Job Discussion Forums

[amandabarrick]

I have tried every method I can think of. My students are high school level, I think part of it is shyness, afraid of making a mistake, but part of it is the Chinese educational system that teaches them never to ask questions or they will look foolish or cause the teacher to lose face. I also think some of them are just lazy. Not just questions when they don't understand, but any type of question on any topic.

They don't have a problem answering questions I ask, but getting them to ask questions is such a battle...

I have played the '20 questions' game with them where they must ask 'yes' or 'no' questions to guess the answer, it took about 4 hours. I have given them a script and have them ask their partner specific questions and their partner replies, but it ends up failing as they just talk in Chinese about other things. I have tried bribing them with candy, nothing but silence. I have tried threatening them if they didn't start asking questions then I would give them exams... nothing but silence. Has anyone figured out a way to get students to ask questions???

AB

[andyscott84]

Their shyness usually takes a back seat to their competitve nature. Turn it into a game, see which team can ask the most questions on a certain topic. If that doesn't work, maybe you can do a rewards system. If everyone asks alot of questions one week, then we'll play a game next week or learn a song. Whatever they like. Eventually they'll learn if they don't speak they won't get the more fun activites.

[erinyes]

A good warm up:

Run into the classroom just on the bell panting and tired! Make a big show of "oh MAN I JUST made it to class today!!!"

Or perhaps "I was SO angry this morning?"

Or maybe "Something terrible happened to me yesterday!"

Then when they just say "Why?" or "What?" you can act like you don't understand. Then they will start thinking about how to make the questions better. It's natural.

Another way - show a video (if you have one) or some photos of your family, your home country or a holiday you had. They will surly ask you "Where is that?" "Who are they?"
Then as you tell more about the holiday, they can ask more questions about it. "How long did you stay there?" "Who was with you?" "What other things did you do?"

[vikdk]

a friend of mine had a question hat - where questions were written on pieces of paper - the kids picked them out. Some of the question were very funny so they enjoyed doing it - latter they could write thier own questions and put them in the hat - and ask each other the questions. It seemed to work with him.

[Roger]

Why should these kids ASK YOU questions? That would mean they MUST BE curious/ curious is not a virtue in Chinese tradition!

They are far more comfortable in reciting what their teacher has taught them - you may have to drill them in asking those questions you want them to ask you; then drill them in answering them...

[Louras]

Thank you for that wonderfull insight Roger. What would all our lost FT souls with teaching qualifications and years of experience be without you?

[7969]

i've detected a pattern here and i will tell you what it is. most of the classes that i have that are of large size, more than 40-50 students, show little inclination to ask questions. i dont get to know any of the students on a personal level since there are simply too many of them. a couple fo my classes number more than 120.... even worse there.

however, a couple of my classes have only a handful of kids that show up, often less than 10, perhaps 7-8. those classes are the ones that work. we get to know one another more intimately, and that results in a more relaxing atmosphere in the class. i have no problem stimulating conversation in those classes. just another illustration to show where the large oral english class is an utter failure.

further, i find the classes where i prepare least seem to work best, as far as discussion goes. nothing scripted. usually the best conversations/questions follow on to something that started before class or during a break. my experience anyway.

7969