Teaching Large Classes

What is English? History of the English Language A short history of the origins and development of English The history of the English language really started with the arrival of three Germanic tribes who invaded Britain during the 5th century AD. These tribes, the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes, crossed the North Sea from what today is Denmark and northern Germany. At that time the inhabitants of Britain spoke a Celtic language. But most of the Celtic speakers were pushed west and north by the invaders - mainly into what is now Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The Angles came from Englaland and their language was called Englisc - from which the words England and English are derived. Germanic invaders entered Britain on the east and south coasts in the 5th century. Old English (450-1100 AD) The invading Germanic tribes spoke similar languages, which in Britain developed into what we now call Old English. Old English did not sound or look like English today. Native English speakers now would have great difficulty understanding Old English. Nevertheless, about half of the most commonly used words in Modern English have Old English roots. The words be,st rong and water, for example, derive from Old English. Old English was spoken until around 1100. Middle English (1100-1500) In 1066 William the Conqueror, the Duke of Normandy (part of modern France), Part of Beowulf, a poem written in Old English. An example of Middle English by Chaucer. invaded and conquered England. The new conquerors (called the Normans) brought with them a kind of French, which became the language of the Royal Court, and the ruling and business classes. For a period there was a kind of linguistic class division, where the lower classes spoke English and the upper classes spoke French. In the 14th century English became dominant in Britain again, but with many French words added. This language is called Middle English. It was the language of the great poet Chaucer (c1340-1400), but it would still be difficult for native English speakers to understand today. Modern English Early Modern English (1500-1800) Towards the end of Middle English, a sudden and distinct change in pronunciation (the Great Vowel Shift) started, with vowels being pronounced shorter and shorter. From the 16th century the British had contact with many peoples from around the world. This, and the Renaissance of Classical learning, meant that many new words and phrases entered the language. The invention of printing also meant that there was now a common language in print. Books became cheaper and more people learned to read. Printing also brought standardization to English. Spelling and grammar became fixed, and the dialect of London, where most publishing houses were, became the standard. In 1604 the first English dictionary was published. Late Modern English (1800-Present) The main difference between Early Modern English and Late Modern English is vocabulary. Late Modern English has many more words, arising from two principal factors: firstly, the Industrial Revolution and technology created a need for new words; secondly, the British Empire at its height covered one quarter of the earth's surface, and the English language adopted foreign words from many countries. Varieties of English From around 1600, the English colonization of North America resulted in the creation of a distinct American variety of English. Some English pronunciations and words "froze" when they reached America. In some ways, American English is more like the English of Shakespeare than modern British English is. Some expressions that the British call "Americanisms" are in fact original British expressions that were preserved in the colonies while lost for a time in Britain (for example trash for rubbish, loan as a verb instead of lend, and fall for autumn; another example, frame-up, was re-imported into Britain through Hollywood gangster movies). Spanish also had an influence on American English (and subsequently British English), with words like canyon, ranch, stampede and vigilante being examples of Spanish words that entered English through the settlement of the American West. French words Hamlet's famous "To be, or not to be" lines, written in Early Modern English by Shakespeare. (through Louisiana) and West African words (through the slave trade) also influenced American English (and so, to an extent, British English). Today, American English is particularly influential, due to the USA's dominance of cinema, television, popular music, trade and technology (including the Internet). But there are many other varieties of English around the world, including for example Australian English, New Zealand English, Canadian English, South African English, Indian English and Caribbean English. The Germanic Family of Languages English is a member of the Germanic family of languages. Germanic is a branch of the Indo-European language family. A brief chronology of English BC 55Roman invasion of Britain by Julius Caesar. Local inhabitants speak Celtish BC 43Roman invasion and occupation. Beginning of Roman rule of Britain. 436Roman withdrawal from Britain complete. 449Settlement of Britain by Germanic invaders begins 450-480Earliest known Old English inscriptions. Old English 1066William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, invades and conquers England. c1150Earliest surviving manuscripts in Middle English. Middle English 1348English replaces Latin as the language of instruction in most schools. 1362English replaces French as the language of law. English is used in Parliament for the first time. c1388Chaucer starts writing The Canterbury Tales. c1400The Great Vowel Shift begins. 1476William Caxton establishes the first English printing press. Early Modern English 1564Shakespeare is born. 1604Table Alphabeticall, the first English dictionary, is published. 1607The first permanent English settlement in the New World (Jamestown) is established. 1616Shakespeare dies. 1623Shakespeare's First Folio is published 1702The first daily English-language newspaper, The Daily Courant, is published in London. 1755Samuel Johnson publishes his English dictionary. 1776Thomas Jefferson writes the American Declaration of Independence. 1782Britain abandons its American colonies. 1828Webster publishes his American English dictionary. Late Modern English 1922The British Broadcasting Corporation is founded. 1928The Oxford English Dictionary is published. Teaching Large Classes Most teachers agree that teaching a small group of students is easier, more enjoyable, and less time consuming than teaching a large group. Unfortunately, due to budgets, space, or lack of teachers, many ESL schools only offer large classes. In some schools, large classes may consist of up to 50 or more students. While your class may look more like a University lecture hall, your job is not to lecture. Just like teaching a small class, you must come up with engaging activities that keep all of your students interested and participating with the goal of improving their communication skills. While there are numerous challenges when it comes to teaching large classes, there are many coping skills and activities that you can use to make your job easier. Advantages of Teaching Large Classes • High Energy: Classes with many students may be noisy, but they are also fun and exciting. • Timing: Classes go by quickly in a large class, and you will rarely catch yourself looking at the clock. You will regularly find yourself with extra activities that you did not complete that you can save and use in your next class. • Participation: There is always someone who is willing to answer questions even if they are just guessing. Make sure to take answers from a variety of students. • Fillers: Teachers have less need for fillers since core activities and lessons take longer to complete. Challenges of Teaching Large Classes • Intimacy: Remembering student's names can take a while. Teachers may feel that they do not get to know their students as well as they would like to. • Anxiety: Some teachers feel anxious being so outnumbered by the students. In addition, some students are afraid to ask questions or participate in a large class. • Student needs: Meeting individual needs can be difficult or impossible when class size is very large. • Marking: Grading assignments and tests can be very time consuming, and your pay will generally be the same for a smaller class. • Distractions: There are more distractions for teachers in large classes, such as latecomers and people chatting while you are teaching. • Preparation: Making photocopies for a large class can be very time consuming. Other teachers may be bothered by how much time you spend using the photocopier. • Noise level: Large classes can become out of hand when students are working in pairs or groups. At times you may feel more like a disciplinarian than a teacher. • Monitoring students: Teachers may find it difficult to keep students on task as they monitor pair and group work. • Space: There is limited space in a classroom for energetic activities such as role-playing. • Textbooks and resources: There may not be enough textbooks or computers available for all students. Strategies for Coping with Large Classes • Use a teacher's notebook: Attach a small notebook and pen to your belt loop. Take notes while you are monitoring pair or group learning. Review common errors as a whole group after an activity is complete. • Spread out: Find another space that your class can use for energetic whole group activities. Find a lobby or spare classroom in the building that your students can spread out into when they are preparing a project or performance. Take students outside if there is no indoor space available. • Create a participation grade: Make homework and attendance count by doing regular checks and making it part of their final grade. Giving a daily exam tip also encourages attendance. • Encourage competition: Establish a fun and competitive atmosphere within the class, by dividing the class into teams. You may change the teams once in a while or leave them the same throughout a semester. Teams can win points for certain accomplishments (If noise and behaviour is a problem, students can lose points too.). • Relax: Find ways to relax before class so that you don't feel anxious. Never attempt to prepare a lesson in the morning, right before class. Always have a water bottle handy. Always have an extra activity on hand in case something doesn't go as you expect it to. • Establish trust: Learn unique ways to remember names and do your best to get to know something about each of your students. Create a seating chart on the first day and ask students to stick with it for a while. Tell your students at least one or two things about yourself beyond your role of teaching. • Manage the noise: Establish a signal that you want your class to stop what they are doing and listen. This should be done from the first day, so that students become accustomed to it right away. Be careful not to use gestures or sounds that would offend anyone. • Reduce marking and preparation time: Design quizzes and tests in a way so that you can reduce the amount of marking. Use peer evaluations when possible. If students submit journals, just read them and leave a short comment and/or suggestion, rather than fixing every grammar mistake. Designate a specific time when the teacher's room is slow to do most of your photocopying for the week. This will save you from feeling guilty for taking up the photocopier for a long time when another teacher only has a few copies to make. • Enforce a late policy: Notify students of your late policy on the first day and stick to it. For example, don't let students enter your classroom after a warm- up has ended. If students miss class, make it their responsibility to catch up, not yours. • Share your e-mail address: In a large class, you will find yourself feeling drained before and after class if you let students come early or stay late to ask questions every day. This alone can make you hate your job, especially if you are not paid for hours when you are not teaching. Encourage students to e- mail you with questions, and answer them on your own time. If you don't like the e-mail suggestion, try finishing your class ten minutes early once in a while and allow your students free conversation time. Take questions on a first come basis during this time. Activities to use in Large Classes • Small group discussions: Use topics related to a theme, or ask students to submit topic suggestions. • Who Am I?: Tape the name of a famous person to the back of each student. Students go around the room asking questions and trying to identify themselves. Once they guess who they are they can place their nametag on the front and continue helping other students identify themselves. • Team spelling contests: Each student who gets the spelling correct gets a point for their team. • Balderdash: Large class can be split into teams. Teacher calls out a word and students have to write down the part of speech and definition. Each student to get both correct gets a point for her team. • Write the question: Large class can be split into teams. The teacher calls out an answer and the students have to write the question. (ex. "Lynn") Each student to write the correct question gets a point. (ex. answer: What's your middle name?") • Questionnaires: Students circulate around the room asking each other questions. Students can create their own questions on a given topic or theme, or you can provide the questionnaire handout. Follow up by asking each student to report the most interesting answer they received. • Categories: The teacher calls out a category, such as fruit, and each student has to name a fruit when it is his turn. If a student hesitates for more than five seconds, he or she has to choose a new category and sit out the rest of the game. The last person to get out wins. Teaching Small Classes Most teachers would agree that teaching a small class comes with many benefits. Teachers can offer one-on-one assistance at times and are more likely to meet the individual needs of their students. Some teachers, however, find it quite challenging to keep their students interested and excited about learning in a small class. Depending on the location you are teaching in, small classes range from about three to seven students. In countries where large classes are the norm, classes of twenty may still be considered small. There are numerous coping strategies and activities that teachers can use to deal with the challenges of timing and student engagement. Advantages of Teaching Small Classes • Comfort: Teachers and students often feel more comfortable when the class size is smaller. Students generally feel more comfortable voicing their questions and opinions. • Students' needs met: Teachers can design customized lessons to meet the needs and interests of all of the class members. • Student centred: Teaching is student centred and often more communicative than is possible in large classes. Students also have more opportunity to speak. • Space: Students have plenty of space to move around in the classroom. Teachers can also arrange excursions (or suggest spontaneous ones) outside of the classroom where students can be exposed to real world English. • Attendance: Class attendance is usually high because students know they will be missed if they are absent. They also feel like they belong to the group. • Tasks Completed: Assignments and homework are more likely to be completed because the teacher is more likely to check. • Preparation time: Less preparation time is required for photocopying. There are generally enough textbooks to go around so photocopying is limited to extra activities. • Detailed Feedback: Teachers have time to provide detailed feedback when marking assignments and tests, so students get a better sense of how they are improving and where they need to work harder. Teachers also have more time to answer questions before, during, and after class Challenges of Teaching Small Classes • Timing: Activities finish quickly, so teachers may need to prepare more lessons and games. • Distractions: Pairs can get distracted easily since they can hear what each other are saying. • Attendance: If a few students do miss a class, planned lessons can occasionally flop. For example, you may plan a lesson that requires pair work, and then find that only three of your six students come to class. • Fillers: Teachers must always have plenty of fillers on hand for times when lessons or activities get completed quickly. • Boredom: Students may become bored working with the same pairs or groupings all of the time. There may also be less energy in the room in a small class. • Anxiety: While you will likely feel more comfortable teaching in a small class, shy students who are used to blending into a large class may be uncomfortable participating. You will have to take special measures to help them gain confidence. • Activities not always suitable: Some activities in textbooks, such as debates or role-playing, may not be possible if a class is very small. You will have to spend some preparation time adapting textbook activities. Strategies for Coping with Small Classes • Fillers: Always have plenty of fillers (such as puzzles and games) ready in case activities finish quickly. Keep a list of games or warm ups on hand to use when energy gets low. Some may need to be adapted slightly if the class is very small. • Review often: Take the time to make sure that your students understand the lessons and material. • Encourage confidence: Help shy students to feel more comfortable by trying not to put them on the spot. Let them get comfortable with you and their classmates before you start calling on them to speak up more. Remember to praise them often and save criticism for private interviews. • Change the dynamics: Invite students from other classes in once in a while. Prearrange pair group and getting to know you activities with other teachers who have small classes. If you have high level students pair them with lower level students and give them the opportunity to teach. • Ask for feedback: Take time to find out whether or not students are happy with the class. Ask for suggestions regarding activities they want to do or skills they would like to improve. Put a question box or envelope out so that students can remain anonymous if they want to. Activities to use in Small Classes • Use English newspapers: Ask students to bring in a daily paper. Assign one story to each student to read and present. See the Guide for Teachers on how to use English Club's Monthly News Digest in the classroom. • Use music in the classroom: Have students listen to English songs. Use cloze exercises and teach vocabulary and idioms. • Storytelling: Have students tell stories from their own cultures or childhoods. It is fun to take students to a new location to do this, such as a park or a coffee shop. • Chain writing: Each student writes one sentence on a piece of paper and then passes it on until each story is complete. • Role-playing: Give students lots of opportunity to use the language they are learning in mock-style everyday settings. • Board games: Small groups are great for playing board games such as Word Up. Card games are a great way for students to practice asking questions. Make sure that they speak in English rather than speaking with gestures or in their own native language. • Online lessons: Besides our own Learning Center, English Club offers many links to other online sites. Small classes can make use of computer labs easily. If your class does not have a computer lab, take students to the local library regularly to introduce them to the online learning sites. • Films: There are numerous lessons online for incorporating film into your class lessons. This can be done at all levels with great success, especially in a small class. Stop the film often in order to check comprehension and keep students focused. • Class Excursions: Take advantage of the class size, by getting out of the school as often as possible. Exposing your students to real English outside of the classroom is one of the most important things you can do if they are visiting from foreign countries. • Guest speakers: Invite people into your classroom to speak or participate in a lesson. This can be other students who have a special interest or understanding about a topic you are working with, or other people from the community who would be willing to come into your class. Your students will appreciate a new face from time to time in a class that has limited numbers. Using Music in the ESL Classroom Music is the universal language of mankind. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow When students make a major breakthrough in learning, it is music to a teacher's ears. There is nothing more rewarding for a teacher, than seeing their students smile and laugh while they learn. The same can be said for students. Students who are taught in a fun and creative way, love coming to class. Using music in the classroom is a great way for teachers to achieve success with L2 learners. Oliver Wendall Holmes suggests taking a musical bath once a week, saying that music is "to the soul what water is to the body." Benefits of using Music Have you ever heard of anyone who doesn't like music? Some people may not like art, dancing, reading, or movies, but almost everyone likes one kind of music or another. Most people like many different kinds of music. Studies have shown that music • improves concentration • improves memory • brings a sense of community to a group • motivates learning • relaxes people who are overwhelmed or stressed • makes learning fun • helps people absorb material "Music stabilizes mental, physical and emotional rhythms to attain a state of deep concentration and focus in which large amounts of content information can be processed and learned." Chris Brewer, Music and Learning Techniques for Using Music with L2 Learners There are a variety of different ways to use music in the classroom. Some teachers prefer to use background music and others use music lyrics as the basis of a lesson. Music can be used to: • introduce a new theme or topic (Christmas/colours/feelings) • break the ice in a class where students don't know each other or are having difficulty communicating • change the mood (liven things up or calm things down) • teach and build vocabulary and idioms • review material (background music improves memory) • teach pronunciation and intonation • teach songs and rhymes about difficult grammar and spelling rules that need to be memorized ("i before e", irregular verbs, phrasal verbs) • teach reading comprehension • inspire a class discussion • teach listening for details and gist "Music is the universal language of mankind." Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Suggested Activities Many teachers try using music once in the class, but forget to do it again. It might take a few times before you and your class get used to hearing music while learning. If you can commit to using music once a week, you may soon see the benefits, and realize that you want to do it more often and in a variety of ways. Here are 10 activities for you to try: 1. Use background music such as classical, Celtic music or natural sounds to inspire creativity 2. Teach your national anthem 3. Teach a song that uses slang expressions ("I heard it through the Grape Vine") 4. Teach a song that uses a new tense you have introduced 5. Add variety to your reading comprehension lesson. Students can read lyrics and search for main idea, theme, details. 6. Teach Christmas vocabulary through traditional carols 7. Write or choose a classroom theme song 8. Create (or use already prepared lessons) cloze exercises using popular song lyrics 9. Create variations to familiar songs by making them personal for your class members or your lesson [...]... Week in History Other teaching resources: Here are some great teaching Tips and Suggestions Here is a quick and easy way to create Worksheets for your class ATC Language & Travel offers a comprehensive range of English Language courses including General English, Business English and Examination courses Cambridge, IELTS, TOEIC and Teacher Training Our General and Intensive English classes are available... computer lab At English Club, we recognize that there are many different approaches to teaching English Some teachers prefer the whole-language approach, while others prefer to separate skills based on listening, speaking, reading and writing Read through our ideas and use the ones that are most appropriate for your style of teaching and your students • Warm Ups and Time Fillers • Theme-based Lessons • Skill-based... Teachers are expected to dress conservatively This usually involves wearing a necktie Monthly News Digest | This Week in History Using English Club for Teaching in the ESL Classroom A handy guide for the hard-pressed teacher One of the most challenging parts of teaching English as a Second Language is lesson planning While some schools have a set curriculum for teachers to follow, most require teachers to... year round with courses commencing each Monday Teaching Staff ATC has a team of highly experienced, well trained and expertly qualified teachers, all dedicated professionals in their field ATC also caters for students with specific requirements, including English for Advertising and Marketing, Business, Engineering, Insurance, Law, Military, Medicine and Teaching that can all be arranged on request Course... which includes a written and oral needs analysis They are then placed in a class appropriate to their ability and needs Class Placement Each lesson is one full hour (60 minutes) Classes are available at all levels year round ATC classes hold a maximum of 14 students, but you can expect an average of 8 to 12 students in class at most times of the year There are usually between 12 and 16 nationalities in... considered rude to start your meal before everyone has received theirs It is considered bad luck to wish a German person a Happy Birthday before the actual date For any teachers who may be travelling or teaching with their romantic partners, be aware that showing affection in public is considered taboo in India • Italy • • Japan • • • • • Korea • • • apologize immediately if it happens accidentally Avoid... rude to look directly at someone for more than a few seconds Don't point your foot at someone (especially their head!) Don't pat students on the head (in Thai culture this is where the spirits live) If teaching children, don't crouch down beside them with your head lower than theirs Don't discuss or criticize the monarchy Avoid talking about national security • • Be careful not to mix up the history... own songs A little competition goes a long way in the classroom Have groups explain the lyrics of their song before or after they perform "When the music changes so, so does the dance." African proverb Teaching Kids with Music Using music with ESL kids has all of the same benefits mentioned above and more Children are natural music lovers You don't have to convince them that it will help them learn If... resources and are constantly having to reinvent their material to keep students interested Whether you are a private tutor who teaches English in your home, or a college professor who teaches English in a large classroom, English Club can save you time There is so much to see and do on this website that you may miss some resources that fit in wonderfully with your own curriculum The following pages are... Turn this into an English lesson by having students translate the meaning "Musical nourishment which is rich in vitamins is essential for children." Zolton Kodaly Tips for Using Music Effectively • When teaching students a song, it is a good idea to introduce an instrumental version first (If an instrumental version is not available, play the song softly in the background while they are working on something . when it comes to teaching large classes, there are many coping skills and activities that you can use to make your job easier. Advantages of Teaching Large Classes • High Energy: Classes with many. Dictionary is published. Teaching Large Classes Most teachers agree that teaching a small group of students is easier, more enjoyable, and less time consuming than teaching a large group. Unfortunately,. class. Depending on the location you are teaching in, small classes range from about three to seven students. In countries where large classes are the norm, classes of twenty may still be considered