Search results matching tags 'games' and 'communication'

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

825. Learning to communicate afresh

Anonymous — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:59:00 GMT

One day teacher of English B said to teacher of English A, “If your students have the words, they can have the communication they want to hold. No words and no grammar: no communication.

Something you can do is providing your students with the words and grammar they need to give a message, like ‘It’s everyone’s duty to preserve our world’. For example one student has to explain this sentence, this idea to her classmates, in the front of the classroom. Beforehand, also in the class, and shortly, you and she can work together on useful words and expressions. You yourself can provide a few of your own.

Next, her classmates have got to understand her message. They don’t know the sentence itself. So as to explain it, for instance she can use concepts, like: nature, wild life, atmosphere, smog, forests, water, litter, solidarity among peoples; she also can explain healthy and environment-friendly customs; she can use the verb ‘can’ and ‘can’t’; also talk about our descendants, etc. The students will be understanding because of the vocabulary they know, also maybe because of similar words in Spanish (cognates), grammar patterns they already know... And these kids will approximate the meaning of the message, maybe by saying aloud just single words, sentences yet in broken English, longer contributions.

Thus: What are they all having in that class? Not less than communication, and in English, which is your ultimate goal of your school subject. Besides they’re thinking in English.” / Photo from: eastpuertoricodiving com. scuba diving lessons

Communication Bootcamp for Kids: Words your Kids Should Learn

Anonymous — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 05:10:13 GMT

Top Tips for Teaching Concepts: The Park Words are more exhilarating when you animate them! ~ Marnee Hi Everyone, Do you want to know a secret for helping your child excel when participating in the classroom? One trick is to ensure your child understands “concepts”. Concepts are words that provide key information that assist your [...]

482. Communication is so necessary sometimes

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 10:31:00 GMT

I published the following post on a former blog of mine. It was composed on October 31, 2007. I have changed some words and expressions. This post may show some insight of the learner. I’ve left some peculiar style, on purpose.

The teacher will try to promote in his/her student the attitude to learn vocabulary, by talking with him or her, so that this student will become cheerful to find out how to say more things in English, to communicate with native speakers or practice new things with his or her teacher in the class. The teacher will try to create necessities to communicate new things in the class. It's like a game. A friend of mine is all the time eager to communicate with English-speaking people. Once we were in a plane of the British Airways, and at once he politely tried to speak with the flight-attendants. This Spanish person is willing to always learn new words. A person like that, with such an attitude, is the kind of person that wins the war of learning a language.

/ Photo: welcome-to-the-sticks-bienvenue-chez-les-ch’tis-4 thecia com au. A funny French movie. Released in 2008. Dany Boon, a French humorist actor is one of the protagonists. The film is in French and in Ch’ti; the latter one is a dialect of French.

“Le film raconte les aventures de Philippe Abrams, directeur d’une agence de La Poste dans le sud de la France qui, par mesure disciplinaire, est muté pour une durée de deux ans à Bergues, dans le Nord-Pas-de-Calais. » From Wikipedia.

398. She's helping her son develop communication

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 14:38:00 GMT

This is a comment I’ve just written, for British Council – BBC site, to answer a teacher who wants to receive ideas to teach the speaking skill. / Photo from learningsupport co uk (The comment has not been published yet: the staff is moderating whether being outlet on the site).

Hello Maria Victoria, small9 and vlnraojagatha,

You know what?

This morning I wrote a comment to try to help you, Maria Victoria. But, at sudden, right after having composed the comment, I clicked on I don't know where, with my mouse, and puuuf!!, everything disappeared.

Now I'm going to write the things I can remember. First, what I've just said above, well, is... funny. Let's put the anecdote aside.

You ought to, or you can speak in English, I'd tell you, from the very beginning until the very end of the class. Although your students may have close to no knowledge of English. It's like a treat between you and them. They soon will make up the image that you only speak in English, at that time, so as to say.

Plus you pretend you don't understand their L1. Funny. You create, in that way, an atmosphere where English is the only language spoken and listened to.

Why that much speaking in L2? It's of a paramount importance for them to grasp the texture of English.

Moreover, if you wish that someone would speak in English, and that person is learning or acquiring that language, that person needs loads of input in English. So, massive speaking by you.

This is the 'silent period', according to great Krashen, an expert scholar in acquisition of languages.

Stay calm. I usually say this to whoever is starting our fantastic career. And to me myself.

They may look they are in the clouds, or they are actually talking to each other; all the same, they are storing language, and above all, storing your commitment to them in the classroom. They are, say, swallowing and somehow digesting English.

Make them stand up, and move round, up and down: children, as you all know, shouldn't be sitting too much time.

Their brains are developing. Since they are not capable of abstract ideas at learning a language, use visual aids, and realia.

Swift activity or game, every few minutes.

If you see one game or activity doesn't work, also then swift into the next activity from your class-plan.

Pick up loads of patience. You, and also novice teachers, are learning the profession. You'll see the fruits. You are learning in the day-to-day battlefield.

Logical steps in the process of acquiring the capability of speaking:

1. Single isolated words, which they have heard from you many times. Those words are responses to your questions and prompts. Slightly praise that great step forward. They are beginning to communicate with you... in English!

2. Full sentences. These sentences may be broken English nonetheless. Doesn't matter.

3. Conversations, on interesting topics with which you get a linkage among them and you: exploit those moments!

When talking to them, during the 'silent period', make use of gestures, eye-contact, smiling, acting out, shifting of intonation, face expressions.

What else? I hope this would be any useful for you, and other potential new-teacher readers.

Best wishes.

Fernando M Díez Gallego

Teacher of English. Teacher trainer

Granada (Spain)

http://fernandoexperiences.blogspot.com

370. Many people may miss communication

Anonymous — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:00:00 GMT

A comment of mine on British Council BBC website, published today June 9. The site can be found on www.teachingenglish.co.uk

Hello cmftrier and everyone,

In my degree of Philology of English we were taught the difference between errors and mistakes. It fits what some of you state.

If it helps you out, my primeval goal in the classroom is communication. Right now I'm referring to speaking errors or mistakes. One of you, sorry who?, said that making errors and mistakes is a sign of actual learning.

I let my students utter their messages, and I try to express my wish to understand them, yet they speak in broken English. So, the point in the class is the real communication among us.

Secondly but not less important, I correct some mistakes/errors few times while someone is explainig something: I let him or her speak out. I do not much butt in what that student is saying.

When one student is explaining something or just stammering some words, or maybe saying full sentences, depending on their level.

However, at other moments of the classes we practice the punctual grammar, useful to utter more messages. Or similar messages to the already ones said in former classes. Thus their improving to talk is sustained and helped by the grammar and vocab they are learning. They invent some words: it's ok, so far, we'll polish their style.

In the classes, fully in L2, the students may have close to no idea of English, though. Anyway, it's also important for them to listen to the the texture of spoken English. In an English-speaking atmosphere.

Best for you all!

Fernando M Diez Gallego

Granada (Spain)

Photo from dailykos com Thank you. A homeless man in dreadful winter.

341. How to obtain the delicious dish of communication

Anonymous — Mon, 03 May 2010 10:35:00 GMT

This is chapter 28 from my book on TEFL, TESL, ELL. Photo from www tribuneindia com

28. Cómo aprender palabras nuevas

Leyendo. Entre otras fuentes, que ahora veremos. La lectura es una fuente de modos de decir peculiares del inglés, de palabras, de enriquecimiento. Van creando un depósito, del que el hablante no nativo extrae las palabras adecuadas a tal momento. Sin palabras no hay comunicación. Y se recuerdan las palabras que se practican, que se usan. Si llega un término nuevo al cerebro y se queda solitario, se aburre y se va.

La memoria, además, es como un chicle: se dilata. Una amiga que tengo lee un vocablo nuevo, y es capaz de recordarlo, al primer vistazo. Fotografía cada palabra nueva, su spelling, si me permites un término inglés de no fácil traducción: es la cadena de las letras de la palabra, tan diferente de la pronunciación. También corrige y aumenta su depósito de combustible al oír a un angloparlante utilizar tal frase idiomática. Y como da clases de ese idioma, se las ingenia para meterlas de bordón en la propia clase. Y se arregla para que aparezca cuando habla con nativas. Usa el diccionario impreso o la web Wordrefenceä ante las dudas que surgen. Colecciona palabras. Y enseña a sus alumnos, porque le sale de dentro, cómo digerir nuevo léxico. Quizá esta amiga mía se pasa un pelín. Hay otros trucos, pero no te los digo, basten los aquí expuestos. Ya te la presentaré cuando nos veamos.

Diles desde el principio a tus alumnos y alumnas que inventen su manera de aprender palabras, la manera que prefieran. Así das paso a su iniciativa y les impulsas a aprovechar muchas de las palabras nuevas que aparezcan en textos y actividades. Explícales que cuantas más sepan sobre el tema de la unidad que estáis aprendiendo, mejor podrán expresar las ideas que quieran decir, y mejores competidores serán a la hora de participar en los juegos de palabras. Créales la necesidad. Ya te aconsejé que transformes el aprendizaje, o adquisición, en juegos. Cuanto más participen, más puntos podrán ganar para sí mismos o para su equipo. Puedes hacer también la competición entre alumnos para ver quién ha aprendido más palabras de la unidad.

Al principio de la unidad, y para introducirla, puedes empezar escribiendo oraciones en la pizarra en las que falten precisamente las palabras de la unidad nueva. Así les haces ver la necesidad de aprender palabras nuevas. Da puntos al que aporte una palabra que venga bien en ese contexto.

También al inicio de la unidad puedes decirles que te sugieran palabras que tengan que ver con el tema de la unidad que vais a empezar. Así compruebas lo que saben y lo que no.

Al comenzar la nueva unidad puedes utilizar cualquiera de estas dos técnicas, se me ocurre:

1. Directamente les presentas en la pizarra el vocabulario de la unidad, en la L2, y ellos, a base de escucharte van aprendiéndolas. Repite quizá esta operación, para que se les grabe más. Explica el significado, utiliza gestos, dibujos, sinónimos, antónimos, ejemplos, oraciones en que aparezca la palabra nueva, material, uso, forma que tiene, comparaciones con otros objetos... Incluso pide voluntarios que hayan aprendido ya el significado, para que lo expliquen o al menos la traducción en L1, aunque parece más conveniente que den la explicación en L2. Que tomen nota de esas palabras de la pizarra, para estudiarlas y memorizarlas en casa o en clase. Después de este aprendizaje será más fácil para ellos que entiendan los textos y actividades. En cualquier caso es fundamental que las reconozcan en textos y actividades, y que ellos las usen, en oraciones mentales o escritas, en la conversación en clase, en juegos, etc. Insisto: que las usen. Así se da un aprendizaje significativo para ellos, ven que son útiles, y son capaces de recordarlas. Una premisa clara: recordamos las palabras que utilizamos.

2. Otro modo es atacar directamente las actividades y textos de la nueva unidad, y cuando se quede bloqueado el entender lo que se dice, se acuda al diccionario. Mucho diccionario: que cojan facilidad de uso, que practiquen, que cojan habilidad en encontrar la palabra en segundos. Que pierdan la pereza a acudir a este profesor particular. Haz juegos a ver quién encuentra tal término antes. Es muy divertido, y el primero que se ríe eres tú, al verlos abalanzarse sobre el diccionario, ¡ay, ya la tengo...! Gaspar es uno de mis alumnos que cuando sale una nueva, echa mano del diccionario enseguida, porque hace falta conocer su significado. Que hagan una lista en su cuaderno con estas palabras relativas al tema de la unidad. Y que las usen y repasen por medio de oraciones mentales o escritas que les mandas.

Al realizar la actividad concreta o leer determinado texto, pregúntales qué entienden con esa palabra ayudándose del contexto en que aparece.

Pueden servirse también de alguna de las técnicas que presenta Rebecca Oxford (1990), que las considero muy, muy oportunas.

Otras estrategias, que quizá ellos ya utilizan, y que les sirven para retenerlas: agruparlas por campos de significado, fijarse en la ortografía, pensar o escribir frases con ellas, fijarse en las que tengan una raíz latina y que les recuerde alguna en español, escribir repetidas veces las de difícil ortografía, jugar con ellas de alguna manera u otra, jugar con las oraciones, escribir oraciones muy originales, aprender cada día una, o dos, o tres, repasar todos los días, preguntarse a sí mismos para comprobar si se las saben, etc.

Además de palabras es conveniente que aprendan expresiones típicas del idioma, sintagmas, frases hechas y breves, modos de decir diferentes de los de la L1.

Un último consejo: proveerles de abundante vocabulario, de manera que no se limiten a unas pocas palabras, con las que no llegan muy lejos. Cuantas más aprendan y utilicen, mejor, dentro de un sentido común, y dentro del siempre limitado tiempo. Para los más jovencitos viene bien emplear en clase flash-cards muy variados, sobre temas muy diferentes, quizá agrupados por campos semánticos. Otra manera de ampliar el vocabulario de los mayores, y muy beneficioso por cierto, consiste en que describas fotos de una revista (yo utilizo National Geographic, que ofrece gran variedad de situaciones, como te digo en otro lugar). Aprenden muchas expresiones, no solo palabras sueltas, además de aprender expresiones como “al fondo”, “detrás”, “en la parte anterior de la foto”, “arriba, encima”, etc.

333. Teacher A's general picture of his classes

Anonymous — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 09:52:00 GMT

One day teacher A said to teacher B, "On posts approximately #106 through #120 I told you how you can present verbal tenses in your classes. Grammar is essential. It's like the skeleton of communication. No grammar, no communication. Our students need vocabulary too. My classes are extra-school. They have learned the grammar in the school, in their coursebooks. In my classes, late afternoon, we practice that grammar. In the form of games. I try to make them use those grammar patterns. Even we are achieving something else. We make conversations: they try to explain to me some message, in English, because I pretend I don't understand Spanish (L1), and they use the grammar and vocab they have stored. I praise their try. They see grammar and vocab like useful instruments. However, they make many mistakes, of grammar, you know?, but we are trying to hold a conversation among us." Picture from knanvar files wordpress com . Niagara Falls.

299. Helping each other

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:19:00 GMT

One day teacher B said to teacher A, “I have clearly realized that the teacher must effectively make every student participate. The teacher should rope all his students in the class-period, asking and addressing each student, both slower students and more advanced (or better-achievers) ones, combining simple questions and prompts with higher-level ones.

And he should look at each student in their faces.

Also he must not forget the advanced and faster students: he can make these latter ones help slower classmates, by for example helping these students who don't understand a question.

To sum up, the teacher will avoid forgetting the advanced students and only concentrating on the ones with problems. He or she should avoid the advanced students get bored. - Just one more thing: remind me of telling you about insulting and real hitting the teacher: a new case in an instituto in Granada. However, we have somewhat dealt with discipline other times.”

Ernest Shackleton and his crew got trapped in Antartica I think in 1916. They suffered serious dire straits. Picture thanks to sciencenotes files wordpress com.

286. Communication between people: our aim as teachers

Anonymous — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 07:21:00 GMT

One day teacher B said to teacher A,

"So, as a summary of what I try to do in my class-periods is aiming toward communication.

Some teachers implement too much translation from English into Spanish, for example, with the text or stories that are in the students' coursebooks. Translating is ok, yet it's only one more activity, not the only one, or plus few more. On the other hand, translating is a good activity, by the way - because this process with texts entails applying diverse techniques and fields (particular expressions in L2, translation more focused on the meaning than a mere translation word by word, and so).

Some days ago we achieved authentic communication in the classroom, with the thing of the interview to the kids, you may remember. As well we do fun games, and I guess the learners see something practical in the subject of English.

Just one other thing: you must help the learners become their own volitive motors; otherwise, nothing achieved. They must become autonomous and they should wish to learn the language, on their own will - with the help of you teacher."

Picture from carpediemdeando blogspot com - Film of La vida es bella, 1997, starring Roberto Benigni, Vita è bella, I guess in the o. v.