Job Discussion Forums

[Starry Night]

I'm a new teacher, having previously taught high school last year and am now teaching middle school. I enjoy Grade Two for the most part, yet conclude that the majority of the Grade One classes should have been left out of the contract.

It is near impossible to teach some of these kids (an common problem for most foreign teachers, I think), they either have boundless energy or are too fatigued from their classes to barely muster an interest in Oral English classes (which are twice a week).

I don't blame them, its the fault of a system which makes every class a literal 'cramming' session, often via choral practice, with little or no independent thought. I liken them to performing seals, without the trainer/Chinese teacher, many are at a loss.

Their Chinese teachers aren't interested in helping to control the class if they're not teaching it, so I've been working on creative ways to 'control the crowd'.

Similarly, any activity, whether it be a game, pair work or group discussion, is met with a weary glance by all but the brightest students. As I attempt to draw their interest, I question the validity of an Oral English class for their age group. Yes, I have a few great classes who are 'on the ball', so to speak. Yet the others look in need of a good rest!

I'm planning to stick at it though, despite my reservations and would be interested to hear from other teachers with a similar situation or experience.[/b]

[clomper]

Hi!

I'm currently teaching 14 classes of Junior 1 students with 67 students in each class. I can say that in some classes they're too noisy to control that I report them to their head teacher. I'm glad that the head teachers are cooperative enough to reprimand the students.

I haven't tried yet extending the class beyond lunch break but I've already warned one class. So far when I asked them to keep quiet, they will do it right away or fear my wrath so to speak.

I don't have a book to follow but I tend to revolve my topic on their lesson with the Chinese English teachers. So far, they participate in class though creating sentences are quite difficult still for their level.

I only meet my class once a week and I can say some are eager to learn especially the top two classes while the normal classes, only a smatter of them will bother listening to you.

Games illicit positive response from all my students except for the ones who cannot really speak and understand English. I try to make it lively, injecting jokes or being a clown so to speak if they're loosing attention. Once they're quiet and listening again, I go back to what I want to teach them.

I enjoy teaching Junior 1 students. At least with them, they still respond to you even if they're a bit hyper. When I taught Senior 1 last year, they're too quiet and they treat oral English as a sleeping class.

Claudine

[Starry Night]

Thanks Claudine!

I actually preferred teaching Senior 1 to Junior 1 but in the end, both have their merits.

As the saying goes "Accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative", that's what I'll try to do in class. Thanks for the tips!

[kev7161]

In most schools, kids are lumped together by achievement level. The brighter students are in a class or two together while those with lower academic skills are thrown together in the remaining classes. Naturally, class 1 and 2 (and 3?) are easier to teach because brighter kids are usually better behaved kids. Their maturity levels are usually higher, thus the better behavior.

The lower level kids are often just that due to learning disabilities, improper parental support when it comes to studying, behavioral problems for which China doesn't seem to acknowledge as a "problem", etc., etc. Not only do their English skills suffer but so does math, science, Chinese, and so on. Granted, there may be some students in these lower level classes who may excel in one subject or another but, generally, the higher level kids excel in most or all their subjects.

Once you get 30, 40, 50+ students like these together in a class, then there are ample opportunities for discord. I had it for the last two years in my previous schools. I tried games, repitition, re-teaching, role-playing and a host of other teaching "tricks" - often to no avail. Several of my classes turned into "movie appreciation" classes. I did try a lot of things before resorting to this, I assure you.

My advice is NOT to show movies all the time, but to have shorter lessons in your . . . hour?. . . session, then finish off the class with music or music videos or a small portion of a movie or games (if your kids like games) to round out the period. Maybe start the period with a song: Remember the old American Bandstand where the teens would rate a record? You could play a different song (making sure the kids have the lyrics) each day M-Th, and have them rate/score it. Don't give them the results until Fridays where you can reveal the "winning" song. Believe it or not, they are getting some English out of all this and (maybe) doing something they enjoy. Then you can go on and teach a shorter lesson with your remaining time. You can do the same with movie clips, then watch the "favorite" movie on Friday (or the end of the month for those of you that only have them once or twice a week).

Don't forget food. Food can be your best friend. Talking about food and providing snacks is a real attention grabber (especially candy or western-style food. They can get eggs-boiled-in-soy-sauce any ol' day!).

But, like I said, I tried a lot of these tactics to no avail, so . . . good luck!

[Starry Night]

Thanks Kevin, I imagine those two years weren't easy but as the saying goes "what doesn't kill me, makes me stronger"!

I've decided to keep the lesson fairly simple now and despite my reservations about chorale practice, its a technique I now use because it keeps them quiet, they understand it and we can have fun with it (alternating between yelling and whispering).

I'm also doing role plays, a few games and Simon Says, we don't have a TV and DVD player but a tape player is available. It may not be 'teaching' English but I've also been getting them to draw pictures occasionally or create birthday cards for their parents, sometimes I think we BOTH need a rest and yell out "Simon says sleep!". They understand it better than "Teacher is going crazy!".