problems of learning english as a second language in schools

i would like the problems facing english language teaching in schools and the possible solutions highlighted and explained

[Tdol]

Essay question?

[Teaching English Games]

Hello there,

I might be able to help you but could you make your question a little more specific?

Do you want to talk about the problems, or are you asking if that is a good title for an essay, and if so, for which students?

Bye for now
Shelley

[maanianna]

"I might be able to help you but could you make your question a little more specific?"

Dorood,
I'd be glad if u let me know about improving one's vocab.
Wish u the best.

[Sunflower34]

Well... would you like to discuss about some difficulties that teaching English is facing nowadays?
I am from Portugal and here, nowadays, we are facing some difficulties, not only in what concerns with teaching English, but also with the general educational system.

[Teaching English Games]

Dear Maaniana and Sunflower,
Hello there.
Well regarding improving your vocab - if you are a student of English - there is no magic spell I am afraid - you have to put in the effort. However there are constructive things you can do.
Firstly read as much as possible in English - even if comic books are all you can manage - watch TV or movies - again watch BBC children's TV if your English is at a basic level.
Then keep a vocab book and learn a few new words each day. The trick is to revise them the next day, a week later, a month later and six months later - if you don't use it you lose it. So on day two you will be learning new words and revising words from the day before. After one week you'll learn new words and revise two lots of words etc. I think 10 new words per day is ample - given that after a month you will be reviewing 30 new words a day as well as learning 10 new ones.
For Sunflower and the difficulties in learning English - I think motivation is a big issue for teachers - how can a teacher keep their pupils interestesd or encourage interest in an unmotivated class, and also the fact that classes are too big to teach language effectively. I use games to keep interest and motivation up - and they work beautifully for that, and I also created an e-book of games to help teachers in class - including a special edition for large classes as I heard that in China classes can be up to 120 pupils.
I have heard back from some teachers using my large class e-book and they are reporting success - which is good news - because I myself have never taught that many pupils so I wasn't 100% sure the games would really work - although I thought that they would - but I can confirm now that they do!
I do not think that using games is the ultimate solution - that would be to cut class sizes down to small groups of 12, and to pay teachers proper wages so that many more quality people are attracted to the profession (to add to the many quality people already in it I hasten to add!) - however those things are not really any more likely to happen than we are likely to stop polluting the planet - so we had better find some good ways to work around the problems - and certainly using games in class is one of those.
I had better get back to work now.
Kind regards
Shelley
ESL games and activities for teaching English to children

[Sunflower34]

Hi Teaching English Games!

Thank you ver much for your suggestion! I appreciated it very much!
I quite agree with you when you say that one of the problems to teach a language is the number of students per class. Here in Portugal they are of about 25 students... not so many, compared to China!! But another major problem are the programmes!! They are too long! Of course I try everyday to make them seem not so long... but they have to be taught! I also use games, but students only see the funniest part in them, not the learning part, I mean they don't take them "seriously" you understand? I teach students of about 12 to 16 years old...
The solutions...? Trying new methods everyday according to the classes!

Best regards!

[Anna Xpomoba]

Originally Posted by Sunflower34

Hi Teaching English Games!

Thank you ver much for your suggestion! I appreciated it very much!
I quite agree with you when you say that one of the problems to teach a language is the number of students per class. Here in Portugal they are of about 25 students... not so many, compared to China!! But another major problem are the programmes!! They are too long! Of course I try everyday to make them seem not so long... but they have to be taught! I also use games, but students only see the funniest part in them, not the learning part, I mean they don't take them "seriously" you understand? I teach students of about 12 to 16 years old...
The solutions...? Trying new methods everyday according to the classes!

Best regards!

Sunflower,
I used to teach children of 12-16. And we played a lot of games which they liked and took seriously. Role-play games, some board games. But of course it depends. I think the most important thing is to find understanding and to be on the same wavelength with the students.

[Sunflower34]

I think the most important thing is to find understanding and to be on the same wavelength with the students.[/quote]

Of course... but without letting them lead the classes, doing whatever they want! They must understand that the school is for learning... and here in Portugal they don't see the school like that, you know...
I think the problem is that we teachers are too much permissive...

[Teaching English Games]

Hi Sunflower
I agree and think that permissive teachers tend to get bulldozed by their class. Teachers have to show who is in charge.
Some teachers do seem to think that teaching with games is ok for a treat, or as a filler, or if you want to be nice, but that is not my view. For me games for beginners to lower intermediates are most effective - for motivation and for learning - and have nothing to do with being permissive.
When I teach with games the children do what I want, not what they want, and I am very strict. Any messing around and they lose a point, or they are out, or get whatever 'consequence' - the politically correct name for punishment these days - that they need.
Rather than not taking a game seriously I had my pupils take the games very seriously - and sometimes winning them too seriously. However I specialise in 12-16. However if you play a game to revise some vocabulary telling the students that the game will be followed immediately by a test then they will take it seriously - the game is their last chance to revise. Then you'll find that all the students do well in the test which will be good for their motivation.
Bye for now
Shelley
To try out some classroom games free
please visit ESL games and activities for teaching English to children