There’s a word that I’ll encounter at least a dozen times a day when I’m teaching writing classes – the word ‘good.’
While English isn’t the first language for the students I teach, I don’t think the over usage of the word ‘good’ is a matter of language proficiency. I think students are encouraged to do their assignments in a way that’s time-efficient and grammatically safe, rather than letting them be creative and experiment with new expressions.
I often explain to the students that ‘good’ is vague and sometimes can be subjective. I say there are many ways something can be considered ‘good,’ and I encourage them to tell me why they think something is ‘good.’
With gentle guidance, they push themselves to think of other expressions like ‘exciting,’ ‘thoughtful,’ ‘excellent,’ ‘positive,’ ‘decent,’ ‘proper,’ and more – all words that are more specific and impressive for elementary students who are learning English as a second language.
Hearing ‘good’ as the answer to the question “How are you?” it’s even more frustrating than seeing it in their writing. When I ask my students to elaborate what’s ‘good’ about their day, they usually say “just good.”
When I ask them to share something positive that happened, they often struggle to respond. Again, it’s not really because of their English skills, but it reflects their approach to engaging in lessons.
Sometimes I wonder if they feel obligated to say it’s a good day, out of politeness. If that is the case, it’s a bit disheartening. I may be just an ‘uncool’ adult that they see a few times a week, but I genuinely wish they feel free to have fun and make mistakes in my class.
My goal is to ensure my students are having fun while discovering new vocabulary to express themselves more fully and authentically.If they start exploring vocabulary beyond ‘good,’ they’ll not only improve their English skills but also develop a richer and more authentic way to show the world who they are.
And to me, that would be not just ‘good,’ – it would be ‘great.’
Sonagi 
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