Some days ago, I discovered that today is Pokémon Day. As I wrote in my previous post in Japanese, I've been a Pokémon fan since I was a child, and I still watch the anime and play on the new app Pokémon TCG. Some years ago, I used to collect Pokémon cards, and I have no idea how many cards I still have at my parents' home. I have the cards I like best in my new house and the latest I bought in Japan. In celebration of Pokémon Day, TCG players have received three free packs, each containing at least one rare card. In the end, I found two cards I've been seeking for months, which are Moltres and Venosaur. Now that I have found them, I'll finally be inserting them into my incomplete decks. Talking about my last sentence, "I'll finally be inserting them into my incomplete decks", is it correct? Should I have used another future tense? In the meantime, I'll come back to Pokémon TCG to try my new powerful decks!

The Gest of Robin Hood - Part 2 The next part is probably the most famous, as Hollywood and Disney adapted it: the archery contest arranged by the sheriff of Nottingham. The prize for the winner is a gold and silver arrow, and Robin inevitably wins. However, it is a trap, and Robin and the other outlaws go into the forest and take refuge in Sir Richard's castle. This part is crucial, as it merges three interwoven themes: the challenge, the self-exile, and the adoption. Again, we can find these themes in Arthurian stories as well. Another part we know well in the figure of the King. Disguised as a monk, he enters the forest and has an archery contest against Robin Hood. The King wins, and Robin and the other outlaws recognise him, as the King is the only one who can beat Robin Hood. The King and Sir Richard help the outlaws returning to Nottingham, and Robin and Little John stay at court to King's service. However, after one year, Robin wants to return to the forest, which is the symbol of freedom and natural law. He slays a great hart and blows his horn. The outlaws recognise its sound and consider Robin as the king of the outlaws. Is it a happy ending? Unfortunately not. Robin is dying and the only thing he wants to do is going to his cousin, the Prioress of Kirkley. He goes to her for medical treatment, but she plot his death with her secret lover, Sir Roger. What's the end of the Gest? We don't know, as it ends very briefly with the Prioress who prays for Robin's soul.

The Gest of Robin Hood - Part 1 According to some scolars like Holt and Child, the Gest of Robin Hood is a ballad written in 1400 in North-East Midland's dialect. I read some parts and I found it interesting both for its plot and its themes. Its structure is tripartite, and it is divided into eight fitts. The first interesting feature is in the very title. In fact, the word "gest" means both deeds and guest. In the first fitt, indeed, Robin is waiting for an unknown guest to dine together. Dining with a guest is a particular theme we can find in other Middle English traditions such as the Arthurian stories. It is important to consider that the Arthurian stories are romances, and for this reason the Gest is considered a hybrid, both ballad and romance. The first guest is a knight called Sir Richard, who accepts to dine with Robin. At the end of the dinner, Robin wants to be paid, but the knight says he has no money. Little John is asked to check if the knight is cheating or not. Sir Richard is telling the truth, and he explains that he had to pay the Abbot of St. Mary's Church for a murder committed by his son. As the knight is loyal, Robin decides to help him lending him some money to pay the fee. Sir Richard thanks Robin and goes to York to the Abbot. The next guest is a monk, and there's a repetition of the previous story. However, when the monk says he has no money to pay the dinner, this time is not true. In fact, in his baggage there is 800 pounds. As he isn't honest like Sir Richard, Robin takes all his money and the monk is sent on his way to London deprived of his fortune. Robin considers the monk's money the return of Sir Richard's debt.

みなさん、こんにちは。私の卒業論文では、外国人向けのイタリア語教材内での性差別的な言語について話すことを考えています。（過去分詞が常に男性形、指示が常に男性形、例文での性別に基づく固定観念、職業名）。他の言語と比較してみたいですが、その中に日本語も含みます。外国人向けの日本語教材にも性差別の例はあるのでしょうか？お手数ですが、よろしくお願いいたします。 ありがとうございます。

Language Teaching Approaches are something that reflect a certain model or theory, in this case related to language teaching. In the final years of the 20th century, in addition to the most common Grammar-Translation Approach, many other approaches have been widely used. While che Grammar-Translation Approach in an extension to the approach used to teach Latin and classical Greek, nowadays it is important to adopt these new approaches to specific needs and situations. As we use languages to communicate, the Communicative Approach is surely a suitable example. Teachers who decide to adopt this approach become facilitators and ancourage students to communicate in pairs or work in groups through role-plays or dramatization to reflect real-life situations and social contexts. Errors that may occur are corrected secondarily, as the content is more important than the form and accuracy. Teaching approaches are comprised by principles. Thanks to principles, teachers should be able to determine which approach(es) is/are suitable for their students, and evaluate a textbook or a course. I suppose that in Italy foreign languages teachers are still to tied to "classical" methods that cannot guarantee fluency and self-confidence. In your country, which approach(es) is/are common to use?

I'm truly disappointed. These last months I noticed a serious decrease of bookings from students, both regular and new. This sad situation is even more miserable because I noticed many and many people who want classes for free, both here on italki and on Facebook's groups. I mean, they are kidding? What is the situation for English teachers? Is it like for Italians? #teachersupport

Students, where are you? Have you disappeared? Italian teachers are waiting for you!