Tatiana TS #16

Do-jun chose the article "Parents Sometimes Your the Problem When it Comes to Tech Use" from NPR. It was a long article and definitely challenging. Some of the words we addressed were "caregivers," "pediatricians," "tidal wave," and "deceptive." The phrase "their grades slip" in this context the article is discussing the children's scoring letter grade dropping. Do-jun seemed confused  and I later found out it was because he was thinking the word "grade" meant first grade/the level of schooling. I forget the letter grading system here in the U.S. is not everywhere or it is called something different. It was very interesting to explain the letter grading concept to him. The word "tantrum" and the phrase "act out" also were explained. I stated that these words/phrases are similar, but also very different. Acting out is more of not listening to your parents or doing the opposite of what they asked, while tantrums are dramatic scenes of a child crying or screaming. At the end, I always do a quick comprehension check to see what he thinks the overall message/meaning of the article is.

Tatiana TS #16

Do-jun chose the article "Parents Sometimes Your the Problem When it Comes to Tech Use" from NPR. It was a long article and definitely challenging. Some of the words we addressed were "caregivers," "pediatricians," "tidal wave," and "deceptive." The phrase "their grades slip" in this context the article is discussing the children's scoring letter grade dropping. Do-jun seemed confused  and I later found out it was because he was thinking the word "grade" meant first grade/the level of schooling. I forget the letter grading system here in the U.S. is not everywhere or it is called something different. It was very interesting to explain the letter grading concept to him. The word "tantrum" and the phrase "act out" also were explained. I stated that these words/phrases are similar, but also very different. Acting out is more of not listening to your parents or doing the opposite of what they asked, while tantrums are dramatic scenes of a child crying or screaming. At the end, I always do a quick comprehension check to see what he thinks the overall message/meaning of the article is.

Tatiana TS #15

Do-Jun picked the article "Trump Seizes on Soggy Paper Straws As Campaign Issue 'Make Straws Great Again.'" This article addresses the controversy of paper vs. plastic straws. It explains to everyone that now straws are a political issue. Trump uses the soggy paper straws to symbolize the liberals being weak and always breaking. Do-Jun told me that in South Korea especially in coffee shops the cups and straws are all paper and reusable. He was very interested in the concept of paper straws being banned in only certain states and not the whole United States. I loved explaining the concept of "I am over it" because I use that slang daily. A person in the article stated he was over the straws and I had to use the phrase being over something in many examples. The phrase "in wake of" also needed to be explained with examples, because wake can have multiple meanings. He thought the article was funny in the sense that Trump is selling plastic straws for $15 for part of his campaign.

Tatiana TS #14

 Do-jun picked the article "The Goal Is To Feel Strong, Says 'Black Panther' Jewelry Designer," we discussed the concept of making the jewelry strong, but also feminine. I explained the terms "feminine", "indigenous" and "aesthetic." I had to explain how it was different to see a woman alongside the black panther with such power in the movie. The women in this movie were all portrayed as strong, which is a concept that was not always common. He was very interested in this article because he loved the movie. I explained the term "dainty" because the outfits in this movie were the opposite of small and fragile. The jewelry pieces were gold plates and heavy. He seems to do very well with the articles from NPR. 

Tatiana TS #13

Every Guy Wants To Be James Bond.' But Would They Pay $545 For His Onesie?

This is the article we discussed. It was a great read! We address what a onesie is and if they are popular in every day fashion. I explained that since James Bond is so famous the clothing line who created these onesies thought they would be a hit. However, their price is not ideal for every day shoppers. Many words/phrases he asked about related to phrases in the retail/fashion industry. He is able to get the concept of these articles very well.

Evan TS#16

Dojun and I talked for the last time today. We discussed our respective independence days and the emotions surrounding them as well as other holidays exclusive to our own countries. I shared that the adopting of the Declaration of Independence is the reason Americans celebrate July 4th. And that the term "I need your John Hancock" came from the large signature on the Declaration written by Hancock. Dojun said that South Korea's independence day is more about remembrance than celebration as the country remembers those would sacrificed their lives to gain freedom from Japan. We both found it funny that on holidays such as Thanksgiving or the Lunar New Year that the men of the family tend to watch sports on TV. I was also asked about Black Friday in the U.S. to which I responded that Black Friday is a day when stores provide discounts on most, if not all, of their merchandise. It is held the Friday after Thanksgiving and most people do their Christmas shopping on that day.

Evan TS#15

Dojun and I met on Skype and I answered some questions he had about the difference between similarly defined vocabulary words, and the many correct uses of "would." Defining "would" was difficult, but Dojun found helpful that it is often used when expressing desires or intentions. If I ever teach "should," "could," and "would" I will be sure to study beforehand. We also discussed the difference between "Would you like something to drink?" and "Could I get you something to drink?" I told Dojun that they are both polite, but "would you like something..." tends to be more formal. Some words that had similar meanings that Dojun wanted further explanation of were "related to," "involving," and "has to do with" which I told him that "has..." is a broad sense of being a part of something and "involving" is more specific. On our next meeting we plan to talk about Independence Day.