Job Discussion Forums

[Shan-Shan]

[dave_merk]

Skits are a godsend for the ESL classroom. Absolutely. A skit gets the students thinking on their own, they have to actually think about the material and apply it in their minds, and the skits usually turn out to be pretty funny and it helps lighten the class up. I love doing role plays when I teach adults. The students seem to like when the teacher participates in their role plays, too.

Just because your students are uninterested in the class and hardly anyone every comes doesn't always mean the teacher has a problem. The teacher needs to be confident, for sure, and let the students know who's boss. Velmeran's a new teacher. Those of us who have been here for years probably remember what it was like to be a new FT and, speaking from experience, it was more than a little nerve-racking. Some people on this board need to get of their high horses. Cut the guy (girl?) some slack and give some good ideas, not some "you're the problem" responses. We're all in this together, people.

[in_asia_bill]

[in_asia_bill]

[Cognition]

[velmeran]

So if two of my classes are bad, but the rest are great it's me? thats a brilliant deduction right there.

For the most part I'm a new teacher, I did alot of tutoring in college for four years that was mostly one on one and the students wanted to learn, so getting put in front of a class thats completely apathetic is a bit new to say the least.

I basically arrived and the school gave me my classes, year ones and twos, and told me where to be and when. I've no text book or reading packet for them since the school has none. I had no idea of their skill level initially because as I have read here multiple times, year in school matters very little, it depends more on the student and his/her interest.

Well the class is suppose to be a reading comprehension and speed reading course, I have been focusing on the reading comprehension aspect since its where they need to work the most at the moment. The first lesson I ever did was the objects in a room and their locations lesson that they liked, and while I have tried to get them talking again, I am also trying to make them READ and COMPREHEND.

Today I scrapped my 5 page story I'd made up on friendship, and boiled it down to a single three paragraphs about what a friend is, why they are important, and what bad friends are. I started class with a writing exercise about their vacation while I passed back test and scheduled a make-up exam for two girls since one had fallen and broken her arm two weeks ago and her friend went with her to the hospital so they missed my class. I wasn't going to argue with the girl who had a cast on and probably a pretty crappy vacation.

So after about fifteen minutes of all this going on I call a halt to their writing and ask them to exchange with the person next to them. I ask that person to read through what the other person wrote, clarify anything that doesn't make sense/proofread and five minutes later I walk around and ask the pairs a question over their vacations. This takes I think about 25 minutes to get around the class of 28 students, some going faster then others.

After the 10 minute break thats scheduled during the two hour course's here we come back and start in on the friendship lesson. I give them a few minutes to read the first paragraph, we go over some basic questions about it, such as "what makes a good friend", "what are the qualities of a good friend" and I draw a spider outline on the blackboard with their answers.

Second paragraph talks about why friends are important and how to be a good one. Again, five minutes to read and then basic questions. All I am doing is writing their answers down in correct english and asking them "why/because" when they use one word answers. Pretty much the same thing with the third paragraph about bad friends, only the last question on that section was "Can someone live with out friends?" and this actually went past the class time as we talked about it and what a person who has no friends would be like.

I thought it was a pretty successful lesson, and I think I am getting better at making these lessons I do up by scratch.

As to all the nay sayers, well, do you really think someone with an education degree, two+ years of experiance in their home country, and fluency in Chinese is going to come here and work for 4000 RMB a month? I'm going to go ahead and say "NO" to that. You get what you pay for, and in China, thats what they want to pay, this is what they get. Atleast I care though, plenty of other guys here who don't, just want the booze and chicks, and the students just dislike foreign teachers more. I actually read your post here, I read ESL books, I practice my Chinese, but I've only been here a month and I'm no Stephan Hawkings, it's going to take me time to get through this turbulent patch and into smoother skies.

As for Asia Bill, he's just some guy who thinks he should intimidate others on an internet forum. Christ, thats like people on Fark.com who complain about a model's sharp knees. Him, his non-helpful criticism, and anyone else who feels their E-peen needs to grow some by putting down others who are new to the whole experiance here can just go Die in a Fire. It's sad when I have people private message me saying that they are AFRAID to post on this forum because of people like Asia bill and others who think intimidating new people is useful. Too bad for them I will just keep coming back, asking valid questions and being grateful to those people who DO answer back with valid ideas.

[in_asia_bill]

[tw]

[in_asia_bill]

[JoachimM]

WHY DO PEOPLE BEHAVE LIKE COMPLETE ASSHOLES ON THIS BOARD? We are supposed to help each other, not debunk and trash teachers with "less experience". Some of you seem so bitter and hostile - perhaps you have been teaching in China for too long and need to get away, I don't know.

It IS possible to be friendly and helpful at the same time! Just a friendly reminder...

[Tomato_Can]

[in_asia_bill]

[jamesmollo]

Yikes! in_asia_bill should does have a 2X4 on his shoulder.
Some useful advice for you there Velmeran. Although there's a big difference between constructive criticism and putting someone down (not very subtle either) perhaps some people spend far too much time in these rooms and have forgotten how to be compassionate and respectful.
If you have nothing consructive to say to people with less experience and in need of a helping hand, then why bother?

Instead of abusing your knowledge and experience of teaching by insulting a newcomer and picking at his mistakes (yes that's you 'grammar nazi') why not put it to good use, offer eh? It would make you sleep better at night. Just a suggestion

[jamesmollo]

Oh, and sorry, velmeran I don't have any good advise on teaching speed reading. I don't have much experience with it. But, some of the suggestions seem to be worth trying. What in_asia_bill said about giving the questions out before 'skimming and scanning' is quite right (although I hate to say it) he just needs to brush-up on his interpersonal skills.
Any luck getting a text book? that would certainly make life a lot easier.
ANyway good luck to you! you seem to me to have the right attitude to becoming a good teacher, hang in there.

[shenyanggerry]

TW, you say you've never had a class with less than 50% attendance. Have you ever taught classes of Ss destined to go to a university in an English speaking country after they finish here? I've found that in the six classes in this category I've taught over the years, only one third had over 50% attendance.

In the forty something others I've taught, all were over 50% in attendance; many approached 100%.