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11 year olds who never had an English lesson

 
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teachingld2004



Joined: 29 Mar 2004

PostPosted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:43 pm    Post subject: 11 year olds who never had an English lesson Reply with quote

Any ideas? Usually I have no problems reaching beginners, but now I am stuck.

I have a class of ten 11 year olds who never learned any English. They can say perhaps 4 or 5 words. The behavior of 4 of them stinks. I fully understand they do not want to be in the class, and I understand it is hard for them.

One of the problem is the books that we have to use. They are the same ones that are used for teaching 5 year olds. The pictures are very silly. Not silly - cute, but really not good. I have to use them. And yes I can do other things also.

But it is hard for 11 yr olds to look at these really "baby" books. The pictures show children at age 5, not at age 11.

How many days can I spend having them look at monkeys looking sad and saying "I do not have a pencil?
Or a monkey saying, "Is this your book?" I try to get them to laugh, but they are up and down and this really bores them

I have tried many things. The class started with 7 kids 4 weeks ago, and this week came 3 new ones, and all the lessons have to be repeated, Not fun for any one.

And yes, I have to do these books,. And I have to do one page a day. That is 45 minutes of "Please pick up your pencil." We have done other things, and most of the kids are so far ahead of the book, while the 3 new ones can not even do the first few pages.

thanks if you have an idea.
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warren pease



Joined: 12 May 2008

PostPosted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 5:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

several per-class soju's might help.
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OneWayTraffic



Joined: 14 Mar 2005

PostPosted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 7:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bone up on flashcards and games.

Go Fish etc...

And this is the wrong forum. Job related all the way...
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Sleepy in Seoul



Joined: 15 May 2004
Location: Going in ever decreasing circles until I eventually disappear up my own fundament - in NZ

PostPosted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 7:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

warren pease wrote:
several per-class soju's might help.

There is the possibility that alcohol might make their behaviour even worse.
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Underwaterbob



Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Location: In Cognito

PostPosted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Starting the class over for three new students is bunk.

I'd try to put the material in the book in some new context for them since it's not suited for their age level. Probably means more prep work.
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ReeseDog



Joined: 05 Apr 2008
Location: Classified

PostPosted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sleepy in Seoul wrote:
warren pease wrote:
several per-class soju's might help.

There is the possibility that alcohol might make their behaviour even worse.


Damn. There's another one for the "best quotes ever" thread.
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aka Dave



Joined: 02 May 2008
Location: Down by the river

PostPosted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 11:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sleepy in Seoul wrote:
warren pease wrote:
several per-class soju's might help.

There is the possibility that alcohol might make their behaviour even worse.


Well played, sir!
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teachingld2004



Joined: 29 Mar 2004

PostPosted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 4:10 am    Post subject: 11 yr old beginners Reply with quote

You are right, I did make a mistake by putting this question in this forum.

But I do like the soju idea. One bottle for me and one for each of them.
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Fishead soup



Joined: 24 Jun 2007
Location: Korea

PostPosted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 5:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Get a foreigner. Find a river with rapid white water. Put him/her in a boat and don't bother giving him/her a paddle/co-teacher.
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ds_fan



Joined: 07 Apr 2008

PostPosted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 8:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

to be fair, if they had spent 5-6 years learning english at a kindy hagwon before this i dont think it would have made any difference. id say the max children learn at kindy would be about 5 words anyway.
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ttompatz



Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea

PostPosted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 2:35 am    Post subject: Re: 11 year olds who never had an English lesson Reply with quote

teachingld2004 wrote:
Any ideas? Usually I have no problems reaching beginners, but now I am stuck.

I have a class of ten 11 year olds who never learned any English. They can say perhaps 4 or 5 words. The behavior of 4 of them stinks. I fully understand they do not want to be in the class, and I understand it is hard for them.

One of the problem is the books that we have to use. They are the same ones that are used for teaching 5 year olds. The pictures are very silly. Not silly - cute, but really not good. I have to use them. And yes I can do other things also.

But it is hard for 11 yr olds to look at these really "baby" books. The pictures show children at age 5, not at age 11.

How many days can I spend having them look at monkeys looking sad and saying "I do not have a pencil?
Or a monkey saying, "Is this your book?" I try to get them to laugh, but they are up and down and this really bores them

I have tried many things. The class started with 7 kids 4 weeks ago, and this week came 3 new ones, and all the lessons have to be repeated, Not fun for any one.

And yes, I have to do these books,. And I have to do one page a day. That is 45 minutes of "Please pick up your pencil." We have done other things, and most of the kids are so far ahead of the book, while the 3 new ones can not even do the first few pages.

thanks if you have an idea.



5 min - greetings and settle in.
10 minutes - song or TPR activity
(doesn't have to be related to the days material but great if it is). (youtube is full of stuff you can use)

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=JBXaupIJHr8
or
http://www.opo2.es.kr/home/6sigma/home/m3-5.html (click the links on the left for "Classroom English", "Let's sing" or "English material".

20 minutes for the required lesson from the book.
5-8 minute for a quick game/activity related to the book material.
2 minutes to clean up and head out.


.
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icicle



Joined: 09 Feb 2007
Location: Gyeonggi do Korea

PostPosted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 3:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ds_fan wrote:
to be fair, if they had spent 5-6 years learning english at a kindy hagwon before this i dont think it would have made any difference. id say the max children learn at kindy would be about 5 words anyway.


Not necessarily true ... I work in a kindy/elementary hagwon and the students that I teach in kindergarten the most are in a 5 years old class (korean age) so are 3 or 4 western age ... and they know a good deal more than 5 words ... They have been in the class for one semester and can understand and use a lot of English ... Almost all of the actual teaching they get is done in English either from the Korean teachers or from Native English speakers ... probably around 50/50 between the two. Overall I think their ability to answer basic questions like what is their name? How old are they? Where do they live? What do they like to eat? is better than many of my middle schoolers last year was ...
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Skippy



Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Daejeon

PostPosted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes the OP brings up one aspect that always annoys me when it comes to books - AGE appopriate. Here he is he has to teach 11 year old with material for kindy kids. Hey I love Sesame Street when I was 4 -6. But when I was 11 I could not watch a whole episode with out wanting to strin my eyes with rolling.

Can anybody recommend some books for that level of children.
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wylies99



Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!

PostPosted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 2:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Underwaterbob wrote:
Starting the class over for three new students is bunk.

I'd try to put the material in the book in some new context for them since it's not suited for their age level. Probably means more prep work.


Agreed. The age level comment is on the money.
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