It seems the work reappeared right when the school buses did. I’m inches from swimming in it again. Fantastic! Given the fact that I didn’t get much marketing in, this is great. I now have three regular gigs and a number of others coming that are going to make it a nice fall/winter.
I was teaching my Vietnamese student English last night, as well. I found some great lessons on teaching meaning by using context. She was able to guess at all of the answers, which empowered her a bit. She felt smart. We all want that, don’t we?
Too bad the woman working at the local Kmart didn’t want to help someone feel that way. It was a minor thing to the rest of the world, but it really set me on edge. We were in the store waiting our turn at the customer service desk. She was waiting on a Spanish-speaking man, who had limited English skills (not uncommon in my area). He needed help with his lottery tickets. She didn’t see her role as helper very well. As she grabbed the second lottery ticket from his hand, she said rather loudly, “Try learning some English.”
I saw the look on his face. He understood that much. After he left, she turned to us and said, “I’m sorry, but if you’re in this country, you need to speak English.” My husband explained how difficult it is. I myself was standing there, mortified. Yes, I’d heard that complaint before, but not from someone working with a customer. If I were unable to speak at all, what kind of patience would she have with me? I mentioned that I taught foreigners English and it wasn’t so easy to pick up a language. She actually said, “Yes, but if I’d go to their country, I’d learn their language.” Would you? Would you really? Or do you take that cruise to Cabo and strut around their beaches expecting English-speaking people to wait on you? Please. Spare me your holier-than-thou attitude. Yes, Kmart received a letter. I suggested they put her through diversity training and perhaps start a program where their associates teach foreigners English.
Back to the teaching through context idea. If you had the chance to make your readers feel smart, wouldn’t you try it? In my work with high-level technical terms and concepts, I’ve had to “dumb down” copy in the past. However, even this copy has to hold enough technical information to inform and teach. Adding terms that allow readers to understand it through the context in which you present it is a great way to bring them into the idea without confusing them. They learn a new concept. You become the writer they want to read. It’s a win-win.
It’s simple. One of last night’s lesson sentences was this – “The girls couldn’t have been more different in how they dressed. Patty didn’t care how she dressed, but Paula was quite chic.” My student learned what chic meant, and by using it as a multiple choice term, what stylish meant. Watching her figure it out was fun, because it was obvious to her what the answer was. When you’re learning something new, it’s great to feel some victory over it.
Mind you, teaching executives risk management terms requires a bit more complexity in the sentences, but you can use this technique just as easily to convey difficult ideas and bring your readers along with you.
Ever try it? Ever come across it? How often do you read something that teaches you by the context of what’s said? Any other writing methods you like to use?
I leave for Prague next Monday, and they will think I'm SO nice because I'll be asking everyone how they are and wishing them a nice day, which is all I've managed to learn so far!
I'm going to seem far more polite in the Czech Republic than I do here!
I have to learn "please" and "thank you', but i have a feeling that's about as much as I'll retain in the next few days.
I can understand more than that when I read, but that's all I can speak in Czech.
I am VERY uncomfortable going into a place and not knowing any of the language, so I always try to learn at least a little bit.
I love really good writing that teaches me something new. I don't know if I've ever actually taught anyone — if I'm enthusiastic about a concept, I try to communicate it, and I think there are certain things like social justice that are more effectively communicated in fiction and genre fiction than in non-fiction. But has anyone learned anything from me? You'd have to ask my readers.
Lori, I don't have much to say on writing as teaching (I think we do that every day), but I want to say that you did a good thing writing that letter and casually confronting the clerk. Not many people would have. I only wish the Spanish-speaking customer would have been there to hear it. Nobody deserves to be treated that way.
Lori, I've done the same thing — stick up for non-English-speaking foreigners, I mean. English is a very difficult language to learn, especially when you have no formal training — and let's be honest, how many of these immigrants have the money for English lessons? They're coming over here because they're poor, and are trying to make a better life for themselves.
As for Americans learning the language when they visit foreign countries — you're right, most don't. I remember a lady I used to babysit for telling me I should travel Europe after college. I told her, "But I don't know any of the languages," and she said, "You don't need to! Everyone over there speaks English anyway." It's very nonchalant, this attitude that everyone ought to speak English for our convenience, but it certainly isn't limited to immigrants.
Gabriella, I can only hope it'll do some good. I've taught foreigners English for the last 8 years. I volunteer. I would hope someone in another country would do the same for me or someone like me. You said it exactly: No one deserves to be treated that way. My student thanked me. She said that's why she won't go out in public and order food, buy groceries, etc. She's come across the same attitude – and she's trying like hell to learn the language. And frankly, her langauge skills are pretty darned good. Her pronunciation is off, but her understanding and translation is mid-level.
Katharine, it's that blase attitude that bugs me. These are people who automatically assume the world will adapt to English. I would love to see any one of them dropped into Brazil for one day. Hell, one hour would have them thinking twice about how they treat foreigners here.
Devon, that's common courtesy, and you're a good egg for attempting the language. 🙂 Unlike some Americans, people do appreciate the effort.