| I recently came into a great technique to quickly teach | | | | verses plural we got right into it. |
| ESL Students make learning the English language | | | | She's sitting upright now, attentive and not distracted. |
| more interesting and rewarding - at the same time. I | | | | Eager to learn more I asked her if she would like to |
| learned this technique while trying to explain a dish to a | | | | help cook the dish. She leaps of the bar stool runs |
| student after I had prepared it. She seemed to love | | | | over to the stove and with a big smile in a polite tone |
| the dish but her grasp of the English language was not | | | | says, "Yes, please". |
| strong enough yet. | | | | Making it a two way exchange |
| So I promised her that we would cook the dish again in | | | | In another turn of events I find that we are now having |
| two days - together. | | | | fluid idea sharing through the use of objects we are |
| Two days later... | | | | using in the meal. She would share with me the names |
| There was a bit of excitement in her eyes and a bit of | | | | and words of each ingredient and I would do the |
| nervousness because we were one week into our | | | | same. |
| homestay relationship and the conversations in English | | | | This lead to explanations of how this type of food is |
| had become long and drawn out with a little bit of | | | | eaten and served in her hometown along with the |
| frustration on both sides. | | | | best combination of spices to make it even more |
| I was not ready to give up. I started with the | | | | rustic than I had originally set out to do. |
| ingredients. I would hold it up and call out it's name. The | | | | We had taken the unknown and made it into the |
| dish we were preparing was a simple one. So I'd hold | | | | known through the use of everyday objects and this |
| up an onion and call out it's name correcting her | | | | removed the lost in translation look we had been |
| pronunciation as we went along. | | | | experiencing the last few days. |
| We're now getting comfortable... | | | | I urge you to try this method even if only once a week. |
| She started to settle in and got comfortable. I'd hold up | | | | Your students will love you for it and you will learn so |
| a potato and she would yell out in excitement | | | | much more about their culture. You will feel like you |
| "Pa-Ta-Toes" and after correcting the pronunciation | | | | were in their home even if for a brief moment. |
| and telling her the difference between a singular potato | | | | |