"Schoolhouse" --- An English-Language TV Series

Here is something that has kept me busy the past couple of months: "Schoolhouse" --- an English-language TV series for Filipino students.

Check out the OBB below. Music and lyrics by Trina Belamide.




"Schoolhouse" is a project of Mayor Freddie Tinga.

Director: Sean Lim
Associate Director: Mark Shandii Bacolod
Producer: Arturo Go
Writer: Cherie A. Bitanga
Production Manager: Jayar Diaz
Production Designer: Denise Ang

Manny Pacquiao --- On Jimmy Kimmel Live

Good vibes!

Manny Pacquiao on Jimmy Kimmel Live:

The Fun Function Of A Conjunction

Here's something fun I found on the net.

It's a jazzy tune about conjunctions.

A visual treat and a catchy song ---

all this just for grammar!

India's English-speaking Rickshaw Drivers

Here is an article written by Harmeet Shah Singh for CNN   last September 16:  "English lessons for today's rickshaw drivers".  It's great that India is paving an avenue for higher learning, giving access to those who need it and who can benefit most.  Moreover, it simply affirms a country's regard for the merits of language proficiency (in English) as an essential tool for efficient global progress.

" Indian tourism authorities will be holding English classes for auto-rickshaw drivers in New Delhi as the city prepares to host the Commonwealth Games in 2010. Auto-rickshaw drivers are being taught English ahead of the Commonwealth Games.  More than 40,000 natural gas-fueled auto-rickshaws, or motorized three-wheeled taxis, run on the Indian capital's dilapidated roads, according to the city government statistics. The city is expected to host around 100,000 tourists during the Commonwealth Games scheduled from October 3-14 in 2010.  About 9,000 athletes and officials of 52 Commonwealth countries are likely to participate. Some 8,000 auto-rickshaw drivers will be enrolled in the training program that will involve classes in yoga, life skills, first aid, spoken English and psychometric tests, federal Tourism Secretary Sujit Banerjee announced Tuesday. Each trainee will be paid Rs 200, or about $4, daily for attending the program spread over 200 sessions for a year.  Indian auto-rickshaw drivers have often been accused of overcharging, refusing short trips and misbehavior.  Traffic authorities have in the past opened a range of avenues for passengers to lodge their complaints -- such as on help lines, via text messages or simply calling a telephone number printed on the three-wheeled cabs. "The India image that we strive to convey to a foreign tourist depends, to a large degree, on how good the taxi/auto-rickshaw (driver) that he or she meets is in his demeanor and conduct," Banerjee remarked.

On Typewriters, Typos and QWERTY

My students and I were talking about how technology makes life convenient at work and school.  I told them of the days when we used a mechanical typewriter that went "click-clack-tikitikitak-zing" and how our hands would get all black from turning the ribbons (a.k.a  ink).  When we made mistakes, we pressed the backspace button, got a "correction tape", positioned the tape in front of the word and re-typed on the tape over the erroneous word so that it made the mistake "white".

In 2007, I came across Paolo Dy's short movie in English, "QWERTY", a story of a mentally disabled man accused of killing his employer.  The doctors tried to make sense of the silent man who said nothing all day  except for the seemingly random characters he tirelessly and intensely churned out, one paper after the other, with the keys of an ancient typewriter that once belonged to his alleged victim. 

Watch Paolo Dy's incredible entry to Steven Spielberg's "On The Lot" competition. 

This is amazing.

Grammarman Saves The Day!

This is definitely one of the more amusing (and creative!) educational videos I've seen.  It's all about a superhero named Grammarman and nosy aliens who save the city of Verbo from creepy creatures.

To encourage people to check their grammar, the creator intentionally threw in errors for viewers to spot.

Enjoy!

Can Those Who Speak, Teach?

Those who can, do.

Those who can't, teach.

But can those who speak, teach?

Check it out.