Working on pronunciation at the Lao-German Technical College – two workshops in March 2017
“I’m going to sleep” or “I’m going to slip”?
“Would you like a beer?” or “would you like a bear”?
“We eat rice” or “we eat lice”?
We used the first weeks in our four classes and during our everyday life to listen to our Lao friends’ way of speaking English very closely. Quickly we got an idea of what might cause the difficulties and which sounds seemed to be hard to pronounce for them. We combined this with what we already knew about the Lao language and what Team III had told us in advance, and we were then able to create an English pronunciation workshop that fitted the needs of a Lao learner perfectly.
After we had decided on the issues we wanted to help the Laotians to improve we decided to divide the content into two parts and invited our teacher-students to the voluntary workshops in two consecutive weeks. We then covered three to four issues in each workshop. Examples of aspects of the English language that cause difficulties for someone whose first language is Lao are the pronunciation of the voiceless dental fricative “th” [θ] and its voiced counterpart “th” [ð], as well as the voiceless postalveolar sibilant “sh” [ ʃ ] (the Lao language only has “s”).
Our first workshop took place on 15th March 2017, and we were happy to work with 17 motivated Laotians on the “cat-sound” ([æ], as in [kæt], the “bird-vowel” ([ɜː], as in [bɜːd], and the distinction between [v], [w], and [f]. These sounds do not exist or are difficult to pronounce for learners with Lao as a first language. (This we have in common: German learners also sometimes have difficulties in these areas.) After having introduced our plan for the afternoon, which consisted of an introduction, the forming of groups, three group work phases, a break, and a conclusion, each of us three started to work with their group of five to six people at a separate “station” with one particular topic.
The handout we had prepared in advance for every participant helped us structure the exercises that focused on different levels of difficulty: First, we clarified the production of the sounds (the place and manner of articulation) and practiced this in our seating circles. Our Lao student-friends were happy to have us volunteers as linguistic models and watched us closely while we produced the sounds. Afterwards, it was time for the so-called “minimal pairs“: These are words that only differ in one sound, which can change the meaning completely, e.g. “pig and big” or “bad” and “bed”. This exemplified the importance of correct pronunciation. Once the difference of the sounds had become understandable for everyone, we continued with advanced exercises, i.e. listening closely to us reading minimal pairs while circling the word with the correct letter/[sound], trying to read drill sentences out loud, and a little partner game similar to “Bingo” that demanded very concentrated listening.
When all three groups had finished, the participants went on to the next group station and worked on the next topic. After two rounds of 30 minutes’ practice it was time for a little break, in which everybody had the possibility to exchange views on the program and grab some snacks. The workshop ended after one last round of group work and a little feedback talk afterwards, which luckily was very positive!
LGTC workshop authors Christiane, Amelie, and Stephanie are ready for their first pronunciation workshop
Our handout with exercises on different levels of difficulty
One week later we were able to welcome even more excited participants – some of them had already taken part in the first workshop, some others were new to it. As the three of us got support from Prof. Martin and Ms Heike Müller on that day, we could even offer four stations this time, which focused on the distinction between [s], [sh], and [ch], [v], [f] and [th], as well as [b/p], [g/k] and [d/t] at the beginning and at the end of a word (the so-called “initial” and “final obstruents”). From a linguistic perspective, it is interesting to note that while German learners (from the South) often mix those obstruents up (voicing the voiceless initial obstruents and devoicing the final voiced ones), Lao learners sometimes drop final consonants altogether because certain vowels (e.g. the diphthong [aɪ̯]) cannot be followed by certain consonants in their own language, which is why “rice” usually comes out as “ri” or “li”, or “inside” as “insi”. We call this linguistic phenomenon “interference”. For the foreign language teacher, understanding where such interferences originate helps to help the learner overcome their difficulties.
The structure of our program was the same as for the first workshop and worked out very well, i.e. we started with demonstrating and clarifying the places and manners of articulation of these sounds, then went on to practice minimal pairs, and closed with drill sentences and partner exercises.
Working on the pronunciation issues included exercises on the production of sounds …
… on minimal pairs…
… later practiced drill sentences…
…and on listening closely to your partner’s pronunciation.
All in all, the workshops were a full success: The effort of our teacher-students was definitely audible and the three of us enjoyed listening to them getting better and actually applying the newly learned content in our classes right on the very next day.
Text by A. Reiling, S. Schulz & C. Morlock
Photos by H. Müller & A. Reiling
“Don’t miss your chance” – our film-making project at the LGTC
This motto is not only the title of our project video for the Vientianale 2017, an annual film festival held in Vientiane – it accompanied me from the consideration whether or not I should apply for this internship in December 2016/17 until we started our filming project in December 2016. I had a debate with myself about whether I should just enjoy my free time without putting myself into something new after graduating, or whether I should spend the four months between my graduation and the next (post-graduate) teacher training phase working in Laos, which would provide many new challenges, as the country and its language was totally unknown to me up to that point. But I do not want to bother anyone with these thoughts I had before I applied for the internship – as the outcome is known: I luckily went to Laos, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
The project itself took place in the last few weeks of my stay in Laos, as a member of Team III. It all started at the German Embassy where they announced the Vientianale Short Film Competition and explained what it was all about. I thought it would be a great chance for me and my students at the LGTC, because in order to take part it was not obligatory to be a professional film-maker.
Together with my students I decided to make our own short film and to hand it in/submit it to the Vientianale. The project leaders immediately gave their green light for the project and suggested I drop the regular classes for the last 3 weeks of my stay, to make time for it. It was too unique a chance to be missed and would open up new channels of learning, which is also one of the reasons why project work is a popular form of organizing class-work towards the end of an academic year in German schools.
Four groups with different duties started forming immediately: One for writing the script, one for translating the script into English for the subtitles, one for the filming and, of course, one for the acting. The students could enrol for any group they wanted to be part of. Thus the usual English classes changed into discussion and planning groups. We met in our groups and I taught some theory lessons for each theme aspect or area before we started the practical work. A big issue for the script writers which I addressed was the time, since the length of the film was not to exceed 3 minutes. So we discussed the structure of a film. The students then wrote the important scenes first and then added extra scenes we might use if there was any time left. For the camera team I got some help from a friend, Mr Michael Edelböck, who also helped me edit the movie. He gave me a short introduction to the different camera angles and the right lengths of a shot. I then passed on his knowledge to my students.
Each group was composed of a good mixture of students from the BHS apprentices as well as the Beginner, Elementary, and Technical English classes. I of course wanted everyone to speak English so I expected each person to summarize at least once what they had achieved so far at the end of each meeting. It was a good chance for the students to learn from each other, as they had to communicate their ideas in English so that I could understand what they wanted me to organize, or to get some feedback from me. It was an authentic communicative situation – and this is precisely what we need in our English classes to make our students want to talk.
The filming brought with it some of the best moments I was going to have with my students in Laos. I have to say that punctuality is not exactly one of their strengths, but their dedication makes up for that. They did everything to make this short film something very special. They organized a Tuk Tuk driver who drove down the road at least seven times and said his part of the script over and over again. They organized enough cars to drive us all down to Hatsady’s family, who lives more than an hour’s drive away from the college, and Hatsady’s family did not only let us use their house and field for our filming – they even cooked for the entire crew (see photo).
Short film crew
Behind the scenes
Behind the scenes
Behind the scenes
I am very thankful for all the work my students have done. It was not always easy for them as the script writers had to unite different ideas and thoughts, actors had to combine studying the script with their daily work, the camera men had to film each scene from different angles, and the translators had to find the correct words.
Sadly we did not win a prize at the Vientianale 2017, but then again we were of course competing with professional teams. Apart from this, we produced a great short film which will now remind us all of the great moments we spent together and of all the hard work we put into this project. We have something we can be very proud of. I watch our movie every time I want to get back to “the Laos experience” – and I can tell you this is very often.
It is now time to thank the project leaders Isabel Martin and Johannes Zeck, who gave me the chance to be part of this amazing project, my co-volunteer Lena, who supported me and my idea, my students, who made this journey very special and unforgettable, and especially a few of my Lao students who also became close friends. I am happy to see you again in a few days – back in Laos.
And now have fun watching our short film “Don’t miss your chance”!
Plot:
A farmer’s boy and his friend get an internship for the Lao-German Technical College. Saying goodbye is hard for Khamla, as the college is far away from his hometown and his parents. At the beginning it is not easy for him to follow in class (especially in English!), but then he remembers the words of his father and realizes that he has to take his chance. He starts to participate in class and to study hard for his certificate. In the end Khamla can be proud of himself as he gets his certificate and soon after a job with the Toyota company. Sometimes you only get one shot!
Text & photos by D. Burkhardt
Recommended further reading for teachers: Diana L. Fried-Booth, Project Work: Resource Book for Teachers (2nd edition, 2002): Oxford, Oxford University Press.
Our personal highlight: A special early Lao New Year – by Jessica Deißler & Alyssa Weber
During our amazing time in Laos we got the chance to gain some fantastic new experiences. We want to share one of our favourite moments in Laos with you now.
Several times we talked with our tandem-teachers about how sad we were about not having the chance to be in the country for Lao New Year, which was to take place just a few days after we were bound to leave in April. But once again the Lao teachers showed us how hospitable they are – they organized a pre-Lao New Year celebration for us!
As the farewell party for Madame Engel, who was about to leave for her regular summer retreat in Germany, was to take place in Ban Sikeud Primary School, the school was simply closed for this day. It was decided this was to be a farewell festivity for us as well. The pupils of grade 3 and 5 as well as the teachers from Sikeud and Phang Heng Primary School were invited and they all showed up in colourful Lao New Year shirts. The different colours are to symbolize their happiness, excitement and anticipation of the next year. For team spirit, every school chooses one bright colour for their T-shirts every year.
When we arrived at the school early in the morning on Friday 7th April, some of the teachers were already waiting for us to do our hair and give us our own Lao New Year shirt as a present. Dressed up, we went to the dancing room, where the Baci ceremony “inaugurated” the festivity. Even though this was not our first Baci, this one was very special and emotional for all of us as we knew it would be our last one. On the one hand, we felt very sad because the Baci showed once again how welcoming the Lao people are, whom we would have to leave in only 3 days. On the other hand, we enjoyed our last moments with the amazing people we got to know within the last two months, and we were also looking forward to seeing our families and friends back home again.
Traditional Baci ceremony in the dancing room of Ban Sikeud Primary School
Handing over the Baci bracelets and wishing a happy Lao New Year
The Lao teachers and us after the Baci ceremony
Afterwards, the celebration was relocated to the schoolyard, where the directors handed our certificates over to us.
Proud recipients of Lao certificates (Venetia, Jessica, Alyssa)
In the meantime, the pupils lined up with some water carried in little cups. There were a number of us: Alyssa, Jessica, Venetia, Madame Engel, her guests from Germany, and the schools’ directors – we were all arranged in a semi-circle and the students poured water over our hands to wash away all of last year’s burden. After the pupils emptied all their cups, the ceremony turned into a very funny water hose fight, which was very welcome in temperatures nearing 40 degrees.
Students pouring water over our hands
Wet all over, we sat down in the tent which had been organized for this occasion and set up in the street. We celebrated our time in Laos with the teachers and the people of the village with traditional Lao food, Beer Lao, live music, show acts and a lot of dancing.
Enjoying the after-party with our tandem-teachers (Phetty Lardsajuk, Venetia Dariou, Jessica Deißler, Bounpheng Singhalath, Alyssa Weber)
Summarizing our stay in Laos, we can say that we are more than glad to have had the opportunity to get such a direct and intimate knowledge of the Lao culture and we hope that we were able to enrich Lao school life with the help of our individual competences. Furthermore, we can say that in the two months in Laos we learnt so much ourselves from our Lao partners that we were able to develop ourselves personally and professionally and will always keep our stay in Laos in our minds as one of the most personality-forming experiences of our lives.
Text by Jessica Deißler & Alyssa Weber
Photos by Mittaphone Sichampa & Phovang Inthavong
Our personal highlight: A hiking trip with the Lao teachers – by Laura Jakob, Rebecca Dengler & Veronika Golla
It was one of the hottest days we experienced in Laos shortly before we had to fly back to Germany. During mid-day the temperatures reached up to 40°C! It was even too hot for the mosquitos to come out. However, we did not stay motionless in the shade like everything else under the sun but hiked up a mountain. The mountain sits in the Phou Khao Khouay National Biodiversity Conservation Area and it is called “Phou Khao Khouay”, or “Buffalo Horn Mountain”.
What makes one come up with that kind of idea in such heat?
On our last weekend in Laos, some of the Lao teacher-students had suggested to take us, Laura, Rebecca and Veronika, on a day trip. What we did not consider when we planned the trip and the hiking tour was that it would be unbelievably hot. We had already been staying in Laos for almost two months and we had had very hot days before. How could we not think of the heat when planning a hiking tour?
It was a two-hour scooter ride to the starting point of our hiking tour. On the scooter we did not feel the heat yet because of the steady airstream. It was a nice ride along streets surrounded by little fruit stalls, rice fields, houses, people fishing in small lakes, and people selling their goods on the sides of the street.
During our ride we saw women selling sticky rice baked in bamboo sticks over an open fire…
…rather unusal “petrol stations”…
…and beautiful landscapes.
The starting point for our hike lay in a temple area. In contrast to our Lao tandem-teachers who wore long trousers and long sleeves (and some even gloves), to not get tanned or burned by the sun, we wore shorts. Before entering the temple area we therefore had to put on the sihns (traditional Lao skirts) we had brought to cover our bare legs and to be properly dressed to enter the temple area. The first few meters of our hike led us through the temple area and past several Buddhist statues. In front of one huge Buddha statue the Laotians kneeled down and said prayers.
The teachers kneel down and say their prayers
Some of the Buddha statues in the temple area
Then we started to crest the mountain. On our way up there was little shade and we had to pause very often because it was so hot and hence very exhausting to walk up. We sweated a lot even in shorts and T-shirts and we cannot image how hot it must have been for our Lao companions wearing jackets, long trousers, and gloves. But do they not feel the heat less? And as far as sweating is concerned, aren’t we always the only drenched ones?
At least they did not have to put sunscreen on their sweaty arms and faces. (Come to think of it: Probably they weren’t even sweaty.)
Findings on the way
Flowers on the way
Seeds found on the way up
The ground was dark and rocky; at times it almost felt like walking on charcoal. At the beginning of our hike we were surrounded by thick brush and high trees but the higher we got the more barren the landscape seemed to become. Small bushes and withered trees started to surround us. It was about 40°C at the hottest time of day and because we had little shadow and no proper clothing for hiking (no hats, no solid shoes, but flip flops as we hadn’t been aware of how long and hard the hike would be) so it was unsurprisingly very hard on us. We paused approximately every ten minutes to take a breather and drink some water. By the end of our hike we had finished about 2l each! During the middle of our hike we stopped at a little shed and were delighted to be able to snack on sticky rice-coconut-rolls our Lao teachers had bought at one of the street stalls. Then we had enough energy to continue.
As we approached the top we were greeted by huge Buddha statues and our Lao friends prayed and made offerings again. We noticed many small hills of rocks and sticks put up against rocks. Our friends explained to us that this was supposed to bring luck to the visitors of the mountain. We added our own rocks and sticks, thanking the deities for the beautiful experiences we had made in Laos.
Finally we reached the top and explored the area a little bit and took a lot of pictures as the landscape was utterly fascinating.
Piling rocks for good luck
The fascinating landscape near the mountain top
Statues guarding the entrance to the top area
As we were all very tired from the exhausting climb we rested in a shed on stalks which was located on the top of the hill. We were all sitting around a small table we found there. We shared the rest of the fruit, sticky rice and candy we had brought with us and chatted, and some of us took a nap.
Our feet all dirty from the walk
Taking a break after the exhausting ascent
At the top of the mountain (from left to right and front to back: Rebecca, Toukham, Laura, Veronika, Saysamone, Silja, Donekeo & Khamsee)
After we had collected some strength again we were ready for the descent. Down the hill was a lot easier than up and moreover the sun was not burning that strongly anymore. On our way home with the scooters we had a short stop at a small stall with drinks and drank some coke and other soft drinks. Finally we arrived at one of the teacher’s places and had dinner there. Together we prepared spicy papaya salad and the teacher’s mother was so kind as to serve us a lot of different Laotian dishes with more sticky rice and a delicious candy made of – yes: sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves.
Laotian food – dinner at Toukham’s place
This day was our personal highlight and we thank Saysamone, Khamsee, Donekeo and Toukham for sharing this experience with us.
Text by L. Jakob, R. Dengler & V. Golla
Photos by L. Jakob, R. Dengler & V. Golla
Installing new language-learning clubs at Phang Heng Secondary School: “ABC Club” and “English Games Club”
Before we came to Laos we – Laura Jakob and Tanja Wintrich – had already discussed with our predecessors David and Anika from Team III what activities were offered for the pupils at Phang Heng Secondary School and how we could improve them, as David and Anika’s focus had been on installing a new “Didactics Room” for the teachers. We decided that we wanted to introduce two more “Activities” or “Clubs” to the Conversation Club already in existence. The English Conversation Club (ECC) is for pupils who already speak in English and want to improve this skill.
… in a lesson about jobs.
We added a new ABC Club (“ABCC”) for weaker pupils, in which we wanted to keep the level as simple as possible and to (re-)introduce the Latin alphabet as a few students are actually illiterate in the Latin alphabet and some even in Lao. Or they still struggle when they write the Latin alphabet. Often they would add some pretty Lao twirls to the letters or write in a very – what seemed to us – complicated manner as they tried to use the same manner of writing as they would in Lao.
We also added a new English Games Club (“EGC”), which is meant for all (but mostly intermediate pupils), in which we focused on playful learning of the English language, similar to the Conversation Club but made easier by the pre-formulated structure of games. When we first started our new “Activities” – these are voluntary activities pupils can attend from 3-4 before school ends – we had a bit of a struggle to get the pupils we wanted to come to actually come. It was hard for us to get our point across because the students couldn’t read our ABC Club poster, for example. (Case in point!) History teacher Saysamone, who can communicate well in English, then helped us out by making an announcement and explaining the point of the new clubs in Lao to the pupils. From then on we mostly had the students that we wanted in the right clubs.
Attentive pupils make sense of English words…
In the ABC Club we focused on the correct writing of the Latin letters and introduced words starting with those letters to them. Afterwards the pupils had to pronounce and repeat the words so they would get familiar with the right pronunciation. At the end we always included little games to make the learning process more fun – we created our own “ABC-Memory,” for instance, and showed them how to play it as it was a totally new game for them. When all cards lie face down, it is one player’s turn to start the game: He/She turns over one card and tries to find the matching one. In the original version of the game, this would be an identical picture. In our adaptation for English language-learning purposes, one card shows the picture and the other one the written English word to match. To find the matching card, the player flips over another card. If the pupil was successful at making a match, he or she says “I’ve got a pair, this is a [xyz]” and can put the matching pair into his or her stack of pairs. Then they he/she can go one more time (“my turn again”). If not, the player pronounces the two different words (“this is not a pair: I have a [xyz] and a [xyz]”) and both cards are turned back over face-down – but now the attentive players know for the next round what is on those two cards! When all the cards have been collected the pupils get to count all their pairs (aloud and in English). The one who has the biggest pile of pairs is the winner (“I’ve got 10 pairs!”). This game requires observation, concentration, and a good visual memory. Therefore, pre-school or primary school children normally beat the adults at this game.
For the advanced children in the ECC we tried to include more difficult tasks, for example when we prepared a lesson about giving directions. We built up a parcour in the classroom with obstacles they had to pass while one of them would be blindfolded. Another person would have to give them correct instructions so they would not bump into things.
Later we noticed that Lao people are exceptionally unreliable when it comes to giving directions or finding their own way to a new place – even tuktuk drivers. We often were taken or sent to the wrong places whilst people swore blind they knew exactly where you wanted to be. The average person did not need to go anywhere unknown for centuries here – this is not a nation of explorers or travellers (yet)!
Last Activity time with our lovely pupils of the English Conversation Club
In the EGC we once organized a scavenger hunt, which they liked very much. The game is usually played outdoors, but as we did not want to attract a huge group of pupils we organized it indoors in one of the classrooms. In this game the pupils play as a team and have to find and collect a number of miscellaneous objects by following (English) directions correctly – in our case they had to find little cards with pictures and the correct English word on it. We also use this game for children’s birthday parties at home where the aim is quite the same. It allows children to be creative, communicative, and interactive whilst solving a mysterious “problem”. There a several ways to play this game, for instance one can hide a little treasure for the children at the last “station”. To get there, they have to use the written notes with hints, which are to be discovered one after the other, and also their imagination. Our Lao pupils always had lots of fun with such stimulating activities. It also helped us to get more involved with the children and learn about their interests. They had so much fun in the end that they kept looking for the little cards for weeks to come!
Another highlight for them was the card game UNO. It is an American game which is very popular among families in Germany and of course in other countries of the world. The point of the game is quite the opposite of Memory – to win, you need to get rid of all your cards by matching them with the first one on the central stack.
We had to split up the class into two groups at this point as this Club was becoming quite popular – and therefore crowded. The children learn the English words for colors and numbers as they have to match their cards by either one of them. They also learn to use phrases like “it’s your turn”, “I would like the color [xyz]” and “I changed the direction”. When the children have only one card left in their hand they have to shout out “UNO” so the other players know that this person is about to win. The one who is first completely out of cards wins the game. This four-colored card game is simple to learn, but strategizing and thinking ahead is a big part of being successful. We had lots of fun introducing this game to them as we saw how much they liked playing it, and as conversing in English about the game was a necessity it developed quite naturally.
We appreciated that we were given the opportunity to decide so freely on how we would like to structure our Activity time with the children. They enjoyed this time with us in the afternoon tremendously and were very grateful to us for being with them and teaching them about new games and most importantly the English language in a playful and fun way. Apart from this being quite a treat for any teacher, this is probably a double-treat for a German secondary school teacher, who is not normally used to appreciation in such enormous, generous quantities.
Text by Laura Jakob & Tanja Wintrich
Photos and video by Laura Jakob & Isabel Martin
Our personal highlight: Two Lao weddings – by Amelie Reiling and Stephanie Schulz
Two of our most defining experiences in Laos were the two traditional weddings we got to attend. Never before had we had the chance to get to know a foreign culture and their customs in such a closely immediate and authentic way. We greatly anticipated this day as we had heard such exciting stories from the previous teams who had been invited to weddings as well (read Anika’s and Silja’s article here).
As the invitations for Mr Keovilayphone’s (electrician at the Lao-German Technical College) wedding party had been written in Lao, our Laotian teacher-students at the LGTC told us about and explained the upcoming events and a few days later we sat in Mr Khamsavay’s (one of our teacher-students and Deputy Director of the LGTC) van together with Ms Dalavone, Ms Ba, and Ms Soununthalee (also our teacher-students). It was the first day for us to actually wear the traditional Sinhs that Ket (another teacher-student) had sewn for us, and we were very proud to “inaugurate” them at such a special event.
On our way through the center of Vientane our teacher-student-friends explained to us what a typical Lao wedding looked like and did not get tired of answering all our questions. Not only we two Germans were interested in the others’ tradition – a bride dressed completely in white throwing a bouquet of flowers behind her back awakened the interest of our Lao friends, too.
When we arrived at the venue, the Baci ceremony was in its final phase – only closest family and friends take part in it. Nevertheless, we still got the chance to tie one of the wristbands around the bride’s and groom’s wrists and wish them all the best for their life together.
Tying wristbands around the wedding couple’s wrists …
…and wishing them a happy life together.
After having had a few pictures taken of us with our Lao teacher-students the wedding party started. Accompanied by the typical loud Lao songs – at this point we could already sing along to some of the lines – the wedding guests sat at their tables and enjoyed the buffet. As usual, it included sticky rice, noodle soup, different meats and vegetables. Then, an entertainer started the program with some jokes we did not understand and then went over to a tradition we were told was typical: The Lao wedding kiss. First it is announced, then everybody counts down together and the couple exchanges a kiss on each other’s cheeks – definitely a special promise since open physical expression of affection is something you normally never get to see in public. This was also the introduction for the wedding dance, for which we were specifically summoned through the microphone. We experienced it to be typical for women to dance by themselves, first, and then to be asked for a dance by the men afterwards.
Dalavone, Ba, Soununthalee and us – Amelie and Stephanie – next to the wedding couple’s picture
With our second wedding invitation, the one of Mr Sichan (teacher-student in our Beginners class), we were lucky in a different way since we got to take part in the traditional wedding march as well as in the whole official Baci ceremony. As our tandem-teacher-friend Ms Ba and her husband Noy – who was the photographer at the party – were so kind as to take us to the venue we were amongst the first guests and hence could witness the complete procedure. Particularly the groom’s walk to the bride’s family’s house (hae keuy) is a memory we enjoy thinking back to a lot. Together with his family and friends and accompanied by musical instruments the groom made his way to the house, singing, drinking, and cheering along the way.
The groom makes his way to the bride’s house, accompanied by family and friends.
He can only enter after having answered some questions correctly.
Once arrived at the entrance the groom had to ask the bride’s relatives for permission to enter. It was only granted after he answered some questions and drank some glasses of Lao Whiskey or Beerlao. Typical questions are “what are you here for?” or “what did you bring with you?” Now that the groom was in the bride’s house it was time for the Baci ceremony which of course included the traditional pha khoun (marigold pyramid out of banana leaves) with a lot of food and gifts under it.
We were lucky to participate in the Baci ceremony …
… which normally is exclusively for closest friends and family.
Essential for every Baci ceremony: the marigold pyramid
We got to see every single step of the ritualized procedure such as throwing rice up in the air (and on every participant), the bridal couple feeding each other an egg and the tying of white strings around the wrists of the bride and the groom. Luckily for us, Ba managed to translate some of what the master of ceremony chanted and even though we only understood a fraction of the process we enjoyed it very much anyway. We learned that the rice symbolizes prosperity and the egg stands for fertility. After the subsequent procedure of somma (in which the couple asks their elder relatives for forgiveness and thanks them for everything) it was then time for the couple to sit on their bed and have their photos taken together with their guests (including us!).
Ba and Olina have their typical picture taken with the wedding couple on their bed.
This was the end of the official procedures and now the wedding party started – the traditional dances, a Lao buffet and loud music being a part of it again.
For a proper Lao ceremony amongst the newly established Lao middle-class and well-to-do, inviting foreigners seems to be part of a new etiquette, even if the bridal couple is not personally acquainted with them. The list of guests is huge anyway, and each guest is expected to help pay towards the expense of the ceremony by handing over a pre-prepared envelope with money inside. Traditional Lao weddings held in this way are very expensive, and from a Western perspective one would not be able to guess how a couple normally lives in their quotidian life just by how they celebrated their wedding ceremony.
Another observation from a Western perspective: Divorce is frowned upon but also occurs in Laos, albeit rarely. It means the husband and wife have to then live with their parents again if they cannot afford a living on their own.
The beautifully decorated wedding venue …
…including enough space for the traditional dances.
For us it was a big honor to be part of two authentic Lao celebrations. It is something you cannot easily access when visiting a foreign country and the two of us will always be happy to think back to these experiences. Particularly the omnipresent, loud Lao music and the memories of an authentic Baci ceremony will stay in our heads for a very long time.
Text by A. Reiling & S. Schulz
Photos and videos by Ba’s husband Mr Noy and A.Reiling
Workshop on 31 March 2017 – “Storytelling: Pre-, while- and post-activities”
“Robin Hood anyone?” “Yes, me please!”
As our primary school tandem-teachers already participated in a workshop by Team III on the general use of picture books in the English classroom, we wanted to show them exemplary ways to use them in class this time, so we concentrated on the so-called “pre-, while- and post-activities” that we can conduct in class. The goal of these activities is not only to get the students to understand the story or plot but also to enlarge their English language skills, of course.
Our workshop seemed to start Lao-style: Due to some official appointments our tandem teachers had to attend and that were announced at very short notice, we had to postpone it twice. Finally, we were able to begin the workshop – half an hour later than planned, this time owing to heavy rain.
Thanks to the visit of Ms Angela Bauer-Seekings, we got the opportunity to try out and use the recently inventoried books which were sponsored by Pearson Publishing. Angela Bauer-Seekings is the head of sales and marketing at Pearson Publishing, one of the largest English Language Learning publishers worldwide, and she had come to Laos partly for business reasons, to get to know our project. The Pearson story books provide different levels of difficulty, based on the length of the text and the complexity of the vocabulary. Having chosen one of the more difficult ones, Robin Hood, we prepared some model material (described below) beforehand so that the teachers would get a concrete impression on how to implement this picture book in the classroom.
As an example of a “pre-activity”, we handed out a picture of the story which showed the story’s main characters Robin Hood, Maid Marian, King John, Little John, Hiss, and the Sheriff of Nottingham. This warm-up activity invited the teachers to describe what they saw and aroused their curiosity concerning the content of the story.
Pre-activity: What can you see in the picture?
Before reading out the story, we clarified some difficult words, such as tournament, disguise, and taxes, which were needed to be able to follow the story, by activating the teachers’ pre-knowledge and providing further explanations. In addition, we then prepared our “while-activity” by letting the teachers choose one of the character cards we had created in advance. The point of this activity was to stand up whenever the chosen character was mentioned in the story. This way, the listeners would stay focused by getting into action.
Pre-activity: Choose a character!
Precise questions in the middle of the book helped to summarize what had happened in the story so far and offered another opportunity to involve speaking. For example we asked our audience how they thought the story would go on, or questions about the content, e.g what Robin gave the young boy for his birthday or why Robin robbed rich people. We were surprised how many thoughts and ideas the teachers had developed about the story and the pictures and how well they had been able to follow the story.
In our activating “post-activity”, we focused on comprehension. By asking different questions which came with three possible answers, the participants had to line up in front of the blackboard, which we divided up into three parts. Now it was the teachers’ turn to react and think quickly of the correct answer. Not only for them, but also for us it was a lot of fun to see how involved they were in the game and how enthusiastically they moved around.
Post-activity: What’s the right answer?
As a conclusion, we used our handout to introduce more variations of pre-, while- and post-activities. Afterwards, it was the teachers’ turn to pick one of the provided Pearson books and come up with possible classroom activities. It was interesting for us that they chose higher leveled books: The Beauty and the Beast, Thumbelina, and Peter Pan. With the help of our handout, they came up with possible questions for their students.
Going through the handout
The workshop did not only show new activities in connection with integrating picture books into the classroom but also motivated our tandem-teachers to use the Lending Library (a corner in the Ban Sikeud teachers’ room where the teachers can borrow English books and other didactic materials) more often in the future.
Now we hope the teachers are able to put their new knowledge into practice and that they will create a more activating classroom atmosphere for their pupils. Furthermore, we wanted to show the teachers that picture books can be a very motivating teaching technique, not only for them, but especially for their pupils, as they gradually come to realize that they are able to understand a whole new story in a foreign language!
After the workshop: Alyssa, Phovang, Mitthapone, Bounpheng and Jessica
Text by A. Weber & J. Deißler
Photos by R. Dengler
New places available for internships starting in autumn 2017 (Team V) and spring 2018 (Team VI)!
English students from the PH Karlsruhe can now apply for an internship in two different periods of time:
– Team V September 2017 – January/February/March/April 2018 (at least 3 months): primary school Ban Sikeud & Ban Phang Heng, lower secondary school Ban Phang Heng, Lao-German Technical College
– Team VI February 2018 – April 2018: primary school Ban Sikeud & Ban Phang Heng, lower secondary school Ban Phang Heng. February 2018 – July 2018: Lao-German Technical College
Note: Students interested in applying for Team V should contact Johannes Zeck via mail immediately, a call will then be arranged (contact details see below).
Submit your application for either time period by 2 July 2017 to the AAA (Akademisches Auslandsamt). Interviews will be held on 11/12 July 2017.
The calls for applications can be found on the AAA homepage, the StudIP course Akademisches Auslandsamt, the StudIP course “English Department Bulletin Board”, and on the project blog www.thelaosexperience.com under “Internships”. Address your applications to the International Office of the PH Karlsruhe (Akademisches Auslandsamt). Details on the general application procedure can be found on the AAA homepage.
Please also send your letter of motivation and CV to the project leaders Prof. Dr. Isabel Martin (martin01@ph-karlsruhe.de) and Johannes Zeck (johanneszeck@engelfuerkinder.de) and visit Prof. Martin’s next “Global English” class (Thursday, 4-6 p.m., 3.3111).
A consultation session will be held on 31 May 2017 from 9:00 – 11:30 am at the PH Karlsruhe in room III.222. Contact Johannes Zeck to book a slot for the consultation if you are interested in applying.
Apply now for an internship!
For any further questions please also contact Johannes Zeck.
We look forward to your applications!
J. Zeck & Prof. Martin
“The cæt in the hæt” – a workshop about English pronunciation
We decided to do our workshop on the topic of pronunciation as some of our Lao teachers still struggle with certain sounds of the English language. Many of them had shown interest in learning more about pronunciation, so that was one of the reasons why we invited not only our tandem English teachers but also the “Non-English teachers” of all three AfC schools.
Our workshop was held on 24 March from 4-6 p.m., directly after the school day ended so that as many teachers as possible could attend. We conducted it in the science lab at Ban Phang Heng Secondary School as it provided much space and a beamer.
We started our presentation by explaining the importance of correct pronunciation. First, we showed them a video that illustrated the struggles learners of the English language can have regarding pronunciation. We wanted to show them a few examples how words can be misunderstood if we place a different sound in a word (e. g. “think” vs. “sink” or “stink”).
This was followed by an introduction and visualisation of the places of articulation and the vowel chart in the mouth. In this context we explained what function our tongue and lips have for the production of certain sounds of the English language.
Laura & Tanja present the phonological details
We also introduced the “IPA” – the International Phonetic Alphabet. IPA is an alphabetic system of sounds used to help read/produce sounds in the way they should be pronounced, as the spelling does not necessarily do so – certainly not in English. This is also why you can always find the IPA transcriptions of words in square brackets behind the words in your dictionary.
After our presentation of the linguistic background we separated the teachers into four groups for the practical part – the “work stations”. Each work station provided a different topic: The “cat-sound” [æ] or “trap vowel”, the “bird-sound” [ɜː], the [l]/[r]-distinction, and intonation.
Our four…
…work…
work
…steps and stages
Every teacher received a reader, which we had prepared beforehand: It contained a short summary of our presentation and all exercises needed for the work stations. The Lao teachers then were supported by one German teacher at each station.
The cat-sound and bird-sound stations were provided with little mirrors. After a general explanation how the sounds are produced in the mouth the mirrors were used so the participants could check the shape of their lips and the position of their tongue. To produce the [ae] sound, for example, you have to drop your jaw all the way. This may feel awkward to learners whose first language does not contain this sound or movement, which may lead to embarrassment and therefore avoidance of the wide open mouth – and thus, to wrong pronunciation.
The bird-sound is the opposite! You have to spread your lips so it almost looks like you are smiling.
Spread your lips while you’re pronouncing the bird-sound.
The [l]/[r]-distinction is often difficult for Lao native speakers as the [r]-sound exists in writing but it is no longer used in everyday language. That is why we first practised how the two different sounds (both sibilants, or “gliders”) are produced in the mouth and then practised their distinction with minimal pairs (words which only differ in one sound, here: [l]/[r], as in “lice” or “rice”) and limericks like “There was an old man from the Rhine”.
![The importance of differentiating the [l] & [r] sound](https://i0.wp.com/www.thelaosexperience.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/l-r-distinction.jpg?w=906&h=510&ssl=1 "l-r-distinction")
The importance of differentiating the [l] & [r] sound
At the fourth work station we introduced intonation, which our learners had not dealt with consciously in the English language before. Here we explained that there is a different kind of melody in every language. The way our voice goes up and down in English on sentence level is very different to the 5-6 Lao tones of individual syllables.
Moreover, it was very important for us to mention that it is not the word by itself but also the way we intonate our language or how we stress certain parts of words which conveys the message. We therefore taught them that Yes/No-questions usually have a rising intonation whereas wh-questions go with a falling intonation.
This workshop was great fun for the participants and also for us. We hope that it was helpful for the teachers and that they will be able to continue improving their pronunciation in the future with the little stepping stones that we gave them.
Teachers are role models for their students or pupils – this is a universal tenet that does not only apply to Laos. As teachers of English it is important that we pass on the correct pronunciation to our pupils or students as they will pick up our way of speaking – including our mistakes.
Happy faces after a successful workshop
Text by L. Jakob & T. Wintrich
Photos by J. Deißler
A workshop for the science teachers at Ban Phang Heng Secondary School
To begin our joint work in the science laboratory, we offered the workshop “How to produce material for science classes”.
A chapter on colour blindness, with pictures to diagnose it in black-and-white in the Lao science course book, was our starting point. It seemed important to us that the teachers find a way to enrich their science classes and the course book with additional material and methods, whether it be coloured picture cards or experiments. In our fifth week here in Laos we, Veronika and Rebecca, therefore conducted a workshop for the science teachers in which we showed them some ways to produce extra material to enhance the school books’ texts and illustrations.
Before the workshop we had informed ourselves about the upcoming topics in the science classes of our teachers. We decided to design a workshop on the physics and biology topic: The eye, which some of the teachers were going to teach next. We started in the didactics room of the secondary school and showed the teachers how to produce picture cards and a poster. First, they had to find appropriate illustrations on the Internet, then print them, and at last also laminate them. This was a completely new experience for the science teachers and they were very proud of the results they had created.
Next we moved over to a classroom, where we practised different ways of using the new picture cards in a lesson, because we did not just want to produce the material but also enable the teachers to use it well in their classes.
The last station of our workshop was the science laboratory, where we encouraged the teachers to make use of the beamer and Whiteboard, to show the students videos or pictures. Furthermore we gave them some tips as to where they can look up experiments on their topics on the Internet.
Finally, the teachers were to prepare and conduct an experiment and get to know how to write a test report. The teachers enjoyed the workshop very much, but the most rewarding experience for us was to see that the teachers put into practice what we showed them only a few days later.
One of the teachers used the picture cards and the poster we had produced in the workshop in his lesson. He applied the methods we had practised together and he took his classes to the lab and let the students conduct the experiment from the workshop, which he even expanded with his own ideas. The only disenchanting aspect was that the teacher would have wanted to use the beamer in the laboratory which was not possible as the lab has no computer and most teachers do not own one. Another teacher looked up experiments on the Internet and found one that suited his next lesson. He got the necessary material for it and tried it successfully. It was fantastic for us to see that the teachers immediately implemented the material and the ways of teaching we had showed them in our workshop.
Planning lessons, looking for good illustrations…
… laminating the picture cards…
… and then conduct it themselves.
Text by R. Dengler & V. Golla
Photos by J. Deißler
Our first impressions – by Amelie Reiling, Christiane Morlock and Stephanie Schulz
We have enjoyed living here in Vientiane very much right from the beginning. Our Lao adventure started on 13th February in Frankfurt and around 17 hours later we moved into our new home for the next two months: Our little bungalow is situated just a few seconds away from the Lao-German Technical College. Although we really could have used some sleep at that time we could not resist a first glance at the Lao capital and decided to take a walk along the Mekong River right into the center of Vientiane.
College yard
Elementary English classroom
Theory building
Sabaidee Laos!
After a delicious taste of traditional Lao cuisine we were rewarded with a stunning sunset. We would get the chance to witness this beautiful natural spectacle very often over the next few weeks.
Sunset above the Mekong River
Mr Saythong Insarn and Mr Vaki Wangyeng, Head and Deputy Head of Cooperation, Development, and the IT-Section of the Lao-German Technical College, and Ms Sabine Smolka-Gunsam from the GIZ (German Society for International Cooperation), who was based at the LGTC, made settling in easy for us. Not only did they show us where to buy the best fruit and where to get some Western groceries in case we felt like having a little taste of home, but they were – and still are – always there for us when we need(ed) help, e.g. when we had to transport a whole pick-up full of furniture and kitchen tools from Sabine’s house to our bungalow when she went back to Germany at the end of February.
Shortly after our arrival we also got to know Mouk and Ket, two of the teachers at the college and students in our class. We got to spend a wonderful Sunday with them when they showed us the actual Morning Market (it turned out the place we thought was the Morning Market was just a tenth of it), beautiful traditional Lao fabric (we bought one for our Sinhs), and a stunning Buddhist temple: Wat Si Muang.
Amelie and Stephanie in their Sinhs
Wat That Phoun – one of the beautiful temples we visited on our first days
As the Lao teachers were still busy with setting exams we spent the first week organizing timetables and teaching material such as books and flashcards at the college, exploring our neighborhood, furnishing our flat, and trying Lao food. Daily fruit and vegetable shopping at our favorite market stand a few streets away quickly became part of our everyday life and still is a highlight for us. It really is a unique experience here: Tasting unknown fruit and laughing together with the market woman – even though our sales conversations mostly consist of body language and a few Lao words we have picked up.
Our favorite market stand close to our bungalow
For the three of us teaching English in Laos is an unbelievably affirming experience. Stephanie teaches both of the “Beginners” classes (one of them together with Amelie), Christiane is in charge of the “Technical English” class and Amelie took over the “Elementary” English course.
Never before have we had such motivated students in front of us. They are very grateful for being taught a language they are so eager to learn. It is not seldom that we are flooded with questions about English vocabulary, correlations, and phrases in our lessons. Also, our teacher-students are not too shy to just give it a try when it comes to pronouncing an unknown word, which is a good attitude to have for successful language learning.
Five days a week we teach one hour per class in the afternoon and also offer additional possibilities for English practice such as a “Conversation Club” for the teachers and “Activity Time” for the BHS students. Apart from that we also accompany four of the English teachers twice a week in their English lessons and give them constructive feedback afterwards.
Everything we have experienced so far showed us that we made the right decision taking part in this project. We appreciate this chance very much and we are looking forward to the time ahead.
Text by A. Reiling, C. Morlock and S. Schulz
Photos by A. Reiling
One moment in time: The March “Oktoberfest” (October festival) in Vientiane
We had some special guests from Germany only two weeks after our own arrival: The trombone choir “Floss”, named after their hometown. Fifteen brass musicians from Bavaria arrived on the 27th of February and stayed in Laos for a whole week. Madame Engel had had the great idea to invite the fifteen musicians from her hometown.
It was also the time around the German Ambassador’s birthday and thus a great chance to combine the two events, i.e. to celebrate his birthday and bring a little piece of Mme Engel’s home to Vientiane.
The “Oktoberfest” is the world’s largest beer festival, and it goes back to October 1810 when Crown Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese in Bavaria and the wedding was celebrated with a large feast which included horse races. It was the first “Oktoberfest”, and since then it has become a great attraction, not only to Germans but also to international visitors.
The original festival is held in Munich from mid or late September to the first weekend in Oktober. As the popularity of the “Oktoberfest” increased tremendously over the last few years, it is now celebreated around the world. And this is also why we can call our Oktoberfest in Vientiane the “March Oktoberfest”!
To start with, the entire Jupend Street in Vientiane was closed in preparation of the “Oktoberfest”. The street was decorated beautifully with traditional Bavarian garlands, and there were lights everywhere – a great atmosphere on a warm summer night.
Invitation poster for the (small-scale) “Oktoberfest” in Vientiane
Vat Jupend Street with Bavarian garlands
Madame Engel, the Angels for Children foundation, and the Ambassador provided the visitors with delicious traditional Bavarian “Oktoberfest” food. There was a wide variety, amongst other things a big barbecue with traditional German sausages, delicious tiny pretzels, and “Fleischkäse”, which is a type of boiled meat loaf and very popular in Germany. Furthermore, they served some special drinks such as lemon grass juice and hibiscus juice, and, of course, beer Lao.
For the Embassy employees and us it was a special treat to have traditional German food 24,000 km away from home and to share it with our Laotian and other guests, who also enjoyed the food very much – they came from all over the world, e.g. Japan, France, and Russia.
Traditional German sausages on the barbecue
Delicious tiny pretzels
“Fleischkäse” (meat loaf) with mustard and ketchup
Little by little more and more guests arrived.
At 6.30 p.m. the musicians started their one-hour concert in their tradititonal Bavarian folk gear, which is “Dirndl” for the girls and “Lederhosen” for the boys. A “dirndl” is the name of a traditional feminine dress worn in Bavaria, South Tyrol, and Austria, and is a light circular cut dress, low-cut at the bosom and gathered at the waist, that falls below the knee. “Lederhosen” (leather trousers) are traditional masculine breeches made of leather and usually short or knee-length.
The band started with the German National Anthem and continued with traditional Bavarian music. Modern songs like “One moment in time” by Whitney Houston were played as well. The band presented a diversified repertory, which could be enjoyed by many people. The concert was followed by a short break for meals and drinks.
The “Trombone band Floss” during one of their performances
The program continued with a karate show by some of the pupils of the Phang Heng Secondary School to provide cultural variety for all the visitors. It was really interesting to see those two different cultures being presented in one program.
Karate exercises
Later the trombone band played their final songs, and then we celebrated far into the night together.
Website of the trombone band: Posaunenchor Floss
Text by V. Dariou
Photos by R. Dengler & L. Jakob
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