Weekend Trails

"You think you can take me on that little XR100?" -C

"Yes, try to keep up!"-Me

Trail through the woods.

Oh?    Trying to catch up are we?

Vroom!

It wasn't really fair.

Logs only I can hop over....grass and bushes 3-4 feet tall.

She didn't ever have a chance....

Time to go home.....

Who is this waiting for me?

At first glance her mouth looks like she is pouting...

but really she is saying "Broom broom broom"-!

"When can I ride?"-D

"When they come out with booster seats for motorcycles and Karla won't kill Ryan for letting me"-Me

Sad face - D

"That's a bunch of S%#@!" -D 

(at least what I imagine her three year old brain thinking)

Lake Lemon with Hutch

Lazy Sunday.

Hutch on the highway pegs.

Indiana Corn.

Lake Lemon.

Spillway.

Looking for trouble in the water.

This was one of those days where I could have just stared at the clouds all day.

I come home for a second, leave to get new brake light bulbs and this is what I come home to.

Don't ask don't tell?

B and W

Trains are neat.

 

Korbin

 My Saturday.

I finally have a nephew to teach how to skateboard and ride motorcycles with.

These two will be fun to watch grow up!

Moyou's first letter.

Moyou got her first letter in the mail today.

She was soooo excited she wouldn't even eat!

The artists signed their work.

She wanted it hung on the fridge in a place where should could easily reach it with her nose.

  Thank you Harper and Finley!

Home for the weekend

My dad, brother, and I went to an auction.

Only 7 in the US.

Wooden spokes......

Not down with this style....took too long.

People in general were spending way too much for crap.  

I like tractors.  

I think if I lived in the country, I would like to have a tractor just to ride around the property on to feel special.

Direct injection rotary engine anyone?

"Baby corn!"  - Dessie

I skated here almost everyday for the first 4 years of skating....

Curb squirrel?

Music makes the world go round.

  I got the new Dan Deacon album a few days ago-  America.
        Wonderful and even more wonderful to dance to live.

...and the new Clark EP - Fantasm Planes.
      Possibly my favorite Clark material.  Fits my mood perfect right now.

 
I need to quit editing translation and go to bed.  I should be getting the new Deerhoof in the mail soon too!

Man or Astro-Man?

  I grew up on this music.
  Skated to this music.
  Rode around in my crappy 1987 two-tone Honda accord without a 5th gear on this music.
  I am glad to see they are coming out with new material after over a decade break.

  Will there be a new Servotron album too?
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servotron
 

 http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/analog-series-vol.-1-single/id557971511

  I don't remember how old I was but one year when they toured through Chicago two of my good friends and I wore space suits and got there early enough to be right up front against the rails...  Those suits were so hot and gross.  Halfway through the show between songs Star Crunch gave us water.  I always remember Birdstuff being the best drummer I had ever seen too.  He killed it in Servotron, The Causey Way and MOAM.....  I can't wait for them to tour again!

Imagination in Language

Studies of how imagination works and it's implications on language learning.

   When we "let go" this is what happens.

1-  The medial prefrontal cortex has a surge in activity.
   (This is the area closely associated with self-expression)

2-  The DLPFC (impulse control section of the brain) is shut off.
   (This is basically the area that keeps us from saying things we shouldn't or stealing from a store.)


  In order for true "Improv" to happen though, there has to be a mastery of the subject matter.  In music this is an instrument.  The premotor cortex fires which makes sense since musical patterns need to be translated into bodily movements.  When improv happens, the inferior frontal gyrus also lights up.  This is most associated with language and production of speech.
  The assumption here is that musicians rely on the same brain functions as when they make a sentence when they improv.  This process is like having a toolbox of set patterns and sounds from which to pull from.   When musicians create improv, they take from this box and create but without any inhibitions.  

  Let's now apply these same rules to speaking a foreign language.

  A-  premotor cortex = words translated to sounds in your mouth.

  B-  inferior frontal gyrus = stock of words/phrases/grammar rules/experiences that you can draw from     during an "Improv" section of speaking a foreign language.

What implication does this have on foreign language learning/teaching?
After students have had to time master a language concept (the "tools" are in the box ready for use), should time be given for them to "let go" and feel the language?
How can I create an environment where this is more likely to take place?
How can I then connect many concepts so that they are in the same "toolbox" ready for use?

It is argued that true "improv" can take place only after mastery has been achieved.

At what level can letting students "let go" be truly effective for learning a foreign language?
Is 1st year too soon or should it start right away, even when learning the first alphabet?


Let's go back to "letting go" for a second.

Dan Deacon:
When I think of letting go dancing comes to mind first.
For some it is easy to let go and dance without any inhibitions.
For others they have a "warming up" period before they can truly "let go".
I am in the second group.
Recently some friends and I went to a Dan Deacon show where the performer actually facilitates getting the crowd into dance mode.  I am not sure if this is the purpose of getting us to perform the activities during the beginning of each song or if he just thinks it is funny to get the crowd to do the things that we did.
I do know that the crowd in general, because of these "warm up" activities seemed to let go much earlier in the song and dance more freely than I have experienced in the past.  (Keep in mind also there was no alcohol allowed at the venue)

How do I replicate this in the foreign language classroom?
What "warm up" activities would get students to let go and speak freely without caring about making mistakes?  (I know this is asking a lot of self conscious teenagers surrounded by their peers.)
Are all language learners ready for this?  I know some people who never seem to "let go".....

Applying this to my own personal experience.
It has been very hard to explain what I get out of speaking Japanese.
I am not talking about the type of speaking that happens with students or when teaching Japanese but when I actually have real conversation with other Japanese speakers who are either at the mastery or native level.  After reading about how our brains function in "improv" mode I can't help but think that this is very similar.
It gives me a sense of satisfaction because it is a "letting go" function of the brain similar letting go and making music, drawing a picture, skateboarding, or tinkering with my motorcycles.  The same dopamine flow, the same natural high, just from having a conversation.  It doesn't matter who it is with or what it is about.

I am not the most eloquent writer of English so if you got this far I commend you on your efforts in following my verbal vomit.  It makes sense in my head.  I hope you got something out of this, if only just a headache.