I would like very much to talk about an ESL topic. But my creativity got stuck. This is my first time I want to give a lecture at an ESL symosium and would appreciate it very much if you gave me any ideas or topics to talk about in an ESL symposiuim in Monterrey. Of course from your ideas I would develop them.
For example, I have a group of 23 junior high students. I teach them English 3 for 2 and a half hours twice per week. I can see that the book they are using is extremely not atractive to them. And I can�t change this.
This is in the afternoons. After their going to daily school. So they are sleepy, or just want to talk to their friends.
So what I do is look for the grammar topics we have to see per unit and then dive into the internet and look for online worksheets or just normal worksheets that are fun and attractive to them. They work and learn better if they work in pairs.
Also because of their age, they need limits, they are preteens. So most of them do what I tell them to do. First I explain the topic. They do the worksheet, then, I tell them the answers, how to grade the worksheets and they tell me their grades. But I tell them it is a grade I won�t count because I just want them to see how much they understood. That takes a lot of stress away and most of the time they are honest.
Of course I have behavioral problems with some of them-- one is the funny one, others make fun of how one already has a hoarse voice, and then there are some girls that are extremely shy to participate, there is a rebel, Why Miss Davila? Why this? Why that? ---- You name it.
Once I was a kindergarten teacher for two years and then I just was too old to be so active. These children are less demanding but also challenging in a different way.
Any Ideas?
Thank you,
CDavila
