Second day of July class

Today was the second day of a six day class. The class is designed to last 60 hours total, 10 hours a day in three consecutive weekends. The second day we start out reviewing the first day. The had about 2 hours of reading to do the night before so we discuss that reading. Usually the discussion is around culture shock and the steps you go through. We also usually talk about multiple intelligence and the different learning styles.

Monterey at sunset

 After the review each student presents three things that represent them. I explain ESL students speak better if they can find things they are passionate about. I tell them it is better if a student talks from their heart than their head because they don't worry about all the things they are not supposed to do when they speak English. they just want to talk.

Then we play a game. I show my class how to teach a class using a game as the activity. Yesterday we played a game I call SETT. Sett is the Korean word for three. I ask if all the students can count to three in English. Every time we come to a number with 3 they have to say sett instead of the number. Every time they come to a multiple of three they say sett instead of the number. If they say the wrong number they are out and we start back at one. When finished I talk about how that game uses the right and left side of the game. Everyone loves that game.

On the second day I teach a lesson on how to describe things when you don't know the vocabulary. Then we play a game like password where I split them into three teams, the GOOD GUYS/BAD GUYS/OK GUYS. One team at a team has a member come up and pick a paper with 5 words on it. They have to describe the word without saying the word and I keep track of the time. I usually use a stop watch for the dramatic effect.

Fire hydrant

Then we start the lessons for the day. Two main things we discuss are language acquisition and classroom discipline. With language acquisition we point out that there is a difference between learning and acquisition. The different ways of how children and adults learn a foreign language.
I emphasize that playing games helps with acquiring language which is more efficient than learning the language. I tell the story of me playing a card game, go fish, with ESL students and they use English during the game and don't really realize they are using English because they are so excited about the game. With classroom discipline I always say when there are discipline problems the teacher should first look at themselves and evaluate what they are doing that needs to change. Why do students behave for one teacher and not for another. First the teacher needs to look at how they are behaving and then look at proactive things they can do to prevent future problems and be ready with reactive things.

iceplant

Usually on the second day after lunch I play another game that I really like playing, but today we didn't have time to play it. I usually play a game with riddles. I give each student a paper with a riddle and an answer to a different riddle and they have to find the person that have their answer. It is really fun. One of my favorite riddles that I use is; "Three guys run into a bar, the fourth guy ducks, why does he duck? He doesn't want to run into the bar!" It is very takes some explanation to ESL folks, but I think it is cute. I also like; "What do lazy dogs do? They chase parked cars!". This is a fun game to do.

After the riddle game I have my students teach a 15 minute class. I sit in the back of the room and take notes and then critique when they get finished. I try to be very picky and ask them about the ESA and how they taught all 3 learning styles. Today the classes they taught included body types, interviewing, counting to 10, emotions, food, and farm animals. It is fun and the students learn the most about teaching by watching others teach, while thinking about what we discussed in the first two days of class.

Everyone goes home exhausted. This is really one of those aspects that they rest up during the week for the busy weekend. This week the students will prepare another lesson to teach next weekend and also find a game to teach the class next week. There is also a lot of reading for them to do. I also suggest they start to make their resume and do research looking for jobs.
I really enjoy teaching and think that when my students finish my class they have a good foundation to go overseas and teach ESL.

Seals sunning on the beach