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What am I doing wrong?
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Voldermort



Joined: 14 Apr 2004
Posts: 597

PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 4:54 am    Post subject: What am I doing wrong? Reply with quote

What is it with Chinese students? Having taught mostly at primary level for the last year I have recently begun to teach senior 1 and 2 high school. I thought I had it all planned out, think of an interesting topic along with some grammer, vocabulary and phrases; teach them how to use for the 10 - 15 minutes then get a good class discussion going.

More than half of the classes are just not interested. I walk in, bright as a button "are you happy?", that is their que to start ignoring the teacher/go to sleep/play wuziqi/start talking. I basicaly ask them to discuss something in groups and spend the next 40 minutes walking around and speaking with them. Most of the students are actualy pretty good at speaking English, but they do tend to struggle with words and grammer.

My point is, if they listen and learn at the start of the lesson, they can put it into practice when the teacher comes to talk with them. Instaed I have to try explaining the same things to each group as I walk around.

I would like to get the whole class involved and interested in learning about the topic, but how the hell do you do this? Idealy I would like to give them puzzles and games, but handouts are too expensive and there is no OHP. Most of the lessons plans and activities on the net are for small classrooms or require worksheets. I am left with a chalkboard and my voice.

How do you make the class enjoyable for 50 students under these conditions?
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expatben



Joined: 05 Apr 2005
Posts: 214
Location: UK...soon Canada though

PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 7:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Heres a game I did and it can work really well:

STEP ONE

Get your students to get out 1 piece of paper and a pen

STEP TWO

Tell each to student to write about themselves including:
NAME
AGE
LIKE
DISLIKE
FAVOURITE FOOD
WHAT THEY WANT TO BE WHEN THEY GROW UP AND WHY

STEP THREE:
When they are done tell them to give all apers to you. Fold them and pass them back randomly so that no one has their own.

STEP FOUR
Get them to read the piece they have. Once read find the person who wrote it and get them to read their ect ect.
This game will let you see each students reading/writing capabillities as well as provide some laughs.
I hope this helps, Changchun is rough I know
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Roger



Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Posts: 9138

PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 10:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The best intentions sometimes meet with total indifference or even hostility.
IT is patently wrong to think you can make these young chaps happy your way.
You must lead them, be authoritarian, tell them the way to follow; they are happiest when they have no choice.
They have never learnt to discuss, to have their own opinion, to contradict someone. They basically disagree with your approach because it is so un-Chinese.
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Sinobear



Joined: 24 Aug 2004
Posts: 1269
Location: Purgatory

PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 10:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Try some of the suggestions from this site: http://www.oncourseworkshop.com/Student%20Success%20Strategies.htm

Cheers and good luck!
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Voldermort



Joined: 14 Apr 2004
Posts: 597

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 12:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the encouragment and advice.

The one thing I have realised this week is the correlation between their Chinese teacher and their behaviour. For my good classes I have noticed they stand and chorus "Good morning Miss Wang" to their English teacher. The bad teacher's act like they don't want to be there. How are these kids supposed to feel motivated to learn if even their Chinese teacher doesn't feel English has some importance.

I know that maybe I shold be a little more strict, but I honestly don't want to do that. Even the non speakers will come to speak with me outside the lessons. I try to show them I am more of a friend than a lecturer.

In one class yesterday I nearly lost it. They just wouldn't pay attention. I stood in front of them for more than 5 minutes waiting for the silence. After this, red in the face, I said "If you don't want to be here then get out". The problem after was total silence, they wouldn't even answer a question when prompted.

I am only in this school for another 2 months so I will use this time to refine my teaching style finding out what works and what doesn't with age group.
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cujobytes



Joined: 14 May 2004
Posts: 1031
Location: Zhuhai, (Sunny South) China.

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 1:16 am    Post subject: . Reply with quote

Quote:
I try to show them I am more of a friend than a lecturer.

That's a mistake, obviously.
I refer you to rogers post.
You are NOT their friend, you are their teacher, act like it.
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dearbarbie



Joined: 05 Sep 2004
Posts: 317
Location: Tianjin, China

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 2:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sounds like my teething problems here. I also had problems with talking when I was, mobile phones, etc. Here's how I got over it, maybe it can give you some ideas?

So, I drew up a penalty points table, 2 points for talking when I do or another classmate is, 5 points for lateness or me seeing or hearing a mobile phone. I was really tough with it for the first few weeks to show I meant business and now I seem to have their respect. I did some activities where I can encourage them to speak e.g. each class i write a question on the board. I ask it to a student, who answers, then asks another student. This goes on until everyone has spoken and seems to work well as a warm-up. I did a few games at the start too - we played Consequences, had a snowball fight, allsorts - just icebreakers - but in-between this, I give them very difficult exercises to show that this class isn't just a game-playing easy ride. They seem to be a lot better than when I first met them 2 months ago.

Maybe they're just still warming to you. I learned to be friendly with them, but stern at the same time. I encourage the students a lot, and we clap each other a lot. I try to teach topics that they can relate to - clothes, dating, Internet...

I just kept at it - don't give up! It's just culture I think.
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Zero Hero



Joined: 20 Mar 2005
Posts: 944

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 3:30 am    Post subject: Re: What am I doing wrong? Reply with quote

Voldermort wrote:
How do you make the class enjoyable for 50 students under these conditions?

Halve the number of students.
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ryleeys



Joined: 18 Jan 2005
Posts: 1101

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 3:39 am    Post subject: Re: What am I doing wrong? Reply with quote

Zero Hero wrote:
Voldermort wrote:
How do you make the class enjoyable for 50 students under these conditions?

Halve the number of students.


Or halve the students.
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ChinaMovieMagic



Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 2102
Location: YangShuo

PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2005 9:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Learn from Chinese-restaurant small group dynamics
Divide the class of 50 in 7 groups of 6 and one group of 8
Have the seats/desks in each group, in 2 lines facing each other.
Students discuss/role play the issue with the partner facing. After a few minutes, BEFORE the energy peaks, have the inner circle circulate clockwise or counter-clockwise, and repeat w/a new partner.

Small-group dynamics!!!
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Voldermort



Joined: 14 Apr 2004
Posts: 597

PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 12:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, what a difference this week. My students were actually raising their hands with hope of expressing their own opinions. I couldn't believe it. By the way, this week I teach senior 1.

There is such a gap between senior 1 and 2, I just can't place my finger on it. Has anybody else noticed this?
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expatben



Joined: 05 Apr 2005
Posts: 214
Location: UK...soon Canada though

PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 1:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I know what you mean. When I was in France I had to tutor this one guy Alexander. The first time things didn't go well but in a few days things were much better-we even did verbs and nouns! Sometimes time can be the best thing.
Expat
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struelle



Joined: 16 May 2003
Posts: 2372
Location: Shanghai

PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 3:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
There is such a gap between senior 1 and 2, I just can't place my finger on it. Has anybody else noticed this?


My understanding is that the Chinese Senior high 1,2,3 levels correspond to Grades 10, 11, 12 in North America. Remember the maturity gap between Grade 10 and 11? It was huge!

For adolescent boys in particular, this year represents the most growth and maturity and is quite a difficult year to go through. In general I was amazed at some of the changes in a few of the students I tracked over the year when teaching at the Shanghai boarding school. These guys are going through a lot, you gotta recognize that.

For girls it tends to be the year before that, so there are generally not as many discipline issues to deal with in senior levels. It's usually the boys at the back that you have to be strict with and come up with some kind of way to integrate them into the rest of classes more.

Steve
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kev7161



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

PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 3:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
It's usually the boys at the back that you have to be strict with and come up with some kind of way to integrate them into the rest of classes more.


I hear/read this sort of thing all the time, but nobody ever gives examples of how, exactly, to do this. I tried moving them around, talking about sports, bring one up to play "teacher" with me, cajole, plead, annoy, whatever I can do to get something . . . ANYTHING out of them and all I get are snores or "ting bu dong". So many of my Senior 1 boys are apathetic (and pathetic). I don't know if I'll ever teach a new crop (outside of this summer's camp), but it would be nice to have a few tried and true methods under my belt.
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Cdaniels



Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 663
Location: Dunwich, Massachusetts

PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:17 pm    Post subject: Losing your Temper Reply with quote

Way back, when I was a teacher's assistant for a first grade, I finally lost my temper one day when a couple of kids chased eachother into the closet. I yelled quite loudly for them to stop it and sit in their seats. The rest of the class applauded me! A teacher came by to check on the class, and I was embarrassed, but my display of temper actually helped quite a bit!
I also dealt with a troubled adult in her 50's, who I also raised my voice to one day (after knowing her for years), and she later thanked me for making her realize she was wrong.
I don't recommend this approach, but people know instinctively that teachers who don't care, won't let themselves get angry. Expect students to "push your buttons," If you have an real personal investment in teaching, in the long run you'll be ok
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