Pieces of Water

Filipe is talking about "Climbing". He is very passionate about it and talks and talks with a light in his yes and a thunder drumming in his chest as he is a bit nervous: he has an audience, people are watching and judging him as he talks about his greatest passion.

He is one of my learners

A natural risk taker, Filipe doesn't give up, never surrender and presents his topic while the audience starts learning about the techniques, equipments and all the chills regarding his passion

I am not sure if he could present this topic in public in Portuguese, but he does it quite well in English. Every now and then, he has some pronunciation mistakes, mixes up some grammar structures and lacks technical vocabulary, however, he keeps talking and showing people about all the risks and pleasures of his hobby.

He keeps stretching his English, knowing his communication boundaries and overcoming any doubt that people might have about his ability to describe in English such a complex topic.

Describing it!

Filipe doesn't translate a word that he doesn't remember, he describes it. In a certain moment, he wants to tell his class mates about the rain and he doesn't remember or doesn't know the word "rain drop" and instead of translating it ( all his audience can understand Portuguese and translate it would be the easiest way to keep moving) he says " pieces of water".

Pieces of Water?

Yes, pieces of water. The people laugh, I clap! He has done it, he has found the way to keep talking and using his own words and descriptions to tell a story. I couldn't be more proud of him.

In twenty minutes, Filipe has shown that he is learning how to be a real learner. English is not a barrier for him anymore, the second language has become another way of expressing his thoughts and experiences.

He still has a long way to go: there is grammar to be studied, vocabulary to be learned, but he has achieved the half way of his journey to the top of his communication mountain and if he keeps taking risks, very soon, he will become the speaker he is trying to reach.