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[ilovebdt1]

Hi Guys

As you know I am planning to come and teach in Mexico and I was wondering how Mexicans are used to being taught English?

I currently work in Korea, where my students are used to the listen and repeat method of learning. I am gradually introducing group and pair work and getting them to think for themselves.


What sort of teaching methods are used in Mexico?

Ilovebdt1

[grahamcito]

Hi Ilovebdt1,

Quick question: what�s bdt?

[ilovebdt1]

If I tell you will you answer my question?

They are my cats at home in the UK. Brandy, Dandy and Toto.

[grahamcito]

That�s very cute!

Mexican students love to talk, participate and be involved, so pairwork and groupwork can be used easily and effectively. The difficult part is keeping them �on task�.

Rote learning bores Mexicans. It�s not so much that they question the methodology, more that they want to talk naturally.

A bit different from Korea/Japan, eh?

[Guy Courchesne]

I've found that Mexican children are taught Spanish grammar by congujation table...repetitive - like French. While Mexicans do like to talk, I think many have great difficulty with loose nature of English grammar.

[hlamb]

I've found that most of my students, especially the adults, want grammar rules first. They want a rule and examples, then are happy to practice the structure and make up their own conversations. They do have a tendancy to copy, however. The teenagers LOVE to talk but the difficulty is encouraging them to stay somewhat on topic and in English. Sometimes they get so into whatever the topic is that they are off and running in Spanish. I also find many of them expect me to be a living translation dictionary.

[canadiense]

My students love their classes to be dynamic; the more fun, the better they like it. We have a set text to build a course around, but there's plenty of time to add fun activities for practice.

The students want to learn more than the textbook can teach: idioms, daily culture, and how to handle red tape, like entry declarations to whatever country you come from.

Students love it if you bring realia to class, maybe some menus from your hometown, or news froim another country's point of view. Best of all, students enjoy talking to you and getting to know you. It's one of the best ways to test their current level of English.

[cwc]

[dixie]

From my experience in Honduras (gr.2/3 classroom teacher) and Mexico (gr. 6 classroom teacher) the students like learning similar to all students....interesting, real and hands-on. Do it from a book (which I had to do in Mexico) and add hormones into the mix....and it's time well wasted! They learn..but no one has too much fun...teacher included! However, they definitely do enjoying talking so if you can get them interested in the lesson, talking (mostly) in English isn't too difficult, although like all of us....when we really have something to say it's easier to get it out in our first language!

....dixie

[ilovebdt1]

Wow Guys Thanks for your replies.

Sounds like I am going to get quite a shock when I get to Mexico.
But, it sounds like it'll be fun and a challenge to think up activities to keep their brains going.

Thanks

Ilovebdt1