Learning a language is such a funny business. It makes you so vulnerable as it renders you childlike in your initial stages. The smiling and nodding, the hand gestures. Saying 'yes' to questions or statements you don't understand. All this flailing and anxiety is at the heart of why I love being a language teacher. To watch people go from the struggle to the skill is such a treat. As a teacher you get to witness empowerment in a very short span of time, so for me, it's a great way to spend your workday.
Ry had his first French class today and he likened it to the Saturday Night Live episode where Chris Farley's character finds himself accidentally as a contestant on a Japanese game show. A brilliant Farlian performance as he emphatically explains in loud, slow, English that he doesn't 'under--stand--Jap-a-nese, th-ere haas beeen a little mis-taaake.'
In this short skit (all stereotypes aside) they capture the thrill of actually communicating (or thinking you did) and ultimately the punishment of mispronunciation as he is electrocuted for transposing a 'b' sound and a 'p' sound in his answer.
Ry pointed out the importance of class dynamics. His class has many Moroccans who clearly comprehend much more than the level requires, which makes the true beginners intimidated...the Moroccans are there to work on their writing. The only other English speaker is a Canadian who at one point, with a big blank stare, slowly shook her head and said in English, "I'm sorry is that a QUESTION?!!" Most everyone is in the same place of confusion, but Ry thinks it is important to have at least one person who you know you are stronger than, and he is glad to play that role for his fellow classmates.
In a few hours we will have our Derija (Arabe Dialectal) class and I'm looking forward to it because a teacher can learn a lot by being back behind the other side of the desk!