Africa Day 5: Herbal remedies, L+1 & the most efficient way to learn English

Africa

The cool thing about travelling is learning the different ways people do things. And one of the really cool things in Africa is the concept of “elders” older (usually) guys who have real gravitas in the community, speak in almost Yoda like wisdom and softness.

So today I learnt it’s actually quite common to lose your voice in Africa.

And the cure?

Honey!

Mixed with raw egg yoke.

OK, so I passed on the egg yoke but figured the honey would be worth a try. And it’s not just a little bit diluted in water, but a full on jar they brought with a big spoon with a prescription of two big spoonfulls in the morning and at night.

Mind you this was all after I’d done my session today.

Losing my voice does focus me though, and in the workshop got me onto the parts where the teachers actually teach themselves, much more quickly.

L+1

The main problem today was L+1, the idea that the English you use is at a level the kids can understand plus just a little bit (to challenge them.)

As is the case with teachers who speak quite a bit of English, this was a big problem today with the teachers using far too much English the kids couldn’t understand, and as we all know, that is one of the biggest causes of kids switching off and losing concentration!

( Plus of course making sure the teachers don’t just rabbit on in Swahili, again making the kids switch off!)

Luckily one of the American teachers speaks Japanese so I got her to do a Genki Japan lesson which everyone loved, until they got completely lost when she only spoke Japanese!  I finally got a few “oh, I see!” reactions!

Student Centered

As we have a real need here to get the kids really good, really quickly, we don’t have time to waste with teacher centered activities.  So we’re using the computer games in Teachers Set to teach the English * before * the song.

So the lesson plan we’ll use is:

  1. Warm up and review.
  2. Learn new English with the computer game.
  3. Check the meanings of the words with “Words 2” on the software.
  4. Do the Mini Lesson & Song.
  5. Do the classroom game to practice speaking.

(If you’re in a country where you want the kids to get good at English, as opposed to just “experience” it, then this is the lesson plan I’d recommend for you too.)

Then tomorrow I have the American Embassy coming to check out my presentations!

Well, they will be if my voice comes back!

P.S. Here’s a quick look around the camp where the volunteers are staying:

Richard Graham

Hello, I'm Richard Graham. When I was a kid I found school to be sooooo boring... So I transformed my way of teaching. I listened to what the kids were really wanting to say and taught it in ways they really wanted to learn. The results were magical. Now I help teachers just like you teach amazing lessons and double your incomes!

4 Responses to “Africa Day 5: Herbal remedies, L+1 & the most efficient way to learn English”

  1. Julia

    The balance between the use of the target and the native languages in the classroom is a really important point to discuss.

    How not to scare the small kids who are just beginners with strange sound and words?

    But I think there’s no foreign language if only separate words from it substitute words in native speech becoming a part of it.

  2. Lines

    You look great and healthy so go on with the honey and eggs.
    Thank you very much Richard.

  3. Dan Burgess

    Hey Richard, there must be an epidimic going around.
    My wife is having voice problems too.

    So . . . Did the Honey work and/or did you have to add the egg yolks before the magic happened? 🙂

    Dan

  4. richard

    Yes to the first, NOOOO to the second!! (Although I might have done if it was Japan!) 🙂

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