I am currently teaching English conversation to a young adult here in Japan. We get along well and enjoy talking about many things, but I don't feel structured enough in my lessons. If I were teaching grammar I would have a more set structure, but focusing purely on conversation I find it too open. We often digress and I have a hard time judging his progress. There are times when he is talkative and times when he is not. I feel bad when I end up speaking much more than he does.
Does anyone have any tips for one-on-one lessons?
One-on-One lessons
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celinehoran
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2005 11:18 am
- Location: Switzerland
How to keep one to one conversation classes fun!
Hi Nikku,
Good question!
I find teaching one to one conversation one of my most favourite to teach.
My 1-2-1 conversation classes have evolved over time but now I have them down to a fine art. Here it is...
Assuming that you've already assessed the students level of competency, i.e. beginner, intermediate etc... go to my favourite site http://www.handoutsonline.com and use their conversation sheets.
There is no preparation required on your part, except to read the Teachers Notes. This site produces high quality teaching sheets that your student will love. So will you.
Then I use my LESSON PLAN sheet to monitor their pronunciation, grammar and log any new words we discover during the lesson.
Don't note more than 10 new words plus pronunciation words.
More than that and they get overwhelmed. Especially if they work full-time in very busy jobs and have kids.
Before they leave you, go over the words they need to learn for next week's lesson including pronunciation and grammar.
It's wise to ask your student to bring a tape recorder or mp3 player so he can hear the right pronunciation. If not, there are loads of sites that offer pronunciation help. I suggest you use merriamwebster.com
Then you prepare a simple vocab and grammar test and go through pronunciation with them the next week for no more than 5 minutes before you start your class.
In this way, your student can see his own growth. He can see that he is not only building his vocabulary but improving his pronunciation and learning any new grammar rules and idioms all at the same time. Whilst talking about interesting topics.
The conversation class is split into warm-up, introducing new vocab, conversation starter, reading, questions and a discussion section at the end. So your student gets to exercise all his senses i.e. reading, writing, speaking and listening. Then if at the end of the discussion you wonder into other topics its okay. This naturally happens, which is great.
I love it when that happens. You end up talking about related topics and learning more about your student. But most of all LET YOUR STUDENT DO MOST OF THE TALKING. LISTEN TO THEM... they will love you for it.
And the great thing is you had a plan, you had a topic prepared and you are monitoring his growth. You are in the drivers seat.
When it comes to introducing tests.
If they complain that they don't like tests, explain to them that it is there so they can see that they are growing. They are investing money to win not fail. Right? That's why they've come to you.
Maybe it would be good to come to some kind of agreement with your client. Say to them, we agree to learn 150 new words or so within the next 10 weeks and I will give you your last class half price! That's assuming that you have an agreed set of weeks together i.e. 20 weeks?
Let me assure you, if your client is serious about his learning, he will do it.
Plus you could offer to award him with a Certificate that states very clearly i.e. John Smith has learned 150 words in 10 weeks from very simple to very hard words and list the top hardest he's learned.
Show him an example certificate with his name on. So he can visualise himself with his prize in 10 weeks time. Everyone loves prizes, even little badges of achievement.
Once I gave my student a certificate for completing intensive beginner English and he loved it. Plus another certificate for coming to class on time for 10 weeks.
In conclusion, make learning fun and interesting for your client. Agree a goal together and keep them accountable.
Also always say well done, you've learned 50 new words now, only 100 to go...!! Always praise any little thing they do well and overlook a lot of what they don't do so well.
Only work on things that they can change, i.e. vocab building, grammar etc... it's really impossible to get rid of accents and some pronunciation issues.
And most of all have fun!
If you would like a copy of my standard lesson plan then email me on [email protected].
In case you don't have one I am willing to give you my daily lesson plan sheet which I use as a weekly plan sheet that runs for three weeks at a time PLUS a Reflexive sheet, where you can make very simple notes as to how your lesson went and how your student responded.
Plus write any ideas you have for future lessons or write down any concerns you may have i.e. this lesson was too hard, too easy etc.
If you fail to plan you plan to fail.
I hope this helps.
Celine Horan
ESL 1-2-1 Trainer
Switzerland
Good question!
I find teaching one to one conversation one of my most favourite to teach.
My 1-2-1 conversation classes have evolved over time but now I have them down to a fine art. Here it is...
Assuming that you've already assessed the students level of competency, i.e. beginner, intermediate etc... go to my favourite site http://www.handoutsonline.com and use their conversation sheets.
There is no preparation required on your part, except to read the Teachers Notes. This site produces high quality teaching sheets that your student will love. So will you.
Then I use my LESSON PLAN sheet to monitor their pronunciation, grammar and log any new words we discover during the lesson.
Don't note more than 10 new words plus pronunciation words.
More than that and they get overwhelmed. Especially if they work full-time in very busy jobs and have kids.
Before they leave you, go over the words they need to learn for next week's lesson including pronunciation and grammar.
It's wise to ask your student to bring a tape recorder or mp3 player so he can hear the right pronunciation. If not, there are loads of sites that offer pronunciation help. I suggest you use merriamwebster.com
Then you prepare a simple vocab and grammar test and go through pronunciation with them the next week for no more than 5 minutes before you start your class.
In this way, your student can see his own growth. He can see that he is not only building his vocabulary but improving his pronunciation and learning any new grammar rules and idioms all at the same time. Whilst talking about interesting topics.
The conversation class is split into warm-up, introducing new vocab, conversation starter, reading, questions and a discussion section at the end. So your student gets to exercise all his senses i.e. reading, writing, speaking and listening. Then if at the end of the discussion you wonder into other topics its okay. This naturally happens, which is great.
I love it when that happens. You end up talking about related topics and learning more about your student. But most of all LET YOUR STUDENT DO MOST OF THE TALKING. LISTEN TO THEM... they will love you for it.
And the great thing is you had a plan, you had a topic prepared and you are monitoring his growth. You are in the drivers seat.
When it comes to introducing tests.
If they complain that they don't like tests, explain to them that it is there so they can see that they are growing. They are investing money to win not fail. Right? That's why they've come to you.
Maybe it would be good to come to some kind of agreement with your client. Say to them, we agree to learn 150 new words or so within the next 10 weeks and I will give you your last class half price! That's assuming that you have an agreed set of weeks together i.e. 20 weeks?
Let me assure you, if your client is serious about his learning, he will do it.
Plus you could offer to award him with a Certificate that states very clearly i.e. John Smith has learned 150 words in 10 weeks from very simple to very hard words and list the top hardest he's learned.
Show him an example certificate with his name on. So he can visualise himself with his prize in 10 weeks time. Everyone loves prizes, even little badges of achievement.
Once I gave my student a certificate for completing intensive beginner English and he loved it. Plus another certificate for coming to class on time for 10 weeks.
In conclusion, make learning fun and interesting for your client. Agree a goal together and keep them accountable.
Also always say well done, you've learned 50 new words now, only 100 to go...!! Always praise any little thing they do well and overlook a lot of what they don't do so well.
Only work on things that they can change, i.e. vocab building, grammar etc... it's really impossible to get rid of accents and some pronunciation issues.
And most of all have fun!
If you would like a copy of my standard lesson plan then email me on [email protected].
In case you don't have one I am willing to give you my daily lesson plan sheet which I use as a weekly plan sheet that runs for three weeks at a time PLUS a Reflexive sheet, where you can make very simple notes as to how your lesson went and how your student responded.
Plus write any ideas you have for future lessons or write down any concerns you may have i.e. this lesson was too hard, too easy etc.
If you fail to plan you plan to fail.
I hope this helps.
Celine Horan
ESL 1-2-1 Trainer
Switzerland
well, after recieving those lesson reflection sheets i decided to make my own because the ones i recieved just didnt cut it... here is where you can find mine... it just might work better [; it has for me... use it as you wish as long as it follows the GNU public license [; http://kaent.mooo.com/121_lesson_reflection_sheet.pdf
p.s. GIMME FEEDBACK! maybe i can add something that i hadnt thought of? hmmm...? [;
p.s. GIMME FEEDBACK! maybe i can add something that i hadnt thought of? hmmm...? [;