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Using Realia & Environmental Assets:. EFL for Himalayan Buddhist Nuns. Where in the World Are these Nuns?. Why English ?. H.H. Dalai Lama says “It’s All Good”: Refugee Survival Sacred Teachings Global Justice. Int’l English Opens the Way to:.
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Using Realia & Environmental Assets: EFL for Himalayan Buddhist Nuns
Why English? H.H. Dalai Lama says “It’s All Good”: • Refugee Survival • Sacred Teachings • Global Justice
Int’l EnglishOpens the Way to: • Handicraft Sales: jewelry, weavings, etc. • Tourism $$ • Int’l volunteers • Int’l donation $$ • World Buddhist network
ESP Targets for Nuns • Tourism • School Teacher • Handicrafts • Nurse-Midwife • Political Action
Where the Convents Are:No Next-Day Deliveries • In Spiti,Himachal Pradesh (India)
Nepal • Near Mt. Everest • Lovely in summer-autumn • FREEZING in winter!
Deboche-Tengboche (Nepal)Winter-time • Himal = Snow • Laya = Land
Jungle MonasteriesIndia, Bhutan • Hot & Steamy • Built in Caves • Snakes, Spiders, Scorpions • Books Crumble • Ink Runs • Chalk Dissolves
Himalayan Realia & Environmental Assets • No classroom – • Where is the space? • No paper or pens – • How to write? • No books – • What texts? • No materials – • What to talk about?
Where is the learning space?Monastery Grounds • Space is cramped inside • Most EFL happens outside • Teacher keeps this spacecentered
How to write?On the hillside, in the courtyard ABC’s • In dirt, with sticks • In mud, with fingers • In snow, with sticks • On riverbank, with pebbles
What are our texts?The Teacher’s Memory Fairy Tales! • Cinderella • Snow White • Hansel & Gretel • Your Childhood Favorites
What are our texts?The Teacher’s Memory Songs with Movement! • Farmer in the Dell • Hokey Pokey • Your Childhood Favorites
What are our texts?The Teacher’s Memory Poems with Rhythm • One Fish Two Fish • A.A. Milne • Limericks • Your Childhood Favorites
What are our texts?The Students’ Memories • Folktales – can be acted out in simple words • Himalayan students know DOZENS of folktales!
What are our texts?The Students’ Memories • Songs! • Students sing one in Tibetan • Teacher sings one in English • Learn to Sing Each Others’ Songs!
Class Materials?Realia:Khukuri’s Knives & scythes • Talk about: • Cutting animal feed • Cooking • Harvesting grains • Carpentry • House-building • Shearing yak & sheep
Class Materials?Realia: Butter-Churn Chang • Talk about how to make: • Salt-Butter tea • Barley Beer • Rice Beer • Wheat Beer • How Girls Learn to Cook
Class Materials?Realia: In the Gompa • Talk about: • Colors • Room parts: floor, ceiling, wall • Furniture: shelves, tables
Class Materials?Current Events =New Vocabulary • “Eye Camp” 3 days away • Talk about: • Eyes • Cataracts • Blindness • Doctors • Surgery • Health-care
Class Materials?Current Events =New Vocabulary • “Mani Rimdu” morality play • Talk about: • Demons • Protectors • Big Lamas • Guru Rinpoche • Sherpa Stories
Materials to Talk About?Realia: They Walk thru Town • Yak & Sheep • Talk about: • Where to graze • What they eat • Dairy milk, butter, cheese • How to shear their wool • How to tame a wild yak
Class Materials?Realia: Hitched Out Front • Pack Animals • Talk about: • Load size? • What altitude?
Class Materials?Assessment: Find A Tourist A fun test to do in the Village: • Waylay a Tourist • Teacher requests Tourist to ask a polite English question: • “Where can I drink tea?” • See if students can answer in English! • (or if they get scared & run away!)
Resources: • www.tnp.org - Seattle & Dharamsala • www.jamyang.org - San Diego & Zanskar / Spiti (Ladakh)