Korean Job Discussion Forums

[EFLtrainer]

Well, trying to teach using all the little tricks of the trade when you have very little or no space to move, conduct activities, role plays, etc., is a bit of a challenge. While I have some things I'm doing to adjust, more ideas would be useful. If you have any especially creative things you've come up with to combat a complete lack of open space, do share!

[Gorgias]

Class Rules

4. Sit.

If the students are above maybe six-ish, they ought to stay seated for the duration of the class.

[ontheway]

5 square meters is a space, for example 2 meters by 2.5 meters. That's about the size of an apartment bathroom or a walk-in closet. It's a good size for a piano instruction room or a listening room.

Is that really the size? How many students do you have in a class?

Did you mean 5 meters by 5 meters?

[Ya-ta Boy]

If it isn't too late, toss all the desks out the window (keeping the chairs) and say Typhoon Nabi is responsible.

[Ya-ta Boy]

If it isn't too late, toss all the desks out the window (keeping the chairs) and say Typhoon Nabi is responsible.

[EFLtrainer]

[EFLtrainer]

[ajuma]

How many students? Can you take them out in the hallway? Outside? On the roof?? Do some new vocab/quiet teaching at first, then go out and practice what you learned in the hall or wherever.

Can you move the desks against the wall or out in the hall?

[joe_doufu]

Get rid of the desks.

[ontheway]

Your classroom, "3 meters by 5 or 6 meters" is about 15 to 18 square meters. This would be really good for a small class, maybe six or fewer students.

How many students do you have?
What are their ages and language level?

If you have a small number of students you can share one big table or push all the desks together into a suitable shape and sit all around them.

If you have a large number of students, like more than eight, take a previous poster's advice and throw out the desks from time to time.

Age and level matter too. Higher level, and especially older students, can be kept focused on a variety of learning activities while sitting.

My classroom is 3 meters by 5 meters. I do this all day, every day. Three years now. Actually, I sometimes use another even smaller room with one large round table. Mix up your classroom arrangements. Variety is the spice of teaching. Keep it moving. Keep it fast. Keep it fun.

[EFLtrainer]

[ontheway]

Gee Sorry. I was only trying to help. I actually got to design our small classroom size. It works for small numbers of motivated students and a our program. Plus, I never think about things I can't do because the room is small. I only think about things I can do. You never did say how many students you have so I have to guess it's too many for my system and solutions. Sorry.

We have classes for one hour. Back to back with no break. We actually can rearrange our room during class. It takes under one minute. Usually closer to 3O seconds to rearrange for a different activity. Other times the next class will rearrange the room as they enter while the other class is leaving. It gives us a chance to use "following directions in English" as a classroom activity as well. I can do this with kids from kindergarten to H.S. age. Only the first time for new students is a little chaotic as they are surprised when I announce: "OK kids. Everybody stand up. It's time to move the desks." Then I tell them what to do and where to go. And, bingo, they do. After a while, they all know what desk arrangement goes with what activity or day.

Anyway, good luck.

[EFLtrainer]

[BigBlackEquus]

I used to teach classes of 30 to 40 students in a sort of lab at the old hagwon. I moved them into the regular classrooms because they were bigger than the lab. Can't easily get the "A" done in an ESA without some space.