Linguistic aspects

Listening

On the first day, I was really stressed because it was my first internship in English. I wanted to help the monitor as much as possible so when the children were talking to me, I was not listening carefully. Now, I’m nearly in “my” own school but in a professional way. I say “Hi” to everybody and listen carefully when someone talk to me. During my internship, I was with the grade four 90% of the time but I also took care of the others grade when it was the end of the day care. (from five thirty to 6 there is only one monitor) Two times I took care of the grade 2. What I noticed is that when they are younger, it was harder for me to understand 100% of what they say. But they were much more affectionate. Finally, it was easier for me to understand what the monitor has told me when compared to what i though in the beginning about the children.

Accent

Even if I have an accent, it didn’t change anything. They quickly adapted theirselves when I was talking and I did the same. In general, if I talk a lot with someone, I unconsciously take the same accent as the speaker I am communicating with.

Fluency

I still search my words when I was talking with them because it’s in a non-prepare conversation so it’s harder for me to be as quick as I am in French. With adult maybe I listen differently but I wait two or three second before I answer but it’s a full sentence and I don’t stop in the middle of it. But with practice it’s getting better and better but in a slowly way.

Humour

I still don’t get English jokes. It’s a part of the English culture I need to practice more. But it’s hard to cut the funny moment just to ask what happened. So I laugh a little because everybody laughs. I know I should ask after the joke what it was about but I’m still shy on this side. I will surely ask to my friends but some just give up because I don’t understand.

Accuracy

I think accuracy and fluency are at the same level for me. Because I search some words, it’s hard to be 100% fluent and accurate. But I think I’m getting better every time.

Language structure

Miss Denise showed videos about animals wich (and not who because it’s about animals and not humans) work with humans and I took words we read or heard that I didn’t know or remember. (The next 6 words)

[  Cuddly (peluches)

[  Knowledge (connaissance)

[  Blurring (flou)

[  Eyelids (paupières)

[  Eel (anguille)

[  Falcon (faucon)

[  Banging game After the activity about animal, Miss Denise told the kids that she didn’t want banging games, games that make noise. I assume it is a common expression in the English school culture or vocabulary.

[  Tie your shoes (Attachez vos chaussures) I told a kid to “attach” his shoes and Mattel corrected me.
[  Yawning (bailler) (I was with Miss Clair and we talked about everything and nothing.
[  Tiptoes (la pointe des pieds) (Miss Jullietta did a mini class of yoga.)

[  Bouncing ball (= balle molle en français) (In the gym, the kids always want soccer ball or basketball.)

(562 words)