what's your format of teaching?

bordery · Post by **bordery** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 7:48 am

I've been teaching English as a foreign language to students of non-English major for 12 years. But in the changing world and with students' different needs, I find myself not knowing how to teach English in the classroom situation efficiently. Friends, would you please share your teaching experience in the classroom in your country with me?

joshua2004 · Post by **joshua2004** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:41 am

What is it that is not working? Are you using traditional methods?(ie lecture, grammar, drills, worksheets) Are you looking for something more interactive and for diverse needs and abilities?

bordery · Post by **bordery** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 11:37 am

Thank you, joshua2004.
Yes, i use traditional methods in class. Can you give me some advice? or what methods do you usually use in you class?Thank you!

joshua2004 · Post by **joshua2004** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 6:10 pm

The main gist of the teaching in my school is to learn how to use the language by using the language. If you are going to be going to a restaurant and ordering food, you need to practice going to a restaurant and ordering food. If you are going to be listening to music, watching tv, news, all those things you will do when you use the language, you need to practice doing those things. The benefit of the classroom is that it makes those things accessible by the use of support and structured activities. On top of that, you need to create a low stress environment. What this means is that you do not do error correction unless it does not distract fromt the point of the conversation. You treat the students as equals and as you would someone you are talking with in civil society. People need to stop thinking they are the supreme commander of the classroom! Students can take the lead, tell you how and what they want to learn. I saw a painter down here on the beach in mexico. She used spray paints, newspaper, cut up sponges used as brushes and some kind of pottery knife. She made the most beautiful paintings with smears and bloches of her tools. It was like that guy on American tv that paints so effortlessly. I think his name was Ross. I don't remember. My point is that you can create a great experience for yourself and not break a sweat in the process or a blood vessel in your forhead. It takes practice, but the hardest thing you will find is letting go of the reins of power.

woodcutter · Post by **woodcutter** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 7:47 am

What if your students don't think en masse, and dislike each others approaches to learning? What if they expect poor old teacher to be some kind of expert in how teaching is best performed?

recalcitrant · Post by **recalcitrant** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 10:44 pm

josh,

You're thinking of Bob Ross! The afro guy. He was so calm and quiet when he was showing us how to paint. Such a friendly guy, always letting the painting come to life almost by itself. "...and let's add a little rock here by the shore. Yeah, it likes that friendly little rock."

Wow, bob ross, it's been a while.

woodcutter · Post by **woodcutter** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 9:45 pm

Did Bob Ross have each of his pictures painted by twenty people, some of which were painting only because mummy forced them?

case_l · Post by **case_l** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 2:15 pm

Then everything will be easier!

clio.gr · Post by **clio.gr** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 7:14 pm

Well in my country (Greece) most of my colleagues teach the traditional way because this is how they were taught and it is easier and not demanding.

For me language means communication and modern teaching means answering your students needs.

As a non native speaker I had great difficulty to adapt the rules and the lists of vocabulary to my everyday use of the second language.

So from a young age I did a lot of work by myself (e.g. reading magazines and books or hiding the subtitles with a piece of carton stuck on my tv screen, we didn't have DVDs back then etc).

As a teacher I try to keep in touch with the English language and I always do lesson plan before I enter the classroom. I threw away all the coursebooks and grammar books and I always teach from authentic material which may interest my students (young ones, teenagers or adults). I start my lesson with sth. to attrack their attention (sth on the video or a cartoon or a picture or an object etc) and I always finish with a song or a scene from a film or a cartoon or a joke or sth. from the British or the American way of life etc to help them relax.

My lesson focuses on how the language functions and a small part is on grammar or other rules and short activities on that.

Nice techniques are role plays or projects or presentations of things they choose.

Our students should be convinced that they need English in their everyday life and this is something useful for them and not sth. their parents have chosen for them.

Would you do sth. without believing it will help you? Would you listen to someone talking on and on without participating and without knowing why to listen to all these nonsense when it is May and the sun is shining and your friends have gone for swimming?

I hope I have helped you.

Teacher Discussion Forums

what's your format of teaching?

what's your format of teaching?

that painter guy

Try to make your students like you !