Can A Burrito Walk?

I couldn't believe that I asked my students this question. "Class, can a burrito walk?" Before any student in the class could shout out an answer, they all shouted at once. All of a sudden, they said, "Can a burrito walk?" I acted like a burrito, the best I could, by making my fingers into a walking burrito.

I didn't know what was actually happening, but I knew for sure that they would remember this example forever and that they probably would have started to play with the language as I was trying to model it. I was challenging my class with this simple imaginative trick. I was using an everyday object as a real life example in the classroom. The students could connect to the "walking Burrito" with cheerful laughter.

I know that, at least half of the class will remember that the Burrito is, in fact, a noun and not a verb!

I was trying to introduce a set of useful phrases to my Spanish-speaking students. One of the sentences was, "Is this (word) a noun or a verb?" For the basic level students, I was doubtful that the question would be too hard for them. However, I was going to try to introduce it anyway. I was weighing the great benefit of introducing this sentence and encouraging the students to try to use it in order to gain better command and confidence at using a language to learn a language.

I am not sure how I came up with such a funny example. The only thing that I know is that if you are in sync with the context and find the right flow, excellent examples will be generated naturally.

I am searching for a great flow in America and the incubation of great ideas. I am waiting for something that is similar to my walking Burrito in my ESL classroom.

Can a burrito walk?

TAN