Job Discussion Forums

[rico4444]

esldiscussions.com

breakingnewsenglish.com

cnn, the Guardian, NY times....etc.....all have good articles that you can tie into the discussion/conversation websites

[And Your Bird Can Sing]

[wulfrun]

[profM]

TEFL training is usually 100-120 hours in a 4-6 week course and it would be unusual to see it demanded by a school in China, where a 4-year college degree is almost always required. I only mentioned TEFL training because it provides an internationally respected core of teaching techniques. I have taken three different sets of training in these methods and can report that using a variety of methods to help students get grammatical structures internalized is the main focus of the training. The point of getting grammar straight and habitualized, and that means having the affirmative, negative and interrogative forms of the different tenses flowing easily across a nice stock of verbs, is so that the speaker can have that part of the key to fluency fairly under control. That way, the speaker can just focus on expressing the content of his idea by searching for an occasional vocabulary word she or he rarely uses, instead of having to search for the grammar structures he needs AND the word he needs. The training in helping the student focus on repetitive practice of the different grammatical structures is always carried out with the use of a good textbook.

[Song&Dance]

Oral English textbooks reduce oral English to written English, or worse, set phrases and speech patterns.

I prefer the Holistic English Workbook series.

http://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/holistic-english.html

No set phrases, no speech patterns, no memorization exercises.

[Anda]

I write my own conversational scripts for class. I also do conversational scripts on the blackboard with the students.


You can use conversational scripts from movies that are on the Net.


Results 1 - 10 of about 938,000 for movie scripts. (0.05 seconds)



Search ResultsThe Internet Movie Script Database (IMSDb)Movie scripts online free for reading and downloading. Hundreds of popular movie scripts available.
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Comedy
Alphabetical Movie Scripts (S)
Alphabetical Movie Scripts (P)
Alphabetical Movie Scripts (B) Alphabetical Movie Scripts (C)
American Gangster



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If you want short stories then try StoneSoup:

Stone SoupThe international English-ty literary magazine by young writers and artists ages 8 to 13; stories, poems, illustrations, art, book reviews.
www.stonesoup.com/ - 11k - Cached - Similar pages

Sample Issue
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About Stone Soup For Teachers
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Art

[kev7161]

I mostly disagree with the previous statement by Song and Dance. I used "New Interchange" for 2 years when teaching high schoolers and it was a life saver for me! I was fresh off the plane and may have struggled through without a textbook series, but ???

I've praised NI in the past (except for it is widely outdated when it discusses "modern" technology or "current" hot celebrities) but it is such a well rounded book in every other regard. We were able to do the dialogs and expend on them. The conversation topics were sometimes quite good, esp. when it was a topic the kids enjoyed such as sports or music. The workbooks were good as "homework" and then we could read out loud the answers and talk about why this or that was incorrect during next class. Lots and lots of vocabulary and I emphasized enunciation and using the words in sentences properly. We did play acting, group projects, presentations and even somewhat enjoyed the VCD that came with. This book does have grammar sections, but they were simplistic and most of the students could identify with it because these sections were similar enough to their regular Chinese taught English class. Reading comprehension, listening comprehension, spoken English, etc. all overlapped each other well.

So, does one NEED a textbook series to effectively teach a Spoken English class. Well, of course not. But, FOR ME, having a good one helped me out a lot - - a non-TEFLer.

[Song&Dance]

Scripts from any source and New Interchange are both about Language Learning. Language learning is why oral English teaching in China is a failed approach.

Holistic English is about language acquisition.

[wulfrun]

[wulfrun]

[Song&Dance]

[Song&Dance]

From Holistic English Workbook:

INSTRUCTIONS FOR TEACHERS

There are eight chapters. Each movie is a separate chapter. Each chapter is a two week instruction unit. Each chapter is broken down into three sections.

Assignments Before Watching The Movie (homework)
Watch The Movie
Assignments After Watching The Movie (homework)

The first section, �Assignments Before Watching Movie,� constitutes a reading and dictionary usage assignment intended to make the movie more comprehensible when watched. The students read about the movie and learn vocabulary taken from the movie. They use their dictionary and/or internet and write the definition next to the English word in the workbook. This is a homework assignment. This is a vocabulary familiarization exercise to assist in making the movie more understandable, it is not a vocabulary memorization exercise.

The second section �Watch Movie,� constitutes a listening, and when English subtitles are available, a reading exercise. Watching the movie should be like going to a local movie theater, a friendly, nonacademic environment. Food and drink should be allowed but not mobile phones. Most of the movies are 2 to 2 � hours long and must be shown in the evening. We discourage showing the movie in segments, at different sittings, or stopping the movie for explanation or discussion.*

The third section, �Assignments After Watching Movie,� constitutes a writing and research exercise. This section asks the students to write answer to discussion questions and topics. The questions and topics are minimal and the teacher is encouraged to develop a fresh set of questions and topics for use during the conversation class. Chinese students are highly accomplished in memorization skills and will have their written answers ready to parrot back during the conversation class. Use of fresh questions will cause the students to learn to think on their feet and become creative English producers rather than robots repeating set phrases and speech patterns.

All of the above constitutes �input� to properly prepare the students for �optimum output� in a subsequent conversation class. Each student will assimilate and interpret the �input� according to their personal level of English proficiency. Likewise, the �output� of each student will be highly individualized according to their level of English proficiency. It should also be remembered that �output� does not automatically follow input. Some students take longer than others. Also, constant or premature correction can actually deter �output.�

Before the conversation class, or during the first period, it is advisable to scan the workbooks and assign a grade of �P� � pass or, �F� - fail. This will give the students immediate feedback on how well they are proceeding with the workbook assignments. It will also give the teacher a fair indication of each student�s motivation. The teachers should be creative in facilitating the conversation class employing debate, role playing, games, etc.

It is strongly suggested that the teacher read the following articles available at http://www.usingenglish.com/esl-in-china/

Teaching with Movies

China EFL: Why Chinese Universities Do Not Provide an English Speaking Environment

China EFL: A New Paradigm

China EFL: The Revolution has begun but the long march lies ahead


The first lesson period should introduce the students to the difference between language learning and language acquisition (see inside back cover), discussion of an English speaking environment-immersion, listening skills, how to use the workbook and do internet research.

LANGUAGE LEARNING
The concept of language learning is linked to the traditional approach to the study of languages and today is still generally practiced in high schools worldwide. Attention is focused on the language in its written form and the objective is for the student to understand the structure and rules of the language through the application of intellect and logical deductive reasoning. The form is of greater importance than communication. Teaching and learning are technical and governed by a formal instructional plan with a predetermined syllabus. One studies the theory in the absence of the practical. One values the correct and represses the incorrect. There is little room for spontaneity. The teacher is an authority figure and the participation of the student is predominantly passive. In the teaching of English in Brazil, for example, the student will study the function of the interrogative and negative modes, irregular verbs, modals, etc. The student learns to construct sentences in the perfect tense, but only learns with difficulty when to use it. It's a progressive and cumulative process, normally tied to a preset syllabus that includes memorization of vocabulary. It seeks to transmit to the student knowledge about the language, its functioning and grammatical structure with its irregularities, its contrasts with the student's native language, knowledge that hopefully will produce the practical skills of understanding and speaking the language. This effort of accumulating knowledge becomes frustrating because of the lack of familiarity with the language.
Innumerable graduates with arts degrees in English are classic examples of language learning. They often are trained and theoretically able to teach a language that they can communicate in only with extreme difficulty. (Krashen)
LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
Language acquisition refers to the process of natural assimilation, involving intuition and subconscious learning, which is the product of real interactions between people where the learner is an active participant. It is similar to the way children learn their native tongue, a process that produces functional skill in the spoken language without theoretical knowledge; develops familiarity with the phonetic characteristics of the language as well as its structure and vocabulary, is responsible for oral understanding, the capability for creative communication and for the identification of cultural values. Teaching and learning are viewed as activities that happen in a personal psychological plane. The acquisition approach praises the communicative act and develops self-confidence in the learner.
A classic example of language acquisition involves adolescents and young adults who live abroad for a year in an exchange program, attaining near native fluency, while knowing little about the language in the majority of cases. They have a good pronunciation without a notion of phonology, don't know what the perfect tense is, modal or phrasal verbs are, but they intuitively recognize and know how to use all the structures.
Second language acquisition occurs when comprehensible input is delivered in a low-anxiety situation, when real messages of real interest are transmitted and understood. � we learn best only when the pressure is completely off, when anxiety is zero, when the acquirer's focus is entirely on communication; in short, when the interchange or input is so interesting that the acquirer 'forgets" that it is in a second language. (Krashen)

The first lesson period should also stress good listening skills.


Tips for being a good listener

Give your full attention on the person who is speaking. Don't look out the window or at what else is going on in the room.

Make sure your mind is focused, too. It can be easy to let your mind wander if you think you know what the person is going to say next, but you might be wrong! If you feel your mind wandering, change the position of your body and try to concentrate on the speaker's words.

Let the speaker finish before you begin to talk. Speakers appreciate having the chance to say everything they would like to say without being interrupted. When you interrupt, it looks like you aren't listening, even if you really are.

Let yourself finish listening before you begin to speak! You can't really listen if you are busy thinking about what you want say next.

Listen for main ideas. The main ideas are the most important points the speaker wants to get across. They may be mentioned at the start or end of a talk, and repeated a number of times. Pay special attention to statements that begin with phrases such as "My point is..." or "The thing to remember is..."

Ask questions. If you are not sure you understand what the speaker has said, just ask. It is a good idea to repeat in your own words what the speaker said so that you can be sure your understanding is correct. For example, you might say, "When you said that no two zebras are alike, did you mean that the stripes are different on each one?"

Give feedback. Sit up straight and look directly at the speaker. Now and then, nod to show that you understand. At appropriate points you may also smile, frown, laugh, or be silent. These are all ways to let the speaker know that you are really listening.

Remember, you listen with your face as well as your ears!

[Song&Dance]

INTRODUCTION

This course is designed by Niu Qiang, Ph.D. and Martin Wolff, J.D. utilizing a holistic approach to language acquisition through comprehensible input in a friendly environment. (Stephen Krashen � s second language acquisition model) The course is a comprehensive, but remedial, "holistic" approach to English acquisition including observation, listening, reading, writing, debate, conversation and Internet research. This course revolves around 8 commercial Hollywood entertainment movies with business/cultural content, theme or moral.

The underlying educational philosophy is that the only way to truly improve a student � s second language is through the student � s reading, listening, writing and speaking more English in a holistic manner. There is no shortcut. This workbook is intended to provide timeless business conversation issues with current application in China. The course instructor should preview the movie and review the assignments.

There are reading and vocabulary activities for the students to complete before watching the movie. The students are encouraged to write down any new words or phrases they find while watching the movie and to look up appropriate definitions after watching the movie. After watching the movie there are writing assignments; Internet research assignments that will draw the student � s attention to current issues in China related to the moral of the movie; and suggested topics for conversation or debate.

The movies may be viewed during an extended class time (most of the movies are too long for the standard two-hour class) or they may be assigned as homework. The discussion classes should be held in an interactive classroom where the desks and chairs are not bolted to the floor so that the students may face each other for discussion and debate.

All of the movies have been selected for their timeless value in providing relevant and interesting discussion topics with a business moral. The primary purpose of the exercises before watching the movie is to increase the student � s comprehension of the movie, i.e. Krashen � s � comprehensible input � theory.

There are no exercises while watching the movie, thus creating Krashen � s � friendly environment � through the absence of academic rigors.

The exercises after watching the movie are intended to involve the student in an in-depth analysis of the moral of the movie and its current relevance in China, and thus prepare the student for the subsequent conversation or debate regarding the movie. This will facilitate language acquisition and output. The main objective of this workbook is to take the student out of the language-learning realm and place them into a language acquisition mode thereby increasing language output through comprehensible input in a friendly environment. (Krashen)

This program is designed to serve the genius of our students.

[wulfrun]

thanks for the info and pm, song and dance. were you involved in making this series?

[Anda]

I get students to read after me using a modulated voice, after which I have them pair work on the script.

When I do a conversation on the board I take the subject from the script that I have had them pair work on that way they have an idea of the subject.


The subjects I use are modeled around family life, romance, school life and working life. I also throw stuff in like magic and adventures. I keep well away from issues as they have no idea in general on such subjects.