Taiwan's Abused Readers' Theater and Spelling Bees

     The Taiwan Ministry of Education has tried different ways to make learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) more viable for students and teachers. Many studies show how Readers' Theater is effective in encouraging early beginners and low achievers to use their new language skills. RT was originally meant for classroom practice because it could improve students’ English listening, speaking, reading and writing. However, because  of a lack of training by the Ministry of Education, most EFL teacher do not use Readers' Theater in class. Some schools have decided to turn RT into a inter-school competition. Because the competition was so fierce, many schools have shied away from joining contests. The schools that play to win need professional advice. That is where I come in. 
     I am a consultant for one of Taiwan's three textbook publishing companies in the Taichung area the past few years. As a favor to schools that use the publisher's textbooks, I am sent to give workshops with students in English-language contests such as choral singing, spelling bee, and RT if they request coaching; I am also a judge at these competitions, though there has been no conflict of interest, so far.
     A few weeks ago I was asked to do three two-hour Readers' Theater workshops
at Guang Jung Middle School. The skit Guang Jung chose was "A Quiet Noise;" more accessible than the "Frog King" Shuang Wen Middle School asked me to observe a month earlier. (see http://e-e-o.blogspot.tw/2015/09/the-readers-theater-that-was-killed-by.html) The children at Guang Jung were not constricted by their teachers' interference. At the first of three dates the school asked my publisher to arrange, I saw that the skit was simple, funny, and the students were typecast correctly. I was proud that, last year, the workshops I gave helped the school troupe win third place in the Taichung English Readers' Theater Contest. I am confident they will win again.
     Readers' Theater is a form of drama that focuses on reading. It is a method of adding fun to oral reading activities and helps stimulate interest in reading. RT can be used to teach mainstream and ESL/EFL students. It generally involves two or more readers reading aloud; in Taiwan, the rules are not more than seven players for a six-minute skit. Students use their voices, facial expressions and gestures to interpret a story. It is not frightening since readers have a script and get to practice before performing.
     For this workshop appointment, the publishing company sent a van to pick me up unlike last readers' theater workshop when we had to take a taxi to Shuang Wen. At Guang Jung, the staff prepared refreshments for us, also unlike the Shuang Wen experience the month before. 
     In the rehearsal room, seven bright-eyed students and a few teachers were already assembled and practicing. The children were a bit nervous; it would be the first time they would be showing their skit to an English-speaking foreign teacher. 

   There would be three workshops with this theater troupe, I planned to make suggestions one step at a time. First, I would listen to the students practice making notes of their loudness, intonation, and pronunciation. I sat with my copy of the script drawing stars around questionable lines and checks near those well done. I drew intonation lines over sentences, vowel signs over wrongly pronounced words, and accent marks where they were needed. But I didn't speak with the children about their performances yet; I told them how well they had done and predicted that they had a good chance to win the contest this year. The feasibility of the script was the predominant review on this first workshop date. It had to be fun and comprehendable or the audience and judges would balk at hearing it.  Only those lines by students I felt would need three sessions to correct were mentioned before I left the two hour workshop. For example, I mentioned if a child wasn't speaking up loudly enough. Most importantly, I made suggestions to tighten the script and delete any distraction lines unnecessary to the gist of the play. The children ended the quality time with a second reading. There was already improvement over the first.
     At the second workshop session, after another reading by the troupe, I concentrated on body language and stage presence. Every part of the performance would be essential to winning, from how the children walked onto the stage to how they bowed at the end before they exited the stage. I updated my notes and honed in on each student's performance. I spent quality time with the children and they paid heed to my suggestions on intonation and streamlining the script; remove 'hallelujah' and add 'ah-mi-tow-fo' to the script with Buddhist overtones. "A Quiet Noise" had the hapless Mr. Lin going to a Taoist priest for advice on adding animals to quiet a noisy house in addition by subtraction.
     Before I returned to Guang Jung for the last workshop, I was asked to return to Shuang Wen Middle School to be the reader at a school-wide spelling bee. I had been the reader at a few spelling school-wide spelling bees the past few years but this was the first this season, it was also the smallest with only a hundred or son students participating.
     Spelling bees are another way English teachers in Taiwan encourage their students to learn. It is counterproductive. Instead of concentrating on comprehension and phonics, it forces the students to memorize without any residual purpose.
    The spelling bee works like this: The students sit down with a white board on their laps. I read a word and a sentence using the word. I then repeat the word again and say "Time starts now," at which time the official running the bee sets a timer for ten seconds. Assistants then rove around the contestants and eliminate the students who have spelled incorrectly. It is sad to see that over 75% of the contestants are eliminated before I reach the third word! In exasperation, the Taiwan teachers scramble to find easier words to extend the contest. I wait as they re-number the words I am to read and return the list to me.

     On October 22, I returned to Guang Jung Middle School for the third of three readers' theater workshops. It was the last public school gig I would be doing for readers' theater this season. The students had really improved. They added body language, shortened the script, and improved their loudness, intonation, and accent. Most importantly, unlike the children at the Shuang Wen readers' theater workshop, these children were having fun. The teachers were loving and not condescending to them.  My reward is knowing that the children are enjoying learning English but it a small percentage of students who benefit and for the school's glory; it is a shame more teachers do not do readers' theater regularly within the class instead of wasting time doing grammar worksheets and 'cloze' exercises.
     Since 2000, English has been a required foreign language in Taiwan beginning in the second grade. Because of the cognitive  grammar-based approach, students are relegated to learning and not acquiring English language skills.  The Natural Approach should be used instead (see http://e-e-o.blogspot.tw/2015/10/do-following-and-you-will-succeed-as_16.html). Taiwan students still cannot read, write, or communicate in English  (Taiwan Assessment of Student Achievement, 2005). Most children give up on learning English before they enter high school (Liao, 2006). Going to after-school bushibans that mimic the methodology of public schools is not the solution though the smaller class size could help at least give the child more opportunity to participate; a main barrier to acquiring English language skills is the large class size; the Ministry of Education requires at least 30 students of varying proficiency in a class.
     Through Readers' Theater in the classroom, students develop a more positive outlook, perceive themselves to improve in pronunciation and reading fluency, and develop better relationship with their peers. As a contest, RT has minimal use for most students learning EFL. Spelling bees, too, may encourage children to spell better only if they are based on a phonics program in the classroom. 

Do the Following and You Will Succeed as an ESL Teacher - Part #4: Challenging Contests

     EDITORS NOTE: This is the last of a four-part series:"Do the Following and You Will Succeed as an ESL Teacher." I call it "Challenging Contests." Part #1, "Reported Speech," can be found at http://e-e-o.blogspot.tw/2015/10/do-following-and-you-will-succeed-as.html. Part #2, "Model Politeness," can be found at http://e-e-o.blogspot.tw/2015/10/do-following-and-you-will-succeed-as_8.html. Part #3, "Second Language, Only," can be found at http://e-e-o.blogspot.tw/2015/10/do-following-and-you-will-succeed-as_16.htm

     In my advice to "Do the following and you will succeed as an ESL teacher," each of the four components - "Reported Speech," "Model Politeness," "Second Language, Only," and "Challenging Contests," must be practiced together, at every class meeting. 
     A challenging contest or activity can quickly set a student up with a "Do Now," be the focus of a lesson, "Cooperative Learning," and help a student review at the end of class, "Revision." Contests and activities are not incidental; never kill time in class.
     I will show you seven matrices that I have found useful over thirty-five years of TESOL in Taiwan and the U.S.: "Horse Race," "English Fever," old favorites based on "Chutes & Ladder," Tic-Tac-Toe," "Jeopardy," and a standard"Straight-up Competition." In addition, I will  introduce "Cooperative Learning" lessons.
      When you teach ESL, think of yourself  as Bob Barker; all the games he played on The Price is Right TV show. Contests should be exciting, but the point of all games is revision; the students must review what they have learned and write down the correct answers in their exercise books; take points away from students for neglecting to do so. Some students just get carried away with the excitement of the game and learn nothing. 

     Contests that are more kinetic than cerebral are better in ESL/EFL classes; all the students get involved at once and the goal is tangible. Any contest that requires quiet in the room (such as card games or flash cards) is suspect because students not involved will not pay attention while the game is in progress. Contests must involve every student in the class at all times, if not answering then rooting for their team to win. Furthermore, contests that do not directly review English skills that have most recently been taught might go over the students' heads.  
     The matrices I'll introduce can be used for a number of different language points. You can literally have a different contest every class with the same matrix with different content.  Here are a few of my most popular matrices:

End of Class - Revision Activities 

1. The Horse Race matrix can involve up to ten students. List functions you wish the student to achieve on the board. Students move one space once they answer correctly. Here is an example: Tell the students, "Write questions for these answers." Write the questions in order of difficulty, the easiest first and the hardest last. For example, "1. Yes, I am 2. No, they don't. 3. Three 4. Yes, there are.  5. No, she can't." The students race along the track but can't keep the spot unless they answer correctly. It is an exciting contest with each team's students cheering their favorite 'horse' on. 
     Students write the answers (questions) on mini whiteboards or in their exercise books and show the teacher immediately after by raising their hand. Move the marker (or write the initial of the student) to the next length down the stretch.  

2.Chutes & Ladders
This contest has the same sequential language practice goal as the Horse Race but it is slower to play; the teacher cannot handle more than one student's answer at a time. 
     The student throws a die and moves the number shown. On that space, there is an English task to be fulfilled. For example, answer a question about a reading passage the students have recently read. The teacher may want the student to answer orally but writing is better to retain the skill learned or reveal the error in grammar or content to the student. 
     If a student answers the question correctly on a chute, they may go down and advance. Conversely, if a student is unable to complete the task on a ladder space, they must go back up the ladder and lose spaces. The first player who finishes wins.

3. English Fever 
     In English Fever, each team, or student, has a thermometer shaped matrix with an equal number of degrees. They must reach the top. The first to "blow their top" wins. They get to the top by demonstrating fluency in some pattern, phonic or spelling skill. For example, a student must demonstrate his awareness of a word's vowel sound. 

    Just before the game, break the class up into four teams of equal abilities. The students may remain seated (in which case they write responses in an exercise book on on a mini-white board) or may be asked to go to the board. The teacher reveals the tasks and the students go to work supplying the answers.
     The teacher must monitor and approve a hike in level upon seeing correct answers; simply say "yes." If the student responds incorrectly, the teacher says "no" and the student is stuck on that level until she answers correctly. 
4. Jeopardy

     This contest is similar to the TV game, Jeopardy, except the contestant answers questions instead of asking them; the teacher may choose the harder standard version. 
      Divide the class into two teams of equal abilities. In advance of the contest, the teacher must write a matrix on the board, with no more than five categories to review what has recently been taught. For example, you can review reading comprehension, phonics, tenses, reported speech, or have a "Telephone Line;" - one student at a time leaves the room to hear the teacher's secret message, and then his teammates go outside to pass the message along. The last teammate writes the original message on the board. 
     During "Jeopardy," to save time, the teacher must go on to the next team's question while the last is finalizing their response. Go back to them when they're ready. A team may 'steal' the other's points if they correct the other team's incorrect response. The lesser points are easier questions. Add or subtract points from the totals. Set a time limit. The team with the most points wins.

5. Tic-Tac-Toe

     In advance of the contest, the teacher must write a grid on the board and prepares language tasks for each square. For example, square A1 could be T: "Spell the word 'farmer.'" B3 could be T: "Go to sleep" what did I say?'  S: "You told me to go to sleep." 
     If the student answers correctly, they gain that square on the board, otherwise, they lose their turn and the other team may choose any square. It is strategic to choose the square that would give a team a sequence of at least three squares in a row, to win. The winning team gets the squares plus double the points of their answer line. In the event of an impasse, the team with the most squares wins the contest.

6. Straight-Up Competition 

     In advance of the contest, the teacher writes a grid on the board and prepares language tasks which are written on the board; they may be from exercises in a text book or verbal prompts. 
     In the demonstration above, the four tasks are "A. Change 'has got' into 'there are' (ex. He has got three pencils.=There are three pencils.)  B. Change from 'yes/no' questions to tag questions (ex. Does he have three pencils?=He has three pencils, doesn't he?)   C. Change to reported speech (ex. "I don't know." = "He said he doesn't know." D. Change to 'every time (ex. He is going to the store.'='He goes to the store every Monday.') 
     The class is divided into teams of equal abilities and given numbers; 1,2,3,or 4. After a minute for the student to consult with her teammates, the teacher says, "Ready, set, go #1." Each player with that designated number goes to the board to respond. The student that returns to his seat first has first crack at points, or may return to the board to modify an answer if there are still players engaged, but he loses his place in line. The team with the most points after a set time wins.                           

At the Start of Class - Do Now Activities
Total Physical Response 
      The students, seated immediately after entering the classroom, commence doing the TPR "Do Now" activity. Here, the student looks up at the board, reads the task, asks for clarification from the teacher if necessary, and writes the response in his exercise book. After a limited time (perhaps fifteen minutes) the "Do Now" ends. In the meantime, the teacher roams the room checking responses and suggesting answers perhaps supplying a key word for the answer. Each of the tasks involves a preposition command such as "Draw a circle under an object you use for eating. Name the object." In this way, the students' comprehension is challenged with different multitasking functions. Reward the students for correct responses. Early completion may be enriched with sentence construction with the core word. Incorrect responses are edited by the teacher and re-written by the student.

Lexical Madness 
     In another "Do Now" matrix, awareness of lexicon is practiced. The teacher may print out a copy of the clues to find the missing word or write it on the board. The teacher may also include, out of order, the target words on the list or board. All of the words must have been recently used. The decoding skills must have been gone over by the teacher in advance for the students to be aware. The codes are as follows:
1. Word Pictures- Place the letters of the word as they would appear if written. 
2. Consonant/Vowel - Once such is mastered by students, write the letters with their sound code only.
3. Scramble- letters in the word                                                           are transposed.
4. Sky/Earth/Water - The code for elementary penmanship is used (ex upper half of line=sky, lower half of line-earth, below the line=water) and students decode the target word accordingly.
6. Missing Letters - Only write the first letter of the word, or perhaps only the vowel or consonant letters. The student fills in the rest.
7. Letter Number - Student counts off to find the corresponding letter (ex. A=1, B=2, Z=26) and supply the answer.
9. Upside-Down - Write the word upside down.
10. Reflection - Write only the bottom third of the letter on the line. The student must imagine what the top half looks like to complete the letter and decode the word. 

Cooperative Learning  Class Activities


     Where Total Physical Response (TPR) activities set up the class in a "Do Now," and contests end the class with revision, Cooperative Learning activities consume the bulk of class-time. There is a large amount of CL suggestions on the internet, and they are the mainstay of any TESOL program in college, I will summarize the main ideas of CL here:
     Cooperative Learning activities promote peer interaction and helps develop language, concepts, and content of what is being taught. Students are placed on different teams for role models; they learn from better students. The roles on a team are: reporter, recorder, time keeper, and materials manager. Rotate the students in different roles; don't let them select their own role. 
     The most popular strategies for C.L. lessons are as follows: 
1. Round Robin - Present a category for discussion. Students take turns naming items that fit in.
2. Round Table - Students take turns writing one word at a time.
3. Write Around - Good for summarization. Start a sentence and ask students to finish it passing one paper adding sentences as they go. A story or summary will emerge. Add a conclusion, edit, and share with the class.
4. Numbered Heads Together - Number students in a team, one to four. Announce a question. Give a time limit. Students put their heads together to answer the question. Call a number. Students with that number respond.  Recognize best team responders and elaborate through discussion.
5. Team Jigsaw - Assign each student one of four pages or topics to read, investigate, and memorize. Each student completes his task and teachers her teammates to complete the puzzle.
6. Tea Party - Students form two circles facing each other. You ask a question and students discuss the answer, then, after a minute, the outside circle moves to the right so each student has a new partner. A second question is posed. Continue for five questions.
     After each C.L. activity, debrief the students by asking: "What did you learn from this activity? How did you feel working with your teammates? If we do this again, how will you improve working together?"

Activities to Raise Social Consciousness 

     The best activities deal with consciousness raising and primary source surveys. Do that a lot in the Bread & Roses Curriculum classes. Finding out the living wage, where our clothes are made, comparing the IWW and the AFL are far more useful in a socially conscious setting, one that is rare in the USA and almost non-existent in Taiwan. 
     How do you draw the attention of ESL and illiterate teenagers in your high school class and help them achieve their dreams in a harsh and changing world? Since many students are or will become workers one day, they must be able to read the world, read the word, feel solidarity, and help their families make ends meet, and then some. This curriculum is designed to raise the social “workers” consciousness of students while welcoming them to the world of the written English word.

Children and their parents need to reflect on 
what their living environment in Taiwanese cities, urban and rural, is really like and how it gets this way, the basics of housing from feelings of home and economics to the notions of parks and city dwelling. Secondly, it will suggest steps that can be taken to better the conditions of daily living to enhance the environment for themselves and their neighbors, from keeping garbage covered, sidewalks clear of obstacles and debris, to safety in the busy streets of Taiwan and security in the home. In this way social fulfillment will increase as activism in neighborhood concerns becomes apparent, mot only by using English as the universal language for global change, but by influencing each student through his/her own

home language

Taiwan 
Community 
Curriculum
 then is dedicated to helping children
 and parents, through English as a Foreign Language, understand how to keep good housing good and poor housing better. All English language learners will realize the importance of activism in the Taiwanese and world community and improve their English language skills to pass national and TOEFL tests and make Taiwan and the world a better place in which to live.

Here are some of my favorite lesson plans from the Bread & Roses and Taiwan Community Curriculum:

"How does our choice of buildings affect the neighborhood?"

http://e-e-o.blogspot.tw/2015/07/professional-portfolio-or-4-4-08-how.html

"How can we organize details for a body paragraph?"

http://e-e-o.blogspot.tw/2015/06/professional-portfolio-or-4-29-02-how.html

"Where are the Good Things in the Big Bedroom?"

http://e-e-o.blogspot.tw/2015/05/or-4-6-00-where-are-good-things-in-big.html

"Where are our clothes made?"

http://e-e-o.blogspot.tw/2015/03/observation-report.html

"How can we compare descriptions of our forests?"

http://e-e-o.blogspot.tw/2015/02/professional-portfolio-5-24-99-how-can.html

"How can we describe stamps?"

http://e-e-o.blogspot.tw/2015/01/professional-portfolio-or-3-30-98-how.html

"How can we improve a city park for its users: people, animals, and insects?"

http://e-e-o.blogspot.tw/2014/03/aim-how-can-we-improve-city-park-for.html

     For those who seriously want to teach students English as a Second Language, I strongly recommend college to master the art of teaching. There is no ESL certificate program that can enhance your teaching ability more than a complete program of TESOL education. However, for those of you who have chosen to travel outside of your English speaking land, the four suggestions I have outlined should help you a lot.
      If you follow my humble advice, you will succeed as an ESL teacher.I hope this introduction assists you in making your job easier. Thank you for reading. 

Proposal discussed to make English 2nd official language in Taiwan

2015/10/18 21:58:11

English course at an elementary school in New Taipei. CNA file photo

Taipei, Oct. 18 (CNA) A proposal to make English the second official language in Taiwan was discussed at a conference Sunday in Tainan, the city that is leading the push.

"English is part of national power," Chen Chao-ming (陳超明), a chair professor at Shih Chien University, said at the conference, which was organized by the Tainan-based Flomo Education Foundation.

English proficiency in Taiwan is not just an educational problem, but an important asset for the country's future development, Chen said.

"With Southeast Asian countries designating 2015 as the year of English, where are the international talents or people with English proficiency that we need for our Go South policy?" he asked.

The scholar stressed that the ability to communicate in English is a "fundamental skill" that Taiwan should be using to strive for internationalization and greater access to the global market.

The idea of designating English as the second official language of Taiwan was derived from the pursuit of internationalization, Chen said. It means having "everyone in the country being able to speak English, more or less," he said.

Flomo Education Foundation Chairman Shen Kun-chao (沈坤照) said that Taiwan is an export-oriented country, in which the children will all face competition as the economy is globalized.

With more than 70 countries around the world having designated English as their second official language, Taiwan's English education policy, however, is being challenged by a lack of funds and the dispute over its squeezing funds out of the budget for mother-tongue programs, Shen said.

"How to assist our children in cultivating the ability to gear themselves for international conventions is an important issue which the relevant sectors of the country need to discuss," he said.

Apart from Chen, the conference also drew Tien Ling-hu (田玲瑚), deputy director of the Tainan city government's second official language promotion office; Chen Hsiu-ping (陳修平), head of the city's Bureau of Education; Tainan City Councilor Chiu Li-li (邱莉莉); and several school heads.

The Tainan city government kicked off efforts to promote the second official language in May based on the policy of Mayor Lai Ching-te (賴清德) to make English the second official language of the city within 10 years in an effort to build Tainan into a "true international city."

(By Yang Sz-ruei and Elizabeth Hsu)
ENDITEM/sc

Part #3: Do the Following and You Will Succeed as an ESL Teacher - Second Language, Only.

EDITORS NOTE: This is the third of a four-part article,"Do the Following and You Will Succeed as an ESL Teacher." It is called "Second Language, Only." Part #1, "Reported Speech," can be found at http://e-e-o.blogspot.tw/2015/10/do-following-and-you-will-succeed-as.html. Part #2, "Model Politeness," can be found at http://e-e-o.blogspot.tw/2015/10/do-following-and-you-will-succeed-as_8.html. The fourth part, "Contests that Challenge," with be published next week. 


     It is important that only English be used in the foreign language (EFL) classroom. However, English is a tool for business or academic purposes in non-native environments. It is seen by the public as advantageous for a student who chooses to travel abroad so quick results are important . As a result, in schools, it is treated like mathematical formula. In bushibans, speed and pretension take precedence over comprehension and retention. This is unfortunate. It creates an environment where students are learning and not acquiring language skills. There is a natural order of acquisition that takes more time than most schools (and students or their parents) are willing to afford. 

     Here is how you can teach ESL/EFL without using the first language in the classroom:
                            

     The idea of using only comprehendable input to teach a second language was new to our art in 1984 until The Natural Approach was introduced by Steven Krashen and Tracy Terrell. Every TESOL teacher should read the landmark book. The approach to teaching language through grammar worksheets and substitution drills that most schools in Taiwan and Asia rely on is not very effective for students. Your school or buxiban is wasting your students' time and money; you shouldn't care so long as you are paid on time; right? But if you want to have fun with your students and see them acquire language skills, have your own choice of materials and modify the materials your school gives you; do the right thing and use The Natural Approach. 

                             Total Physical Response

     Think of TPR as a game of "Simon Says." Demonstrate an action and then have the student repeat  it. For example, stand, walk to the door and open it. Say it as you do it: "Stand, walk, open." Then do it in reverse. "Close, walk, sit." Do this until the notion sinks in with the class as a whole and then with individual students. Take it slowly and write the words associated with the actions on the board once the student knows the alphabet. The "Simon Says" routine can become as complicated as the depth of the students' knowledge. For example, "Walk to the door after you take the red pen from on my desk, then open the door and put the pen on the left side in the hallway," and so on.  

                                 Word Bubbles

     "Word Bubbles" are TPR with the written word; you should use this activity often, especially when students are transitioning from oral comprehension to the written word. Remember that perfect grammar is not essential at the outset of learning English, but statement or question must make sense. The student must create a monitor to correct unintelligible language they produce. Word Bubbles help them do this. 

This is how it works in a contest :
     Divide the class into two or three teams. Put words associated with objects, actions, etc. on the board that you have introduced. Circle and number them. Point to a series of words (or say the numbers and have the student reconstruct the sentence on paper) and have the student copy the action or find the object: 

1-10:   verbs
11-15:  articles
16-20: nouns
21-25: prepositions
25-30: adjectives
(Ex. Take (5) - a (11) - red (26) - book (16). Put (4) - the  (12) - book  (16) - on (21)  the (12) - floor (17).

     The first player to complete the action gets points for his/her team. Repeat with a new series of word.
     As you identify objects, colors, shapes, and actions with your class, demonstrate to the class what it is you are talking about. Write the words (or letters and numbers) on the board. The first notion you should teach is the alphabet and numerals. The second notion you teach is shapes, the third is colors, the fourth is locations. With these notions you can form an idea such as this: "Draw a red circle under the blue car,"  or "Draw a star over the words beginning with 'b."
     As in all Natural Approach events, do not require the student to speak or repeat after you unless he or she is ready. So long as they understand the command, it is good! 

                                       Immersion

     Immersion does not only mean that the teacher uses only English in class; that would be confusing and a waste of time to expect the students to learn everything you read and say. The stress it causes students who try to figure out what the teacher means is counterproductive. There is an order of acquisition of a second language that the teacher should be aware of and adhere to. For example, present, present progressive, past, and future are acquired in that order. Read Natural Approach acquisition theory to learn more about it.  
     Unfortunately, most often, the ESL/EFL teacher is saddled by textbooks and syllabus of mishmash sources made by some unqualified program director. Even American and British English are mixed in some programs. Just because the instruction is all in English, it doesn't mean it is better for the student to learn. It is mostly a sham for the school to make money from unsuspecting students.
     Many schools that supply their students with a team-teaching local language adjunct to translate or explain what poorly trained English teachers use are better than immersion programs. If an English language instructor truly wants to help his students attain fluency, the best way is through second language immersion in an orderly fashion. 
    In conclusion, it is important that only English be used in the EFL/ESL classroom. In the overseas classroom, the reason is obvious; the student will have no other opportunity to practice what he is learning except in school, but even in English speaking countries, most students rarely use English outside of the classroom even though they are surrounded by English usage; their personal lives remain cloistered within their native language.  

This has been Part #3 of "Do the Following and You Will Succeed as an ESL Teacher." Part #4,"Contests That Challenge," will be published next week. Thank you for reading. I hope it makes teaching EFL/ESL easier for you. 

Part #2: Model Politeness

Education Emancipation Organization : Do The Following and You Will Succeed as an ESL Te...:            Part # 2 of  " Do The Following and You Will Succeed as an ESL Teacher," is "Model Politeness." It deals wit...

Part #1: Do The Following and You Will Succeed as an ESL Teacher - Reported Speech

    EDITORS NOTE: This is the first of a five-part article: "Do The Following and You Will Succeed as an ESL Teacher" Part 1 Reported speech required. 2. Model 
politeness. 3. Second language only. 4. Use no words they don't know.  5. Contests that challenge.

 People always ask each other to repeat what they have said. Without being nosy (or even with it) people always ask each other what they have heard. The fact is, most of what people say is a repetition of what they had heard or a regurgitation of what they have read and learned. This sharing of other people's data is commonly referred to as "reported speech."

     No one can be fluent in English as a Second Language until they have mastered the art of gossip, asked others to repeat what was not heard or understood, shared information, or clarified what they have heard. Of course it is incumbent on the native English speaker to rephrase when repeating information to a student, but for the gymnastics of English grammar and language arts, there is nothing better for the student than to report the speech they have heard and practice shifting gears in English discourse. 

     For native English speakers and ESL students alike, there is no better way to make sure you understand instructions and directions than to repeat back what you have just heard and get affirmation or correction. The listener may be victim to mumbling, unknown lexicon, or simply distracted by background noise, or even handicapped by a medical condition such as hearing loss or tinnitus. In any case, reporting speech is a remedy for non-comprehension. 

     Certainly, in the classroom, there is no better way to get students' undivided attention than to ask them to report what you have asked them or  how they and their classmates have responded. It will keep students on task and paying attention or risk losing face to classmates in discourse by not knowing what they said. Students will judge each other's friendship by how much attention they give to what they said. In all case scenarios, the teacher holds the ace and can draw the card when necessary to win over the class; it sure beats scolding or punishing a student for being inattentive. A losing situation turns into a prime moment to learn. Furthermore, interrupting students engaged in private classroom chatter brings the errant students back on task.

     ESL teachers must use reported speech with their classes or they can risk kissing their students' attention "goodbye" and losing control of a class. Once that happens, the teacher may never find a way back into the driver's seat without a class of back-seat wiseguys questioning everything the teacher does. Reported speech always acts as a tool to revision and review in the classroom, in real time, before the culmination of class when finding out what your students have learned may be too late. 

There are four types of reported speech, each with its own set of corresponding grammar.

 1. Reported Statement - A sentence is reported thus:

 T: I like apples.What did I say?
 S: You  said you like apples.

 2. Reported Yes/No Question - A question with a "yes" or  "no" answer. For example:

 T: Do you ride a bicycle? What did I ask? 

 S: You asked if I ride a  bicycle.

 3. Reported Wh-question -A question that is answered with    information, like this:

 T: Where do you live? What did I ask? 

 S: You asked where I live.

 4. Reported Imperative - A command or request:

 T: Stand up! What did I say?

 S: You told me to stand up.

 T: Please stand up. What did I say?

 S: You asked me to stand up.  

Did you notice that all the reported answers are in the present tense? I do this for a first year ESL student who has not learned other tenses besides the present and present continuous. At a higher level, students can be challenged with the tense shift (see chart below) and special time phrase (see that chart below, too.)

You can Google "Reported Speech" for dozens of level-specific exercises and other details. However, if you use the basic approach to reported speech from day one in your class, you will save yourself a lot of grief and give the students the gift of discourse. 

There is a contest for this, as there is for every English detail you share with your students:

1. Divide the class into two or three teams (or individuals). 

2.Give each student a letter (A, B, C, etc.)

3. Write (or say) a direct speech sentence, question, or imperative.

4. Give the students one minute to prepare their reported answers.

5. After a minute, randomly call out a letter, like "A."

6. The "A" students go to the board and write their reported speech answer.

7. They are listed in the order they sit back down.

8. Go over the answers and assign points for the winner, 3, 2, 1 point or none. 

9. Repeat the process with another direct speech sentence or question.

10. The team with the most points at the end of the contest is the winner. Reward the students. 

[EDITORS NOTE: This has been Part #1 of a five-part article "Do The Following and You Will Succeed as an ESL Teacher." Part # 2-  Model Politeness  #3 Second language only, #4- Use no words they don't know, and #5 - Contests that challenge are to follow. ]

Follow my posts at: https://www.facebook.com/eeodbt