Comments on: Losing my best students http://www.tefl.net/alexcase/teach-abroad/asia/japan/losing-my-best-students/ Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:48:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: AliceInWonderland http://www.tefl.net/alexcase/teach-abroad/asia/japan/losing-my-best-students/comment-page-1/#comment-21455 AliceInWonderland Sat, 04 Dec 2010 12:27:36 +0000 http://www.tefl.net/alexcase/?p=4210#comment-21455 Two of my Top 10 TEFL quotes are: "Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths theater." (Gail Godwin, http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/26983.html); and "The opening line is important in teaching, as with many of the performance arts." (English Teacher X, http://englishteacherx.blogspot.com/2010/03/but-seriously-folks.html). I often wonder how many professional actors could spend six hours a day (sometimes eight), five days a week, 52 weeks a year on stage, trying to remain cheerful and funny while interacting with an often uncooperative, silently glaring audience. Two of my Top 10 TEFL quotes are:
“Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths theater.” (Gail Godwin, http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/26983.html); and
“The opening line is important in teaching, as with many of the performance arts.” (English Teacher X, http://englishteacherx.blogspot.com/2010/03/but-seriously-folks.html).
I often wonder how many professional actors could spend six hours a day (sometimes eight), five days a week, 52 weeks a year on stage, trying to remain cheerful and funny while interacting with an often uncooperative, silently glaring audience.

]]> By: Jason West http://www.tefl.net/alexcase/teach-abroad/asia/japan/losing-my-best-students/comment-page-1/#comment-7946 Jason West Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:53:11 +0000 http://www.tefl.net/alexcase/?p=4210#comment-7946 Very true Alex. Have you thought about teaching EOT? That way they will all get as much or as little native speaker talk time.. And all focused on what you taught in the lesson. Very true Alex. Have you thought about teaching EOT? That way they will all get as much or as little native speaker talk time.. And all focused on what you taught in the lesson.

]]> By: Andy Mallory http://www.tefl.net/alexcase/teach-abroad/asia/japan/losing-my-best-students/comment-page-1/#comment-7934 Andy Mallory Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:05:49 +0000 http://www.tefl.net/alexcase/?p=4210#comment-7934 VERY true Alex. These few dominant types might be your best students in some ways - but I always felt they were the ones who least needed to come to class.... They would be happier making friends with a native speaker - either in person or via skype - and chatting away to them ad nauseum. It might not be therapeutic but I can definitely say that it resonates with my experience in Korea and is much more of a problem with Koreans than with Japanese. I always found it essential to nip any tendency of the students to engage me directly in conversation iin the bud. Sometimes I got rid of problem students inside 2-3 days this way. Any really good students could be talked round after a few lessons. From my experience in Korea - those who really must dominate lessons and turn it into a S-T-S pseudo conversation will have no trouble finding another class were the teacher will allow and even encourage that. VERY true Alex.

These few dominant types might be your best students in some ways – but I always felt they were the ones who least needed to come to class….

They would be happier making friends with a native speaker – either in person or via skype – and chatting away to them ad nauseum.

It might not be therapeutic but I can definitely say that it resonates with my experience in Korea and is much more of a problem with Koreans than with Japanese.

I always found it essential to nip any tendency of the students to engage me directly in conversation iin the bud. Sometimes I got rid of problem students inside 2-3 days this way. Any really good students could be talked round after a few lessons.

From my experience in Korea – those who really must dominate lessons and turn it into a S-T-S pseudo conversation will have no trouble finding another class were the teacher will allow and even encourage that.

]]> By: Michael http://www.tefl.net/alexcase/teach-abroad/asia/japan/losing-my-best-students/comment-page-1/#comment-7924 Michael Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:14:12 +0000 http://www.tefl.net/alexcase/?p=4210#comment-7924 'Safety in numbers' usually solves this problem. Try turning the 'elicit' task into a pair/group task. Then ask the pair/group to report back. You may end up with more ideas than you need so you will just have to be selective. ‘Safety in numbers’ usually solves this problem. Try turning the ‘elicit’ task into a pair/group task. Then ask the pair/group to report back. You may end up with more ideas than you need so you will just have to be selective.

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