My favourite is ‘footing’ – what’s wrong with jogging or running?
Category: Spanish learners
10 problems Spanish learners have when speaking English
Sometimes it feels as if you’re banging your head against a brick wall. No matter how many times you tell your Spanish students to say: “She has blue eyes” they continue to say “She has eyes blues.” What’s their problem? Are they lazy? Are they stupid? Do they not listen to you? Before you start…
Lost in Translation: The answers to last week’s quiz
Here they are…..the answers to last week’s quiz about Spanish titles of famous English language movies. 1. Casarse esta en Griego – My Big Fat Greek Wedding I think you’ll agree that the Spanish title is far less likely to offend than the original. 2. Milagros inesperados – The Green Mile ‘Unexpected Miracles’ is probably…
Lost in Translation
The other day, my Spanish ‘suegra’ starting talking to me about one of her favourite musical called ‘Sonrisas y Lagrimas’ (smiles and tears). I hadn’t heard of the film but she insisted that it was a Hollywood classic. Finally, she started to hum a tune from the movie and it became clear that she was…
5 reasons why Spanish are (or could be) good at learning English – according to an English teacher
As ’tis the season to be jolly‘, I’d like to begin this post on a positive note: Actually, Spanish are or should be good at learning English for the following reasons: Firstly, many words in English and Spanish share etymological roots. In other words, there are masses of Spanish and English cognates (maybe 40%). Spaniards…
5 reasons why Spanish are bad at learning English (according to some Spanish friends)
There I was, having a copa (Rum and Coke) on Sunday evening with some Spanish friends and a chap from Chile. There were a couple of smokers in the group so we huddled around a table with a heater when one of them asked me how to say ‘Bufanda‘ in English. Before I could respond,…
There’s Juan in every class
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRUGgVVWGI4&feature=player_detailpage] Although this is not the most politically correct clip you’ll ever watch, you will encounter students like Juan. Ask yourself these questions: What’s the best way to react? What do you think of the teacher’s reaction? How would you react? How did Juan feel? How did the other students feel?