Tuesday, 6 November 2018

21:23 - No comments

TESOL 103: 11/06/18; Deep Culture in the Elementary Classroom


About a year ago, I was taking an education class online through Brigham Young University - Idaho. In the class, I learned about inclusive education. There were discussions about the pros and cons to inclusive education. What I remember most about that lesson was the earlier a student is exposed to diversity, the more it benefits the student. If inclusive classrooms are beneficial, then it would make sense that cross-culture classrooms will have the same benefits.

Professor Iver's from Brigham Young University - Idaho, discusses a study on achievement in his paper "Cultural Diversity Creative Genius Cognitive Development: Teaching Deeper Culture in Elementary School Foreign Language Classes." Through the analyses of 5000 creative people from the time period of 700 BCE to 1839 BCE, it was determined that, "although many factors positively influenced achievement, one of the more significant ones was exposure to cultural diversity" (Deep Culture p.1). Exposure to cultural diversity is linked to higher achievement. 

To utilize the benefits of a cross-culture classroom, teachers need to dig deeper into the many deep cultures in the classroom, and even in the community. Instead of only teaching about the different food, celebrities, and other superficial differences, students and teachers will benefit by understanding the differences in the cultures and how it effects behavior, learning, and social interaction. Why not teach about these differences in the classroom? 

Deep culture can even be taught in an elementary classroom. Since lessons that go into the differences between manner, and gestures will help even a young child learn about cultural diversity. I worked in a culturally diverse school for three years. In the school, I worked in the preschool, kindergarten, and grade one classroom. The students loved learning about the different cultures in the classroom. They were able to learn patience with each other, because they were taught about the deep culture differences, like why would one student always want to give hugs to everyone (the student came from a culture that has high- tolerance for emotional expressivity), and another that would prefer more distance (low-tolerance for emotional expressivity). As a result of the early exposure to cultural diversity, the students at this school were able to embrace the differences with love and understanding. I foresee a bright future for these students. 

Teaching about deep culture doesn't have to be complicated, and the earlier it is taught, the more beneficial it is for the students, the school, and even the community. What the students learn in the classroom can reach into the community. Students that embrace cultural differences in the classroom, will have an increase of patience and tolerance to differences in the community. 

Works Cited: 

Ivers, Nathaniel N. “Cultural Diversity Creative Genius Cognitive Development: Teaching Deeper Culture in Elementary School Foreign Language Classes.”

Thursday, 1 November 2018

14:57 - No comments

TESOL 103: 11/01/18; Culture and Psychology

There is a phenomenon called "Stereo-Type Threat," which means that a person has the tendency to either live up to or down to their cultural expectation. Professor Iver's from Brigham Young University - Idaho discussed a study that was done between European American, and African American students. One group, with similar grades, were given a test where their ethnicity was not considered. Both groups scored about the same. Another group of student were asked about their ethnic background before the test. The African American's scored fifty percent lower than the European American students. Our culture can have both adverse or positive influence on our performance in school, our mental health, and even our self-esteem.

Students that have high self-esteem, tend to perform better in school. It is not known if academic achievement causes high self-esteem or the latter, but they are connected. A person's self-esteem is influenced by culture. Individually we have two-selves. There is the ought-self (the personality created by culture), and the real-self (Ivers). The closer the real-self is to the ought-self, the higher a person's self-esteem. As educators, it is our responsibility to help foster the self-esteem of our students. We can do that by helping our students find reconciliation between their ought-self and real-self. That begins by avoiding cultural stereo-types.

If a student will live up to their cultural expectations, then us teachers, community members, and culture members can change the expectations. That also starts with resisting cultural stereo-types. Such stereo-types are unfair over generalizations, and doesn't take into account the individual. I have a son that has the attitudes and behaviors of a typical ADHD boy. He is very active, and loves to tell stories. He has had teachers that helped foster his real-self, while others focused on what they felt should be his ought-self. He was going down a path of hating education, and his self-esteem suffered. As a family we worked to help reconcile his need to move, and found ways that it could be positive, and I noticed a change in his attitude. He wanted to do better in class, and to also develop the self-control that he struggled with. Just like all of us, he is a work in progress, and I tell him everyday how amazing he is. I want him to embrace who he really is, and not take his value from his inability to sit still.

It can be harmful to over generalize cultural differences, like all ADHD boys are trouble, or African Americans do poor in school. As educators, we need to step beyond the stereo-types, and instead see the individual and help them accept their real-self.

I saw this video a few years ago, and I love it's message. It is shared in a humorous way, but the message is to not focus on cultural stereo-types. It's unfair to all people, and cultures. We need to show more love and care to all people, so that we can all accept our real-selves.



Works Cited:

“06 Culture and Psychology.” BYU-Idaho, video.byui.edu/media/06 Culture and Psychology/0_s4h3d6bc.

Tuesday, 30 October 2018

21:30 - No comments

TESOL 103: 10/30/18; Differences in Manners

What is rude in one country, might not be rude in another. There are many cultural differences in manners. In some countries, it is rude to slurp your soup, while others, like Japan, it is polite to slurp, because it shows that you are enjoying your food. Some cultures find staring rude, while others find staring at someone normal, and acceptable. Yawning in public is acceptable in some places, but not in others.

With so many cultural differences, how can a person avoid bad manners in a cross-culture classroom, or when visiting other areas? It seems impossible, but Professor Iver's from Brigham Young University - Idaho gives sound advice. He suggests that a person, when traveling to new places, view what the majority of people are doing. If they are not doing something, don't do it. I found this funny video, that over exaggerates the point I just made about following the majoring, when it comes to associating with different cultures. While the video is an exaggeration, it still makes a good point to help others learn the proper manners when associating with other cultures. If in doubt, do what others are doing.


It may be over whelming to navigate the numerous cultural differences. But if we are willing to learn what we can, and strive to be respectful to different cultures, we will get there.

Works Cited:

“06 Difference in Manners.” BYU-Idaho, video.byui.edu/media/06 Difference in Manners/0_xc0a34gb.

21:10 - No comments

TESOL 103: 10/30/18; Cross Culture Students in the Classroom

I live in a multi-cultural country. There are numerous cultures that are mixed together in numerous settings, such as work, school, and in the communities. A person's cultural background can effect how a student behaves in class, and what makes that student comfortable.

Professor Iver's from Brigham Young University discussed the differences a culture can make in the class. He recalled a survey that asked various foreign students what they felt about American students. The general impression was that American students are rude, they lack respect for the professor, they eat in class, and they argue about grades. Some cultures might frown upon such actions, but what they might not understand, is that the American culture is the cause of such "negative" behavior. The common behavior of American students is because there is amore casual relationship between professors and students. If an American student was studying in a foreign country, how would his or her professor react to such behavior. It might not go well. If the teacher has an understanding of the American culture, there is less likely a chance for misunderstanding.

As a teacher, is important to consider a person's culture, especially in a cross-culture classroom. It is important to give the students the benefit of the doubt, because chances are, their behavior is not intended as it was received.  Just like the American student that studies abroad, that student is behaving in a way that matches their cultural background. If a teacher is culturally sensitive, and willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, chances are that student is going to feel safe, and is more likely to learn.

I found this video that talks about being a culturally responsive teacher. It can help a teacher see the diversity in a classroom, and work with it, and to also enrich the classroom.


Works Cited

“06 Cross-Cultural Students in the Classroom.” BYU-Idaho, video.byui.edu/media/06 Cross-Cultural Students in the Classroom/0_r2lcaswt.

Saturday, 27 October 2018

11:13 - No comments

TESOL 103: 10/27/18; Attributional Tendencies

As a parent, have you ever blamed yourself for a child's poor choice, misfortune, illness, or even heartache? I know I have. When my children express any kind of sadness, I wonder "is there something I didn't do?" Why do parents do that? Why do we blame ourselves for every bad thing that happens to our children?

We all have attributional tendencies. Some are internal (what did "I" do?), while some are external (that was done to me). How we sometimes attribute our success and failures can be skewed based on our attributional tendencies. The typical American attributes success internally ("I did it"), while failures are attributed externally ("it's someone else's fault") (Ivers from BYU-I). While some countries like Japan attribute personal success externally, and personal failures internally. As a result of the personal failures being attributed internally, the suicide rate is very high in Japan (Ivers from BYU-I).

Look at the meme that I posted. In the movie Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the main antagonist chooses to follow the dark side of the force like his grandfather. If Han Solo and Princess Leia attributed Kylo Ren's behavior externally, they could blame "genetics." Instead of Ren using his agency to choose darkness.

It is importance to check our biases in our attributions, instead of over generalizing our success or failure to once general cause. Every circumstance is different (Ivers). Sometimes the bad things that happen to us are our fault, and sometimes it isn't. Sometimes the good things that happen to us are a result of our hard work, and sometimes it isn't. So parents, stop blaming yourself for your child's every mistake. Instead look at the circumstance, and decided based on the that specific situation.

Works Cited

“05 Attributional Tendencies in Cultures.” BYU-Idaho, video.byui.edu/media/05 Attributional Tendencies in Cultures/0_u45682wd.

“Attribution Processes.” Attribution Processes, wattersattribution.wordpress.com/.

SparkNotes, SparkNotes, www.sparknotes.com/psychology/psych101/socialpsychology/section3/.

“The Side Of The Family by Brian Kesinger | Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.” Know Your Meme, 22 May 2018, knowyourmeme.com/photos/1063335-star-wars-episode-vii-the-force-awakens.

09:36 - 1 comment

TESOL 103: 10/27/18; Personal Space Differences

I am a very private person. I value my personal space, and I love spending time by myself. My sister-in-law is very different. She loves company. She loves to visit, and chat. There was a time when we were both pregnant at the same time. We were at a family gathering, and spending the day at the Calgary Stampede. She would always walk next to me, and whenever she would turn toward me, our pregnant bellies would bump. She would giggle, thinking it was fun that our bellies would meet. What she didn't know was that, every time our bellies touched I felt like punching her in the face.

At the time, I didn't understand why it bothered me so much, or even why she thought it was so fun. I love my sister-in-law, and I felt bad for the feelings that I had (which I fortunately didn't act on.) I remember telling her years later how I felt. She was surprised, because that time was a happy memory for her. We laugh about it now, because we have a deeper understanding of each other.

It is so easy to misinterpret personal space differences. Professor Iver's from Brigham Young University - Idaho shares an experience while at a McDonald's, where there were a group of African American's walking past him a little to close for comfort. He was grateful for his cultural understanding, because he was able to see that the "invasion" wasn't what he felt it was. Another person might have felt that the group of men were trying to be intimidating. Here is a funny video from "Seinfeld" that show the awkwardness we might feel when someone invades our personal space.


Personal property can also be interpreted. The aboriginal's in North America have a few different view of personal property than the the settlers. For us, property can be brought, while for the aboriginal's the land belongs to the creator, and is to be used by everyone. If a tool is needed, the aboriginal would take it, because it was needed. A settler would claim the tool as stolen; thus cultural misunderstandings occur.

A crucial way to combat cultural misunderstandings is empathy. We need to learn about other cultures, so that we can understand their perspective. Once there is understanding, there is less likely a chance of misunderstandings.

Works Cited

“05 Personal Space Differences.” BYU-Idaho, video.byui.edu/media/05 Personal Space Differences/0_yz4lk5f0.

Thursday, 25 October 2018

13:27 - No comments

TESOL 103: 10/25/18; Individualism versus Collectivism

I have a favorite television show called, "Mako Mermaids." It takes place near an island in Australia called Mako, where a group of mermaids called a "Pod" live. The pilot episode shows a  group of three young mermaids, who haven't earned their "moon rings"(a sign of being an adult). They decided to break a crucial pod rule, and allowed two land boys camp on the island on a full moon. Their actions let to one of the boys accidentally falling into their sacred moon pool, and becoming a merman. As a result, the three mermaids were cast out of the "Pod", and abandoned while the remaining pod leave Mako for a safer area (because the mermaids view mermen as dangerous). The series follows the struggle the mermaids have to try and "fix" their mistake so that their pod can return home. The mermaids struggle finding a balance between individualism and collectivism. What might make them personally happy might not be the best thing for the pod, and vise versa: what might be best for the pod, might not work for them individually. 

There are many cultures that are either follow collectivism, or individualism. Most western countries are atomism (individualism) based, while the eastern countries are more holism (collectivism) based (Part III - Continuum of 'Individualistic' and 'Collectivistic' Values). This is an over generalization. There are exceptions. In the classroom, it is important to understand whether a student comes from a individualism culture or a collectivism culture. In collectivism cultures, conformity in crucial, while in contrast, independence is a priority for those in individualism cultures. One student might value having high marks, while another might value creativity more. A students priority might depend on the culture they come from. I watched this video on Youtube that compared individualism and collectivism to dance. At the end of the video, there is a discussion on cheating. In a "we" culture students sharing answers might not feel like cheating. It is important to understand the various cultures in a classroom, so that the teacher can understand why a student does what he or she does, instead of just assuming that the student is misbehaving.

Here is the video that I mentioned.


Let goes back to my earlier discussion of "Mako Mermaids." How would the three exiled mermaids behaved if they thought more about the group than their individual wants? Chances are, there wouldn't have been a story, because the mermaids wouldn't have broken any rules for fun. How would the pod have reacted if there was more of a balance between individualism and collectivism? Most likely, the mermaids would have been taught about their mistake, instead of being exiled. By the end of the series, both the mermaids, and the pod found a healthy balance of collectivism and individualism. We can learn from many cultures, and even find the right balance of ideals.


“05 Individualism vs Collectivism.” BYU-Idaho, video.byui.edu/media/05 Individualism vs Collectivism/0_ojon0rjc.

“PART III - Continuum of ‘Individualistic’ and ‘Collectivistic’ Values.” Part III: Continuum of "Individualistic" and "Collectivistic" Values, www.ncset.org/publications/essentialtools/diversity/partIII.asp.

Ravitch, Diane. “The Myth of Chinese Super Schools.” The New York Review of Books, www.nybooks.com/articles/2014/11/20/myth-chinese-super-schools/.

Tuesday, 23 October 2018

20:30 - 2 comments

TESOL 103: 10/23/18; Differences in Emotional Expressivity

Imagine for a moment that you just received some bad news, while you were in a public place. How would you express your emotions? Do you start to cry, or do you hold it in? Do you talk to a stranger about the news, or do you stay silent? What if the news was good? Do you show your happiness for everyone to see, or does your body language not change at all? How you express your emotions in a public setting can be influenced by your cultural background.

Some cultures have a low tolerance of public emotional expressivity. Other cultures might have a high tolerance of public emotional expressivity. Emotional expressions can be misinterpreted if others have a differing way to express their emotions. According to Professor Ivor's from Brigham Young University - Idaho, those that have a low tolerance can view those with a high tolerance as savage or intense. Yet, those who have a high tolerance can view those with a low tolerance as snobbish or judgemental. How to do we get past these cultural misinterpretations? First, we must recognize the fact that no matter what culture we are apart of, we have the same emotions. We all can have feelings of happiness, fear, sadness, anger, and joy. Second, we must understand that others will express emotions differently. 

Take a moment to reflect on yourself. How do you express your emotions in public? Do you have a low tolerance or a high tolerance? How do you feel about others that have a different tolerance than you? Then put yourself in another's perspective. Does that change your point of view? In my opinion, empathy is the best tool to overcome cultural misinterpretations, especially when you can understand another's point of view. 

Here is a fun video from a sketch comedy group called Studio C. It portrays how a couple with an extremely low tolerance for public emotional expression interacts with each other. I hope you enjoy. 




“Differences in Emotional Expressivity.” BYU-Idaho, video.byui.edu/media/05 Differences in Emotional Expressivity/0_753le546.

Saturday, 20 October 2018

09:41 - 1 comment

TESOL 103: 10/20/18; Cultural Misinterpretation

Imagine for a moment that you are in a Kindergarten classroom, and there is a Chinese student that has done exceptionally well in the class. As the teacher, you want to reward the student by naming the child "student of the week." This entails placing the students picture in the hallway with samples of the students work, so that the other students in the school can see. Your intention is to praise and reward the student, so you are surprised when the student starts to cry, and you get an angry phone call from the students parents. What went wrong? This is a classic case of cultural miscommunication, and is exactly what Professor Iver's wife experienced as a kindergarten aid. Professor Iver's is an instructor at Brigham Young University, and he taught a lecture on cultural miscommunication.

So why was the little Chinese student and the parents upset? In many Asian countries, it is apart of the culture to blend in, and not be set apart from others. There is a phrase the Iver's repeats: "The nail that stands out gets hammered down." The student interpreted the praise incorrectly. Both the student and the parents felt that the class was placing the student in a position to be ridiculed for standing out. It would have been better for the teachers to privately praise the student, instead of bringing the attention to the public.

Understanding different cultures can help in avoiding cultural misunderstandings, but it is nearly impossible to avoid them all together. In Bulgaria, nodding your head actually mean no, while shaking your head means yes. Giving a thumbs up in Russia, is like giving someone the middle finger in the North America. Patting a child on the head from China is an invasion of sacred space. The list can go on. Eating everything on your plate in Japan is questioning your hosts generosity. It might help to learn about a new culture that you are faced. Be patient with yourself and others if an understanding occurs, because a misunderstanding now might help you avoid one in the future.

I got to watch a video that shows a series of cultural misunderstandings. It is a humorous anecdote for cultural misunderstandings. It may just help you work with other cultures with less misunderstandings


I also found a website that lists many different unspoken communication gestures, and how they can be interpreted in other cultures. Unspoken Communication Misunderstandings

Works Cited

“Cultural Miscommunication.” BYU-Idaho, video.byui.edu/media/04 Cultural Miscommunication /0_3aaa6xxh/28027982.

ipegmarc. “Series of HSBC Ads about Culture.” YouTube, YouTube, 16 June 2011, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALWwK7Vz4gY.

Media, ShermansTravel. “18 Gestures That Can Cause Offense Around the World.” Shermans Travel, www.shermanstravel.com/advice/18-gestures-that-can-cause-offense-around-the-world.

Thursday, 18 October 2018

19:11 - 1 comment

TESOL 103: 10/18/18; Time

My husband is always late, and I like to be early. Before I met my husband, I always strived to be 15 minutes early for everything I did. After we started dating, we were always late for everything. It drove me crazy, and it also drove my family crazy. It took me years to understand why my husband had what I perceive to be little concept for time. My husband grew up in a small community, where he spent most of his time outside, without a watch. His parents loved that my husband would spend his time outside. He would come and go as he pleased. I grew up in a large city. I had time commitments, a curfew, a certain guidelines to keep me safe in the city. My father was a city police officer, and so my rules were more strict. As I contemplate our different upbringings, I see how we have different concepts of time. I need to have time commitments, while my husband feels restrained by them.

Different cultures can have different concepts of time too. While watching the video "Cultural Differences in Concerning TIME" Professor Ivers discusses how some cultures are monochronic (time in linear), while others are polychronic (less formal in time). North American countries tend to be monochronic, while he claims the rest of the world tends to be polychronic. Monochronics are rules by schedules, while polychronics are ruled by relationships. Different feelings of time can lead to frustration. Like the example he states in the video about a salon owner taking appointments. A monochronic customer makes an appointment, and is there on time. The polychronic salon owners pushes back the appointment to meet the needs of a family member, then a friend, and doesn't quite understand why the original customer is getting frustrated. If both the salon owner, and the customer were able to understand each other's concept of time, do you think a confrontation could be avoided?

Once again it comes down to finding common ground when it comes to cultural differences. It may be hard for a monochronic person to not be frustrated by the laid back attitude about time, and a polychornic person might not understand why the monochronic person is insistent on keeping appointments. If people would strive to understand another person's perspective, I think there would be more patience and understanding.

It is obvious that I am monochronic, while my husband is polychronic. It has taken us years to understand each others point of view. I work to be more laid back, and he tries harder to keep to schedule. If we can find compromise, others can too.



“04 Cultural Differences in Concerning TIME.” BYU-Idaho, video.byui.edu/media/04 Cultural differences in Concerning TIME/0_1cjop6lc.


Tuesday, 16 October 2018

21:27 - No comments

TESOL 103: 10/15/18; Cultural Paradigms

Cultural Paradigms

One of the great things about studying other cultures is the broadening of perspectives. I had numerous opportunities to interact with many people from different cultures. Through work, I got to work with indigenous people, and those apart of the Hutterite colonies. It is amazing to see how different cultures can view things differently. A persons culture can determine our ideals and beliefs. Culture can help us decide what is deemed appropriate behavior, or how to interact with others. Culture can even determine what is beautiful. This week I viewed three videos that portray or discussed various cultural differences, and even how situation are viewed.

The first video was a college professor giving a classroom lecture on cultural paradigms. The instructor talked about an ancient Hawaiian king that was fed up with the perverted nature of the many Peeping Tom men in his kingdom. The king was so fed up that he was going institute the death penalty for any of the men caught peeping on the women. According to the king of that time, and that culture, these men were perverted because they would watch women eat. That ancient culture believed is to be inappropriate for men and women to eat together. Imagine for a moment how the king would react if he walked into a modern day food court, or saw a family eating together. He would be horrified. This story is a perfect example on how cultural difference can cause misunderstandings, even judgements.

Another video that I watched was a clip from a National Geographic documentary titled "Cultural Differences." The video shows the adjustment that a group of young men from Sudan had to undertake when they moved to the United States. The boys were astonished on how Americans are more solitary. Property is private, and it isn't common for people to be alone. The boys grew up in a culture where there was more interaction, even from strangers. The boys would stay in groups and do everything together. It bothered many of the community members, because they feared the boys were behaving like a gang. The boys were just doing what felt natural to them according to their culture. I can't help but ponder, how would I react as the community member, or how would I react if I was one of the boys.

The next video that I watched really opened my eyes on the way culture can shape our opinions. In a Ted Talk, there was a woman from Africa discussing her experiences as a thin African girl, where thinness was considered sickly and ugly. The woman shares her experiences being bullied at school, and her parents concern that she won't get married. She talks about the many diets that her doctors put her on to help her gain weight. She was considered ugly in Africa, but when she came to America, she was suddenly beautiful. She wondered if she should believe those in Africa, or those in America: was she ugly or beautiful. She ended up deciding that it didn't matter how others saw her. It mattered how she saw herself.

There are so many cultures in the world. I have worked with indigenous people where living with extended family is common. I have worked with Hutterite people where a person's role in the society is determined by gender. Through my personal experiences, and through the many things I have read and watched about culture, I have determined that no matter the culture of a person, there must always be kindness. As cultures collide, there is a greater chance of avoiding misunderstandings if there is patience and kindness. If we each try to understand each other's culture and perspective, I see fewer misunderstandings are more common understanding. As a future teacher it is my responsibility to understand different cultures, and have a classroom that is safe for all cultures, and open to learning from each other.

I have attached the Ted talk video and the National Geographic video for you to view. I hope you take the opportunity to view these videos and gain a better understanding of people and their cultures. 




F. (2009, October 23). Cultural Differences National Geographic. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT0kzF4A-WQ

Bright, D. (n.d.). Cultural clashes in defining beauty. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/delali_bright_cultural_clashes_in_defining_beauty

Cultural Paradigms. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://video.byui.edu/media/Cultural Paradigms/0_9w0czg1f

Thursday, 27 September 2018

18:48 - 1 comment

TESOL 103: 09/27/18 ; Week 2; Response to "Is The Great American Teacher Dead?"

This semester I am taking my third TESOL class (teaching english to speakers of other languages). As part of one my assignments, I read and essay written by John J. Ivers titled, "Is The Great American Teacher Dead? Principles to Resurrect Meaningful, Effective, and Consciousness Raising Instruction." It was a fascinating read, with the purpose of giving ideas to improve the effectiveness of teachers. There were a couple things that stood out to me in that essay. The essay emphasized the importance of delivery when it comes to teaching, and also it gives ideas on how to teach in meaningful ways.

According to Ivers, "Public speaking and teaching are cousins" (p. 49). Teachers are public speakers. Great teachers are great public speakers. If a teacher can delivery the subject matter in a way that students will get excited, then the teacher is successful.  How a teacher delivers the lesson is just as important as the lesson itself. If a teacher isn't engaging then what are the students going to get out of the lesson? As a primary, and Sunday school teacher for my church, I have had lessons that were good and ones that were bad. The good ones were fun, engaging, and got the students interested in the subject matter. The bad ones were boring, and normally that was because I was either poorly prepared, or not excited about the subject. During my school training, I have witness numerous ESL (English as a Second Language) lessons. There were some where the time flew, and I was engaged, even though I was only an observer. The students were having fun, and so was the teacher. The delivery was good. Chances are, if the teacher is having fun, so are the students.

Ivers gives the readers a list of  ways to know if the lessons are great. (p. 54)

  •  Concept of fairness
  • Abstract in speech and thought
  • Concern for self-image (the students feel secure)
  • Dance (or other movements)
  • Rhetoric (good delivery, entertaining)
  • Jokes (make it fun)
The list goes on. Imagine for a moment an ESL teacher working with students on how to read and order food from a menu at a restaurant. What method would the students be more engaged it: the teacher standing in front of the class telling them how to order, and giving the students an activity where they practice ordering from a restaurant. More than likely the students will enjoy the practical lesson over the lecture, and will get more out of the lesson. 

There are some amazing teachers our there. I have witnessed some in the work field. I have had some myself, and my children have had some amazing teachers too. The ones that stood out to me more, were the ones that loved what they are doing, and found ways to engage the students. These teachers had good delivery. So the question I want to ask myself is, "What are ways that I can help my future students be engaged?" In my opinion, if I have fun the students will have fun. So its time for teachers to start having fun. 


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