New Year’s resolutions

“All change is hard at the beginning, chaotic halfway through and wonderful at the end.” Robin Sharma

We are already in the second week of 2015 and, as every January, many people set and set goals for the new year. It takes time to reflect on the changes that can be made to improve our well-being, health and/or skills and abilities; such as joining a gym, changing jobs, traveling more or learning something new, for example, a language.

At FunTalk we are perfectly aware that one of the most common resolutions for the new year is to
learn English
to improve your English or
resume English classes
that you left abandoned in the past. As is normal, learning English is often just one more step in the process of achieving the ultimate goal, whatever it may be. But for many of us, learning a language can be a challenge that requires patience and perseverance. If we want to avoid throwing in the towel or frustration during learning, which can happen when learning a language, it is necessary to set a realistic and achievable goal.

To do this, set specific and precise objectives. For example: instead of saying that you would like to improve fluency, say that each week you want to learn how to use
new practical and relevant expressions
. Or if you are stuck on a particular grammatical point, be very clear about what it is and strive to correct it and use it in the right context. Focus on the things you can put into practice regularly to maintain positivity and motivation to keep studying.

Make English part of your daily routine. Do something, anything, in English for five to ten minutes a day. For example, read a
article on the internet
or in a magazine that interests you; watch your favorite TV series in English (with subtitles in your language and if you put them in English, so much the better); try to learn a new expression every week and use it in various relevant contexts. Change your habits to make English part of your daily life. The more contact you have with English, the better. I’m sure you can think of several ways to achieve this, can’t you?

Yes, of course it can take some time to get used to it, but you have to understand that learning a language is a process and if you follow it to the letter and don’t throw in the towel, you will surely notice the difference soon. Focus on what you have already learned, not on what you have yet to learn, and you will boost your confidence and self-esteem, keeping you motivated to keep learning.
learning English
.

‘All change is hard at first, messy in the middle, and so gorgeous at the end.’ Robin Sharma

So we’re two weeks into 2015 and just like every January, many people are making plans and setting goals for the year to come. We take the time to reflect on the changes we can make to improve our happiness, health, and/or skills, such as joining a gym, going for a new job, traveling more, or learning something new, such as a language.

At FunTalk, we’re fully aware that one of the most typical resolutions in the new year is to learn English, to improve your English, or to restart your English classes. Understandably so, in a lot of cases English is a step in the process to help you achieve your ultimate goal. But for many of us, learning a language can be a challenge, and one which requires patience and perseverance. So in order to not give up and to avoid that feeling of frustration, which can happen when learning a language, realistic and attainable goal setting is a must.

So set specific and concise objectives, for example, instead of saying ‘I’d like to improve my fluency’, say ‘I want to learn and use a new, practical, and meaningful expression every week.’ Or if you’re still struggling with a specific grammar point, identify it, correct it when necessary and use it in a meaningful context. Focus on the things you can do on a regular basis to stay positive and motivated to continue learning.

Make English part of your daily routine, do something, anything in English for only five to ten minutes a day. For example, read an article on the internet or in a magazine of your choice, watch your favorite TV series in English (using subtitles in your language or even better in English), or try to learn a new expression a week and then use it in several meaningful contexts. Change your habits to make English part of your everyday life. The more exposure you have to English, the better. Surely you can come up with a few ways to do this, can’t you?

Yes, it may take some getting used to at the beginning, but we have to understand that learning a language is a process and if you persevere and stick with it, you’ll definitely start to see a difference. Focus on what you have learned, not what you still have to learn, this is a huge boost to your confidence and self esteem, and therefore motivates you to keep on learning.

Happy Thanksgiving

It’s time to break out the turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, gravy, pumpkin pie and the tons of foods that go with a Thanksgiving meal. It is the favorite time of year for many Americans, perhaps even more important than Christmas, and is the time when we gather with family and friends for celebration. But what exactly is being celebrated?

Thanksgiving has historical significance in the U.S. dating back to when the Pilgrims sailed aboard the Mayflower (that’s what the ship was called) to the pilgrims The Pilgrims sailed aboard the Mayflower (that’s what the ship was called) to the New World in 1621 to find a new life. A new life in which survival was full of hardships and difficulties. Thanks to the altruistic help provided by the American Indians, the pilgrims learned to cultivate the land, which eventually yielded a bountiful harvest and provided enough food for the small settlements and their people. That is why a feast was prepared to “give thanks” for the food obtained from the harvest and for the lives it sustained.

Although during the formation of the United States it was considered a national holiday, it was Abraham Lincoln who first proclaimed Thanksgiving as a holiday on the last Thursday of every November. Subsequently, during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s term in office, there were 5 Thursdays in November 1939 and the holiday was moved to fourth Thursday of November with the added purpose of extending pre-Christmas shopping and trying to give a much needed boost to the weak economy at that time.

In many homes throughout the United States, it is customary that, before the banquet begins, all those seated around the table take turns to give thanks and express what each of them is grateful for. For many, it is a very special time to verbally express who or what is truly appreciated in our lives. It is a moment that should happen more often in our lives and should take place in every corner of the world.

As language and culture go hand in hand with each other, this week it is imperative that teachers and students express what they are thankful for and explain what Thanksgiving is all about no matter where they are from. Therefore, we would like to thank all of you who help build FunTalk for your dedication and effort. We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving

It’s time to bring out the turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, pumpkin pie, and tons of other food that can go with a
Thanksgiving meal. A favorite time of year for many Americans, and maybe even more important than Christmas, Thanksgiving is a time to get together with family and friends to celebrate. But what exactly do we celebrate?

Thanksgiving has a historical significance in the USA, when the Pilgrims sailed to the New World in 1621 on the Mayflower, they found not only a new life full of promise but a life full of pain and struggle just to survive. With the altruistic help from the Native Americans, the pilgrims learned how to farm the land to eventually give them a bountiful harvest, thus providing enough food for small settlements and their people. And so a celebratory feast was in order to ‘give thanks’ for the food the harvest supplied and the lives the food sustained.

Seen as a national holiday during the creation of The United States, it wasn’t until Abraham Lincoln first recognized Thanksgiving as an official holiday in 1863 on the last Thursday of November. Then under Franklin D. Roosevelt, there happened to be 5 Thursdays in November of 1939, and the official holiday was moved to the fourth Thursday of November to allow more time for the holiday shopping season before Christmas, therefore giving the weak economy at that time a much needed boost.

Traditionally in many households across the States, before the feast begins, everybody sitting around the table takes turns giving thanks and expressing what they are grateful for. For many, this is a special moment to verbally express who or what we appreciate in our lives. It’s a moment that should be taken more often in our daily lives and should be practiced all over the world.

As language and culture go hand in hand, expressing what you’re grateful for and explaining the Thanksgiving holiday is a must amongst English teachers and students this week, no matter where you are from. So to all of you who help make up FunTalk, we thank you and appreciate all your hard work and effort. We wouldn’t be here without you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Motivation in Language Learning

Let me ask you a question: why estu dias inglés? Is your answer among these?

• For work or for
  BUSINESS
  .
• To take the FCE, CAE, CPE, TOEFL, IELTS or to prepare for any other official certification.
  official English certification
  .
• To be able to manage when traveling abroad.
• To find a better job.
• To exercise the mind.
• To get closer to other cultures.
• Because it is the lingua franca

All of these reasons are fine and there are many more but they all have one thing in common: they motivate extrinsically. Very rarely does someone answer me the above question “because I LOVE English!” and when I hear this, usually the student already has a very good level of English but is anxious for
learn more
. The above question puzzles us all and, unfortunately, there is usually no clear and concise answer to it.

This may not be an easy topic of conversation for those learning English, but it is very important, not only for the student but especially for the teacher, to bring it up at the appropriate time. It is undoubtedly true that, while the student usually has a need of a certain nature that motivates him to learn English or to begin to receive english classesIn order to maintain and increase the student’s interest and motivation beyond that need, it is the role of the teacher that is fundamental to maintain and increase the student’s interest and motivation not only within the English class, but especially in the classroom. real-life situations when the language is actually used.

Noam Chomsky, well-known linguist, philosopher and activist, once said:

“The crux of the matter is that 99% of teaching is about getting students interested in the subject matter. The remaining 1% depends on methods.”

At FunTalk we agree with this statement: the duty of a teacher is not only to teach the English language and show its use, but their role goes far beyond what they traditionally had in a classroom. Their job is to get those who want to learn English involved; it is to facilitate a friendly, supportive and relaxed environment that allows students to optimize their English learning; it is to involve them in the classroom and play an active role throughout their English study process. Thus, when the class is over, the students will go home thinking about English and will try to apply it in their daily lives and, more importantly, the teacher will have made the student look forward to and even look forward to going to their English classes every week.

Because at FunTalk we focus on offering small groups and small classes, we are able to make the courses more personalized and tailored to the specific needs of each student.
private English lessons
Because of FunTalk’s focus on small groups, we are able to make the courses more personalized and tailored to the specific needs of each student. Moreover, we strive to go beyond simply adapting to their needs and realize what a student likes and dislikes, what kind of learner they are and work with real-life scenarios to use English in
real-life contexts. This practice is not only very useful and effective, but it motivates the English learner naturally and, hopefully, turns their motivation into an intrinsic reason to learn English, rather than just having one of the reasons listed above.

Albert Einstein sums it up succinctly:

“The true art of the teacher is to awaken the joy of creativity and knowledge”.

Motivation in Language Learning

Let me ask, why are you learning English? Is any one of the following your answer?

• For work or business
• To pass the FCE, CAE, CPE, TOEFL, IELTS, or any other official examination
• To travel
• To get a better job
• It’s good for your brain
• To understand other cultures
• It’s the lingua Franca of the world

All of these are great and there are many more reasons, but they all have something in common, they are all extrinsic motivators. Rarely do I hear the answer ‘because I LOVE English!’ When I do hear this answer, their English is fantastic, but they are thirsty for more. So how can we all become intrinsically motivated to learn English? A question that baffles us all and that unfortunately doesn’t have a clear and easy answer.

This may not be an easy topic of conversation for English language learners, but one that is extremely important, not only for the student but even more so for the teacher. Without a doubt, the learner usually has a need to begin learning English, but the role of the teacher is key in maintaining and elevating their interest and motivation to continue, not only in the classroom but more importantly in real life situations, where the language is used.

The famous linguist, philosopher, and activist Noam Chomsky once said, “The truth of the matter is that about 99% of teaching is about making the students interested in the material. Then the other 1% has to do with your methods.”

Here at FunTalk, we believe the same, the teacher’s job is not just to teach and tell people how to use English, their role is much more than that of a traditional classroom. Their job is to engage students, to provide a fun, conducive, relaxing environment to optimize students’ learning, to get them involved and play an active role throughout their learning process. So when the class finishes, the students go home thinking in English and try to apply it to their everyday life, and most importantly, a teacher gives the individual the feeling to want to come back to class every week, to look forward to it.
With a focus on small groups and private classes, we are more able to personalize the classes to meet the individual needs of each student. Furthermore, we try to go above and beyond just meeting their needs, as a teacher we discover a student’s likes and dislikes, how they learn, discussing real life experiences, and using English in a real context, which is useful and practical, therefore sparking motivation within the student naturally, and hopefully turning it into an intrinsic reason to learn English and not only a reason listed above.

Albert Einstein sums it up best by saying, “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”

What type of student are you? – How do you learn?