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Thread: What do I teach them?

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[quote=LEMONCACTUS,293678]Hi guestdee,

My first gig in China sounds exactly like this, and was a bit of a shock after my CELTA course, the school had no advice or instructions for me about "what" they wanted me to teach and, worse, they had no books and I had no access to a photocopier except if I wanted to pay for all the copies myself.

I had to create my own syllabus for oral English, my materials were myself, a blackboard and some chalk, plus a few bits that I brought over from the UK.

I can offer you some suggestions.

Topic based course is probably the easiest. You choose a specific topic every week: marriage, money, job interviews, sport... whatever interests you or your students... this allows you to use the topic as a basis for the class.

Prepare the topics in advance and you can inform the students the previous week and get them to do some research, or ask the students what they would be interested in learning about and add their choice of topics to your schedule.

Topic based allows you to introduce specific vocabulary and practise specific vocabulary. If you want to pick up a grammar point or language usage issue, it's a good idea. EG: formal language in an interview situation.

Students are very interested in your home and culture, having little "genuine" experience of life beyond China, except for movies. Anything you can bring with you to stimulate their interests: photographs, magazines, newspapers (all light and cheap to bring). Use them creatively and you'll have to adapt them to what may be a great variety of learning levels.

Big classes are tough. Worse is if you are in a lecture theatre, with seats that don't move. If you're lucky, your students will have moveable seats, this sounds crazy, but if they don't you can't put them in groups and it's a big PAIN. You can ask to move to another classroom if this is the case... explain your reasons and cross your fingers, it might happen!

Chinese students aren't used to talking in class. They're used to sitting and being talked at... in the majority of cases. So, much coaxing and patience might be required. Students don't want to lose "face", a concept that shouldn't be overlooked, as it will have an  impact on your teaching.

I would suggest putting a small amount of time away in most classes for using a game, the students love games, and they love you to sing and even if you can't sing.... as I can't... being willing to sing and lose your own "face" will endear them to you. Games/singing just help to break the ice. Spending a few RMB on prizes also works wonders, even a prize of sweets. I had my students extend a class for about 15 minutes to produce a winning team when playing the game "taboo"!

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