Some time ago, I posted a message to OBTS-L about my use of a specific
episode of "I Love Lucy" in my Diversity class. The episode deals with a
pregnant Lucy's concern that her child will not be exposed to "proper
English". Her husband Ricky has a thick Spanish (Cuban) accent but doesn't
see what the problem is. To make her point, Lucy has Ricky read aloud a
children's story where he encounters the words "bough", "rough", "through",
"cough", etc. It's a very funny scene.
While the clip is playing, I simply write on the blackboard each of the
"*ough" words as Ricky struggles with them. Both the domestic and the
international students get the point immediately -- English is a difficult
language! Leads into a nice conversation about being understanding of those
for whom English is not their first language, and about learning to "listen
with an accent". It has been very well received and I am now planning to
show the clip in any course that I teach that has a significant number of
foreign students enrolled.
Since I first posted this to OBTS-L, I lost my copy of the tape. I have
been monitoring the
Nick-at-Night program schedule for months now so that I can re-tape the
episode. I just discovered that that episode (#48) will be broadcast on
Nickelodeon (Nick-at-Night) at the following times:
Eastern Standard Time 5:00 a.m. Wednesday 01/31/01
Central 4:00 a.m. Wednesday 01/31/01
Mountain 3:00 a.m. Wednesday 01/31/01
Pacific 2:00 a.m. Wednesday 01/31/01
If interested, program your VCR!
Dale Finn
dfinn@charger.newhaven.edu