Job Discussion Forums

[GONZALVESB]

I agree with Klasies' method of having students discuss issues outside the classroom setting. As I have mentioned before I spend a lot of time, especially now because of SARS, outside on the playground with my daughter. Many of the students would then approach me and start a conversation. Although it would start with the usual, have you had lunch, supper? It would usually continue for a long time. I then try to steer the conversation into another direction and get them to speak about everyday situations. I have often had discussions about 'losing face' and their upbringing. I even sometimes have a meal with them in their dining hall. The students who often spend time with me have told me how much they repeat the new words I have used during the time that they have spent with me. They make a point of practising and checking the meaning of words every night before going to bed. I often have to spell words to them or explain the meaning. In my opinion I think they learn much more from our private conversation than from the lessons in class. I encourage my students to try and have conversations about everyday things. This would help improve the use of new words and the grammar.

Can anybody give me some topics for dialogues or short plays? I am teaching college students and their major is English but their English is still very basic.

[gerard]

You are right to steer students away from these CAN YOU USE CHOPSTIX? conversations---that just turns into a useless English Corner. As for topics I find that heavy things like "cultural differences" wont work maybe try a topic like pets or Chinese TV shows like West Traveling. For role plays if they write it they will just rehash something they did last term but I dont know where to find good ones to give them. Could make them yourself but that would be time consuming of course. Next time I travel I will get a suitcase full of books.

[GONZALVESB]

Would you mind dropping some books at this school ....!!!!!!! I am not sure whether you are being sarcastic or funny. Thanx for the response though. I have tried pets and the culture issue, there is one class in particulary that does not respond that well.

[yaco]

I am also teaching Oral English to college students majoring in English.

I often use role plays covering such subjects as

doctor - patient
traveller - travel agent
Where do I post a letter
Where can I catch a bus to another town
Job Interview
Personal experiences

I get the one pair of students to start the conversation stop them and get another pair to continue and so forth . I find this activity allows the students to problem solve as well as practising English. The only problem is that in the doctor/patient scenario all the pateints have a ' headache.

Another activity is to have 3 groups of 2 students to have a conversation and then each group asks another student to join the conversation. This works best in a class of 20 to 30. I do this for 20 to 30 minutes every class.

Please note this is done ' off the cuff ' so there is no prepared speeches.

Good luck.

[GONZALVESB]

Thank you Yaco. I have tried some of those topics, the problem is just that their vocabulary is so limited that the dialogue is over within two minutes. I think I will try to get the next group to continue with a conversation and see how that works.

[Roger]

Done this with adult intermediate-level English learners with encouraging success:
- Talk positively about one of your colleagues;
they fared rather well, trying to flatter up everyone present. Only
problem was poor grammar grasp (she has a baby on May 25th..." when the woman referred to had her baby two years earlier!).
- Have you ever experienced crime? This mostly yields a lot of
personal anecdotes, although again grammar problems might
add to some degree of confusion over what happened, when,
to whom and why.
- Career objectives.
- Marriage seems to be an inexhaustible topic, in all its aspects!

[SallyMander]

I don't know what type materials you have available at your school. Ghost stories, urban legends, mysteries and fairy tales make for an interesting topic and can easily be found on the internet.