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Message board > HELP me Please!!!
HELP me Please!!!
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Gribouille9
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HELP me Please!!!
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Hi!
I am sick and my brain is like jello today... I need to prepare a lesson and I don �t know what to teach anymore. I think I �d like to do something on food/restaurant, sports or fashion. But here �s the situation : I teach High School students who are maybe High Beginner level and Im supposed to teach only conversation. They really dont like English for most of them and dont participate much unless they are forced to.
Anyone as a great idea?
Thanks!!!
Have a great day and week-end!!! Yeah! |
13 Mar 2009
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Vickiii
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How terribly sad - i found many teachers reported this as they were doing round robin discussion where each person had to speak on a given topic - YAAWWNNNN! boring. Even I would fall asleep. HEre is one of many fun ways to hold a conversation class (my kids loved conversation class by the time I was finished with them!
1) Debatable topics: Put class into groups. Give them a whiteboard each - or a big piece of butcher paper and felts.
2) Tell them they have 2 minutes to brainstorm as many words as possible about �environment � topic is changable based on your kids interests.
3) Give points to the team that has the most topic based words.
4) Get specific - 2 minutes to brainstorm on �endangerd species �
DID I MENTION DO ALL THIS FAST - DON �T STOP AND WAIT FOR TALKERS JUST DO IT - GIVE OUT POINTS FOR WORKING TOGETHER EFFECTIVELY - EVEN LOLLIES THE FIRST TIME IF YOU WANT. WRITE THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE BLACKBOARD AFTER YOU HAVE OBVIOUSLY STARTED THE TIMER ON YOUR CELLPHONE - OR STOPWATCH.
5) Give out points to the team with the most points gain. (Can give points for second place as well if you like. Get winning group to read out their words so others have words to use.
6) now start a debate - combine the groups with highest and lowest points and so on until you have some large groups of about 8 kids.
7) Split the class ito for and against.
8) each person in the group has to contribute one main point.
9) give points for - stating opinion, - refuting other sides opinion, being original.
10) give lollies out to only the winners at the end of class - this makes them super motivated next class!
11) everyone clap for the winners who can take a bow if they are so inclined.
Enjoy.
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13 Mar 2009
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libertybelle
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Great ideas from Vickii
Many of the older students who don �t feel they are very good at languages hate having to speak in front of the whole class.
Like Vickii said, pair them off with different assignments. They speak much more English together than on a class basis.
Choose a theme for them to talk about or -
a picture
a problem
let them interview each other
a board game
A spot the difference hand-out
Find sketches for them
let them - 2 and 2 make a poem or a sketch, role playing
Talk about their favorite song, book or film.
This entails that you go around the class to make sure they are speaking English.
This works for me. It really gets the quiet ones going because they feel more secure in a little group and aren �t embarrassed to make mistakes in front of the whole class.
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13 Mar 2009
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douglas
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Try downloading a menu from a "cool" restaurant (I don �t know how liberal your school is, but the "Hooters" menu always stimulates interest, for example) and have them sit in groups of four or five (as if they are at the restaurant).
Don �t help them with vocab the first time around.
Go to each table as if you (or a selected student) is the waiter/waitress and let them attempt to order.
When they order throw the normal questions at them: "What kind of dressing would you like?", "How would you like your steak?", etc..
Tell them afterwards what they ordered.
Clarify questions about what is on the menu, etc.
Now give them situations ( a dirty fork, a missing knife, onions on the hamburger, not what they ordered etc.) to deal with.
Tip: let them get a little loud and festive--after all they are out on the town.
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13 Mar 2009
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Gribouille9
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Thanks for you ideas...always good to know we can get help and support easily around here :).
Great week-end! |
13 Mar 2009
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