Wow, it's the end of the 2nd week already! I had planned to blog everyday but guess it just got busier & busier!
Last Friday, I did manage to ask the guy from China abt his "do u believe in God?" question - he said he just wanted to find out how many ppl in class believed in God. So I asked him whether HE believed in God. And he said, "Now I do". I presume he just became a Christian? Anyway he's been attending a Chinese church here in Perth. Praise God! :)
Last weekend - I basically had to do a 1000 word assignment, but really struggled to keep my energy level up 'cos I was just so exhausted from a week's of classes & teaching! I think this weekend is pretty much going to be the same... though I do have a few more assignments + a lesson to plan for Monday!
It's been really a great experience this past week too - got to know my classmates (teacher trainees) a little bit more too - espy some of their views on religion.. now u might think how that comes up in our conversations huh? Easy - I just tell them what my usual occupation is... haha..
Been building up a good friendship with one of the ladies here - pray that we'd get to know each other better & continue our friendship even beyond the course!
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Now I'm teaching the Elementary level students - definitely much more challenging as the students don't have a lot of vocabulary so can't communicate as much. It can be quite draining - giving so much but getting little response. But really enjoyed my first lesson with them today - just some vocabulary & pronunciation. Hopefully they learnt something!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Thursday, January 07, 2010
English Teaching Course - Day 4
Was very nervous about teaching today - my 1st proper lesson!
It went fairly well, though I struggled with trying to get the students to speak up in the class.
One of the activities was a class survey & the students also had to come up with 2 other questions with a Yes/No answer. They were to practise using short answers + add some info like "Yes, I did. It was great / I enjoyed it" etc.
I went around monitoring while the students were writing down their qns, & I came across this boy who wrote "Do you believe in the God?" as his qn! I corrected his grammar - "Do you believe in God?", but it definitely made me take notice of him more.
After that, I asked the students to go around the class asking each other the qns they had - and I happened to be monitoring this boy when he asked a girl "Do you believe in God?"
Her reply was, "Yes, I do. I think... he's very close to us."
???!!!!
Amazing stuff. Can't wait to have a chat with them about it tomorrow!
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Also observed an experienced teacher teach a class of Elementary students. Whoa, he was really good. So much energy, very good rapport with the students - he was almost a part of them - joking, laughing, making fun of them. You could tell that the students really liked him too.
Tips to take home: Make it really fun for the students & they'll forget that they're in a lesson. They'll only remember that they really enjoyed themselves!
It went fairly well, though I struggled with trying to get the students to speak up in the class.
One of the activities was a class survey & the students also had to come up with 2 other questions with a Yes/No answer. They were to practise using short answers + add some info like "Yes, I did. It was great / I enjoyed it" etc.
I went around monitoring while the students were writing down their qns, & I came across this boy who wrote "Do you believe in the God?" as his qn! I corrected his grammar - "Do you believe in God?", but it definitely made me take notice of him more.
After that, I asked the students to go around the class asking each other the qns they had - and I happened to be monitoring this boy when he asked a girl "Do you believe in God?"
Her reply was, "Yes, I do. I think... he's very close to us."
???!!!!
Amazing stuff. Can't wait to have a chat with them about it tomorrow!
------------------------
Also observed an experienced teacher teach a class of Elementary students. Whoa, he was really good. So much energy, very good rapport with the students - he was almost a part of them - joking, laughing, making fun of them. You could tell that the students really liked him too.
Tips to take home: Make it really fun for the students & they'll forget that they're in a lesson. They'll only remember that they really enjoyed themselves!
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
English Teaching Course - Day 3
Very relieved day - 'cos I didn't need to teach!
One classmate had withdrawn from the course. Think it was a little too much for her. Found out yesterday that she had only slept 2 hours the previous day as was quite stressed with the grammar & all. Had been praying for her on the bus today, & was looking forward to seeing & chatting with her today. But heard that something happened to her family too & so she's withdrawn.
Otherwise, learnt classroom mgt & how to teach reading & listening skills.
Tip: Always have an activity to ENGAGE the students & ESTABLISH THE CONTEXT of the lesson. Very good tip.
One classmate had withdrawn from the course. Think it was a little too much for her. Found out yesterday that she had only slept 2 hours the previous day as was quite stressed with the grammar & all. Had been praying for her on the bus today, & was looking forward to seeing & chatting with her today. But heard that something happened to her family too & so she's withdrawn.
Otherwise, learnt classroom mgt & how to teach reading & listening skills.
Tip: Always have an activity to ENGAGE the students & ESTABLISH THE CONTEXT of the lesson. Very good tip.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
English Teaching Course - Day 2
Our tutor demonstrated how to teach a new bit of language in a class. Learnt how to "Elicit" vocabulary from the class by giving prompts, visuals etc. Lots of repetition, drilling, practising etc. I must say our tutor is really really good & energetic!
Had my first teaching practice today - introductory lesson. In a group of 5 other trainee teachers. Took turns getting the students do a bit of a speaking activity. Mine was to get the students to come up with a list of 5 questions to ask the teachers - to get to know them better.
Was rather nervous, but was a fair first attempt. Lots to improve on, but was generally quite happy. Lesson for me to take home - be more forth right / create more of a presence in the class. A little too "polite" & "nice", have to take charge a little bit more.
Thank God I don't have to teach tomorrow, so have extra time to prepare for my next lesson on Thurs.
Had my first teaching practice today - introductory lesson. In a group of 5 other trainee teachers. Took turns getting the students do a bit of a speaking activity. Mine was to get the students to come up with a list of 5 questions to ask the teachers - to get to know them better.
Was rather nervous, but was a fair first attempt. Lots to improve on, but was generally quite happy. Lesson for me to take home - be more forth right / create more of a presence in the class. A little too "polite" & "nice", have to take charge a little bit more.
Thank God I don't have to teach tomorrow, so have extra time to prepare for my next lesson on Thurs.
Monday, January 04, 2010
English Teaching Course - Day 1
Started attending my new course today - English Teaching to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA) for short.
Was rather nervous in the first few hours, meeting my 17 other classmates who either have had some sort of teaching experience or were native English speakers, while I had neither advantage. Nevertheless, after a whole morning of "getting to know you" games & interaction, am more at ease & comfortable with the group.
Some interesting activities we did:
Was rather nervous in the first few hours, meeting my 17 other classmates who either have had some sort of teaching experience or were native English speakers, while I had neither advantage. Nevertheless, after a whole morning of "getting to know you" games & interaction, am more at ease & comfortable with the group.
Some interesting activities we did:
- Had an hour of German lessons! Kudos to our teacher - she taught us some basic greeting language without a single word of English! (Lots of miming, drawing, & repetition...) Also gave us an idea of how foreign students with ZERO English language feel...!
"Hallo, ich heisse Jessica. Wie heist Du?"
"Guten Tag. Mein Name ist Frau Wong. Wie heissen Sie?"
"Guten Tag. Mein Name ist Frau Wong. Wie heissen Sie?"
- Tense System Overview - almost pulled my hair out trying to understand what a past participle was. Still not quite sure but I found a handy tip - just put "have" in front of a verb, and the form of that verb is a past participle. Haha...
- Met our students in the afternoon - they're from the community who were after free English lessons. Mostly Asian faces I must say. Rather tempting to speak Mandarin/Cantonese to them but have to refrain.
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