Korean Job Discussion Forums

[withnail]

As you no doubt know already, we really ought to divide a group of say, 40 students into groups for example 8 groups of 5.

As much as possible we avoid trying to teach the whole lot from the front for reasons of classroom control.

Ask each group to think of a team name for themselves! Gradually it'll be easier to learn their names within teams. Funny names will help a nice atmosphere.


Begin with a warmer game: See my post on warmers.


Let's start with 1 type of lesson: a vocabulary-based lesson. Say on Food, just as an example.



1.Flash up a picture of a tasty meal for example on the board using powerpoint or an overhead. Ask them questions about it. It's good to start with an arresting image at the beginning of a lesson. For kids without much English, picture prompts get a much better response than text prompts.

2. A couple of basic intro questions to ask around the room. Pick out individuals to answer if no one offers anything.

3. Give out a pre-prepared sheet you made yourself or found with a list of food vocabulary on it. Say each word out loud and get them to repeat as a whole class, in teams and even the odd individual (especially the individuals who don't seem to be paying attention - good way to snap them out of that).

4. On the other side of the same sheet should be some exercises you found or made to practice those very words you just practiced pronunciation for. These exercises can be

a crossword
a word scramble
a sentence gapfill
a matching exercise
a word search
etc etc

The kids have learned to say the words so here they are practicing writing them, seeing them, finding them etc etc. Go round helping, assisting

Make this stage a team v team competition. Have a winner, second place etc...

Finish off with a team discussion or even whole class discussion - another sheet you pre-prepared has some simple questions you've made, maybe 6 questions which have some of the words you taught in the question and must be used in the answer. As you go round helping, make sure they are not skipping the word, especially the answerer.

If a group happily chats away, assist the groups which seem mute.

Finish off with a little game.

This is just 1 example of a vocab-based lesson following the ppp approach or presentation, practice, production methodology. The idea is that you present, then practice in a controlled way, then in an uncontrolled way.

It can be followed for any vocab topic. If you have any questions, just fire them to me. For the vets out there, bear with me as you all know this of course and there can be problems with this kind of lesson which are better dealt with on a Q&A basis. Try not to flame me! Just trying to help out any newbies for a few start-up ideas. Some posters/pms have asked for this..

[icnelly]

[BrianInSuwon]

Have you actually tried this in the classroom? What grade levels? How much success did you have with the group discussions?

Can you provide a list of your intro questions for this topic (food) and a list of your simple questions that encourage group discussions?

[ddeubel]

withnail,

Lots of good ideas and suggestions (but the proof is in the delivery though). If you really want to share your ideas, I suggest you get a blog? Or a site where you can keep these and put it in a standard format? This would be most beneficial to teachers. I know of several easy ways if you want to go there...

However, I will say a few words about this...

[Fishead soup]

I disagree duebels. I've had some of my best classes with worksheets. However it is important to personalize them. The best worksheets take the form of a class survey. If you can get the students walking around asking questions thats great. I've even done that in 40 student classes+.
If you can take advatage of team teaching thats not impossible.

I also like the information gaps on bogglesworld. Worksheets can be really bad if it's just parroting.

[ddeubel]

[Yu_Bum_suk]