Communication Breakdown!

Madam Mie, i don't know what the reason is but it seems like Manilla is so far away hehehe... Sorry dear but i didn't receive any email (invitation) from you and until then i do not have access to your blog:( Sorry for having to put this as a post but i have no other means... Will delete it once you've read it. thanks.

English Please!

I came into the office this morning only to be welcomed by a student who was sheepishly standing next to my table. I noticed that he was staring at a poster I pasted on my wall. The poster clearly spells out, "English Please!" The student did not look surprise to see me but he obviously had a nervous look on his face. One look at him and immediately I realized that he was one of the students who did not turn up for my Tuesday class. "So that explains the look", I murmured to myself. He greeted me with what seems to be one of his sweetest smile and I quickly gestured for him to grab a seat next to my table. He politely declined my offer and said that he has a class to attend to. I got myself seated and asked him his reason for wanting to see me. He stared at me while trying to get his words out of his mouth. With the same smile still loosely clinging to his face, he said, "madam, I am sorry... I did not come to class because..." . He stopped there. There was a long pause as I waited patiently for him to finish whatever that he had to say. It was rether annoying for me to wait as I was, at the same time, eager and curious to know what his excuse would be. I looked at him and suddenly a gush of sympathy filled my heart. His eyes were looking everywhere, signaling that his mind was frantically searching for the right words. He was scratching his head which I doubt was even itchy. He took several deep breath, pointed his finger to his teeth and blurted, "madam, my teeth is sick"! "What?", was my immediate response as I was trying to compute his words. In noticing that I was sending him my quizzical look, he attempted to simplify his explanation and said...."madam, my teeth is ill"! I was about to burst into laughter but how could I laugh in that situation? I could not laugh...NO! I could not allow myself to laugh! Not in front of my student. Not when my student had actually tried his best to converse with me in English. I appreciated his effort though his honesty was deemed questionable. I somehow managed a smile...and reminded him not to miss his class again. I briefly advised him to see a dentist about his toothache - stressing the word 'toothache' more than it required. He nodded his head and apologized once again before seeking my permission to leave. Not wanting to waste his time nor mine, I said OK and thanked him for coming to see me. The student gave me a broad smile and made his way out of the office. I reached down to switch on my PC. when I heard him muttered, "Phew...English please!" before leaving the room. Only then that I smiled to myself and said, "Yes, my dear...English Please!"

SMS oh SMS!

I received this sms from a student of mine. What do you make of this?

"Good afternoon madam, i am XYZ (name is purposely not revealed here). juz now I eat the some medical because i demam (Trans- fever) so no join the madam class, and sleepy until now, so sorry belater report to madam!"

almost or are most?

As a means to inculcate English speaking environment, the english unit has decided to organize a movie screening for our students. Amidst my catastrophic timetable, I somehow have managed to coax some of my students to join in the fun. The movie screened- Bourne Ultimatum. After I got back that night, i decided to sms my students...thanking them for their participation. One student must have truly enjoyed the movie when he replied, "almost welcome madam"!

Donald Trump is an elephant?

Q: What do you call an elephant without a trunk?

A: A useless trumpet?

A: Knock, knock!

B: Who's there?

A: Trump

B: Trump who?

A: Trump...an elephant with a long trumpet!

My bachelor students were taught ways to define concepts, objects, processes etc yesterday. After a lengthy explanation, i finally asked them to define "an elephant". They already know that the definition has to start of with the general class of the word they wish to define, so nearly all of them shouted, "an animal". Then they tried to provide more specific characteristics that may differentiate an elephant from other animals. Big ears, very big body, grey in color are among the characteristics given. A rather plump student then added, "long nose" and his answer sets the class to burst into laughters. Trying to control myself from laughing, i quickly corrected him and said, "my dear, the long nose is what we call a trunk..T-R-U-N-K". Just when everybody was about to stop laughing, another student then called out, "thorns"! while another student instantaneouly corrected him and said, "horns" laa! I knew straightaway where they were heading to. They were looking for the word, T-U-S-K-S. I truly admired their confidence though i was in the verge of bursting my tummy. The rest of the class seemed to be lead into this chain of confusions. I was about to clear the air when another student confidently blurted the word, "trump" laaa.?! when what he really meant was the word, T-R-U-N-K. Perhaps he sees an elephant trunk resembling a trumpet??? I bet Mr. Donald Trump is not going to be very happy if he hears this one!