Korean Job Discussion Forums

[hlellis]

Hi, all!

I am in need of some advice/ideas for a mixed-level class. I just started teaching a supplementary night class at my all-boys Korean high school. I have 13 students total, but a mixture of English proficiency levels. There are:
3 very low freshman students
3 advanced junior students
5 average junior students
2 low-intermediate students

The school did not give me any guideline of what it expects me to teach; the subject is simply "English Conversation." My goal is to increase the students' overall speaking ability and confidence. Any suggestions for fun games or lesson plans? I am thinking that I need to separate them into four smaller groups. Thanks for the feedback!

[le-paul]

ha ha, i remember this old nut. It drove me crazy at first!

after the initial anger/shock etc. i found one of the best ways to conduct a (very) mixed level conversation class, was to print out the conversation sheets i was using, and pair/3/4- up students according to ability-ish. then give them the sheet and tell them to ask each other the questions and answer (vice versa) - with higher levels always insist on an extra 'why' at the end and dont accept yes/no answers.
i walk round over seeing the various conversations and giving input.
If you stick a warm-up at the beggining and a cool down (or game as i cometimes call them) at the end, that should waste, i mean fill the lesson/time nicely with everyone getting a fair chance to talk for at least 10 minutes - which is actually more than they get if im firing questions at individuals.

most problems in mixed classes i address by spitting the group up, but to be honest, and i know this is wrong, its always the lower level kids that get my attention or the motivated ones.

hope this helps

[Morgen]

Yeah, groups are the way to go. I find it helps to sometimes have them work on something as a group and then have one spokesperson present it (of course, you have to manipulate this so it's not always the smart kid). I also play games that are just a little too hard for the smack-dab-average kid and make them rotate speakers every round, but the kids with better English skills are allowed to help the struggling ones.

[D.D.]

When asking questions to the group start with easy questions and ask the basic kids to answer them. Then ask more difficult direct questions to the smarter kids. Give them activities and go around talking to them in groups and talk at the level of the group.

[hlellis]

Thank you very much for your suggestions. I agree that groups will be the way to go. And I have already found that getting the smarter students to let the lower-level students answer is challenging.

The class is a bit long: one hour, 40 minutes. I will break them up for speaking activities. Any suggestions/resources on topics or themes?

[le-paul]

teach them cursive (joined up writing- im not sure what americans call it), that wastes a long time and is completely justifiable.

read books together,

creative writing (or make comics with english dialogue), diaries etc...

conversation class is what i think koreans call - time with englishee teacher. in my experience they seem to think that they will put you in a classroom with some kids and we will just shoot the breeze for 2 hours with no teaching materials. they dont seem to realise that - a/ this isnt possible (on any lesson) and b/ i dont even know what to say to my best friend in the world for 2 hours and c/ koreans dont seem to know anything about anything most of the time (sweeping generalisation - but also my expereince of conversation classes) so its difficult to engage them in general conversation anyway at the best of times.

so dont feel you have to talk the whole time is what im saying, its not realistic and their heads will be battered anyway.

bon chance

[hlellis]

Thanks, Le-Paul!

I really appreciate your input. Sounds like you have had similar challenges that I am facing. Cursive writing is a great idea; I also got a listening book this weekend so that we can: 1) enhance the students' listening skills and hopefully 2) discuss some of the topics introduced through listening activities. Wish me luck--I have class again tomorrow.

Where are you from and what part of Korea do you teach in?

Thanks again. Cheers!

[winterfall]