Re: getting students to speak in English in class!
Posted by: MA on 6/03/09
Idea #1: Team up your ESL students with non-ESL students from
another class. Focus on socializing, and how to communicate
when people don't understand each other's languages. (A good
lesson for the non-ESLs as well.) They could also team up to do
a book report or a simple how-to demonstration in both languages.
Idea #2: Projects with oral presentations (small, large, group,
or individual). They can prepare in their native languages to be
sure they understand the content, but practice the oral part in
English enough times to be comfortable with what they will be
saying. Comfort, especially with Middle School kids, is a key.
Idea #3: Play games, whole group or small group, where the
goals are to use and practice English (even if you have to make
up games). When they are having fun, they tend to forget they
are practicing or learning, and more likely to take risks with
English.
Above all, make your classroom warm and accepting of differences.
Be patient. Be encouraging.
On 5/14/09, Sonia wrote:
> If this is the only class they are all together, you may want
> to let them speak L1 for a bit. They need to relax a bit,
> they need to socialize, and they need to lower their affective
> filters. I have found with Middle Schoolers, they need to
> revert to L1 more often than the little ones (K-3).
>
> On 5/13/09, esl teacher wrote:
>> Does anyone have a solution for this at the middle school
>> level? Almost all of my students have the same L1. In my
>> beginners class it is so hard to get them to communicate
>> in English and not in the L1. I have tried whole class
>> rewards, but that hasn't helped much. One year I tried
>> individual participation points but I hated keeping track
>> of that. However, I think that might be the only way. Any
>> suggestions? I want to get on top of this next year. The
>> communication in the L1 is sometimes off-topic but
>> sometimes it is a question about what they are supposed to
>> do or an explanation.
Posts on this thread, including this one
- getting students to speak in English in class!, 5/13/09, by esl teacher.
- Re: getting students to speak in English in class!, 5/14/09, by Sonia.
- Re: getting students to speak in English in class!, 6/03/09, by MA.
- Re: getting students to speak in English in class!, 6/16/09, by BruinGirl.
