I got into the habit of going to the gym in the evenings, and I haven't had a proper early morning workout in about a year. Finally decided to give it a go this morning despite not getting more than four hours sleep last night.Now all I want to do is take a nap. Probably should have experimented with this on Friday.
Just the other day, one of my students came to the office to talk to me. He was asking me if I had heard about the BTS speech at the UN. Of course I had heard about it, but then he told me that his assignment in English class was to memorize and recite their speech. Yes, let's memorize English from the K-Pop superstars who are still learning... Rather than practically anyone else at that conference. This is just painful to watch.
Quote from: JVPrice on October 24, 2018, 07:44:44 AMJust the other day, one of my students came to the office to talk to me. He was asking me if I had heard about the BTS speech at the UN. Of course I had heard about it, but then he told me that his assignment in English class was to memorize and recite their speech. Yes, let's memorize English from the K-Pop superstars who are still learning... Rather than practically anyone else at that conference. This is just painful to watch.Several members of BTS are fluent in English. And several other members are definitely conversational. I think it can be beneficial for students to see their role models speaking a second language, especially if it's a second language like English, which they may not have much intrinsic motivation to learn. And if BTS members make mistakes while speaking English, and students see that, that is excellent because it shows them that they don't have to try to achieve some sort of textbook level of perfection. They can say whatever, even if it's in front of the UN, and no magical lightning bolt is going to zap them for making a mistake in public. Great for lowering inhibition barriers when it comes to English!Now, memorizing speeches is dumb and a waste of time, but their speech is definitely the most relevant and motivational to most students here.
Quote from: #basedcowboyshirt on October 24, 2018, 11:55:17 AMQuote from: JVPrice on October 24, 2018, 07:44:44 AMJust the other day, one of my students came to the office to talk to me. He was asking me if I had heard about the BTS speech at the UN. Of course I had heard about it, but then he told me that his assignment in English class was to memorize and recite their speech. Yes, let's memorize English from the K-Pop superstars who are still learning... Rather than practically anyone else at that conference. This is just painful to watch.Several members of BTS are fluent in English. And several other members are definitely conversational. I think it can be beneficial for students to see their role models speaking a second language, especially if it's a second language like English, which they may not have much intrinsic motivation to learn. And if BTS members make mistakes while speaking English, and students see that, that is excellent because it shows them that they don't have to try to achieve some sort of textbook level of perfection. They can say whatever, even if it's in front of the UN, and no magical lightning bolt is going to zap them for making a mistake in public. Great for lowering inhibition barriers when it comes to English!Now, memorizing speeches is dumb and a waste of time, but their speech is definitely the most relevant and motivational to most students here.I watched the speech and the speaking members were great, but this goes into the whole "prioritizing image over learning" thing. At no other point during my 2 years at this school has there been a speech to be memorized (which I agree, is stupid). But BTS comes up and it's suddenly English Topic #1. I will agree with you though, the students are very much motivated by it.
Quote from: JVPrice on October 24, 2018, 12:13:02 PMQuote from: #basedcowboyshirt on October 24, 2018, 11:55:17 AMQuote from: JVPrice on October 24, 2018, 07:44:44 AMJust the other day, one of my students came to the office to talk to me. He was asking me if I had heard about the BTS speech at the UN. Of course I had heard about it, but then he told me that his assignment in English class was to memorize and recite their speech. Yes, let's memorize English from the K-Pop superstars who are still learning... Rather than practically anyone else at that conference. This is just painful to watch.Several members of BTS are fluent in English. And several other members are definitely conversational. I think it can be beneficial for students to see their role models speaking a second language, especially if it's a second language like English, which they may not have much intrinsic motivation to learn. And if BTS members make mistakes while speaking English, and students see that, that is excellent because it shows them that they don't have to try to achieve some sort of textbook level of perfection. They can say whatever, even if it's in front of the UN, and no magical lightning bolt is going to zap them for making a mistake in public. Great for lowering inhibition barriers when it comes to English!Now, memorizing speeches is dumb and a waste of time, but their speech is definitely the most relevant and motivational to most students here.I watched the speech and the speaking members were great, but this goes into the whole "prioritizing image over learning" thing. At no other point during my 2 years at this school has there been a speech to be memorized (which I agree, is stupid). But BTS comes up and it's suddenly English Topic #1. I will agree with you though, the students are very much motivated by it.Also, side note - you've been at your school for two years? I thought you only arrived in Korea in like mid-late 2017. Confused.
Crap, it's just one of those days when I wish I were an over-45 woman from Moscow.
Quote from: kyndo on October 26, 2018, 02:28:39 PMQuote from: Dave Stepz on October 26, 2018, 02:21:47 PMCrap, it's just one of those days when I wish I were an over-45 woman from Moscow. Yeah, i totally want to go to this wedding too. There are three basic criteria to go to that wedding. Currently, I fail on all three fronts. You at least pass on one (female), and another maybe, but as I'm polite like, and a consummate gentleman, I won't enquire about the age thing. Also, you speak Dutch so that could qualify slightly as being able to talk in a funny way like.
Quote from: Dave Stepz on October 26, 2018, 02:21:47 PMCrap, it's just one of those days when I wish I were an over-45 woman from Moscow. Yeah, i totally want to go to this wedding too.
Quote from: kyndo on October 26, 2018, 02:28:39 PMQuote from: Dave Stepz on October 26, 2018, 02:21:47 PMCrap, it's just one of those days when I wish I were an over-45 woman from Moscow. Yeah, i totally want to go to this wedding too. There are three basic criteria to go to that wedding. Currently, I fail on all three fronts. You at least pass on one (female), and another maybe, but as I'm polite like, and a consummate gentleman, I won't inquire about the age thing. Also, you speak Dutch so that could qualify slightly as being able to talk in a funny way like.
I know it's way past it, but pretty much everyday I listen to Karl, Ricky and Steve. There is so much out there from the XFm days, the podcasts, the specials etc, that it is just excellent background noise if I'm doing something at home. Listening to them a lot you realise that they're all a bit strange. All as much as each other. Ricky just seems intolerant, unable to concentrate for a minute and a probably a pain in the ass to be around. Also strange that he never invited Steve to his birthdays or bashes, and seems to have nothing to do with anymore. Which to me seems a little strange. Steve is tight careful with his money but out of the three seems the most normal. I love Karl obviously. But I've never really worked out how he got his job. If he's so 'stupid' and with no education or qualifications, how can he get a job working in radio? Would it be like the monkey who got a job in the railway station and helped the guy pull the levers, but the guy lost a leg somehow and the monkey got the job, and received half a bottle of beer on Saturdays as payment? It's possible.My current bedtime listening...
Dave Stepz, curious to know...what do you think of the Claire Sturgess shows when Karl was absent? I know that those shows get a lot of stick from fans but they're amongst some of my all time favourites. The atmosphere seems a lot more "mischievous" in those shows and I love how much fun they're obviously having. So many good convos came out of those shows...Ricky's suit for the awards do, Claire's nudist beach holiday, Karl calling in when he was sick ("He could have been your brother, Steve" ).