I have a question for any english native teacher!

Imagine that you work in a language school. You have just received a new student from Korea and China who wants to study English prior to entering a university in the U.S. The student takes the placement test, which is all grammar and vocabulary and mostly multiple choice. She scores quite high; however, she does not speak very well and has difficulty understanding even the simplest spoken language. What balance of the four skills and the four systems would you recommend for her study program? For example, would you focus on reading and writing or utilize her strengths in grammar to introduce topics, but make the exercises mostly listening and speaking? Would you focus on function, pronunciation, productive skills because the test was multiple choice and not a fair assessment of her success in a university with writing papers and listening to lectures?Explain what an appropriate balance would be. How did you reach that recommendation?

What is your interest in this?

I want to be an english teacher in the near future.So need to know how to deal with the students.Thankyou for reply.

There's often no single correct answer, so it would probably be more beneficial to you if you started by setting out your intitial thoughts on the question. That way there's a learning process. ;-)

It is quite common to meet this type of student in the class and it comes basically from an incorrect mixture of study, normally many hours in front of books or self learning, or with over enthusiastic teachers that just love to use books with little or no talking in class.

Your best approach in this case would depend on some other factors, but to start, you need to get this person talking and using the knowledge they have as quickly as possible.

If the cup is full, you cannot put more into it! At some time you must empty the cup for progress to be achieved. In this case, emptying the cup would be moving the knowledge from the mechanical functions of the brain into the natural functions of feeling and language.

Remember though, in language the picture is NEVER black and white!!

Thanks for your reply.Could any of you respected teachers would like to tell me that,should i improve that students listening and speaking skills or utilize her strengths in grammar?, What balance of the four skills and the four systems would you recommend .:roll:

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Originally Posted by vistaforever

Thanks for your reply.Could any of you respected teachers would like to tell me that,should i improve that students listening and speaking skills or utilize her strengths in grammar?, What balance of the four skills and the four systems would you recommend .:roll:

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The thing is, US universities require students whose first language is not English to take a language proficiency exam (usually TOEFL). The exams have listening and spoken language compoments--the reason being, the student if accepted will need to be able to understand what the instructor is saying as well as need to express him/herself verbally.

In short, teach English--all the skills--and use the communicative approach; that is, try not to use visual media. Use the spoken language as much as you can. Talk, discuss, listen to a variety of spoken language; don't write or read if you don't have to. Figure out ways to replace reading and writing work with communicative activities. Bottom-line is, use English as a tool, not as a subject.

All the best 8-)

Would also love to hear the recommendation from respected teacher members like bhaisahab ,Tdol etc

Be patient and tolerant.
Be friendly.
Be kind.
Be supportive.
Be a teacher and a brother at the same time.
Good luck...

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Originally Posted by vistaforever

Would also love to hear the recommendation from respected teacher members like bhaisahab ,Tdol etc

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There has to be give and take in any learning experience. In Tdol's reply he asked for your views:

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Originally Posted by Tdol

There's often no single correct answer, so it would probably be more beneficial to you if you started by setting out your intitial thoughts on the question. That way there's a learning process. ;-)

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I think he's probably still waiting... ;-)

b