(1) News by Tara
We'll do the news today as there won't be time at the next class as we would then do the orals. There would therefore not be a new news item before we have the class on Tuesday morning. Please choose from any of the news items which we haven't done this semester (there is a list). Please don't copy each other (decide on your own news item). Cynthia and Mary, do you understand?
(2) Learning of English in Brazil:
We will continue the questions and discussion in activity 6 and 7 which we haven't finished at the last class. I will particularly be interested in question 11 of Activity 6.
(3) Skills builders: School issues
We'll discuss some questions about school life in general (see the attachment).
brazil-class-worksheet.pdf
11 - W14b - school.pdf
Replies
Learning through music is possible when one has the lyrics of the song to look at when listening. Yes, I am very aware of the motivation of the Chinese students to learn English ... in most occasions there is actually no motivation, as you have mentioned. Most of them can't understand the need to learn English. It is as if they have no ambition. Or, if they have some ambition, that doesn't stretch beyond China's borders. So shortsighted and narrow-minded. What about you, Wang Jiajia? Do you study English just to pass exams?
Well, I hope so, Nancy. But I'm not sure whether I can go on your word (though I know I can trust you); your class has to prove herself to me ..
Yes, listening to English songs may be nice, but one should have the lyrics available to follow the words as some of those songs are very fast and are difficult to follow. I agree, art and music classes can be very meaningful. However, I'm not sure whether many children would like to have those classes. Maybe it is because they don't understand the meaning of art and music in the human's life ..
Thank you for the comment, Zhou Yuqi. I hope we draw your name tomorrow to tell us the news as it sounds quite interesting! You summed it up correctly, I believe, that the current education system is so rigid ... It is surely is not really constructive in a student's life. And yes, exams and homework may be important, but what about when it is overloading the students so much that they lose their interest in education? There should be a balance.
hello，teacher.I have seen the attachment .I think the most interesting part of the video is that children can study while they playing and their teacher can help them speak their idea in English. And in my opinion test is important,but i don't like we should always have test.My english teacher is very kind and hurmor in high school so i think english is important and the subject is also very important in university .
You are surprising me, Tina; are you really doing that?! You look such a smart student; maybe you are just having a dream ..! But I am glad you are not staying away from your oral classes as that may hurt the teacher .. On the other hand, maybe that'll be what he deserves!
As I told Ada above, I too agree that homework is important, but there must be limitations to the amount of homework. Children's spirits and initiative shouldn't be broken by overloading them with so much classwork and homework. And that's exactly what I noticed is happening here. Children are never given the opportunity to be what they are - children. They are often being treated as machines or robots and not as children. That is not right, I believe. Do you mean summer 'vacation' is necessary, Tan Jingping? The word 'vocation' means job or profession.
Thanks, it is a nice article you shared with us, Ada, but remember next time to quote the source or the author. Yes, I agree about the importance of homework, but what if the students are already so overloaded with homework that they have to do that till late at night? Then it doesn't mean they had a nice break from 5pm in the afternoons; as you know, it means most of them were engaged in homework since after school till they need to go to bed at 10pm or even later. That can't be right, can it? What about a child's nature of being a child? She/he has to live out that nature to its fullest. But with an education system as we have here, a child's childhood is taken away from her/him. Have you ever realized that? So, amongst others, I believe there should be limitations to the amount of homework.
Hello,teacher.I feel very happy that this time i could choose the news freely .I saw a good news called ''Chinese eases population control'' As we know,China is a populous country around the world.It can be said that if China keep its population in a balance,its comprehensive strength including economy and other sides could make a great progress.Early this century,aiming at the economic development that time,China made a policy to control the rapidly rising population.And it has become our basic state policy from now on.But as the development of our country,the old policy is no longer adapt to the society.So they changed it by implementing policies more flexibly.In my view,it is a great method of a great changing time.If some people say making the policy to control the population is a great moment,i want to say this method is a great great moment!It reflected Chinese leaders' intelligent vision.
My childhood was spent in a countryside of Harbin ,Heilongjiang province .At that time,my mother was a member of the Family Planning Committee,in the countryside,it is permitted to give birth to the second child,so my sister comes.But,if i am a boy,it is not allowed to give birth to once more,luckily that i am a girl!But now,this idea changed a lot.It is much looser than before.
As for the topic of the attachment i just saw,i feel we must have much to say.First,i want to criticize the early exercise ,it really make me exhausted.As for me,i could stay up until midnight,but making me to get up early is too annoyed.I can not stand.But not bad ,this semester will be over,i will get rid of it.Tests are not important i think,our school should give each other more space to build comprehensive abilities.It is good to give homework.In the bottom of my heart,foreign trade oral English class is my favorite class i had met.Just compare with my common English class,i often feel bored and sleepy.But in your class,i never feel similar like that.It is interesting to talk with my partner with oral English but not to mention to much about grammar and sentence patterns,and now i feel i had made much progress than before.
I am also glad that you were born female, Kelly, as there are enough boys in this country, and besides, girls are just much more special! Yes, I agree that the early morning activities can be really annoying. Even the first class is too early for me! I like the second class best, and then the afternoon classes (though the fourth one is better than the third one!). I am also a night hawk (and has never been an early bird). Most Chinese students don't see the value of tests, I am surprised. Though they are annoying, I agree, I do believe they are of much value to prepare one for the exams properly. I am not sure whether the students take tests regularly in China? I'll hear from the class tomorrow.
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