It’s the first ever National Potato Day in Ireland today. So…I thought that since the spud is such a versatile veggie, you’d love to hear my top 6 ways to use poppies in your TEFL lesson!!
1. Ice Breakers
Potatoes have to be one of the most flexible foods I know – so obliging, allowing us to boil it, bake it, grill it, mash it, fritter it, curly fry it, wedge it, roast it and make it into chips! As an ice breaker, ask your class to tell you about their favourite way to enjoy the mighty spud!
2. Food & Shopping Lessons
For any English learner who wants to make sure their diet has a great source of vitamin c and folic acid…they’ll need to be able to identify a tattie in the supermarket!
3. Military English
Especially effective in CQC (close quarter combat), the potato becomes an invaluable form of ammunition! Used in the universally known weapon…the spud gun! Being able to identify a potato plant and dig up some ammo could save your life.
4. TEFL Juggling Training
Learning to juggle can be tricky at first so it’s best to start with some small new potatoes, then build yourself up in time and when you have the confidence to baking potatoes for that extra element of danger in your performance.
5. Business English
As a staple of the Irish diet, and with 2 -3 potatoes being eaten per person per day – it’s a great industry to enter given the massive demand. It’s an ideal vegetable to grow in Ireland as it will grow on even the poor farming land. For entrepreneurs with sights set bigger than the Irish market…the world’s largest producer of potatoes today is…China!
6. Cultural Lessons on Ireland
The Potato Famine had devastating effects on the country during 1845 – 1849. This section of history is still taught in schools and is a key event to happen in the history of Ireland when ‘the blight’ (also known as phytophthora), a potato fungus attacked the country’s primary source of food. The Irish Potato Famine is said to be the sum of social, political, biological and economic disaster – what a great topic for discussion!
Glossary: spuds, poppies and tatties are all loving nicknames for the most wonderful and tasty potato!
NB. Facts stating that the potato can be tracked back to Peru 4,000 years ago thus pre-dating the Irish potato is completely unfounded in my opinion!
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