Tudo (Rain)

Well, I made it through my first day as English teacher!! It went well, for the most part. My students were very quiet and shy, though. I am hoping that after a few lessons they will become more talkative. By the end of today's lesson they were answering my questions and seemed to understand the basic parts of speech I taught them using the sentence: "Silly Billy, a nice friend, ran quickly to the park and sang Susan a song."

The textbook that the teachers in the past have used for this class is okay for basic English learning on your own, but does not provide much to use in a classroom setting -- it basically just allows for lectures. Since that would be completely boring for me and for the students, I have been adding some of my own (and my mom's -- it helps having an English teacher for a mom!!!) ideas. The school year began in June, and they supposedly covered two chapters already, but in my review of those chapters I found that they didn't have any grasp of the material.....it makes me sad to think that all they've been getting in class are lectures straight from the textbook -- word for word!!! Rather than move on to the third chapter, I've decided to go back over the things they have covered but don't understand. I think having a "native" English speaker teach the class should help.

Naragsak nak (I am happy) to say -- I have learned some Ilocano!!! (The dialect they speak here -- Tagalog is the national language, but there are many dialects.) Tonight the people I'm staying with hosted a party, and some of the young people from church stayed around afterwards - they are the ones who taught me. I already knew some things, but I am learning more and more. Hopefully by the end of my stay I will be able to communicate..... once I get the hang of the "ng" sound!!


Naimbag a rabiiyo amin! (Good night to you all!...I will have to check my grouping of the words -- everything blends together when you say it, so I'm not sure how to piece it together.)
love,k