Fantasioso Oscurecer

Vivimos inmersos en apacible inercia
aguardando a que el canto de un ruiseñor
dentro del tiempo y sus tinieblas
nos provoque un instante de exaltación

Espero la noche susurre poesía a través de tus lacios cabellos
sueltos y contrapuestos a la serenidad de la aurora
esparciéndose al son de luciérnagas tintillantes,
aliviando la carga de todo marchitante dolor

Esa voz que tus oídos urgen escuchar
contiene palabras que el arrepentimiento supo callar
y quedó en las líneas volátiles a ti dedicadas
que tu piel fantasiosa podrían recorrer sellando,
con cumplidos y tinta especial los poros de tu espalda,
exudantes de clamor por irrefrenable pasión

Este oscurecer y su gris nublado
con la llamarada eufórica de las estrellas
y un aullido salvajemente resonante
encendió un grito casi inmaculado para tus sentidos

El brote insomne de impaciencia romántica
poco eco hace en la inmensidad de la indiferencia
para contrarrestarla, únete a la briaga demora de mi fe
que se resiste a olvidar la última gota escondida
en el pozo enterrado del amar sin condición

The Old Man And The Sea - Rising Fortune

A few days quietly went by in the ever-steady Cuban village. It was during a gleamy morning sunrise that Manolin felt on his gut the time had come, to once again, flee and voyage over water with the old man.

The boy ran up the hill empowered with excitement until he arrived at the humble shack. Santiago had woken up a little early to walk along the shore and see what gifts the tide might have brough him. He collected a few mussels from coastline rock pools and returned home for further rest. When Manolin entered, nothing but gratitude inhabited the old man as he glanced over the table, spotting hot food and coffee the boy had generously put down.

Santiago was now able to read the paper since all of his chest pains and wounds faded, leaving nothing but reminescent scars. Sleep, nourishment, and self-treatment were the righteous measures to become renewed. His welfare was still strong.

The boy asked whether there were any Dimaggio news; to which the old man replied: “Well, I for one think the last article on Joe Dimaggio confirms his conviction and fond commitment to the game. Injuries have kept on powering down his performance, but he continues to be a highly productive player. Joe has managed to prove his value by scoring outstanding numbers during the current season, despite unfavorable conditions”.

Unexpectedly at the moment, a rather distinctive twittering could be heard nearby. It turned out to be the man-of-war bird Santiago had encountered some moons ago, out on the sea.
A contempt expression subtlely formed on the old man’s semblant. After short silent listening, he claimed: “The way I see things, pirate birds are much alike to fishermen. They tiredlessly travel significant distances, employ fishing-aimed skills, and face hardship to earn meals. That’s why I’ll take this flying creature’s jolly sound as a sign of prosper fate.”

Manolin then said aloud: “In that case, let’s’ not linger on”. -“I guess you’re right, it’s fishing time at last!” the old man exclaimed with enthusiasm. The boy immediately added: “There will be no dry spell Santiago! Salao days are now asunder from us. I’ll bring my rising fortune onboard”. The old man replied: Indeed, I have confidence our dedicated work combination will make the old skiff, a lucky one”.

Dimaggio’s latest story and the seabird appearance filled the old man with inspiration to emulate suchlike tenacity, and not forsake his honorable promise.

Prior to departure, Santiago requested the boy to put away the newspaper. As Manolin approached the shelf in the corner, where he intended to leave it, the old man’s wife portrait came into vision. He stared in pondering at the tinted, melancholy-drenched photograph. The boy was daunted by its enigmatic portrayal of a vanished soul.

Manolin couldn’t resist the itch of his curiosity, and began questioning Santiago regarding his late spouse. The boy inquired about her name, aspect, character, among other various traits. He wanted to find out if a poignant case of love at first sight had occured or not.
In polite manner, all along the old man had been carefully listening, and considering appropiate answers for Manolin. -“It’s not healthy for me to immerse my senses in a nostalgic current of memories, but if it will hush your wondering, here is the best description I can confide you: My dear Elisabeth was a serenity-driven presence, a selfless companion, and warm light before my eyes, that overshadowed any trivial flaws. She was a Puerto Rican tourist I met on the beach, during one foggy afternoon. It wasn’t love at first sight, but her charming ways allured me with such lively delight, that I fell head over heels before the fog cleared out” Santiago told the boy.

Manolin, not yet out of his amusement, wanted to comment, but probably because of his age, couldn’t quite find the words. Therefore, he limited himself to ingenously nod while a candid smile seemed to leap off his face, and his prying appetite was satisfied.

At this point, Santiago and Manolin both drifted their focus back to their long awaited sailing endeavor. The old man thought it would be convenient to take the Virgin of cobre as a protection amulet, which had a romanticized meaning in his mind.
As they headed down the road towards Havana waters, they found Martin, the terrace owner, sitting on a log downhill. He was placidly looking at the waves colliding rocks in the northern seaboard.

Manolin and Santiago greeted Martin. The old man thanked him for his benevolent support. -“You’re very much welcome. Anything for the fisherman who caught the most magnificent fish this village has seen. I have true appreciation for what you do, so there’s no need to thank me. I am still bewildered by how you gained the other fishermen’s respect. Instead of using cheap back talk against their mockery, you did something undeniably admirable, thus, proving them wrong. Such exploits confirm you’re still “the champion” as the boy says. Oh, just one last thing if I may. I brought the sharp knife Manolin and I grinded in Guanabacoa”. Martin told the two pals. -“Well, much obliged!” the old man said when shaking the man’s hand for goodbye.

Once near the docks, they finally embarked with better boating gear. Santiago was quick to give a piece of advice: “Anyone who goes out too far into the sea, no matter how experienced, is almost helpless. Only composure, stone cold determination and the lord, will aid you when boating there”.
Followingly, the boy reckoned: “You speak words of wisdom; you know that, don’t you?”
Since Manolin was praising him perhaps a bit too much, the old man shared a humility reminder: “I believe it’s ironic how the sea makes us stay grounded, while being on water. I mean, its immensity brings to conscience how small we appear to be, if ever compared”.

The inscrutable forces of the ocean had not mellowed the old man, who refused to yield to age. In fact, each swift wave was like a rush of energy that caused him to slightly recall Elisabeth’s caress. It was short lived, but with a restoring touch. This thought prompted Santiago to seize his time in this world, for he knew it was ephemeral and precious.

-“When I look back, I have no repents. Nothing could have restrained me from pursuing my noble prey” the old man said in relation to his bittersweet capture, the Marlin.
Manolin and Santiago had not even noticed how time flew by. They spent hours vividly talking about fishing techniques, the boy’s family, and crystal-clear daydreams.
None of them caught anything but sea stars that day. It didn’t really matter anyhow. Their comforting company and bonding experience were much more relevant.

The sunset’s bright and intense blaze matched the old man’s eyes that never gave up. As it got darker, those shining fireballs were exposed by the evening; it was a fully stellar night. Santiago then exclaimed: “It’s hard not to be startled by the stars, if you have a vibrant beating heart like mine. Therefore, it’s a good thing we only got a hold of sea stars today; I couldn’t bear to attempt stealing one from the sky. Boy, what a pity that would be! I’m sure is a sin against Mother Nature to take away such beautiful elements from the nightly view”.

The next morning, dawn was breaking when Manolin contemplated the firmament. He tried to discern objects from all the cloudy figures his imagination pictured. “My dad told me he doesn’t like clouds all that much. They remind him how sudden life appears, goes by, and soon evaporates. In my case, I prefer to watch them, and visualize nothing more than fun things up above my head. What do you think of this Santiago?” the boy asked.
-“Hmm… I personally like to take advantage of the opportuniy, forget all hassle, projecting my dreams and desires into the clouds, so that I can see what the heart wants” the old man replied, as he rejoiced stretching his victorious arms, gaping at ease.

Manolin unwinded, beholding the stunning spectacle of a brand new day. He didn’t utter a single word, and merely started pipe-dreaming himself, with genuine faith, and longing for a better tomorrow. They spared a moment to divise a cloudy Marlin of mesmerizing grace, jumping from cloud to cloud, and extracting sweetness out of a honey dripping sun.

Large Groups Management

Having a large class group demands a different approach and more strategic methods from teachers. 

Whether or not, the strategies on the youtube video could work in our country depends on how well we can reach a sustainable adaptation, plus considering the expected reaction from students. 

On the video we were able to get a glimpse of the students' behavior, they were children. The class dynamic seemed fast-paced, the teachers had pretty clear fluency. The one who wasn't of american origin, talked about the use of multimedia. Another one, advised to display the students' work on the classroom's walls. 

Basic points such as having respect, giving rewards, and not humiliating anyone, need to be taken into account, no matter the age or level. It is only the language, methodology or topics, which require adequate changes according to each specific group we deal with.

An effective tip for teaching large groups, is simple but also witty. We can provide individual attention to each student or group, by taking a few days, and avoid attempting to attend everyone in only one class, for it's almost impossible, not to even mention, exhausting...

When having the classroom physically organized, allowing students to move around the class, was brought up, it was hard not to think that in our reality, we aren't very likely to enjoy the benefits of much free space, since the classrooms tend to be small. 

The one part I thought is generally the same in El Salvador, is setting up classroom logistics. Most teachers I know do plan their activities, follow determined patterns, organize students, etc. In that regard, there's not much difficulty to be faced, but of course, preparation time is required.

Maybe "being proactive" is not so common in our country, and it should not be that way. Nevertheless, it is in fact, understandable. Lots of teachers aren't proactive due to the lack of motivation they have, with low salaries, poor conditions, etc. And besides, students aren't keen to plan their own activities and seriously consider pedagogical issues. But perhaps through playful means we can try to change these paradigms.

Usefulness Of The Internet

-Using the internet with EFL students can turn out to be an appealing way to draw attention through technologically interactive means. There are many advantages we can make use of when having internet access. So, there's a positive vibe surrounding the matter.

-The last time I used the internet in class, I felt compelled to apply my prior knowledge and learn more info. And it is valid to mention that the tools we learn to use via internet, may come in handy in the future, and for various purposes, not only education. We should keep that in mind, so that our interest and focus increases on what is explained.

-Currently, there are several reasons why it is relevant to relate the learning process to the internet. Besides the infinite number of possibilities and resources, being in touch with modern tools should not be overlooked. If not, our options in life will be continue to be narrowed down in general terms.

It is important to keep ourselves up to date, we cannot have the luxury of simply go on ignoring technological novelties that could serve as great aid in class development.

-It is my understanding there's evidence that we can actually use just about every intelligence when using the internet. The trick is probably knowing how to accomplish that.  We need to at least try to find the best online resources, check if they are trustable. 

Examples:

A) When reading and analyzing an article we use our logical and intrapersonal intelligences.

B) Associating concepts to pictures (visual intelligence).

C) Messenger calls (audio) and chat (Interpersonal intelligence).

D) Teleconferences (live audiovisual stream) and video-chat

(Kinesthetic intelligence, body language: mimics, gestures, etc.)

Therefore, the only thing we need to apply them is having the means and ideas to include the different intelligences whenever we get the chance to have an internet-related class.

Of course, I'm aware that the access won't be available everywhere or not fully functional. People always complain and are quick to recall the worst case scenarios of no resources in our country, time, culture, etc.

However, those are also common excuses to plainly avoid doing something innovative or that requires preparation. Most like to pick the easiest ways, as often as they can. I'm not saying I've never done that. Unfortunately that's not necessarily the best thing we can do. So, I think that if it is possible, the internet should be given a chance, unless we truly want to remain almost the same as an entire decade ago...

Oh, and to share something we can do with internet tools, using just a microphone and a few pictures, I created a little voicethread in the site teacher Aida showed us the other day (feel free to comment):

http://voicethread.com/share/1477277/

Thoughts About The Contextualized Language Video

As teachers, contextualizing the language with our class is strongly advised. Its importance stems from how much easier it is for a student to learn contents when those are explained in the most suitable context.

Collective activities meant to fulfill the group's needs, equally developing macro-skills, motivation and appealing topics are just some of the advantages and intentions of contextualized language.

I think teachers should be required to always display an open mind in their profession, showing keenness to apply new methodologies.

The was something on the video that caught my attention. Most students seemed eager to participate, rather than show any shyness at all, which would be the most common case in our environment. So it is not far-fetched to say that class was interested in the topic and did not fully relied on the teacher to push them or ask them, they had undeniable initiative.

Contextualized language could presumably work in our reality, although not to the same degree. The success level would depend on several factors, such as the students' background, age, personality, etc. However, the consistent practice of contextualized language could very much lead to a satisfying learning process, as long as patience and effort are part of the teacher's vision.

I believe more than just a few learners may not necessarily have a positive attitude when facing the contextualized language approach.

As the video presents, some activities include dynamic games, and very interactive classes. Not everybody will be thrilled to partake in such activities. Therefore, I assume it would be a key measure, not to overuse the method.

Another point regarding contextualized language to take into consideration is the fact that many teachers are not quite prepared to make proper use of the approach.

It is a shame that currently there are not many places where teachers can be truly trained for developing contextualized language. In order to counteract, teachers do not have much of a choice but to become self-taught in the area.

This does not mean to randomly improvise, but to read tips and articles online from professionals in the subject matter, who have had the chance to put contextualized language to use for years in foreign institutions.

Creating A Positive Classroom Environment

A relevant goal for a teacher is to find a plausible way to create and mantain a positive environment at all times in a classroom. Such a challenge requires real effort and is a key element to succeed. 

-Attitude: It must be positive, which should not be confused with smiling or laughing all the time. But trying to make each topic as appealing as possible will always be productive.  The teacher has to be open to questions, show real interest in the content and pay attention to the group.

-Avoid Monotony: The surprise factor is actually necessary if we do not wish to lose our students' interest after a few days. Having all kinds of varied activities and giving a sense of novelty to our classes is advised. If we try to constantly innovate, it will be less likely that students get bored fast and fail to learn anything.

-Giving a balanced freedom: This is hard to achieve, but clearly not incredibly difficult either. Sometimes teachers create a negative environment by correcting their students way too much and often or forcing them to work with people they may not like. It is true that socializing should be encouraged, but there are times when only awkwardness is created. Teachers push students to do pointless activities, etc. So, we got to try to give some freedom, while still having enough control over the group. We should keep a proper measure, be creative. All this will lead to diminish tension, reluctancy, boredom and others.

Those are some ideas I thought of to create a positive feeling in the class, some of you guys already covered other points, good work. 

Teaching Across Proficiency Levels

Teacher's Role:

In this initial phase of the students' learning endeavour, the teacher has a defyning role. He needs to be properly prepared for the ardous task that teaching represents. Accurate explanations, fluent pronunciation and attentive disposition should be the part of the daily staple of an effective class development.  

Being able to handle any topic, relating to the whole group, preparing varied material, using different sources, promoting reading for enjoyment, enriching vocabulary, planning multiple activities, taking charge as a leading figure, being trustworthy, respectful and considerate, are some of the fundamental qualities a teacher must have in mind to succeed at his job.

Language's Authenticity:

As in any ordinary process, we learn by following a logical order and structural patterns that normally progress, as they grow in complexity and evolve in laboriousness. Some students might already have an intermediate level or just one above their mates', which enables them to understand with more ease. However, we must assure that they don't find the classes to be dull.

It's certainly better if the language used by the teacher isn't really advanced, but rather standard to fit the level, more common. But it's imperative not to fall in the horrible mistake of using way too simplistic language, or forgetting to intensify expectations consistently.

Students' Creativity:

Even if it's only up to a low level, everyone has creativity. Of course, this means beginner students are included in the stated range. The majority of youngsters like to engage in the entertainment found in drawing (even if they're just scribbles). Although they may be bounded by their own apprentice limits, students are most likely capable of coming up with fresh ideas, which a teacher has to be careful not to underestimate.

Remember that in creativity's realm, kids are supposed to have an advantage. We must find the way to benefit from the young fertile minds' productivity. In this regard, patience is also a must.