Job Discussion Forums

woza17 · Joined: 25 May 2003 Posts: 602 Location: china

I think it depends on the age group and the level of the English learners.
I volunteered to attend an English corner that had nothing to do with my school and I loved it, high English level, great discussions, taught me a lot about China but I think this was an exception. One thing I did learn it is always good to have a topic.
The last English corner I went to as part of my job, I talked about money, budgets, mortgages and it worked.
But for young children, games that get them talking.

ChinaLady · Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2006 4:08 am Post subject: English Corner

the school I am with now has English Corner down to a science.
every Tuesday and thursday evening from 7pm to 8:30.
foreign teachers get a ride home in the school van.
you have to attend once a week. usually we pick a day
when we have a class that ends at 5:30pm.
on Tuesdays the Chinese college teachers organize it. i.e. they pick a topic, make up handouts and speak for the first halp hour, at least. on thursdays the Chinese continuing ed teachers organize it.
this is rotated so every teacher does it at least once. the native
speakers are told about the topic and asked if one of us will speak during the introduction. (luckily we have a couple guys who LOVE to be on a stage with a microphone. YEA!!)
sometimes the topics are good, sometimes not so good.
we have between 300 - 500 or more students coming, unless it rains. we move inside to a classroom that only holds about 100 or so.
o, this is held OUTSIDE on the sports field. usually.
we have students and staff coming from all over. and the occasional guy who is looking for cute girls to talk to.
having a topic is great. if the questions are off topic,we redirect to the topic. sorry for you people who do not enjoy EC.
at this school it is actually fun and everyone talks.
the key is, for me anyway, is that the Chinese teachers are active in EC. just like us native speakers, they have to commit to once a week.
the students see us all there. usually the time goes so fast that I have people walking and talking me to the school van.

dialogger · Joined: 14 Mar 2005 Posts: 419 Location: China

WOW!! China Lady
In 2 years in PRC I've NEVER heard a Chinese teacher so much as mention an English corner let alone attend one.

ChinaLady · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 2:28 am Post subject: English Corner, a good thing.

the school I am with this year in Guangzhou has a great, and well-organized, English Corner. every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 7pm - 8:30pm. the native speakers choose a day. once a week. ok? usually we try to link it to a day when we have class ending at 5:30pm. by the time you have put your books away and grabbed a bit of dinner, it is 6:45pm.
the best part?
the Chinese English teachers on the school staff organize the whole thing. make up hand-outs. and start it off with a Jay Leno-type introduction on a stage. for the first 20-30 minutes or so.
the reputation has gotten so good that people come from several near-by universities and high schools.
it is fun. it is lively. and if the questions get "off topic" we are all armed with the hand-outs to re-direct the discussions.
and, the native teachers get a school van ride home. nice touch at 9pm in the evening.
o, and if the weather is horrid? the whole thing moves inside.
usually a great fun 90 minutes.

Malsol · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 1976 Location: Lanzhou

Yu · Joined: 06 Mar 2003 Posts: 1219 Location: Shanghai

I went to one English corner a bit drunk. It really did help!

cubit · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 117 Location: Changchun