Comments on: In an ESL class, how can I increase student participation?

By: F. J.

F. J. — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 22:19:59 +0000

The Internet is a wonderful invention. If you take your subject of your question and add to what you want to know about it, the search engine will do the rest. For example:

My subject is Primary and Secondary Education. I want to know where to get certified as a teacher.

The search engine result is as follows:

Teaching + state certification requirements

What you get is this:…

This will work for any subject category. Give it a try and good luck

I like that approach better than just saying “Google it” or “Look online”. F. J.

By: AnYing

AnYing — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 12:04:37 +0000

Participation:
how much of the local education system do you understand ?
The students will be used to certain (non-participation) methods of instruction and learning, and for them having have years of it, it will work, probably better than more western methods.

Inside the class:
you have limited time, may focusing on the rules, giving ‘homework’ and them listening to them read it out.. or given them topics to discuss/you question and answer on. wheether your topics, or the classic ‘my hobby’ ‘what I do when I am not working/learning’ - OK, in china may not be much ‘free’ time or hobby , but many have personal interests…

Practice and exposure to language:
TV (CNN is available in many places), Radio, DVD’s (cheap enough in “local outlets”)

more interactively
Being where the expats hang out.. bars, sandwhich shops, 5*/4* tourist Hotels etc,
maybe getting them to Voluteer their ‘transation’ or ‘guide’ services to guests and tourists,
Can they team up with tourist agencies offering weekend trips etc. to be an extra hand ?
I have been on small 6-12 person minibus trips, often 1 man bands, that have had such extar help, and the people on the trips

Hang out at Tourist areas, and offer to help people who appear to not understand where they are going, or where they need to go next (eg even catching a bus, taxi etc).

Even joining the weekend Hash House Harriers that exist in most cities. most I have been on, have many local young ladies (from Beiruit to Beijing !) - a possible other attraction (even if their eyes are temporarily elsewhere)

Where do you hang out, where do you see english being used.. ? AnYing

By: Lorraine

Lorraine — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 00:17:47 +0000

Good morning. I don’t know the age of your ESL students, but I am a distributor for some wonderful educational products that have been proven to work effectively with ESL students. These are the Let’s Get Ready! resource books and the KleenSlate line of products, including a white board paddle with attached dry erase marker. I would be happy to send complimentary samples at your request.

Thanks!
Lorraine Lorraine

By: Cynthia

Cynthia — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 09:15:57 +0000

Try playing twenty questions (where students have to ask the teacher or another student questions with yes or no answers to discover the answer). Good for interrogative and short answer practice. Cynthia

By: Koffi

Koffi — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 04:59:59 +0000

In my school I take an ESOL class too because I’m new in this country and I speek French.
But my teacher,to increase student participaton,when we go to the class,she give 20 minutes for reading and then she ask what the book is about so every body have to talk,or we have to do some game where she gives some words that we have to find and after every student have to teach the word that he find for and sometime she give some gifts to every student.

You can try too. Koffi

By: Skater dudette

Skater dudette — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 01:50:46 +0000

make the class enthusiastic….
make it fun!
or say
guys please participate this is for your own BENEFIT! Skater dudette