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640x480
Joined: 02 Apr 2008
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 Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 4:06 pm Post subject: A good book to teach conversation to young adults? |
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I'm clueless when it comes to textbooks becuase I plan my own curriculum.
I want a good book, not the useless crap my students use...
SUggestions? |
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TheChickenLover
Joined: 17 Dec 2007
Location: The Chicken Coop
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| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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Books are not necessary when teaching adults. They are looking for conversation, not boring topics or grammar. Try to create a mixed class that does something a little different each day of the week to keep their interest up. Keep the activity the same for each week-day so the students know what to expect, but also what they can look forward to.
I taught corporate & adults in hogwans for 2 years without needing a textbook. When I finished with my hogwan, I ended up continuing my adult students as a private class for an additional 2 years before they eventually changed cities or moved on. Today I keep in touch with a few, but if you can make some useful and meaningful connection with them that you help them do what they want, they will always keep coming back.
Chicken |
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640x480
Joined: 02 Apr 2008
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| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 4:19 pm Post subject: |
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AH, thanks for the advice.
I would definitely rather use my own material then a textbook...i was thinking just in case since korean sometimes feel like a book is a necessity.
Do you have 1 or 2 activities you can share that you thought worked extremely well? |
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daz1979
Joined: 29 Apr 2006
Location: Gangwon-Do
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| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 4:59 pm Post subject: |
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| I use a book called Small Group Discussion For Korean Students, but some of the articles are too difficult, so I edit them. I also use breaking news english which is a great website. Failing those, I keep my eye on the news for something that they might be interested in. |
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Easter Clark
Joined: 18 Nov 2007
Location: Hiding from Yie Eun-woong
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| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 7:23 pm Post subject: |
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You definitely need a focus for the lesson. If the students' levels are high enough, simply having a topic and some questions prepared will be enough. Of course, the lower the level, the more structured your approach needs to be. They may not think they need grammar when they're anything below intermediate, but the truth is, they need to practice using it in conversation. The trick is to introduce it to them *in context*, which is where a good book will come in handy.
Use these questions as a basis for planning your lessons if you don't have a book. They have helped me out more than once! |
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sheba
Joined: 16 May 2005
Location: Here there and everywhere!
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| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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http://www.liskorea.co.kr
Ive used Lets Talk and Express Yourself, the students seem to like them. If youre teaching conversation from a book though, its good to change it up a bit sometimes...
I use the book twice a week and have freetalking, random articles (chapters, dialogue, magazines, newspapers etc) and games the other 3 days. |
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Cornfed
Joined: 14 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 10:22 pm Post subject: |
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| The A Conversation Book - English in Everyday Life series seems to work OK for small groups. |
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scorpiocandy
Joined: 27 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 6:17 am Post subject: |
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| Easter Clark wrote: |
Use these questions as a basis for planning your lessons if you don't have a book. They have helped me out more than once! |
I have a middle school class that is fairly advanced and I've used these questions quite often too.
Rather than just do a Q and A, I cut them up and let them choose one question each from a cup and they have to answer.
Surprisingly they love this and often everyone ends up answering their classmate's question and we sometimes find ourselves talking beyond the original question.
Sometimes we don't even get to everyone choosing a question but still everyone talks. |
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butlerian
Joined: 04 Sep 2006
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 7:28 am Post subject: |
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| Jazz English vol 1 and 2. |
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maingman
Joined: 26 Jan 2008
Location: left Korea
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| Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 2:52 pm Post subject: . |
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Compelling Conversations: Questions and Quotations on Timeless Topics- An Engaging ESL Textbook for Advanced Students
Eric H. Roth and Toni Aberson |
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DrOctagon
Joined: 11 Jun 2008
Location: Chicago
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| Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 9:04 pm Post subject: |
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| scorpiocandy wrote: |
| Easter Clark wrote: |
Use these questions as a basis for planning your lessons if you don't have a book. They have helped me out more than once! |
I have a middle school class that is fairly advanced and I've used these questions quite often too.
Rather than just do a Q and A, I cut them up and let them choose one question each from a cup and they have to answer.
Surprisingly they love this and often everyone ends up answering their classmate's question and we sometimes find ourselves talking beyond the original question.
Sometimes we don't even get to everyone choosing a question but still everyone talks. |
After the kids pick questions, do you just call on individual students to answer the question that they chose? Or do you have them ask their partner? I would like to try something like this in my high schools, but I have some very reluctant and unmotivated students. |
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scorpiocandy
Joined: 27 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 9:54 pm Post subject: |
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| DrOctagon wrote: |
| scorpiocandy wrote: |
| Easter Clark wrote: |
Use these questions as a basis for planning your lessons if you don't have a book. They have helped me out more than once! |
I have a middle school class that is fairly advanced and I've used these questions quite often too.
Rather than just do a Q and A, I cut them up and let them choose one question each from a cup and they have to answer.
Surprisingly they love this and often everyone ends up answering their classmate's question and we sometimes find ourselves talking beyond the original question.
Sometimes we don't even get to everyone choosing a question but still everyone talks. |
After the kids pick questions, do you just call on individual students to answer the question that they chose? Or do you have them ask their partner? I would like to try something like this in my high schools, but I have some very reluctant and unmotivated students. |
Each one answers the question they picked and we have a class discussion. And all actually want to go first. Shocking i know.
If they find a question they don't like or can't answer I let them choose until they find one they feel comfortable with. Also if they want to answer but don't have the words I allow friends to help or I ask follow-up questions.
After the "picker" has answered, the rest all want to answer the same question, especially if it was something like "Have you ever seen an accident and what did you do?"
Then again, seeing as you have some reluctant speakers, maybe allowing them to pair off would make them feel more comfortable.
Another exercise I also like is the "Introduce yourself" questions. But we all already know each other so I'll make them develop a whole new identity.
So instead of My name is Alice. I'm 15 years old etc.
They become Christina, the 25 year old movie star with a handsome boyfriend and more money than she can spend.
Makes it more interesting and since these are easy questions that they already know and answer all the time, it aids in speaking but they can add some imagination to make it a bit more fun. |
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DrOctagon
Joined: 11 Jun 2008
Location: Chicago
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| Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 10:33 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks, I might do something along those lines tomorrow. Originally, I was going to teach about American culture, but I don't feel like putting together some huge presentation. Plus, I'd rather have them practice their speaking, even though they'll probably be speaking in Korean the entire time and no one will want to answer their questions out loud...  Didn't these kids learn anything in elementary and middle school? |
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