Cheap and Chic"
Fast Fashion: Cheap and Chic
平「衣」近人
from NNN (Nani News Network) Dec. 2011
李為堯
In the past, Zara, H&M, and Uniqlo were names relatively unheard of compared with Louis Vuitton, Burberry, and Gucci. But in recent years, they are taking market share from these high-end clothing brands. Like luxury brands, these fast fashion companies employ world-class designers to guarantee the quality of their clothing. They are very sensitive to the latest trend, the style showcased on catwalks or worn by celebrities. Most important of all, these stylish clothes are sold in low price [at low prices].
2015年3月2日 星期一
"Koreans Revel in a Brutal Study Regimen"--from NYT
http://www.kbvidyalaya1944.com/koreans-revel-in-a-brutal-study-regimen
Koreans Revel in a Brutal Study Regimen
By Sam Dillon
The New York Times / Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Seoul, South Korea:
It is 10:30 P.M. and students at the elite Daewon prep school here are cramming in a study hall that ends a 15- hour school day. A window is propped open so the evening chill can keep them awake. One teenager studies is standing up- right at his desk to keep from dozing. Kim Hyun-Kyung (in Korea like China, the last name is written first), who has accumulated nearly perfect scores on her college entrance exams, is preparing for physics, chemistry and history exams.
My comments: 15 hours! It means the students have only two hours for relaxation if they get a eight-hour sleep.
2015年3月1日 星期日
"Building Vocabulary Through Word Parts: 6 Helpful Websites"--TESOL Blog
Building Vocabulary Through Word Parts: 6 Helpful Websites
Posted on 20 February 2015 by Elena Shvidko
Prefixes, suffixes, and roots are very helpful in vocabulary building. If students know the meaning of word parts (especially of Greek and Latin origin), they will more likely be able to understand the meaning of a word in a particular context and increase their vocabulary arsenal.