THIS BOOK IS THE MILK
Hi everyone!
As we have seen, one of the goals of using technologies for educational purposes is to help students learn in a funny, enjoyable and entertaining way and distance them from the traditional teaching methods since by having fun when learning, students remember everything in a better way. In this sense, I have found an incredible interview about a new book called This Book Is The Milk, written by Damián Mollá and Alberto Alonso, which tries to make the reader realize he/she knows more English than it seems. In order to do that, we are told eight different methods to teach English in a way students enjoy themselves.
For example, one method is to take advantage of globalization and all the products with English names to learn this language. Then, some Spanish people may wonder how 'picadura' is said in English and they are not aware of the fact that they already know the answer because when a mosquito hurts you, you use a product called 'Afterbite', so here we have the answer: 'picadura' is 'bite'.
Moreover, there is a section in the book where readers are provided with some useful pieces of advice to learn English which (in general) imply the use of technologies. For instance, some are to watch tv in original version, play games in the playstation in English, such as the FIFA, checking the lyrics of our favourite English songs, meeting foreign people, etc...
Hence, if you are interested in non-traditional teaching methods which might or might not include the use of technologies, have a look at this interview.
Hey guys!
ResponderEliminarWhat do you think of this interview and, especially, of this book and this initiative?
I totally fell in love with it when I came across with it :):)
First of all, I want that book.
ResponderEliminarApart from that, I'm listening to the interview right now and I heard them say something quiteinteresting, and it is something I have always believed, you have to make learning English FUN (not 'fan', as Ana Botella would say), and I think that most teachers forget that. Making learning fun makes it a lot easier for students (kids especially) to get things right. Am I the only one who believes this or do you share my opinion?
And, by the way, I think that is also the basis for webquests, you need to make the activity interesting and appealing or, in otherwords, fun, to make it easier for students to start working with them and, thus, to learn.
Yes, Roberto, I totally share your opinion! Kids are very impatient, so if you try to use the traditional teaching methods with them, they're going to be bored and they are not going to pay attention to you, so yes, fun learning is extremely important!
EliminarHey! What a great idea!It's so clever!! I'm listening to the interview right now. I really like this guys and I love the idea of this book. Roberto you are right that making the teaching fun it works with kids and it is pretty much the only to catch their attention but for grownups it is also important to make it fun because fun makes it easier in all senses. Take an example of our parents, at least mine are in their 60's and they can on,y say "hello" I'm English, but they are taking classes now and I'm definitely getting this books for them. One of the things that my parents tell me about learning English ( and I experienced the same when I first started learning German) is that depending on how it is taught to you it can make you hate it, because if the class it is not fun and you don't enjoy it and have the felling that it is easy, you automatically reject it because it can cause you anxiety and frustration, that's way a lot of people end up just quitting. All conventional methods in my opinion are the main reason. Maybe that's way most of the Spanish population have a low English level? I think that books like this that make you go through sentences, sayings, songs, products to realize that there are a lot of words that you already know and you are not aware of it. Work with association it is a clever and fun way to teach any subject but specially languages. It is a great idea, great interview and very useful book. 2013 best seller jajajaja
ResponderEliminarYes, Rossana. In my opinion, here in Spain we don't like innovations and we still use the traditional methods. Maybe, as you said, this is the reason why so many people have problems learning English in our coutry.
EliminarAnd with respect to your parents' issue, I feel very identified with them because I've always liked English, but in my second year of Secondary School, I had a really bad teacher. She has no idea, she was awful, I didn't learn anything and I was upset, I started to hate the English classes...
EliminarHopefully, this changed the following year, and here I am now! Haha :)
Rossana, I totally agree with you as for the teaching methods and, particular, regarding teachers. When I was 9 years old I hated English because my teacher was awful (she was always angry and she sent us so many exercises). However, two years later, I have a wonderful teacher who makes me love English (and I believe this is one of the reasons why I'm studying this degree). So, both teachers and the way of teaching are fundamental.
EliminarI personally believe that the initiative they have had is wonderful since I have never seen a similar book. In addition, as Roberto mentioned, teachers should make subjects (English or whatever) and this book makes English enjoyable and fan.
ResponderEliminarI WANT THIS BOOK :)
By the way, I love when they explain 'picadura' and its relation to 'Afterbite'. Who doesn't know what 'Afterbite' is? In addition, this also happens when 'aftershave'. Everyone knows men uses 'aftershave' but they probably don't know how to say 'afeitar'. It's really funny! :)
ResponderEliminarExactly, Azu! And I'm sure that we, as future English teachers, know some other words we don't know we know (what a tongue-twister! haha)
ResponderEliminarHahaha that's true, Sara!
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