Books from the library

I am trying to teach the students what to look for in choosing books appropriate to their level. I've noticed that most of the students go to the library and choose a book without really knowing why they have chosen it. Sometimes, a student would come back with a very difficult book of about 300 pages when their level is very low.It would usually take the student one day to get through just one page. This book is inappropriate to the student's actual reading level, but the student doesn't realise this. So, today, I taught the students about some of the things to look for in choosing a book. For example, we looked at the grammar, vocabulary and number of pages. We also looked at how the pictures help in giving more understanding of the text. We discussed the books that the students got out from the library yesterday, and then went to the library again today to get another book, but this time based on the things I had taught the students to look for. The students are beginning to understand why they are choosing a book. They are deciding how the book will help them to improve their English. This skill is getting the students to assess books for their own level in a more realistic way.
We also looked at the length of the book. If the book is over 200 pages, then I don't expect the student to read the book many times. However, if the book is only about 10-20 pages then the student should be reading the book two or three times. I explained how repetition in reading can be very beneficial for learning new vocabulary or grammar, as well as improving reading fluency.

I also gave the students three different vocabulary books and got them to choose which one was the most suitable for them and why. The students came up with some good ideas as to why they chose only one of the books. This exercise made the students assess whether or not the books that they get to study English are appropriate to them. Hopefully, the students will choose books that are more suitable to their level and have more of a purpose when searching for reading material.

After the students had given a brief summary to their group of why they had chosen their book, I made a connection to the books that they had chosen and the S.R.A (reading box that is in class). The students could see that if they chose a book from the library then it should match the level that they are at from the reading box. Again, I am getting the students to evaluate their decisions about choosing books.

You Tube

Recently, I have been using some very informative YouTube videos to teach the students about some interesting topics, but also as a listen and repeat lesson. I firstly, get the students to listen to the topic and then get them to talk about it for 45 seconds to their partners. I then give them a model answer. I go back over the model answer by stopping and starting the video and get the students to repeat the sentences. I pay attention to particular vocabulary and idioms and anything else that I think the students had difficulty understanding.

Here are a few of the Youtube videos that I showed gave to the students. They are all to do with the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) test.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux2Q0upiD_0

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJg138YlwvA

(If these links don't work then just go into YouTube and write in TOEFL and all of the links come up.)

The students find this difficult, but it certainly does give the more advanced students some great listening and speaking opportunities. Once again, the students can decide to go to the level that they are comfortable with. The students can also replay the clips as many times as they like for extra practise. Since the students are going to be doing the TOEIC test soon, then this is a good starting place.

1000 Basic Vocabulary

Before the end of last term, I gave the students the 1000 most basic words in English. The students have been writing out sentences using these words and I have been correcting them. The students have then been playing vocabulary games in class to familiarise themselves with these words. In fact, now, every day, the students have to take the role of teacher and make up a five minute game to play. The idea is for the teacher to use a lot of instructional English to get the class to perform. It also gives the students an idea of how challenging it is to be a teacher. The students also learn the vocabulary.

When the students have a grasp of these 1000 words, I will go onto the TOEIC vocabulary. The TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) is a test which the students will take when they return to KTC and is an important test.

It's been a while, ROBOTS!

Well, it's been quite a while since I've blogged. I hope that everything is going alright with all of you.

Just to bring you up with a few things that the students are now doing.

The students are going to be "playing" around with Lego blocks building robots. This Monday the students will be divided up into pairs and assemble the robot.

On Thursday, the students are going to be designing the parts of their robot using Solidworks software on the computer.

The mechanic's class is also using the Lego building kits, but using a different kit that uses levers and other "mechanical" things.

The direction that the students are going in is to move into robotics with the idea of entering into the Robocup held regionally and then nationally next year in August. Robocup is also really big in Japan and KTC always put a team together and do very well in it. The idea is to have a combined Otago Polytechnic and KTC robot.