Job Discussion Forums

[lily]

Hi,

I've just gone into contract negotiations with my school to come back next year. The school is a private primary school. I teach levels from beginner to lower intermediate, children aged 4 to 14 - this would stay the same next year. One of the things the school would like to change is the class size, from a max of 20 students per class to 30.

I feel that this wouldn't make much of a difference to the higher level / older students, but would have a considerable effect on the quality of the english being learnt by the beginner levels / younger students.

I would just like any thoughts / experience any of you have had with teaching a class of around 30 students, beginner level, ages 4 - 7, to give me an idea of what it might be like to teach.

Thanks,

Lily

[Roger]

Well, Lily,
age 4 to 6 are kindergarten kids; that's not school but preschool, and you teach them DIFFERENTLY. I don't know if you know the difference between kindergarten and school (primary school), but I found out pretty quickly several years ago.
Anyway, if you have such classes, you should be assisted by a TA; this is in order to maintain discipline at all times. After all, kids below the age of 7 - who haven't been introduced to school life yet, after all! - are not likely to sit still and listen to an adult person for more than 2 minutes at a time. They want to move around. That's what you should seize upon: harness their curiosity and interest in moving!
But even in the smallest class - 20 pupils - I taught I had a Chinese person who would normally be their caretaker. The kids obeyed her much better since they were familiar with her. My job was to keep them busy for half an hour at most (attention span limit).

If they are increasing the number of pupils to 30, you must insist on having an assistant!

As for primary school classes, you have been spoilt so far, Lily! I have seldom seen classes with fewer than 40 pupils at primary schools! Usually it is above 50!
So you have no reason to complain!

[tarzaninchina]

One-off presentations not included, my largest class was 78 students. I've taught middle schools with 45 students and that was too much. At private schools, 25 students shouldn't be a problem and tend to be the norm at most places I've seen or heard about.

As for kindergarten, no matter the class size, get a TA. More than 30 students creates traffic jams. Change activities at lest every 10 minutes, although try for every 5 minutes.

Primary school, I'd cap it at 35.

College/university, I'd cap it at 45, although I'm currently finding the threshold seems to be 40, which is where I'm at now.

[lily]

Hmm, maybe private primary school wasn't the best way to describe it. Let me try again. Basically, I'm at an extra-curricular school that caters to primary aged children, with a few a bit younger. The children come here during their lunch break - eat, have a 30 min fun class and then have their afternoon sleep. These classes are things that they wouldn't usually learn at their 'normal' primary school, but we would. Fire-safety, fun science experiments, some english etc. Some come back after school to get help with their homework. On top of this, some come to my english classes - most of which are at the weekend, for an hour and a half - 2 x 40 min classes with a 10 min break.

Roger, I've had a TA all year - wouldn't teach primary otherwise. Yes, I know the difference between primary and kindergarten, I only have 1 - 2 kids at this age, all the rest are primary age. These classes I make fun, we learn something (about 2 mins) then practice as a class, then individually. We then play a game, which gets them moving, having fun and most important of all, SPEAKING. Most classes consist of learning a group of words (eg fruit), play a game or 2, then a Q and A, play a game or 2, and then fun stuff to make up the time, but keep them speaking. I aim for an 80/20 student/teacher speaking ratio. Sometimes I get close.

Tarzan, (and Roger) thanks for the numbers mentioned, gives me an idea of what other people coped with. I think I'll try to negotiate to the half-way point, 25 max per class, at least for the very beginner students. If the school doesn't budge, then I guess I'll learn to cope with 30 - or not come back. Besides, to fit 30 students in the classroom, the school is going to have to start knocking down walls. Which, as my headmaster just told me, they are going to do over the winter holiday. At the moment, 15 students in a classroom is a tight fit!!

Cheers, Lily