Hello everyone,
From Monday 9/8/13 onwards I will work in a "Discussion Cafe" which is open for 4H. This will also mark the first day of this Cafe.
The owner told me he wishes for the guests just to talk and I should not "teach" them.
The guests will come all at once and leave when its over (so not really a cafe where you can come and go as you please)
Now I have to find topics and activities/games to kill time with. We are talking adults here and I cant go out and buy boardgames.
Boss also wishes for an extreme variaty in topics and activities (since we will have lots of regular guests)
Up to this point I found an interesting page called iteslj DOT org.
But would like to have more intel, especially about my specific position.
Your thoughts are very welcome.
Can anybody help me out here?
Cheers
4H Class - have to kill time ...
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TheScratcher
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Sally Olsen
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We did this in the school I was at in Japan. We had small coffee tables with a teacher at each table with four or five participants. We also had coffee and treats. It sounds like you will be the only one there though so how is the owner setting up the seating and how many will there be?
It turned out it was mostly ladies who came for discussions and they brought up the topics they wanted to discuss. It often turned to their problems and the other ladies were good at giving advice. Their current activities were the main focus though with practice for them for trips where they would be speaking English or practice talking to someone who only spoke English - a tourist or special guest at their clubs or organizations.
At first, I brought in pictures of my family and home and they asked me questions. I tried to keep my answers short and asked them about their experiences that would be similar or different. Then they started bringing in pictures of their families and trips.
In the end, they wanted a book to help them improve their grammar, and the book provided most of the materials for the discussion although we always made room for current activities and reports on trips or special occasions. We used a practical book that prepared them for going on trips to places that spoke English.
You have to be patient with the ladies because at first, only the lady whose English is good will talk and the others will defer to her. You can gradually facilitate and get the others to talk when they get comfortable with you and no one laughs at their mistakes.
It is common for ladies whose husbands are at work and children in school to meet in a cafe for a few hours in the afternoon. They often smoke there. Sometimes they want to learn something while they are doing this and English is a favourite pastime although cooking and crafts are popular too so those are areas you might want to branch out to if you have the facilities or materials.
In the evening it is common for the businessmen to meet to drink so you will have to have alcohol instead of coffee and they want to learn to swear and understand swearing for the times they have to take English businessmen to something for entertainment after work. They also want to learn to talk about sports, cars, and "manly" stuff. They all want to learn to explain about Japan and their culture to English speaking people.
It turned out it was mostly ladies who came for discussions and they brought up the topics they wanted to discuss. It often turned to their problems and the other ladies were good at giving advice. Their current activities were the main focus though with practice for them for trips where they would be speaking English or practice talking to someone who only spoke English - a tourist or special guest at their clubs or organizations.
At first, I brought in pictures of my family and home and they asked me questions. I tried to keep my answers short and asked them about their experiences that would be similar or different. Then they started bringing in pictures of their families and trips.
In the end, they wanted a book to help them improve their grammar, and the book provided most of the materials for the discussion although we always made room for current activities and reports on trips or special occasions. We used a practical book that prepared them for going on trips to places that spoke English.
You have to be patient with the ladies because at first, only the lady whose English is good will talk and the others will defer to her. You can gradually facilitate and get the others to talk when they get comfortable with you and no one laughs at their mistakes.
It is common for ladies whose husbands are at work and children in school to meet in a cafe for a few hours in the afternoon. They often smoke there. Sometimes they want to learn something while they are doing this and English is a favourite pastime although cooking and crafts are popular too so those are areas you might want to branch out to if you have the facilities or materials.
In the evening it is common for the businessmen to meet to drink so you will have to have alcohol instead of coffee and they want to learn to swear and understand swearing for the times they have to take English businessmen to something for entertainment after work. They also want to learn to talk about sports, cars, and "manly" stuff. They all want to learn to explain about Japan and their culture to English speaking people.
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TheScratcher
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- Location: japan
Hey Sally, thank you for the reply.
This will be held in Japan too.
Yes I will be the only one there with about 5 "guests" as it seems.
It is a smaller room and before my "discussion cafe" there are actual lessons.
After the lessons (which are from 1pm to 5pm) there is the "Bar time" from 9pm to 1am, where everyone is just hanging out (no entry charge) like in a normal bar, drinking and talking in english (if you can).
Oh and - playing Nintendo Wii of course.
Seems like there are no tools to play around with, like a TV, Computer, Board-games or even pen and paper.
Still just in case topics fade away or nobody seems to have the courage to talk, I would love to use activities to GET them to talk.
Seems like I have to write down all those topics and activities I have found on the net.
Just wanted to also hear the opinions, thoughts and experiences of all the nice people here on the Forum.
This will be held in Japan too.
Yes I will be the only one there with about 5 "guests" as it seems.
It is a smaller room and before my "discussion cafe" there are actual lessons.
After the lessons (which are from 1pm to 5pm) there is the "Bar time" from 9pm to 1am, where everyone is just hanging out (no entry charge) like in a normal bar, drinking and talking in english (if you can).
Oh and - playing Nintendo Wii of course.
Seems like there are no tools to play around with, like a TV, Computer, Board-games or even pen and paper.
Still just in case topics fade away or nobody seems to have the courage to talk, I would love to use activities to GET them to talk.
Seems like I have to write down all those topics and activities I have found on the net.
Just wanted to also hear the opinions, thoughts and experiences of all the nice people here on the Forum.
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Sally Olsen
- Posts: 1322
- Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 2:24 pm
- Location: Canada,France, Brazil, Japan, Mongolia, Greenland, Canada, Mongolia, Ethiopia next
Drinking at 9 a.m.? Coffee?
How about a Karaoke machine? Not a great expense and they will have the English words on the screen.
My friend tried the topic approach and it failed completely. Hope you have better luck.
But if you are a good teacher, I'm sure whatever you plan will work. Good teachers go where their students want to go.
How about a Karaoke machine? Not a great expense and they will have the English words on the screen.
My friend tried the topic approach and it failed completely. Hope you have better luck.
But if you are a good teacher, I'm sure whatever you plan will work. Good teachers go where their students want to go.
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TheScratcher
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- Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2013 9:58 am
- Location: japan
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Sally Olsen
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- Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 2:24 pm
- Location: Canada,France, Brazil, Japan, Mongolia, Greenland, Canada, Mongolia, Ethiopia next
When people have to explain something they will talk so get them to teach you some games they know - card games, mahjong, instructions of how to get somewhere interesting and what you will see there, how to make sushi, why the garbage trucks have music, what the people are saying as they drive around with loud speakers, etc.
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beckibenedict
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- Location: Japan
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Oh yes, I've also taken part in this style of "English cafe". It's set up so the students have a chance to casually speak English. I wouldn't try to teach anything or correct their errors. The more casual the better. Your only role is to be the foreigner and actual English speaker. I wouldn't worry about preparing too much.
What you really need to teach them is conversation strategies, such as asking questions, giving details, and showing interest. They've never really been taught how to have a conversation in English, which is quite different than in Japanese. I've got a page on this at ESL Conversation. There are also some conversation questions to get the conversation going. Hope it helps!
All the best!
What you really need to teach them is conversation strategies, such as asking questions, giving details, and showing interest. They've never really been taught how to have a conversation in English, which is quite different than in Japanese. I've got a page on this at ESL Conversation. There are also some conversation questions to get the conversation going. Hope it helps!
All the best!