Job Discussion Forums

[km618]

I'm teaching oral English classes at my university in Beijing and this is my first teaching job. I didn't even want it at first, because I don't have any teaching experiece, but the people who work in the international office kept on telling me to take it. They want to keep a good relationship with my home university. They didn't really teach me what to do. They only told me to have a lecture topic every class. I talked to another teacher who told me a little bit about it, but that's it.

My class is an hour and a half long. For the first 45 minutes, I teach them slang, phrases, and correct their pronunciation (Chiner, wegetables). For the second half, I should have a topic...but...the point of the class is for them to practice their English, so I want them to talk. Some of them want to talk too, but they never do, so then i stand up there and I have to keep thinking of things to say. I ask them questions about the topic and everyone is scared to talk (some of them send me text messages after class and say this...). What should I do about this? Any topic ideas? I'll really appreciate any advice.

[Babala]

You can find some good ideas on this website. They have great handouts you can do with them.

www.bogglesworld.com

[Steppenwolf]

You need to focus on a GOAL or OBJECTIVE for your students; just making them to talk can't be a goal in itself... What is the PURPOSE of your students talking?

My colleagues and I have repeatedly exchanged observations on similar issues to yours, and we generally agree that the best we can do for our charges is...to guide them towards a better pronuncation.

There is no point in having them make speeches when they don't understand each other...but you can make them learn some lyrics from a song or a poem and drill some really good rhythm, intonation and pronunciation into them.

If you have them long enough you could perhaps even make them act in some drama.

[tw]

The old give-them-a-topic-and-have-them-discuss doesn't work anymore (if it ever did) for various reasons. Students are tired, lazy, having no interest in the topic and/or English, not having enough vocabulary to express themselves, shyness, not being able to understand the topic, etc.

Since you teach slangs and phrases, get them to practice using those slangs and phrases by having them perform skits. Give them situations then set them loose. Give them twenty minutes to design and practice the dialogue (no memorizing required), then have them act out the dialogue infront of the class.

[jamesmollo]

I've tried and I've tried trying to get them to design dialogues/role-plays based on a given topic, after giving them examples, vocab etc. This doesn't work for some of the reasons mentioned above (at least with the vast majority of my current high-school students) that is not to say that sometimes they will dazzle you with their creativity, more often than not the case unfortunately. If it's a matter of 'just getting through it' and they're not participating, write a dialogue on the board and get them to read it in pairs. If this is a large class (after having some discussion, illiciting vocab they already know) the time will go quickly, without the anxiety of you having to do all the talking. This is, afterall, of no benefit to them (reduce teacher talking time and all that).
Let's face it, with oral english class it's like trying to get blood from a stone. Make it easier for yourself, be prepared, force them to speak, use pair and groupwork to lessen the pressure.
you'll be fine, relax but be strict with them.
good luck

[kev7161]

Here's my advice if you want to stick with this job: Start making a notebook for yourself. Fill it with games and "spoken English" activities you get here and elsewhere on the net. Many games you can adapt to the subject at hand. If you're talking about foods in one class, then oceans and seas the next, you can adjust accordingly. Also, find puzzles and other writing activities you can copy and have a master copy in your notebook.

Next, divide up your class session into sections. Have a ten to fifteen minute warm-up activity. Pass out lyrics to a song and play the song. Get them to sing along if they're so inclined (start with well-known Chinese favorites). Leave out some words in the lyrics, see if they can guess what the words are. Bring a big picture in (of anything) and ask them what they see in the picture? how does the picture make them feel? who likes the picture and why? who dislikes and why? etc. There's a HOST of other warm-ups, these are just a couple of suggestions.

Have two or three different activities/games planned out in your main lesson part (about an hour's worth, yes?). Here's one idea if you want them to create a short dialogue or skit. Have the first few lines of the dialogue written for them. It's their job to come up with the extras: players' names, location, time, etc. Then have them come up with "what happens next?" So all groups will have essentially the beginning of the dialogue the same. What could be interesting is how they finish off the second half. If this is supposed to be a comedy, show a short piece of a good comedy that might be a similar theme as to what you want them to do. Maybe if sitting around in a coffee shop, show a bit of "Friends" - - that sort of thing.

Come up with an evaluation sheet that other students can use to rate each other and pass those out. Hopefully, this keeps everyone involved.

Make sure you have a cooling down period, the last 10 minutes or so. You can play a quick game, have some puzzles for them to work on, have a Q & A session (each class one student has to come up and be interviewed), whatever you think will work for your group.

The main thrust of my advice though is to start building up that notebook and have lots of things at the ready. While you are putting the notebook together, you'll be working harder than maybe you want to, but once you have 50 or 100 ideas in there, your subsequent semesters will start to become easier and easier.

[km618]

OK, thanks for the site and all of the advice....thanks a lot. I can learn a lot on this site. I'll let you guys know how my next class works out.

[km618]

Again, thanks for the advice. Things are going really well in class now. The kids really seem to like the way I do things now, especially kev7161's suggestion about passing out lyrics to a song...every person in the class gets involved and tries to figure it out. They seem to like simple topics like "My ideal boyfriend/girlfriend is..." or "If I could go anywhere in the world, I would go to_____because..." I have a list of topics like that written down and I usually put two on the board and let them answer one or both of them. My notebook doesn't have a lot of ideas, but it's getting there.

The only problem is that I won't be able to come back next semester. The guy who begged me to take the job at first got what he needed from me and he got two new foreign teachers for next year, even though he was saying that he hopes that we can stay and work for longer than a semester (we, meaning the other two students from my university)

On Friday, he took us out for dinner to talk to us about being evaluated and called me "part of the team" (which i knew was bullshit at the time) and said that he could have a full time position ready for me when I graduate (which i knew was probably bullshit). So, I went to his office today to talk about the 10-16 hours a week he told me he could arrange for me next semester...he told me this one yesterday. He said that he wouldn't be able to do it. I asked him why and he just said that there would be no room for me because of the other foreign teachers. I asked him why he even told me that in the first place, knowing that he had no plans of keeping his word, and he didn't even know what to say. I guess I really shouldn't count on coming back after I graduate, then.

I feel so shitty now. I was really starting to love working here and it made my experience in China so much better...I would do it for free if I had to, but I won't be able to. Does this kind of stuff happen a lot? Would you say that he screwed me over, or am I overreacting a little?

[latefordinner]

km618, you've just learned the most important lesson about teaching in China. My sympathies. Now get up and move on and do something with your life. Unless you really enjoy teaching, in which case I humbly offer two bits of advice.
First, learn to protect yourself from unscrupulous people, becasue there's no end to the quick-buck operators here, and what you've experienced is nothing compared to some of the horror stories I've heard. (I've been here 5 years and I'm still learning. No one ever accused me of being a quick study) Second, take teaching seriously, treat it as a profession and learn as much as you can about it. What you were asked to do (and did with the best of intentions) was about as unprofessional as it gets. Well not really, every day someone somewhere in this muddled kingdom finds a new low to stoop to, but they got you started pretty close to rock bottom. Fortunately you're a pretty adaptable person and a quick study. If you want to continue teaching here after you graduate, you should be fine.

[tw]

[kev7161]

TW, why not confront them with their lies:

"You told me just yesterday that the school was not rehiring any of the FTs, yes?"

"Uh, yes."

"They why, pray tell, did so-and-so tell me just last night that he's been asked to return?"

"Uhm, I don't know. I'll have to find out."

"Okay, I'll wait."

Or, ask them point blank why they don't want to rehire you? Ask them if, as you suspect, it's due to your Asian features? I mean, get in their "face" about this stuff if it's really bothering you. Just my advice . . .

[YankeeDoodleDandy]

TW, Go for it. From your posts, you are an articulate young man. I believe that it is unfair. You have come back to your roots to teach and share your knowledge and wisdom. I do not like confrontations, but I believe that you should have them give you the real reason and have them loose face. Please PM me if you would like to come and teach in Xian, I will talk to my FAO. All the best. David

[kulhavy]

And that's why TW I don't participate in anything my school offers me other than my classes. Because it's just plain horse manure. I've been asked to come to their English Corner, Thanksgiving Party, Christmas Party and etc. No thanks. The only reason they want me to come is bragging rights. Well, they can take those bragging rights and stick it up their you know what.

[cj750s]