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ESL forum >
Message board > A QUESTION TO THE TEACHERS
A QUESTION TO THE TEACHERS
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mirelli
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A QUESTION TO THE TEACHERS
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Hello teachers, how are you?
Well, I�d like to say that I�m very happy of making part of this site. It�s so wonderful to have the opportunity to share ideas and to see that everybody has issues.I�m getting crazy about these exercises, I just wanna download all of them, but I have to control myself, otherwise, I�ll never reach my 30 points. 
The exercises and powerpoints are so helpful and creative, actually, we must be creative to get our students� attention.
Well, I�d like to ask all of you a question.
Do you have trouble making your students to speak English? Please, share with me what happens in your country, the difficulties, and so on.
Thank you very much for answering, and I hope to make many friends. 
 ....Mirelli Vieira |
6 Oct 2008
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LIBERTAD
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Hi Mirelli! I absolutely have this kind of problem with my mexican students too. But I think it�s up to you to create a nice environment for them to feel comfortable to speak and express their ideas. Most of the time, it�s because they are afraid to make a mistake.
I�ve been trying to use real situations and obviously those ones they are mostly identify with. Even if the examples you�re using are not the same of the book. You can change the situation and adapt it to the grammar of vocabulary you�re about to teach.
Another suggestion is to know your students better. I think that�s very important. You�re students will identify with you. Ask them what�s their favorite kind of music or what�s their favorite song. And surprise them with the lyric the next class. Or, adapt the topic to the things they enjoy to do, and you�ll see that they will feel free to share their ideas with you.
I hope this little suggestions could help you! =) |
7 Oct 2008
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wakebeauty
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Dear Mirelli,
I�d like to answer your question with the same answer I gave to Frenchfrog (The link to her post: http://www.eslprintables.com/forum/topic.asp?id=529)
Even though we�re from the same country, I�d like to know if you share the same opinion as mine about the English teaching in our country and if you face the same difficulties as I do...
I also would like to know your answers to my three questions below!!!!
"Dear Frenchfrog and colleagues that have answered this post until now,
I
face the same problem here in Brazil with my classes... they don�t like
English because they don�t learn it at schools!!!! The only people who
learn/speak are those who takes an ENGLISH COURSE as CCAA, FISK,
CULTURA INGLESA, YAZIGI, WIZARD, and many others PRIVATE COURSES...
I
think the problem is that at schools in Brazil the mainn methodology
used is still the GRAMMAR TRANSLATION, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT???? Why this
still happens?
* First, the schools don�t teach English a communicative language...
*
second, the colleges don�t prepare/teach the students/teachers... so
many of the teachers here in Brazil teach English without even knowing
it...
* third, the classes are too big, with at least 45 students
* We only have two classes per week
* there�s no resource...as books, dicitionaries, labs, etc.. (at least in the MOST OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS)
* The government says that we have to teach our children how to read... ONLY!!!!
To
give an example: next year, the public schools will give the students a
new option: SPANISH - so they�ll choose between Spanish and English (
of course MOST OF THE sTUDENTS WILL CHOOSE sPANISH) This law was
approved in 2005 and all the schools must have this option until 2010.
*
DO
YOU KNOW WHO ARE MOST OF THE TEACHERS WHO WILL TEACH SPANISH???... THE
PORTUGUESE ONES WHO DON�T KONW EVEN A WORD IN SPANISH!
* DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY TEACHERS HAVE THE GOVERNMENT PREPARED SINCE 2005 TO TEACH SPANISH? NONE!!!
It
was the same with English... everybody taught English. So THE TEACHERS
USED TO PRETEND THEY WERE TEACHING ENGLISH AND THE STUDENTS PRETEND
THEY WERE LARNING...
*** But this situation is changing, coz now
we have more prepared teachers at school... but not because they learnt
it in school or at colleges, but because we paid an English course!
But I think it is almost to late... : (
and it�s a pity the same will happen with Spanish... : (
SO I HAVE THREE QUESTIONS FOR ALL OF YOU...
1) DID YOU LEARN THE "ENGLISH YOU KNOW" AT SCHOOL?????
2) DO YOU TEACH YOUR STUDENTS IN ENGLISH OR IN YOUR MOTHER TONGUE???
3) WHAT IS THE MAIN METHODOLOGY USED IN MOST OF THE SCHOOLS IN YOUR COUNTRIES???
A little kiss for all of you(*.*)
And
thanks Frenchfrog for having started this topic- so we BRAZILIANS
could see that problem is not only IN BRAZIL, but most of the teachers
face it too- even in DEVELOPED COUNTRIES!!!!!"
CGATO,
THX A LOT FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS
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7 Oct 2008
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Tere-arg
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Hi Mirelli...Welcome!
I am a private teacher at present but worked in public schools in the past.
As regards public schools, here they do not teach the 4 skills but focus only on reading and writing. The syllabus is basic so they do not learn much.
Now...being a private teacher I am finding that students become less interested in learning. The younger (teens) are the most reluctant.
Making them speak English all the class has always been difficult: shame, lack of self-confidence, fear to make mistakes, laziness... the reasons are varied but the problem is on the increase.
I usually offer prizes and sort of punishments -without calling them that way- to encourage their participation and it works... 
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7 Oct 2008
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Tere-arg
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Hi CGATO
Here, in Argentina, is not much different.
Classes are big, resources are never enough, you have an average of an hour and a half of class a week, the syllabus is elemental and focused only on reading and writing...
Teachers -in general- are well prepared but English is not given the importance it should have at schools.
I think it happens because authorities do not usually know what it all is about (or, at least, that was my experience)
Your questions (and my answers in case they may be of any interest)
1) DID YOU LEARN THE "ENGLISH YOU KNOW" AT SCHOOL?????
2) DO YOU TEACH YOUR STUDENTS IN ENGLISH OR IN YOUR MOTHER TONGUE???
3) WHAT IS THE MAIN METHODOLOGY USED IN MOST OF THE SCHOOLS IN YOUR COUNTRIES???
1. We learn basic English at school but if you want to be a teacher you have to pay for private tuition during an average of, at least, six years (=levels) so when you finish your secondary school you can take up the career to become one. It lasts four years and you need a first certificate level to start.
2. I use my mother tongue when necessary but try to use English and make them use what they have learnt always it is possible.
3. As far as I know (I left public education long ago) it is based on the use of English all the time: reading, understanding, answering questions and doing exercises.
I was always allowed to use my own method so had no problem...
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7 Oct 2008
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wakebeauty
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HEY TARE,
The lack of interest in English I can see that it is almost the same : (
But you�re better prepared at colleges. Here in Brazil the only teachers that are well prepared are the ones that take a FEDERAL UNIVERSITY or a GOOD STATE ONE!!!!
By the way, I�m Wakebeauty and CGATO is the teacher to whom I was thanking for having answered my questions in Frenchfrog�s post!!
So now I thank you TARE : )
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7 Oct 2008
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teecha_nikky
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Hey wakebeauty,
To answer your questions...
1) DID YOU LEARN THE "ENGLISH YOU KNOW" AT SCHOOL?
I am half brazilian, but was raised in english speaking coutries so I learnt my english there.
2) DO YOU TEACH YOUR STUDENTS IN ENGLISH OR IN YOUR MOTHER TONGUE?
I generally teach in english but will translate difficult words if I can, or get someone to help.
I taught Spanish to elementary school kids in Australia, and it was easier to explain things in english and just get them to speak Spanish in small amounts - ie. just the target language (grammar point) of the day.
Here in Japan, I work alongside the Japanese teacher of English (JTE), in both junior highschool and elementary school, and there is soooo much Japanese used. The kids close their minds and say �too hard� when you speak English to them. Most of my instructions are translated and they only use a small amount of English in class.
When teaching English to adults in Australia, my lessons were 100% English Only. I find it better that way because the more english your students hear, the higher the chance that some of it will stay in their heads. Lets say, students retain 10% of what is said. If you say 100 things, they might remember 10 of them, but if you say 10 things, they�ll only remember one. Just a generalisation, but I feel that more english is best-as long as it is aimed at the right level, and is attainable for them.
3) WHAT IS THE MAIN METHODOLOGY USED IN MOST OF THE SCHOOLS IN YOUR COUNTRIES???
In Japan, it�s still grammar grammar grammar, translation, memorising dialogues, and is not successful. Most of the students say �I don�t like english� or �I don�t understand english� and they close their minds to learning.
I�m at my junior highschool 3-5 days a week, and visit 2 elementary schools. Each of my elementary schools will get 10-15 hours of English with me in a YEAR, and the other english they are taught is by Japanese teachers who don�t speak much english themselves.
At junior highschool they get more english, but there are 3 year levels in junior high with 8 classes of about 35 students, in each year level (total of 770 students). I end up seeing each class once a month. They get more english from JTEs as well, but again, the focus is on grammar, is taught mostly in Japanese, and is not fun or engaging for the students.
The students aren�t confident in speaking up, so when I ask a question I get dead silence. To help fight that,....They get to talk over the answer with a partner for 1 minute and then I ask them again and get more hands showing. They feel better when they get to share their answer with someone privately...it�s not as scary, and then they feel support from their partner when they speak.
Most of the Japanese students I taught in Australia had fantastic grammar skills but couldn�t carry on a conversation with you. The system needs MAJOR changes.
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7 Oct 2008
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mirelli
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Hello Wakebeauty...
Here are my answers to your 3 questions.
1) DID YOU LEARN THE "ENGLISH YOU KNOW" AT SCHOOL?
Well, I started learning English here, in Brazil, then I went to the USA and lived there for 5 years.
When I came back, I went to the University, but in university they only teach you how to act in class, in my opinion, I really learned how to teach, when I started teaching.
2) DO YOU TEACH YOUR STUDENTS IN ENGLISH OR IN YOUR MOTHER TONGUE?
I try to teach them in English, but It�s hard to get their attention, so, sometimes I speak my mother language, but I�m not happy with it. I want to speak only English in class, but sometimes looks like that the students wanna kill me.
3) WHAT IS THE MAIN METHODOLOGY USED IN MOST OF THE SCHOOLS IN YOUR COUNTRIES???
The main methodology that we use in the school that I work is the holistic, which consists in working the 4 abilities (reading,speaking,listening and writing), it�s a good methodology, but if we don�t give grammar exercises to the students, they complain that are not learning.I think this happens because they always learned this way, all about the grammar.
Sometimes I fell upset because I wanna show them a funny video, the simple ones, and they just don�t understand.
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7 Oct 2008
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