ESL Jobs Forum

[alex22]

I've been teaching in South Korea for only 1 and a bit months now. I am already getting complaints from my boss. She says my students are bored by my classes and the school is losing money because my current students are not signing up for next months classes.

I teach fairly advanced adults. The class is just a conversational class with free talking based on a text book with a different topic for each class. I try to make the topics interesting (since I have to follow the book), I don't understand what they are wanting from me. When I ask them face to face, the students say they are enjoying the class (maybe they are scrared to tell me the truth?)

I don't know what to do. How can I make a conversational class more exciting for Koreans? Help!!

[sammy]

Games are always fun. Try integrating some sort of game and see if your students enjoy. It makes learning not only fun but easier too.

[ICAL_Pete]

Essentially boring lessons (and a bored class) come about because

1. the topic isn't interesting to the class
2. the language used isn't the right level (either too easy or too hard)
3. the students aren't participating

And to make them interesting, it's just a matter of addressing those issues:

1. find out what the class is interested in and make lessons relevant to them
2. make sure the language is just a little above the students' level
3. get the class student centered!

There's an article on this here.
_________________
ICAL - Quality TEFL Training since 1998

[jack705]

It's really important to involve your class completely their demand are different. You need to understand their behavior; try to say something funny while everyone is serious, it should be spontaneous and some time have off topic discussions

[muchospanish]

Starting out is difficult. Get to know your students and their levels well. Also, don't just have them come and talk. Build vocabulary around a topic first. Use pictures. You can find all you need on line. Then let them tell you about the pictures. That way, they're active and they're teaching each other.

Make it fun. You don't tell jokes or say funny things. Come up with fun surveys or quizzes. Fun isn't just laughing; fun is getting to know things about someone, too.

Good luck.