Today will be eventful. I'm biting my nails about the American election. I plan on waking up tomorrow morning and watching CNN's constant election coverage with Sondra and George. But I have to finish the week first--which currently includes a battle between me and my Elementary students.
The six of them are becoming a pain in my ass. Of the two men in class, one of them is a fatherly policeman who often chatters in Turkish; the other is eye candy and is making ripples (I am pretty sure that my perception of flirting transcends the language barrier--this one girl sits next to him and bats her eyes and giggles in Turkish). The students had been speaking some Turkish, translating things I was saying in class. It hadn't really become a problem until last night when they got more disrespectful about it and laughter ensued--it's no longer acceptable but it's like trying to put out a fire that's already started. Tonight I'm dragging out the hose. Normally I jump around and act and make them laugh--anything to get the English across. I'm at war with my age, my gender, my friendliness, my inexperience at telling people what to do and exacting results.
I've got to dig around in my closet and find the Stern Bitch clothes that match my new attitude.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Jaime, you will have to let me know if you are successful with getting your students to limit their use of L1. I have found that this is extremely difficult in a class where everyone knows Russian. I would love it if I could somehow convince them to role play with the idea that no one understands their L1 when they speak it. Sometimes other students help enforce the idea ... but most times they feed the problem. I think I will need to offer an incentive (but I don't know what or how).
Hmm... My situation is helped because all students here sign a contract with the school that they will not speak Turkish in the classroom, so I have the "authority" of my employer behind me. But that doesn't eliminate all problems. I'll keep you posted on various strategies.
One technique that has been recommended to me is making perpetrators tour the classroom making various animal sounds (bark like a dog; bray like a donkey; bah like a sheep) for all their mates to hear.
I will have to try this out -- of course it means I will have to make the sounds first :) But when do I not make a fool of myself in front of the class?!
No, just show them pictures of animals! Elicit the sounds from them first! You don't have to do it. Show them a dog picture and if they don't bark when you ask them what sound a dog makes, ask if a dog moos. At least one student will get the idea...
Post a Comment