Motivating Mathayom Students - Page 3 - Ajarn Forum

ruaraidh · 12th December 2007, 22:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by kikiat

I'll try that, but to be fair, bkk post is an English newspaper, so if your looking for people with English skills, advertising in an English newspaper would be my first bet.

sure.... but it gets the point across to the kids... most of the adverts are for thai nationals only..

Sanuk Canuk · 13th December 2007, 08:16

All the kids in my Matayom classes know all about how English will help them in the future but that really doesn't help. Face it these are high school teenagers. When I was in high school I never planned past my next meal/snooze/bowel movement etc. Just because they are aware that it will be good for them at some point in the distant future does not mean that they will be motivated to learn in the class you are teaching that day. I find it more of a day to day struggle .... some days it is easy some days it is hard.

Lor Ling · 4th June 2008, 21:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by ruaraidh

every year now near the start of the school year i hand out a copy of BKK Post classifieds to my Mathayom 3 students and get the kids to circle every job that requires English skills for the job... After we have established that more than 70% of the jobs advertised require at least some English ability, we move on to the difference in salaries.. I always have a few good examples of the difference in salaries paid to people with some English to people with little or no English for the same job.. seems to motivate most of my students... the ones not motivated by this are wasters now and will be wasters in 20 years time but with regrets....

He was a canny old bugger.

RIP, Rury!

bjok · 4th June 2008, 22:39

Have you done any teacher training? I am sure that a CELTA will give you the answers you're looking for. Untrained teachers generally don't make their classes student centred enough. If the lessons are teacher driven the students will lose interest quickly (especially since all of their lessons with the Thai teachers will be like this). If you have well designed tasks for the students to complete, listening comprehension shouldn't be a problem. Just write some simple instructions on the board and let them complete a task that they are capable of.

BerryGoose · 15th June 2008, 00:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Topper

Personally, I've started something so really simple this semester that has made an incredible difference in all levels I teach (M2/3 at a government school). And since its something so simple, yet so hard to do, even by the advanced students it makes it fun and challenging for all involved.

Just getting students to say "I'm" pronounced correctly rather than saying "I am". During role call, get the students to answer "I'm.........". It gets all the students listening to their friends and soon you don't even need to say anything...the class is helping with the pronounciation. Remember, they've spent YEARS saying.."I am fine thank you, and you?"

But to the topic of the post...to get them motivated, find something simple for them that they can accomplish. Give them something simple at first and then increase your expectations. Give the students a chance to succeed rather than flounder and let the motivation from that success keep them going rather than despair from their failings.

Also, remember that in many cases, while M3 and M6 are 3 years apart, they are really only about 1-1/2 different in terms of maturity. With M6 students in most cases you are dealing with students who can't fail and are either interested in learning or not.

But thats just my opinion...

Topper I think you're right about the little things. I'm at a new school this year and from day one I've made the kids try to pronounce words correctly. I like it when the girl in class says "stand up peas" and most students call out "please" to her. I think baby steps might be good for the OP, give the students a easy lesson they can understand (but still something they need to learn)and praise them.

Matthew · 15th June 2008, 00:18

Do the Chris Wright thing.

Design lessons around (what they'll think are) hilarious mistakes speaking English.

e.g. "My dad is sooooo impotent" vs. "My dad is so important" (that one was from last night).

And on and on and on. Look on the website for old episodes and just steal it all.

peelieorion · 15th June 2008, 10:43

Do everything most thai teachers fail to do. loads of positive praise, rewards systems, displays on the wall. on top of that you have to have strong discipline standards. no shouting out answers, listening to each other. you can train kids to becone beter listeners and make learning where you can interactive. Its why i teach mainly at pratom lvel because itsso much easyto get basic skills in. tough atM1 leveltogo back and reteach listening but it can be done with perserverence.

Eric C · 15th June 2008, 11:51

I think the OP has a valid point about the M6 students. By December, when the OP was made, all they are thinking about is uni entrance exams. They already have one foot out of the Matthayom door and don't see the benefit to working on their English. The M3s should be reachable though.

Excellent idea from Rury about using the classifieds! I sure do miss his contributions.
RIP

Topper · 15th June 2008, 18:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by peelieorion

Do everything most thai teachers fail to do. loads of positive praise....

You'd be surprised how far a "high five" goes in a class with the "in back of the class" gang.