The Guinness Book of Records and the English Teacher

Meet Enrique Ortega Salinas

Passing from one to the other of us lined up side by side, Guinness Book of Records memorization record holder Enrique Ortega Salinas came face to face with me. I was about number 17 out of around thirty people.

“What’s your last name?” He asked me in a low key voice.

“It’s LYNCH. You know like when they hang someone?”
I pantomimed a noose-tightening gesture to illustrate.

“Oh, like linchar?” (It’s the equivalent word in Spanish.)

“That’s right.” I responded.

“What do you do?”

“I’m a university English as a foreign language professor.”

“And what’s your first name?”

“It’s Larry.”

“Hmmm.” He thought a moment or two before responding.

“I picture your students pulling you by the tie. They want to lynch you and you’re yelling at them in English.”

I laughed a little and responded, “I hope not.”

Enrique moved on to the next person. He was in the process of memorizing the last and first names of everyone at his demonstration session. He continued until he’d reached everyone. Then a few minutes later, he went back and calmly recited each of our names in turn. There were no mistakes.

Currently listed in the Guinness Book of Records with 320 numbers memorized in one view and 52 playing cards memorized in 49 seconds, Uruguay-born writer Enrique Ortega Salinas travels extensively throughout Latin America training others to accomplish seemingly amazing feats of mnemonic manipulation. Can you mentally multiply 3517 x 6209 with a perfect result in less than 15 seconds? How about something simpler like multiplying 817 x 582 in ten seconds or less? But wait, you’re a foreign language learner, so something more practical like memorizing a quick 100 new words of foreign vocabulary is a snap, right? It is for people like him. “Everyone has the potential to be a genius”, he says. Adding, “Your brain is an incredible computer you can learn to manage”.

Fortunately for us, he shares some of his techniques for rapidly internalizing lists of unrelated words or foreign vocabulary including first and last names. From a phone book or from asking around, find out the most common first and last names in the foreign language you’re learning.

Make a list of the last names you want to learn. Make other lists of male and female first names too. If they seem weird, difficult or unpronounceable at first, don’t worry. You’ll learn to get your tongue around the names soon enough. Begin familiarizing yourself with the names on your lists. Feel free to add more names that come up of people you regularly run across, no matter how trivial the contact with them might seem to be at first.

Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. Live your dreams in paradise, find romance, high adventure and get paid while travelling for free. For more information on entering or advancing in the fascinating field of teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language send for the no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, by sending an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

A Bush By Any Other Name

Teaching English as a Foreign Language:
A Bush By Any Other Name




Surnames of Objects

In still other examples of surname adoption, surnames were taken from inanimate objects thought or believed to have unique properties or super-natural characteristics. Science, being what it was during the sixteenth century, still had a long way to go in explaining the properties of most elements. Thus superstitions and pagan beliefs sometimes played a key role in the selection and adoption of a person or family’s surname. Some surnames were taken from foodstuffs or plants. Others were assumed from nature or natural objects. Many if not most of these surnames are still in widespread use today. Note the varieties in spelling as English spelling was not “standardized” during that era.

Rice, Rhys, or Rhize
Bean or Beane or even Beene
Corne or Cornell
Stone or Stowne – later shortened to Stowe
Cage
Bush or from old English By(u)ssche
Glass or Glaz
Pine or Pyne
Banner
North or Northe also Nord or Norde
West
Steel or Steele believed to be derived from Steale
Cotton
Thorn or Thorne
Peck or Pecke also Beck or Becke – related to Becker
Day, Daye or Daley
Street or Streete also Streeter
Bend or Bender
Bell or Belle
Berry
Forest, Forester or Foster, Forster
Winyter, Winter or Winters
Summer, Summers or Sumner also Summerville
Brook or Brooks
Ford, Forde or Foord(e)
Wood, Woode or Woods
Sharpe
Wicke

In previous articles, we’ve seen how English language surnames were developed from occupations, animals, nature, and colors. This should help to give our English as a Foreign Language learners an interesting and unique glimpse into the nature and intricacies of the English language.

It was none other than “the Bard”, William Shakespeare who wrote, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Indeed, and we’ve only taken a brief look at some of the more common English language surnames. There are still hundreds, if not thousands more we haven’t even considered in this series of articles.

These examples of surnames created or adopted from a variety of sources illustrate the beginnings of the development and use of the family surname or last name, as we know it today. Similar examples of surnames can be found in a number of other foreign language families. Why not ask your English language learners about unique or historic surnames (or first names) in the country where you are living and working now. It could prove to be a very unique and interesting history.

After all, who really knows, “What’s in a name?”


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. Live your dreams in paradise, find romance, high adventure and get paid while travelling for free. For more information on entering or advancing in the fascinating field of teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language send for the no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, by sending an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

The Sins of the Fathers

Teaching English as a Foreign Language: Sins of the Fathers

Our overview of the history of surnames or last names in the English language continues to be a fascinating journey of information and discovery for our English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Here, we’ll look at how some other commonly used English surnames were derived from famous or noteworthy predecessors and family heritage and ancestors. Non-withstanding, as the use of surnames grew, sons with fathers who were well known wanted to continue to be associated with the family. Unfortunately, the sins of the fathers were “passed on” to the sons as well.

The following examples of surnames actually mean “the son of …” So for example, the English surname “Kennison” would be the son of Ken, etc.

Who is Your Father?

Peter son or Petersen
Williamson or Willamson
Jackson or infrequently Jakeson
Wilson or Willson
Nelson or Nellson
Anderson
Carson
Robinson
Henderson
Atkinson
Gleason
Parkinson
Benson or Bennson
Dennison
Ellison
Edison
Harrison or Hairston
Larson
Manson or Mansen
Olson or Olsen
Harrelson
Johnson
Jenson or Jensen
Robertson
Thompson
Masterson
Wilkerson

In our continuing considering of the selection, development and evolution of surnames in English, a list of surnames (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/christian/fairnames/) helps to offer us some enlightenment as to not only the variety of surnames that became available, but also their frequency and derivations. In other articles, we’ve seen how surnames were developed from occupations, animals, nature, and colors.

The history of surnames or last names, in English is indeed a continually fascinating one in the teaching of English as a Foreign Language. In our next and final segment entitled, “A Rose By Any Other Name”, we’ll look at how some other commonly used English surnames were derived from food, nature and other objects as superstitions and pagan beliefs sometimes play a key role in the selection and adoption of a person or family’s surname. While some surnames were taken from foodstuffs or plants, others were assumed from nature or natural objects. Even so, many if not most of these types of surnames are still in widespread use today.



Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. Live your dreams in paradise, find romance, high adventure and get paid while travelling for free. For more information on entering or advancing in the fascinating field of teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language send for the no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, by sending an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

Ten Terrific Technology Projects for English or Foreign Language Learners

Do your English or foreign language learners own or have access to any high-tech toys like Ipods, MP3 or MP4 players? How about a PC, digital camera or cell phone with picture-taking capacity? What about access to an audio, digital or analog (cassette tape) voice recorder? Using these devices and other high-tech toys, a host of fun, effective learning projects can be assigned to and undertaken by your English as a Foreign Language learners.

Here are some starter suggestions that could be used with ESL (English as a Second Language), EFL (English as a Foreign Language) or foreign language learners:

1. Your EFL or foreign language learners can prepare essays, oral or written presentations on why or why not they should use their high-tech toys in class, in addition to suggestions on how they could effectively do so.

2. Have the class individually write a summary or give an oral presentation of a favorite song on your Ipod, MP3 or MP4 player.

3. Another useful task is to get the EFL learners to describe the action, setting or scenario of a music or other type of video on their MP4 player.

4. Get the learners to give a written or oral discourse of a popular performer or music group complete with song and/or music video examples.

5. How about having your class prepare an ad or commercial describing the features and benefits of your digital camera, Ipod, cell phone, MP3 or MP4 player. They could record, film and produce their “commercial” using whatever high-tech devices are available.

6. For an interesting out-of-class project, you can assign the learners to conduct a survey series of what brands / makes and models of digital technology products your EFL class has. The follow-up would be an original report or presentation of some type.

7. Have each of your learners describe what they like and/or dislike about a high-tech toy they own. They could also then expound on why and how they overcome any “deficiencies” or dislikes they may have and how these affect them.

8. Your learners could give an oral, audio-visual or written presentation on how high-tech toys are useful in business and education. They can expound on how their parents, siblings, friends, neighbors, etc. make use of these items.

9. Past, Present and Future: Learners can explain orally, in writing or via an audio-visual presentation, what they, or others they know, did in the past without the devices they have now, what they currently employ their devices for, and what they think these devices will develop into in the future. Students can draw pictures, create collages or use realia in their presentations. My classes really like and get into like this one.

10. Another interesting out-of-class project that appeals to many English and Foreign Language learners is for you to assign them to survey high technology web sites, stores, shops and suppliers for the different makes, models and brands of a particular high-tech toy for various features and prices. They can then report these findings to the class utilizing charts, graphs, images, photos and even realia.


Using these devices and other high-tech toys like Ipods, MP3 or MP4 players, Personal Computers (desktop or laptops), digital camera or cell phones with picture-taking capacity, and audio, digital or analog (cassette tape) voice recorders, this host of fun, effective learning projects can be assigned to and undertaken by your English as a Foreign Language learners to enrich and enliven your classes. Try one or more of these suggestions, modified to suit your classes and teaching situation in one of your next class sessions. Then watch your English or Foreign Language learners progress like never before.



Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. Live your dreams in paradise, find romance, high adventure and get paid while travelling for free. For more information on entering or advancing in the fascinating field of teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language send for the no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, by sending an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

What Color is Your Name?

Our overview of the history of surnames or last names in English continues to be a fascinating one. Initially, we talked about the need to create surnames (last names) and how occupations lent themselves to the task. In this posting, we’ll look at how some other commonly used English surnames were derived from colors, nature and animals.

"Colorful" Surnames

Many additional surnames are simply derived from the name of a color. Colors were an important part of family crests of nobles, noblemen and the wealthy. The crest of my family name is azure (blue) and gold in color. The more “common” folk of the sixteenth century then, although probably without a family crest of their own, went with "adopting" a color as a type of surname as in these examples.

Black – infrequently spelled with a double “a”
Grey – can be spelled with an “a” or an “e”
Brown – sometimes spelled with an “e” at the end
Green(e) – can be spelled with or without the “e”
White – infrequently spelled with a “y” instead of “i”
Whitewood – a color plus object surname
Reid – a Germanic spelling form of the color red
Redmon – aka “Redman”

Surnames of Animals

On occasion, names of animals were also adopted as surnames. Animals were thought to have special abilities which could be “willed” or “gifted” to humans who “adopted” them. Some of the more commonly known ones are the following examples.

Wolf – both feared and revered throughout Europe, adopted as a surname to denote a savage or fierce person or family

Coyote
Fox or Foxx – can be spelled with one “x” or two
Bear or Baer
Leone (Lion) – often pronounced “le-o-ne” in three syllables
Byrd – spelled usually with “y”, but sometimes with “i”
Sparrow
Crab, Krabb or Crabbe - two of these spellings (with "C") are still widely used
Wessel – a spelling derivation from the animal name “weasel”
Steed or infrequently Stedman– means a horse or stallion, sometimes "Steed" is spelled with an “e” on the end
Wrenn – on occasion spelled with only one “n”
Swann - usually spelled with a double “n”, but infrequently with only one “n”
Finch – infrequently spelled with an extra “e” on the end
Gill – the organ that a fish uses to breathe has a French spelling of “Gille”
Finn – An appendage of a fish adopted as a surname uses a double “n”


In considering the selection, development and evolution of surnames in English, a list of surnames (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/christian/fairnames/) helps to offer us some enlightenment as to not only the variety of surnames that became available, but also their frequency and derivations. The history of surnames or last names, in English is indeed a continually fascinating one. In the next related article of this series entitled, “Sins of the Fathers”, we’ll look at how some other commonly used English surnames were derived from famous or noteworthy predecessors and family heritage or ancestors.



Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. Live your dreams in paradise, find romance, high adventure and get paid while travelling for free. For more information on entering or advancing in the fascinating field of teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language send for the no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, by sending an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

Teaching English as a Foreign Language: What’s in a Name?

Introduction

The history of surnames or last names, in English is a fascinating one. In the sixteenth century (from the 1530s to about 1700) nearly 70 per cent of all men in England were named John, Thomas, William, Richard, Robert, Henry, Nicolas, Walter and Edward. Women seemingly faired a bit better but nearly 70 per cent of women were named Elizabeth, Joan, Margaret, Anne, Alice, Agnes, Isabel, Jane, Mary, Katherine and Margery. So not surprisingly, when distinguishing family names became essential, surnames began being “created” and used. Even in many non-English-speaking countries, English surnames are in widespread use. English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners find the topic a highly fascinating one – especially if their name is included. First we’ll look at how some English surnames were derived.

Surnames of Occupations

One key form was to distinguish people by their occupations. This was especially effective if the person was highly skilled at their profession as many were – some even to the point of being renowned.

Here are some examples of occupation-related surnames along with their general meanings.

Mason – a person who works with stone or masonry
Miller or Mills – a worker in a granary or flour mill
Pinter – a form of the word for painter
Cooper – a person who makes wooden barrels for wines and other liquids
Stewart – a profession similar to an overseer or at times, a butler
Tanner – prepared animal hides for making clothes, hats and other items
Shoemaker – also often called a cobbler as an occupation
Shepherd – herder of sheep, goats and other domestic animal herds
Brewer – formulated beers, ale, hard liquors and sometimes wines
Smith – a skilled tradesman in metal fabrications
Wright – a skilled tradesman in metal work
Taylor – maker of (principally) men’s clothes
Hunter – killed wild animals for the table
Butler – a man who cares for running a large household
Weaver – weaves cloths and textiles
Fowler – often a hunter of birds and fowl
Fletcher – a person who makes arrows: a very important profession for hundreds of years
Thatcher – person who makes, repairs roofs using leaves, thatch or straw
Carver – a stone or wood carver of
Gardner – cares for fruits and vegetables in a small plot of land
Cook(e) – same as a person who job is to prepare foods
Carpenter – a worker in all kinds of wood
Barber – cuts hair, trims beards and moustaches – an important grooming aid for nobles
Bishop – a higher-level religious or church official; Friar, a lower level religious official
Bowman or Archer – a person skilled in the use of a bow and arrow
Potter – a worker in earths and clays, maker of clay pots and vessels
Turner - a potter’s aid or helper who “turned” the potter’s wheel

Summary

In considering the selection, development and evolution of surnames in English, a list of surnames (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/christian/fairnames/ ) helps to offer us some enlightenment as to not only the variety of surnames that became available, but also their frequency and derivations. The history of surnames or last names, in English is indeed a fascinating one. Next, we’ll look at how some other commonly used English surnames were derived


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. Live your dreams in paradise, find romance, high adventure and get paid while travelling for free. For more information on entering or advancing in the fascinating field of teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language send for the no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, by sending an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

More Tips For Taking a CELTA or TEFL Certificate Course

Some Reader Questions:

What is the best way I can ensure a pass on the CELTA or TEFL certificate course with an A? I have to admit that I am bit nervous. Is it really that demanding? Do you foresee any trouble with me passing the course for teaching English as a Foreign or Second language?

Any additional advice or recommendations you have would be greatly appreciated.

My Responses:

The tips I've provided in the articles should help you.

Teach English Abroad - Online TEFL Programs

If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here's What You Need to Know

Advice for Becoming Certified to Teach English Before You Leave for A Foreign Country

12 Helpful Tips to Pass the CELTA or TEFL Teaching Preparation Course

How to Expand Your Recognition and Become Known as an Expert in Your Field


Yes, it's that intensive when given at a CELTA authorized certifying center. Here are some additional points to consider in preparing for and taking a CELTA course.

Yes, you should pass if you pay rapt attention during input sessions, take copious notes,
study regularly and keep up with assignments. Further things that might help you include:

Taking a selection of clipped photos, office supplies, newspapers, guidebooks, flyers and post cards from your hometown.

Learning where the local department store, "Five and Dime" or "Dollar" store is nearest your CELTA program site. You’ll be there a lot to pick up cheap materials.

And while you’re at it - don't plan on "partying" during the course.

Having a good grammar book reference and a good dictionary will also be helpful. Take your laptop PC along with you on the course too, if you have one.

During the course don't ever hesitate to ask ANY question you might have no matter how insignificant or "trivial" you think it might be. If you want to know or aren't sure, others likely are too so you'll be helping not only yourself, but your classmates.

Be sure to mentally prepare for an intense, high-input experience. That's what it's designed to be. That's what you're paying the big bucks for. So take advantage of it, don't fear it.

You definitely should plan on scheduling your time and getting needed rest regularly.

Again, don't plan on "partying" during the course.

This is an all-too-common error on the part of CELTA program attendees that usually gets them into "serious Guacamole" before they realize what's happening. The "tears and anguish" we CELTA trainers see during the last week or so of the course almost always come from the “cutesy-poo” and hunk "party animals" of the group. By then it may be too late to "pull it out" and pass which is what you're on the course to do.

Focus

Focus - what are you here for? To “see the sights and party”? I think not. (and, I hope not!)

Did I mention, don't plan on "partying" during the CELTA or TEFL certificate course?

Hey, actually you can "party" when it's over - so you might consider staying over an extra few days just for that and "seeing the sights". That's usually the best idea if you can manage it.

That all being said, you should do fine and pass your CELTA or TEFL certificate course with flying colors.

Good luck and let me know if I can help you in any way.

About the Author

Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. Live your dreams in paradise, find romance, high adventure and get paid while you travel for free. For more information on entering into or advancing in the fascinating field of teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language send for the no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, by sending an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

Six Super Cell Phone Photo Projects Your English and Foreign Language Learners Will Love

If your learners have any high-tech imaging devices like a cell phone with photo-taking capability, a digital camera or they have a digital camcorder, you can assign them one of these six diverse high visual impact projects to help them explore not only their high-technology devices, but boost their EFL (English as a foreign language) production skills as well.


1. A Scavenger Hunt

Assign your English as a Foreign Language learners to get digital photos of from 10 to 20 or so items. Locations of these items should be in or near the classroom and well within the school or institute facility campus. Photos of what, you might ask? Here are some suggested topics:

- Close-ups
- Occupations
- Colors
- Landscapes
- Nature
- Technology


2. A Rainbow

No, not necessarily a real one, but EFL learners will photograph illustrations of the different colors that can be found in objects all around them. Start with the basic colors of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, gray, brown, black and white.


3. Verb Illustrations

The idea here is to show verbs in a staged or natural photo. You can specify regular or irregular verbs like jump, run, play, talk, walk, sing, laugh, or whatever others you may wish or leave the choice open to the English language learners. I’ve often found this last option to be more interesting and diverse for both the EFL learners and me.


4. Different Viewpoints

How can you photograph something from the viewpoints of over, under, around, through, on, beside, behind, across from or between? Let your EFL learners figure it all out and record their ideas. Hopefully you’ll get shots from worm’s eye views to bird’s eye views and a plethora of views in between.


5. Photojournalism

For this multi-faceted project learners shoot up to half a dozen or so photographs to illustrate a short written or spoken discourse to be presented in class. This could be in small groups, in pairs of learners or individually prepared by each EFL learner.


6. Abstracts
If it worked for Salvadore Dali and Pablo Picasso, why shouldn’t it work for your EFL learners as well? They will base their abstract photos on a particular color or other theme selected either by you – or even better yet – by the learners. And oh yes, you might want to pre-approve themes and topics first. Why? To avoid any incidences of “objectionable” or borderline obscene content of any type, that’s why.


So if your EFL learners have a cell phone with photo-taking capability, or they have a digital camera, one of these diverse projects can help them to sharpen their visual-spatial multiple intelligence abilities and aid in boosting their English as a foreign language skills too.


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. For more information on entering into or advancing in the fascinating field of ELT send for his no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, send an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

English Language Teaching: Countries with English as the Official or First Language

The Question

On occasion, my opening question at an English Language Teaching (ELT) conference is, “How many countries have English as a first or official language?” To twist the screw just a bit more I add,

“You’ll all English teachers, so you should know where the language is spoken, right?”

They agree that they should and for the next few minutes set about fathoming the English as a first or official language list.

More squirming, a few shouted out queries and I let the pressure off.

“How many do you have on your list?”

Rarely does the number exceed ten or fifteen.

Take a moment; how many can YOU list?


The Response

“Would you like to see my list?” I ask.

You know what the response unanimously is.

“Do you think that is something that might be useful for an English teacher to know?”

A resounding “Yes!” always follows.


The List

In truth, at this writing there are at least thirty-five countries that have English as a first or official language!

Surprised? Most English teachers are. And my current list might not even be an all-inclusive one by now. At any rate, here is the current list:

- United States, Trinidad & Tobago, Belize

- Barbados, Canada, U.S. Virgin Islands

- Guyana, British Virgin Islands, Australia

- Falkland Islands, England, Grenada

- St. Nevis / St. Kitts, Jamaica, India, Bermuda

- South Africa, Bahamas, New Zealand

- Cayman Islands, St. Vincent, Grenadines

- Samoa, St. Lucia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone

- Singapore, Liberia, Ghana, Ireland

- Hong Kong, Zimbabwe


To Do Suggestions

Why not check out the official country websites for these and other countries for some eye-opening information on the impact of English on their respective cultures? Many foreign country websites include news, local current events, audio, radio and streaming video as well. If you need even more information? Just “Google” the country name to get a trainload or two of related websites.

So what’s the point? Just that it’s helpful to provide practical aspects to learning English. World travel and commerce are just two of the many reasons to be cited for the practicality of English-language learning. The internet, e-mails, chats and forums all contribute to a preponderance of English-language use online.

A plethora of English teacher resource websites and a growing cadre of English language learner websites help contribute to the usefulness of knowledge of the English language.



Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. For more information on entering into or advancing in the fascinating field of ELT send for his no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, send an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

3 Unique Twists You Can Use to Motivate Your English as a Foreign Language Learners

Motivation, whether intrinsic or extrinsic, can be a significant factor in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes. While you may need to follow a set curriculum or course book, the learners want fun and games, if they even want to be there at all. So why not slip in one or more of these suggestions during the course of your class week? A quick break in the class routine should spice things up nicely as an aid to help liven things up and motivate your learners.

Here are seven unique new things you can try to make a class more dynamic and motivate your English as a foreign language learners.


1. Play a New Game or Do a Puzzle in Class

Go online to pick up some dynamics and activities you can use with your English classes. Some good websites to start with include:

www.puzzlemaker.com for word search, crossword and other verbal-linguistic puzzle types

http://www.zillions-of-games.com/demo/ is good for a slew of online, but adaptable games

http://zone.msn.com/en/root/downloads.htm has more downloadable games you can modify and adapt to the needs and interests of your learners. Actually, you might even have them suggest ways to “play” online games in an “offline” environment.

http://www.eslpod.com/website/index.php will add greater variety to your possible offerings to the students. Don’t forget to give them some latitude n modifying of adapting games to suit their use in learning English as a foreign or second language.

2. Try some “warm up” or short dynamic activities during the class

Grab an activities resource book for a rich fountain of short activities you can incorporate into your EFL classes. If you’re using a course book series, likely it has a resource book of “extra” activities. Otherwise you might try the book “Five-Minute Activities” by Penny Ur and Andrew Wright (1996 Cambridge University Press) or any of a host of other EFL activities titles available.


3. Prepare a conversation or dialogue about something your learners like

Farr too many text series are focused on presenting a grammar point or illustrating “correct usage”, syntax, vocabulary collocations, etc. to be of true interest to many groups of learners. Find out what your learners really like and have them construct a series of “conversations” around these interests. They’ll have more interest and fun in doing so than simply “following the book”.

Summary

Introduce a snippet of humor into the class session. Try using a comic book, comic strip or a brace of jokes to evoke some “medicinal laughter” from your learners. So if your learners want more “fun and games” like mine often do, and you need to follow a set curriculum or course book, don’t despair. Slip one or more of these quick suggestions into your routine, and watch your learners light up. If you have any short activities that your learners particularly like, drop me an e-mail. I’d love to hear about it.



Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. For more information on entering into or advancing in the fascinating field of ELT send for his no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, send an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

Using Insightful Poetry in English as a Foreign Language Classes

The Poem Analyzed and Explained

In the post entitled, “A Perfect English Writing Lesson”, we looked at writing exercises which promoted production of authentic language in English as a foreign language (EFL) learners. An alternate writing exercise consisting of writing a poem about the city, region or country where the learner lives was also broached. The following poem was an example.


“The Feria de Cali”

Waves of December heat
are here to meet and greet
those “Gringos” who dare
our Feria to share,
while dancing to a Salsa beat.

Parades of slender, bronzed beauties abound,
as classic antique cars are found

In ten days the Feria ends
with sugar cane sweet tastes
and aguardiente-filled friends

You’ll sadly leave less heavy
than a pink and green ’57 Chevy.


Admittedly, Shakespeare it’s not, but the poetry writing process worked for the learners.
This poem is actually more insightful that it first appears though. It is based on featured activities of the annual Cali Festival held in Cali, Colombia.


Stanza Types

The stanzas shift between three verse grouping types.

Couplet – two lines that rhyme one after the other, as in this excerpt:

“Parades of slender, bronzed beauties abound,
as classic antique cars are found“

Tercet – three lines that can rhyme in different ways as in this excerpt:

“In ten days the Feria ends
with sugar cane sweet tastes
and aguardiente-filled friends”


The first stanza (poem paragraph) has a mixed rhyming pattern of AABBA where the first and second lines rhyme, the third and fourth lines rhyme and the last (fifth) line rhymes with the first and second lines.

The Cali Festival is held for ten days, from December 22nd to January 2nd. “Gringos” refers to the predominance of North American visitors to Colombia with Cali generally being referred to as the “Capital of Salsa music”. Beauty pageants are held throughout most of Colombia’s 32 departments prior to the November crowning of “Miss Colombia”. Beauty Queens then reign over a variety of events for the ensuing year. Miss Valle del Cauca presides over the festivities during Cali’s Festival and those of other towns in this department.

The region around Cali is known for its sugar cane fields. The juice from sugar cane is used to produce a clear, rum distillate called “aguardiente” or “hard water”. It takes notoriously little of this strong liquor to intoxicate even the sturdiest of souls. Finally, due to the free-flowing food and liquor most people pack on not less than a few “unwanted” pounds during the festival season.

If you’d like to brush up just a bit on your poetry writing skills, please see the two additional articles, “How to Evoke Imagery, Emotions and Ideas in Writing Poetry That Captures Your Readers Imagination2 and “How to Write Poems That Capture the Heart and Imagination of Your Readers” to help get you and your English language learners started.


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. For more information on entering into or advancing in the fascinating field of ELT send for his no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, send an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

A “Perfect” English Writing Lesson

Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking

If your English as a Foreign Language learners are anything like mine, then many of them don’t like to write in English. But since we wish to empower our foreign language learners with all four of the basic language skills, writing needs to be included in our class lessons. So, how can writing be introduced in such a way as to inspire interest and facility to our EFL classes - that is the question.

One approach that has worked for me is to have my EFL learners write a “travel” piece about the city, region or foreign country we are living in. This exercise is usually called something like, “A Perfect Day in Bogota”. For a longer written piece or an assignment, you could use, “Three Perfect Days in Barcelona” or “A Perfect Week in Quito” or wherever it is that you live.

Generally, learners love to brag about their city. By allowing them to boast about their favorite activities and places in the city, you can not only get them to write with enthusiasm, but glean some insight into their personal likes and preferences. I’ve even gotten more than a few “hot tips” on unique places or events that eventually panned out into some of my own haunts.


Procedure at a Glance

The learners write a description of their favorite local hotels, restaurants or places to eat, interesting sites to visit, unique slants on local festivals, holidays and other events. Preferred night clubs or discos, and types of music along with days and times to go, help to round out the writing.

Instead of insisting on a particular “format” or style, I’ve found it useful to allow a variety of expression in this area. Learners can use “bullet points”, narratives, essays or advert-style formats and writing. Depending on the level of the learners, I may precede the writing lesson with a class on order of adjectives, paragraph structure, the basic five-paragraph essay or a brief study and analysis of travel ads and travel articles or columns from an English language newspaper.


To Be or Not To Be

For a different type of approach, your English language learners could write a poem about their city, region or country. Often these prove to be both insightful and humorous.

Consider this slightly “tongue-in-cheek” example:


“The Feria de Cali”

Waves of December heat
are here to meet and greet
those “Gringos” who dare
our Feria to share,
while dancing to a Salsa beat.

Parades of slender, bronzed beauties abound,
as classic antique cars are found

In ten days the Feria ends
with sugar cane sweet tastes
and aguardiente-filled friends

You’ll sadly leave less heavy
than a pink and green ’57 Chevy.


Okay, so Shakespeare it’s not, but the poetry writing process worked for the learners.

The next time you’d like to “squeeze in” a bit more writing into your English class, try a variation of these ideas. You may be more than pleasantly surprised at the attitude of the learners and what they ultimately produce. Don’t forget to read aloud and post the more interesting examples. If you give the writing as an out-of-class assignment, your learners can include photos, graphics and perhaps “realia” in their writing as well.


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. For more information on entering into or advancing in the fascinating field of ELT send for his no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, send an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

How to Improve English Language Listening Skills in EFL Learners

There are four principal venues that are frequently used in order to develop listening comprehension skills in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. By integrating these resources, the EFL teaching professional can effectively aid learners not only in listening comprehension skills development but also in multiple aspects of connected speech production. Understanding a listening passage can be made all the more difficult by four key influence factors including: the number of speakers in the passage, the technical difficulty and level of the spoken material in the passage, the speed of the speech and the accent(s) of the speakers in the passage and whether or not there is any external support provided for the listening passage. (i.e., photos, illustrations, graphics, vocabulary review or pre-listening activities, etc.) ref. Brown and Yule, 1983


Speech and Language Modeling by the Teacher

If the EFL teacher is a native or near native English speaker, then the dialogues can be modeled in addition to modeling pronunciation and connected speech examples. If the EFL or ESL teacher is not a native (or near native) English speaker, and this teacher does not have sufficient speech and pronunciation in English to model these aspects for the learners, then other English speech modeling and input sources can be used. Besides, we must not limit learners by thinking they can only learn and improve in a particular way. (M. Spratt, 2005)


Audio-Visual Resources

A valuable audio-visual aspect is provided to English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners by native-speaker-produced CDs and DVDs. Speech and cultural elements can be illustrated or demonstrated using authentic audio-visual materials such as movie clips and documentaries, student-produced recordings and TV programs or commercials, among many others.


Audio cassettes or CD – ROMs

A wide range of CDs and DVDs exist to provide native speech modeling of different speaking, pronunciation, national and regional English accents. Multiple varieties of English are commonly used throughout the world and having examples of these by which learners can be exposed to the differences in spoken English will be helpful in demonstrating pronunciation variables. Online, over-the-air and cable radio broadcasts can be especially effective and are readily available in much of the world.

Three examples of excellent online radio broadcast sites are:

http://www.live365.com/
http://www.archive.org/
http://www.multilingualbooks.com/online-radio.html


Online Audio and Video

Increasingly, institutes of higher learning are making integrated online materials available to learners. These may consist of spoken dialogues, video dialogues, short stories, interactive games, poems, rhymes and riddles, spoken grammar, connected speech examples, movie clips, interviews, documentaries and even pronunciation lists. Learners can log into the website at their institution to receive extended practice materials to complement in-class learning. Many large, well-established universities, institutes and ELT materials publishers are making such materials available online to both clients and the general public. In addition, specialized websites for English language teaching have cropped up in abundance and offer a plethora of materials and didactic assistance for the ELT professional.

Some examples of available materials online include:

Penguin http://www.penguinenglish.com/
Pearson – Longman http://www.longman.com/
Heinemann http://www.heinemann.com/
Oxford University Press http://www.oup.com/
Cambridge University Press http://www.cup.org/
Heinle and Heinle http://www.heinle.com/esl_d/
McGraw – Hill educational resources http://mcgraw-hill.co.uk/kingscourt/
Harvard University – Open Courseware
http://oedb.org/library/features/236-open-courseware-collections

A web search using “online English language teaching materials” will yield a virtual bonanza of materials, planning and resources for the time-strapped English teacher.

Although listening comprehension skills of themselves cannot be “taught”, the English (EFL) teacher can guide the learner’s practice in listening and increment their intensity of study and practice to aid in the development of listening comprehension skills in EFL learners. This can be especially effective when the learners live in one Braj Kashru’s “outer circle” countries (B. Kashru, 1980) where there may well be a quite limited exposure to spoken English available for the English language learners. English teachers should be resourceful in identifying and acquiring materials to augment their classes in proving as broad a variety of listening comprehension materials as possible for their classes. Thus, by integrating any and all available resources, any English language teaching professional can effectively aid learners not only in developing their listening comprehension skills but also in the demonstration of multiple aspects of connected speech in worldwide Englishes.


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. For more information on entering into or advancing in the fascinating field of ELT send for his no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, send an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

Learn a Foreign Language in 48 Hours

The Clock Starts Ticking

Starting tomorrow morning, you’re going to practice English, Spanish, French or other foreign language. For the following 6 days, for 8 hours per day, you’ll work on grammar, pronunciation, watch videos and listen to audio materials. You’ll write short notes, grocery lists and play games in the target foreign language. All well and good – BUT – a week from today, is it really reasonable to think you’ll be fluent in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese or any other foreign language?

Of course not.

Could you learn a lot?
Yes.

Could you manage key words and phrases?
Sure.

Could you conduct a very basic “conversation” with someone in the foreign language?
Perhaps.

Yet many language institutes and foreign language programs give prospective learners the distinct impression that in 48 hours, a weekend or a week, they can “speak” the foreign language of their choice. This is misleading for the learners, but often quite profitable for the language institute or program directors.

How sad.

Learning any foreign language is not an easy, quick or simple affair. Real mastery, if indeed it ever truly comes, may take years of practice and painstaking effort. This need not at all to be a dull, boring affair. Foreign language learners can, and should, enjoy the majority of the process. They should continuously applying their continually improving foreign language skills to chat with friends and neighbors, conduct everyday life tasks, interact with target language-speaking locals on the job, to shop, to sample a variety of foods and in general soak up the culture associated with their target foreign language.

Functional Ability

When considering or continuing the learning of a foreign language, you should pay no heed to outrageous claims of super-rapid foreign language acquisition. Instead, focus on developing functional ability.

You might think, for example, can you:

· Ask for or give directions?
· Tell the time?
· Shop and bargain for purchased goods?
· Conduct a bank or other financial transaction?
· Introduce yourself?
· Order food and drink in a restaurant or on the street?
· Haggle with a street vendor?
· Make “small talk” with a stranger?

By focusing on what you can do in the foreign language, you will shift your view of its acquisition to long term vs. short term progress, enjoying your skills development along the way.

So, starting tomorrow morning, you’re going to practice English, Spanish, French or other foreign language. For the following 6 days, for 8 hours per day, you’ll work on grammar, pronunciation, watch videos and listen to audio materials. You’ll write short notes, grocery lists and play games in the target foreign language. Only this time you’ll be focused on your functional skills development – that is, what you’ll be able to do in your target language.

No, you can’t learn a foreign language in 48 hours, but you can take a few steps forward towards greater fluency.


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. For more information on entering into or advancing in the fascinating field of ELT send for his no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, send an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

Teach English Abroad: Getting Your Second English Teaching Position

Question: Do you have any advice? With my TEFL and technical degree, I can't get a teaching position at a bilingual school. It's depressing!

Thanks for any help at all!!

When several readers sent in “generically similar” questions like this and the ones below, my response was similar to each. It helped them. Perhaps it will help you too. Sooner or later, we all leave our first ELT position for “greener pastures”. Sometimes we stay. Sometimes we don’t. Often we simply want a better salary or income to help support the better life we were originally looking for. Here are the situations, questions and my response.

“About teaching English abroad; I wanted to ask you a couple of questions.”

“I have a technical degree and years of successful experience but I find myself with a desire to do something different. I visited my dream country on vacation and I fell in love with the country. Now I am giving up a good job in the USA and moving to abroad to teach English.”

“I took the TEFL and have my certification but I am finding that most schools want an Education-related degree and my technical degree seems to be hurting me despite the TEFL. I have found work with private students but I am having a hard time finding full-time teaching jobs in one of my more desired cities. For me it's not only about the money. I just want to teach at a high-level school or university.”

Here’s What to Do

My response: I'm a little surprised at the "difficulty" you seem to be having, but I'd like to suggest a slightly different approach. You're obviously not marketing to target markets that could most benefit from your multiple expertise. If I may be a bit blunt, you need to get off your duff and do some marketing research. Then market to the target markets you find.

- First, write a cover letter which highlights your technical background with your teaching skills. Show how one complements the other. Focus on trade / technical schools and / or technical career faculties in universities.

- Second, write proposals for teaching ESP, that is technical English to businesses and companies in your target areas. Intensive English courses of from one week to one month might work best at first. Use the phone book, chamber of commerce and periodicals for leads on companies to target.

- Third, advertise in large local newspapers using a small but highly targeted ad for teaching business / technical English to high-tech companies and business professionals. Get some decent business cards too - with your full contact information on one side and your services / expertise on the other. I'll bet you don't have good business cards at the moment, do you?

- Finally, you're causing your own problem in part, which is good in that you can then provide your own solutions. Get to work. If you really get stuck and genuinely require additional help, let me know and I'll try to prod you in the right directions again.

"I hope I've helped. What happens to you is up to you - not me or anybody else for that matter."

One final point: Don't give up.
Keep plugging away. If it takes a couple of months or more to saturate the market sufficiently to start getting relevant feedback, so be it.

Do what it takes to succeed.

The opportunities are out there.

Now you just go out and get them.



Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. For more information on entering into or advancing in the fascinating field of ELT send an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject heading for his no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com