Date/Time: June 21st, 2017 - 3:00 p.m
Location: CIES
Topic/Skill: Listening
Feedback Provided to Tutee: In our previous session we watched a clip from Gilmore Girls Season 1 Episode 1. I followed the same format of activities that I did in our previous section. There was a fill-in-the-blank listening activity as well as a list of vocabulary that we went over. This new clip from Gilmore Girls was particularly challenging because one of the characters has a french accent, and a lot of broken speech was used in the dialogue.
Lesson(s) about Tutoring and/or the Tutee You Learned: Without seeing the dialogue, Seongeun wasn't able to comprehend the scene at all. This particular scene turned our to be too challenging, but other scenes are less challenging and good for our lessons.
Sunday, July 2, 2017
Samantha TS#11
Date/Time: June 20th, 2017 - 11:00 a.m
Location: Tutee's Home
Topic/Skill: Reading Comprehension
Feedback Provided to Tutee: For this meeting, PJ and I were continuing The Lightning Thief. During this lesson I we had to stop a lot and discuss what was happening in the book because PJ was having a tough time studying. PJ wasn't very interested in the story so he had a hard time following along to what was happening.
Lesson(s) about Tutoring and/or the Tutee You Learned: The Lightning Thief has a lot of Greek mythology incorporated into the story. I think if I had incorporated some schema building activities for PJ it might have gotten him more interested in the book. For our next session I will bring a couple of books for PJ to choose from so that he is more engaged in the reading.
Location: Tutee's Home
Topic/Skill: Reading Comprehension
Feedback Provided to Tutee: For this meeting, PJ and I were continuing The Lightning Thief. During this lesson I we had to stop a lot and discuss what was happening in the book because PJ was having a tough time studying. PJ wasn't very interested in the story so he had a hard time following along to what was happening.
Lesson(s) about Tutoring and/or the Tutee You Learned: The Lightning Thief has a lot of Greek mythology incorporated into the story. I think if I had incorporated some schema building activities for PJ it might have gotten him more interested in the book. For our next session I will bring a couple of books for PJ to choose from so that he is more engaged in the reading.
Alexa TS #14
Today (7/2/17, 5:30-6:30) I met with Sultan for tutoring. We basically went over the same things we usually go over. Today we went over a story about tadpoles. It was longer than the other stories we've read, but he did a great job reading through it even though there were some words he didn't know. He was very tired today, so it was hard for him to concentrate, so I helped him with the comprehension questions by doing least to most prompting: 1. giving him the paragraph it was in, 2. giving him a couple sentences it was in, and 3. giving him the sentence where the answer was. It is cool seeing him increasingly get better at English to where I can increase the difficulty of the reading passages. It is a little strange using techniques like least to most prompting for students who are my age because I'm used to working with younger students; however, it has proven to be very effective. After that, we went over a lot of different vocabulary terms. He has a whole list of terms that he needs to know for a test, so I have been helping them understand them.
Saturday, July 1, 2017
Jennifer TS#8
Date/Time: July 1, 6:15PM
Location: Mayuri
Topics: Marriage, Christian church, and Sunday cartoons
I picked Abdulrahman up tonight so that we could go grab Indian food at Mayuri since we both enjoy it so much. We discussed marriage differences between Saudi Arabia and America regarding my mention of women being single but having kids, e.g. outside of marriage. He mentioned that he disagreed with it and that in Saudi Arabia it wouldn't be allowed. I told him that it was fine to disagree because it is a cultural difference and that not everyone in America would agree with it either, but as long as the choices people make don't hurt others, I think it's fine.
I brought some Sunday comics from last weeks paper for us to read through and giggle about. I thought it might be a fun way to practice English. He had some questions with the cartoons when slang English was used or if the terms were political or sarcastic in nature, but I think he enjoyed them.
He mentioned that he is going to a Christian church tomorrow with a friend to be a part of the service and see how different Christianity is from Islam. I talked to him about some of the differences between the Christian sects and assured him that the people would be friendly considering he is just going to witness the "ceremony" involved in Sunday service. If they are good Christians, they should be nice no matter what. He is a little apprehensive since it is so unfamiliar to him. We made plans to hang out on 4th of July. We're going to Tom Brown Park for the festivities so that he can celebrate his first Independence Day. :)
I picked Abdulrahman up tonight so that we could go grab Indian food at Mayuri since we both enjoy it so much. We discussed marriage differences between Saudi Arabia and America regarding my mention of women being single but having kids, e.g. outside of marriage. He mentioned that he disagreed with it and that in Saudi Arabia it wouldn't be allowed. I told him that it was fine to disagree because it is a cultural difference and that not everyone in America would agree with it either, but as long as the choices people make don't hurt others, I think it's fine.
I brought some Sunday comics from last weeks paper for us to read through and giggle about. I thought it might be a fun way to practice English. He had some questions with the cartoons when slang English was used or if the terms were political or sarcastic in nature, but I think he enjoyed them.
He mentioned that he is going to a Christian church tomorrow with a friend to be a part of the service and see how different Christianity is from Islam. I talked to him about some of the differences between the Christian sects and assured him that the people would be friendly considering he is just going to witness the "ceremony" involved in Sunday service. If they are good Christians, they should be nice no matter what. He is a little apprehensive since it is so unfamiliar to him. We made plans to hang out on 4th of July. We're going to Tom Brown Park for the festivities so that he can celebrate his first Independence Day. :)
Jennifer TS#7
Date/Time: June 30, 6:00PM
Location: Phone
Topics: Speaking presentation & cultural differences
Abdulrahman talked on the phone about his presentation for his speaking class. He told me that he presented on his favorite football (soccer) team. We discussed his presentation and I corrected some of the grammar issues that came up. We also discussed how he thought he did and what feedback he received from the class and instructor. We talked about which CIES faculty he enjoyed taking classes with and why and which courses were his favorite. I also taught him a new idiom, "one bad apple spoils the whole bunch". Last time we hung out, I taught him "absence makes the heart grow fonder". In my opinion, idioms are the hardest part of learning a new language because they do not translate well for non-native speakers.
Abdulrahman and I also discussed how in Arab, specifically Saudi Arabian culture, you can not tell your elders no. It doesn't matter if it is just your older brother or sister rather than a grand parent or boss, you are not allow to decline a request of any sort. Not only is it frowned upon, it is shameful and simply unallowable. I thought that was very interesting considering that we can decline requests, although it might be considered rude, we are not obligated to say yes and carry out the action. His specific example was his older brother doesn't like to drive places so he's always asking Abdulrahman to either drive him places or to do things for him so that he doesn't have to go and Abdulrahman has to do it. It's quite different.
Abdulrahman has gotten much better at English since I first met him. It's astonishing to think that when he arrived in Tallahassee in the spring of 2017, that he didn't know any English. I reminded him to keep practicing and remain patient and he will continue to improve.
Abdulrahman talked on the phone about his presentation for his speaking class. He told me that he presented on his favorite football (soccer) team. We discussed his presentation and I corrected some of the grammar issues that came up. We also discussed how he thought he did and what feedback he received from the class and instructor. We talked about which CIES faculty he enjoyed taking classes with and why and which courses were his favorite. I also taught him a new idiom, "one bad apple spoils the whole bunch". Last time we hung out, I taught him "absence makes the heart grow fonder". In my opinion, idioms are the hardest part of learning a new language because they do not translate well for non-native speakers.
Abdulrahman and I also discussed how in Arab, specifically Saudi Arabian culture, you can not tell your elders no. It doesn't matter if it is just your older brother or sister rather than a grand parent or boss, you are not allow to decline a request of any sort. Not only is it frowned upon, it is shameful and simply unallowable. I thought that was very interesting considering that we can decline requests, although it might be considered rude, we are not obligated to say yes and carry out the action. His specific example was his older brother doesn't like to drive places so he's always asking Abdulrahman to either drive him places or to do things for him so that he doesn't have to go and Abdulrahman has to do it. It's quite different.
Abdulrahman has gotten much better at English since I first met him. It's astonishing to think that when he arrived in Tallahassee in the spring of 2017, that he didn't know any English. I reminded him to keep practicing and remain patient and he will continue to improve.
Keira CP #6
Keira CP #6
Date/Time: June 30, 2017 - 12:45 pm
Location: Hecht House (Student Lounge)
Today was my final conversation partner meeting with Seongeun. We no longer had any activities being sent to us, or any specific questions to ask, so we mostly just chatted. Our conversations have always involved us talking casually about things we were curious about in the other's culture and country, and things we have in common, and interests we have, and in that regard today's talk was no different. We talked about some topics that have already come up in our meetings in the past--pets, Korean entertainment, our plans for the near future, and more.
In one of our earlier sessions we had gotten on the topic of the differences in owning pets, especially dogs, between what Seongeun was used to back in South Korea, and what she now sees here in Tallahassee. She told me she used to be surprised by the sight of big dogs, and now, here in America, she is more surprised when she sees a little dog. According to her, the apartment complexes in Korea simply do not allow for people to own very big dogs, whereas here, people have more room for their pets and can therefore own bigger animals. We both agree that we are dog people, and we tend to like big dogs more than little dogs.
We have also talked about various Korean bands, movies, and television shows, and we touched on that a little more today, too. During our last session I told her about the only real concert I've ever gone to, which was a Korean boy band, Block B. Seongeun told me she has never been to a concert before, and when asked who she would see if she could, she told me Block B. Today we talked more about bands and about shows that we have seen, and she told me that I remember the Korean dramas I have watched much more clearly than she remembers the same shows. We also talked a little about what traveling we plan to do in the next few months and what our overall plans are, like how I need to find a part-time job soon, and how she will be staying here for a while before returning to Korea.
In the past, Seongeun and I have really appreciated having activities that we could lean on a little, since we can both be quite shy, and knowing you are supposed to talk with someone for an hour without knowing where to start can be a little intimidating. Today, however, we had something of a slow start, but in a very short time we were chatting and laughing just like I do with any of my other friends. We even went over our hour without noticing. When we did part ways, I told her I had really enjoyed our sessions, and that since I would still be living in Tallahassee for some time, we should hang out again, and she agreed. I told her we could go get food or coffee, or she could come over for dinner sometime. My roommate knows how to cook Korean food, which I told her, and I joked that she could let us know if it was anything like it is in Korea. Seongeun has been a really wonderful person to get to know over this session, and I'm quite fortunate to have gotten so many chances to talk with her. I hope we will keep in touch even now that our meetings are over, and I'm certain her English education is going to continue to go well.
Date/Time: June 30, 2017 - 12:45 pm
Location: Hecht House (Student Lounge)
Location: Hecht House (Student Lounge)
Today was my final conversation partner meeting with Seongeun. We no longer had any activities being sent to us, or any specific questions to ask, so we mostly just chatted. Our conversations have always involved us talking casually about things we were curious about in the other's culture and country, and things we have in common, and interests we have, and in that regard today's talk was no different. We talked about some topics that have already come up in our meetings in the past--pets, Korean entertainment, our plans for the near future, and more.
In one of our earlier sessions we had gotten on the topic of the differences in owning pets, especially dogs, between what Seongeun was used to back in South Korea, and what she now sees here in Tallahassee. She told me she used to be surprised by the sight of big dogs, and now, here in America, she is more surprised when she sees a little dog. According to her, the apartment complexes in Korea simply do not allow for people to own very big dogs, whereas here, people have more room for their pets and can therefore own bigger animals. We both agree that we are dog people, and we tend to like big dogs more than little dogs.
We have also talked about various Korean bands, movies, and television shows, and we touched on that a little more today, too. During our last session I told her about the only real concert I've ever gone to, which was a Korean boy band, Block B. Seongeun told me she has never been to a concert before, and when asked who she would see if she could, she told me Block B. Today we talked more about bands and about shows that we have seen, and she told me that I remember the Korean dramas I have watched much more clearly than she remembers the same shows. We also talked a little about what traveling we plan to do in the next few months and what our overall plans are, like how I need to find a part-time job soon, and how she will be staying here for a while before returning to Korea.
In the past, Seongeun and I have really appreciated having activities that we could lean on a little, since we can both be quite shy, and knowing you are supposed to talk with someone for an hour without knowing where to start can be a little intimidating. Today, however, we had something of a slow start, but in a very short time we were chatting and laughing just like I do with any of my other friends. We even went over our hour without noticing. When we did part ways, I told her I had really enjoyed our sessions, and that since I would still be living in Tallahassee for some time, we should hang out again, and she agreed. I told her we could go get food or coffee, or she could come over for dinner sometime. My roommate knows how to cook Korean food, which I told her, and I joked that she could let us know if it was anything like it is in Korea. Seongeun has been a really wonderful person to get to know over this session, and I'm quite fortunate to have gotten so many chances to talk with her. I hope we will keep in touch even now that our meetings are over, and I'm certain her English education is going to continue to go well.
Keira CP #5
Keira CP #5
Date/Time: June 27, 2017 - 3:10 pm
Location: Hecht House (Student Lounge)
Location: Hecht House (Student Lounge)
Today was the first time Seongeun and I have been able to meet since her trip to New York. She told me that because of some miscommunications between the airport and the group she was traveling with, they missed their flight back to Florida and she had to stay a few extra days in New York.
We had no activities left to do, but I did have a question to ask her from one of the last weeks of my class: I asked her to describe any critical incidents she may have had since coming to America or perhaps in another country. She took a long while to think it over, and told me once again that she did not think Korean culture and American culture are actually all that different, so she had not had many moments where this kind of issue had occurred. Finally, she remembered not knowing much about tipping when she first came to America. In South Korea, they do not tip at restaurants the way it is expected that patrons will here. She described being at a restaurant and not knowing the correct way to tip, or how much to leave. I asked who had taught her, and she said the staff of the restaurant had been the ones to explain the procedure. Seongeun asked me if waiters and waitresses here made very little money, and I told her that they do, and they really rely on the tips people leave them in order to make the money they need. She could not think of a moment she's really had a true "critical incident," but I suppose I can only be happy for her if that the case, since they can be embarrassing and difficult to navigate.
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