Job Discussion Forums

[naturegirl321]

Yes, I know that this in general, but in general, what are they like? Do they hate to talk English, use cell phones in class, never do homework, talk and ignore the teacher?
How do they compare to other students taht you have taught?

[Ben Round de Bloc]

From my little corner of Latin America, so don't take this as All Latin American students are . . .

I teach in a state university EFL program. Our students are mostly between the ages of 18 and 25, although we also have quite a few preparatoria (high school) students as well as older students in our classes.

In general, I find my students to be friendly, social/talkative, not much into doing homework, not overly concerned about arriving on time, quite motivated to learn English, not particularly good at meeting deadlines, sometimes a bit lax about bringing things to class that they should have with them, good attitude, rarely get upset/angry, attendance not always the best, quite willing to share materials and information with each other (even during exams ) . . . these things just off the top of my head.

Additionally -- and this may seem kind of weird -- a lot of them seem to always have body parts in motion. They sit with the weight of their legs on the balls of their feet and bounce their knees up and down, either one knee/leg or both at the same time, or they rapidly wave their knees apart and together in scissors-fashion, completely unaware that they're doing these things. Also, many of them tend to drop things continually during class: pencils, erasers, papers, books, notebooks, paperback dictionaries, pencil cases, etc. This may be because of the type of desks we have at school and that they tend to bring lots of things with them to use in class (when they remember to bring them.)

[lozwich]

Oh my God Ben!! Have you been in my classes?!?

I was watching this girl bounce her legs around the other day, completely oblivious to the person next to her doing exactly the same thing, and wondering if they only do it when they're wearing jeans, or when they have on those ridiculously short 'skirts' as well!

Have a good day,
Lozwich.

[moonraven]

It's hard to generalize about Latin American students. If you are teaching in a private secondary school or university, you will need to advise students that cell phones are not to be used in class (Ecuadorean students seem to have a pathological relationship with cell phones) --but apart from that you will find that most students are quite interested in learning English. In public schools and universities there are fewer cell phones floating around because students can't afford them.

I do not give much homework--I have been in Latin America for more than 10 years and am familiar with the "designated homework-doer", and prefer to have more control over what students actually produce. I have not noticed the body parts in motion syndrome in my university classrooms--but then I keep students actively working on language activities every second they are in class. A few times students showed up in class without everything they needed--I indicated that I expected them to bring their things with them if they expect edto participate in the class, and that was that. They arrive with what they need. Once in a while a student seems out of it in class--to which I have reacted by saying, "Hel-lo-o, welcome to the class!" The first couple of times the others burst out laughing. Now they say, "Hel-lo-o, welcome to the class"--and I don't have to....

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[moonraven]

Must be something in the water. In Merida.

[Ben Round de Bloc]

Yep, could be the water. Personally, I think it's the Coca Cola. I read somewhere -- not that I believe everything I read, mind you -- that Yucatecans consume more Coca Cola per person than inhabitants of another other state in the Republic. I swear mothers wean their babies by switching from breast feeding to Coca Cola in baby bottles. Not many other places can claim Coca Cola as one of the most popular breakfast beverages. Popular Yucatecan breakfast = torta de cochinita (greasy pork in a French bread roll) + a Coca Cola.

[moonraven]

I think you are onto something. The symptoms you described could very easily be attributed to caffeine abuse--and coca cola is loaded with caffeine....

[MELEE]

I'm with Ben,

I don't think it has anything to do with how active or passive the class is. It has to do with the person. While it's not just Mexicans, my brother is one of these people who just can't be still, I do think it is much more common in Mexico than in the US or in Japan or even Ecuador or Chile. But maybe I notice it more here, because my students don't sit at tables, but those horrible little chair-desk thingies. In Japan and Ecuador they sat at tables, and in Chile, I was on the other side of the classroom.

Cellphones (especially for text messaging) are becoming more and more common. When I was in Ecuador in 96 only the very elite had them, now even in what is reported to be the "poorest region of the second poorest state" in Mexico about five out of every 20 students have a cell phone.

While it goes against the sterotype, I have found some Latin students to be extremely shy, though they are not shy across the board like Japanese.

One of the most striking things for me about Mexican (and to a lesser extent Ecuadorian) students was how different the educational model they have grown up with is from the way I was educated. They don't like you to ask them the questions. In their past experiences the teacher gives them the answers.

[/i]

[moonraven]

Hmmm. The odds of entire classes being Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity are very long. I am an ADD person so I recognize others with the disorder right off the bat, and I have never had more than 2 in a group of, let's say 25 students.

It's true that in Latin America students are used to having information--some of it of very dubious authenticity--tossed at them, with the expectation of their regurgitating it on exams. Language classes give us a real opportunity to go against that practice by demanding critical thinking and analysis, and I have always found that students really appreciate being treated as if they had minds--which they do.

[MELEE]

[moonraven]

Since Coca Cola is grabbing up all the water on the planet (even bottling contaminated tap water in England!), and all over Latin America folks have to drink bottled water, it's getting to be a choice between Coca Cola and...Coca Cola bottled water. The Globalization Boogie.

[MELEE]

BTW,

I didn't mean to imply that I think my students are hyperactive or have ADD. I think it has more to do with either the high sugar intake or more likly being what track coaches refer to as "fast tick" people. Seems there are fast tick and slow tick people in the world. Fast tickers make good sprinters and slow ticker make good distance runners. They say training and conditioning will make the either one good at that thing, but no matter how much they train, fast tickers will never be world class distance runners and slow tickers will never be world class sprinters.

[naturegirl321]

Thanks! everyone! I can't wait to arrive.

[naturegirl321]