To Cut Class or Not to Cut Class?

The following are three articles about college students cutting class.

1.

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=340708

李嗣涔：支持大學生蹺課「壯遊歐洲」

【聯合報╱記者鄭語謙／台北報導】2011/09/06

ICRT--Radio Station to Listen to Taiwan News in English

ICRT is the only radio station in Taiwan to listen to local news in English. Besides news, it offers music and entertainment. Tune in to FM 100.7 to check it out. The news is broadcast at every hour sharp. Click on the URL, and you can read today's news.

http://www.icrt.com.tw/newsroom_icrt_world.php?poId=6&ptId=21

The following are three pieces of news which I guess my students might be interested in, with phrases underlined by me.

Don't Feel Content; Get Crazy!

This morning, when I opend the UDN, three lines of words on one side of the front page caught my attention. It was a promotion for a book about Steve Jobs--你所不知道的4個賈伯斯 (a translation of Les 4 vies de Steve Jobs by Daniel Ichbiah). The words go like this:

Education is Life--廖玉蕙：在充滿偏見的教育下

http://udn.com/NEWS/OPINION/OPI4/6560729.shtml

廖玉蕙：在充滿偏見的教育下

【聯合報╱廖玉蕙】
2011.08.31 02:59 am

Alumni Back to School

Teach Students to Be Happy--開學了／台灣，教得出快樂清道夫嗎

http://udn.com/NEWS/OPINION/X1/6563221.shtml

開學了／台灣，教得出快樂清道夫嗎

【聯合報╱莊聰吉／醫（屏縣潮州）】
2011.09.01 01:43 am

Using "Tears in Heaven" to Teach the Subjunctive Mood

This morning when reviewing the subjunctive mood in Class 311, I used the song "Tears in Heaven" to demonstrate the different patterns for reality and irreality. It's fun!

First, I had the students listen to the song with lyrics, then I showed the lyrics on the ppt as follows, dividing the lyrics into two parts--imagination/irreality and reality.

Start with What You Love--A Good Way to Learn English

Around 11am, Shih-jen (張世仁), a former student, paid me a visit, and near the end of our conversation, I requested that she give a short talk to Class 311 in English on how to learn English. To my surprise and delight, she agreed. Why surprised? Because she had to postpone her lunch until after 1pm since the class started at 12:50.

Go to School Happily--開學前必讀／蔡炳坤：1堅持2關鍵 快樂上學去

Though this letter is intended for junior high and elementary school students and their parents, senior high school students can benefit from it too.

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=339215

開學前必讀／蔡炳坤：1堅持2關鍵 快樂上學去

【聯合報／文／蔡炳坤（台中市副市長、建國中學前校長】2011/08/29

Good 2011 UEE Essays

Every year, CEEC posts good Chinese and English essays written on the SAT and UEE. The following is a news report in the UDN, which presents two among the 29 for this year's UEE, both of which are marvelous.

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_MAIN_ID=12&f_SUB_ID=31&f_ART_ID=339016

指考「寬與深」佳作 賈伯斯、林懷民入文

【聯合報╱記者陳智華／台北報導】2011/08/27

New Words Added to the Webster Dictionary--「直升機父母」進了韋氏大辭典

http://udn.com/NEWS/WORLD/WOR4/6552694.shtml

「直升機父母」進了韋氏大辭典

【聯合報╱編譯陳正杰／綜合報導】 2011.08.27 03:51 am

Show Respect for Teachers--尊重教師 別再溺愛孩子了

http://udn.com/NEWS/OPINION/X1/6550552.shtml

尊重教師 別再溺愛孩子了

【聯合報╱吳永安／教（台南市）】

2011.08.26 02:58 am

Peter Lai (賴世雄) Talks on English Teaching in Taiwan--4

The final segment of the interview consists of four parts: 1) Average English Ability of Taiwan Citizens 2) How to Motivate Taiwans Students 3) To Improve English Learning Environment in Taiwan 4) Advice for the Younger Generation.

Peter Lai (賴世雄) Talks on English Teaching in Taiwan--3

In Part 3 of the interview, Mr. Lai talk more about Taiwan students vs. Chinese students. Besides, the issues of internationalization and English learning environment in Taiwan are discussed. A few useful tips were given in this part; namely, 1) Do not feel shy when it comes to speaking English. 2) Learn to talk to yourself and speak aloud. For example, while waiting for the bus, you can translate what people around you are saying and describe what you see, regardless of grammar. The latter is the strategy used by a former student of mine Cloe (戴文淇), who has a really good command of English.

Peter Lai (賴世雄) Talks on English Teaching in Taiwan--2

This is Part 2 of the interview with Mr. Lai on English Teaching in Taiwan. In it, Mr. Lai talks about how he founded the Ivy League magazine and his marketing strategies in China. He also compares the different attitude toward learning English between students in Taiwan and those in China and the different roles he plays--an English teacher vs. an entrepreneur.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtfkoHqKrTg&feature=relmfu

Peter Lai (賴世雄) Talks on English Teaching in Taiwan--1

In the video, Peter Lai, founder of Ivy League, talks in English about how to learn English based on his own English learning experience. The main points in his 12-minute talk include starting with speaking and reading texts aloud instead of by heart.

http://youtu.be/sKoqIvj0GEg

Registration Deadline for GEPT High-Intermediate Level is Aug. 23--100年全民英撿中高級初試報名截止日期為八月二十三日

For those who would like to take the GEPT (first stage, High-Intermediate level), the registration deadline is this Wednesday Tuesday, Aug. 23. The test will be held on Saturday, Oct. 15.

https://www.gept.org.tw/News/News_Show.asp?SearchID=145

Class 314 (Graduated in 2008) Reunion

Take Your Time; Enjoy Learning; Enjoy Growing Up--廖玉蕙：慢慢走，欣賞啊！

http://udn.com/NEWS/OPINION/OPI4/6496401.shtml

廖玉蕙：慢慢走，欣賞啊！

【聯合報╱廖玉蕙】

2011.08.01 05:09 pm

Raymond Soong, A Doctor without Borders

While I was reading the July issue of the Live magazine in preparation for writing test questions for the freshmen, I came across a familiar name in the article "Raymond Soong, a Doctor without Borders": 宋睿祥. I mentioned the name on Plurk and got confirmation from my former student Etta. Raymond was Etta's classmate at Chieh-show Junior High School, where I taught before coming to NHSH. Etta told me I taught them for two weeks as a substitute teacher.