Drive the Instruction in the Direction of the Kids’ Interests

3 thoughts on “Drive the Instruction in the Direction of the Kids’ Interests”

1. Chris

   September 4, 2013 at 8:50 am

   ^ Nice.

   Whn I was sixteen, partying, playing guitar and getting laid were my #1 priorities. And in German and French class we– well, somebody– “learned” to conjugate verbs and order biftec or Sauerbraten avec pommes frites.

   The idea of teaching people what they actually want to learn shouldn’t sound as radical as it does.

   Chris

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2. Corinne

   September 4, 2013 at 11:46 pm

   Totally agree. I know I’m a couple of generations removed from my students when I hear what they’re saying but don’t understand what they are referring to, for example one group used the term “hashtag…such and such” in a chat before class and had to enlighten me as to what they meant by it. As I want to reach them, I need to acquire in my target languages as well as in English, some more of the lingo of their digital world. Obvious, I know. With books like Kristy Placido’s “New Houdini” I’m making a start, but I have a long way to go.

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3. kath Burke

   September 5, 2013 at 2:41 am

   Thought you guys would enjoy this allegory “The Parrot’s Tale” about education by Nobel prize-winner for literature Tagore… it’s basically saying how with all the bells and whistles of education we forget the students…

   http://eltreadinggroup.weebly.com/uploads/1/6/3/1/16311372/tagore_the_parrot.pdf

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