Teacher Discussion Forums

Students often complain how extremely boring some FL classes are?

They particularly dislike those fill-in the blanks, choose the correct form of the verb exercises and most grammar excercises for that matter. They abound in both textbooks and workbooks.

There is a section of the textbook I use optimistically called FUN WITH GRAMMAR. Most exercises are not much fun.

When this happens a point here would be: is the teacher boring or the actitvities ot both...?

I would appreciate comments with your experiences particularly if you have observed classes.

Thanks.

One problem might be that language, by definition, is for communication, but to communicate you need some grammar, and learning grammar is difficult. It does involve lots of repetition and memorization, either via pattern drills (the method in vogue when I learned German in college), fill-in-the-blanks, or some other way that does not usually include snazzy visuals and jazzy music. Also, once students have some rudimentary vocabulary and word order knowledge, it becomes easier to communicate, and they may not see a need to learn the present tense third singular with "s" if they can say "My father go to London next week" and be understood.

Hello all!

I'd say that if what I mean to do in class is boring for me, it will be boring for the students. For that reason, I prepare classes that will be enjoyable for me (I'm the one who is always in class, after all, the students only spend a fraction of my class time with me!) and the students tend to enjoy them. It doesn't matter what the material is to be covered, including those horrible fill-in-the-blank exercises, if I'm having a good time my students also have one. Those who have read me here at Dave's know that I'm pretty independent and hard headed on how I give class and I'd suggest to others (who haven't read any post I've written) to read the "Interpretative ESL" thread (a little self publicity? I suppose I ought to start another thread as exciting and enjoyable as that one that I always bring up....)

peace,
revel.