Job Discussion Forums

[coffeedrinker]

I'm teaching a couple of advanced classes which have three students each. In certain combinations of people, it's fine and sometimes preferable to a bigger group. But for me, one of the advantages of a bigger group, say, 8-12, is the potential for pairwork, regrouping, and just plain old variety.

One of the groups is also composed of two seventeen-year-olds and a college student, and again, in some combinations it's fine, but in others...major teenage dynamics going on. (I have no idea. I don't know. Yes. No. Shrug.)

Any ideas for shaking things up in a group of two or three, especially with teenagers? I may just have to accept that things will be a little different...but any suggestions are welcome.

[Henry_Cowell]

Have them teach each other -- and you. Each one can devise a brief lesson plan for a specific topic of their choosing (grammar point, vocabulary, function, current event, favorite holiday destination, etc.). They'll then take turns presenting, giving examples, asking questions, and leading a conversation.

Depending on the personalities involved, this can be either fun or dreadful. But it's definitely a change!

[denise]

I just borrowed an activity from a friend here: a 3-person discussion. Choose a controversial topic (or let them choose, if you get the impression that they actually care!) and then assign roles: one pro, one con, and one discussion leader. If they start in with the "I don't know" answers, it is the discussion leader's job to prompt them to give more concrete, thoughtful answers.

It worked well in my class of professors here. They might be a tad more motivated and enlightened on world affairs than teenagers, though...

d

[Glenski]

[coffeedrinker]

Well, they do give fuller answers sometimes...just not as often as I'd like We're also in the second week of class. When there were two of them, it didn't seem to be as much of an issue, but with the addition of the third...hmmm. It could be that he is a cute college boy. And I may just need more time to figure out what works and what doesn't with their personalities. But I'm looking for additional ideas anyhow.

The lesson in question had a pretty substantial Headway Advanced listening, which was a bit difficult, but after we listened once I gave them a chance with one section to read along as we listend again, and with another, to check their answers after listening by just reading the tapescript.

My questions that didn't get very full replies were to the effect of "Do you think the advice he gives is good advice?" and "What's your advice?" Later we were talking about our plans for the weekend and I asked what their ideal weekend would be like and asked someone to predict what someone else's ideal weekend would be like (and one of them did come up with this: my (coffeedrinker's) ideal weekend would probably involve some wine and planning their next lesson, so all was not lost ). They do seem to have a sense of humor; maybe it's just a little shyness.