Ok. So I have a class that LOVES to use as much English as possible. I think I've created a bit of a monster because they tend to blurt things out in English and I've honored it by going with it.
My thoughts have been, I can help them translate a phrase. But I can more than ever see the two words rule of Ben Slavic as being important. So much time can be wasted in English. I would rather them just use as little English as possible so we can practice the structures in Spanish.
Yesterday I kind of failed (thus the name of the previous entry) and I actually stopped class a little early by stating... "Guys, there's a little too much English today and I'm just going to end class early because I'm frustrated with it and I don't want to yell."
I know it wasn't the best course of action. If there were a kid who wanted to end class early, he would just speak in English way too much from now on to frazzle me. Sure... it's possible. But I am not saying I will let it happen anymore. It was a wake up call for me to be more pro-active about production. I am not referring to making students repeat what I say. I want them to TRY in the target language. In TPRS, they do learn how to speak in the language, but laziness compels us all to take the easy road sometimes.
So today when some students spoke in English during the story, I paused. I looked into the class with a blank look. The question was that a girl wants to buy a big wig in a store. The wig costs the other hand of a student. (In a previous story, something else cost him his first hand). I staired blankly when a girl suggested that it cost "His other hand". Eventually some students tried to explain in Spanish what the student wanted to say. I wasn't sure if they remembered, but a students said "Otra mano" (other hand... WITH feminine agreement! WOW). This happened at a few times in the class and it seemed to work well. At the end of class, I explained that I hope no one feels bad. If I think they can try to say something in Spanish, I will patiently wait for them to from now on.
We'll see how it goes.
My thoughts have been, I can help them translate a phrase. But I can more than ever see the two words rule of Ben Slavic as being important. So much time can be wasted in English. I would rather them just use as little English as possible so we can practice the structures in Spanish.
Yesterday I kind of failed (thus the name of the previous entry) and I actually stopped class a little early by stating... "Guys, there's a little too much English today and I'm just going to end class early because I'm frustrated with it and I don't want to yell."
I know it wasn't the best course of action. If there were a kid who wanted to end class early, he would just speak in English way too much from now on to frazzle me. Sure... it's possible. But I am not saying I will let it happen anymore. It was a wake up call for me to be more pro-active about production. I am not referring to making students repeat what I say. I want them to TRY in the target language. In TPRS, they do learn how to speak in the language, but laziness compels us all to take the easy road sometimes.
So today when some students spoke in English during the story, I paused. I looked into the class with a blank look. The question was that a girl wants to buy a big wig in a store. The wig costs the other hand of a student. (In a previous story, something else cost him his first hand). I staired blankly when a girl suggested that it cost "His other hand". Eventually some students tried to explain in Spanish what the student wanted to say. I wasn't sure if they remembered, but a students said "Otra mano" (other hand... WITH feminine agreement! WOW). This happened at a few times in the class and it seemed to work well. At the end of class, I explained that I hope no one feels bad. If I think they can try to say something in Spanish, I will patiently wait for them to from now on.
We'll see how it goes.
No comments:
Post a Comment