Dear All
    
     I hope you will enjoy reading the short stories and poems written by our fellow teachers and winners of the 2009 ELT e-Reading Group Writing Competition.
    
     You can down load the texts from two differnet sources:
    
     The WordPower website
    
     The Teaching English reading group page
    
    
     Thanks a lot to all who submitted texts and poems. We have received a number of great contributions and the judges really had a hard time to choose the winners. I hope you keep your pens busy because we intend to have the competition this year again and maybe in the future we can have our own Anthology :)
    
    
     Cheers - Chris

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Hi everyone
    
     A friend told me me that when Melvin Burgess, the author of 'Billy Elliot', read Down's short story based on his character, he said, 'Crikey - Billie's really gone through the mill here, eh? Sex, drugs, success, money - I feel almost sorry for him!'
    
     I felt sorry too, especially because we see so many talented people, in all walks of life, no only in the showbiz, getting lost when money and fame come in.
     Don't take me wrong, I like money and my problem is not having enough of it, but reading Sam Down's story I just realised, for the first time, the full force behind the English idiom 'the other side of the coin'.
    
     Cheers - Chris

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Dear All,
    
     Reading "The other side of the coin" is an enriching experience. I haven't read "Billy Elliot" yet, but I'm really interested in reading it so that I can see to what extent Billy has degenerated, or peharps he didn't degenerate at all except that we were not told about this "other side of the coin" on his behaviour. I was even compelled to think Down's story is not just the "other side of the coin" but it's exploring some hidden parts of the story Melvin didn't want us to know about - drugs, sex, success, money- and what make me happy is that seems Billy's mind is calling him to rehabilitate, I would be happier if he didn't wait "after one more line" to face the "challenge" of change. "One more line" can cause another line to come.
    
     Is Janie behaviour an "other side of the coin" too? it's "PITIFUL" even the Elliots don't know the othe side of the coin.
    
     Tanguene

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Hi Tanguene and All
    
     Interesting how Down captures in one line - of words - this tendency we all have - some more , some less - of procastinating. How many times we have said 'just one more time' before making a difficult decision to change something in our lives?
    
     Cheers - Chris

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Dear All,
    
     The RC reading group I'm part of was invited to a session at TVM, the national tv cannel. I'll read "At the bus stop" there and talk about my experience in the online group. We want to sell the idea of reading groups to the society, hope it works.
    
     Thank you.
    
     Tanguene

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Hi Tanguene and All,
    
     Once again I congratulate you for being one of the Winners of the 2009 Writing Competition.
     Thank you for letting us know about your participation at a TVM session- the national TV channel.
     I am sure you are passing our great motivation for reading to people gathered there.
     Greetings from Portugal
    
     Best regards,
     Maria

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Hi Maria,
    
     Good to be back to the Board again. I've missed a lot of action and I hope I'll be able to fit in. I read your post and I feel I should share something I noticed in it with you.
     It's about collocation, how words habitually co-occur with each other. Habitually, 'congratulate' co-occurs with 'on'. In this sense, you congratulate someone on something. Do have a pleasant day in Portugal today. Thank you.
    
     Peter.

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Interesting to read a ref to Sartre in Mostafa's winning poem but what about Simone de Beavoir - she like me seems to have taken a backseat in this writing winning poetry!
     SM Thompson, Published Poet,
     Southampton: UK: Mrs:

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Dear Peter,
    
     Thank you for reminding me of the accurate collocation.
     Something I already knew... but, as you realize, sometimes mother-tongue is interfering. I have always felt that collocations are a hard point for non-native speakers of English.
     Excuse me, Peter, are you a native speaker of this language?
     Keep sharing. Many Thanks once again.
     Happy Easter!
    
     Maria

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collocation - words which occur together .. I always find the dictionary definition even in this day and age enormously helpful for the native speaker but as far as the non native speaker of English is concerned perhaps as you indicate it is less so! A possible solution is - if at first you dont succeed try again ...
     SM Thompson Published poet: Southampton: UK: Mrs:

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Dear Maria,
    
     Please forgive the delay in responding to your posting. I was basking in the euphoria of the Easter celebration but now I'm back.
    
     I am not a native speaker of the English Language but like you, I'm working hard to attain an acceptable level of competence in it. Let's just say that on this board, we have to work like the saying that iron sharpeneth iron.
    
     Happy Easter in arrears!
    
     Peter.

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Dear Peter,
    
     Thank you for your gentle reply.
     There is no problem at all. I do realise how we enjoy these Easter days of celebrations, terrific concerts, delicacies on the table..., visiting friends, and so forth. After all, Spring is out there for some inspiration alike.
     All the best,
    
     Maria

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Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil - it has no point - refers to a comment from the RC Church where my Exhibition has just finished and I received this message from St Edmunds & St Josephs Southampton, and lots of praise for my poem I AM LEAVING .... Oh! Happy Day" when Chris Lima buys my book online www.waterstones.com
     Wow!
     SM Thompson Author, Southampton: UK: Mrs:
     playwright!

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I wonder if there's a native or non-native speaker who could avoid all possible mistakes in a language usage. They say English is an International language,and it belongs to human race and not any group in particular. To engage in this will not be an easy process, since it requires we bring our culture, habits and other things that influence us in life into the language. And some mistakes become worth or not to look at when it is important to look at what's working in some type of groups that seem to be away from the really classroom environment: The ideas,discussion and all the sharing that happens besides all mistakes. And with this in mind, I prefer to run the risks of making mistakes and let my "word" go...and get through...
    
     Thanks
     Tanguene

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Hi Tanguene,
    
     Thank you for your point of wise reflection. I could not agree more.
     In fact, some mistakes are not worth to look at comparing to the insightful ideas, discussions we all should be more interested in.
     Let me ask you, how about your participation in the National TV channel? Any good news?
    
     Cheers,
     Maria

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Tanguene,
     Its possible to correct mistakes and I know my partner is not a native speaker and he always insists he is saying (on the phone) "not good luck" but he is saying "I am fed up" so in TEFL usage thats alright, but for the native speaker I assume he is bored so I "hang up". Avoid mistakes if at all possible is the best advice I can offer! Mind the gap ... between usage and abusage!
    
     SM Thompson Published author Southampton UK: Mrs:

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Hi Tanguene,
    
     I understand your disposition to the use of the English Language. But as the saying goes, your language is you. I think we, as users of the English language, should endeavour to apply all the rules of English grammar as much as possible to be able to produce intelligent and intelligible English speech and texts. It is always good to mean what you say and say what you mean. By doing so, effective communication is achieved.
    
     What is worth doing, they say, is worth doing well. If the English language is worth speaking and worth writing, then it is worth speaking and writing well.
    
     Thanks.
     Peter.

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Dear Peter,
    
     I agree with you and also with Mrs Thompson on the importance of accuracy in English usage, but I'm on the side of the ones who support "imperfect fluency" to achieve accuracy by means of accepting to run risks and not be afraid of making mistakes. I focus on the context of my country - what happens is that learners of English fail to transmit their thoughts because of the fear of making mistakes and be ridiculed by colleagues, as a resullt they end up without using the language. So they think learning English is hard and the teachers ARROGANT because some teachers just focus on the mistakes and lose the chance of listening to the language and good thoughts the learner was about to produce, and by this the teacher closes the way to the learning to happen. It's a serious matter for my context, but the world is wide, situations vary and contexts are many and different.
    
     I've been suggesting we can only use English for the benefit of our community and the world the day we bridge the language with our culture. And I use the poem "At the Bus Stops" in which characters, the setting and culture is of the local people and we even mix English and Ronga (local language) and create harmony. The words are not just English ones but down here readers don't need glossary but the comunication happens and is perfect. And some get courage to challenge the language...Oh! sorry, I'm embarrassed and don't know what I mean...
    
     Tanguene

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Hi Tanguene,
     Mistakes in any language are costly so its best to avoid mistakes in English if at all possible - if you dont succeed try, try, again! :)
     SM Thompson Mrs: Published author
     Southampton UK:

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Hi Tanguene,
    
     I have appreciated your gentle endeavours to make it clear how we should give priority to effective communication. In my view, this is what really matters.
    
     Some mistakes are unmeaningful compared to the capacity of the speaker/the writer in conveying the message/ topical content.
    
     You have also referred to a serious point : "... some teachers just focus on the mistakes and lose the chance of listening to the language and good thoughts the learner was about to produce." By doing so, not only language barriers but also other life issues will always be compromised.
    
     As far as I am concerned, I am not that worried about some eventual mistake down here. As you must have realised before, I dare to challenge myself...
    
     Now I would love to post these lines I might devote to all readers here. Thank you very much indeed.
    
     Word Power
    
     Hold the power of words
     And feel it to sustain your days
     In warmth and sweetness
     Like the bright sun rays.
    
     Hold the power of words
     Filling your heart with joy
     And treasure those in it
     So, you will never be annoyed...
    
     Maria C. Costa

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Hi Maria C Costa
    
     I do elieve there are two kinds of learners: those who worry about grammar and those who are aware their errors but still carry on trying until someday they will be accurate. So, sometimes its an individual choice, we cannot force learners to follow one or another strategy. Wha we need as English Language Teachers is finding out the learners strategy and enable him/her to move upwards.
    
     As for the poem... its great! Thats is the reason why I write, because even if I feel sad, sometimes I get happy after writing a poem. Before the WORLD there was the WORD, church-goers like me know that! So, words can be a jail sometimes, but its better we use them as a way to freedom and happiness...
     ''So, you will never be anoyed...''

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Hi mates!
    
     Iam not divorced. Lets share just the feeling.
    
     divorced
    
     sitting on this log...
     I am waiting for the lonely sunrise
     and birds to fly away
     in search for my mind turned into ash...
    
     your voice dives into my silence
     and your painting
     stands in the empty wall
     of this endless horizon
     we both shared
     and the moment we both wasted
     in that so-called love
     now turned upside-down.
    
     Mon Ami

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Hi Mon Ami,
    
     the poet takes pains with the divorced, now we hear voices where there's silence, see paintings on empty walls, and the moment enjoyed becomes "the moment we both wasted". How sad to see the poet sitting alone on the log, and while reflecting nature is moving, birds flying and don't notice the twists in the poet's heart. All I hope is that wind doesn't come now and make matters worse for him,as if it blows the "ash" it can leave the poet without "mind..."
    
     Thanks
     Tanguene

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Dear Maria,
    
     The TV show was not pleasing as we wanted a live chat with the public, but we just had some interviews about our group. The parliament session was to be broadcast that day and has had power to "oust" us, so the "tudo as 10" programme was not broadcast live. But we have officially launched the Reader's Corner radio reading session last Friday 23 April with a live show, the sessions will be on air every Friday 2-3 pm on Maputo Corridor Radio, the English channel of Radio Mozambique.
    
     We dream about promoting interaction and open spaces in which we can talk about reading and writing as pleasure activities. who knows, peharps one day we'll "sneak in" and come forward as young writers who have their originals in English. we can dream if allowed to. As you know, our literature is in portuguese, and the population writing originals in English doesn't have a voice yet. English is seen as a tool only for work and studies, not entertainment and pleasure.
    
     best regards,
     Tanguene

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Hi all!
    
     Hum Tanguene! I had a friend who used to say - Congratulations! and you ask him, Congratulations - why? and he says - because Iam happy!
    
     For sure, sometimes I see he is right! Congratulations! Tomorrow we are going to the TV channel and that is something we had expected for so long. Now we are growing up, and tomorrow we are going to share our reading experiences with our country. That s a good news, isn't it Tanguene?!
    
     Mon Ami

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Dear Tanguene,
    
     How kind of you to let us know about that relevant information regarding your Project. We are very pleased to hear about the official launching of the Reader's Corner radio reading session. Sincere congratulations to you and the Mozambique people on such a positively remarkable event in your community!
    
     You should keep up alive that dream of becoming a writer with your originals in English. It does not mean you are underestimating your literature in Portuguese, we know. Through the medium of English,as it is happening here now, we recognise a wider audience would benefit from your insights, your local culture, opening new roads to other communities, and allowing different exchanges.
    
     As for the radio sessions on Fridays, how do you think we could tune from here in Portugal? I mean, any particular frequency modulation or so...?
    
     Best regards,
     Maria

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