mint Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 ChristineMany apologies for non reply. To be honest, I have only just got the phone line, nevermind internet and all the rest of it. Can't seem to be able to quote you but, anyway, here I am. I LOVE the song you posted. Would also have liked the food and the drink but, hey, you can't have everything.FrenchieThanks for the warm welcome. I'm glad you like "Aupres de ma blonde". I thought it was such a funny song. Will try to find my CD with Songs of the Auvergne and tell you about it.As regards Macca, I taught Italian kids English in a University summer school one year and I used "Yesterday" to teach the Past Simple. Boy, did they love the song. Then I came to "There's a shadow hanging over me"; how to explain "shadow"? I cheated and used the Italian "umbra" but I am not sure I got across to them that it was a figurative shadow and not an actual one!I'm just so pleased to be back on the forum. I had HUGE difficulty getting logged in but I had MASSIVE help.....from Cassis and James the Wonderworker. So, thank you buckets Cassis & James! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchie Posted August 23, 2007 Author Share Posted August 23, 2007 [quote user="sweet 17"]ChristineFrenchieAs regards Macca, I taught Italian kids English in a University summer school one year and I used "Yesterday" to teach the Past Simple. Boy, did they love the song. Then I came to "There's a shadow hanging over me"; how to explain "shadow"? I cheated and used the Italian "umbra" but I am not sure I got across to them that it was a figurative shadow and not an actual one![/quote]I used to teach English to primary school children, and " hello Goodbye" was a big favourite, easy to remember , and kids learnt quite a few words from it.. Yes/ No/hello/ goobye/ high/low/ why . / go /..I had my Lyçée students to work on " she s leaving home", I thought the song might be too slow for them,;but they adored it..I loved the " Shadow hanging over me" image Hee Hee ... xx [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 FrenchieI also taught from a song by Suzanne Vegas (I can't remember the name); it was in Present Simple and Present Continuous. There was this woman looking through the rain into a diner and going up to the counter to get (I think) coffee. Then there was the sound of bells ringing. Quite a contemplative song but I do wish my memory was rather better! Oh la la, quelle memoire.....c'est ne marche pas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana (ex tag) Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Why did you ever teach the present continuous? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchie Posted August 23, 2007 Author Share Posted August 23, 2007 [quote user="sweet 17"]FrenchieI also taught from a song by Suzanne Vegas (I can't remember the name); it was in Present Simple and Present Continuous. There was this woman looking through the rain into a diner and going up to the counter to get (I think) coffee. Then there was the sound of bells ringing. Quite a contemplative song but I do wish my memory was rather better! Oh la la, quelle memoire.....c'est ne marche pas![/quote]I don't know this song.. Hope someone will know it and give the title..When I was a student, I ve met Suzanne Vega, she was very nice to talk to..[kiss] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 WoolybananaI tried to quote your post and rely to you but I am not sure whether the message "got through". So here is another reply but, if you got the first one, then many apologies.The Present Continuous is necessary to express an action that is ongoing at the time of speaking. For example, "I am writing to France Forum" meaning I am doing the writing at this very moment in time. Compare this with, "I watch the TV everyday". This second sentence does not imply that I am watching right this minute, merely that I watch as a habitual action or that I watch as a matter of fact. So, you see, the Present Continuous has its place. The Present Simple, on the other hand is not always Present and hardly ever Simple!Why did I ever teach it? Because I love getting across these distinctions; it's like a sort of game for me. Don't know about the poor students! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchie Posted August 23, 2007 Author Share Posted August 23, 2007 It is the programme in "college" and lyçée , we have to teach it, it s necessary and useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana (ex tag) Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Sweet 17, I taught EFL for 35 years, to the sound of gun and whip, in Libya, Iran, Kuwait, Belgium, Hong Kong, UK, France, Belgium etc., plus I have a PGCE in ELT and an MA in ELT. Whosoever told you that the present continuous is of any importance and worth teaching contiguous to the present simple should have had their brain seen to. It is only used 7% of the time whereas the present simple is well over 50%. It has not been taught that way, I hope since Janet and John or whatever it was called;. I won't go on as I feel guilty about not putting this in a pm.By the way, better teach the present continuous as a future, just to finish on a constructive note. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana (ex tag) Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Frenchie, that it is in the programme may be the only reason for teaching it in this way, contrasted to the present simple, but believe me, it only stores up trouble for later. But I accept that you are not responsible for the aged f a r t s who design the programme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchie Posted August 23, 2007 Author Share Posted August 23, 2007 Only a point of view.. Our brainless inspectors would be delighted to read your post I believe.. But I'm not here to discuss grammar as I am actually listening to music and having a glass of orange juice .. Hee hee [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana (ex tag) Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Yes Frenchie, it is mainly the very old, stuck in their ways, has been inspectors who do that. I have had to deal with them before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 WoolybananaI bow to your superior experience and knowledge. And yes, the Present Continuous is good to express the future. However, I still think it has its use to talk about the here and now.Now, how about some more songs? "I am sailing"? Present Continuous rules, OK? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimportequoi Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 I'm loving this discussion.Do you teach that? Do stative verbs still exist? I'm understanding this thread now.[blink] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchie Posted August 23, 2007 Author Share Posted August 23, 2007 Yes music !! [:)]http://youtube.com/watch?v=cD2TJKApEPk You even got the lyrics ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana (ex tag) Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Yes, the song gives a good example of a present continuous as do the old fone calls 'What are you doing now?', rather rendered useless by webcams but that can expand the context a bit."Hey Charlie, what's that guy in the back there doing? Oh, he's arranging th room for the next class" Imagine the contexts with a camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 People as in a group of persons or people as one lot of people as opposed to groups of different kinds of peoples? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dago Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 People, People who need people are the....[8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimportequoi Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 I like people for more than one person and children for more than one child, once instead of one time, twice instead of two times, but then I am British and not American, this may have something to do with it. Another example, I think this thread is rubbish, rather than I think this thread is garbage.[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchie Posted August 23, 2007 Author Share Posted August 23, 2007 [:D]http://youtube.com/watch?v=GMBKj8Tbn3Q Just here for .. the songs we are singing.... [kiss] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dago Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 OK[:)] This is for you thenhttp://youtube.com/watch?v=IwAPGmcj9e0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 ltfDo you really think this thread is trash, or just good old codswallop? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchie Posted August 23, 2007 Author Share Posted August 23, 2007 Je ne comprends pas l anglais ... [:)] [:D] [:D][:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimportequoi Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Codswallop, definitely, rather than trash. But it was purely an example of British vs American English, I hope you understand. This thread is awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dago Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBduElQ1Ix0Mica Paris.....lost to TV presenting[:(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Posts have removed from this thread. Please post within the Code of Conduct and keep personal issues off of the forum, the Living France email and PM system where they are covered by the Code of Conduct. Further posts that do not adhere to the Code of Conduct will be removed without further warning and the offenders forum membership suspended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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