Reported Speech
People always ask each other to repeat what they have said. Without
being nosy (or even with it) people always ask each other what they have
heard. The fact is, most of what people say is a repetition of what they had
heard or a regurgitation of what they have read and learned. This sharing of
other people's data is commonly referred to as "reported speech."
No one can be fluent in English as a Second Language until
they have mastered the art of gossip, asked others to repeat what was not heard
or understood, shared information, or clarified what they have heard. Of course
it is incumbent on the native English speaker to rephrase when
repeating information to a student, but for the gymnastics of English
grammar and language arts, there is nothing better for the student than to
report the speech they have heard and practice shifting gears in English
discourse.
For native English speakers and ESL students alike, there
is no better way to make sure you understand instructions and directions than
to repeat back what you have just heard and get affirmation or correction. The
listener may be victim to mumbling, unknown lexicon, or simply distracted by
background noise, or even handicapped by a medical condition such as hearing
loss or tinnitus. In any case, reporting speech is a remedy for
non-comprehension.
Certainly, in the classroom, there is no better way to get
students' undivided attention than to ask them to report what you have asked
them or how they and their classmates have responded. It will keep
students on task and paying attention or risk losing face to classmates in
discourse by not knowing what they said. Students will judge each other's
friendship by how much attention they give to what they said. In all
case scenarios, the teacher holds the ace and can draw the card when
necessary to win over the class; it sure beats scolding or punishing a student
for being inattentive. A losing situation turns into a prime moment to
learn. Furthermore, interrupting students engaged in private
classroom chatter brings the errant students back on task.
ESL teachers must use reported speech with their classes or
they can risk kissing their students' attention "goodbye" and losing
control of a class. Once that happens, the teacher may never find a way back
into the driver's seat without a class of back-seat wiseguys questioning
everything the teacher does. Reported speech always acts as a tool to revision
and review in the classroom, in real time, before the culmination of class when
finding out what your students have learned may be too late.
There are four types of reported speech, each with its own set of corresponding
grammar.
1. Reported Statement - A sentence is reported thus:
T: I like apples. What did I say?
S: You said you like apples.
2. Reported Yes/No Question - A
question with a "yes" or "no" answer. For example:
T: Do you ride a bicycle? What did
I ask?
S: You asked if I ride a
bicycle.
3. Reported Wh-question -A question
that is answered with information, like this:
T: Where do you live? What did I
ask?
S: You asked where I live.
4. Reported Imperative - A command
or request:
T: Stand up! What did I say?
S: You told me to stand up.
T: Please stand up. What did I
say?
S: You asked me to stand up.
Did you notice that all the reported
answers are in the present tense? I do this for a first year ESL student who
has not learned other tenses besides the present and present continuous. At a
higher level, students can be challenged with the tense shift
(see chart below) and special time phrase (see that chart below, too.)
You can Google "Reported
Speech" for dozens of level-specific exercises and other details. However,
if you use the basic approach to reported speech from day one in your class,
you will save yourself a lot of grief and give the students the gift of
discourse.
There is a contest for this, as there is
for every English detail you share with your students:
1. Divide the class into two or three
teams (or individuals).
2.Give each student a letter (A, B, C,
etc.)
3. Write (or say) a direct speech
sentence, question, or imperative.
4. Give the students one minute to
prepare their reported answers.
5. After a minute, randomly call out a
letter, like "A."
6. The "A" students go to the
board and write their reported speech answer.
7. They are listed in the order they sit
back down.
8. Go over the answers and assign points
for the winner, 3, 2, 1 point or none.
9. Repeat the process with another
direct speech sentence or question.
10. The team with the most points at the
end of the contest is the winner. Reward the students.
Model Politeness
The manner of your teaching delivery is
paramount to keeping control of your class. The importance of politeness to
students, for fluency and classroom management, is demonstrated. It is
polite not to let your students go adrift in class. A teacher must, as Mahatma
Gandhi said, "Be the changes that you wish to see in the
world." Let me explain:
A teacher is an ESL
student's role model. If you want to succeed, never tolerate rudeness in
the classroom. In the same way, a teacher must never be seen to be rude to
students or colleagues. Only your students are capable of learning polite
behavior and manners.
The teacher has to
be a good role model for politeness. Students will reap the linguistic benefits
of being attentive and learn the verbal notions presented.
Modeling politeness in the classroom must be
done consistently and in good humor. Through verbal clues and
body language, students can clearly see why it is better, and healthier, to be
polite. A student will attain fluency much faster without any dickering in
class.
Class Starts When Entering a Classroom
When you see your students enter the school and your classroom,
say "Hello." Say "Hello" consistently in as many
ways possible, for example: "How are you?" "What's up?" or
"How do you do?" The function of greeting requires a response; insist
on a response or show disappointment in being treated rudely. Greetings are
normal. The student, through verbal or body language,
acknowledges a greeting, and you, the teacher, responds if a student
greets you first.
The student
closes the door. The door is closed quietly and not in anyone's face. The door
is closed to keep the hallway noise from interfering in the class and to keep
the cool air inside when air-conditioned. Most importantly, the closed door
draws a definite line between outside behavior and behavior required within the
room. A teacher encourages students not to disturb the class; to get
seated immediately.
Do the "Do Now" Now
To encourage this
behavior, write a "Do Now" on the board before students enter the
classroom. Students sit immediately and look up at the board to see the
"Do Now." Textbooks and notebooks are placed on desks and the"Do
Now" assignment commences.
Closed-mouthed and
hands up, students may ask clarification of the task. This is a good
opportunity to practice reported speech. Students who enter late apologize for
being so and try not to disturb the class. The teacher may ask the student to
re-enter if the entry is not considerate of others.
The "Do
Now" assignment has a completion deadline; perhaps 15-20 minutes in
which it can be completed. Students who complete the "Do Now"
correctly before the deadline are rewarded. Upon early completion, an
enrichment, such as sentence construction with "Do
Now" patterns or vocabulary, ensues so the student stays on task and
does not dawdle or cause trouble while the rest of the class is finishing. For
students who finish fast with poor self-monitors, re-writing of
teacher-corrected responses is appropriate and rewarded.
At the deadline, the
"Do Now" is stopped, responses are gone over, and the lesson begins
with a motivating introduction. Never lose an opportunity to practice reported
speech or practice dialog with a student, but there is a right way to do it;
politely.
Are You Talking to Me, Bub?
Never respond to a
student who calls out in class. If a student blurts something out, look at him
or her, say, "Excuse me," and use body language of a finger over the
mouth with a hand raised. Ask the student to be polite, raise a hand, and be
recognized before talking. Don't forget to use reported speech whenever possible.
If a student leaves
his or her seat say, "Excuse me," and ask the student to sit back
down. Don't back off; do not teach until the student sits back
down. Consistently demonstrate and encourage proper classroom manners
and use of verbal cues. Here's a common scenario:
(Johnny stands up and blurts out that he wants to go to the
bathroom.)
T: Excuse me, Johnny. Please sit down
and raise your hand.
(Johnny sits, raises his
hand, and waits for recognition)
T: Yes Johnny?
S1: Can I go to the restroom?
T: Class, what did Johnny ask? Yes Mary?
S2: He asked if he could go to the
bathroom.
T: Johnny, you may go to the
bathroom. What did I say?
S1: You said I may go to the
bathroom.
Notice how the teacher does not lose an opportunity to
model politeness, practice reported speech, and correct a verbal cue. Every
little thing that happens in the classroom is an opportunity for an ESL student
to practice English.
For a question
about vocabulary or the meaning of a statement or question,
model the pattern, "What does _____
mean?" or "How do you
spell/say _____?" Here is another scenario:
(Mary doesn't understand a word in a silent reading. She
raises her hand and waits for recognition.)
T: Yes, Mary?
S1: What does "t-o-s-s" mean?
T Class: What did Mary ask me? Yes,
Paul?
S2: She asked (you) what
"toss" means.
T: Class, does anyone know what
"toss" means? Yes, Peter?
S3: It means "throw
underhand."
T: Yes; good. Mary, what did Peter say?
S1: He said "toss" means
"throw underhand."
Never lose an opportunity to use reported speech. It gets
the class involved, keeps the students on task, and practices English usage
including negatives and interrogatives.
Sneezes, Coughs, and Yawns
Sneezes, coughs, and
yawns must be accompanied by a hand or elbow over the mouth. This is
the hygienic way to stop the spread of colds. A yawn is covered for its
vulgarity and contagiousness. When a student sneezes, the
teacher or student says, "Bless you." Keep religion out of the classroom
but, if necessary, explain that "Bless you" simply means that you
hope the person is not coming down with an illness. When a teacher or student
say, "Bless you," the student must respond by saying "Thank
you." On the other hand, if the student or teacher coughs, hiccoughs,
belches, or farts, he or she must say, "Excuse me." Discourage the
class from making a big deal about bodily functions but do not ignore it,
either; be lighthearted about it and do not lose an opportunity to model politeness
and practice reported speech.
Heads on Desks and Tipping Chairs
Try to be aware of a student who leans his head on his
hand, puts her head on the desk, or tips her chair off four legs. Be aware of
student fatigue and fidgeting restlessness; there may be a health issue or
danger. Politely ask the student to cease his action and explain the danger, if
necessary. Get the student's attention by using the reported speech techniques
I outlined in part #1 of this article, like so:
(The teacher sees a student tipping his chair on two legs.)
T: Johnny, excuse me. (Johnny looks at
the teacher.) Please do not tip your chair. (Johnny corrects himself.)
T: What did I ask Johnny to do? (A
student raises her hand.)
S2: You asked Johnny not to tip his
chair?
T1: Do you know why I asked you to not
tip your chair?
S1: No, I don't know.
T1: Then ask me.
S1: Why did you ask me to not tip my
chair?"
T1: Because it is dangerous. What did I
say?
S1: You asked me to not tip my chair
because it is dangerous.
In all cases of modeling politeness, the ESL practice is as
important as the manner itself. The student should be rewarded for his or her
politeness using the school's reward system. On the other hand, points could be
deducted for repeat offenders who distract the class; your office might
have to be alerted and the parent contacted. The greatest good of early and
consistent classroom politeness is a better learning atmosphere, conversation
practice, and a more civil environment.
Modeling politeness
serves a pedagogical as well as a socialization role in the classroom. It will
encourage fluency in the second language and cross-cultural awareness where
such courtesy does not exist in the native country. As a teacher, you deserve
to work in a congenial workplace conductive towards social meetings.
A teacher has the obligation to create a safe and courteous classroom. Everyone
will benefit from modeling politeness.
Second Language Only
It is important that only English be
used in the foreign language (EFL) classroom. However, English is a tool for
business or academic purposes in non-native environments. It is seen by the
public as advantageous for a student who chooses to travel abroad so quick
results are important . As a result, in schools, it is treated like mathematical formula.
In bushibans, speed and pretension take precedence over
comprehension and retention. This is unfortunate. It creates an environment
where students are learning and not acquiring language skills. There is a natural
order of acquisition that takes more time than most schools (and students or
their parents) are willing to afford.
Here is how you can teach ESL/EFL without using the first
language in the classroom:
The idea of using
only comprehendible input to teach a second language was new to our art in 1984
until The Natural Approach was introduced by Steven Krashen and Tracy
Terrell. Every TESOL teacher should read the landmark book. The approach
to teaching language through grammar worksheets and substitution drills that
most schools in Taiwan and Asia rely on is not very effective for
students. Your school or buxiban is wasting your students' time and money; you
shouldn't care so long as you are paid on time; right? But if you want to have
fun with your students and see them acquire language skills, have your own
choice of materials and modify the materials your school gives you; do the
right thing and use The Natural Approach.
Total Physical Response
Think of TPR as a
game of "Simon Says." Demonstrate an action and then have the student
repeat it. For example, stand, walk to the door and open it. Say it as
you do it: "Stand, walk, open." Then do it in reverse. "Close,
walk, sit." Do this until the notion sinks in with the class as a whole
and then with individual students. Take it slowly and write the words
associated with the actions on the board once the student knows the alphabet.
The "Simon Says" routine can become as complicated as the depth of
the students' knowledge. For example, "Walk to the door after you take the
red pen from on my desk, then open the door and put the pen on the left side in
the hallway," and so on.
Word Bubbles
"Word Bubbles" are TPR with the written word; you
should use this activity often, especially when students are transitioning from
oral comprehension to the written word. Remember that perfect grammar is not
essential at the outset of learning English, but statement or question must
make sense. The student must create a monitor to correct unintelligible
language they produce. Word Bubbles help them do this.
This is how it works in a contest :
Divide the class
into two or three teams. Put words associated with objects, actions, etc. on
the board that you have introduced. Circle and number them. Point to a series
of words (or say the numbers and have the student reconstruct the sentence on
paper) and have the student copy the action or find the object:
1-10: verbs
11-15: articles
16-20: nouns
21-25: prepositions
25-30: adjectives
(Ex. Take (5) - a (11) - red (26) - book
(16). Put (4) - the (12) - book (16) - on (21) the (12) -
floor (17).
The first player to complete the action gets points for
his/her team. Repeat with a new series of word.
As you identify
objects, colors, shapes, and actions with your class, demonstrate to the class
what it is you are talking about. Write the words (or letters and numbers) on
the board. The first notion you should teach is the alphabet and numerals.
The second notion you teach is shapes, the third is colors, the fourth is
locations. With these notions you can form an idea such as this: "Draw a
red circle under the blue car," or "Draw a star over the words
beginning with 'b."
As in all Natural
Approach events, do not require the student to speak or repeat after you unless
he or she is ready. So long as they understand the command, it is good!
Immersion
Immersion does not
only mean that the teacher uses only English in class; that would be confusing
and a waste of time to expect the students to learn everything you read and
say. The stress it causes students who try to figure out what the teacher means
is counterproductive. There is an order of acquisition of a second language
that the teacher should be aware of and adhere to. For example, present,
present progressive, past, and future are acquired in that order. Read
Natural Approach acquisition theory to learn more about it.
Unfortunately, most
often, the ESL/EFL teacher is saddled by textbooks and syllabus of mishmash
sources made by some unqualified program director. Even American and British
English are mixed in some programs. Just because the instruction is all in
English, it doesn't mean it is better for the student to learn. It is
mostly a sham for the school to make money from unsuspecting students.
Many schools that
supply their students with a team-teaching local language adjunct to translate
or explain what poorly trained English teachers use are better than immersion
programs. If an English language instructor truly wants to help his students
attain fluency, the best way is through second language immersion in an orderly
fashion.
In conclusion, it is
important that only English be used in the EFL/ESL classroom. In the overseas
classroom, the reason is obvious; the student will have no
other opportunity to practice what he is learning except in school, but
even in English speaking countries, most students rarely use English outside of
the classroom even though they are surrounded by English usage; their personal
lives remain cloistered within their native language.
Challenging Contests
In my advice to "Do the following
and you will succeed as an ESL teacher," each of the four components -
"Reported Speech," "Model Politeness," "Second
Language, Only," and "Challenging Contests," must be practiced
together, at every class meeting.
A challenging
contest or activity can quickly set a student up with a "Do Now," be
the focus of a lesson, "Cooperative Learning," and help a student
review at the end of class, "Revision." Contests and activities are
not incidental; never kill time in class.
I will show you
seven matrices that I have found useful over thirty-five years of TESOL in
Taiwan and the U.S.: "Horse Race," "English
Fever," old favorites based on "Chutes &
Ladder," Tic-Tac-Toe," "Jeopardy," and a standard "Straight-up
Competition." In addition, I will introduce "Cooperative
Learning" lessons.
When you teach ESL,
think of yourself as Bob Barker; all the games he played on The
Price is Right TV show. Contests should be exciting, but the point of all
games is revision; the students must review what they have learned and write
down the correct answers in their exercise books; take points away from
students for neglecting to do so. Some students just get carried away with the
excitement of the game and learn nothing.
Contests that are
more kinetic than cerebral are better in ESL/EFL classes; all the students get involved
at once and the goal is tangible. Any contest that requires quiet in the room
(such as card games or flash cards) is suspect because students not involved
will not pay attention while the game is in progress. Contests must involve
every student in the class at all times, if not answering then rooting for
their team to win. Furthermore, contests that do not directly review English
skills that have most recently been taught might go over the students' heads.
The matrices I'll
introduce can be used for a number of different language points. You can
literally have a different contest every class with the same matrix with
different content. Here are a few of my most popular matrices:
End of Class - Revision Activities
1. The Horse Race matrix can
involve up to ten students. List functions you wish the student to achieve on
the board. Students move one space once they answer correctly. Here is an
example: Tell the students, "Write questions for these answers."
Write the questions in order of difficulty, the easiest first and the hardest
last. For example, "1. Yes, I am 2. No, they don't. 3.
Three 4. Yes, there are. 5. No, she can't." The students race
along the track but can't keep the spot unless they answer correctly. It is an
exciting contest with each team's students cheering their favorite 'horse'
on.
Students write the
answers (questions) on mini whiteboards or in their exercise books and show the
teacher immediately after by raising their hand. Move the marker (or write the
initial of the student) to the next length down the stretch.
2. Chutes & Ladders
This contest has the same sequential
language practice goal as the Horse Race but it is slower to play; the teacher
cannot handle more than one student's answer at a time.
The student throws a
die and moves the number shown. On that space, there is an English task to be
fulfilled. For example, answer a question about a reading passage the students
have recently read. The teacher may want the student to answer orally but writing
is better to retain the skill learned or reveal the error in grammar or content
to the student.
If a student answers
the question correctly on a chute, they may go down and advance. Conversely, if
a student is unable to complete the task on a ladder space, they must go back
up the ladder and lose spaces. The first player who finishes wins.
3. English Fever
In English Fever,
each team, or student, has a thermometer shaped matrix with an equal number of
degrees. They must reach the top. The first to "blow their top" wins.
They get to the top by demonstrating fluency in some pattern, phonic or
spelling skill. For example, a student must demonstrate his awareness of a
word's vowel sound.
Just before the game,
break the class up into four teams of equal abilities. The students may remain
seated (in which case they write responses in an exercise book on on a
mini-white board) or may be asked to go to the board. The teacher reveals the
tasks and the students go to work supplying the answers.
The teacher must
monitor and approve a hike in level upon seeing correct answers; simply say
"yes." If the student responds incorrectly, the teacher says
"no" and the student is stuck on that level until she answers
correctly.
4. Jeopardy
This contest is
similar to the TV game, Jeopardy, except the contestant answers questions
instead of asking them; the teacher may choose the harder standard
version.
Divide the
class into two teams of equal abilities. In advance of the contest, the
teacher must write a matrix on the board, with no more than five
categories to review what has recently been taught. For example, you can
review reading comprehension, phonics, tenses, reported speech, or have a
"Telephone Line;" - one student at a time leaves the room to hear the
teacher's secret message, and then his teammates go outside to pass the
message along. The last teammate writes the original message on the
board.
During
"Jeopardy," to save time, the teacher must go on to the next team's
question while the last is finalizing their response. Go back to them when
they're ready. A team may 'steal' the other's points if they correct the other
team's incorrect response. The lesser points are easier questions. Add or
subtract points from the totals. Set a time limit. The team with the most
points wins.
5. Tic-Tac-Toe
In advance of the
contest, the teacher must write a grid on the board and prepares language tasks
for each square. For example, square A1 could be T: "Spell the word
'farmer.'" B3 could be T: "Go to sleep" what did I say?'
S: "You told me to go to sleep."
If the student
answers correctly, they gain that square on the board, otherwise, they lose
their turn and the other team may choose any square. It is strategic to choose
the square that would give a team a sequence of at least three squares in a
row, to win. The winning team gets the squares plus double the points of their
answer line. In the event of an impasse, the team with the most squares
wins the contest.
6. Straight-Up Competition
In advance of the
contest, the teacher writes a grid on the board and prepares language tasks
which are written on the board; they may be from exercises in a text book or
verbal prompts.
In the demonstration
above, the four tasks are "A. Change 'has got' into 'there are' (ex. He
has got three pencils.=There are three pencils.) B. Change from
'yes/no' questions to tag questions (ex. Does he have three pencils?=He has
three pencils, doesn't he?)
C. Change to reported speech (ex.
"I don't know." = "He said he doesn't know." D. Change to
'every time (ex. He is going to the store.'='He goes to the store every
Monday.')
The class is divided
into teams of equal abilities and given numbers; 1,2,3,or 4. After a minute for
the student to consult with her teammates, the teacher says, "Ready, set,
go #1." Each player with that designated number goes to the board to
respond. The student that returns to his seat first has first crack at points,
or may return to the board to modify an answer if there are still players
engaged, but he loses his place in line. The team with the most points after a
set time wins.
At the Start of Class - Do Now Activities
Total Physical Response
The students,
seated immediately after entering the classroom, commence doing the
TPR "Do Now" activity. Here, the student looks up at the board, reads
the task, asks for clarification from the teacher if necessary, and writes the
response in his exercise book. After a limited time (perhaps fifteen minutes)
the "Do Now" ends. In the meantime, the teacher roams the room
checking responses and suggesting answers perhaps supplying a key word for the
answer. Each of the tasks involves a preposition command such as "Draw a
circle under an object you use for eating. Name the object." In this way,
the students' comprehension is challenged with different multitasking
functions. Reward the students for correct responses. Early completion may be
enriched with sentence construction with the core word. Incorrect responses are
edited by the teacher and re-written by the student.
Lexical Madness
In another "Do
Now" matrix, awareness of lexicon is practiced. The teacher may print out
a copy of the clues to find the missing word or write it on the board. The
teacher may also include, out of order, the target words on the list or board.
All of the words must have been recently used. The decoding skills must have
been gone over by the teacher in advance for the students to be aware. The
codes are as follows:
1. Word Pictures- Place the letters
of the word as they would appear if written.
2. Consonant/Vowel - Once such
is mastered by students, write the letters with their sound code only.
3. Scramble- letters in the word
are transposed.
4. Sky/Earth/Water - The code
for elementary penmanship is used (ex upper half of line=sky, lower half of
line-earth, below the line=water) and students decode the target word
accordingly.
6. Missing Letters - Only
write the first letter of the word, or perhaps only the vowel or consonant
letters. The student fills in the rest.
7. Letter Number - Student
counts off to find the corresponding letter (ex. A=1, B=2, Z=26) and supply the
answer.
9. Upside-Down - Write the
word upside down.
10. Reflection - Write only
the bottom third of the letter on the line. The student must imagine what the
top half looks like to complete the letter and decode the word.
Cooperative Learning Class Activities
Where Total Physical
Response (TPR) activities set up the class in a "Do Now," and
contests end the class with revision, Cooperative Learning activities consume
the bulk of class-time. There is a large amount of CL suggestions on the
internet, and they are the mainstay of any TESOL program in college, I will
summarize the main ideas of CL here:
Cooperative Learning
activities promote peer interaction and helps develop language, concepts, and
content of what is being taught. Students are placed on different teams for
role models; they learn from better students. The roles on a team are:
reporter, recorder, time keeper, and materials manager. Rotate the students in
different roles; don't let them select their own role.
The most popular
strategies for C.L. lessons are as follows:
1. Round Robin - Present a
category for discussion. Students take turns naming items that fit
in.
2. Round Table - Students take
turns writing one word at a time.
3. Write Around - Good for
summarization. Start a sentence and ask students to finish it passing one paper
adding sentences as they go. A story or summary will emerge. Add a conclusion,
edit, and share with the class.
4. Numbered Heads Together -
Number students in a team, one to four. Announce a question. Give a time limit.
Students put their heads together to answer the question. Call a number.
Students with that number respond. Recognize best team responders and
elaborate through discussion.
5. Team Jigsaw - Assign each
student one of four pages or topics to read, investigate, and memorize. Each
student completes his task and teachers her teammates to complete the puzzle.
6. Tea Party - Students form
two circles facing each other. You ask a question and students discuss the
answer, then, after a minute, the outside circle moves to the right so each
student has a new partner. A second question is posed. Continue for five
questions.
After each C.L.
activity, debrief the students by asking: "What did you learn from this
activity? How did you feel working with your teammates? If we do this again,
how will you improve working together?"
Activities to Raise Social Consciousness
The best activities deal with consciousness raising
and primary source surveys. Do that a lot in the Bread & Roses
Curriculum classes. Finding out the living wage, where our clothes are
made, comparing the IWW and the AFL are far more useful in a socially conscious
setting, one that is rare in the USA and almost non-existent in Taiwan.
How do you draw the
attention of ESL and illiterate teenagers in your high school class and help
them achieve their dreams in a harsh and changing world? Since many students
are or will become workers one day, they must be able to read the world, read
the word, feel solidarity, and help their families make ends meet, and then
some. This curriculum is designed to raise the social “workers” consciousness
of students while welcoming them to the world of the written English word.
Children and their parents need to
reflect on
what their living environment in
Taiwanese cities, urban and rural, is really like and how it gets this way, the
basics of housing from feelings of home and economics to the notions of parks
and city dwelling. Secondly, it will suggest steps that can be taken to better
the conditions of daily living to enhance the environment for themselves and
their neighbors, from keeping garbage covered, sidewalks clear of obstacles and
debris, to safety in the busy streets of Taiwan and security in the home. In
this way social fulfillment will increase as activism in neighborhood concerns
becomes apparent, mot only by using English as the universal language for
global change, but by influencing each student through his/her own
Taiwan Community Curriculum then is dedicated to helping
children and parents, through English as a Foreign Language, understand how to
keep good housing good and poor housing better. All English language learners
will realize the importance of activism in the Taiwanese and world community
and improve their English language skills to pass national and TOEFL tests and
make Taiwan and the world a better place in which to live.
Here are some of my favorite lesson
plans from the Bread & Roses and Taiwan Community Curriculum:
"How does our choice of buildings
affect the neighborhood?"
"How can we organize details for a
body paragraph?"
"Where are the Good Things in the
Big Bedroom?"
"Where are our clothes made?"
"How can we compare descriptions of
our forests?"
"How can we describe stamps?"
"How can we improve a city park for
its users: people, animals, and insects?"
For those who
seriously want to teach students English as a Second Language, I strongly
recommend college to master the art of teaching. There is no ESL certificate
program that can enhance your teaching ability more than a complete
program of TESOL education. However, for those of you who have chosen
to travel outside of your English speaking land, the four suggestions I have
outlined should help you a lot.
If you follow my
humble advice, you will succeed as an ESL teacher. I hope this introduction
assists you in making your job easier.
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