Teacher Discussion Forums

I am currently working on my TEFL certification. I have an idea for my community, which has a large latin american immigrant population and is somewhat segregated. I don't know if this idea has been used before and tested and found to be useful by TEFL/TESL teachers.
My idea is this: a weekly group of persons who want to learn english, along with persons who want to learn Spanish (important here.) Half of the time is spent on activities in one language, the other half of the group is spent doing the activities in the other language. There will be food as well, of course.
Having the opportunity to converse with native speakers of each language is very limited here. And listening and speaking opportunities are essential to learning. I believe this idea will not only help those who want to learn languages, but also will help build friendship and relationships in our community.
Would more experienced teachers let me know if this model has been used before and if it is effective? As I am an elementary Spanish student, should I co-facilitate with a Spanish-speaking teacher? Other suggestions are welcome, as well.
Thank you.

criley wrote:I am currently working on my TEFL certification. I have an idea for my community, which has a large latin american immigrant population and is somewhat segregated. I don't know if this idea has been used before and tested and found to be useful by TEFL/TESL teachers.
My idea is this: a weekly group of persons who want to learn english, along with persons who want to learn Spanish (important here.) Half of the time is spent on activities in one language, the other half of the group is spent doing the activities in the other language. There will be food as well, of course.
Having the opportunity to converse with native speakers of each language is very limited here. And listening and speaking opportunities are essential to learning. I believe this idea will not only help those who want to learn languages, but also will help build friendship and relationships in our community.
Would more experienced teachers let me know if this model has been used before and if it is effective? As I am an elementary Spanish student, should I co-facilitate with a Spanish-speaking teacher? Other suggestions are welcome, as well.
Thank you.

Hello,

IN my opinion, its worth trying. Could u please tell me, when r u conducting this in fture. I shall appreciate, you inform me on : [email protected]

Thanks,

mdchaskar

Sometimes starting with the end in mind clarifies a situation.

What's the goal? What do students want to learn? Who is paying? How will you measure the technique's effectiveness? Are students expected to perform on a standardized exam?

You might experiment, but be willing to abandon it. Your idea sounds better for a bilingual program than an ESL program, but you and your students will have to make that decision.