OSU-PNU 2006

Today was a much better day in regards to teaching. I wasn't nearly as exhausted as I was on Friday. I guess despite all the sight-seeing I did this past weekend, I was able to get some rest and relaxation.

As I was on my way to school today, a small bus full of children drove past and they were all saying hello, hello, hello. I was so deep in thought that I didn't hear it at first, but then I realized what they were saying and had just enough time before the bus disappeared to turn, smile and wave to them. This resulted in a cacophony of giggles.

Today in all three classes, we reviewed the part of the Simpsons episode on families and foster homes we watched in class last Friday. To get them warmed up and to help me learn their names, we did a quick warm-up activity where I picked three students and asked them how their weekend was. That went well in all three classes. Then, as a review activity, we did a circle description. Each student had to give a one sentence description of the sitcom we watched. They had to listen to what the previous speaker said and connect their description to that. Also, there couldn't be any gaps in the descriptions. All three classes did quite well on this. In the P class, some students interrupted the descriptions to go back and fill in the missing details. In the U class, I gave questions to the students to help them have something to say. This was also a good comprehension check to see where students' gaps in knowledge and lack of understanding were.
After we finished the circle description, students completed the cloze exercise they were working on in class last Friday. In small groups, they compared answers and worked on constructing meaning from the context of the sitcom transcript. There were some pretty interesting discussions that resulted from this, including some interesting questions, such as the use of formal and informal language and culture and language.

In regards to culture and language, I was able to use my experience with trying to figure out the English word for the Korean word kae bul to explain the point that learning a language is also learning about another culture. BTW, even the students in the P class didn't know what this meant, although there were a couple students who looked on the Internet. One found the Latin word - urechis unicinctus. (Dad, any idea what this is in English?) Another found a blog on kae bul.