A full agenda is lined up for the Lesson of the Day.
Grammar, writing, vocabulary… students are here to learn, not to be
entertained. Maybe you have heard this statement from co-workers, or even friends of
co-workers. In my first year
of teaching, this saying was so ingrained in my teaching routine that I didn’t
realize why my lessons seemed so lifeless. I would notice the students’ energy
level drop and sneaky eyes glance at the clock every two seconds. It came to
the point that even I wondered if class was over yet. What was going on?
Flash forward to life in 2012. At times, teaching
can still be a little rough around the edges, but fortunately I have come
across a new motto: Entertain with a purpose. Language textbooks that are created
for class use are intended to complement activities from the “real-world”,
resources that teachers have to find or create to accommodate student levels
and needs. To create an energetic learning environment, you must show the
energy vibe yourself. Try to make your class more dynamic by implementing
music, puzzles, role-plays, game-show themed vocabulary review, or YouTube
videos to illustrate the main take-away ideas.
One great site to check out is ESL Topics: Making Teaching Fun. This site offers “free
and easy-to-use printable classroom activity handouts for teachers.” No matter
what class you are teaching, the most valuable skill that students will gain is
becoming a better communicator, whether it is through writing, listening, or
speaking. This site offers different topics to supplement your lessons,
including: Word Banks, Vocabulary Quizzes, Interactive Crosswords, Word
Searches, Discussion Activities, Advice Columns, Board Games, and Bonus
Handouts.
In particular, the use of role-play dialogues and
advice columns has proved to be the most applicable in many students’ lives,
due to the nature of dealing with everyday problems and scenarios. So have some
fun while teaching, and explore the possibilities of entertaining with a
purpose!
