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Message board > Good texts without questions. Why?????
Good texts without questions. Why?????
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eng789
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Good texts without questions. Why?????
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The definition of a worksheet = " something you can work on" . People have been uploading great texts
which is wonderful and I thank you for them because I mainly download reading comprehension exercises.
My complaint is that most of the time I have to make-up the questions. So I download them and I make a note to myself that "it needs work". Could people please take the time to add questions, flow charts, Venn diag. etc. so we don�t have to work so hard?
 for all the great stuff. |
19 Dec 2008
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libertybelle
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Not all printables are worksheets. When we upload our printable
there are many categories to choose from, among them;
reading
grammar
vocabulary
activities and many more.
You don�t always see the category they were assigned, when you browse new materials.
Good reading material is just as important as a lot of questions.
A good discussion in class is worth a thousand lousy questions -
We�re all different and the questions we choose to ask will be just a varied as we are.
L
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19 Dec 2008
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MissMelissa12
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�Dear eng789, In case you have forgotten, we are not all teaching the exact same English lesson as you are; some may be teaching phrasal verbs, some may be teaching vocabulary, some may be teaching the future perfect tense; the point is we are all at different levels with our various classes. And for that reason I do not think it is advantageous to put specific questions sometimes, that�s why you should go over the categories. I think it is better for the teacher to write the specific questions as they pertain to the lesson currently being teached. Such is the teacher�s job, not to find their lesson plans online, but to gain ideas from fellow teachers and to tailor those ideas to their students.
Plus, I think we all have our own ideas and our classes are different. I�m pretty sure even with not questions, the texts here still work for you , remember someone worked on it and ,something else, Is it such a hard work to make up questions about it if you need so? Miss Melissa. |
19 Dec 2008
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mena22
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 Good morning to you all! Just like you eng 789, I prefer to download a reading "worksheet" -- a good, interesting text, which has been worked on and presents good reading tasks, because it saves me a lot of time and we all know that "time" is essential for us teachers and it�s one of the reasons we look for other "ready" materials. That�s why it doesn�t make much sense to me, personally, to upload a text without reading tasks unless it�s a theoretical text, analysis.... So, I�m afraid I personally disagree with Miss Melissa on this, mainly with her association between reading and grammar topics - a text can be used and it is used to introduce a grammar topic, but that is not the kind of texts eng789 is talking about and that is not the type of text we see uploaded here with no questions on it. And Melissa, please, "such is the teacher�s job"??!!! "Is it such a hard work to make up questions about it if you need so?" - you�ve completely missed the point, I�m afraid.
But one thing is to find here material that meets our own expectations - in our case a text with reading activities -- and other thing is what people may upload since there is in this site a great diversity of categories , just like libertybelle pointed out. So, I really don�t think we can ask teachers here to add questions to their texts. The only thing we can do is tell them what type of worksheets we like best, what we consider to be a useful resource for us. The rest is up to them and we have to accept this fact.
A beautiful day to you all!
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19 Dec 2008
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eng789
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Dear Mellissa, no matter what you are teaching the idea is to teach it in context which means in a text. I the kids don�t understand the text then "there is no context". Without some comprehension questions -unless you are translating the whole text, you can�t know if they really understand the context. Even when I give kids some "reading for pleasure� tasks, I expect them to understand enough to answer some questions.
Libertybelle, what exactly is "a reading"??????? Do you say, "Just read the text and then we will move on to something new?"
Don�t you discuss the text orally or written? Don�t you need/ use -- prompting / understanding or summerizing questions?
I thinks it�s a bit too easy to just upload a text without questions. But if that is what people want to do and the texts are interesting, I will be the first to download them and do the rest myself. And I promise to thank you for each one. |
19 Dec 2008
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wolfy
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As one of the culprits of youtube texts without questions I can only give my explanation. �I have also downloaded some reading exercises and I take the opposite view, if it has questions and exercises based on vocab, it limits me to using it for the level of the ws, however I can adapt it with my own questions. �With videos, I find that a 5 min video can last half a class (90 mins) or 3 or 4 classes depending on the level of the student. �So to summerize I upload a text without questions because I think it�s better. �All my ws clearly state, Video and script. �If I have questions I put that in the description too. �I work with CCQ (Comprehension Check Questions). �I read or watch line by line, and ask a question based on vocab and general understanding. �These questions are simple yes no questions and differ for each student (level). �With or without questions I do the same. �I generally improvise these questions for example. �Obama: "good eveing Chicago" �Two questions immeaditely come to mind. �"is it the morning?" �and "Is he in Miami?". �You can see that if the student answers "yes" then you have a problem. �With videos I chop the video into segments (1 or 2 mins) and watch it twice, I then ask the student for a general understanding of what we saw. �Then we go line by line with CCQs. �Any vocab that�s not understood, I simply enter into google and click images. �I have to point the student to the right picture (eg "dawn" no not the girl the pictures with the sun). �Then I ask the students what do they think the word means, it�s generally very effective. �If that doesn�t work I use�http://www.thefreedictionary.com/�with good explanation and synomyns in English. �My final course of action is to translate but it�s very rarely needed. �I realize that if you don�t have a PC, you must do all this beforehand. �I have been using Obama�s Chicago speech, and most of my students haven�t finished it yet (10 classes). �It�s difficult but wait �til you get to the "yes we can" part then the student becomes really motivated. �
Libertybelle, wow we agree. �Probably the first time. Melissa. We agree too Eng789: I hope that my method (communicative approach) has helped you save a little time. �You can google it for more ideas. �I find that writing the questions before of during the class doesn�t make any difference because they are simple yes no questions. |
19 Dec 2008
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