Job Discussion Forums

[Damo22]

Hello all...

I have for many months been teaching junior students, that is, kids aged 13-15. We�ve been doing the standard run-of-the-mill activities and games that seem to keep their young heads (and minds?) interested � hard when there are no less than 50 of them in every class � and things have been going fairly smoothly.

However, just recently, my school has given to me 4 additional classes comprising of senior students ( aged between 16 - 18 ). I�ve spent a few lessons gauging their ability and have, so far, been pleasantly surprised. The thing is, rather than bore these kids with the same exercises I�ve been throwing at my junior students, I�d ideally like to engage them with some good discussion based lessons. Now� the problem.

There seems to be no shortage of ideas for classroom discussions on google but - and it�s a big but - very few seem to be relevant to these kids. In my mind, the biggest problem is that these kids have no life outside school. I can hardly ask them questions like, �What do you do in the evening?� or �What do you do at weekends�, because I know the answer will be, A, �School� or, B, �Homework�.

Even non-social activities are a tad hard to discuss due to well-known political sensitivities. I mean, a class of senior students shouted at a friend of mine after she dared suggest that many people in Taiwan speak Taiwanese.

Basically, can anyone suggest any particular discussion topics that they have had success with in the past? Most I look at are either not relevant, sensitive, or just too damn boring.

[acwilliams]

Technology. Quiz: 20th century inventions - in which year were they invented? The daily life of a student in 2050. Students work in groups to design a new invention (flying shopping bag, homework-writing machine) and present it to the class.

Traffic and Gruesome Accidents. Have the students share their near-death experiences. a surprise hit with my last elementary class!

Food. Always a crowd-pleaser. Taste tests with different kinds of chocolate, mints, etc. Have students design and conduct a healthy-eating survey. Have students set up their own 'restaurants' with theme, name and menu, then visit each other's establishments and role-play ordering a meal - finally, write a review of the ambiance, food and service.

Sports. Debate: which is the more interesting game, football or basketball? Have the students work in groups to invent their own sport, using only the things in their classroom - each group presents its ideas, then the class votes for the best game, and plays it.

[kev7161]

Dreams, hopes, fantasies

Comparing cultures: holidays, day-to-day living, education systems, pop culture, priorities, foods, sports, etc.

True crime stories (in China and elsewhere)

Cities in China: why are they well known? what are they famous for? What about other international cities (Paris, Rio, NYC, etc.) - - what do the students know about these cities?

Have students research and report on (okay, okay, TALK ABOUT) extreme sports around the world - - and their classmates' opinions. Would they try something like this (bungee jumping for example)?

Music, music, music (and music videos) - - getting students to sing is one step away to getting them to speak.

Life in college - - what are their hopes, their fears, there post high-school and post-college plans?

Don't let them get away with "I want to be a businessman/woman" crap. Have a "job fair" and have them research and report on (okay, okay, TALK ABOUT) a specific career they may be interested in having (even it it's not realistic for most - - say, an astronaut).

Okay, so these would be easier in an English speaking classroom somewhere in Canada or the US or elsewhere, but they are just some ideas for you to mull over.

[7969]

pm me your email. i can send you some things that might be of use.

7969

[acwilliams]

Considering the age and level of your students, though, they could gain a lot from discussing meatier topics that can still be dealt with in a politically sensitive way. I've recently used the following online newspaper stories in a similar 'conversation class' with success:

Bird flu http://www.guardian.co.uk/china/story/0,,1725231,00.html
March 7th: 'Health officials in China were yesterday investigating a man's death from bird flu in a province where no poultry outbreaks have been reported since 2004.'

Crime in schools http://www.guardian.co.uk/china/story/0,,1722484,00.html
March 3rd: 'China has posted 24,000 police at state schools throughout the country in an effort to improve safety... following a series of knife attacks on children, hostage-takins, fires and other incidents.'

Tackling countryside poverty http://www.guardian.co.uk/china/story/0,,1715078,00.html
February 22nd: 'Against a background of rising rural unrest, China yesterday unveiled ambitions plans to help the 800 million people living in the countryside catch up economically with people in the cities.'

[Calories]

Don't forget video games.

[dajiang]

I used Yahoo Oddly enough newsarticles.
Sometimes had to adjust the text to suit their level, but the stories are really cool, and give for good discussions.

Also check out this one:
http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/
It's on recent events, complete with lessonplan and discussion notes.

Basically you'll have get them to read about the topic first before talking about it. But that's natural.

Also:
Crazy debate (from the cookbook)
It's described on my humble weblog:
http://eslmaniac.web-log.nl/ under 'discussions: ideas/topics'
There's heaps more there as well.

Good luck,

Dajiang

[Roger]

If you have been successful with junior students then you should do what you have so far successfully been doing. Trying out a new scheme might backfire - "discussions"? That's so utterly new to Chinese students that I fear you will draw your first disappointments here!

[dajiang]

Nosirreebob, I object.

Of course, always renew and try out new stuff. After all you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Discussions are most definitely possible, it's just a matter of how you prepare them for it. If something is new to a person, that doesn't mean it's impossible, or you can't have a go at it, or you can't learn how to do it.

The ideas that I've described on my humble weblog have all been put in practise, and have all passed the test.

You shouldn't be too cynical Roger. I'm surprised that you, with your experience of many years, are so wary of 'discussion'. You seem be holding your students in quite low esteem? Ever considered taking a break from the ol' teaching scene?

Dajiang

[Malsol]

21st Century, English on-line newspaper in China with section for middle schoolers hot topics.

[7969]

[Malsol]

[vikdk]

Dajiang 2 things your weblog is far from humble - one of the really good sources for both concrete ideas, and seeds of an idea that can be converted into other stuff - and that avatar - well aint that both daves and working in China - in a nutshell - brilliant

[Roger]

[vikdk]

talking = excercising communication = strengthening both language and personal confidence.