What Kind of Learner are you?
Teacher Talk
Hello everyone, thanks for all your comments and well done to those who attempted the challenge. Thanks for your posts too Marcos. I am very happy to see that you are an enthusiastic blogger! Please do tell us more about your job.
I will post answers to the challenge at the end of this blog but for now, let’s get down to some serious business. I was sitting in our office the other day pondering this blog and one of the thoughts that crossed my mind was this:
What do all the student bloggers do with this blog? Do you download it? Save it? Record certain words/expressions from it? Try to imitate some of the stylistic features of it? Tell me, I am curious.
And following on from that question came this one: what do they want from it? From me? To be fully effective as a teacher blogger, I would really like answers to these questions. These are questions for you as well Marcos as you are this month’s student blogger and I notice you haven’t yet done your homework. :)
All this is related to the title of this blog. We all learn in different ways according to whether we are visual, auditory, kinesthetic learners, whether we like to learn with others or prefer to spend time studying alone, whether we are risk takers or not.
I would still like to have some questions from you Marcos as well regarding what you would like to know. I loved your recounting of your childhood memory of learning about Sri Lanka and its flag. It was well written and very evocative.
Let’s take a closer look at another of your paragraphs to help you (and the other bloggers) with your writing style:
“Well, let me start to answer your questions. (This is a good opening sentence to a paragraph. You use a good narrative technique and the tone is chatty and friendly) At Christmas I went to my parents' house in Pereiro. (Great but how did you get there? Tell us more. 340 km is quite a distance. It would have been interesting to know whether you went by train, bus, car) From Fortaleza (where I live) to Pereiro (where my parents live) is about 340 km. We had a great time there. (How was it great? This sentence teases us but we want more detail.) My parents, my two brothers, my sister, my nephew, my sister-in-law, my girlfriend... Everyone was at my parents' house at Christmas night. It was a special night.” (Again, we can imagine why it might have been special but tell us more – personalise it by telling us what it was that made you feel it was special- was it because you don’t get together very often? Was it because you have been busy lately and haven’t seen your family as often as you usually do?).
Marcos, your writing has a high degree of accuracy and is pretty fluent as well. I think you have a nice style but I would like you to take more risks and experiment more with your use of vocabulary. I hope you don’t mind me saying this but I feel a little as though you are playing it safe. Until recently I used to be an IELTS examiner and when evaluating a candidate's script we used to have to think about whether he/she was a risk taker or not. It is generally thought to be positive to take risks as a language learner. So, show us what you can do with the language and if you want to use a certain expression but are not sure of it, go ahead and use it anyway. You will receive feedback from me or the other bloggers. Basically, what I am saying is don’t be afraid.
Some replies
Mauricio – you bring up an interesting language point with your question. In the sentence “Here she is with Santa” as you correctly said is in the present tense yet the event took pace in the past. Well, the reason I have used the present simple tense is twofold: First of all, Isabel will be with Santa in that photo for as long as it exists as a photo. Therefore I am stating a fact – describing what is true about that photo. Secondly, it also serves the function of bringing the event closer to you and closer to real time chat as if we are talking in the here and now. This is partly because it is a blog and the communication is meant to be more informal and chatty and partly because I am playing the role of story teller and story tellers often use the present tense to narrate past events, for the same purpose – bringing the reader closer to what the characters are experiencing. I hope that makes sense.
James – I am glad you like the phrase ‘to be in awe of someone/something’. I find myself using it a lot about Isabel. People tend to be in awe of someone or something when they are experiencing something for the first time/when they see something wondrous/when they admire something/someone. Yes, you can say you are in awe of me if you like. It is a very flattering thing to say. :) But I am curious - why are you in awe of me?! Photos/pictures can be used interchangeably.
Guzin – Yes, Isabel has started talking but has a limited vocabulary at the moment. Yes, we are trying to raise her to be bilingual but the majority of her productive vocabulary at the moment is English.
Christine and Robert – sorry you are feeling the cold. Yes, we do have nice warm temperatures in Sri Lanka. It is about 28 degrees Celsius on average at the moment.
Dusan and everyone– yes, I have used a lot of tenses in this post. Is this usual? Let’s keep a regular track of tense variety in my posts and our own writing. It is important to use a variety of structures to make our writing more interesting - that is unless of course we are great literary giants who can get away with only using one or two tenses in a whole passage/chapter. Can you think of any writers who do this?
Naheed – I will bring my father to you just as soon as he arrives and gets over his jet lag. :) I am eagerly awaiting his arrival tomorrow morning.
Well, good night all. I am off to eat dinner now which will be a combination of the leftovers from the Thai lunch we had and some steamed rice and veggies.
Please keep up with the strong start you have all made to the new year with your blogging.
Speak to you soon,
Helen
Tenses used and functions in last post
Ewa did really well here so I am going to quote most of her examples:
1. Past Simple to show a completed action at a particular point in the past
E.g. How did you spend your New Year’s Eve?
2. Present Simple which we use when we talk about things which are factual, or happen repeatedly
E.g. What do you do? /Here she is with Santa Claus
3. Future Simple to indicate a decision made at the time of writing/speaking
E.g. I will give you...
4. Present Perfect simple – in this case to describe a state that began in the past but is still true. (unfinished past)
E.g. We have been here since August 2008
5. Present Perfect continuous to connect the past and present activity
E.g. How long have you been blogging?
6. Past Continuous which we use when we are in the middle of the action at the certain time
E.g. Were you partying...?
7. Present Continuous in this case for future arrangements:
E.g. My father is coming...
Today’s challenge
Try to suggest alternatives for these extracts from Marcos’ posts and explain your choice of structure/correction:
1. And I never forgot the flag of your country…
2. When I saw you are from Sri Lanka immediately came on my mind: "the country of the little lion".
3. I wish that you help me to write this blog during this month.
4. I am 31 years-old..
5. I am doing Master’s Degree
6. Since the first class I enjoy this language.
Comments
Hi Helen! I’ve been thinking your question over and I am ready to answer it. Firstly, What I/we want from you is to go into detail of some incorrect sentences from a student blogger and correct or suggest alternative sentences, vocabularies or so on. I love today’s your entry because you point to and give clear advice what Marcos needs or thinks when he writes in English. It is as clear as a bell for me and I’ll learn from you a lot. Secondly, how I do with the this blog is I always record certain words and expressions from teacher’s blogger and try to use as much as I can. Lastly, I think myself as a risk taker. The reason why is that I keep sending my comments which have a lot of perpetual mistakes. I spend time studying alone and try to take English lessons if any chance comes along. to get down to homework, I’ll try my best.1 and I’ve never forgot the lag of your country.. Present Perfect simple – in this case to describe a state that began in the past but is still true.2.when I saw/read you are from Sri Lanka the country of the little lion came to mind- Past Simple to show a completed action at a particular point in the past 3.I hope that you will help me to improve my writing in English during this month.4.I am 31 year old-ejective 5.i have been doing /studying Master’s Degree.- Present Perfect continuous to connect the past and present activity.6. Since the first class I enjoyed the language.-past simple. Thanks xx
Hi Helen! I characterize myself as a mix of all the kinds of learner you mention. I mean, I mainly browse this site because I want to go over my English and learn new vocabularies . I have a Word file where I gather up every new word or expression from the blog and as for the other sections of the site, now that I have broadband I no longer save them. I just copy and past the link of the pages to the famous file and I tag it. Yes, I am kind of a risk taker because I tend to use some "posh" vocabularies. My professor used to tell me that my writing was a bit sloppy, but to my defence, I have to say that I have never been used to write many papers in English. About the blogger teacher, I like the fact that he or she is willing to share his/her life with us. He/she should be caring, supportive and hilarious. Do not worry Helen, you and most of the previous blogger teachers have these skills. Talk to you soon!!
Hi Hellen. I'm gonna try to answer the questions you ask. What I do with the blog is simply read it. Since I begun my learning of the language I decided that I didn't want to memorise anything but to learn the words by reading them again and again. Besides I'm learning only for fun and I wouldn't want to hate it. I'm a slow learner. I really don't know what I want from you. Sometimes I've thought that you try very hard on us, but as the time goes by I'm liking your blog more and more. And now I'll give a go at the challenge. 1. And I've never forgotten the flag of your Country (It's still true now). 2. When I saw you were from Sri Lanka immediately came to my mind: "the Country of the little lion". 3. I'd like your help for me to write the blog during this month. 4. I'm 31 (more informal) 5. I'm studying for a master's degree in ... 6. From the beginning I've enjoyed this language. "And I can tell the same about me." And that's all for today. See you soon.
Hi, Helen you make me think that I am not studying as I could, but honestly I took this blog as an entertainment more than a way of learning. I try not to forget what I learnt before but nowadays it is difficult for me to analize each post word to word, downloading, etc. This time I will do the challenge of the sentences: 1- And I will never forget the flag of your country 2) When I saw that you are from Sri Lanka, immediately came to my mind ... 3) I'd like you to help me in writing this blog 4) I am 31 years old 5) I am doing a Master Degree 6) Since the first class I took, I enyojed this language
Dear Helen! You are not alone pondering about the blog and how it has contribute to our learning. You may not be disapointed in my refusal to do a serious work on gramma. As you see it takes me again and again to look at this space. It has been the main resource of all my learning for more than two years after all. By the time I have won not only friends around the world, chatted more than in real life with such wonderful teachers but I managed, in my age, to tricke over my bad memory at remembering new words. That was almost impossible for me befor, I could read a little but to create a sentence failed at any attempt to use appropriate word. Now, I´ve just finished (not alone I see) Animal farm, recommended, it is a year yet, by Trudi Faulkner Petrova. The book I started to read years ago and reached to about twenty pages and failed at looking to the dictionary again and again. Yes, I uesd to do copies of blogs and work with them but now I developed to write in my comments spontaneously without any preparations.PS:if you are curious I´ll be 5I soon. I liked the most picture of you both with Isabel!
Hi Helen I am retired teacher. I worked as a teacher for nearly 10 years.Before being retired, the last ten years I worked for distance education, one part of my work is to educate the teachers through tv programmes.You are right we learn different methods.Everybody can learn but the most important thing is to know for students how to learn and we, all teachers have to know how to teach.Prepearing effective teaching and learning tools is very difficult by using different methods. We tried to show a few sample educational tools based on the theory of multipli intelligences through tv programme.But at that time, The teachers complaint they couldn't find different plays or methods. Later we noticed the students could do easily If the students are lead very well. There are many things to say..Actually many methods are used in kindergartens. The children are educated without noticing by drawings, singing, dancing, role play and the like.. The same thing can be done upper levels..Maybe It is done. I was retired four years ago. Came today's challenge, 1. I have never ever forgotten 2.As soon as I saw you are from Sri Lanka came on my mind the country of the little lion 3/4. I am 31 years old and doing master degree 5.I have enjoyed this language since the first class. By for now. :))
Hello Helen! Very interesting the point wich you explain about the vocabulary of you daughter. I ever wanted to know how is to teach a child to become bilingual. Is it at natural way or are you doing a struggle to get her a english vocabulary? Is the english the first language in your home? If your husband talk to your daughter in his language does she understand what he is saying? Those are my not-so-complicated questions to you at this time. I would like too much if you answered! Bye!
Hi teacher! I tried to answer the first challenge and I published it in the student blog. I did not see the answers until now. I'm seeing I forgot to include the "Present Perfect Simple". In a previous version of this post, I made a confusion taking a conditional form as a tense. About the kind of learner I am, I try to mix the style of the autors that I read with my style to write in Portuguese. I use this blog as a tool to study English. Sometimes I see a new expression or a interesting subject... so I look for new things on this language related to those that I saw reading the blogs. In other times, I just read the Student Blog. I read 4 or 5 entries from the previous bloggers. It is nice to see their evolution as time goes by (I hope improve writing as my colleagues before me). But I'm sure that I can take more from this. What would you do if you were a student? Thank you. Bye!!!
Hello Helen! I think you’ve set very fair questions about blogging. As for me, dialog is the most interesting and catching. Without conversation blogging becomes less attractive. Of course, I’m looking for both useful and contemporary expressions, many of them had been already written to my notebook. Some of mentioned phrases I’m rereading and repeating simultaneously with morning exercises but not only. I discovered blogging about year ago. In my opinion every teacher has his own fingerprint, if I dare say. To tell the truth that’s why I may or may not be encouraged to write comments. What I’m expecting from ideal teacher is keeping a reasonable balance between tasking, answering, correcting mistakes. Apart from that I’m gonna become more acquainted with foreign countries and cultures. Thank you for your not easy but fruitful job.
Hi Helen, As you noted first I download and save your blog then I go through the blog first after wards I read with much more intention of learning. Finally with the aim of giving comments and complete the challenge . I try to learn new words and phrases when I read second and third and much more times. But I find it difficult to use the new words and phrases when I have come across. Here is the question of risk taking has aroused. When I make comment I get confident to write in English. Still I don’t take risk to write using new words and phrases to show better English. Am I right?
Hi Helen again When I read my comment I saw there is nothing about your questions. I want to say a few things on them. I like reading all entries about the life, culture,.. and contacting the community all over the world. It is a privelege. I don't want to be a student and feel like a student.When I discovered the website 8 months ago I like english more than asusual. Visiting blogs is the part of my daily routine. I want english to be as part of my life as hobby not a lesson. My expectation is that: less homework, more motivation to write about interesting things and discussing about them. Surely by using new vocabulary, phareses, expressions and idioms. I believe I can improve my english by imitating others.Thank you very much Helen. :)))
Hello teacher, this blog is one of the best I've ever seen on the internet. Ever since I came to know about it I've never stopped visiting it and trying to be more and more participative. I have used it in different ways, according to the teachers that guided us. Some of them gave more emphazis to vocabulary, others to grammar, some liked the exercises, others not so much. And all of them were really wonderful, as you are as well. And my way to deal with the blog have also changed in time. Sometimes I liked to write down words and expressions, sometimes I just interacted. I liked very much this entry's way of dealing with the language, by picking out some parts of the blog and explaining how we could make it better. Also the challenge you proposed is very nice. We get a chance to think of the language and the mistakes we make. Another important thing I expect from the blog is to give us expressions and ways to make our speech more natural. I like it when you pick out a sentence and say: "that's not the way a native speaker would put it" . And I like it when you give us the chance to clear out some doubt we have. Well, thinking of all that I guess we've all been doing this all this time. What do you think? I hope, after you read all our comments you write an entry giving us some tips from the conclusions you got from all this. Thank you for being so commited and caring. See you soon, Mauricio.
Hello Helen, I try to describe what kind of learner I'm and what I expect of you and this blog. I have to admit, that grammar isn't so important for me, although I know language will not work without grammar. I'm interested in the person, his/hers imagination/ way of live/ family/ hobbies/country/rituals/ profession etc. and I love photos, so it is easier for me to have a imagination about someone. When I read this blog I improve my English skills, because I remember special phrases, for excample: " I'm out and about" ( from the teacher Simon).It's always in my mind. I'm satisfy with such little improvement and I know, that I'm not very ambitious, but I like the English language and that's important for me. I learn without any pressure.Sometimes I use the challenge you give us, but not always. Writing this comment, I do it by thinking English. And I like to get knowledge about different people round the world.I don't know if I'm a risktaker or not, but I'll do my very best ( this phrase is from " Dinner for One" Do you know it?)Now it's enough for today.Greetings from frosty Germany. So long...
Hi Helen! The weather is a bit crazy ove here. Yesterday the tempearture was 10°C and we´re in the summer! Can you beleive that?!Anyway, I guess Marcos is enjoying the sunny days in the Northeast of our country :-). Well, I record some words and expressions from the blogs and I pay attetion to the teacher´s writing style, higlighting which preposition combined with a word or expression. After that, I try to be plucky enough to use these expressions and new words in my writing. Ok, I´ll have a go in the homework: 1. And I´d never forget the flag of your country… 2. When I saw you were from Sri Lanka what immediately came to my mind was "the country of the little lion". 3. I hope you can help me to write this blog during this month. 4. I am 31 year-old. 5. I am studying for my Master Degree. 6. I´ve been enjoying to learn this language since the first class. See you soon, Ana Paula.
Hi Helen! It´s me again. Could you please tell if it´s possible to use 'but' and 'though' in the same sentence. I thank you in advance. Ana Paula.
Hi Hellen!It is my homework: 1.I've never forgotten the flag of your country... 2.When I saw you are in Sri Lanka immediately came on my mind!"the country of little lion". 3I wish help me to write this blog during this month. 4.I am 31 years old. 5.I am studying for a Master's Degree. 6.I have enjoyed this language since the first class. Best regards!Waldek.
Hi Hellen, I read your blog and found interesting. You have raised the correct question about this blogging. What I do is I take a note words, expressions and sometimes sentences as well when they touch me. I have also printed out some blogs,which are long so that I can read them at home and understand. Now, I would like to go through the challange. - and I have never forgot the flag of your country -When I saw/knew that you are from Srilanka, "the country of little lion" came in my mind immidiately. - I wish you will help me to write this blog during this month. - I am 31 years old. -I am doing Masters degree. - I have enjoyed this class since the first class. I am also a learner. I have tried my best. Regards
Dear Helen, This is my first post since you are here.I feel lucky that we could have you here to share your experience with us. And also your posts showed that you are a very resposibly teacher.You give us new challenges very day and you are very enthusiastic about correcting our mistakes. Now, it's homework time: 1. And I never forgot the flag of your country… <I always remember the flag of your country> 2. When I saw you are from Sri Lanka immediately came on my mind: "the country of the little lion". <At the time I knew that you are from Sri Lanka, the first thing came in my mind is "the country of the little lion"> 3. I wish that you help me to write this blog during this month. <I hope you could help me with this blog during this month.> 4. I am 31 years-old.. <I am 31 years old.> 5. I am doing Master’s Degree <I am doing a Master Degree> 6. Since the first class I enjoy this language. <Since the first class, I enjoyed learning this language.> I am not sure about them, but I tried my best. May I ask you two questions,Helen? What is the difference between until and before? What is the difference between until and by? I appreciate it if you explain these two questions to us. Thank you.
Hi Helen, in your privious blog you have said "Read as much as possible and as widely as possible" and this blog is one of the tools I read and write (not too often) and try to use to compare my way of writing and to pick up every useful words and expression. All this is possible because there is a theacher who give the blog a real value of accuracy, professionality. I mean that this is not the solution for those who want to learn english, and yet i think it is a great opportunity to practice and use it. Get involved in writing our ideas and feelings and get real feed back to assess our proficiency are ,in my opinion, important facets that all the student bloggers want to experiment and that is what I would like from you as a teacher. Finally a question about vocabulary: I'm used to write new word, idioms, expression in a file into Personal computer, but I haven't found the way to rightly classify them, could you please tell me some tips ? bye for now
Hi Helen, I came to know from you first time that even in the language learning the students should ready to take risk to improve the language. How could you expect the students to take risks if they are in the basic level? Once they know that they are using it correctly they can go for the next level with much risk. Teachers always expect students to follow their instructions and guidance. They want them to complete their home work/tasks/challenges on time. If they found that the students were struggling to complete it they will give them helping hand to finish it successfully. As you suggested Marcos to take risks, you and others are ready to help him to overcome his fear. 1.and I have never forgotten the flag of your country.2.when I saw you are in Sri Lanka it came to my mind immediately: the little lion of the country. 3. I wish you should help me to write this month.4.I am 31year old.5.I am doing master degree.6.I have been enjoying this language since my first standard.
Dear Helen, How are you doing?.I sent a comment to your last blog,but it didn't show up there, might be it was too late for that blog. Wow! What a wonderful blog. It was very constrctive and demanding. Everyone was facinated by your last blog. the ways you asked from Marco/students were challenging. It was a waking call for me to disipline myself to set up a time and method to study atleast three days in a week. To be honest with you, I have self motivation to improve my knowlege in english but my work and family things consuming big part of a day. Helen, You have a good talent to interact your virtual students. As you have written,now on I would like to be risk taker to write whatever in my mind. Sometimes for me, it takes one hour to write a comment. Now I a going to do the last blog home work. 1)I have neve forgot the flag of your country.2)When I knew you are from Sri lanka, "the contry of lion" came up my mind immediately.3)I wish that you could help me write this month. 4)I am doing a Master degree in electrical engineering.5) I have been enjoying this language class since the first day. Thank you.
Hi Helen, I've arrived late to the challenge, but when I read your post an idea came to my mind. You've spoken about "what kind of learner you are". Visual and kinaesthetic learners are in disadvantage because visual conditions of the screens are bad (isn’t the same to read a book than to read an e-book) and if we think in a kinaesthetic person “dancing” if front of the screen could be a bit ridiculous and uncomfortable. Perhaps, by all these questions I’ve realised that I only catch really good the ideas when I rewrite in my notebook. I have a little notebook (DIN A6) for rewrite the vocabulary with its chunks and some example of collocations. For assimilating concepts and ideas is necessary to see and to do, it means to read and rewrite. Once you have seen and done you can understand. What do you think? What are you little secrets? See you, Toni
Hi Helen, My name is Rabail and I have recently joined student blog. I am originally from Pakistan but I have been living in the UK for quite some time. On teacher blog I was reading your suggestions to Marcos’ posts and found them very interesting. I think this is the best way to improve written English. My English is not very fluent but I will give my alternatives for Marcos’ post anyway. The way I would write these sentences would be: 1. I still remember the flag of your country. 2. When I first found out that you are from Sari Lanka, the phrase “the country of the little lion” immediately came to my mind. 3. I am hoping that during this month you will help me to perform my duty as a student blog as best as possible. 4. I am 31 years of age. 5. I am currently studying Master in this subject. 6. English has been my favourite subject since my first year in school. It was quite a challenge for me to put Marcos’ words into my own words and I will tell you that it took me a long time to think of alternative words. The main thing is that I enjoyed it and it made me realise to work more on my vocabulary. Even though I was able to write alternatives to Marcos’ sentences, I am not sure why I chose these sentences. Since I have recently joined this blog, I am not sure whether students are allowed to post their comments on teacher blog. I apologise if wasn’t suppose to write on this blog. Best wishes Rabail UK
Hi Helen, To submit a right question is a great contribution to the world. You have done it. What do the readers want from the BBCLE student and teacher bloggers? It's a right question. The readers demand are quite variety. And it is a subject of dissertation as well. To me, I read both blog entries and comments of student and teacher. I only read them, and recheck it if I forgot something, instead of a falsh card or somthing like that. What I want from the BBCLE blog? It is a correction which could lead me to a native English speaker's English. Every time I write a comment, no matter it is long or short, I have no idea which sentence or word is wrong or improper? That's really frustrating. Best wishes,James.
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