Search results matching tags 'communication' and 'effort'

1015. A demanding teacher got a lot

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:17:00 GMT

Teacher A said to teacher B, “If no words, no communication.

I knew a teacher, a committed one, who used to assign as homework to study lists of vocabulary (and other homework). His students achieved to learn a lot of words, usual words, common words, so those students were able to speak in English more fluently than just single sentences.

They were able to make presentations or describe objects for example. He was a demanding teacher.” / Photo from: fallsrivermusic com. flute pic2

940. Great after practicing and training

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 11:56:00 GMT

One day teacher of English A said to teacher of English B, “You can advise your students to read something in English for some time, for long if possible, right before an oral exam.

This reading prepares the candidates to have more resources to express their ideas in the target language. The candidates arrive at the examination venue as one who has already trained and practiced, like before a sport game.

Their English then can be fresh, their mind more adapted to think in English. They are already like in their own land, more likely ready to respond in English in a fluent way.”

I published the post above in November of 2010. I have changed small things, like some words for instance. / Photo: cbsnews com. he is lochte, in last olympic games london 2012

934. After much thinking and much teaching

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 16:49:00 GMT

One day teacher of English A said to teacher of English B, “Yesterday I had my class with the kids of 10 years. You know, all I said was in English, while their aural level is so low.

Well, they understood the games I implemented: with examples, gestures and body language, and you know what: they understood a nice percentage and even could follow the class.

An indispensable aid: the whiteboard. I guess they understand me more and more, despite they are jumpy and frisky, and it’s an extra school activity. I dare say they’re acquiring English, and not just learning. In my class in the morning, with my adult students, happened similar: all the class was in English, by me and by them – it’s true we had a visitor teacher and that makes you invest more effort.” / Photo from: tentonhammer com. man thinking

929. I've got to loop the loop

Anonymous — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 12:04:00 GMT

One day teacher of English B said to teacher of English A, “A few days ago I was walking to the center where I teach classes: some of them are for practicing speaking in English, both they and me. And some other classes are private, individual: the student and I work on the course books and notebooks of their school. These latter classes are for reinforcing the school subject of English.

The boys are of 10 years of age. While I was walking to the center that evening I was thinking about all this stuff, and how I could achieve those goals: speaking in English and getting good grades in the subject of their schools.

With the classes as a group I try they listen and speak English as much as possible. This year I still haven’t gotten all the class as a group be all in English. I’ve had few classes with them yet, so I will keep on trying that all I say and all they say be in English.

I’ll let you know how classes turn out to be like. Their level of speaking in English is low. I’ve got to loop the loop.” / Photo from: argentinaindependent com. When-the-cars-or-bikes-werent-on-sight-the-plane-was-getting-all-the-attention-from-the-people. by-Irena-Baxi

884. Another new beautiful vista

Anonymous — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 14:16:00 GMT

Some of my adult students tend to say that they know little of English, whereas the truth is that some of them have an upper-intermediate level of language, I’d say. I teach a group of those people.

They tell me they’re too old to learn – they’re recently retired workers. How much can they really learn and acquire, concerning some competence at communicating in English? I believe – some of them are rather oldish – I should help them become more capable of learning and acquiring English. How shall I do this, how shall I prepare them to become more skillful to learn and acquire English?

Scholar and expert H. D. Brown wrote, referring to learners: ‘Don’t sell yourself short! You can no doubt take in a lot more information if you just make up your mind that you can do it and then exert some effort!’ (Page 50 from already mentioned A Practical Guide to Language Learning...).

Summing up: right now I make the resolution of trying to help those people become more skillful to reach as much as possible: I wish they tentatively take enough competence to be able to hold conversations in English and speak in that language when they travel abroad, for example for managing in a restaurant, for asking for help to arrive at certain place, etc. I ask God for help to reach this: the more the better. / Photo from: lizasreef com. tropical rainforest

784. It's beautiful to learn

Anonymous — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:49:00 GMT

One day teacher of English A said to teacher of English B, “Last Wednesday I carried out the class in a different way as usual. The thing with my three students is that they are in need of learning how to study in their course books; also to practice the grammar and vocab they’re learning. Those grammar and lexis are common everyday language, and so they need them as the basement for near future communication with people in English.

As well they have to pass the subject of English of their schools, as a first premise. Study and practice will make for pass the subject and near future authentic communication.

I had them sit at a long rectangular table in a study hall of our center. While they were working on their books they also asked me questions, such as ‘I don’t understand this exercise’ [in Spanish]. ‘Ok, read it again, and over and over’, I told him. ‘Use the dictionary’ too. In the end, as I gave him some small prompt about the exercise, he did understand it: ‘Oh, I see now!’

Next time, with this learned experience, I’ll have him to do it on his own. It’s something great to know things in the classroom are as these, often.” / Photo from: exmoorencyclopedia org uk

654. Next is the final

Anonymous — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 14:39:00 GMT

One day teacher of English B said to teacher of English A, “Although you should assess what the students have learned and acquired, when the academic year is approaching, I’d advise you to set a final written exam. Most teachers do; it was rather silly of me to say it.

An exam including grammar and vocabulary, reading, writing, perhaps listening too. Whatever you think most appropriate. Focusing mainly on the communicative competente. When assigning the final grade, consider each student’s effort as well; and their partial grades. I think the final exam should be also one chance to pass the course, albeit the three or four or five evaluations or assessments were fail. During the year you’ll have assessed the speaking skill.

Take also into account their effort, their struggle to improve (or their contrary, obviously). I incline to think that all this final grading should be something educative too. I mean, something humane, not a cold and strict adding or substracting numbers. There’s always something sort of intangible, like for example the student’s struggle to learn, or his laziness – if the case - that the student, in some way, ought to view in his or her final grade, as a mirror of their effort and interest (or lack of).” / Photo from: legacytrustuk org. UK School of Games. This picture was taken in Wales.

646. Look, they're doing better and better!

Anonymous — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 14:00:00 GMT

One day teacher of English B said to teacher of English A, “One teacher used to praise their students for their struggling and effort to improve their studying and learning. He was quite demanding with the students.

However he knew how to reckon the students’ work. Passing the exams was crucial, but at the same time he praised his students’ striving to better their study and their coursebook exercises: he gave importance to this increasing struggle to improve. Grades were not the only important thing: he tried to teach his students to become better persons and become more and more autonomous learners: in this way the students just wished to study, to learn new things, to practice communication in English - at least he accomplished this with quite a nice number of the students in their class-groups.

If some student failed an exam, all right: this teacher let him analyze his errors and face up with his next exam.” / Photo from: autokton-world blogspot com. These people are skiing in Sierra Nevada, here in Granada, where I live.

578. Starting the way is being tough

Anonymous — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 09:56:00 GMT

One day teacher of English A said to teacher of English B, “Help your student lose fear of speaking in English. I’m referring to the private classes you are starting soon. This may be shocking to your student, but that conducting in English from the first minute is good for... a class of English. Most of your students would be false beginners. Lean on that basis they already have to try communicate in English. You two may talk about the schedule, the days for the classes, the money, his or her needs.

This talking in English should create an atmosphere where speaking in English is something natural. It may be kind of tough to him, but I believe it’s ok. Make yourself be understood by your learner: you can slow down your discourse, your sentences; aid the action with writing on a sheet of paper; smile, nod, repeat, approve.

I’d say that only if the situation is a dead lock, you can switch into Spanish. While leaving the place you two, keep speaking in English for a while.” / Photo from: sialacasadelosperezgarcia blogspot com

555. Follow his track

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 07:24:00 GMT

One day teacher of English A said to teacher of English B, “One way to foster real communication in English in the class is letting the student talk. I mean, you asked a student something or you prompted for a reply. Ok, don’t break off the thread of communication: get interested in what he or she said. Now you reply to him or her, deepening into this real and human communication – give him more prompts to talk a bit more about the matter. Set a dialogue. If a classmate of his says something to the first student, in L1, asked this second student to repeat that in English, however he can.” / Photo from: canoing_at_Winfield_Scott buckandnelson com