Hello everyone,
I am a new teacher. I got my CELTA about 8 months ago. I'm now working and have been given an hour-long private conversation class. She wants to improve her vocabulary and ability to express her opinions. She doesn't want very much grammar. Things are alright, as the student always is willing to talk and has lots of ideas, but I am feeling very un-teacherlike.
My problem is that I have no idea how to structure the class so it is not just me asking a few questions and her talking. I have taken articles for her to read and read out loud, but I'm really lost and feel like I'm not giving her what she needs.
How do you structure your conversation classes?
Structure for Conversation class
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I had the same experience. when I conducted conversation sessions, I feel that something is missing. I doesn't seem enough. I asked this forum about my problem. One reply told me that speaking is not learning, but mere practice of what is learned. Students do not learn anything from speaking; they just practice what they already know.
So now there are two ways I conduct my conversation sessions:
1. I teach a grammar point and then make the student practice that grammar point through conversation.
2. We talk about something. then I take note of just one grammatical error. I will point out this error and that will be our grammar lesson for the moment.
If a student has fine grammar but is simply slow or hesitant in speaking, then conversation is the way to go.
So now there are two ways I conduct my conversation sessions:
1. I teach a grammar point and then make the student practice that grammar point through conversation.
2. We talk about something. then I take note of just one grammatical error. I will point out this error and that will be our grammar lesson for the moment.
If a student has fine grammar but is simply slow or hesitant in speaking, then conversation is the way to go.
Hi everyone,
I wouldn't quite agree with the statement that speaking is not learning. A lot of language specialists (Krashen learning/aquiring hypothesis; Terrel) argue that teaching grammar by means of direct instruction (explicitly) is of secondary importance in language classrooms. Supporters of communicative methods claim that focus must be on a message in a communicative situation.
E.g. the communicative goal of a lesson can be to talk about what the student likes doing in spare time. When the student is focusing on the semantic content, gaps in vocabulary or structure will appear. The learner will ask 'How do you say it in English when...'. That is when aquisition takes place. That is the most desirable moment for a teacher.
So, your job as a teacher is to provide your learner with relevant to her/him and interesting topics in order to encourage real communication in a friendly environment.
Bringing articles to the lessons and reading them can be a base for an interesting discussion. You need to find out your student's interests e.g. if you know your female student is thinking of changing her hair style, bring in some pictures from fasion magazine; talk about which styles you like or had or would like to have (here's a range of structures); mention colours (surely there will be some new vocab); tell a story about your friend who had a bad hair day (listening), etc. Your student will be speaking AND aquiring the language without direct instruction. Of course, if a question of 'why you say this and not that' crops up, you may well talk about it as well.
Another point, if the student really enjoys your communicative classes, then s/he will stick to you for a long time.
Read about the Natural Approach to language teaching, Communicative Language Teaching, Task-Based Language Teaching or Content-Based Instruction.
Good luck!!!
I wouldn't quite agree with the statement that speaking is not learning. A lot of language specialists (Krashen learning/aquiring hypothesis; Terrel) argue that teaching grammar by means of direct instruction (explicitly) is of secondary importance in language classrooms. Supporters of communicative methods claim that focus must be on a message in a communicative situation.
E.g. the communicative goal of a lesson can be to talk about what the student likes doing in spare time. When the student is focusing on the semantic content, gaps in vocabulary or structure will appear. The learner will ask 'How do you say it in English when...'. That is when aquisition takes place. That is the most desirable moment for a teacher.
So, your job as a teacher is to provide your learner with relevant to her/him and interesting topics in order to encourage real communication in a friendly environment.
Bringing articles to the lessons and reading them can be a base for an interesting discussion. You need to find out your student's interests e.g. if you know your female student is thinking of changing her hair style, bring in some pictures from fasion magazine; talk about which styles you like or had or would like to have (here's a range of structures); mention colours (surely there will be some new vocab); tell a story about your friend who had a bad hair day (listening), etc. Your student will be speaking AND aquiring the language without direct instruction. Of course, if a question of 'why you say this and not that' crops up, you may well talk about it as well.
Another point, if the student really enjoys your communicative classes, then s/he will stick to you for a long time.
Read about the Natural Approach to language teaching, Communicative Language Teaching, Task-Based Language Teaching or Content-Based Instruction.
Good luck!!!