Job Discussion Forums

[vabeckele]

I just had two girls complain about my lesson; this is a reoccurring theme to which I get really antsy about. For one, this lesson was a free trial lesson - this wasn't right, that wasn't right etc..

I spend a little bit of effort in creating interesting lessons that go beyond the standard ESL language course books, to create a class that communicates with each other, thus encouraging the use of the language. This is met with, 'you didn't use the book teacher, you should use the book.'

Next lesson the book. 'Teacher, why do you teach us just grammar, we want to speak English?'

Buggered if you do, buggered if you don't.

[EFLeducator]

[inhanoi]

Unbelievable.

[vabeckele]

[EFLeducator]

[DNK]

Well, the list of things they need and need to do is quite long, and the time they have to do it is quite short since their parents are shuttling them from one class to the next 24/7 without much of a break or chance to actually study. I'm guessing the parents are just betting on quantity over quality since the latter's missing completely here.

But, yeah, in a group of 15 there's always going to be a few who will complain about anything - sometimes the same problematic few, sometimes different ones for each thing. You can't please 15 individuals all the time, so best to open it up for a class discussion and let the complainers argue with each other as you sit back. Good use of 10 mins if you're having one of "those" classes, and you'll get a feel for what's actually desired by most of the students so you can adjust properly.

At some point, they are the ones paying you, so you just have to do what they want if they want it badly enough. Is there a career out there where that isn't the case?

[Kimmy]

Unfortunately, this seems to be quite common here. There will always be some kind of discontentment amongst some students in the classroom. Foreign teachers have a difficult task in presenting lessons to a culture that is, in most cases, used to passive learning. Being taught painstakingly difficult grammar by the local teachers has soiled natural speaking and listening potential of learners here. Learners think too much about grammar rules and therefore make many writing and speaking errors. The local teachers seldom speak English to their students. Grammar rules are explained in Vietnamese.

If you have a group of learners who are willing to LISTEN to the foreign teacher and participate in speaking activities then maybe some postive progress could be achieved. It is disheartening to know that dedicated teachers put in the effort to present a lesson to students who clearly just want the lesson done their way. It really should be about what these learners need....not want.

Many hardworking teachers have left Vietnam because of frustation and disappointment vowing never to return. What does a newborn do for the year of its life? Listen,,,,listen ,,,and listen..and then ......well we all know what the result is. We just have to convince our discontent learners to open their ears. CHEERS BIG EARS

[Oh My God]

[8balldeluxe]

I don't think you should look at the situation like that. It is not an either or situation, where the book means teaching grammar and you as a person are teaching the class to communicate together. Look at what is really going on, the book is a non-stop attempt to set up communication whether the students like it or not. It tries with all sorts of exercises and lessons to have students 'communicate' to solve the lessons in the books. That is what 'student A go to page 135, which student B go to page 136 and ask each other what you will do on your holiday. " is . It does not work either. It is tedious , boring and students are not in a real conversation. It would be better to have a basic fill in the blank grammar book than some colorful book telling them how to talk.
Thats what pairwork , and surveys and role play and all that other boring stuff in the book is. It is a way to try and have "real-life" conversa