How_to_teach_teenagers_like_a_pro.pdf

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CONTENTS

HOW TO TEACH TEENAGERS

MUST READ:

The

Toughest Class You Will

Ever Teach: 9 Tips for

Engaging Middle School

Students

HOW TO:

How to Teach

the Millennial Generation

(And Get Them off of

Facebook)

ROLE PLAYS:

10 Fresh

Roleplay Ideas for

General English

HOW TO:

How to

Distribute Talking Time

Between Students

HOW-TO:

Creating

a Communicative

Classroom: What is the

Communicative Style

and How to Make it Work

for You

19-20

MUST READ:

Do I

Really Have to Wait 5

Years to Speak English?

10 Conversational and

Academic Phrases to

Get Students Speaking

and Writing in No Time

SLANG:

Holler at Your

Boy! Using Slang in the

ESL Classroom

MUST READ:

Little

Things That Make Your

Lesson a Success

MUST READ:

5 Most

Creative Homework

Assignments: Homework

That Works

24-25

GAMES:

Fun and

Games in the ESL

Classroom: Designing

Your Own Games

EVALUATION:

He Said

What? 5 Reasons You

Want Your Students to

Evaluate YOU

MUST READ:

How

to Deal with Eager

Beavers: 5 Instant

Solutions to Common

Problems

HOW TO:

You Are NOT

Your Students’ BFF

(Best Friend Forever):

Balancing “Friendliness”

and “Friendship”

TESTS:

Testing 1-2--

Tips on How to Create

Effective Tests

30-31

ASSESSMENT:

Top

10 Ways to Assess Your

Students

MUST READ:

Don’t Do

It: 10 Things Never to Do

in the Classroom

MUST READ:

It’s

Personal! 7 Ways to Get

Students to Open up and

HOW TO:

Top 8 Tips

on Teaching Absolute

Beginners

HOW TO:

Beginning at

the Beginning: What

You Need to Know if

You Teach Absolute

Beginners

MISTAKES:

Whoops,

I Did It Again: Talking

About Mistakes

PHONES:

Why You

Should Use Cell Phones

in Class: 8 Activities

For Putting Phones to

Positive Use in the ESL

Classroom

DISCUSSIONS:

Beyond

Opinions: 3 Ways to

Facilitate Stimulating

Discussion

39-40

MUST READ:

Top 10

Time Fillers For Your

Classroom

5-6

MUST READ:

How To

Motivate ESL Students:

The 10 Best Ways

to Increase Teenage

Student Motivation

HOW TO:

I Don’t Know

What They Don’t Know:

5 Steps for Teaching

the Intermediate ESL

Student

8-9

HOW TO:

Is That

Supposed to Be Funny?

Using Humor in the

Classroom and Avoiding

the Pitfalls

10-11

MUST READ:

Beyond

Naptime: Incorporate

Movies in the Classroom

and Keep them Riveted

HOW TO:

How to

Avoid that Deer-in-the-

Headlights-Stare: Start

With Simple Instructions

MUST READ:

The Gift

of Gab: 10 Conversation

Starters that Will Never

Fail

14-15

HOW-TO:

Using Clear

and Precise Language:

10 Terrific Tips for ESL

Teachers and Students

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The Toughest Class You Will

Ever Teach: 9 Tips for Engaging

Middle School Students

Teaching little kids can be fun. They

have energy and a fascination with

the world that only comes from the

innocence of childhood. Adult stu-

dents, on the other hand, have a

higher cognitive ability and can un-

derstand complex concepts even if

their English language skills are at

a beginning level.

Nonetheless,

what does a teacher do

when her students are too young

to think like adults but are trying

their hardest to escape childhood?

This is the question that faces every

middle school teacher. The awkward

age that ranges from around 11 until

15 is a challenge for even the best of

teachers, but there is hope. Here are

some teacher-tested tips for the middle

school teachers out there that will help

you work with your students’ strengths

and minimize their struggles.

from a chance to talk in class.

Make

sure your lesson plans always in-

clude questions for discussion.

You

may need to give specific questions for

your students to cover rather than giv-

ing simple directions to simply discuss,

but you will find that middle schoolers

have opinions and they appreciate a

chance to share them.

you in the past. Because your middle

school students have different needs

than children or adult students, you

should always be willing to tailor your

plans to meet those needs.

CELEBRATE SUCCESS

BE CREATIVE

Even though kids in the middle

school age range are trying to mature

out of their childhoods, being a kid is

still a large portion of who they are, and

encouraging creative expression

through artistic elements will add

an element of fun to your classroom

they are sure to appreciate.

Everyone wants to feel as though

he is successful at his work, and mid-

dle school students are no exception.

Celebrating the small victories and

accomplishments of your students

will help them feel motivated

and will

inspire them to deepen their linguistic

educations.

ENCOURAGE CURIOSITY

BE CONCRETE

HOW TO ENGAGE

MIDDLE SCHOOL

STUDENTS

GET PHYSICAL

Kids at that difficult middle school

age are often brimming with energy,

even in inappropriate moments. To

harness that energy in a constructive

way,

try using physical games that

include a language element.

The

physical exertion will tame the middle

schoolers’ energy enough so they can

sit and listen and the language tie in

will ensure you don’t feel like you are

wasting valuable classroom time. Try

games like

Simon Says

, which re-

quire your students to listen for direc-

tions before they move.

Preteens experience a lot of brain

development, but in middle school

most students think in very concrete

terms. They often cannot understand

intangible concepts, so

the more

concrete examples you give during

your instruction, the more effective

your teaching will be.

If you are trying

to teach something abstract, try to ex-

plain it in as concrete terms as you can

to help your students understand, and

give lots of chances for students to put

theoretical knowledge to practical use.

Middle school students are like

children in that they are learning how

the world works.

Encourage your stu-

dents to satisfy their curiosity about

language as they learn.

Allowing your

students to ask any questions, and

not berating them for it, will help your

students get excited about learning.

Then use this excitement to show them

that they can be successful language

learners.

GIVE AND TAKE RESPECT

USE OBJECT LESSONS

Object lessons can be an ef-

fective way to make an abstract les-

son more concrete.

Think of ways

you can teach a concept through an

object lesson, and check online for

successful object lessons other teach-

ers have used.

The more you give your stu-

dents respect, the more likely they

are to return the gesture.

Avoid talk-

ing down to middle school students,

listen when you ask their opinions

and talk to them like they deserve re-

spect, and you will find your students

are more responsive and engaged in

class.

ENCOURAGE TALKING

BE FLEXIBLE

EXPERIENCED TEACHERS KNOW

THAT IT TAKES A SPECIAL PERSON

TO WORK WITH MIDDLE SCHOOL

STUDENTS.

By planning lessons to meet the needs

of your middle school students and

being flexible with your time and ac-

tivities, you will be proud of what great

students your middle schoolers have

become.

Talking can be a high priority for

kids in the middle school age group,

especially for girls. Though second lan-

guage students may not be as chattery

as native speakers, kids will still benefit

Not every traditional or even

successful lesson plan will work

well with middle school students.

Be flexible and willing to change up

even the lessons that have worked for

How to Teach the Millennial Gener-

ation (& Get Them off of Facebook)

The Millennial Generation, or Genera-

tion Y, is that generation born 1980-

2000. They have never known a world

without computers, so they are some-

times also called the “Net Generation”

and “digital natives.” Speaking gener-

ally of the generation rather than of

every individual within it, some of the

positive aspects of its members are

that they tend to be global in outlook

and accepting of differences.

However, they are also used to

instant

gratification, multitasking,

and can

present some challenges to classroom

instruction, such as

inattentiveness and

overuse of technological devices.

Giv-

en that a major component of teaching is

connecting with learners, what are some

methods that teachers can use to con-

nect with the millennial generation and

keep their interest?

presentation if it is contextualized.

For

example, when explaining verb tense, a

handout graphically displaying the differ-

ent tenses is helpful. Or a quick search on

YouTube before class can yield some im-

pressive results. For example, if the pre-

sentation is about urban decay and pollu-

tion, pictures of a major landfill can spark

a discussion. Reproductions of famous

paintings, such as those by Picasso, can

also serve as a starting place for discus-

sion and writing. Finally, having students

bring in their own visuals to represent

something the class has just read and ex-

plain the connection also works well.

and vocabulary.

INCORPORATE

TECHNOLOGY

–clips, IPODs, blogs, and video games.

Students are used to technologi-

cal devises, so incorporate them in

class instruction.

This can be as sim-

ple as having students type, research,

and illustrate their own papers as part

of class. Or make use of YouTube’s re-

sources: for example, when teaching an

article on the alleged

“Stupidity Epi-

demic”

in the U.S., include a clip from

YouTube of Jay Leno’s

“Jaywalking,”

which he walks the street and asks pass-

ersby seemingly easy questions (and

doesn’t always get the correct answer):

INCORPORATE

GROUP WORK

HOW TO TEACH

GENERATION Y

ALTER

THE LECTURE FORMAT

The lecture does not have to be dis-

pensed with completely, and sometimes

it is a necessary, efficient, and even pow-

erful method to relate information. But the

lecture alone only reaches a select num-

ber of students. Instead of just lecturing,

make the lecture interactive.

Ask stu-

dents questions or offer examples, and

make use of Powerpoint, which students

are accustomed to, to support the lecture

in the class. It is easy to load slides and

text into Powerpoint to create a lecture on

the Holocaust, for example. Or give stu-

dents an outline of the lecture for them

to fill in to keep them involved. Finally,

make the lecture as short as possible,

just enough time to relate the necessary

information before moving into a different

mode of instruction. The lecture can be a

powerful learning tool but should be used

judiciously.

Group work can also be highly success-

ful with Generation Y because they have

worked in groups all of their lives. After

a brief lecture on a topic such as global

warming, move students into groups and

have them discuss it and come up with

causes and possible solutions. Every

member of the group should have a role

within that group, such as the researcher

to review the text or writer to take notes.

There should also be a leader to keep ev-

eryone on task.

It is also effective to

vary the group

structure within a class period, going

from whole class to small group to

pair work instruction.

“What color is the White House?”

TEACH BY DISCOVERY

Another alternative to the lecture

format is to teach by discovery. Instead

of telling students the information, have

them

discover it themselves.

If students have just read a short story,

for example, have them work togeth-

er to determine the major message or

theme of the story, or present them with

a dilemma, and have them come up with

the solution. Or when introducing a new

reading, present students with a series of

vocabulary words related to the reading

and have them determine what the words

have in common and group them accord-

ingly. This will have the additional affect of

preparing students for the reading’s topic

When students are reading a novel, set

up a class blog and have students blog

about it so that it is an interactive rather

than the more traditional and personal

journal. If students are text-messaging

each other all the time, make that a class

assignment. Having students translate

text messages into standard or formal

English can raise awareness on register

differences. Or design a lecture in pod-

cast format, post it on a class website,

and have students download and listen

to it at home. Some instructors have also

used simulations and videogames ef-

fectively in their classes. Other instruc-

tors have exploited the use of Digital

Gaming, interactive games in which stu-

dents work online, assume a role, and

work toward some common goal. Other

instructors use social networking sites

where students can collaborate on proj-

ects. These sites are of particular help

to more introverted individuals, who

are more likely than extraverts to locate

their authentic “selves” in cyberspace.

HOLDING THE ATTENTION OF GEN-

ERATION Y IS NOT EASY AS THEY ARE

USED TO HAVING INFORMATION COME

AT THEM FROM VARIOUS SOURCES.

But with careful planning and being flex-

ible, turning Generation Y from passive

learners text messaging their friends in

the back of the room into active learners

is possible.

INCORPORATE VISUALS

Incorporating visuals will also aid

a lecture.

Learners respond more to a

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The 10 Best Ways to Increase

Teenage Student Motivation

Ah, the joys of teaching! Young

learners are so full of energy that

most activities you propose are

met with loads of enthusiasm. Adult

learners are focused on meeting

their language goals and have a

wealth of skills and knowledge to

contribute to the class.

However, things are not as simple with

teens. Most are very clever and insight-

ful kids, but this is not exactly the most

talkative age group. Have you ever

faced a class full of blank stares where

most of the replies you hear are

“Yes”,

“No”,

“It depends”

? Have you ever

felt frustrated by their lack of interest?

Here are some strategies that should

get your teens a bit more motivated.

•

Tell them that whoever finishes

a written exercise first or has the

most correct answers, gets to

choose a video to watch or a song

to listen to in class.

•

CATER TO THEIR SKILLS

AND EXPLOIT

THEIR TALENTS

Most teens are talented at one thing or

another. Take your time to get to know

them and discover what these talents

are.

Students who are artistically-in-

clined may draw pictures, sketch-

es or cartoons of a story you read

out loud to the class.

Do you have a student who plays

the guitar? Ask him or her to bring

it to class and play a song while the

class sings the lyrics in English.

If you play any of the audio that typi-

cally comes with course materials,

your teens will most likely tune out and

not hear a word. The best way to moti-

vate them to listen is by playing songs.

But you should also choose songs they

like, or can relate to.

•

A worksheet for

Photograph by

Nickelback

can provide a great

warm up exercise and a post-lis-

tening activity.

Or, listen to

So Sick by Ne-Yo

and ask your students to complete

the tasks set forth in the work-

sheet.

•

HOW TO MOTIVATE

ESL STUDENTS

•

HAVE VIDEO LESSONS

USE AS MANY REFERENCES

TO POP CULTURE

AS YOU CAN

Consider your teens’ interests. Imagine

you want to discuss last week’s events

to practice the past simple tense. Will

they be more interested in what Presi-

dent Obama did last week, or which

outrageous outfit Lady Gaga wore to

an awards show? If you’re not willing to

discuss Eminem’s latest album, or any

of the

Twilight

books or films, then you

won’t connect with your teen students.

USE PEN PALS

TO MOTIVATE WRITING

If your students are not enthused

about writing assignments, give them

pen pals to write to. At ESL Teachers

Board, or any other message board for

ESL teachers, you can post a request

for pen pals for your students, and find

another teacher with whom you can

trade email addresses. Writing to pen

pals is a great introduction to what they

may have to master later in life: busi-

ness emails.

Videos have great potential in

the ESL class. Thanks to recent ad-

vances in technology, we no longer

need to have a TV and DVD player in

the classroom to teach a video lesson.

A laptop will do for a small class, and

a speedy Internet connection is great,

but not entirely necessary, as you can

have video files already downloaded to

your computer. To keep teens focused

on the task, choose short interviews,

movie trailers, music videos, or how to

videos on YouTube.

INTEGRATE TECHNOLOGY

INTO THE CLASSROOM

GIVE THEM A LITTLE

FRIENDLY COMPETITION

MAKE READING

AGE APPROPRIATE

In the previous point, we mention how

easy it is to show videos on a laptop,

but you can integrate technology in so

many other ways.

Most teens have

excellent Web surfing skills, so why

not assign them a WebQuest?

A WebQuest is an online, inquiry-based

activity where students are required to

search for specific information within

links provided by the teacher, and

then produce a report or a PowerPoint

presentation. Here are some great ex-

amples of WebQuests for teens: http://

www.nelliemuller.com/task2.htm, but

you can also design your own to suit

your students’ level.

Little kids like to compete, and teens

are no different. Whether they play

sports or games on the Wii, they al-

ways try to out best each other. Why

not introduce some friendly competi-

tion into the ESL classroom? Games

are easy ways to do this, but you can

also have them compete in any activity.

•

Give them 60 seconds to write

down as many words as they can

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