insights gained...
Philippines
February 27, 2007
One big lesson I learned when I was in college was to decide. Take a side. Left or right. Up or down. Yes or no. Pro or anti. One person cannot stay neutral. One person cannot stand between Iraq and Iran during the war unless he wanted to get fired. Decision making is in fact difficult- I myself have a hard time doing it. I myself in fact sometimes can be indecisive. These circumstances do happen-what matters...it wouldn't take a long time to give an answer, it wouldn't cause much trouble to other people.
Once you have decided, there goes the biggest part-- the responsibility you are on. This is actually the hardest part. We have stand by the decisions we have just made.
<to be continued>
February 27, 2007
This level table is made based on TOEIC(R) Language Proficiency Interview Rating Scale & Level Description . Please refer to this table when you upgrade student's level. Pre-beginner Able to satisfy immediate needs using rehearsed utterances. Shows little real autonomy of expression, flexibility or spontaneity. Can ask questions or make statements with reasonable accuracy only with memorized utterances or formulae. Attempts at creating speech are usually unsuccessful.Able to satisfy minimum courtesy requirements and maintain very simple face-to-face conversations on familiar topics. This speaker has a functional, but limited proficiency. Misunderstandings are frequent, but the individual is able to ask for help and to verify comprehension of native speech in face-to-face interaction. The individual is unable to produce continuous discourse except with rehearsed material. The native speaker must strain and employ real-world knowledge to understand even simple statements or questions from this individual. Beginner Can initiate and maintain predictable face-to-face conversations and satisfy limited social demands. He or she may, however, have little understanding of the social conventions of conversation. The interviewer is generally required to strain and employ real-world knowledge to understand even some simple speech. The speaker at this level may hesitate and may have to change subjects due to lack of language resources. Range and control of the language are limited. Speech largely consists of a series of short, discrete utterances.Able to satisfy routine social demands and limited work requirements. Can handle routine work-related interactions that are limited in scope. In more complex and sophisticated work-related tasks, language usage generally disturbs the native speaker. Can handle with confidence, but not with facility, most normal, high-frequency social conversational situations including extensive, but casual conversations about current events, as well as work, family, and autobiographical information. The individual's utterances are minimally cohesive. Linguistic structure is usually not very elaborate and not thoroughly controlled; errors are frequent. Vocabulary use is appropriate for high-frequency utterances, but unusual or imprecise elsewhere. Pre-intermediate Able to satisfy most work requirements with language usage that is often, but not always, acceptable and effective. The individual shows considerable ability to communicate effectively on topics relating to particular interests and special fields of competence. Often shows a high degree of fluency and ease of speech, yet when under tension or pressure, the ability to use the language effectively may deteriorate. Native speakers often perceive the individual's speech to contain awkward or inaccurate phrasing of ideas, mistaken time, space, and person references, or to be in some way inappropriate, if not strictly incorrect. Intermediate Able to speak the language with sufficient structural accuracy and vocabulary to participate effectively in most formal and informal conversations on practical, social, and professional topics. Nevertheless, the individual's limitations generally restrict the professional contexts of language use to matters of shared knowledge and/or international convention. Discourse is cohesive. The individual uses the language acceptably, but with some noticeable imperfections; yet, errors virtually never interfere with understanding and rarely disturb the native speaker. The individual can effectively combine structure and vocabulary to convey his or her meaning accurately. The individual speaks readily and fills pauses suitably. Pronunciation may be obviously foreign. Individual sounds are accurate; but stress, intonation, and pitch control may be faulty. Pre-advanced Is often able to use the language to satisfy professional needs in a wide range of sophisticated and demanding tasks. Advanced Able to use the language fluently and accurately on all levels normally pertinent to professional needs. The individual's language usage and ability to function are fully successful. Organizes discourse well, using appropriate rhetorical speech devices, native cultural references, and understanding. Language ability only rarely hinders him or her in performing any task requiring language; yet, the individual would seldom be perceived as a native. Speaks effortlessly and smoothly and is able to use the language with a high degree of effectiveness, reliability, and precision for all representational purposes within the range of personal and professional experience and scope of responsibilities. Can serve as an informal interpreter in a range of unpredictable circumstances. Can perform extensive, sophisticated language tasks, encompassing most matters of interest to well-educated native speakers, including tasks which do not bear directly on a professional specialty.Professional Speaking proficiency is regularly superior in all respects, usually equivalent to that of a well-educated, highly articulate native speaker. Language ability does not impede the performance of any language-use task. However, the individual would not necessarily be perceived as culturally native. |
February 25, 2007
i get to understand them, their culture, their actions, the ideas they have.. they made me realize wider aspects of life and how i can enjoy it..
when i teach them--- i do also learn...
win-win situation... one great fulfillment...
