Job Discussion Forums

ssjup81 · Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 6:00 am Post subject: Lesson Ideas

Hi everyone. I know it's been a while since I've last posted on here or even been to this board. I don't have internet in my apartment yet, so it's seldom that I'm online for the most part.

Anyway, I was going over the profiles for the students and trying to come up with ideas for some of the students to use. Some of the students, though, have a high level of English and the main problem that they have is trying to respond faster in English or "thinking in English" as opposed to translating in their heads and thus responding slowly. I've never really had to deal with that so what suggestions do you all have who have dealt with students with this type of problem or situation? What activities would you recommend for these type of students?

One thing I actually did do last year when temporarily standing in for a teacher at an eikaiwa she worked for (after my contract was up with Heart), was that I did sort of a Hot Potato thing, and I would ask a question and they would only have a certain amount of time to respond to my question. Granted, these were two high-school boys. I would feel odd using that method or game with middle-aged women or adults in general.

Any suggestions would be most helpful and thanks in advance to anyone who can help.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Have a partner read from a paper. It has a choice question (you decide if they can handle more than 2 choices).

The responding student needs to give himself time to translate and think and translate back, so it can be natural for him to repeat part of the question as part of his answer. Have them do that.

Example.

What would you like to do on a Saturday night with friends -- watch a movie or sit and talk together?

Possible Answers:
On a Saturday night, I would like to...
With friends on a Saturday night, I would like to...

Or you can try teaching them place-holding words/expressions.
Let me see now.
Just a minute while I think a minute.
That's a hard one.
You make a good point there.
I never thought of that before.
Hmmm, how should I answer that?