I teach two groups of kids for an after school program at my school; both are very high level in English, but there's quite a big gap in between them.
"Columbia" has a very enthusiastic attitude in my class. They're English comprehension is very good and they understand pretty much everything I say. So my introduction to the class and the classwork struck a chord with them and the few times I had to speak to them as a class or speak to individual students, they took my words to heart.
"Oxford," on the other hand, understands maybe 50% of what I say; and, in turn, half of the meaning of my words simply fly over their heads. They seem to be rather confident in their English ability, but aren't as enthusiastic about using it as "Columbia." While students in "Columbia" will take a simple assignment home and type out a 3 page script, make copies for each student in the performance group, highlight each student's lines on each copy and practice the play over and over with expression ... students in "Oxford" will scribble a 10 line script on unlined paper and pass it around as they practice, simply reciting the lines when they perform.
I'm generalizing, of course. This is the feel of the classes overall, but there are some students who are exceptions in both classes.
One of the students who very much fit the mold of "Oxford" is a student who named himself "Kevin." He has a very innocent-looking face, which I think he's learned to use to his advantage. After I catch him throwing a piece of an eraser at someone, he automatically widens his eyes into two round shiny saucers and blinks at me. *blink blink* It almost works; I really really really wish I could believe that he was innocent... but I know better.
Before the final, he asked me if it was hard. I told him that if he studied it wouldn't be hard, but if he didn't study, it'll probably be difficult.
"Did you study?"
*blink blink*
Then he immediately folded his hands, shut his eyes tightly ... and ...
... began to pray.
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