Classroom and Problems encountered

[Graziela]

Anybody? Ideas to help Assia and Linuskea? Problems, problems, problems!
Graziela Peleteiro
http://getenglishlessons.com

[Graziela]

I will try....
My classes usually range between 30 and 50 students. The problems that I face are of two types:
a- not enough time for all of them to express themselves.

PAIR WORK IS A GREAT WAY TO MAXIMIZE STUDENT TALKING TIME.
UNFORTUNATELY YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO LISTEN TO THEM ALL, BUT GO AROUND AND MONITOR FOR LANGUAGE PROBLEMS.
DON'T CORRECT THEM RIGHT ON THE SPOT, WRITE DOWN THE MOST RELEVANT MISTAKES AND MENTION THEM LATER.
ALSO, IF THEY BREAK UP COMMUNICATION, TELL THEM TO RAISE THEIR HANDS AND ASK FOR YOUR HELP!

b- students tend to take too much time to react to questions due to their lack of proficiency.

LACK OF PROFICIENCY - THEY NEED MORE INPUT, MORE HOMEWORK, MORE ENTHUSIASM MAYBE. ( :
BUT HAVE PATIENCE WTH THEM. WHEN YOU ASK A QUESTION THEY WILL NEED A CERTAIN TIME TO THINK.
ONE THING YOU COULD DO IS TELL THEM TO WRITE THEIR ANSWERS INDIVIDUALLY...THEN LATER YOU CAN COMMENT ON ALL THE QUESTIONS OR SOME OF THEM.


I got large ESL classes in China (50-75) middle school students per class which could really make teaching difficult at times. And also, students tend to go to sleep during class hours (which some Chinese teachers would say is okay or even tell me to just let them). Those who aren't really interested in English will just listen to their mp4's, read magazines or make their Chinese homework.

THIS IS SUPER ANNOYING AND DISRESPECTFUL I WOULD SAY.
THEY CERTAINLY NEED SOME CONVERSATION WITH YOU. YOU CAN SUGGEST THEM TO BE MORE ACTIVE IN THEIR LEARNING AND TELL THEM THEY ARE THE ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.
ALSO, VERIFY IF THE LEVEL OF ENGLISH TAUGHT IN THE CLASSROOM HASN'T BECOME TOO EASY FOR THEM BECAUSE IT CAN ALSO CAUSE DEMOTIVATION.

The best of LUCK to all of you.....
Have a great teaching! ( :

Graziela Peleteiro
http://getenglishlessons.com

[ICAL_Pete]

There is an article in the ICALwiki that deals with the various Seating Arrangements available to the ESL teacher, their advantages and disadvantages, and how each one can contribute to improve your lesson, making it more effective.