Job Discussion Forums

[teachingld2004]

OMG.................

OK, it only was been one day so far, but this term will be quite difficult.

I only have 2 classes, but they each come for 4 hours; two on Monday and two on Tuesday.

These students are potential teachers. Sophomores.. 40 in one class and 44 in the other.

The desks are bolted to the floor, and they sit on stools. There is no room to put them in groups. Extra space in the room is limited.

Their levels are ALL quite low, and they barely understood what I said. The books they have are way too hard.

I am not a newbie. I am teaching a long time. Still, this situation is going to be quite taxing. If I was a drinker who knows what I would have drank after these two classes when I got home yesterday.

This is more like a rant, but some kind of advice may help me.

I have them again today. I will certainly try my best, but I do not have high expectations.

Only one person has an English name, and he can not even pronounce it.
Today I have things to do, but next week we will talk about names I told them that for class they must have an English name.

It is hard enough to remember all their faces, but 83 Chinese names are impossible for me to remember. I can not even say them.

Good luck to me, and anyone out there who has huge classes of low level students

My goal is simple for this term: get them to improve.

[Javelin of Radiance]

[chinatimes]

[johntpartee]

[choudoufu]

[johntpartee]

[Javelin of Radiance]

[sui jin]

If your total schedule is 8 hours a week (maybe my maths is wrong ?) then you are already on a winner, in my view.
These classes sound like they are 'three year major' students who expect to become primary school teachers (ie their high school grades were too poor to get into 4 year college).
The 'none have English names' scenario is unusual, and suggests perhaps a group resistance to learning English. I would offer those who want English names a list of choices , and then accept that some will not want one. As JoR said , learning a few pinyin names is not hard if you use the name card system.
40 and 44 students per class are not huge classe sizes , but difficult to organise if they are in fixed rows. I think you should first think about doing some simple exercises and activities, to get their attention and interest. Forget the textbook for now.
I used to take my large, low-level classes outside for one period sometimes, to the sportsground, and have them split into groups and prepare/do something (but this works only in the spring or autumn!). We would start with a relay race or some physical activity to wake them up! The college did not seem to mind.

[wangdaning]

English learners need English names. People cannot pronounce most Chinese names correctly. Example, Wang Xiaoyu, I can only imagine how my mother would say that. I always tell those reluctant to pick an English name that few English speakers will be able to say their name. If they refuse I purposely mispronounce their name every time I say it.

It is very common and often needed for learners of a second language to chose a name in the second language, especially when they are very different, like English and Chinese. I can get by using my name in most European languages, but when I meet someone in a Chinese speaking context, well, I am Wang Daning. If I tell them my real name they will miss pronounce it and forget it quickly. If I use Wang Daning they will remember and for the most part say it correctly (here in Sichuan they like to say Wang Daling).

[Mr. Leafy]

[kev7161]

Why not just learn their family names and call them "Miss Tang" or "Mr. Zheng" (or whatever)?

[isitts]

[doogsville]

I hand round the register I get from the office with the students numbers on it on the first day. I ask them to write either their English name, if they have one, or their Chinese name in pinyin. They often forget to write the tones, so I have to guess. I tell them my Chinese is not that good, but I do try my best. I use it to illustrate to them that I understand how hard some of them find it to speak up in English. If I can have a go at saying their names in Chinese and do it badly, then they can begin to understand that getting it wrong is not the end of the world, and so it's okay to try.

[johntpartee]

[zactherat]