Job Discussion Forums

[kev7161]

Do you ever experience this?

The other day, we were talking about Bungee Jumping in one of my classes. What it is, would you ever do it, etc. Well, the students became animated at this subject, which is great. However, they start chattering to each other in Chinese and it takes me a couple of minutes to get them calmed down. My goal is to direct conversations where I can ask a couple of leading questions, then the students start to talk to me and each other (in English, natch!) about the subject. A lofty goal, I'll admit, but I would like to see this in my class just once before I go off to my home country.

In another class, I brought up Keanu Reeves and "The Matrix". The same thing happened there as well.

Surely there is one teacher here that can encourage all of us middle school (or university) teachers that, with hard work and perserverance, having a regular English conversation in our "conversation" class is do-able because they have witnessed this phenomenon first hand. Anyone?

[burnsie]

Yes, I have witnessed this before.

I once brought in some paper banknotes that a collected many years ago when I was backpacking around the world. They went bolistic and speaking in Chinese. Could not regain order for at least 1/2 an hour.

The funny thing is that my approval rating as a teacher went sky high after this. I now consider teaching middle school in China is more as a cultural teacher rather than an english teacher.

Anyway most of the students speak directly to me in Chinese. I speak a little bit but only basic level. I don't speak in class unless a student really doesn't understand. I ALWAYS ask my students to speak in english and in sentences but it just won't happen because of the low levels of many of the students.

I pretty much gave up on this and accepted it but kept asking them to speak english. I would rather them speak rather than not speak at all and I found that my class because of this relaxed atmosphere that most of the students talk, even a couple of words and I would rather this then nothing. I am interested in confidence to speak not proficiency.

I would perservere on this, when they speak chinese always say speak english and in sentences. I think you will win in the end.

I was too much of a softy and too gentle in class and could not enforce this.

I have only been teaching for 2 months and not trained but when I finished this class on Thursday to change to another class teaching business some of the students were very upset and cried. I was quite taken back that in such a short time they grew to really like me.

On another note when I was learning Chinese the teacher always spoke in Chinese and having not learnt before it was very off putting. Sometimes she had to explain in english but rarely. I would have to ask one of the other students what was happening. I was extremely disheartened that I felt stupid and not moving forward.

When I got better at it and in another school westerners still talk english in class even with the Chinese teacher continually saying to speak in Chinese. After a while it rubs off and they start talking in Chinese. This could be the same for you too.

Perservere.

Anyway I hope this helps.

[cimarch]

There is one trick that I have used which could be of use to you. It's a very old technique used in Irish college in Ireland. Basically, we all have to learn Irish in school but many parents send their kids to summer camps in Irish speaking areas of the country to get an edge. The basic rule on these camps is that a minimum of one word per sentence be in the target language. It starts of as being just that, with many reminders necessary. After a short time it becomes second nature and instead of searching through the sentence for a word you can translate easily you start speaking mainly in Irish, with a few English words thrown in for words you don't know yet. And there's always a helpful soul around to translate them for you.

It's a technique you shouldn't use unless necessary but if they're prattling on in Chinese for minutes at a time it can be very effective. It's very easy to get them to agree to it and once they do it only takes a simple, "Ahem, one word..." to remind them. The key thing is that it makes them to think about what they're going to say and translate as much into English as possible instead of taking the easy route of just using Chinese. You can also introduce fun punishments for anyone who breaks it, they love that.

[oprah]

And what kind of things do you do for "fun punishment"?

[cimarch]

Silly things the other kids'll enjoy. For example the first one to say a full sentence in their L1 has to stand up and sing a song. The second has to stand on one leg at the front of the class and sing a song. The third has to dance etc... Get the kids to make up their own penalties. They love self-policing and after the first they definitely don't want to get caught out.

Or if they're really bad you could do a penalty point system until they get the hang of it and whoever has the most points (or the top 3 in a medium to large class) has to do a forfeit in the last couple of minutes of class.

[oprah]

"Has to do a forfeit", what does this mean?

[cimarch]

Same as punishment really. Get them to think up three things they could have the peple with most points do, like dance on one leg whilst singing a song. If they all agree on it and know it's there then they'll really try hard to avoid it.

[Tinman]

If in English, what songs do they know?

[oprah]

yesterday once more, of course..

[cimarch]

They must be in English but they can be any song that they know. I doubt you'll find many children who don't at least know the Alphabet song and Happy Birthday. More common ones are "One little, two little, three little Indians" and nursery rhyme songs.

[Kurochan]

Well, it's good that they're excited, although they're hard to handle. You're lucky in that respect.

I used to teach classes of 80, and I found that sometimes you have to act like an orchestra conductor -- use sweeping gestures along with what you say when you want to get the students' attention.

Mostly, you want to get them back on track, and speaking English, right? Maybe you could praise one of the Chinese speakers for being so interested, have him come up and write what he's just said in Chinese on the board, and then call on one of the better students to come up and translate it. Or maybe call to the class for translations. That might get them back on track in an interesting, positive way.

[Atlas]

Does anybody remember going to school and listening to the teacher because you were learning? Or is that just me? When did teaching become show business in search of ratings?

No offense to anyone here, I share your experiences! But seriously why should we have to work so hard just to accomplish the basic premise of school?

[monju]

Yes Atlas, you hit the proverbial right on the head!
Hear! Hear!