ESL Teacher: March 2010

Monday, March 22, 2010

Teaching With Stories

Hello Fellow ESL Teachers, Tutors and Esteemed Guests!

Welcome to ESL Teacher, a blog dedicated to both ESL teachers and ESL students! Your visit is much appreciated!

Today I wanted to introduce some techniques you can use to teach ESL students with stories.

Teaching Stories Method

1) Have the students watch you and listen as you read the story to them. Be sure that their books are closed and they cannot read the story, only listen to it.

2) Ask the students to rate themselves on how much they understood, either publicly or privately. You can also give them a quiz if you want.

3) Have the students open their books and read it while they listen to you.

4) You can ask them if they understand it better here as well.

5) Have the students read the story together with you.

6) Go back over the story and answer any questions students may have. Explain sections that are more difficult.

7) Have the students take turns around the room reading one sentence each.

8) Have the students pair up and read the story, taking turns switching back and forth reading one sentence each. Then have the students switch so they read the other sentences. Walk around and listen to the students' pronunciation and answer any of their questions.

9) End by repeating steps 1 and 2 and see how much your students improved!

Let me know if you do any awesome techniques when you teach stories!

Thanks for visiting ESL Teacher!

Your fellow ESL teacher,

Meylysa

Oxford Picture Dictionary, 2nd Edition, pp. 28-19, Same and Different

Hello English (ESL) Students!

Welcome to ESL TEACHER!

Today we are studying Same and Different. Open your English (ESL) textbook the Oxford Picture Dictionary, 2nd Editionto pages 28-29 and follow along with your English (ESL) teacher Meylysa. Sometimes I like to be the same as other people, but sometimes I like to be different! How about you?

Practice the lesson. Read the story with your English (ESL) teacher. Listen to the story until you understand all of the words!

Thank you for being such an awesome student!

Your English (ESL) teacher,

Meylysa

pp. 28-29 Same and Different

pp. 28-29 Same and Different REVIEW

Answer questions 1 & 2 from the book in the comments section below!

You are getting so good at English!!!

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Class Cohesion: How to Keep Everyone Together

Hello Fellow ESL Teachers and Tutors!

Welcome to ESL Teacher, a blog dedicated to improve the teaching and learning of ESL!

Today we are going to discuss how to ensure class cohesion. In other words, how do you get all of your students to focus and pay attention! I'm very excited to hear what other ESL teachers and ESL tutors have to say about this topic, as I'm always interested in learning new techniques.

See these videos for my techniques, and look below for more detailed discussion!

Class Cohesion: Part 1 of 2, Keeping Everyone Together

Class Cohesion: Part 2 of 2, Taking Breaks

If you find your class is not all together try these techniques:

Class Repetition
Have the class repeat what you are teaching, or what a student just said. Have the class repeat until everyone is repeating together.

As an example, when we do introductions, I have each student come to the front of the class and introduce themselves.

1) Each ESL Student takes turn going to the front of the classroom and says "Let me introduce myself. My name's Kim. I'm Korean. I've been in Hawaii for 3 years. I've been coming to the Drop-In Center for 1 year. I'm a housewife"
2) ESL Teacher has the class say "Good morning Kim".
3) ESL Teacher has the class repeat the greeting until everyone in the class is saying it.
4) Feel great knowing your students are learning each others' names, paying attention and saying nice things to each other!

Ask Your Students to Pay Attention
Get one or two students to stop talking amongst themselves by calling out their name and asking them to pay attention. If you use this technique too much, then you may want to examine your teaching style. It could be that your class needs more variety or the level of the classwork needs to be adjusted.

Vary Your Activities
Keep the class focused by changing up what you do and keeping them interested and on their toes.

As an example, in our class, after the introductions, sometimes I ask the students to pair up and ask each other questions. This changes up the dynamic from listening to the person in the front of the room, to actively practicing speaking with a fellow classmate.

1) ESL Teacher has the students write down the following questions: "What's your name? What's your nationality? How long have you been in Hawaii? How long have you been coming to the Drop-In Center? What do you do?"
2) The ESL teacher pairs up the ESL students with other ESL students who don't speak the same language, or who they haven't been paired up with before.
3) The ESL teacher asks the students ask each other the questions and answer the questions.
4) The ESL teacher changes up the student pairings and repeat.

Take Breaks
Proper rest is important to help the ESL teacher stay fresh, and the help the ESL students say alert and active. Also, your students are less likely to get up in the middle of your class to go to the bathroom if you've given them plenty of break time.

As an example, for a 3 hour class, you can take a break every hour for about 10 or 15 minutes. If the class is doing well, you can break in the middle, after an hour and a half, for about 15 minutes.

General Rule of thumb: break every 50 minutes for at least 10 minutes.

Hope this was helpful! Share your techniques in the comments section below! We would really appreciate it =)

Your Fellow ESL Teacher,

Meylysa

Oxford Picture Dictionary, 2nd Edition, p. 27 Shopping

Hello English (ESL) Students!

Today we are learning words for shopping. Do you like to shop? I like to shop for food and for gifts! Open your Oxford Picture Dictionary, 2nd Edition to page 27. Read the top right corner - "Shopping" - with your English (ESL) teacher Meylysa. Enjoy the lesson! Listen, repeat the words and practice often. Questions? Go and ask! Just scroll (go) to the bottom of this post (webpage) and leave a comment.

Tell me what you like to shop for in English!

Your English (ESL) teacher,

Meylysa

Page 27, Shopping, Part 1 of 2

Page 27, Shopping, Part 2 of 2

Page 27, Shopping, Review

You have wonderful English!

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Student Schedule

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Using Dictation of Questions to Teach English

Hello Fellow ESL Teachers and Tutors,

Thank you for coming to ESL Teacher today! We are going to discuss using dictation to improve students listening comprehension, writing and speaking.

Dictating questions that include the vocabulary and grammar that you are teaching on a regular basis will give your students a way to measure their progress. It helps them understand what they need to improve on and what words they need to practice writing when them go home. In addition, it gives students a chance to see if they can understand the English they just covered, even if they do not have the book to use as a crutch.

The Method

1) Choose a list of 3-8 appropriate questions. The should incorporate the vocabulary and the grammar that you are covering in class.

For example:
1) What time is it now?
2) What time do you wake up on weekdays?
3) What is your favorite time of day?

Use less questions for beginners, and more questions for intermediates.

2) Tell your students to take out paper, pen/pencil and to number their paper. Tell them to write the questions that you say/dictate.

3) Read the questions. Always read the question at normal speed first. Then, depending on your level of students, you may only read it one more time at regular speed (advanced). Or you may read it a couple of times slower, and then again regular speed (intermediate). Or you may read it slowly many more times, ending with the question at regular speed (beginners)
DO NOT SPELL OUT THE WORDS OR HELP THE STUDENTS WRITE THE WORDS! It's ok if they don't write anything, or if they make mistakes. This is their opportunity to measure their own abilities.

4) Ask the students what the questions were, one at a time, and write them as they tell you the question they wrote down. This allows them to be involved, show off their talents if they did well, and keeps the students alert and involved in the class. It also allows you to hear any common mistakes that the students make, that you can then focus on and help them correct.

5) Have the class read the questions with you in unison.

6) Have the class ask you the questions, and answer them. Write your answers to the questions on the board next to the appropriate question. Your answers will be the model for the students when they answer the questions themselves.

7) Pair up students and have them ask each other the questions. Walk around and listen to the pairs. Are they asking the questions correctly? Are they answering the questions correctly? Help correct their grammar and pronunciation.

8) Have the class close their notebooks, then look at you and say the questions in unison. See if they can say them from memory. If need be, break the question into smaller parts.

9) Congratulate your students for their hard work! They practiced listening, writing and speaking all in one exercise!

Using Scripted Conversations to Teach English

Hello fellow aspiring ESL Teachers and Tutors,

Thank you for visiting ESL Teacher today! We are going to focus on a technique for teaching students English sentences, memorizing and play acting scripted conversations.

In the video below, I use the example conversations that are in the Oxford Picture Dictionary Teacher's Book. However, you can make up your own conversations, or get them from other sources as well. It is always good to supplement vocabulary lessons by using new words in useful and common sentences and conversation structures:

The Method

1) Find an appropriate conversation - If your students are beginners, you would use only 2 or 3 sentence conversations. If they are more advanced, then you add more sentences. Be sure the conversation incorporates the vocabulary and the grammar that you are teaching in your class that day.

Here's an example:
A: Excuse me, but do you have the time?
B: Yes, it's half past 2. (3:30 / quarter to / noon)
A: Thanks!

2) Write the conversation on the board with the A's and B's, or with some other tag showing that this is a conversation. You could use names instead of A and B, Jane and John, etc. Also write any variations (in the above example, that would be using different times).

3) Perform the conversation for your class at least 2 times. Then have the class say the conversation with you, again at least 2 times.

4) Pair up the students and have them practice the conversation. Have them switch roles and memorize both parts.

5) Erase the board, and have the students come up and perform the conversation from memory. Be sure that the whole class claps when they finish.

6) If they didn't do well, have them practice again and call them up again. If only one pair didn't do well, have that pair come up and try again.

Have fun with your class and be happy that they are practicing practical and real English conversations. Thank you for reading this post, and feel free to leave any comments or other techniques that you would like to share.

Your fellow ESL Teacher,

Meylysa

Oxford Picture Dictionary, 2nd Edition, p. 26 Money

Hello English (ESL) Students!

Today we are learning about money. We are learning about American (United States) coins and bills (paper money). Open your textbook, the Oxford Picture Dictionary, 2nd Edition, to page 26. Listen and practice saying the words with your English (ESL) Teacher, Meylysa. Try to practice using real money. Have fun and try to say prices in English!

Remember, practice makes perfect. Your English is awesome!

Keep up the good work (Be a good student everyday)!

Your English (ESL) teacher,

Meylysa

Page 26, Money, Part 1 of 2

Page 26, Money, Part 2 of 2

Page 26, Money, Review

Money Quiz 1

Money Quiz 2

Money Quiz 3

Answers to Quiz 1

1) $5.00
2) $13.28
3) $7.50
4) $8.95
5) $9.99
6) $167.13

Answers to Quiz 2

1) $1.25 (5 quarters)
2) $0.30 (3 dimes)
3) $0.45 (5 nickels and 2 dimes)
4) $0.50 (a half dollar)
5) $1.16 (six pennies, 4 quarters and 2 nickels)
6) $0.67 (3 nickels, 2 dimes and 2 quarters)
7) $1.00 (1 dollar coin)
8) $0.03 (3 pennies)
9) $0.93 (3 quarters, 3 nickels and 3 pennies)
10) $1.65 (1 dollar coin, 2 quarters and 3 nickels)

Answers to Quiz 3

1) Change for $20 bill:
a. 3 x $5 bills
b. 5 x $1 bills
c. 4 x $5 bills
d. 1 x $10 bill and 10 x $1 bills
e. 20 x $1 bills
f. 2 x $10 bills
g. 1 x $10 cill and 2 x $5 bills
h. 1 x $10 bill and 1 x $5 bill and 5 x $1 dollar bills

2) Change for $1 bill:
a. 4 quarters
b. 2 half dollars
c. 10 dimes
d. 20 nickels
e. 100 pennies
f. 2 quarters and 5 dimes
g. 5 nickels and 3 quarters
h. 25 pennies and 3 quarters
i. and many more...

3) Change for $100:
a. 5 x $20 bills
b. 10 x $10 bills
c. 4 x $20 bills and 1 x $10 bill and 1 x $5 bill and 5 x $1 bills
d. 20 x $5 bills
e. and many more...

4) Change for $50:
a. 2 x $20 bills and 1 x $10 bill
b. 5 x $10 bills
c. 1 x $20 bill and 2 x $5 bills and 20 x $1 bills
d. and many more...

5) Change for a quarter:
a. 5 x nickels
b. 2 x dimes and 1 x nickel
c. 25 x pennies
d. and many more...

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Ask an English (ESL) Teacher!

Hello English (ESL) Students!

Do you have a question? Are you having problems writing a sentence? Don't understand how to use a word? Need help in your study plan?

This post is here to help! In the comments section below, ask your question! An English (ESL) teacher will offer advice to help you!

Thank you and keep up your studies! I know your English is great!!!

Your English (ESL) Teacher,

Meylysa