AUTUMN ...

Last year I think I was in a more 'poetic' mood. Here is a post that I've decided to bring back. I'm less enthusiastic about fall this year even though we are having  such wonderful season and the weather to go with it ... a lot of sunshine for a change. So here are last year's musings!

When I say the word AUTUMN  ...

what is the first word that comes to mind ?

season, fall

trees, leaves, colours

afternoon, Indian Summer

festivals, harvest

outdoor markets

apples and apple pie

pumpkins and Hallow’een

change, weather, cool, rain

TEMPO’s (just kidding!)

Many words come to mind and many images do also. 

This is what is called ASSOCIATION!

Put all these words together and you get 

A STORY ABOUT AUTUMN.

Sounds like the title of a movie, doesn’t it? Actually it is in fact the reminder that in English, Autumn is a girl’s name, just like Winter is, and Summer and Spring as well. There are  April’s, May’s and June’s too.

But let’s concentrate on the word AUTUMN which is the name of a season, one of the four temperate seasons. Autumn marks the transition from summer into winter, from hot to cold, weather that is! The synonym being FALL. Which of course comes from LA CHUTE DES FEUILLES: falling autumn leaves and we get, fall foliage and fall colours. These are all expressions used while talking about autumn.

You have song lyrics and poems that celebrate this colourful season. There are novels and short stories too. You also have visual art forms, paintings and photographs and videos that show many of our fall colours. These are the ones used to best describe them: red, yellow, orange, gold and crimson, rusts and browns, and all the different hues of each. The most spectacular presented by the sugar maple tree!


You also have the sounds of fall: the Canada geese flying over, the rustling of leaves on the ground, the sound of the cool wind in the trees, the little squirrels running around gathering their nuts for the winter. And what about the smell of woodsy dying leavesand the cool fresh air hitting your nostrils. All your senses are sollicited!!!

So, no wonder that autumn is so much 

a part of our lives here in Québec …

YOU CANNOT MISS IT!!!!
You can SEE it, SMELL it and HEAR it!
You can also EAT some of it
But mostly be TOUCHED by all of it!

I WISH YOU ALL A GREAT FALL
and
A HAPPY AUTUMN!

An after thought or comment:

I really had the intention of waking up your senses when I wrote this. 
I also wanted to show the ones that hate that summer is over 
that fall is really to be appreciated.
I personally love fall/autumn even though it means 
coming back to the city but it also represents 
starting my ESL classes which I ADORE!!!


Suzanne

A Halloween Tale ... R.I.P.

A Halloween Tale ...

Two young men were walking home after a Halloween party and decided to take a shortcut through the cemetery just for laughs (Just for fun!)

Right in the middle of the cemetery they were startled by a tap-tap-tapping noise coming from the misty shadows. Trembling with fear, they found an old man with a hammer and chisel, chipping away at one of the headstones.

"Holy cow, Mister," one of them said after catching his breath, "You scared us half to death -- we thought you were a ghost! What are you doing working here so late at night?"

"Those fools!" the old man grumbled. 

"They misspelled my name!"

WORD SEARCH practice your vocabulary

Practice your Halloween vocabulary.
See how fast you can go!
See how you think in English while working the 'puzzle'

FOR MORE: CLICK on title.
Have fun!
Suzanne

FAMILIAR FACES and speaking English! Surprised???

Here in Québec, Les Têtes à claques are really well known.

Now they have been 'exported' to English speaking countries

 by the magic of the internet and YouTube of course.

In my opinion, not as funny though.

But, you see, that's what you get when you translate,

even when you are professionals. 
As a result, there is always something missing, 

always something not quite right!

 The idiosyncracy * of the original work 
which includes cultural references.

Nevertheless, other people get to enjoy 
this French Canadian humour!

So here it is for you,  the famous and most popular of the group:

The Halloween 'sketch'.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN to YOU all! Suzanne  * IDIOSYNCRACY:  langue ou un comportement                                       particulier à un individu ou un groupe ** NOTE: If you feel like doing some crossword             puzzles you can find two at this link:       http://bogglesworldesl.com/halloween_worksheets.htm

ENGLISH SOUNDS and a new TOOL

TODAY I added a new link in the list of tools 

(see right-hand column) >>> English 101 TOOLS

This BBC site offers an excellent learning tool, 

especially for those hard to recognize symbols 

that you can see next to the words in the dictionary. 

You know those symbols between //  

such as /tiθ/  

   

Here is a tool you can use to practice NOW 

or even when you are away from your English classes.
I especially recommend it for
 vowel sounds and diphthongs.
TRY IT!!!

Good luck! and Keep on learning.  

Your 'loving' teacher!

                SUZANNE  

CLICK on this link for a presentation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdRmGvmeY1U

                   

The TORTOISE and THE HARE

This week I sent some of you this email. I sent it after having a great class and wanting to share with you a very positive outlook!

Here is the content for those you didn't get this message:

« I really enjoyed hearing your spontaneous comments

near the end of our last class, especially hearing:

« Oh! Now, I understand! »

« Ah! Je viens de comprendre! »

or « OK! Je vois.»

In my experience as a teacher,

it is the best sentence in the world!

I feel good that I can help you learn

and hopeful for your success!

It also confirms my belief in students

and their capacity in learning English.

So ... if ever you feel discouraged,

think of what I just wrote

and KEEP UP your good work. Keep going!  

I believe in you even when you find

it difficult to believe in yourself.

Don't forget that

learning a language is a huge challenge

and that every little bit counts.

Every minute that you invest counts.

In the end (which there won't be), well ... 

all that counts are your personal goals

and how you achieved them.

Sometimes you are too hard on yourselves!

So my advice would be to set goals

that are realistic and attainable!

                       Personalize your learning.

Chose and use

whatever tools suggested best suit YOU

and do not forget to go at your own pace or rhythm.»

REMEMBER the story of

The Tortoise and the Hare

This Aesop fable has been interpreted 

in a variety of ways over the centuries.

My interpretation … you  ask?

Well, the way I see it, it’s all about never stopping, even if you are advancing slowly (that’s when you compare yourself to others… not too good a thing) and at your own pace. You will eventually get there, that is, where YOU want to be.

It’s all about determination

not necessarily about winning the race!

It’s about perseverance!

OR, you could say that if you do something too fast, you don’t necessarily do it well! Again, speed is not always the winner!

There is also what is called THE LAW of THE HANDICAP.

Personally and from what I have see over these years of teaching, you have a better chance at starting anew and not carrying with you mistakes that were never corrected. 

Yay! For all you beginners.

Click on the title above for a SURPRISE !!!
For the complete story:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5TtWX4yz6I

"Never think about giving up on a goal because even when walking slowly,

you can go so far."

THE END!

SUZANNE, your cheerleader 

TODAY ... Just for fun ... a RIDDLE

WHAT IS A RIDDLE?

DEFINITION:  It is a 'difficult' question;

especially one using a play on words.

It is ALSO a puzzle or a brain-teaser.

Here is a riddle for today!

READY? ...

When is one WORD a very long SENTENCE? 

CLUE :  ...... ( six letters)

NOW, HERE IS a brain-teaser:

Play with your friends or family.

Ask them to help you solve this enigma!

Romeo and Juliet are found dead on the floor in a bedroom. When they were discovered, there were pieces of glass and some water on the floor. The only furniture in the room is a    shelf and a bed. The house in is a remote location,  away from everything, except for the nearby railway track.  What caused Romeo and Juliet's death?

GOOD LUCK!

Have a great weekend.

SUZANNE