Apologies for the title. Sometimes you just cannot do better. You know, it’s funny how I came to think about all of this. Chapter Three of the textbook I’m teaching to the majority of my students is about living situations—where people live, landmarks near their homes, who they live with, how they like it. Really simple stuff, so I ham it up a bit and give a couple of hints as to cultural difference. For example, to the amusement of some students I explained why a man perhaps oughtn’t ask a lady he doesn’t know well a question like, “Do …

I’m off to give a test to my class. It’s the first test for this Freshman screen English class where nobody speaks more than few words of English, it takes a team effort to translate a phrase like “Next week,” and the students have trouble following the video. The test is fair, but I suspect they’re going to have a lot of trouble with it. Here’s hoping I’m underestimating their level. (But in the end, I did warn them that the class would be difficult.) I hope leveling limits are applied next semester when students register for classes. UPDATE: Well, …

Well, I’ve been shooting mainly black & white images for a month or more, now, and I’ve gotten some shots which I actually like. So I decided to do a little sprucing up around here, and I’ve uploaded 20 new banners. Though I’ve put them on high rotation, they may not all show up for a while, so for your viewing pleasure, I’m including links to all of the new ones for you to check out. As usual, if there’s one you like a lot, or dislike, or take offense from, the comments function is here for a reason. Some …

It’s freezing cold, which has put me in a so-so mood. The last few weeks, I’ve carefully told each class, at the beginning of class, that their number-one homework was to practice English together. Two hours of practice are absolutely crucial homework, and necessary for them to do if they want to get better than an F. This isn’t vindictiveness on my part, either; I have nothing against my students, I just have expectations of them. This is a University, after all. They are enrolled in an English class, after all. So when I asked, “Who practiced? Did you practice?” …