| ESL/TEFL: What is your classroom style? | |
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| Feb 4, 2008 17:07 |   |
 | For those of you who are currently teaching English in China, I have a question about what classroom style you use. I have been taking a TEFL course that gives examples of lesson plans. It encourages us to use games and story-telling activities when teaching the classes. This is for all ages. But I was talking to a Chinese friend about it, and she warned that if other teachers in the school saw me using these techniques, they may not approve. (She said they may think that the kids aren't really learning anything if they are playing games.) Has anyone encountered this? What style of teaching do you use in the classroom? I'll be working with kids between the ages of 6 and 13, and I do not yet know what level of English they will be studying. Thanks for any input! Jen |
| Feb 4, 2008 23:32 | #1 |
| Hi Jen. I'm Chris. I taught English here in Yangzhou, Jiangsu for a year. I taught at the college and middle school levels. In both cases, generally speaking, I used the games and activities model, as this enhances the learning experience and makes any given lesson more engaging and enjoying for the students. I sincerely doubt that any of the other teachers or your superiors will have any qualms if you apply this method AS LONG AS the game and activities which you choose to employ in the classroom are educational in nature. This, at least, is my personal experience. I hope that helps. |
| Feb 8, 2008 11:21 | #2 |
| Hi Chris, Thanks for the input. That helps alot. I agree that there is a great deal of benefit to that teaching style, and I would have been disappointed if I couldn't use it. From what I understand, my primary purpose will be to help the students practice pronunciation. (I am just a short-term volunteer. They have a Chinese English teacher, too, but I think they don't get many opportunities to practice speaking the language.) The class size will be 50-60, and they will range in age from 7-13. Are there any games you can recommend that are helpful for pronunciation? I found some good ideas at www.eslcafe.com, but they are not specific to China. Thanks! Jen |
| Feb 11, 2008 11:53 | #3 |
| Of course, your games should have clear learning objectives and they should be stated in the lesson plan. I agree that you will not always finsd local staff sympathetic to the approach but they will not hamper you providing you are doing it professionally. One issue is that this approach can be noisier as the kids get involved, and sometimes harder to control, especially with large classes. Some local teachers think you have brought problems upon yourself by working this way. Bottom line: if it's professional the teachers will not complain, so go for it! |
| Feb 11, 2008 22:27 | #4 |
| Hello again, Jen. Sorry for the late reply, but I'm a bit pressed for time these days and I've also been busy traveling and being sick with food poisoning - had to happen sooner or later! :-( Anyway, which games and activities are most suitable for your classes depends on a variety of factors, including how big your classes are, the level of your students' English, whether the school is private or public (i.e. whether the students are spoiled and rambunctious or reasonably well-behaved and attentive) and even at which time of the day you hold your lessons. Generally speaking, the golden rule is to choose games and activities which involve ALL the students, which are educational, but fun at the same time, and also which necessitate students to work together in groups or teams. Your best bet is to check out the mammoth list of games and activities on Dave's ESL Cafe which I found to be a wonderful resource. Good luck! |
| Feb 16, 2008 11:34 | #5 |
| Thanks to you both! Jen |
| Feb 17, 2008 06:33 | #6 |
| Good advice and as Paul mentioned some of the local teachers may not have the same teaching style as ESL teachers are encouraged to use and there fore may not fully approve. Your classes should be fun so that the children will enjoy learning and want to continue. Of course they will not all be motivated or always be totally engaged especially if you have a large class. Don't forget to use songs and jazz chants especially for younger students. And you can encourage a little friendly competition with some of these. Simple role plays with some humour and opportunities to act out skits. You'll be surprised at how good some of the kids are when they get a chance to show their off their skills. |
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