Funny Things May Happen
Khoram Balaee
Khoram Balaee holds a master's degree in EFL teaching from Tarbiat Modarres University in Tehran, Iran. He is freelancing for an English language institute and a university. His interests include humanistic language teaching, grammar, emotions in bilingualism, and culture. E-mail: khbalaee@hotmail.com
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Anecdote 1
Anecdote 2
Anecdote 3
Funny things may happen in an English classroom. Here goes some that happened in our classrooms.
In our classrooms, our students of low levels often use a form of the verb 'to be' instead of 'do' in the questions they make. This teacher is giving his starter students some practice on making questions, and he's particularly focused on 'Why do you like …?' Questions.
Teacher: I like apples.
Students: Why do you like apples?
Teacher: I like my town.
Students: Why do you like your town?
Teacher: I like pizzas
Students: Why do you like pizzas?
Teacher: I like animals.
(At this moment one student who was silent before but apparently he's gained some confidence joins the activity.)
Student (shouting excitedly): Why are you like animals?
Teacher (open-mouthed): ...
In Persian language there is a common expression, namely 'khaste nabashid' that is used to acknowledge what someone is doing, or has done, usually a useful job. Its verbatim translation is 'Don't be tired.'. Since students think they should say this expression to the teacher at the end of the class they usually ask the teachers that 'khaste nabashid' in English. Teachers have to explain in most of their classes that such an expression is not used in English. This happened in one elementary class.
Students are some pair work and the teacher is walking round the class monitoring them. One student holds up his hand.
Student*: Excuse me, what is 'khaste nabashid' in English?
Teacher (fed up with explaining it all the time): They don't have it.
The student notes something done.
It is the end of the class and the students are leaving.
Student*: Teacher, they don't have it and goodbye.
Teacher (confused): Goodbye.
Our starter students also make mistakes with possessive adjectives usually using your for my.
Teacher: What do your father and mother do after dinner?
Student: Your father and your mother
Teacher: My father?
Student: No, no. My father and my mother.
Teacher: OK, continue.
Student (now confidently but innocently): My father and your mother go to bed after dinner.
Some students: ....Laughter
Please check the Fun, Laughter and Learning course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the Skills of Teacher Training course at Pilgrims website.
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