Classroom English for EIS project

Classroom English

 

Why should we use classroom English?

 

1. Using English as much as possible in your classes, will emphasis to your learners that the English lesson or others lesson (in English) is very different from any other lesson in the school day. It will help to maintain a good English speaking atmosphere.
2. If you give them instruction, ask questions, and make comments in English, the learners will have to listen carefully to what you say all the time. This will keep them thinking in English.
3. It is important, from early stages of learning, to avoid translation as much as possible and make the learners think in that language.
4. Feelings of success and confidence will help your learners overcome the difficulties in learning a foreign language or a second language. If you keep using the same instructions questions and comments, even the weaker learners will begin to understand – and this will help their confidence too.

 

 
How much classroom English should we use?

 

You know that beginners and young learners will not understand you if you say every thing in English. If they don't understand your instruction, they won't know what to do and they will become confused and stressed.

So, too much English too quickly may be bad for the learners' confidence and for the way they learn. But if translate all the classroom English you use, this will also be bad. For example, you give instruction "Take out your book, please". Then you translate it into your own language. Then you say, "Open your books at page twenty-nine, please" and again you translate. Very quickly, the learners may stop listening to the English because they know you will give a translation. In this way, you may create lazy learners.
    You should aim to use English for all simple instructions, questions and comments.

In addition, I would like to suggest for recognition on the principle teaching a foreign language is using SSF model: S-Simple, S-Short, and

F- Familiar
and learning process as basic science learning skill such as,
observing, comparison, classification, transferring and inferring. In these ways will help the learners more English confidence.

 

The following activities (1-12) are classroom English that often using in your class. (Ref. Oxford University, 2004)


 
1. Starting the lesson

 
'Good morning'
(or 'Good afternoon')


 
Sit down, please.

 
Take out your books.
pens.
homework.


 
Open your books at page (number).

 
Give me your homework, please.

 
2. Pronunciation and repetition

 
Listen.
Listen carefully.

 
Listen to me
(name)

 
Watch and listen.

 
Everyone repeat after me
(Name)

 
Say it again, please

more slowly
louder

 
Say the whole sentence, please.
Repeat
Read

 
Say it in English please, not (Thai)
What is this word in our/your language?

 
Where is the stress in this word?


 
3. Activities in class

 
Listen to me!

 
Everyone, repeat after me.
Girls,
Boys,
(Name)

 
Take out your pens.
pencils
coloured pencils.

 
Draw a picture of a……….. (Object).

Colour the picture.
Copy these words into your books.

 
Rule a line under the word ……(a word), please.
I want you to do exercise seven.

Answer the questions on page six.

Do you understand what to do?
Don't start yet.
You can start now.
Put your hand up if you have finished.

haven't

 
4. Working alone and together
4.1 One learner            
'I want you to work on your own.    
…….'(Name), come to the front, please.'
'Go back to your seat, please.'
…………………………………………………………
4.2 Two learners (pairs)
'I want …… (name)
to work with …… (name).'

'Get into pairs.'
TEACHER

'Has everyone got a partner?'

(OR '……(Name), have you got a partner?')
LEARNER(S) 'Yes' OR 'No'

(OR 'Yes, I have.' OR 'No, I haven't.')
……'(Name)
and
…….(name), come to the front, please.'

'Go back to your seats, please.'
'Compare your answers with your partner.'

 

 

 

 
4.3 Three or more learners (groups)
'I want you to work in groups of three people.'
'Get into groups of
four
Five

'This is group one.'
Two.'
'I want (name), (name), and (name) to work in group one.'
'Get into your groups now, please.'
TEACHER
'Is everyone in a group?'

(OR '….(Name), are you in a group?')
LEARNER(S)
'Yes' OR 'No.'
(OR 'Yes, I am.' OR 'No, I'm not.')
'Group (number), come to the front, please.'
'Go back to your seats, please.'
'I need a volunteer from each group to
write the answers.'
'Pick one person from your group to
draw a picture.'

……………………………………………………………………………………..

1. Language note

'Work on your own', but 'Work in pairs/groups.'


 

 
5. Board work
'Everyone look at the board, please.'
'…….(Name), come to the board, please.'
'Write ……(a word) on the board, please.'
'Draw a picture of ……..(an object) please.'
OR 'Put your picture on the board, please.'
'Underline…….. (a word), please.'
'Thank you. Go back to your seat, please.'
'Everyone,
read this word.'
'(Name),

 
'Say it again.'

 
'Everyone, read these words.'

'(Name),
'Say them again.'

 
'Everyone,
repeat after me :………..( a word or
phrase).'


'(Name),
'Copy these words into your books.'

 
'What is this word in….. (our language)?'
(the name of your language)
'Do you understand?'
'Put up you hand if you don't understand.'

 
6. Working with books
6.1 Getting books ready
'Take out your books, please.'
'….(Name), give out the books, please.'
TEACHER
'Who hasn't got a book?'
LEARNER

'I haven't.'

(OR LEARNERS 'We haven't.')
'….(Name), share your book with ….(name), please.'
…………………………………………………………………………
6.2 Looking at books
'Open your books at page …..(NUMBER), please.'
'Turn to page ….(NUMBER), please.'
'Turn over, please.'
'Look at the picture, please.'
TEACHER
'Can you see ….. a OR an (item in picture)?'
             some (item in picture)?'
LEARNER
'Yes, I can.'
(OR 'No, I can't.')
'Point to a ....(item in picture), please.'
'Point to some ....(item in picture), please.'
'Look at exercise ....(NUMBER), please.'
'Point to

.................................................................................
6.3 Language notes
Remember these combinations of verb and preposition:
    take        out

    give        out

    open        at

    look        at

    turn        to

    point        to

    turn        over

    fill        in

    start        at

You can say 'textbook' or 'course book', but always say 'dictionary', not' dictionary book'.

 
.....................................................................................................
7. Cassette recorder and video
7.1 Cassette recorder
    'Let's listen to the cassette now.'
    'Listen to the cassette.'

 
    'Can you all hear?'
    'Put up your hand if you can't hear.'
    'Stop talking and listen.'

 
    'Listen carefully.'

 
    'Did you hear the
……………..?
    'Listen again.'

 
    'I'll play it again.'

 
    'Listen and repeat all together.'

 
    'Listen and tell me
…………………….'
    'Listen and answer the questions.'
7.2 Video
    'Let's watch the video now.'
    'Watch the video.'

 
    'Can you all see?'
    'Put up your hand if you can't see.'
    'Stop talking and watch.'

 
    'Watch carefully.'

 
    'Did you see the ………………..?

    'Watch again.'

 
    'I'll play it again.'
    'Watch and answer the questions.'

 

 

 
8. Games and songs
8.1 Games
    'Now we'll play a game.'
    'Get into two teams.'
    'Guess
what it is.'
         Where
Who
    'Guess what's missing.'

TEACHER 'Whose turn is it?'


LEARNER
'It's mine.'
'It's ...(name's).'
LEARNERS
'It's ours.'
    'Now it's your turn.'
    'It's.... (name's) turn now.'
    'A point for team TWO.'
    'This team has won.'
    'Well done!'

 
8.2 Songs
    'Now we'll sing a song.'
    'Let's all sing a song.'
.............................................................................

1. Language note

    Remember, 'Guess what/where/who
    it is', not 'who is it'.
    Useful words and phrases for playing games:
    'winner'         'The next round.'
    'loser'            'It's a tie.'
    Useful words and phrases for singing songs:
    'winner'        'The next round.'
    'loser'            'It's a tie.'
    Useful words and phrases for singing songs:
    'verse'
    'chorus'
............................................................................

 

1. Checking understanding
   TEACHER
   
   '[Name],
   is that right? '
               (OR '[Name],is that right or wrong?')
   LEARNER
   'Yes, it is.' OR ' NO, it isn't.'
   (OR 'It's right.' OR 'It's wrong.')
   
    
   'What is the right answer?'
   'What do you think?'
   'Has anybody else got an idea?'
   
    
   'Put up your hand if you don't understand'
   
    
   LEARNER 'Please, I don't understand'
   TEACHER 'What don't you understand? Tell me in
           [the name of your language]'
   
    
   'Tell me in..... [the name of your language] what you have to do.'
   '[Name], tell ....[name] in your own language what you have to do.'
   'Put up your hands if you know the answer.'
   
    
   
    
   
    
   
    
   
   1. Classroom control
       'Sit down, please.'
       'Everyone
   sit down, please.'
   
       '[Name]
       'Quiet, please! '
   
       '[Name] be quiet, please.'
       'Stop talking! '
       'Listen! '
       'Listen carefully! '
       'Listen to me.'
   
   [name].'
        the tape.'
       '(Name), turn round, please.'
       'Sit still, please.'
       Sit still and listen.'
       'Sit still and listen to me.'
                (name).'
                the tape.'
       'Look at me,     please.'
            the board,    
   
    
   
    
       'Are you ready?'
       'Don't start yet.'
       'Start now!'
                           
       'Stop
   writing,     please.'
   
   working,
            what you are doing,
       
   'Stand up, please.'
       '....(Name) stand up, please.'
       '....(Name) come here, please.'
       'Go back to your seat, please.'
       'Hurry up!'
       'Be careful!'
       'Don't touch!'
   
    
   
    
   
    
   11. Teacher comments
   *****        'Excellent!'
               'Very good!'
               'That's excellent!'
                very good!'
               'Very well done!'
   …………………………………………………………………….
   ****        'Good!'
               'That's good!'
               'Well done!'
               'Great!'
               'Yes, that's right-good!'
   ……………………………………………………………………
   
    
   
    
   
    
   ***    'That's it!'
           'Yes!'
           'OK!' (but please only use this occasionally to avoid lazy use by learners)
   
    
   
    
   
    
           To show improvement
           'That's better!'
           'That's better-well done!'
   
    
           To encourage progress
           'That's nearly right-try again!'
           'That's almost right-try again!'
   ………………………………………………………………………
   **        'Not quite right- try again!'
           'Not quite right- will someone else try?'
           'Not quite right! ....(Name), you try!'
   ……………………………………………………………………..
   *            'No-that's not right. Try again!'
               'No-that's not right. Will
   someone else try?'
               'No-that's not right.....(Name), you try!'
   ……………………………………………………………………………………
   Language note
       Remember, 'very good', not 'very well.'
   ...................................................................................
   
    
   12. Ending the lesson
       'This is your homework.'
   
    
       'I want you to do exercise nine.'
               learn the song.'
               colour the picture.'
               draw a picture of………'
               learn these new words.'
   
    
       'Close your books, please.'
       'Put your books away, please.'
       OR '.... (Name), collect the books, please…..' …..and put them on my desk.'
   
    
   
    
   
   Designed by Mr. Surapong Ngamsom
   October 2006