[clivehawkins]

I'm teaching in Italy, just starting my seventh year. I thought I'd only be here for a year so for the first twelve months I learnt enough to reinforce the stereotype that English people can't \ don't \ refuse to learn languages. Then I decided to stay by which time I'd picked up vocab from students always asking the same questions, 'How do you say . . in English?' Therefore vocab great, structure a little better than awful. Sadly, six years on the grammar hasn't improved much but I now have an Italian wife and baby daughter to help when I get in a muddle.
Incidentally, is it a good thing or a bad thing to be able to speak the language of the country you're teaching in? Is anyone tempted to slip out of English to explain something, or is it acceptable to do this anyway? What do you think?