The following conversation took place at 6.30 am trying to teach 12 beginner students about jobs. After teaching the vocabulary for 3 days (approx. 9 hours of classes), we did a simple crossword. Totally, my fault for being extremely tired.
Me – Again. Number 4. Midwife…
Student – Ah, OK. Wife.
Me – Midwife… she works in a hospital.
Student – Hospital? Midwife is a house… Clean… Make food.
Me – No, no, housewife at home. Midwife delivers babies…
Student – Ah, OK…. Postman… Delivery…
Me – Eh, no.
Student – Fed Ex….. very good, very very good job. Travel.
Me – Midwife is a woman that works in a hospital with babies…
Student – Babies?
Me – Yes, with babies.
Student – What is babies?
I mime a baby….
Another student roars out – Teacher, hobbit, yes?
Student – Ah, OK. OK.
Me – Understand? Midwife…. deliver babies…
Student – They eat baby. In Oman, no possible. Very bad eat babies…
Me – OK… let’s move on. Number 5 … A person that delivers mail?
Student – Mail?
Me – Mail, letters, like this…
I draw an envelope with a stamp on it.
Student – No. Mail baby? Delivery?
Me – No, no. Different job…. Babies.. Number 4…. Number 5… what is number 5? ….. Anyone? No?.. It’s a postman. P.O.S.T.M.A.N
Student – No.
Me – Number 4 is Midwife. Number 5 is Postman.
Student – Midwife. Postman same…….
Me – OK. One moment, I’m going to find a picture and show you. One moment please….
… lost of speaking in Arabic.
Student – Babies, midwife… Postman… mail…
Me – Yes. Yes. Exactly. Excellent, very good.
Another student – Where woman baby… All baby have midwife…
Me – What ?
- Another student roars out – Number 6 – Pilot.
- Another students roars out – Number 7 – Nurse.
- Another student roars out – Teacher, Number 2… what is…
- Another student roars out – Pencil teacher…. I no have.
Me – OK. Just a moment. We are still on Number 5. Hilal, why don’t you have a pencil?
Hilal – Give me. I no have.
Me – Can I have a pencil? I don’t have a pencil.
Hilal – Can you pencil. I no have.
Me – No. Again. Can I have a pencil? I don’t have a pencil.
Hilal – I can have pencil…. I don’t have a pencil.
Me – Please?
Hilal – Yes.
Me– Say, please.
Hilal – Please.
Me – OK. Now put it all together. Can I have a pencil, please?
Hilal – Can I have pencil.
Me – Please…..
Hilal – Can I have pencil, please.
Me– Can I have a pencil, please?
Hilal – Yes.
Me – I’m not giving you a pencil unless you say it properly.
Hilal – Can I have a pencil please, teacher. Thank you very much. Good teacher.
Me – Very good, excellent. I don’t have one. You’ll have to share with your partner.
Shane Callaghan 