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cry_of_the_sedge · Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 1

Miss: "Sabishigaru"
Things: In this case, "koto." That goes for intangible things. Tangible things are "mono."

24601 · Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 75

furiousmilksheikali · Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2006 9:21 am Post subject:

You'll have to give us all some idea what level D1 is. "What would you miss about Japan?" sounds like a low-intermediate grammar target which means it is not too surprising to find students who may have "gaps" in their vocabulary such as the word "miss". It's also important to remember that students are often only answering questions that they are given and don't always realize they are supposed to give extra information to questions. This is why I suggested that the students be given time to create their own lists so that they are not simultaneously trying to grapple with new vocabulary, a tricky grammar point and new and interesting content all at the same time.

When I worked at NOVA there were a few teachers who placed the most unreasonable expectations on their students in the name of "free conversation" . Most of the time the topic of the lesson was whatever the teacher had just read about in the newspaper before going in to the lesson or the outrageous lack of express lanes in this country. When the student didn't seem to have any opinions on the matter ("Japanese people don't have opinions!") this riled the teacher even more. They would sometimes return to the staff room fuming about the students' lack of interest in the US primary elections and their generally blank looking faces and their dumb questions "what mean 'how's going?'"

To be honest, the better teachers turn out to be the ones who stop trying to kill 40 minutes with pointless chit-chat (those lessons are the ones that will drag on interminably) and who give clear and concrete ways to use the language. NOVA uses a terrible system for having any meaningful discussion as 40 minutes is really only enough time to introduce a topic. If the students don't have any background to this topic and don't have the skills to discuss any topic how can anyone possibly expect a student there to be competent at it?

sallycat · Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 303 Location: behind you. BOO!

bingo, low-intermediate. usta be level 6.
ita on the free cons -- usually consisted of the teacher torturing the student with their opinions until the bell rang.