I'm always trying to find ways to help students remember things more easily. For example, when a student says, "I took a coffee," I remind them that if it goes into the mouth, you "have it". Except for medicine. (They invariably groan at the mention of "exception". ) So yesterday, we were in class and the mistake "drive a motorcycle" was uttered by one of the girls. I stopped and gave them my little trick, "If it's got 2 wheels or 4 legs, you RIDE it." I let it ripple through their brains a bit and asked, "So what other things do you ride?"
Student 1: Horse!
Me: Excellent!
Student 2: Bicycle!
Me: Yes, good!
Student 3: My boyfriend!
I burst out laughing and admitted that yes, she could ride her boyfriend, but she might not want to mention that to his mother. As the other students were catching the drift of the meaning there, they began to giggle, glance at one another and get more excited. It was like a spirit had entered the room, the unstoppable giggle virus, and we all melted into it, succumbed, and couldn't get back to business for a good ten minutes.
I know for a fact they will never ever forget what the verb RIDE means.
25 comments:
So... Do you ride spouse as well? :PP
But how will they ever explain why they giggle every time they use the verb?
You're a great teacher. You're right that they will never forget what the verb ride means. Neither will I for that matter.
It gives a new meaning to the phrase: "My Boss is really riding me!" Hehehe!
See this is why I love learning a language, good times and laughs. Just last night I saw the word baigne and thought it meant "to bathe" The sentence incl the mention of a fleuve, so I thought it was trying to say bathe in the river - a allusion to indian culture...HA. Laughs were on me :-)
The beauty of language!
My Spanish MP3s taught me that 'Permitame presentarme' means "allow me to introduce myself," but warned against saying "permitame introducame" as this is translated as "allow me to insert myself"...
The deadpan, but stern, warning had me in hysterics! But I'll never forget it.
ok, from your post and Dickeys comment, I have wood. Thanks!
So her boyfriend either has 2 wheels or 4 legs. Hmm...strange relationship.
Student #3 sounds like a wildcard!
So funny!
Love this. Giggles here this morning too. It reminds of a news segment a few days ago about China getting ready for the Olympics. Apparently they have had to hire an English language expert to fix all the signage errors around Beijing that have been translated into "funny" English. A couple I can remember are : "Please fall carefully down the hill" posted above a ravine along a hiking path, and "You will never forget swallowing us", a sign outside a big restaurant.
funny, the nuns i had as teachers never used the same teaching methods. pity.
I'm appalled that you teach such filth. You should be ashamed of yourself.
*giggle* her boyfriend ...
:)
I love when French people tell me to "close the light."
I wish I'd had you as an English teacher
Good times. Are these the housewife age students or the college age students?
I love messed up language.
Wait, I just love language.
It's fun when you think about how nonsensical all of the language decisions are at one point.
Somehow, though, taking a coffee sounds like okay to me.
Yoshi,an exchange student from Japan I knew, had a flat tire and complained "Somebody stole the air of of my tire"
We all cracked up.
How funny - now what day are you teaching the verb "lay"? You are a great teacher for taking that and running with it - AND letting your students have some fun at the same time...
What fun.
In Spanish, ones "takes" coffee or soup, or even a meal.
Hey, that would actually be a really good book. A dirty guide to remembering language tricks. No pun intended.
Why is it that a stifled laugh in church or during a class test is the hardest to suppress? And why the hell does it last so long? Are the times that seriousness is needed to concentrate that your brain rebels and makes any double entendre the funniest damn thing you've ever heard? Gots to be the antacids I did in the 70's.
kb
It does my heart good to know you're warping... er, eh, teaching Canadian youths.
LOL....Too cute!
What Doug said!
Mean a lots more sense in the sentence:
"Hey baby, wanna come for a ride ?"
:)
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