|
ESL Forum:
Techniques and methods
in Language Teaching
Games, activities
and teaching ideas
Grammar and
Linguistics
Teaching material
Concerning
worksheets
Concerning
powerpoints
Concerning online
exercises
Make suggestions,
report errors
Ask for help
Message board
|
ESL forum >
Techniques and methods in Language Teaching > Hhhheeeelllpppp!!!
Hhhheeeelllpppp!!!
|
carinita
|
Hhhheeeelllpppp!!!
|
|
Hi, everybody Before I go to the point I must make clear I �m new in the profession I took charge of a course of 20 students who are 16-17 years old and I teach english as a foreign language in Argentina. I �ll be their teacher until the beginning of september, then their former teacher will return
Well...I have 3 courses apart frome this course in particular What happens in this specificic class is that they love to talk IN SPANISH So spanish it �s like a pain in the neck for me! It �s like they always need translation, they aren �t willing to listen too much english...but they love communicating IN SPANISH!
I mean if I compare them with other students, of course! you always need L1 but yet I think the amount of english-spanish it �s unbalanced in their case
I know, if they are like that...perhaps...they haven �t had the chance to witness and english lesson that is truly communicative...and I �m asking too much
I know I won �t be able to change things in just a few weeks but does anyone have an idea of what can I do with those students who are relentlessly whispering words in their mother tongue?  |
13 Aug 2010
|
|
|
|
Vivilui
|
|
Nothing to do; just relax. I mean, if in two or three weeks you won �t be teaching them any more, just let things flow. They may be acting like this because of two reasons: 1) they may not be used to listening enough English or 2) it may be a natural reaction to having a different teacher who -they know- won �t be for long with them. So, don �t panic if they are speaking too much Spanish; go on giving the best of yourself! I may sound a bit negative, but I �ve been teaching for twenty-three years now and experience tells me that there �s little to do in such a case. Good luck! |
13 Aug 2010
|
|
|
teacher jessie
|
I �m not sure but I think I got this idea from this forum.
I took a sign of El Quijote crossed out (like in the traffic signs) meaning that Spanish is not permitted in class. When you hear a student you give him/her the mentioned sign. This means that he/she will have extra homework. The funny part comes here: this student CAN get rid of the extra homework IF he/she hears a companion speaking Spanish; if that happens the 1st student gives the 2nd student the sign, This can go on and on, but at the end of the lesson only ONE student will get extra homework.
This way they will try harder speaking English �cause they �ll know that everybody is paying attention to that, not only the teacher.
And, so as not to have extra work yourself, you can ask oral tasks for the extra homework such as: describe your way from your house to school with details, or talk about a book that you like, etc.
Hope you can use it, it really worked for me.
|
13 Aug 2010
|
|
|
joy2bill
|
|
I like teacher jessie �s idea and I am going to try it. I have very little problem with my Asian, European or Arabic students but my South Americans just cannot help themselves.
I have used the yellow card, red card system from football.
Another system was when they donated 50c to the charity our school supports for every time they spoke their L1.
One that used to work well was the transgressor had to bring a cake for the others.
In all cases I used the �dob in your classmate � system. However all these schemes fall down when the student refuses to �play the game �.
The only fool-proof method is to pair them with another student who speaks another language. .....but so many teachers don �t have that luxury.
Good luck, Joy |
13 Aug 2010
|
|
|
Olindalima ( F )
|
You may be sure Jessie �s idea works, I mentioned it some time ago, here, in this forum, ( though the original idea was not mine, I saw it somewhere ), but I have been using it for about 3 years and my kids call them my magic cards ( I work with two cards ). Whenever I open my bag, everyone starts saying " I �m speaking English ". It �s a lot of fun and most of the times there isn �t even no need to give the cards and the extra homework.
Give it a try.
Linda
|
13 Aug 2010
|
|
|
carinita
|
It may work that idea I liked it , Jessie  I think I �ll give it a try and I �ll try to relax as well Many things are out of my control |
13 Aug 2010
|
|
|
