Why my English is so bad?(9/28 Wed.)

[technobabel]

God helps us all!

I have zero-ed in on a topic.

Topic is going to be: why my English is so bad? I hope this topic isn't too mundane. This is a topic in which every one of us can seriously related to; sort of a most common denominator type of topic.

Session 1

If your English is a mess, You must confess

This is a rare opportunity to publicly discuss and explore a problem that you will have to live with for quite some time. What are the best ways to learn and live with English? Is the effort worth it so far? Which is better, paper or electronic dictionary? What is wrong with Taiwan's English learning environment? Is it really that hopeless? Who and what can really help us? Are TOEIC, GEPT 全民英檢 and other test certification services money sucking scum?
Please suggests a way to solve this problem and compose an open letter to Mayor Ma, an imaginary English teacher or anybody, and read it to the rest of the groups.

1. What don't you like about your English? When will you ever satisfy with your English?

2. How much effort/money are you willing to pay? What do you think the government can do about it?

3. Are there any known effective/proven short-cuts? Is this all just a wild goose chase?

http://www.core-corner.com/index.php?stat=1ON1_9

Session 2

And Wayne said: Let There be a Projector

It is human nature to search for a better tool for any given task. Tonight we will try to exploring the untold benefits of having a projector. So members of Yoyo English Club can fine tune their Powerpoint presentation skills and share relevant information more effectively.
Is it a good idea for YEC to own a projector? A portable projector combined with a laptop will no doubt enriches YEC experience. Besides being able to conduct Powerpoint presentation, members of YEC will able share all sorts of media-rich contents in real time. The benefits are just too obvious. Enough with just words of mouth and plain text on a few pieces of paper. Welcome to the 21st century.

1. Is this suggestion too crazy? please share your views with your group on why this idea feasible or not. Are you for or against? Why or Why not?

2. Please investigate on how much a projector costs and how much money does each Yoyo member have to pay to get one.

3. Name a piece of techology that had or will help everybody's English improves dramatically? Skype? Videoconference? 3G mobile service? Podcast? Reverse osmosis? hypnopaedia?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnopaedia
http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/Articles/hypnopaedia/index.htm

Session 3

Q & A

Be prepare to answer some challenging questions from different categories in English of course.

[David_Liao]

I think google talk is the most powerful in voice communication among these major internet messangers.

[technobabel]

Here comes the subsequent lowdown. The English learning frenzy is one big bandwagon of global scale. It is both a by-product and a catalyst of globalization. Its dominance is virtually unstoppable. It will eventually become a monopoly. Well, enough about the gloom and the doom, what about us? I guess if I put it that way, we are all accomplices of this grand scheme. It is not easy to resist English's charm, usefulness and the vast knowledge/wisdom that it happens to facilitate. Like many other skills in life, do you really need to know a lot? Not really. Unless you already fed up, we always want to know more than what we already know. Just one more tidbit of knowledge to complete the whole picture. But the picture will never be complete.

[technobabel]

At first glance, one can pretty much conclude that YEC needs a projector like a bird needs a lip stick.
But when placed in the hands of a trained "professional", the practicality of a projector is almost a no-brainer. But, I have to admit that it doesn't really fit YEC's current discussion based format. Only a very dedicated host will prepare his or her material in Powerpoint slides. Such host only happens once every blue moon. Unless we all see a Powerpoint slide as casually as a piece of a napkin; an unlikely paradigm shift.