Language

It's a frequently repeated theme here at the Quirky Muffin to talk about communication. For some the written word is far easier than the spoken, and for others vice-versa. To be good in both is rare. For my part, after a two day TEFL course, a lifelong accumulation of terrible interviews, and many more examples, it is clear that my verbal skills are far more limited than the written, and that everything spoken will be a challenge both to say and understand for a long time more. There seems to be a small barrier between me and understanding even the simplest things told to me, and it just doesn't go away! Does that disqualify me as a teacher candidate? Maybe, but we've already introspected too much, so let's move on to some other things. This transparent barrier separating each of us from the world is a different topic entirely.

While going through the PGCE interview process, and the TEFL course, there has been plenty of opportunity to think about language and communication, and just what it is we teach people. Ultimately, when we teach language we are in the first place connecting abstract concepts of language to the concrete aspects of reality, and in the second place developing definitions and meanings for more abstract concepts of life, and therefore directly introducing those concepts to the students in question. In short, when you teach language, you are in fact forming that link between abstraction and realism and it is vital. Surely that means that the absolute best people should be helping to establish that link, and without the imbecilic political shenanigans that are imposed upon them now? That's politics for you, and neglected politics in the dying days of an election campaign. If you want to see something scary then check out the decline in the national reading age, and the horrors of the current system used to teach children to read in primary schools to the exclusion of all else. Madness!

Moving on, what a funny week it will be, with both a bank holiday and a general election to come, TEFL online content to complete, final revisions to be made to an accepted academic paper, and a myriad of other things. Indeed, in addition to all the activities already listed there will be jobs to apply for, translation projects to bid on, Quirky Muffins to write, a Film Bin commentary for 'Night Shift' to edit down and de-noise, and if there's still time left over then Greek and Spanish need some learning still. That's what will happen this week, and if it sounds too busy then you have made the right assessment. It will be hectic and only a fraction of it all will get done, as exhaustion sets in. A fraction! All that, and from Thursday I will be house- and dog-sitting alone with Tess the daft Old English Sheepdog, who will mope unceasingly for five days.

What's that you say? 'Bank holiday'? Humbug! There's no such thing as a bank holiday! Would you like to swap your week with mine? All considered, unless snakes or spiders are involved.

O.