Job Discussion Forums

[Gajah Oling]

So I have some courses where I'm required to teach from the textbook (Face To Face and Real Life, Cambridge) and use all the activities in said books (parents want to see their kids using the expensive books they must buy). While there's plenty of material provided for each lesson in these books to fill an hour of teaching, juggernauting through all the activities is just not very engaging for the students.

Unfortunately, the classes are not long enough to supplement the textbook/workbook activities with additional materials so I must stick with the books almost entirely. Also, while the books are quite decent, there are many lessons in each unit which don't include much of an opportunity for students to practice their fluency (engage in structured dialogs with one another).

One thing I've been able to do which helps a bit with slogging through the exercises is to make them into a competition wherein teams need to complete the materials and then write them on the white board before the other team (once done, the teams correct the opposing group's work), but this isn't something that can be relied on all the time.

Does anyone have any tips for how to disseminate these textbook materials in such a fashion as to keep the students engaged?

[Sashadroogie]

Without wanting to be flippant, there are plenty of ideas in the teacher's book for exploiting these course books. In any case, even when using course book materials, we don't have to go through the exercises by the numbers. The materials can be re-fashioned in any number of ways. For example, using almost any reading text in a course book, learners can be set the task of designing their own comprehension questions, which they can later give to another group of learners to answer. I.e. photocopy the body of a text from the course book, without any question tasks. Divide class into two, three groups. Give out the text. Learners design five or so comprehension questions. Swap groups' questions. Groups answer. Swap back for correction.

The book has still been used, though indirectly - but the learners own creativity has been employed also. Plenty of scope for exploiting course book materials.

[Teacher in Rome]

[coledavis]

While I agree that parents will expect you to use the books, are you sure that you really have to use all of the exercises. It is the teacher's job to use his or her judgement to adapt or replace as and where necessary.

If however you feel you have to, then you can supplement with boardwork. As well as writing up vocabulary, this can include funny explanatory cartoons (the worse an artist you are, often the funnier). Even this minor adaptation gives people a rest from the book. (Maybe also some student boardwork? 'Close the book and come and spell ....')

[Shroob]

[daniel_hayes]

Some excellent ideas here, very useful. I agree with all of the opinions on here. For me, it's about personalisation.

[teacheratlarge]

[Sashadroogie]

That really depends on what the learners think is boring.

Some Teacher Book ideas are not appropriate for some classes, but it is a good idea to start looking there first anyway.