"Hello! I've been an English teacher for 5 years and during this time I've tried a lot of things to try to make my students speak more in English in classes than in their mother tongue, but it has been very difficult. One thing that I did and helped was a game that the last student who says a word in their mother tongue in the next class will have to bring a candy for the class. This has motivated them a little but I'd like to know if you have other suggestions. Thanks a million!"
This question is from Kelly Kochleitner, Brazil
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Comments
joe
I am working with adults who do not get enough English speaking practice when not in session with me. I am now concentrating on getting them to carry out more-or-less normal conversation. On the paper I give to them I nominate a topic and then 10 or more key words belonging to that topic. I then encourage them to make sentences to each other involving those key words and then to respond as they are moved by what is said. Progress is slow - I hope it will produce good results!
Swapan Kr. Banerjee, India
Students should be motivated to speak English. Once they know the benefits of this language in their future career, they will use English more and more. The initial inhibition is but natural. It has to be overcome by encouranging them to talk about things they love -- e.g., sports, movies, boy friends, girl friends etc. If they parents are motivated to speak English at home with their children, things become easier.
Bilal Qashou, Poland
Students usually feel embarrassed when corrected in public. If my aim is to teach them speaking, I don't correct them the traditional way by saying "You've made a mistake Mark. You have to say this or that way." For instance, if a student tells me: "I've forgotten my umbrella at home." I would tell him: "aha you mean you've left your umbrella at home." Of course stressing the word left. In conclusion to encourage my students I praise them in spite of the mistakes they make. After all it's the communication which counts. As long as I understand what they are talking about, the aim is acheived.
Gunvor, Finland
I start every course speaking English. The students know that even if they know that English is not my mother language. Not a single word in Finnish nor Swedish ( our institution is bilingual) I do not think that you should punish students for NOT speaking English. They should simply know that once the English lesson starts, the environment is English and everybody speaks English.
Carmen Gloria Sáez
I've tried the following and it works. Whenever I have students working in groups I appoint a 'policeman' in each group. His/her task is to keep a record of those who are using Spanish in his/her group, and of course to encourage them to use English. When the activity is over, the policemen turn in their records. I give points to the group(s) who manage to communicate only in English. At first, everybody used Spanish, but now the policemen had to be fired. They don't have anything to do! I hope it works for you too.
Craig Wherlock, Greece
i don't know if there is a 'magic bullet' that ensures our students speak in English in the lesson. However,you could try explaining to them that it's a matter of simple maths, if they just reply or talk to you then the maximum amount of speaking practice per lesson is limited to a few minutes, whereas peer to peer interaction vastly increases the amount of time they have available to practice their oral communication skills. You have to keep on ramming that message home, as well as dispelling the myth that the only worthwhile communication is with their teacher. The only way to speak English is to speak English. It's not easy but eventually I think they get the message.
Nalini Vira, India
I have seen that fun and learning have to go together in any learning/teaching process. I have been able to motivate my students to speak more and more often simply by incorporating games. Let a student say any word. The next has to form a word beginning with the last letter and so on. Alternatively, any strayword/topic can be given and students can be encouraged to share/contribute their thoughts in English on that.Eg. TREES Each voices his thoughts on this topic. In a bid to contribute a novel sentence, the student will think laterally. During one such stimulating exercise,a student came up with the following sentence: Trees help commandos to camouflage during war! Iwould invite other teachers to suggest innovative methods/games.
Bijou Benedict, U.S.A.
I teach a multicultural class and often have classroom disruptions with students switching to their native languages in the middle of a session. It's usually more uncomfortable when one group outnumbers another & things can get out of control. At our school one of the instructors actually penalizes any one who uses his/her native language in a disruptive manner to pay 25 cents into the penalty box. This apparently works very effectively.
Sveta, Peru
I've tried a HOT CARD, it is just a small piece of construction paper with words HOT CARD on one side, and the following instruction written on the other side: "IF YOU HEAR SOMEONE SPEAKING SPANISH ( it is mother tongue in a country I work ) PASS THIS CARD TO HIM / HER. A PERSON WHO HAS THIS CARD AT THE END OF THE LESSON WILL HAVE AN EXTRA TASK. Your "punishment" should be entertaining but educational. Use your imagination!!:) I sometimes give my students a small article to read (something related to their interests; singers, actors, computers etc. )at home and to retell it next lesson. It works with adults and teenagers.
Adam Gyenes, Japan
In my (university) classes we have a 10 minute break, in which I leave the room. If the students want to stay in the classroom, they have to speak only in English. If they want to use Japanese they have to leave the room. I think this gives them a chance to use english outside a 'learning' setting, and they can actually learn a lot from it. I am quite strict to enforce it, though. If i come back and catch them speaking Japanese...
René
I would encourage them to listen to english music. we are proned to remember english songs very well. This will encourage confidence and indirectly build their vocabulary. Compliment them when they hve done well. It does wonders for the ego.
Kathleen, Italy
I find that my students want to speak English. If they don't it's probably because they can't. -they need guided dialogues to begin with. Why don't you create a small situation and invent a mini conversation, then take each single element of the conversation and show them how it is used. Drilling is a very good, tried and tested method to teach new language. After you have presented and practised each separate element of your conversation, start joining together the different lines until you have a complete dialogue.