Spoken English to Non English Medium Students

S.Singaravelu   Sat Sep 22, 2007 4:22 pm GMT
Dear Guest,
I have been teaching Spoken English though by profession I am a Marine Engineer working in a world-wide shipping company.During vacation I poke my nose into teaching.I never said I teach Queen's English which I myself do not know.I teach only what is required to run the show.Even the age old famous News papers change their style of writing,columnists are out of their job.Nobody has time to read the paper like you and me in those days.Life is very fast and guys are working against the clock.Communication should be sharp and crisp.

"Pot calls the kettle black" an adage goes like this.Why don't you go back to your messages and repent.Without looking at your palm I have read your lines.I do not go in depth to spoil your ego.

What I do in my satisfied life is lighting the fire to get rid of darkness.
I am just teach driving to manage road rules not to participate in a formula race.

Every language including english has lost its identity and changes as per situation.
You yourself accept the computer spelling "programe" forgetting the severe punishment you received during your school days for leaving one 'm'.
Instead of pointing a finger (three other fingers point at you)at somebody try to do something CONSTRUCTIVE for the society.
Guest   Sat Sep 22, 2007 4:53 pm GMT
<<You yourself accept the computer spelling "programe" forgetting the severe punishment you received during your school days for leaving one 'm'. >>

English native speakers use "programme" or "program", not "programe"...

We all know how many people use English incorrectly, also use slang and don't know how to spell. Yes, many are natives, however most aren't, and use it wrongly because they don't know better.

Will you be able to communicate? For sure. Is your English (I don't mean you exactly) something to be proud of, is it correct? Probably not.

The point is, if you are teaching English, you should teach it properly. It is better to know little English, but to know it well (as in any language ?), than pretending you are fluent when you are not; this way you will have solid knowledge foundations where you can build upon.
Everyone is always learning, including native people.
Guest   Sat Sep 22, 2007 4:54 pm GMT
<<Spoken English to Non English Medium Students>>

Are "Medium Students" kids who are halfway through schooling (6th to 8th year, perhaps), or students who are at an intermediate level of English, or are they something else entirely?
Guest   Sat Sep 22, 2007 5:03 pm GMT
<<<<Spoken English to Non English Medium Students>>

Are "Medium Students" kids who are halfway through schooling (6th to 8th year, perhaps), or students who are at an intermediate level of English, or are they something else entirely?>>

I understood he teaches those who are not entirely bad students, but medium students who are willing to learn?? I may be wrong...
Guest   Sat Sep 22, 2007 5:04 pm GMT
<<The point is, if you are teaching English, you should teach it properly. It is better to know little English, but to know it well (as in any language ?), >>

I suppose if Mr. S.Singaravelu is teaching English as a part-time volunteer during vacations, and only to poor kids (presumably for free), there's no harm doing it.


<<"Pot calls the kettle black" an adage goes like this.Why don't you go back to your messages and repent.Without looking at your palm I have read your lines.I do not go in depth to spoil your ego.>>

Just out of curiosity, please do point out any grammatical errors in my prior posts (other than "riod to", which should be "rid of"). Remember that I'm writing in GAE, which is certainly not the Queen's English (RP?), and might not be acceptable in India.
Guest   Sat Sep 22, 2007 5:18 pm GMT
<<I suppose if Mr. S.Singaravelu is teaching English as a part-time volunteer during vacations, and only to poor kids (presumably for free), there's no harm doing it. >>

I didn't mean he was causing any harm!
I was just saying that it could be better aiming to master the English basics in 15 days rather than the language itself.

There is no point in having a large vocabulary if you don't know how to use it properly, right?
In the long run, it will be harder for the kids to correct any mistakes, and to understand why it is wrong.
S.Singaravelu   Sun Sep 23, 2007 4:08 am GMT
I am not disgusted with my guest who is tempted to criticize anything under the sun. Your lecture on perfection won't work nowadays. Even schools have changed their pattern of teaching structural grammar. My association with Europeans,Philipinoes,Srilankans,Russsians,Africans etc;for the past 26 years of sea life has divulged that a simple Spoken English will do the business. We need business with less talk. Instead of asking somebody "Can you please direct me to airport?" and wasting his time, it is better to ask him "Way to airport, please".
The ground reality is entirely different from what you think. By and large we don't master our own mother-tongue and if you emphasize too much on perfection then students will lose interest in learning a language. Generally languages have adapted some changes to survive. To do calculations calculator is there, to do spelling correction computer helps you-just remember what punishment you got from your teacher for misspelling. To substantiate my claim I furnish an anecdote.
A Tamil movie music director was asked why he composed music with the help of computers instead of using skilled musicians. His reply was when there was a motorboat to cross a river why he should swim.
My humble suggestion to you is 'change yourself ' Here nothing is perfect .Just 'use and throw' life-style is gathering momentum.
S.Singaravelu   Sun Sep 23, 2007 4:52 am GMT
Yellow House 1:QuestionSentences
with 'who,what,how,where,when,why' and 'NOT'.

Just insert 'NOT' after I, He,She,It,That, You,We,They,These,Those.


present.....past........future......who..what.where.when.how.why

Why Am I........Was I.......Will I be...................here?........................


How Is he........Was he....Will he be.................................nice?.........
Why Is she......Was she...Will she be...............................good?.......
Why Is it.........Was it.......Will it be..................................nice?.......
How Is that.....Was that...Will that be....a joke?...............................

Why Are you....Were you...Will you be..............there?.......................
Why Are we......Were we.....Will we be...............there?......................
Why Are they....Were they..Will they be.............there?......................
Why Are these...Were these..Will these be.........there?......................
Why Are those...Were those..Will those be........there?......................


Guide Lines;

1.Proceed from left to right.
2.Select interogative term.
3.Select tense and subject.
4Say what you wish to say.
S.Singaravelu   Sun Sep 23, 2007 5:10 am GMT
Still you are in Yellow House 1.


Let us see a conversation in a family.

Father..........F
Mother.........M
Son.............S
Daughter......D


Father(F) talks to Mother(M).

Father.....................F.......I
Mother....................M......You
Son........................S.......He
Daughter................D.......She
Father&Mother........F&M....We
Son&daughter........S&D....They


subject.....present.....past.....future....who..what..where..when..how..why

I(F).............am........was.......will be......................here.........................

He(S)
She(D)........is..........was......can be........................................nice.........
It
That

You(M)
We(F&M)
They(S&D)...are........were......may be........................at eight p.m..........
These
Those
Guest   Sun Sep 23, 2007 5:16 am GMT
Still you are in Yellow House 1.


Let us see a conversation in a family.

Father..........F
Mother.........M
Son.............S
Daughter......D


Mother(M) talks to Father(F).

Father.....................F........You
Mother....................M.......I
Son........................S.......He
Daughter................D.......She
Mother&Father........M&F....We
Son&daughter........S&D....They


subject.....present.....past.....future....who..what..where..when..how..why

I(M).............am........was.......will be......................here........................

He(S)
She(D)........is..........was......can be........................................nice.........
It
That

You(F)
We(M&F)
They(S&D)...are........were......may be........................at eight p.m..........
These
Those
Guest   Sun Sep 23, 2007 5:21 am GMT
<<Instead of asking somebody "Can you please direct me to airport?" and wasting his time, it is better to ask him "Way to airport, please". >>

That may get you through life, but not through higher places, if you know what I mean. Successful/ respected people today are skilled and confident communicators who aren't afraid of wasting other people's time.


<<My humble suggestion to you is 'change yourself '>>

Do you call that humble?
My "lecture on perfection" is based on my own view and experience of the world; clearly our cultures are very different.
I will refrain of saying anything else because I believe you are trying to do a good thing for the children, in a way you find it is good.
S.Singaravelu   Sun Sep 23, 2007 5:24 am GMT
Still you are in Yellow House 1.


Let us see a conversation in a family.

Father..........F
Mother.........M
Son.............S
Daughter......D


Son(S) talks to Mother(M).

Father.....................F........He
Mother....................M.......You
Son........................S........I
Daughter................D.......She
Son&Mother...........S&M....We
Father&daughter.....F&D....They


subject.....present.....past.....future....who..what..where..when..how..why

I(S)............am........was.......will be......................here........................

He(F)
She(D)........is..........was......can be........................................nice.........
It
That

You(M)
We(S&M)
They(F&D)...are........were......may be........................at eight p.m..........
These
Those


Exercise;
Let Father talk to Son,Daugter
Let Mother talk to Son,Daughter
Let Son talk to Father,Daughter
Let Daughter talk to Father,Mother,son.

Complete the tabular column.
S.Singaravelu   Sun Sep 23, 2007 11:11 am GMT
Let us see a conversation in a family.

Yellow House 1: Question Sentences.

Father..........F
Mother.........M
Son.............S
Daughter......D


Father(F) ASKS Mother(M).

Father.....................F.......I
Mother....................M......You
Son........................S.......He
Daughter................D.......She
Father&Mother........F&M....We
Son&daughter........S&D....They



Father(F) ASKS Mother(M),

present.....past........future......who..what.where.when.how.why

(F)..........Am I........Was I.......Will I be...................here?.......................

(S)..........Is he........Was he....Will he be.................................nice?.......
(D)..........Is she......Was she...Will she be...............................good?.....
Is it.........Was it.......Will it be................................. lucky?....
Is that.....Was that...Will that be....a joke?.............................

(M)......... Are you....Were you...Will you be..............there?....................
(F&M)......Are we......Were we.....Will we be...............there?....................
(S&D)......Are they....Were they..Will they be.............there?...................
Are these...Were these..Will these be..........there?..................
Are those...Were those..Will those be.........there?..................



Mother(M) REPLIES to Father(F).

There are two replies with 'Yes' or 'No'

Father.....................F........You
Mother....................M.......I
Son........................S.......He
Daughter................D.......She
Mother&Father........M&F....We
Son&daughter........S&D....They


Mother Replies to Father.


YES,
subject.....present.....past.....future.who.what.where.when.how.why

(M)......I.............am.........was.......will be..................here......................

(S)......He...........is...........was.......will be.................................nice?......
(D).....She..........is...........was.......will be.................................good?....
..........It.............is...........was.......will be.................................lucky?...
.........That..........is...........was.......will be......a joke?............................

(F).....You..........are..........were......will be..............there?.....................
(M&F).We..........are..........were......will be..............there?.....................
(S&D).They........are..........were......will be..............there?.....................
.........These ......are..........were......will be..............there?......................
.........Those.......are..........were......will be..............there?.................... .

(OR)

Mother Replies to Father.

NO,
subject..present.....past........future.who.what.where.when.how.why

(M)......I.......am not.....was not.....will not be..........here.........................

(S)......He.....is not.......was not.....will not be...........................nice?......
(D).....She....is not.......was not.....will not be...........................good?....
..........It.......is not.......was not.....will not be...........................lucky?....
.........That....is not.......was not.....will not be..a joke?........................

(F).....You....are not......were not....will not be........there?......................
(M&F).We.....are not......were not....will not be........there?.....................
(S&D).They..are not......were not....will not be........there?......................
.........These..are not......were not....will not be........there?.....................
.........Those..are not......were not....will not be........there?....................
S.Singaravelu   Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:00 pm GMT
What we have seen in Yellow House 1.

PRESENT

I - group

...........I....am.............rich.
...........I....am...not.....rich.
.........Am....I..............rich?
.........Am....I.....not....rich?
How...am....I..............rich?
How...am....I......not...rich?


He,She,It,That - group.

..........He....is................rich.
..........He....is......not.....rich.
..........Is.....he..............rich?
..........Is.....he.....not....rich?
How....is.....he..............rich?
How....is.....he......not...rich?


We,You,They,These,Those - group.

..........We.....are................rich.
..........We.....are......not.....rich.
..........Are.....we................rich?
..........Are.....we......not.....rich?
How....are.....we................rich?
How....are.....we......not.....rich?


Yellow House 1.

PAST

I - group

...........I.....was.............rich.
...........I.....was...not.....rich.
.........Was....I...............rich?
.........Was....I.....not.....rich?
How...was.....I...............rich?
How...was.....I.....not.....rich?


He,She,It,That - group.

..........He.......was................rich.
..........He.......was......not.....rich.
..........Was.....he.................rich?
..........Was.....he.......not.....rich?
How....was......he.................rich?
How....was......he......not......rich?


We,You,They,These,Those - group.

..........We........were................rich.
..........We........were......not.....rich.
..........Were.....we...................rich?
..........Were.....we.........not.....rich?
How....were......we...................rich?
How....were......we.........not.....rich?


Yellow House 1.

FUTURE - Will,Shall,Can,May,Must

I - group

...........I....can..............be......rich.
...........I....can....not.....be......rich.
.........Can....I................be......rich?
.........Can....I.....not.... be......rich?
How...can.....I................be......rich?
How...can.....I......not.....be......rich?


He,She,It,That - group.

..........He....can.................be......rich.
..........He....can....not........be......rich.
.........Can....he.................be......rich?
.........Can....he.....not.......be......rich?
How...can.....he................be......rich?
How...can.....he......not.....be......rich?


We,You,They,These,Those - group.

..........We....can.................be......rich.
..........We....can....not........be......rich.
.........Can....we..................be......rich?
.........Can....we.....not........be......rich?
How...can.....we.................be......rich?
How...can.....we......not......be......rich?
S.Singaravelu   Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:45 pm GMT
Now we can visit Blue House 2 directly from Yellow House 1.
Blue House 2 is our Continuous Actions.
Just replace 'rich' by 'verb+ing' then you are going from Yellow House 1 to Blue House 2.For example 'Go+ing' fits in like this.

Blue House 2

PRESENT

I - group

...........I....am.............going.
...........I....am...not.....going.
.........Am....I..............going?
.........Am....I.....not....going?
How...am....I..............going?
How...am....I......not...going?


He,She,It,That - group.

..........He....is................going.
..........He....is......not.....going.
..........Is.....he..............going?
..........Is.....he.....not....going?
How....is.....he..............going?
How....is.....he......not...going?


We,You,They,These,Those - group.

..........We.....are................going.
..........We.....are......not.....going.
..........Are.....we................going?
..........Are.....we......not.....going?
How....are.....we................going?
How....are.....we......not.....going?


Yellow House 1.

PAST

I - group

...........I.....was.............going.
...........I.....was...not.....going.
.........Was....I...............going?
.........Was....I.....not.....going?
How...was.....I...............going?
How...was.....I.....not.....going?


He,She,It,That - group.

..........He.......was................going.
..........He.......was......not.....going.
..........Was.....he.................going?
..........Was.....he.......not.....going?
How....was......he.................going?
How....was......he......not......going?


We,You,They,These,Those - group.

..........We........were................going.
..........We........were......not.....going.
..........Were.....we...................going?
..........Were.....we.........not.....going?
How....were......we...................going?
How....were......we.........not.....going?


Yellow House 1.

FUTURE - Will,Shall,Can,May,Must

I - group

...........I....can..............be......going.
...........I....can....not.....be......going.
.........Can....I................be......going?
.........Can....I.....not.... be......going?
How...can.....I................be......going?
How...can.....I......not.....be......going?


He,She,It,That - group.

..........He....can.................be......going.
..........He....can....not........be......going.
.........Can....he.................be......going?
.........Can....he.....not.......be......going?
How...can.....he................be......going?
How...can.....he......not.....be......going?


We,You,They,These,Those - group.

..........We....can.................be......going.
..........We....can....not........be......going.
.........Can....we..................be......going?
.........Can....we.....not........be......going?
How...can.....we.................be......going?
How...can.....we......not......be......going?


So Yellow House 1 and Blue House 2 use same Auxliary Verbs.