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Q: What should i do if a kid of 13 years old is bored when i teach english?????
Hi again!!!. In the training school i am working I am giving some classes to kids of 13 years old. One of them, today told that he is really bored in my classes. We have new topics every week according to the text books but I think playing games to kids of 13 years old is not very appropriate. I try to encourage them to talk and start a dialogue, I think some of the topics are very interesting. Today i got really nervous when i saw him not interested at all in the class and I was about to tell him, go out!!!.
Perhaps you could learn proper English together? Here's your problem in a nutshell, "I think, I try, I think..." What don't you ask your students what they're interested in? Were you never 13 years old? You need to engage them without allowing them to dictate the total structure of your class. All kids would rather be at home playing games (or out with their friends...if they have any). You are forced to teach, they are forced to learn...find a middle ground that satisfies both conditions.
Shining_brow:
Sino's right! Kids get bored when they're forced to do something that doesn't pertain to their lives. There needs to be lessons based around what they're interested in (topics) and then the language can come after that. Also, if the kids feel that they're being included in what to learn (in some way, including as a 'reward' for good learning of other topics), then they can be motivated better.
sorrel:
most good books have topics that are related to the age group, and activities that would be suitable and related to the topic. There are also many fun language games. I have worked with adult learners willing to try games as an alternative to sitting in a seat. This student could just be being difficult, expecting the teacher to do all the work
Is this student the only one who will not participate in the games? Can you use peer influence on him: get other students to encourage him to take part? Can you have a team competition/activity that forces him to participate? As a previous language learner of a couple of European languages, it requires WORK as well as fun on the part of the student. I find most of the books combine interesting topics as well as grammar and vocabulary. And for language there is a point when the student has to work.
Quick slap upside the head.
99Silva:
Something tells me you've been hit a lot when you were a kid going to school,,,
Shining_brow:
You could be right... a lot of kids here just don't give a Silva, and so do need a good quick slap to get improvement!!!
Bring him a pillow and a blanket so he can sleep more comfortably.
Get him to assist you teach the class. yeah I can hear the jaws dropping all over China however , If he is helping you , you talk to him in English and when he answers in Chinese you look at him funny and say No understand . He feels important and is learning . then over time he will be a asset not a Ass . I have used this one myself most times successfully but not always Loved the Question best of luck
Sing Songs give him some homework to do, invite his parents to sit through the class with him and help out.
Shining_brow:
Spoken like a true professional... who has never set foot in a classroom as teacher! You should get into Educational Consultancy!! :) Or, better yet, open your own English school.
" but I think playing games to kids of 13 years old is not very appropriate."
this is your problem. you are out of touch
Are you sure that the other students are not bored? Maybe this student is more honest than the rest.
Not a teacher, but make him get more involved. Ask him questions. If that doesn't work, wear a big ring and pat him on the head.
Offer him an incentive- 30 minutes of book leads to 15 minutes of games.
Show him the game at the start to wet his appetite.
Ok, so what kind of games do you know for kids of 13 years old?. , I appreciate some advices.
crimochina:
search online. there are tons of stuff. invent games yourself. i came up with 10 activities for students. anything to get them talking
is it me or is this job not as difficult as some seem to make it out to be.
role playing alone can give you loads of stuff. skits, using video clips,
this is teaching english for christs sake not rocket science.
Sorrel, I didn,t know that you also have to play games with adults. I am 32 years old if i want to learn a language, I go to the school cause I think the quality is good and I am ablt to learn not because I am going to have fun in the classes.
sorrel:
language games are fun for students of any age. When I was training for CELTA, we tried some and really enjoyed them. They are useful for practicing particular language points and bring students together as a class. EDIT: you don't HAVE TO use them.
sorrel:
in any language class where I was a student (in Uni I was studying a 3rd language), games were used. Who wouldn't want a break from rote learning, repetitious exercises or reading from the book?
happywanderer:
3rd language? Can I ask? Please tell me languages 2 and 3 are something obscure...
Teach with music - haven't you seen Here Comes the Boom?
you can't just think of yourself and only yourself in the classroom.
teachers must understand that you find interesting at 30something is not going to be interesting to a 13 chinese kid. especially when you are dealing with the spoiled brats that fill the training centers. also, you must understand that they essentially are in class 60-70 hours a week. they are spiritually drained and mentally dead.
take that into account when planning classes. ii laugh at some of the silly activities books offer.
Chuck him out the window. That's what I do to all my disinterested students. Often finish classes in peace and quiet, giving myself pause for reflection.
I also have a student have out of control in the class. Sometimes won't patient for him too much. Just let him go. But should find some chances to cheer him up if have some activities and games.
You can't make happy everyone and you should never obsess yourself with it either. It's good that you think about this and that, but the reality is that some kids may like it and others not. Either the kid is sharp and learns everything fast, so the rest of the time is gets bored or is spoiled and made to believe that life, for him has to be always easy and fun.
I had in my school a kid, George, his English name of course, and he was this sort of child who proved to be sharp and fast learning. He was the only one in the class able to learn it all from the moment I would open my mouth. Except that he wouldn't get bored because he was willing to show everybody how much he learnt.
I had to ask his mother to consider additional English classes because I felt terribly sorry, knowing that my lessons had to be adapted to the rest of the class not only for him, and felt guilty given his natural ability to learn everything right away, unlike the rest of the class. It wasn't only about English, it was about everything. His Chinese teacher thought the same about him.
Because of it, some of his classmates, were motivated to compete with him, so out of the blue they popped up like mushrooms after the rain, more kids able to "fast" learning.
Anyway, don't push yourself with this, and just take it easy. I only had the chance, the bless with such a student who happened to motivate many of his class mates.
