Job Discussion Forums

zakiah25 · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Posts: 155 Location: Oman

I've always found these to be a good motivational tool to spark up some interest in difficult topics, or just to get the day started or maybe to set a good tone with a new class.
So I was wondering if anyone would like to share some of their favourites with us or something that has worked well for you in the classroom.
Thanks in advance to contributors.
Zakiah

bnix · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 645

You could introduce your class to Manfred. Smile

Is it boring there in Oman,Zakiah? Any sightings of 'doors" lately?

PanamaTeacher · Joined: 26 Jun 2003 Posts: 278 Location: Panama

I always start the class by reminding the students to pay me on time since I need money to survive. This always makes them start laughing hysterically.

JDYoung · Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Posts: 157 Location: Dongbei

Try this one.

The Restaurant
A Listening Lesson

Read the story out loud, then hand out the listener's page and have them try to answer the questions.
Read the story out loud again while they look at the questions.
Have them work in pairs and see if they can resolve any conflicts.
Read the story again and have them check their answers.
Write a summary of the answers on the board.
Compare with the real answers. I'll post them in a day or two.

Story Teller's Page

Listen to the following story. Then mark the statements T for true, F for false and U for unknown because you do not have enough information.

It was a warm summer evening. Earlier in the evening, the restaurant had been packed with tourists. It was closing time and a businessman had just turned out the lights when a man appeared and demanded money. The owner opened a cash register. The contents of the cash register were scooped up, and the man sped away. A police officer was flagged down and notified.

Listener's Page

1. This incident took place during the summer.

2. A man appeared after the owner had turned off his restaurant lights.

3. The robber was a man.

4. The man did not demand money.

5. While the cash register contained money, the story does not say how much.

6. The man who opened the cash register was the owner.

7. The restaurant owner scooped up the contents of the cash register and ran away.

8. Someone opened a cash register.

9. After the man who demanded money scooped up the contents of the cash register he ran away.

10. The thief demanded money of the owner.

11. The story contains a series of events that occurred in a restaurant in which some tourists and only three other people are referred to: the owner of the restaurant, a man who demanded money, and a police officer.

12. The following events in this story are true: a cash register was opened, someone demanded money, the contents of the cash register were scooped up and a man dashed out of the restaurant.

Marcoregano · Joined: 19 May 2003 Posts: 872 Location: Hong Kong

My students arrive in dribs and drabs over the first 30-40 minutes. This makes most conventional warm-ups impossible because of constant interruption.

zakiah25 · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Posts: 155 Location: Oman

Bnix
Stupid camels like Manfred are a "dime a dozen" in this part of the world so I'm afraid that the students wouldn't be impressed. Oman boring! Never! Why, I recently heard of one teacher taking the students outside to do some good-old-fashioned counting of scorpions running down a sand dune! Now, if that doesn't "warm them up" then the outside daily temperature of 45 degrees Celsius sure would!
No sign of "Doors" - I thought that someone mentioned that he went off to invade Poland or some such thing.
regards
Zakiah

johnslat · Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2003 7:28 am Post subject: Grammar exercises

Dear zakiah25,
I've always thought a great way to start a class would be to do some calisthenics, especially on Saturday mornings, when most of the students are still at least half-asleep. Some jumping jacks, running in place, and maybe a few ( say, 50 or so ) push-ups to get the blood circulating. Strangely enough, this splendid notion has not won much support from either the administration or my classes.
Regards,
John

PanamaTeacher · Joined: 26 Jun 2003 Posts: 278 Location: Panama

I wonder if the desire for an ice-breaker is normal for people in these countries. When I was training, I watched teachers from Panama teaching English, and I thought they were too boring and formal. When I first started teaching, I tried to make jokes, but the students thought I was either crazy, incompetent or both. They seem to like dignity here until they know you well.

Irish · Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 371

Aloha Zakiah:

Just wanted to put in a good word for Manfred here. "Stupid?" I think not! He's figured out how to get you to baby him without him actually having to run a race. He gets full care without having to work. I wish I was that smart.

Scorpion counting--what fun! Too bad that won't work here. Maybe I can modify it to mosquito counting instead.

zakiah25 · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Posts: 155 Location: Oman

Irish
Yes, I know but I've always been a sucker for "big, brown eyes and a toothy smile"! I'm just mad at him at present because I just got home from shopping and left the fruit and vegetables on the sink to be washed. Guess who stuck his head through the window and had a "free lunch" while I was busy answering the telephone?
Zakiah

MartinK · Joined: 01 Mar 2003 Posts: 344

zakiah25 · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Posts: 155 Location: Oman

MartinK
Thanks for the website address. However, over here in the Middle East, we would probably need a whole lesson first just to explain about toilet paper and what it is used for? You see, Arabs don't use it, they have small rubber hoses in their toilets for washing their body parts after going to the toilet. Once, some Arab students were absolutely horried when they stayed at a large Western style hotel because they thought that the use of toilet paper was disgusting.
However, they don't hold back when it comes to Prayer time, first they go off to the bathroom to clean themselves and they wash their feet in the handbasins.Then, if there is any toilet paper around for use by Westerners, they use it as paper towels to dry their hands and feet. After they've finished, the bathroom looks like a herd of elephants have gone through it, there is mud, paper and sand everywhere - on the floors and in the sinks.
thanks again
Zakiah

JDYoung · Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Posts: 157 Location: Dongbei

For anyone who tried the restaurant listening lesson, here are the correct answers:

Numbers 1 and 8 are true. Number 4 is false. All the rest are unknown.

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

PanamaTeacher · Joined: 26 Jun 2003 Posts: 278 Location: Panama

Ben you have so much information that I suspect the block that you have been round is the washington mall. As always I agree with you and envy your sagacity. Students here think that if you laugh during the first class you are laughing at them. You have to keep a sense of decorum. With time, though, they will adjust to your style (if you have one).

But be careful about going to the other extreme and showing how smart you are, you may have many less students in your second session because they've quit or transferred. I don't know about you Ben or others out there but the first 3 sessions are like a test with students. Am I totally wrong?