Teaching ideas

[Iris]

Thanks everybody.

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by Alfonso

Thank you very much, Rusty, for your superb corrections. The only one I can't understand is this one: a euro, instead of an euro. I guess it's an exception from the general rule, but I can't know if it is because of the beginning diphthong or because the word euro itself.

Originally Posted by Iris

It's because of the diphthong, you also say a university, a European city...

I don't know if it's because it's a dipthong or if it's simply because of the pronunciation. For example university doesn't start with a dipthong. But in any case,

• a university
• a European
• a Euro

All start with the "y" sound like "you're", and that's not considered a vowel, at least not for this rule.

Edit: The rule about a and an is based strictly on the pronunciation of the following word (if it's a vowel sound or not), rather than the first letter.

For example I personally pronounce history and historical both with an initial /j/ sound. So I would say 'a history ...' and 'a historical ...' But some people pronounce historical without the j and the word starts with /I/. They say 'an historical ...'.

[Iris]

David,
University doesn't start with a diphthong in spelling but in pronunciation. The first part of the diphthong, as you say,is not a vowel but a semi-vowel.

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by Iris

David,
University doesn't start with a diphthong in spelling but in pronunciation. The first part of the diphthong, as you say,is not a vowel but a semi-vowel.

Good point, Iris

[twalker]

Teaching English isn't as difficult as you thought, you can teach whatever you see and think in daily life, for students, interesting and motivation are very important.

I also recommend students surf on the net for web pages of English contens.

[Alfonso]

Originally Posted by twalker

Teaching English isn't as difficult as you thought, you can teach whatever you see and think in daily life, for students, interesting and motivation are very important.

Yeah, and what's important for teachers?

[poli]

Originally Posted by Alfonso

Yeah, and what's important for teachers?

Alfonso, I'm not sure about your meaning here. Did you mean, What's the
importance of teachers? If so, here's my answer:

Un profesor que tiene la motivación de comunicar es verdaderamente importante, porque reacionan al progreso del estudiante y tienen alma que un programa internet falta.

[Alfonso]

Originally Posted by poli

Alfonso, I'm not sure about your meaning here. Did you mean, What's the importance of teachers? If so, here's my answer:

Un profesor que tiene la motivación de comunicar es verdaderamente importante, porque reaccionan al progreso del estudiante y tienen el alma que un programa de internet no tiene.

También, puedes decir: ... que a un programa de internet le falta.

Great!, but I cannot understand why my phrase is ambiguous or incorrect.

[poli]

Originally Posted by Alfonso

Yeah, and what's important for teachers?

Did you mean: 1)Sí, y que es importante para lo maestros. (because that is how this translates directly to English
o
2) Si, y que importancia tienen los maestros ahora que la tecnologia ayuda tanto. (Yes, and what's the use of teachers now that technology is so helpful)

I think you meant 2, because it's a good resonse to the previous post.

[Alfonso]

But in the quote I selected from twalker there is nothing about new technologies. Only about teaching, teachers, students and important things for this last ones.

Twalker had already said that motivation is important for the student:

... for students, interesting and motivation are very important.

So, since I realised motivation is important for a student, I asked what's important for a teacher. I'm even copying the propositional regime from Twalker phrase (to be important for somebody).

Anyway, my doubt is why I failed in communication, as I cannot see any grammar mistake nor an ambiguous meaning.