ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ENGLISH 6

Submitted by I on 6 November 2006 - 2:41pm.

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We don't take off our shoes

Submitted by stron on 7 December 2006 - 10:26pm.

Does anybody else think the 'We don't take our shoes off in the house' business is a bit wrong? I don't think it's essential learning yet it gets repeated throughout the 'Would You Like to Come To My House' lesson at great frequency, to the point where it's a bit freaky. I had to skip it altogether, with an explanation to the teacher and the class that many people actually do take their shoes off in the house in Western culture, and that I thought the lesson made it sound like Westerners were unclean. Remember, this is aimed at kids who are not sophisticated at making cultural judgements. It seemed almost like rubbing in their faces how different and obscene westerners really are, right at the end of the series of books. 'Would you like to come to my house' fine, but 'We don't take our shoes off in the house' bugger off.

Other Asians Don't Take Off Shoes

Submitted by Ogedei on 8 December 2006 - 10:02am.

Perhaps you should also note that many Chinese and Vietnamese people don't take off their shoes in the house either. My relatives don't. Even the Emperors of China didn't take off their shoes in their palace.

Which countries don't take off their shoes?

Submitted by stron on 10 January 2007 - 10:52pm.

Thanks Ogedei, that would be a fantastic note to add to the lecture. It would be something I would stress next time around. Maybe a map of the world with 'Who takes off their shoes, who doesn't?" would be a good introduction to cultural differences.

I still think this chapter is rank. The kids should learn to ask "Shall I take off my shoes?" instead of "We don't take off our shoes in the house".

I think there is a big gap between Grade 5 and Grade 6. The Grade 6 work uses much longer sentences. My Grade 6 class was so much worse than any of my Grade 5 classes. I think the complexity of the language stops children from wanting to communicate in it.

That happens...

Submitted by Ogedei on 11 January 2007 - 11:52am.

I've noticed that too; the older the students are, the more inept they are at communicating. My first graders are consistently my best and brightest. Half the third grade is kind of bottom-of-the-barrel in English ability. It's both the complexity of the language and the increase in shyness that complicates things for the teacher and the students. As kids they get older, they become more self-conscious and drawing them out is a daunting challenge. It also depends on what kind of kids you have; I've tried many of the little "tricks" that others mentioned on drawing out shy kids, but they don't always work.

For the shoes thing, I suppose it depends on what type of floors the houses have. In old Vietnam and China, houses had stone floors, whereas Japan and Korea have elevated wood floors.