My father wishes me to teach him English ... Any ideas?

[librarius_qui]

Hello, litnetters!

My father (60 blagh year-old) wishes me to help him with his English. He has a reasonable upper basic to lower intermediate level.

I'm looking for advice on this. If anyone would like to give me some hints, I'd be much grateful!

Thanks from advance.

[byquist]

He deserves respect for such ambitiousness, so it would be great to plan something both fun and challenging for him. Find some short stories, or get daily newspapers off the internet.

[djy78usa]

I've always heard that immersion is one of the best ways to learn a language. I have a lot a friends that learned German by watching German cartoons, or other childrens' programming while they were stationed there. Or maybe you could show him English-langauge versions of Portuguese shows/movies he is already familiar with.

[Hairy Faery]

Post it notes all around the house!!!!

[Scheherazade]

Don't undertake to teach anything to close family members (unless you don't mind ruining your relationship!)

[librarius_qui]

Thanks you all, for the dispensed interest ...

Scheherazade, ... I understand what you mean, but it isn't the case, here; it's going to be light. Thanks for the concern, anyway.

Thanks for the piece of advice, Byquist!

Djy78, you're right, and he (my dad) has been doing it spontaneously, so, this is why I was excited to teach him. He's growing in knowledge by himself, all he needs is a little help in grammar (verb tenses). Hairy Faery's given a wonderful and easy idea, and I'm already working on it. Thanks, anyway, because you're right about what you said.

Post it notes all around the house!!!!

You got it, you know?! It's easy to do, and it'll will help him a lot! THANKS! Bright ideas are usually the simplest ones ...


(If anyone has anymore ... Welcome! I'll keep you informed about the development, as long as I see any.)

[Wilde woman]

Wow, learning a new langauge at 60? It was hard enough for me in college. Your dad must be amazing!

When I was learning Italian, it really helped me to read Italian newspaper articles online. Also, there was a lot of Italian pop/classical music I liked so listening to those songs really helped me get my pronunciation right, if not anything else.

[Virgil]

He deserves respect for such ambitiousness, so it would be great to plan something both fun and challenging for him. Find some short stories, or get daily newspapers off the internet.

Boy that is the truth, he deserves great respect. Kudos to him and pass that on to him personally. It might make his day. I think everyone's suggestions sound like good ideas. Perhaps you can find a dual language book, where one page is Portugese and the facing page is English. Those types of books have helped me in the past, thugh really I'm very poor at other than my natural tongue. I am so impressed with all you people on lit net from a country where English is not your mother tongue.

[Niamh]

Should get him to learn songs in english also. The post its and the tv programmes in english are good ideas, and why not try everynow and then to say something to him in english unexpectedly and she if he comprehends and can respond.

[Scheherazade]

Scheherazade, ... I understand what you mean, but it isn't the case, here; it's going to be light. Thanks for the concern, anyway.

Lib, my first comment was light-hearted, not to be taken seriously (well, not much ).

I think teaching him easy, handy daily expressions might be more interesting rather than serious grammar and so on. Eg, "Bless you", "You are welcome" or "Pass me the salt".

Functional language skills are always easier and more fun to learn.

[alestar89]

I love Lucy, Get Smart, Bewitched... I'd say try to find recordings of the really good oldies shows to watch together. Immersion is an excellent idea!

Also, books. Children's books, especially, would help him because they're usually written for a specific reading level. It's just a matter of finding which reading level he's in, and then help him read! Plus, I kid you not, some of these works are complete masterpieces!