How do you teach the difference between “make” and “do” in your English classrooms?
What do you do? What do you make? What’s the difference, anyway, between “make” and “do”?
These simple words cause lots of confusion for English language learners. I’ve spent a considerable amount of time teaching a very wide range of ESL classes this distinction. Many ESL students struggle with “make” and “do” – from advanced adult education and community college students to intermediate English students in summer courses and regular university courses. The large number of idioms further complicates the problem.
Here is a quick, imprecise guide that helps clarify the issue.
Look at some common expressions with “do”.
Do the dishes.
Do some chores.
Do your work.
Do exercises.
Do your best.
Do it over.
Do the report.
Do is used to describe an activity that you have to do, often over and over again. For instance, we “do the dishes” and “do the laundry” many times. Do also contains an element of duty and responsibility.
Now, take a look at some expressions with “make”.
Please make time.
You make dinner.
You make drawings.
You make decisions.
You make plans.
Your make reservations.
You make money.
You make friends.
Make is used to describe a creative activity or something you choose to do. You choose, for instance, to make plans, make friends, and make decisions. You have choices.
Why do we say “make dinner” if we have to do it over and over? Perhaps because cooking is seen more as a creative activity than a chore. But cleaning the table, and cleaning the dishes are just chores so we say “do the table” and “do the dishes.” That’s also why Americans say “make money” instead of“do money.” Making money is seen as both creative and a choice.
Idioms, of course, are cultural and sometimes less than completely logical. Sometimes Americans will use the verb make in a way that might seem strange, but I urgeimmigrants and international students to “make a decision”, “do your best”, and learn some practical workplace idioms using make and do.
Finally, I encourage students to work together in small groups and create their own list of idioms with make and do. When I’m lucky and have time, I like to ask students to come to the white board and write their collection of idioms on the board.Homework, of course, is asking them to choose 5-10 idioms and write complete sentences.
So how do you teach the difference between do and make to your English students?
Class bookends, both beginnings and endings, deserve special attention. This truism becomes more important in short term summer English programs where ESL students have traveled thousands of miles to study English.
As so often, I tend to learn by stumbling. Yet, over the years, I’ve developed a rather effective last class ESL lecture around a simple theme: Make Change Your Friend.
The lesson begins with a review of changes in their own lives over the last 10 years, and small personal chit-chats with each student. I tend to focus, just a bit, on the present perfect as they write 5 questions to ask their conversation partner and classmates. Most students are in college, but a few are working professionals a bit older. Studying – and living in – Southern California has usually been a very pleasant experience. Looking back on the last day seems natural. The mood tends to be a bit downbeat as students realize that the month has flown by very quickly. We have shared many laughs together.
By zooming out a bit more, we shift the conversation to changes – social, economic, or cultural – in our native countries over the last 10 years. The students usually provide a wide range of examples. Sometimes we also indicate how we would like our countries and cultures to change.
We soon shift to technological changes – and students share their experiences with different technologies. Of course, technology continues to improve – providing an optimistic twist. Computers are faster, video editing easier, and cell phones better. The evidence for material progress seems overwhelming.
Taking this theme a bit further, I note how the many uses of medical technology. People can live longer, new hearts installed, even limbs restored. From implants to cosmetic surgery, medical devices are changing our experience as humans. Are humans changing too? We live in fantastic times – unlike any previous generation.
I proceed to review themes from previous class readings and discussions from healthy relationships and elections to changes in human reproduction and evolving definitions of marriage. With a nod toward the great science fiction film Blade Runner, I ask “what makes humans human?” Let’s be humane as long as we human, as a Roman stoic philosopher advised.
Finally, quoting former President Clinton, I urge them to embrace change. “Make change your friend,” advised Clinton to worried Americans in 1992 during his campaign. Change continues to accelerate. You can’t stop it. Make it your friend. Find a wave that you want to ride, and catch it. Make change your friend.
Then, students write down three ways they can make change their friend. It’s a positive, look forward conclusion to a short English program. Soon class ends, students snap pictures with digital cameras, and exchange emails.
We make change our friend – even if the change is ending a wonderful, educational vacation. Students say goodbye to their American Language Center friends at UCLA Extension, and bravely face the future. Their English teachers feel satisfied – and bittersweet. It’s been fun.
The journey of life continues. Make change your friend.
Why do you recommend using classic quotations in ESL classrooms?
“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free…it expects what never was and never will be.”Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), U.S. President and principal author of the Declaration of Independence
Classic quotations, like proverbs, brings in many insights from religious leaders and philosophers that go back even more than 2,000 years such as Buddha, Confucius, Aristotle, and the Biblical prophets in a compelling, succinct manner. These quotations remind us that some conversations have spanned centuries and cultures.
Further, you can pair two, three, and more quotations to present a wide range of ideas, beliefs, and perspectives. Some quotations might make you laugh, some might make you sigh, and a few might even annoy you.Yet bringing “the wisdom of the ages” into your English language classroom elevates the discussion. It can also encourage students to feel safer in presenting their idea.
This effective teaching technique helps ESL students both join the conversation, and add their own ideas. Our classrooms should be a lively place where students can explore ideas and experience free speech.
Including classic quotations also helps preserve the insights and comments of well-known and significant cultural figures. This technique helps both teachers and younger ESL and EL/Civics students escape the too-common delusion that the world began when we were born and provides a larger perspective. Sometimes knowing the speaker and historical era invites another way of looking at our modern lives.
Finally, a stunning number of both adult education and college students need to be introduced to significant artists, writers, leaders, and philosophers from the past. Academic literacy requires some degree of cultural and historical awareness. I always include the dates and identify the occupation of various figures to both introduce and gently cajole students into seeking out more information on significant cultural and historical figures.
Is adding the birth and death dates of authors really necessary? Perhaps not, but it certainly adds context. Plus, given the actual state of common knowledge among ESL students, including dates helps share the national story. After all, something is profoundly wrong with American education when a majority of American high school seniors in public schools can not name the war that occurred when Abraham Lincoln was president. I believe including quotations, in context, provides a small counter to this shocking level of historic amnesia.
I remain confident that our ESL students, especially adult immigrants seeking naturalization as U.S. citizens, will develop a solid grasp of our nation’s history. Throwing in a few quotations from historical figures can only help.
“Liberty can not be preserved without a general knowledge among the people.”John Adams (1735-1826),U.S. President and contributor to the Declaration of Independence
Sometimes we confuse talking about English with talking in English. As English teachers, we need to gently encourage our students to talk as much as possible in English, and only sometimes in English. And as world citizens, we should learn as much about the country and host language as possible when we are teaching English abroad.
A new English teaching program, sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology in Korea seems to understand that goal. Or at least that seems a reasonable inference about TaLK (Teach and Learn about Korea) from the persuasive recruitment website for 400 quality English teachers. A few features struck me as particularly promising:
·Preference for individuals of Korean descent showing the government’s investment in the quality of the program
·Pitch for undergraduates and novice teachers to develop their skills
·Small class size and universal internet access
·Status as presidential scholars
·15-hour work weeks
·planned visits to museums and cultural attractions
·pitch for TaLK program includes “be a local celebrity”
·opportunity to deepen the ties between Korean and American educators
The large recent demonstration by thousands of Korean citizens against the importation of untested beef has been widely misunderstood in the United States. Almost everyone, including American citizens, wants stricter regulation of food to guarantee food safety, but too many media reports pretend this mass demonstration showed widespread anti-American sentiment in South Korea. I thought this innovative educational program was a poignant retort to that silly exaggeration. I’m confident that most citizens, in both South Korea and the United States, understand that you can’t blame individual people for unpopular government decisions.
The 400 young teachers selected for this program will have many opportunities to share experiences, teach English to eager students, and learn some Korean. They will also help sustain a strong friendship between people from two dynamic civilizations.
Visit TaLK on Korean Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology website for more information.
