Exhale

Was in charge of 4 students during the oral practice period this week. That's when they simulate an actual English oral examination for sec 4s who need more practice in that area. So I was testing them on Conversation that day.

Me: Describe an interesting journey you have had.
Student #1: .....Can I make something up if I don't know what to say?
Me: Sure, just make sure it's believable.
Student #1: Oh. *thinks* I was walking home from school one day. *pause* And I saw a dog running after a man. *pause* The dog bit the man and so he started bleeding. *pause* So then the man took out a pole and beat the dog to death.
Me: ...I think we can do better than that. If you're going to make something up, can you at least think of something that sounds less ridiculous?
Student #1: Oh ok. *thinks* I was walking home from school one day. And *pause* I saw two men staring at each other. So I stopped and stared at them. *pause* They were staring at each other for ten minutes. *pause* Then after ten minutes they took out their poles and starting beating each other to death.

***

Me: Describe an interesting journey you have had.
Student #2: Urrrh...I was in a car travelling along the AYE. And urh. *has a brainwave* On one side of the express way it was raining, and on the other side it was sunny! And urh. It was interesting because one side got rain the other side don't have -
Me: Wait, can you use proper english please? And you're supposed to take this seriously.
Student #2: Oh ok. *pauses for a very long time* I was amazed by the precise angle of the storm clouds; that one side could be affected by rain and that the other could not!

Seriously I wanna kill some of these kids.

posted by Jeanne @ 4:54 PM