EnglishisEasy/Elinglésesfácil

(In the middle of a class) Me: Well, in English there are also the Phrasal verbs Student A: Phrasal verbs? What’s that, Mister? Me: See, in Spanish we only have one way to express an action: with one word. In English there are those, but you can also express actions with two words. For instance, RETURNAR. In English you can say RETURN and also COME BACK, a phrasal verb. See? Two possible ways to say the same, in Spanish, we can only say RETORNAR. Student B: Oiga, Mister, pero también se puede decir REGRESAR. ( you can also say REGRESAR ) Me: Yes, well that’s a synonym… Student C: And you can also say VOLVER. Ya son dos ( that makes two ). Me: Yes, class, but remember: there are more options in English… Student D: And let’s not forget ESTAR DE VUELTA! Student E: ¡Y para ese usamos tres palabras! ( and for that we use three words!) Student F: O sea que con ese le ganamos al inglés! ( so, with that one we beat English! ) All students: Yeah! Bien!

BTW, this is not that group Years ago, I had this group to whom I had to teach Basic English. One day I had prepared a multiple-choice quiz the day before and told my students to study hard. Most of them did, but one did not completely. T: Ok class, please begin. (after a little while...)  R: Mister, excuse me. T: Please R, don't call me mister. And what do you need? R: Mister...eh...teacher.  La número tres está difícil. (Number three is hard) I took a look. In this exercise all they had to do was to respond to the phrase  Thank you!  and they were given three choices ...  a. See you b. You're welcome. c. Fine, thanks. d. Hello there . As you can see it couldn´t be simpler. T: But if it is the easiest in this quiz. R: Mister, no sé, de veras, creo que tengo un bloqueo mental. ( Mister, I don't know, really, I think I have a mental block ). T: I'm sorry, R. I cannot help you. It's a quiz and you should do it without my help. ...

Well, this happened while introducing  the topic of Art, in  particular that from other cultures. A Mandala is a special piece of art made of sand which also has a spiritual meaning. It is not well -known in Ecuador so I was surprised when one of my students, E, claimed he knew what it was. T: OK class, today we're talking about a very unusual form of art called Mandala... E: Excuse me, teacher? Mandala? T: Yes, E, Mandala.   E: Mister, I know about that. T: About what? A Mandala? E: Yes. I read an entire article. T: Really? So, I suppose you can tell us about it. E: Sure, mister. I can. T: Then go ahead, E.  E: All right, mister. Well, Mandala is from Africa. T: Wait, don't you mean Mandalas are from Africa? E: No, mister. Está bien. Mandala was even president of that country Sudáfrica... South Africa. T: Wait, you're talking about Nelson... E: Nelson Mandala, mister. T: It´s Mandela not Mandala. E: Mandela, Mandala... it's th...

Today I finished a twenty-hour long workshop especially designed for the the IB students of T.A.O. (Teodoro Alvarado Oléas) high school.  TAO Segundo de Bachillerato IB students The IB (International Baccalaureate) is an international organization that aims to help students from all countries to meet the standards required by the most prestigious universities in the world. Ecuador is is no exception and is now part of that large group of nations preoccupied to upgrade the profile of our pupils and is working hard to include students from the government schools. In order to achieve this purpose teachers, and also students, are given constant training.  TAO Tercero de Bachillerato IB students The I.B. department of T.A.O. brought me in to offer training on how to respond to the prompts in Paper 2 of the IB external evaluation and also on the procedures for the Written Assignment in English B Standard level. We focused on how to write editorials, articles, letter...

T: Hello class, today we'll talk about your next exam, the SPEAK test! S1: The SPEAK test... what is that? T: As the name clearly indicates it's an exam that measures your oral skills. S1: Ah! S2: What is the test date? T: In two weeks. S3: That's little time! T: It's more than enough. S4: No, teacher.We don't want that test. T: It's a requirement. S5: What can you tell us about the SPEAK test? T: Well, it only lasts twenty minutes or so. S6: That's a lot! T: No, it isn't. The test will take place in the Computer lab. S7: Will you be there? T: No, another person will. S8: Yeihhh! T: Excuse me? S8: Nothing, it's nothing! T: Well, as I was saying...you will proceed to the lab. There will be a computer assigned to each one of you with a headset ready to use. S9: A head what? T: A headset... S9: Chanfle! T: Don't interrupt, please. You will hear and answer twelve questions. all you have to do is answer the question that you h...

My class is made up by many different types of people.  Some of my students, like C, are extremely polite and considerate and for example they would never leave the room without letting me know first where they are going.  That helps me a lot because all my students are my responsibility despite the fact they are all middle teens and are therefore quite capable to look after themselves.  Others such as E are a big interrogation mark. They are quite unpredictable sometimes so the best thing to do if you have their type in your class is to keep them busy at all times or else…well things happen . C: Teacher… T: Yes? C: I need to go to the restroom. T: I was about to announce something important, C. C: Mister, it’s really urgent. T: Surely, you’re exaggerating. C: No, it´s for real. I need to pee… T: All right C, if you have to go you have to go. Before I could finish C had already left. E: Excuse me mister…eh, teacher. T: Yes, E. What do you wa...

    One day after class... T: G, can you come over here? We need to talk. G: Yes, mister? T: It's about your essay... G: Oh that...did you like it? T: Not really. G: But why not? I spent a lot of time writing that thing. T: Well, It was challenging. G: Challenging? What do you mean? T: It was a challenge trying to understand your handwriting. G: Well, mister, I can do nothing about it. T: Yes, you can. You can type your document. That way I would understand. G: But mister, this way is faster and besides it's good practice for me. T: Good Practice? G, how can this be good practice for anything? G: It's good practice for my future job. T: Future job? What future job? G: Ah, teacher. I'm going to be a doctor! T: A doctor...now, I understand...!

Two things need to be explained in order to understand the following dialog. First, students who are about to finish high school in Ecuador do sometimes internship in companies selected by the schools as a requirement to graduate. Second, the B and V consonants are pronounced with the same sound by most Latin Americans so basically there is no distinction and as a result that can create unexpected word games that are usually lost in translation.  One day at the end of class... L: Mister... T: Yes, L. What do you need? L: Do you remember I am an entern in a company now? T: Entern? Do you mean Intern? L: Yes, that. Well, I was doing some paper work when then my boss called me... T: Your boss? L: Yes, my boss. He called me to his office so I come in afraid it is something serious and then my boss tells me: "What if I kissed you?" T: What? L: So, at first I did not know what to say, but then I responded: "I would hit you!", and he says like: "But w...

Once the bell rings I collect my things to proceed to another classroom and another class. One day, D interrupts me to let me know about something. D: Mister... T: What? I'm leaving D, can we talk some other time? D: Mister, venga vea. T: In English, D, in English. D: Come and see this, mister. T: All right, what is it? D (s miling as though she were a malicious child ): Here, where R is. T: R? What did he do this ti...? ( I stop when I see R profoundly asleep. Somehow R has managed to spend the whole class asleep without me noticing) Oh no, not again. Somebody wake him up, please. There are other kids around us who are there to have fun with the situation. One pushes R briefly but firmly. R opens his eyes to see me standing in front of him. He emits a gasp and stands up all of a sudden. R: ¡Uy, mister! No vaya a pensar mal. T. Easy R and talk to me in English please. R: In English? Yes, yeah...eh...mister, what book are we going to use? the Grammar or t...

Usually after we read in class a short article I ask my students what they think about it. After the customary embarrasing silence F, a boy, is the one who normally answers. After him S, another boy, has something to say as well. Their class is mostly made up by girls who surprisingly prefer to leave the boys the chances to show off. A and M are two of those girls. They all have a good command of English and can easily engage in a conversation if this one doesn't get too technical at some point. I´m aware of that and that is why we talk about topics more connected with every day life than anything else. However, if I am not careful enough the results can be as unexpected as in the dialog below. T: So class, what do you think about the article we just read? F: It says Love can be a problem if it interferes with your studies! T: Well, yes and no. What the author really means is... F: But it can be a problem if your girlfriend wants to be with you all the time. T: That'...

This is another conversation out of the many I have with my students, day in and day out. S: Mister... T: Y please, don't call me mister. S: Sorry, teacher... T: Yes? S: I can go to the bathroom? T: You're telling me or you're asking me permission? S: I'm asking... T: Then you should say: "May I go to the restroom?" Is it clear, Y? S: Yes, mister eh...teacher. T: Ok then. Ask the right way. S: May I go to the restroom, teacher? Please? T: No. S: What? But why not? T: You know the rules, Y. The recess is for that. Now, please go back to your seat and continue working. S: But mister, no...I need to go... T: Y, you're a big girl already.  S: But mister...it's important. T: No Y, and that's my last word. S: Mister, I really need to go. T: What part of the word NO is not clear? S: Teacher...I just began menstruating and I need to go to the bathroom. T: What the...? Why didn't you say so before? Eh...of...

This is one conversation out of the many I have with my students, day in and day out. T: What is that on your desk? S: Oh, erm... I´m working Mister, really. T: That doesn´t look to me like the Language B book. S: Oh! That book...I have it in my backpack... T: So, why don´t you take it out of your backpack and begin to work? S: Oh, yes Mister, of course, Mister. T: Still you haven't answered my question. S: Oh that... T: I told you already: Math class is over. Put that calculator away! S: Oh, it´s no calculator, Mister. T: What is it then? S: It´s a hmm, it´s a smartphone. T: Wonderful! Listen X, I can tell the difference between a smartphone and a calculator. This one has numbers, algebra symbols, even algorithms! S: So, Mister...maybe that´s why they´re called SMARTphones!

El señor Fernando Lugo ya no es presidente de Paraguay una vez que fuera destituido al ser acusado de tener responsabilidad por la muerte de casi quince campesinos durante  un desalojo violento de invasores de una hacienda privada. Es cierto que Lugo ordenó el desalojo pero no el modo en que se hizo y sin embargo por ello fue destituido. Lugo a manera de reacción  en lugar de aferrarse a su cargo sorprende a todos y personalmente llama a la prensa para informar de su decisión de aceptar la destitución. El de Lugo es un mensaje poderoso. Por mucho que haya sido el presidente de la república al final saber que una orden suya costó la vida de quince inocentes no es algo que una persona decente, sobre todo alguien que alguna vez fue sacerdote, pueda llevar sobre sí.  Cuando Lugo juró para ser presidente él también juró que buscaría el bienestar y la protección de todos los paraguayos e indirectamente él falló en ese sentido. El que una orden suya halla sido llevada tor...

He tenido muchos alumnos. Recuerdo a la mayoría y como todos he tenido alumnos buenos y malos, deficientes y excepcionales, y sin embargo hay alumnos nacidos diferentes, los cuales no caen en las categorías usuales y uno de ellos fue Mario Fuentes.  Mario era simplemente diferente sin ser excepcional porque era ocurrido. Para ilustrar mejor mi punto he aquí un par de anécdotas con Mario de protagonista: la primera, pasó cuando yo enseñaba Reading and Writing en el ciclo Básico del Copol. Para ser congruente con el nombre de la materia hacía que mis jóvenes estudiantes leyeran para los demás, pasajes de los libros  que estaban estudiando. Como todos eran high achievers, casi todos querían participar, entre ellos Mario. Nunca les decía que leyeran pues lo que en  realidad hacía era que les daba el turno para que ellos escogieran quien iba a ser el siguiente en leer, lo cual no le gustaba a Mario quien deseaba siempre participar. Así que un día le di el turno para que es...

What is happiness? I can´t really answer that. I can say that happiness is something rarely experienced for an extended period of time. Rather it's felt one moment and not the next. Happiness always seems a very personal thing since everybody experiences happiness at different levels and for different reasons. Some are twisted and  feel happy when others suffer, and some find happiness making other people happy. Of course there are things that make everyone happy like when the national team of your country wins. Also there are those who claim that happiness is a decision you make and that you can be happy if you want to; but that it's really difficult and perhaps very much unrealistic. If the conditions exist all you have to do is push in the right direction and then that will be enough. But that is if the conditions exist, what if they don't? Could the Jews in the WWII Germany have been happy by just deciding to be happy in spite of the horrors they were enduring? In c...

It´s hard for me to believe in what I cannot see. I believe in what I can prove it's real so whimsical deities or angry stalking ghosts are for me only immaterial characters. But if angels were real then I´d say I know them. Having met several the first one was my mother. She lit my existence, she opened my eyes to the grandeur of the universe, she taught me to persevere. She was an example to me and when I´ve been good is because she said that was the right thing to do. She was proud of me, and above all she loved me. Still after all these years I feel she's somewhere and we´ll be reunited if only for a moment before I die...the things we´ll talk then, the hugs and the tears that will come to be. I loved being loved by her and felt lost when she was gone all these years ago. Her love was immeasurable and I could never comprehend where all that came from until the moment Luis was born. Now every time I see him I smile and I understand. Somehow I feel my Mom is smiling as wel...