Yingwen Laoshi
- 2007-02-11
Hi KJ
The exchange of experiences and ideas in this thread is encouraging, and I've gleaned some interesting activities from both yourself and Fish that I will definitely try to use in the future. The pictures at the front of class with the lists of verbs and adjectives etc. sounds particularly stimulating, and I especially like how it can lead on to helping the students being creative in making up stories.
You made an interesting observation when you mentioned some non-majors being better communicators than their "major" peers. It says a lot about the study system in China.
One particular source of frustration for myself, and I suspect this is a common problem for FTs in China and other countries too, is trying to get the junior students to stick to using English while participating in group activities. As I haven't yet learnt how to transfigure myself into about 7 or 8 different entities at the same time, I can't monitor all the groups at the same time, but I can often hear too much Chinese being used in some groups in some classes. I found this to be a problem with some of my sophomore students when I was teaching them speaking and listening skills in Audio-visual classes. This may have been partly my fault though because they claimed the reason they did this was because they lacked sufficient vocabulary for the task. This usually happened while they were preparing sketches based on parts of movies they had watched days previously. Have you had this problem? If so what did you do to overcome it? This question is not just for KJ, but any other teachers out there.
Powerpoint is definitely something I would like to use once in a while. Unfortunately, technology and myself generally agree as well as your average plump Chicken agrees with a ravenous Wolf. Me being the plump Chicken! I know that a colleague has used Powerpoint in his Audio-visual classes, so I know that it's available here. Because of my clumsy record of using technology (that was often in bad condition anyway), I've tended to be a more traditional chalk and blackboard teacher. On the few occasions I have used technology (not Powerpoint, though, I've not tried that yet), the long delays while I piddled about trying to get things to work meant another long battle in regaining the students' concentration after everything was working. I guess I'll have to get over my fear and have a crack at it.
KJ
- 2007-02-10
Hey Yingwen, glad you're still kickin' too. And glad that you responded to my post in your usual astute manner. Like Fish's post, yours has given me food for thought. I love your idea about having them clearly define what they see, well...clearly. It's similar to some power point presentations I did last term. Lot's of pictures meant to stimulate responses. It started out more as a lesson in using verbs beyond the same old tired ones that second language learners get stuck on. Like for example, "Is that guy really 'walking' through the park - or is he actually strolling, sauntering or meandering." That worked so well that I started getting more creative with it and so did they. In the days when I didn't have access to power point I used to get the class to bring colorful pictures to class. I encouraged them to bring pictures that illustrated action. The class would then choose three or four pictures to post in the front of the classroom. Then we would make lists on the blackboard/whiteboard, usually with different colored chalk, of verbs, nouns, adjectives and adverbs that they could derive from looking at the pictures. Then of course I would ask them to make sentences and ultimately stories from the list. It works pretty well.
The interesting thing about vocabulary acquisition and use, though, is that research has shown that a second language learner must use a new word from 16-20 times for it to actually sink in. As you said, it must be in a variety of contexts that they use that word or, for that matter, target language of any kind. And, as you also touched on, this becomes the responsibility of the learner.
Yeah, rote learning, works pretty well for passing tests sometimes. But cramming, as we all know, is not the best way to serve our long term memories. In fact I've discussed this with my students on occasion and last term even revealed to them some research that has been done in China that shows that students whose expressed interest in learning English is simply to pass the necessary exams, on the average, don't do as well as those whose expressed purpose is some form of communication.
Interestingly, I teach both English majors and non-English majors, and my own interviews have shown the above to be true. Some of the non-English majors are actually better communicators than the English majors who feel they just MUST score high on the TEM exams. True enough, the aforementioned good communicators are those who don't feel the need to outdo their classmates on passing the exams; they simply want to pass and have communicating with foreigners as their main reason for applying themselves.
Well, I seem to be digressing, and I really would rather respond to your post when I'm not suffering from a nagging toothache as I am now. Time to take some more pain killers and antibiotics and call it a day...................
Yingwen Laoshi
- 2007-02-09
Hi KJ
Glad to hear that you're "alive and kicking" in the sense that you're still maintaining enough enthusiasm to search for more ways to stimulate your students. Of course motivation is a key factor and that's what I've been working and focusing on recently.
Here is my plan for the new semester for both my writing students (freshmen) and speaking classes (sophomores), new classes (for ME anyway). Planning to set them off on the right foot, I will tell all the students to stand up and walk (or run if they're feeling energetic) to the windows and look outside and try to see and make out objects AS FAR AWAY and AS CLEARLY as they can (obviously a fairly clear day is a must, as well as a half decent view). I will then divide them into groups and tell one student at a time from each group to spend a minute observing and then to rejoin his group and relate as CLEARLY as he can what he can see while another student goes to the window.
When that task is completed, I will then use that to figuratively relate to the students the importance of having VISION and real and CLEAR objectives and goals. As English majors especially, they need to think about how their English skills can help them reach those goals. They (students in general) often tell me that English is difficult to learn and often not interesting. I often ask students (college students in my case), 'How long have you been studying English?'. The replies are usually in the 10-12 year range. I will usually express a 'wowwwww!' and say that's a long time to spend on something that they find difficult and uninteresting.
I illustrate this by asking them if they would work hard for ten years while every month saving a considerable amount of their salary in the bank and then later just walk away fom that money and say that they don't need it and that the money is of no use?
Even if they are not paying for their education, or not studying English by choice, that's a mighty lot of class hours-a big investment. Might they not be able to find practical uses for English today or in the future beyond it just being a tool for passing exams? Sometimes sophomore students, for instance, don't sem to make the connection between their use of English in their part-time jobs (if they have any), and their study of it, "Hey!, wait a minute, this English might be a good investment after all". I Ask them to tell me what use English is to them now, or how it could help them in the future (this of course will work better with college students, who are more likely to be using English in their daily lives).
I tell them that it's not enough to just turn up for English class on time each week, commendable as that is. In my college I ask them how long the screwed down desks and chairs in the classroom have been there and if those peices of furniture can understand or speak ONE word of English, and then ask them how many classes those chairs and desks have missed? "Don't be like wooden desks, while here, participate, learn, be active, and study outside of the class too!"
I ask them what is the centre of their study. No not your teacher, your mother, your dictionary, your boyfriend, the dean, the library!...YOU! YOU ARE! (The students). "If you don't learn English well, it can't be blamed on anybody except yourself." Even if this is CHINA they have or at least most of them do, the resources availabe to learn English well, but they need heart and desire. Tell the students that the one thing they must always bring to their class is their HEARTS. Don't leave them in the dormitory or outside the door. I tell them if their girlfriend/boyfriend has taken their heart they must ask for it back for my lesson, for ALL their lessons in fact, then they can return it as they please. All hearts are checked at the door!
They are told to not just study for degrees. To illustrate I try to "shoot" a student in a "gunfight"
with the most expensive highly polished gun in town, but as I have no bullets for it, it proves to be useless in the gunfight and I always end up shot. So I tell them "Do not be an EMPTY GUN!" A degree that says you have passed your TEM-8 is useless if you cannot function in an English or work environment!".
If they can see real benefits in learning you will notice a greater effort from them in trying to think for themselves, in using their initiative and in trying to think outside of the box. It's often about their attitude to learning. A lot are apathetic at first. In my writing classes I will play brief excerpts of Classical or Jazz music and tell them to debate their feelings and what comes to their mind when they hear them , and ask them to describe what they hear. Write famous inspirational quotes on the board at the beginning of lessons, divide the students into groups and let them discuss the meanings and what the authors are trying to tell them. I use these methods as warm-ups and stimulators. I tell them that when they read something it's not just a case of trying to memorize every word, but to understand the main points and how they can practically benefit from and use the information. Maybe you have used the above or similar already. I'll relate some more specific activities later. However I have found powerful, passionate and vivid illustrations to be quite successful in motivating students. I'm sure most people will agree that for any of us learning any language is not difficult if we have motivation, work hard and put our hearts into it.
It's good-particularly in classes where students are shy to express themselves-to emphasize to the students how important the power of speech or the written word can be. Tell them (whether you believe or not is not important, and this has nothing to do with any preaching or any religous beliefs by the way) that the Bible states that the Universe and everything around us was created by speech "Let there be light, and there was light..", this should vividly illustrate the power of words and help them realise that English can open up a greater opportunity for them to "Make friends and influence..." a greater number of people around the world. This reminds me of the film "Dead Poets Society", where the inspirational teacher played by Robin Williams helps his poetry students realise what a wonderful opportunity they have to add and contribute their individual voices and thoughts to the world in imitation of the many great poets and thinkers who came before them.
Students need to be constantly asked how?/where?/why?/when?/ and what?, as regards the use of English in their lives. I certainly find with college students and with the amount of time they have been studying English the best thing we can do for them is to set sparks of in the classroom and keep the fire burning constantly form lesson to lesson while thinking of lively discussion/roleplay activities to use with them. Vocabulary and grammar exercises are fine but at this stage of their learning they should be able to study these things independently outside of the classroom or let their Chinese teachers focus more on that aspect, while we focus on motivatian, inspiration and putting into practice what they have learnt so far (although there is quite a bit more involved with writing classes). As Fish touched on, a good way to build up vocabulary is for students to read, make note of new words and use them as quickly as possible, either in speech or in writing practice, or both.
I've also told them to let go of their "mother's" hand. At this stage of their English study especially they should not be holding on to their mother language's hand by constantly relying on translations into Chinese. They should by now be thinking in the target language if they really want to internalise English. I point out that they are like big children who have never let go of Mama's hand, and so still have trouble walking independently when they're older. I must add that before I give any of these illustrations they always discuss the issues FIRST (groupwork, and then as a class). The idea is that they try to arrive at these conclusions themselves, and then I drive the points home as vividly as I can.
In part of the writing exam for my students I told them to write about the purpose of writing and what skills can be obtained from the practice. Also they were told to explain how they intended to use their English skills in the future. I think this would be of more practical use to students than a constant series of vocabulary and grammar questions.
One poster in this forum gave reference to a great teacher who inspired a class of inner-city high school students to pass their Maths exams while nobody else thought they had a hope in hell. I believe his name was Jaime Escalante. The same poster mentioned the movie, "Conrack", which is based on the true story of a white teacher who had an incredible impact on a class or classes of black students who had also been written off. At the moment I've only read about the movie, but I'm now looking for a chance to watch it. These real life examples can be encouraging for us!
Sorry if I've been rambling, but anyway getting the students to think about why they should study English and how to acquire and internalise it by using powerful illusrations to drive home points that they should discuss first, has helped my students to become more independent, enthusiastic, and creative in the use of English, and more responsible for their own learning.
You've started a stimulating thread KJ. I'm sure there are many teachers with much more useful ideas than mine. It would be good to hear from them.
Hey Fish, glad to see youre still kicking around. The damage from the Taiwan earthquake had me down to a snails pace on the computer for quite awhile, so I havent been online much. By the way, I appreciated your last post. Thanks for the laugh. I wanted to respond to the post in question, but couldnt get myself past the point of asking, where? where? But anyway, maybe you or anyone else out there can help me with something.
Lately, Ive had some thoughts bouncing around in my head regarding the role of critical thinking in the EFL classroom. Actually, its something Ive thought about from time to time since first coming to China. It seemed easy at first. But let me back up for a moment. Before coming to China, I attended some workshops specifically geared toward teaching in a university environment here. One of those workshops touched on such issues as plagiarism, cheating, the reality of students learning English only to pass the exams, and of course critical thinking. In regards to critical thinking, the workshop raised more questions than it had answers for. Though well intentioned, in retrospect, I have the feeling that the answers werent there and that the topic was, in effect, merely broached so as to make us aware of the existence of a problem that has now, after three years in China, become glaringly obvious to me.
However, it is much easier to notice the problem than it is to do something about it. Classroom discussions text based or otherwise, debates wherein students can choose the topics and can be divided based on their beliefs and attitudes toward the topics, and even holding your breath and hoping that students can make linguistic determinations about language, all seem to be steps in the right direction; however, results seem to indicate otherwise.
Recently, in response to a very common request in a university environment, I have spent a good deal of time on the matter of vocabulary acquisition. Its something Ive done a good deal of research on and in so doing have come to the realization that the research being done by others, far more qualified than myself, is ongoing and that there are no real definitive answers and very well may never be. After all, language teaching itself is a process thats been evolving for a few thousand years and is affected by culture, educational trends, and even methods that have been popularized through successful marketing. Even still, one must try to do their best, and must do so with the realization that communicative competence goes hand in hand with a fairly large declarative vocabulary even though frequency words account for nearly 80% of daily discourse. With that in mind Ive been encouraging students to take a closer look at Latin and Greek word roots, suffixes and prefixes. They love it. Why? Maybe because it fits right into the classical rote learning techniques that theyre so comfortable with, or maybe just because they see it as an additional tool and after all, as a good mechanic will tell you, one can never have too many tools.
Well, I thought I had touched on something great, but guess what; it had little to no effect in terms of creative thinking. On the final exam for this just passed term, I had a section wherein my students could demonstrate what they had learned about vocabulary acquisition. Some correction type questions dealt with basic cognition regarding context awareness chunking, deduction, etc. Pretty good results there. Another sub-section was matching; they were asked to match roots and the like with corresponding meaning geo/earth, hydro/water, multi/many, tele/far, that sort of thing. Again, no problem. Then it got a little tougher. I defined confer, reminded them of tele and inter, both of which we had studied in class, and then asked them to define international teleconference. I think about 75 percent of them got it right or close enough to right that I could give them points for it. But the next question was where it got interesting.
We had had a past, text-book based lesson on housing throughout the world, a sort of problem solving lesson itself. In other words, why this kind of dwelling and not this? All well and good. The question was similar to this: Since we call a two family dwelling, often separated by a garage, a duplex, what do we call a dwelling where many families live? Naturally, I was looking for multiplex as an answer. Out of three classes, totaling more than 70 students, some of them very, very bright by the way, not one student got the correct answer.
Im trying to move my mind past the reasons why critical thinking has gone by the wayside in China I guess the answers are fairly obvious if you think about it. And Im often struck with the paradox of how a nation so filled with wondrous minds that create marvelous technological advancements is, on the other side of the coin, filled with learners who are just plodding along trying to make it past the drudgery of their college lives, as it were, so that they can hurry up and start pulling down the big bucks that their families are so sure theyll soon be earning. But reasons and observations aren't enough.
I know its important to remind myself that learning a foreign language, let alone actually thinking in the language is a daunting task. However, as the above example illustrates, Im not asking for them to create a new rocket propulsion system just asking them to think a little, and they can even use their own language to connect the dots. Yeah, Im not surprised when they dont get my jokes - frustrated sometimes those blank, humorless facial expressions can stifle my comedic side for days; albeit, I am surprised when they cant take that one little synaptic step that would give me so much satisfaction.
Well, just looking for answers. Pardon my long windedness. Any ideas floating around out there?