Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jeomchon]

I have some 50 min classes that are supposed to be 'freetalk', ie sit around table with 1-7 kids and just talk to them.
I have only been here only three months and have never taught nor been given any training whatsoever, or materials come to think of it for these freetalks. However I have managed to come up with some reasonably good topics to coax a few words out of the kids, but the ideas are drying up fast and the kids are not too talkative. so I need to carry the conversation.

so I need ideas to entertain a few kids in a conversational types situation. What are some good topics to talk about with middle school kids.

[waterbaby]

You might find these two threads useful.

1. Conversation Classes
2. Conversation Activities

[kimcheeking]

Free talking is a waste of time. Prepare a lesson where you teach a particular grammar point or facet of language, but disguise it in fun. At the beginning of class go over it for a maximum of 3-5 minutes on the board and then use your lesson to elicit the language.

If you are really having a free talking class. Then go into class with nothign prepared and tell the students to talk. when they ask what about? tell them it's free talk so they decide. I guarantee that will be the last free talking class you are ever asked to do again. following that come in prepared with a variety of communicatively designed activities.

There is no such thing as free talking, just as there is no such thing as freedom of speech. The two are just figments of the imagination.

[Corporal]

Ha. Free talking is bunk. Even when they have the vocabulary, there is nothing more untalkative than a mixed class of boy and girl middle or high schoolers. They are just way too interested in being cool and afraid to risk making a mistake or being wrong. Not that this is necessarily a purely Korean thing.

[Zyzyfer]

I'm working out the no-talking kinks with an after-school class, and I found that the "Ice Breakers" on this site don't necessarily have to be used in that fashion. Good to get kids talking.

Nevertheless, as Kimcheeking and others stated, free talking is a load of crap. You have to bring in something, teach something, so on. Not jumping your bones, mind you.

[schwa]

Free talking is not bunk. Sometimes a director will saddle you with it with a class way not ready, then play some games & generate vocab & such. But fact is, most students middleschool on up have a ton of words & grammar & the challenge is to challenge them to use it. Provocative subjects, simple debates, open-ended questions, a keyword on the whiteboard for brainstorming, pictures to talk about, whatever. Give them an easy starting point & let them build on it. Vary your approach from class to class. Smile & be nice. Let quiet kids be quiet but egg them on sometimes. Tease disrupters. Keep it light. Took some time but I had groups of 8-year-olds all raising their hands to 'tell me a story.' Challenge yourself as an effective moderator.

[Ghostinthemachine]

If you use yahoo and type in "conversation questions' it brings you to a site with a list of conversation questions under various headings that you can use to base conversations in free talking classes (I tried to add the link for you but I couldn't).

You can modify the lists as you see fit. I usually suggest to my students that they take the questions in whatever order they want.

Also I find it works better if you break the class into small groups or pairs rather than having one group. The students are more willing to talk if they feel the teachers attention is not focused solely on their group.

You can correct errors as they go along altho' I think it's better to make a note of errors and then correct them at the end so as not to embarrass the student who made the mistake.

Good luck and let us know how you get on. I'd also be interested in hearing if you have any ideas on improving on this.

Actually camel96 has added the link below.

[camel96]

http://iteslj.org/questions/

That should keep you going for at least a couple more classes.

[schwa]

My never-fail pairwork activity, I call it the experts game -- give it a shot.

Each student writes 2 interests or areas of special knowledge on a scrap of paper -- write it large like a sign, just a word or 2.

Designate half the students as 'A,' half 'B.' "B's, turn your paper face down & stand up. Walk around & find an interesting subject. Sit down & ask that person some questions. Make conversation." After about 5 minutes I say "Excuse me, sorry to interrupt, time to change." B's stand up again & find a new partner. Eventually, I have A's & B's switch roles, & carry on.

The premise is simple. People like talking about stuff they know something about, & L2 to L2 is relatively unstressful. Every time I've tried this, at various levels, the room has filled with english conversation. Very gratifying to a teacher!