31/05/2026
With italki – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉
12/05/2026
They say teaching is an art, but sometimes it feels more like high-level brain hacking. 🧠✨
Last week, I received my Cambridge certification for teaching English online. It felt like a breeze because I’ve been in the trenches for years. But today, my 'Low Intermediate' Chinese (B1) actually saved the day in an English class with an Italian student!
Here’s the glitch: My student (a carabiniere!) couldn't hear the difference between HIT /hɪt/ and HEAT /hiːt/. No matter how many times I repeated it, the distinction just wasn't clicking.
So, I switched protocols. 🔄
I used Mandarin tones to visualize the sound.
👊 For HIT, I used the 4th tone (the falling, sharp 'bù' tone) and literally did a karate-style chop in the air to show the impact of the short vowel.
平 For HEAT, I drew a flat, steady line in the air, representing the first tone—long and continuous.
The lightbulb moment was instant! He finally heard it. 🎯
But the comedy didn't stop there. He looked at me and said he wanted to 'become the bill.' I smiled and had to break it to him: 'No, tesoro... you want to pay the bill (il conto), you don't want to BECOME (diventare) the bill!' 💸😂
It just goes to show: whether it’s Cambridge methods, Mandarin tones, or a little bit of Italian charm, the goal is the same—connection. 🌍❤️
italki Preply
31/05/2026
31/05/2026