Needing Help!

Submitted by furrst on Wed, 2008/07/09 - 09:36.

I teach in a junior high school and my students, on the whole, are lower level from what I've encountered in visits to other schools. My current third years especially are hard to work with. If the game I bring to class can possibly be done in Japanaese, they will do it in Japanese. If it can't be done in Japanese, they won't do it at all. My encouragement on this score has thus far fallen on deaf ears.

Phil once said something along these lines: "If the kids aren't playing your game, it's probably a boring game."

In short, I need help! I want to have fun and exciting games for these kids that will get them to use English while still being accessible to their lower level of ability. (Most of them struggled throughout 1st year, gave up 2nd year, and now are too behind to understand most of the topics for 3rd year.) If the results thus far show anything, however, it's that I'm not succeeding on this score.

Do you have any ideas or thoughts on how I can spice up class?

Interesting Article (make sure u have rikai-chan or something) ›
»
phill's picture

Yo,

Submitted by phill on Mon, 2008/07/14 - 15:47.

Yo,

i think from the lack of responses no one has an answer.

Most likely meaning everyone is in the same boat as you... and me.

haha.

i think it's time to move to easy easy worksheets.

crossword puzzles and word-searches as back up.

for some reason kids good and not so good ALWAYS

love those things.

I have a game that a teacher just busted out of nowhere

the other day. its really hard to explain...

so bear with me

1 group = 2 students

one student faces the board and the other one faces the back of the room.

the teacher draws a character or object on the board and the students who are facing the board must describe it (in English) to the student facing the back of the room.

Now, like you said IF they can use Japanese they will... and
that's how it is going to be. However, I would try making a list of descriptions that you go over before the game begins, you know the whole read repeat, translate, and if the students are really low level then make the list basically describe the things that you draw on the board Ex. If "Doraemon" is one of the characters drawn on the board then some descriptions on the list would be: blue fur, no ears, cat).

I guess the trick is to make using English easier than it would be using Japanese... if that is possible. Nevertheless, all we can do is try our best. Aight!

Good luck!

貧乏暇なし