One of the concentrations in a teaching class I am taking is identifying barriers to learning-both for the teacher and the student, because afterall, even as a teacher we continuously learn from our students. Language can become very confusing because it constantly changes over time. In the California classrooms there can be up to a dozen languages other than English that are spoken in the students' homes, so it is important for teachers to be cautious with their choice of words, as idioms and sayings can be misinterpretd by ESL (English as a Second Language) students and pose a barrier to learning. When I think about this I know it is true and yet I smile because I can hear my mother saying any number of these phrases teachers are encouraged to omit from the way they speak. Some of these sayings are full of culture and history that personally I think would be fun to share with students and let them share their own as well.
So, what idioms or sayings do you use? I bet we have many in common, but it might be interesting to see what we come up with.
Here are a few from the top of my head:
Here are a few from the top of my head:
a picture is worth a thousand words
a pot calling a kettle black
don't get your feathers bunched
singing from the same hymn
throwing the baby out with the bath
slower than molasses going uphill in January
like water off a duck's back
9 comments:
fun, joni......i was raised with my father always having a nick-name for everyone and a saying for EVERYTHING....he is very colorful (as you probably can tell by his posts) and these aren't necessarily the ones HE used but....are some that came to mind
out of the frying pan, into the fire
not for all the tea in china
when pigs fly
once in a blue moon
dressed to kill
cat got your tongue
fight tooth and nail
every nook and cranny
haste makes waste
in a nutshell
your going to make an excellent teacher...I wish you were teaching when my John was in school, like Nonnie I remember Gilbert saying, "They're a 2 quarter's short from a whole dollar" or they're elvator dosent go to the top floor" that darn Gilbert!!
I remember lower than a snacks belly
and like annete "their elevator doens't go to the top floor
It is colder than a well digger's butt.
That guy is one fry short of a happy meal.
I have more but can't think of them right now.
xoxo nita
My, My.... now let's see. :) You know living in the South we have tons that only we understand. :)
that dog don't hunt
set on him like a wild cat
barking up the wrong tree
right as rain
she's sweet on him
hit with an ugly stick
pretty as a picture
that'll set you straight
don't that beat all?
can I get an amen?
slow as pond water
Hope those make you smile and you have a great day!
These are some really great idioms! Most of them are familiar, but there are a few I do not recognize...
lower than a snacks belly...
that dog don't hunt...
these are new to me!
Hi Joni, just wanted to stop by and say hi. Hope you have a good weekend. xoxo nita
that dog don't hunt = anything that doesn't make sense or something thinks isn't true, or will not lead you to the correct conclusion or doesn't hold up to any responsible scrutiny.
Example: He said the earth was flat, she should have know that dog don't hunt. :)
Lol one expression I use is "eh up chuck" which is Lancashire for "how are you friend" or "hello friend". I recently found out that 'up chuck' is sometimes used in the US for vomit! I hope no one has misunderstood me on the blogs when I've used this expression!
Here's some more:
the lights are on but no one's home
two sandwiches short of a picnic
he's headin' for some clog toe pie
I'm going to give him a knuckle sandwich
they're driving me crackers
well I'll go to the foot of the stairs
not enough room to swing a cat
Well I think that's enough for today!
Have a great weekend.
Hugs
Sarah x
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