April Memory Making and Writing

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 Hello, Friends.

Warmer days. Cool nights. April is famous for showers (that bring the May flowers). Spring breaks are winding to a close and we are looking forward to the end of the school year. In the United States, Summer begins on Memorial Day, which is the first Monday in May (more about that later). While classes may run into May. Families are planning for summer camps and events. Check locally for summer programs for children. Resources include and are not limited to:

• Librarys
• Scouting
• 4-H
• Parks and Recreation
• Churches and Vacation Bible Schools
• Schools
• Colleges and universities
• Community and clubhouses

People are planning their vacation. You may be returning to your home country to visit family, or you may take the time to explore North America. 

International Friends Wrap-Up: Memoir Month

Not everyone can make every meeting as we wrap up the year. Here is the end of year plan: follow along. Even if you are not coming to class, try these steps to better tell your story.

• April 9: Talking about a memoir. A slice of your life.
• April 16: Priming the pump: three things that stopped me in my tracks (from Now Write! Nonfiction Sherry Ellis) Notice three things that stopped you in your tracks throughout the week. What is common about these things? What is uncommon?
• April 23: What is the conflict? Who is the hero? Stories need conflict to move them along. 
• April 30: Watch one. Do one. Teach one. How does your learning, experience, and then help someone else learn inform your memoir?
• May 7: Last day of classes...Pizza party! Bazbeaux Pizza 111 West Main Street, Carmel

Is American English Difficult?

People are saying that English is a tough language to learn. Adults who learn English throughout school and are fluent readers can be intimidated when they are called upon to speak. Our written language is not a phonetic language, or is it?

• English is not Phonetic by Joseph Essburger argues that it is English spelling that is the problem for some people.
• Is English a Phonetic Language by Thurston Womack comments that English is phonetic (because it is spoken) but that the letters or physical representation (written) was not imposed after the fact, but has evolved and grown with the language. By the time children are six years old, they have the basic sounds, grammar patterns, and a fundamental vocabulary mastered. Language growth and development is a lifetime project.

Listening and speaking can be easy. With today's tools, dictating and then correcting writing is one way to overcome fears and hesitancy. Notice the surprise spellings and/or pronunciations. 

Remember that no matter what language you are most comfortable in, you are always building vocabulary and experiences. Remember to coordinate and orient English with other languages to keep words from being "filed" in a "language" space in your brain rather than in practical locations.

There are many tools out there to help you. This one from Scribens offers grammar, paraphrasing and much more.

International Friends Meeting Notes

Practicing your American English is important. Join us! Click here to register and get the Zoom link.

International Bible Study: Monday, 8-9:00 PM, Zoom

Our journey in Leviticus is taking us through more religious mandates to bring reconciliation between God and the people as well as between the people. Leviticus 13-15 talk about skin diseases and bodily discharge. These things could convey disease within the community. These "treatments" offer solutions rather than singularity. Chapter 16 speaks of atonement, reconciliation or reparation, which includes placing the sins on a goat: 

20 “When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat. 21 He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. 22 The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness.

This is the origin of a "scape goat"!

April 13: Leviticus continues with discussions that protect the health and wellbeing of individuals and the community.

American English Language and Culture: Thursday, 9:00AM- 11:00 AM, Zoom

Vocabulary and Context: Remember when . . . ?

We had an interesting discussion about traditions and family heirlooms. Some cultures discard personal items after someone has passed away. Objects can spark memories and nostalgia. Treasures can be large or small, tangible or intangible, but memory of people and places is a timeless and precious gift. In eulogy and through memoir, we connect with others through shared human experiences across cultures, languages, and traditions. In the weeks ahead, we will continue to explore memoir and to compose our own. At the pizza party in May, we will enjoy sharing a story of the events and emotions of a memory that changed, informed, or affirmed us in some way.

April, 16: Continuing to work on our individual memoirs, here are some pump priming activities:

• List three things that "stop you in your tracks" this week. What do these observations have in common? How do they seem different?
• Explore a sense of place. In your mind, put yourself in a specific place in your memory.
• List as many sensory details of this place as you can. How do you feel when you re-live this experience?

American English for Kids: Friday, 6:00-6:30 PM, private Zoom

We talked about return to school, Artimis mission, and a little about quantum physics.

April 17: We will look at this video and talk about the concepts and how this teacher helps us understand complicated concepts.

Richard Feynman lecture on quantum mechanics and nature: 

Here is a good biographical video that explains Feynman's life.

Notice the story telling as they recount Richard Feynman's life.

Words and Phrases and Resources

eulogy: an expression of words at a funeral or memorial service to honor the person who has passed away (died)

looking forward to: anticipating

memoir: our own retelling of meaningful stories and events in our lives

nostalgia: heartfelt longing for the past and people of the past

object memory:

passed away: died

recount: tell someone about something, give an account or an eaperience