Job Discussion Forums

[Phil_K]

I'll try again!

It was pointed out to me in a previous post that I had to combine my "good ideas" with "real" conversation, so I was wondering what other posters consider a good approach to conversation classes, and how that fits in with the culture and expectations of the average Mexican student, and how it achieves the aim of getting the students actually speaking, rather than just being grammar experts.

PLEASE NO TROLLS THIS TIME, I'D LIKE A SERIOUS DEBATE!

[Professor]

[TeresaLopez]

Please remove

[TeresaLopez]

What I do with some of my conversation classes, or intermediate level classes that just need more conversation is bring in newspaper articles on current events, or things in their field, read them, go over any vocabulary then ask them questions about different points in the article, ask their opinion. etc. I also have a conversation club that meets a couple of times a month, we have breakfast or lunch, and just talk. I do take some notes and talk to each person later about any huge mistakes I see. I think someone mentioned listening as being important, and I agree with that. I have different students take turns telling a story or anecdote and then ask the other students questions about what they understood, as well as have the students ask each other questions. I send my students frequent emails in English. I think past a certain level talking and listening, and correcting mistakes and just immersion as much as possible. Even without grammar after hearing something said correctly a number of times a lot of students will start to mimic the correct phrase. And for some even simple hints like, �n English the adjective comes before the noun, can make a lot of difference. I am not sure that there is any one answer to getting students fluent. Some of it has to do with the student and how much they choose to make use of their English, some people have more of a knack for languages.

[TeresaLopez]

What I do with some of my conversation classes, or intermediate level classes that just need more conversation is bring in newspaper articles on current events, or things in their field, read them, go over any vocabulary then ask them questions about different points in the article, ask their opinion. etc. I also have a conversation club that meets a couple of times a month, we have breakfast or lunch, and just talk. I do take some notes and talk to each person later about any huge mistakes I see. I think someone mentioned listening as being important, and I agree with that. I have different students take turns telling a story or anecdote and then ask the other students questions about what they understood, as well as have the students ask each other questions. I send my students frequent emails in English. I think past a certain level talking and listening, and correcting mistakes and just immersion as much as possible. Even without grammar after hearing something said correctly a number of times a lot of students will start to mimic the correct phrase. And for some even simple hints like, �n English the adjective comes before the noun, can make a lot of difference. I am not sure that there is any one answer to getting students fluent. Some of it has to do with the student and how much they choose to make use of their English, some people have more of a knack for languages.

[TeresaLopez]

Removec

[mejms]

[TeresaLopez]

No, it was a glitch in the system, the other post was actually a PM, how wierd.

[Phil_K]

Thank you, Teresa, for the first sensible and relevant post in this discussion. Interestingly, I read an article that claims that SPEAKING is not the only requisite to achieving fluency, but that INPUT is vitally important as well. I think that my use of videos addresses this to a certain extent, but I'd be interested in other views about how to provide INPUT without too much Teacher talking time.

For those who want to go off on irrelevant tangents, I'd just like to say that I am using this forum to try to build a product that addresses all the problems about language schools that the same posters complain about, but offer no solutions to. A noble aim, I think.

[gregd75]

I once went to a talk by someone who used movie clips in his classes to create conversation. He made a good point by saying that when the teachers says 'today we're going to watch a movie', students think this is a way for them to switch off and passively watch the movie.

His approach was to take one scene and use that as a basis for the conversation. The example provided was the scene where Tom Hanks played Forrest Gump and Forrest found out that he had a child.

It was an extremely emotive scene and as a result he found that students very much conected with the clip, creating not only conversation, but use of vocabulary and free speech by all. He also found students actually listened to each other, they became a support group as they talked about their own personal experiences.

It was truly, truly fascinating and I hope to do this in my language school conversation clubs in the future!

Another idea for conversation club would be to ask students to come along prepared to talk about a subject - either you've decided the subject with them the week before, or they can decide the subject. They talk about it for 5 minutes and then other students are engouraged to ask questions etc.

Something that we have been using in conversation class has been the READING EXPLORER series - http://elt.heinle.com/pages/ng_video.html Its based on National Geographic material and is fascinating to read- Do you remember the very famous photo of the Afghani lady with the totally amazing eyes with the piercing look? Well, one unit in the book is dedicated to her and years after the originial article was published in the National Geographic they went back to look for her. The unit describes the search for her and talks about how she changed the world (through the picture)

This created very, very interesting conversations!

I have used the Penguin short stories for reading and then have tagged on conversation. For example, there was a short story at a lower level about a ghost village that appears once every 10 years and this man turned up on the day by accident and fell in love with one of the vilage dwellers. Interesting story which created conversation about love, war and what would you do if this happened to you

Finally, onestop English have monthly news lessons. These are free to download and I use these in smaller groups. First identify vocabulary, practice reading and finally generate conversation. The subjects are so off the wall that I want the students to expand their vocabulary AND converse.

These are my ideas- hope its helpful

[Phil_K]

Indeed it is Greg, thanks a lot. This is very much the way I am moving. It seems that you need to touch a nerve with the students to stimulate conversation. Pretty much like when someone roughs us up when we are driving - then we see how good our Spanish is!

[Professor]

[gregd75]

Professor... I don't see anything rude in Phils comment. I think he made a fair comment.

COnsider too, that his first attempt at a thread on Conversation has converted into the differences betwen Mexicans and Indians, I think he has a fair point.

He just wants constructive idea to promote conversation.

[Professor]

[TeresaLopez]