Job Discussion Forums

[chengdu4me]

I would like to ask some of the veteran teachers here for some advice on how to get the students speaking more. A little background...My classes are 8th grade students. Class size is 40 students. I have each class once a week. 13 different classes each week. 520 students spread over all of these classes. Each class is 40 minutes.

My job is strictly Oral English. The students have six other classes each week for reading, writing, and grammar.

Very few will participate voluntarily in class. However, my sole mandate is to get them to practice speaking. That is my only instruction from the Headmaster. Make them speak!

One thought I have is to treat the class like a Toast Masters Club and have each student give a two minute speech every week. This could be done by breaking the class up into groups so that six people are giving speeches at any one time.

Obviously, these are Chinese students and if only one person is speaking and 39 others are listening, they won't be listening for very long before chaos erupts.

What other ways are there to get them to practice their English speaking skills in a meaningful way? I will have 12 classes over the next few months (Mar- May) that I would like to build one class into the next so that their skills keep improving.

Any advice will be appreciated!

[The Ever-changing Cleric]

i have some files that might be of use to you. send me your email address and i'll forward them to you.

[sharpe88]

You should be having them do pair and small group work as much as possible, especially pair work.