My class has 60-70 students and I am finding it hard to keep them all interested in studying English. The syllabus is very pressured and there is very little opportunity (or even physical space) for games etc.
I would appreciate practical solutions to this problem. My colleagues are all facing this problem as well. Thanks.
Difficulties of Teaching English in China
Moderators: Dimitris, maneki neko2, Lorikeet, Enrico Palazzo, superpeach, cecil2, Mr. Kalgukshi2
same same here
I've got 68-70 kids in each class. I have my own classroom, after bargaining for a year, so I can be a little more adaptable, no desks, no pencil cases, just 70 stools and the kids. I am going to try doing 75% of the lesson as usual, then let the disinterested ones go back to their classrooms, alowing the better students to have a more personal lesson with me, almost an English corner so to speak. It is a great shame that schools don't provide an English room for Foreign teachers, like they do for a Biology room, art room and others. Maybe it's worth a try at your school? Tell them it is very popular elsewhere!
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pullingmyhairout
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Mon May 29, 2006 10:21 am
So it's not just me...!
After a bit of private school teaching with small classes, I am now the sole foreign 'teacher' in a large Chinese middle school. I've been here for six weeks, in conditions similar to yours, Peanut. Note that I'm not new to China, having been here five times since the early 1990s.
It's quickly become apparent that my function at this school is to be a foreign face, pulling in Govt grants and parental fees of 1000Y/term. The Chinese teachers are nice, but too busy with their own work to offer much help. I've had to do all the running to get any information on what the kids have been/will be taught. The school seems to have no expectations of me - they simply want the foreign face to turn up at publicity events. This seems to be partly a legacy I've inherited from former 'foreign experts.'
The tactics and methods I've used before are simply not applicable in small classrooms packed with 60 kids, all of wildly differing levels. It's a shame - each class has a few kids who are bloody good, and WANT to learn, but crowd control tactics on the remaining 40 who couldn't care less stop me from giving these my attention.
I've suggested making up classes of the better students so I can teach them effectively, but that's a non-starter. All the parents are paying, so all the kids WILL be 'taught' by the foreigner....whether they like it or not.
Practical solutions? Grin and bear it, and work out the year in 2 month chunks. I've resigned myself to the fact I will not be a Great Educator in this work environment. Hopefully I'll engage some of the students enough that they'll take their studies and abilities on to a higher level.
Have you come up with any ideas since you first posted?
It's quickly become apparent that my function at this school is to be a foreign face, pulling in Govt grants and parental fees of 1000Y/term. The Chinese teachers are nice, but too busy with their own work to offer much help. I've had to do all the running to get any information on what the kids have been/will be taught. The school seems to have no expectations of me - they simply want the foreign face to turn up at publicity events. This seems to be partly a legacy I've inherited from former 'foreign experts.'
The tactics and methods I've used before are simply not applicable in small classrooms packed with 60 kids, all of wildly differing levels. It's a shame - each class has a few kids who are bloody good, and WANT to learn, but crowd control tactics on the remaining 40 who couldn't care less stop me from giving these my attention.
I've suggested making up classes of the better students so I can teach them effectively, but that's a non-starter. All the parents are paying, so all the kids WILL be 'taught' by the foreigner....whether they like it or not.
Practical solutions? Grin and bear it, and work out the year in 2 month chunks. I've resigned myself to the fact I will not be a Great Educator in this work environment. Hopefully I'll engage some of the students enough that they'll take their studies and abilities on to a higher level.
Have you come up with any ideas since you first posted?
