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a new commitment
The other day at my Swedish for Immigrants course my teacher asked a few of us students if we would go talk to the rector about how we felt about the program--what was working and what they could do better. I was the newest student in the group, since this is only my third week of class, but, since I tested into the highest level the school offers I was able to participate in the conversation, which took place only in Swedish.
I was the last student to speak--the others spoke of things they and their classmates had discussed about what they did and didn't like in the program. I haven't been around long enough to have gotten involved in such discussions with my classmates, but I did have one thing I would like to see done just a little differently. Reading Class. (my mother will not be surprised to hear this one--ask her to tell the story some time about how and why the way the school I went to Second Grade for changed their approach to reading class.)
I love the format of our reading class--we sit around a (round) table and take turns reading a couple of paragraphs, and then we pause to discuss what we just read, explain (in Swedish) any words one or more of us didn't already know, and be certain we all understand, and then the next person reads. Sometimes, when the word is extra hard to pronounce, the teacher helps us with the pronunciation. So, what is the problem? The books are too easy! They have us reading "LättLäst" brand books, which are books designed to be very easy reading--very simple, straight forward sentences, without subordinate clauses or more than one adjective. Only a few sentences per paragraph, and no idioms for clever turns of phrase.
This is a good thing for helping to build student confidence if reading on one's own, but, I think it is too easy for this format of reading. If we are reading them out loud with someone to help explain what it all means I think it would be worth reading quality writing, and learning how Swedish *should* sound, when we get good at it. At least occasionally. So I mentioned this idea to our rector, and also confessed that there may not be so many of us who would like this, but I think it would be "jatte roligt om vi kunde läsa riktig literature".
The very next day was reading class, and, at first, it was only the teacher and I, so I talked to her about this idea, and she said that we don't have such a course at SFI, but they have them at the University and encouraged me to take them, then she took me to the library and found me a book my a noble prize winning author, Selma Lagerlöf called Gösta Berlings saga to check out.
Later in the day, in another conversation with someone else the topic of listening to audio books while reading the text to help me get better at Swedish pronunciation and actually recognizing words that I know to read when I hear them. So we looked on line and found a place where we could download an audio version of the book. They say that the audio version takes 14 hours to play, and the library says I can have the paper version for 4 weeks. Therefore, if I listen to it and read along in the book for at least 30 minutes every day, I will finish the book before it is due.
Today was day on on this goal, and I can report that the mid-chapter interlude on page 18 of chapter two falls at the 30:23 point on the recording. The plan is to listen/read every day till I finish the book wish me luck.
. Our story so far (which is set in the 1820's, but was published in 1891: in chapter 1 we are introduced to a young, handsome priest with a serious drinking problem, who thinks he is about to lose his job because of it. The bishop is visiting (for his one-year review??), and the priest just knows that everyone in the congregation hates him, will give voice to their complaints, and the bishop will defrock the priest. Certain this is the last chance he will ever have to give a sermon he is over come by inspiration and gives his best sermon, ever. Then the Bishop asks the people what they think, and after a long silence he is told that the people are very happy with their priest, and a happy feast is held. Later that night, as the priest sits alone in his home contemplating how things went one of his drinking buddies comes to his window to explain that he waylaid the bishop on his way home and... threatened him? to ensure that he would never come back and trouble the priest. Realizing that his friend's "help" just caused more harm than good, and he leaves town in the cover of the night.
Chapter two is still early on, and so far there is a meeting on the road between someone and a priest's daughter, and I am not clear if the daughter belongs to the same priest as last chapter...
I was the last student to speak--the others spoke of things they and their classmates had discussed about what they did and didn't like in the program. I haven't been around long enough to have gotten involved in such discussions with my classmates, but I did have one thing I would like to see done just a little differently. Reading Class. (my mother will not be surprised to hear this one--ask her to tell the story some time about how and why the way the school I went to Second Grade for changed their approach to reading class.)
I love the format of our reading class--we sit around a (round) table and take turns reading a couple of paragraphs, and then we pause to discuss what we just read, explain (in Swedish) any words one or more of us didn't already know, and be certain we all understand, and then the next person reads. Sometimes, when the word is extra hard to pronounce, the teacher helps us with the pronunciation. So, what is the problem? The books are too easy! They have us reading "LättLäst" brand books, which are books designed to be very easy reading--very simple, straight forward sentences, without subordinate clauses or more than one adjective. Only a few sentences per paragraph, and no idioms for clever turns of phrase.
This is a good thing for helping to build student confidence if reading on one's own, but, I think it is too easy for this format of reading. If we are reading them out loud with someone to help explain what it all means I think it would be worth reading quality writing, and learning how Swedish *should* sound, when we get good at it. At least occasionally. So I mentioned this idea to our rector, and also confessed that there may not be so many of us who would like this, but I think it would be "jatte roligt om vi kunde läsa riktig literature".
The very next day was reading class, and, at first, it was only the teacher and I, so I talked to her about this idea, and she said that we don't have such a course at SFI, but they have them at the University and encouraged me to take them, then she took me to the library and found me a book my a noble prize winning author, Selma Lagerlöf called Gösta Berlings saga to check out.
Later in the day, in another conversation with someone else the topic of listening to audio books while reading the text to help me get better at Swedish pronunciation and actually recognizing words that I know to read when I hear them. So we looked on line and found a place where we could download an audio version of the book. They say that the audio version takes 14 hours to play, and the library says I can have the paper version for 4 weeks. Therefore, if I listen to it and read along in the book for at least 30 minutes every day, I will finish the book before it is due.
Today was day on on this goal, and I can report that the mid-chapter interlude on page 18 of chapter two falls at the 30:23 point on the recording. The plan is to listen/read every day till I finish the book wish me luck.
. Our story so far (which is set in the 1820's, but was published in 1891: in chapter 1 we are introduced to a young, handsome priest with a serious drinking problem, who thinks he is about to lose his job because of it. The bishop is visiting (for his one-year review??), and the priest just knows that everyone in the congregation hates him, will give voice to their complaints, and the bishop will defrock the priest. Certain this is the last chance he will ever have to give a sermon he is over come by inspiration and gives his best sermon, ever. Then the Bishop asks the people what they think, and after a long silence he is told that the people are very happy with their priest, and a happy feast is held. Later that night, as the priest sits alone in his home contemplating how things went one of his drinking buddies comes to his window to explain that he waylaid the bishop on his way home and... threatened him? to ensure that he would never come back and trouble the priest. Realizing that his friend's "help" just caused more harm than good, and he leaves town in the cover of the night.
Chapter two is still early on, and so far there is a meeting on the road between someone and a priest's daughter, and I am not clear if the daughter belongs to the same priest as last chapter...