Next week my DCU English class comes to an end and my Saturday English classes begin. This semester has been fun so far, but a challenge. My DCU Upper-Intermediate students have a good grasp of written English – they can read and understand theological texts, and really the point of the class is to continue building their reading skills so they can read English theological materials for their other classes. What has surprised me is that not matter how complex their reading assignments are, when it comes time to talk they struggle to put together even simple sentences. So I’ve tried to incorporate conversation practice into my classes, even though it’s not specifically part of the curriculum.
My class this semester was energetic, talkative (in Russian) and easily bored - a bigger challenge than my first group of students who sat quietly and did whatever I told them to. This semester I had to get creative to teach my students, which was good for me. Teaching is new for me and it’s good for me to be forced to make class more interesting. They learn better and we all have more fun when I teach with more variety.
I’m now preparing for a Pre-Intermediate group on Saturday mornings. These students come from the community, and as a rule are quite motivated to learn the language. (Last module Dave had a student who did pages of extra homework every week, just to learn the material better.) I’m looking forward to a group that is excited to learn English and also looking for a class in which conversation is a must!
Laura
