Job Discussion Forums

alexis · Joined: 27 Jun 2004 Posts: 20 Location: Asheville, NC

I am in Ningbo teaching 3rd and 4th grade primary at a private boarding school. I thought I might get the chance to teach something but no such luck. The teachers tell me to just sing songs, play games and talk about U.S. culture. I have tried everything I know, tic tac toe, hang man, twinkle twinkle, but they know it all.... any suggestions? They have textbooks but the teachers teach them these and I am not suppose to. I would really appreciate any help. Alexis

august03 · Joined: 13 Oct 2003 Posts: 159 Location: Jiangsu, China

Have you checked out the Idea Cookbook page http://www.eslcafe.com/ideas/index.html plenty of ideas there.

Also Genki English is a great site for Primary English, it shows that you CAN teach the students something while also having fun. http://www.genkienglish.net/ Use your imagination, the bigger, the better, the more fun a game is the more the children will learn. I normally spend the first 10 mins going over the new topic for the day and spend the last 25 mins playing a game. Works well for me try it and see!!

latefordinner · Joined: 19 Aug 2003 Posts: 973

You let them tell you what to do? AND WHAT NOT TO TEACH?? Have you observed any of their classes to see what their teaching objectives are, what their methods are, and what you have to learn from them? Have you done any testing or assessment, to determine for yourself what the students' strengths, weaknesses and needs are?

August 03 has a valid point; there are lots of juicy things that a creative teacher can do to teach through games and "make learning fun". I submit however the the most important thing is to have a plan before you go in; not only for the day, but for the term. Know what skills you are going to teach, what you want the kids to be able to do. If you don't know what you want them to learn, how do you measure their (and your) success or failure? Are you going to leave this in the (unsteady and untrustworthy) hands of relative amateurs, or take control of your own classroom and curriculum?

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

I hope you have some leeway in deciding what's best for your learners. If not, all hope is in vainQ!
You could, for instance, make it an objective of their English lessons to impove their comprehension; can you tell them simple stories, or read them aloud to them?

Another option is to walk them around the schoolyard and to point out objects and to name them in English. I successfully did PE with some of my classes - much to the happiness of some of my youngsters (not everyone was pleased, as no class will ever be 100% happy... but, man, action is half of the interaction).

You might elicit other responses on the Elementary Education forum.

alexis · Joined: 27 Jun 2004 Posts: 20 Location: Asheville, NC

I posted a topic on your website yesterday morning about teaching primary. I had someone reply yesterday morning with a lot of great links to sites on games, etc for teaching kids here in China. It has disappeared. Do you have any idea how I can get it back. I have hit refreash several times with no luck. Did it get moved somehow?

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

I didn't see your post on Elementary Education.

Try www.bogglesworld.com - it's been hailed by many as a great source of resources.
You might also get new perspectives from www.wordsurfing.com
Sorry, I have mislaid my list of websites.

Chris_Crossley · Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2004 4:02 pm Post subject: Re: Any primary teachers?

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

I teach senior middle school kids at my school. We use textbooks, workbooks, listening (and repeating) tapes, CD-Rom, etc. I often venture outside the book for my own English-based activities that are linked to the unit we are working on.

However, our school won't give the primary (foreign) teachers any textbook at all or, for that matter, any kind of teaching materials! Well, they do have computers in their classrooms and big-screen TVs and chalkboards. What I mean is, the FTs have to come up with their own lesson ideas all the time, 5 days a week. I would think for a couple of months I would be creative enough to think of games and other activities, but then the ideas would start to dwindle. Some of the teachers have ventured to the Foreign Language Bookstore to buy their own stuff to use. Smart idea, but a bit maddening for them to have to use their own pocket money while working in this rich private school!