Is This Thing On?

One tool I've come to rely on more and more is the "record" button on my mobile phone.

Nowadays I should think all phones have a memo recorder and since most teachers should have a mobile phone, anyone should be able to make use of this powerful little tool in one-to-one or small group classes.

Why use it?
Essentially, it brings in a level of objectiveness that is difficult to achieve when you're with students. Maybe you can understand them despite some errors here and there which you may or may not always correct, but when you listen to a recording, you hear things you normally wouldn't, and if you manage to transcribe them, they are there for both you and the students to see and analyze in black and white. Another important use it has is allowing students to "self correct". Noticing their own errors is the surest path towards mastery. Finally, it gives the teacher an opportunity to correct overall phrasing which is nearly impossible to do when correction on a word-level. Types of errors could include: unnecessary repetition, word choice, syntax, L1 interference, organization, coherence (understandability), cohesion (ideas/phrases connected grammatically with pronouns, connectors, etc?), use of connected speech, pronunciation and generally ways of sounding more "natural".

So how do we do this?
Tell students why you would like to record a couple of minutes of conversation.  Then during a speaking activity or just in the midst of a conversation, push "record".  You shouldn´t need to get more than a few minutes of speech to get what you need.  Then before the next class, transcribe what they said (this shouldn´t take more than 10 minutes and you shouldn´t need to spend any more time then with planning of the class).  The first few times, I copy and paste their transcribed speech onto another sheet and edit it to a more "natural" sounding speech.  How much you change depends on the level of the student and what it takes to fix their errors.  Then I ask them to compare the two versions and we discuss the differences and if necessary, this will lead into various grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation mini-lessons.  Plus it´s great reading (aloud) practice!

The best thing about it.
What´s also great about this is that it works really well for those pesky "conversation" classes where students don´t want to use a book.  It´s a great way to prove to them they need grammar, vocabulary or whatever and it gives you A LOT of material to work with and eliminates so much need for scouring for class topics on the internet (though you still should now and again).

So give it a try a couple of times and let me know how it went!

First Day of Class

I'm sure every teacher has their favorite "first class" procedure, whether it's going around the room asking students to introduce themselves, doing a needs analysis, playing game(s) or simply going right to page one of the coursebook (which often has typical "first class" activities).

Honestly, I've done all the above and none of the above but I've generally never felt like I quite "nailed it" as they say. Then, quite by accident, I sort of improvised a class which embraces TBL ideas and procedures while at the same time fulfilling several important objectives: giving students control, making the first class as conversational as possible, obtaining students needs (ie needs analysis), and allowing students to get to know each other.

And while they probably didn´t have as much fun as they might have had had they played games for an hour, nor got to know much personal information about each other (which I know will happen over time anyway), I know they left the class feeling they did something useful and productive and most important, they made their needs and desires known.

Now, in many cases allowing students to "design" the course may not be possible, for many reasons. However, even classes with predetermined syllabuses can be adapted to students´ expressed needs.  For example, if students place more emphasis on fluency, then the teacher can adapt, add or expand on activities from coursebooks or syllabuses.  And even if what students decide isn´t appropriate or best for them from the teacher´s point of view, this can be discussed, explained and negotiated with the outcome of at least providing students with transparency--that is, how and why things will be as they will.

One last point, I´m sure that those of you who do discuss the course with students, while conducting a needs analysis feel that you´re accomplishing the same aim.  But I wonder.  As I´ve mentioned, I usually did a needs analysis questionnaire the first day but what I went home with was often more questions than answers.  I wasn´t able to really decide how the course would go during that first class.  Rather, students filled out a questionnaire with some basic information which I could never really reconcile into one unified set of needs.  Yet I felt required to say something about the content of the course.  Yet how could I if I hadn´t even read their questionnaires?

I hope that the next time you begin a new course, you give the following a try.  Then let me know how it went.

The First Class

The objective

To give students an opportunity to discuss and share their needs and give input on content and format of the course

The language

Simple tenses

Personal opinion phrases:  I think..., I would like to..., I like...

The set-up

If you have to use a coursebook, get to know it.  Be ready to hand out books in class.

The low-down

Start by asking students to think about past courses (if applicable) and write down what they enjoyed and didn´t enjoy about those courses (this could be activity-types, skills, pair-work, etc.).  Then write down 5 skills horizontally on the board and ask them to put in order from most important to least.  In pairs, they should discuss their answers.  Get some open-class feedback.  (make notes for your own future reference)

Now ask students to work in pairs and write down under each skill what they want to learn during the course.  Elicit examples (e.g. Reading: news articles, stories...Listening: songs...Writing: letters, e-mails).  Monitor and make sure they are as specific as possible.  Get open-class feedback and write down everything on the board.  (copy this for your own future reference)

Now it´s time to hand out the new books (if applicable).  Ask students to look through them and find in the table of contents, the back reference and throughout as many of the topics listed on the board for each category.  Tell them to shout out the page numbers.  Note them on the board (and in your notes).  Ask students their opinion of the book based on their findings.  Discuss in open class. 

Now what?

Now comes the part that seems to be the most fun for students.  Tell them that as there are X number of minutes each class (or each week), in pairs/groups, they should decide exactly how to use that time (ie. make a timetable).  Put a list of the times on the board on the left side of the board fifteen minutes apart.  How long for grammar?  How long for vocabulary study?  How long for speaking?  On the top of the board write A, B, C, D, etc to represent each group/pair.  When they finish ask a representative from each pair/group to choose a letter and write  their time table vertically below.  This way, each group´s timetable should be side-by-side and comparable.  How do they compare?  Are they similar?  How are they different?  Ask them to discuss in open class and come to some general consensus.  If you agree, tell them so.  If not, explain your changes and why.

More talk-time

Do you think coursebooks are the best way to learn a language?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of coursebooks?

What seems most interesting to you about this coursebook?

What seems least interesting to you about this coursebook?