In the spirit of the Reader’s Digests I used to read growing up: “Ukrainian Students say the Darndest Things!”
I once had my 11th graders write dialogues as if they were the person in the magazine pictures I gave them. For this dialogue, one picture was of a woman from an advertisement, the other was of Peter Jackson. Both students were girls.
Student 1: Hi
Student 2: What is your name?
Student 1: My name is Peter Jackson.
Student 2: What are you?
Student 1: The best and what about you?
Student 2: I am working in a sex shop
Student 1: You are very beautiful. Are you marry?
Student 2: Yes. I live in Sydney. I sing.
Student 1: It’s very nice, too. So maybe we are marry!
Student 2: I love you.
The following came from another volunteer whose students were given magazine pictures and told to describe the person in the picture using the adjectives they had learned.
Student: “Rumsfeld is fashionably dressed. He is neither stout nor awkward. I believe I wish to appear as this man does.”
Another dialogue from my students:
Student 1: Hi
Student 2: Hello!
Student 1: What is your name?
Student 2: My name is Jennifer. And you?
Student 1: My name is Bob.
Student 2: Where are you from?
Student 1: Tasmania. Australia.
Student 2: Really? I’m from Australia, too.
Student 1: What are you doing here?
Student 2: I am working here. I am Greenpeace. Are you a soldier?
Student 1: Yes.
Student 2: And what are you doing in Tasmania?
Student 1: I’m doing a special mission. I hunt for Tasmanian devils.
Peace Corps trainees doing a newsletter in Fastiv asked students what they liked best about their school. This was a printed quote from an 11th grader:
The best thing about school: “Lunch is free because we live in the fourth zone of radioactive contaminations.”
This is from a Peace Corp volunteer that asked students to create their own countries and write about them. Apparently this student never participates, but was inspired that day. All spelling mistakes are his:
“Ganjaland is a land of legalaiz near Columbia. Canabis trading on all corners of city. My natures is all ganjakuz. At last time in my country was a fire. All ganjakuz is burns. All people smoke canabis. Cities of my country are Ukrainka Kiev. Our best friend is Columbia. She exports canabis we are very happy. In my country are plants for canabis.
One last dialogue from my students:
Student 1: Hello.
Student 2: Hi.
Student 1: What’s your name?
Student 2: My name is Branshoy. And what is your name?
Student 1: My name is Pedro.
Student 2: Who are you?
Student 1: I’m a killer! And who are you? What are you doing?
Student 2: I’m a worker and sitting and working on the roof. Do you have a family?
Student 1: No, because I’m a killer. And you?
Student 2: Yes, of course. I have a wife and 12 child.
Student 1: Do you like your job?
Student 2: Yes, but it is very difficult and dangerous, more interesting than your one.
Student 1: Nice to meet you, Pedro.
Student 2: Okay. Goodbye.