Job Discussion Forums

[cangringo]

I hope this hasn't been posted before but hubby has a student who just can't learn. He's an older guy and he's been to classes for at least 24 hours - this is including another class he's taking and he hasn't learned the verb to be yet. He just doesn't get it or won't.

Anyone have experience with this or ideas...?? Is it hopeless??

[Serious_Fun]

Can we assume that the student in question is a native Spanish speaker?

[spiral78]

I've had male students who started studying ESL in their 60's who gained a functional command of the language within two years - but I think the key was serious motivation to learn.

They were involved with a company that would give them management positions involving seriously good pay if they were able to master the language skills.

It was clearly tough for the older guys, though. They seem to have a much harder time HEARING the sounds of the language....I wonder if your husband might be able to make something useful of this, in terms of first helping the guy to LISTEN to the language, then learning to incorporate what he hears into his own repertoire...

[cangringo]

sorry yes he's a native Spanish speaker

We've had students that are slow but this is ridiculous. I don't know if he's not hearing the sounds but he can't do it on paper either. Hubby speaks a bit of Spanish so he's even translated and explained that in English it's just to be...he still doesn't understand that this is ser and estar.

[QatarChic]

Has he tried one 2 one tuition? Sometimes they need extra support to supplement their classes.

[Glenski]

[yaramaz]

I took it to mean something like 24 hours in the classroom. I certainly hope it wasn't 24 years. That would be depressing.

[cangringo]

Thanks for the replies. I meant 24 hours, as in he's taken classes with another person and ours (which is private one on one) but he can't get past "I am", "you are" "he is" etc. I realize this doesn't seem like a very long time but he's literally stuck on this and forgets everything as soon as you think he's learned it. Is it possible that he just isn't capable?? Basically hubby is doing the same class over and over and over. He's trying to help the guy with his homework but he can't get past the first page!! Do you not consider 24 hours a long time for the verb "to be"?? I admit we are newbies but we don't have anyone that's this slow, that includes me learning Spanish.

Sorry my brain is still recovering from Friday night...

[Glenski]

Ok, so it's 24 total hours of teaching time. Thanks.

I'd say do your best to endure this guy, and give him to a Spanish-speaking bilingual teacher ASAP. Or just make things hard enough for him to quit on his own. Why is he taking the class anyway?

[spiral78]

I think Glenski's question is spot - on. What's this student's motivation for studying English?

Maybe you could skip 'to be' for now and try to find something he can have a bit of success on, or that might be more interesting/specifically relevant to him.

Perhaps he'd be better at memorizing nouns (you could start by naming the stuff in the room, rather than with a book). Or office furnishings and equipment, if he's a businessman.

Or try using a current weather map, preferably a world one, from a newspaper of the day - has he had some holidays? Where? Where would he like to go? There's a whole range of adjectives here, too, from hot-warm-cool-cold and far-farther.

I'm thinking that if you take the book-study out and try to make some connection with the guy in terms of his interests, so that he is motivated to communicate with you, that might be a better starting point.

Not to ignore the verb to be, but just to change the order of goals of the lessons - communication first, proper grammatical structures second.

[Jetgirly]

I had a similar student and I'm pretty sure he was dyslexic. Check to see if he has comprehension problems with things written/spoken in his own language... that could lead you to the root of the problem. It could also lead you beyond your capabilities as an EFL teacher.

Alternately, do a 180 and start teaching him English that he's passionate about, whether you base everything on motorcycles or yoga or macrobiotic cooking. Find something to hook him in, get started on the vocab, and try to model the verbs in such a way that he won't even realize you're modeling them. He could just be totally, completely unmotivated (worst kind of student ever).

[cangringo]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I will pass them on to hubby. I think the guy can get it in his own language but it's possible he has problems there too. His other teacher is bilingual.

Anyway I pass on the noun suggestion and things he's passionate about. We'll see how that goes. It won't help with his homework (from the other class) but maybe he'll get somewhere.

[cangringo]

Hi there,

I just stopped in to say yay!!! The student has finally caught on, he's learned "to be" and some other things. I think things will go a bit faster from now on. He was happy to go back to his class and know more than the rest of them. (His other class that is).

[phis]

I've been teaching ESL for something like 25 years (OK, that gives away my age a little!) and I have only ever come across five students who definitely wouldn't get very far with their studies. I refrain from saying 'couldn't learn anything', because I believe that there isn't anyone who can't manage to pick up some basic words and phrases.

The interesting thing about these students was that they kept coming to class. They were never absent. They were more enthusiastic than many students who found the whole process easier, and they seemed to get a whole lot of enjoyment and satisfaction from the classes.

Your guy seems to fit into this category. So accept his limitations and teach him things that he is able to assimilate. Get away from the grammatical aspect at the moment and concentrate more on situational language. He might surprise you later by being able to understand how the language is put together. At this point it is not really as important as getting him to talk and communicate in English.

Above all, enjoy the classes yourself! I have always found that older students like this have a lot to contribute and usually have a refreshing and more laidback outlook on life.

[Serious_Fun]