Michelle LeesMichelle Lees
2929thth July 2011 July 2011
To help students gain more confidence in their speaking abilities
To encourage them to voice and
express their thoughts and ideas in English using the language they have
Focus more on fluency than accuracy
Introduced the idea of the workshop to the students directly
Made posters and gave them to the students to act as a reminder
Put up a poster outside the LLC
Reminded students each week at the end of class about the workshop
Let’s talkWhat: Improve your conversation skills through group discussion and conversation on a range of topics that will change each weekWhen: Thursday 2nd June 2011Who: Students in Professor Latham’s second period English Writing Class IWhy: Do you want to use English one day for work, travel or just for fun? Reading and writing are important skills but so are speaking and listening – especially if you want to become an English teacher or work using English!Where: LLCBring: Your journal
Thursdays 4:30 – 6:00pm
At the beginning of each workshop a strict ‘no Japanese/Korean’ rule was set
Each workshop was set up so students worked in small groups which they stayed in for that workshop.
The groups were in competition with each other for points and prizes
Used group activities which encouraged students to share their thoughts and ideas with each other using language they had
Island survival activity
Charity work
Bank robbery
The perfect university
First workshop: 20 students+ 1 tutor
Second workshop: 8 students + 2 tutors
Third workshop: 5 students+ 2 tutors
Fourth workshop: 8 students+ 1 tutor
Self evaluation questionnaire at the end of the first and last workshop
Comment and opinion sheet at the end of each workshop
What spoken level of English did you feel you were at before? And now?
Do you enjoy studying English more than before?
How confident did you feel in speaking to students/teachers before? And now?
What spoken level of English do you think you are at now?
The majority of students felt more confident in their own abilities
In spite of language difficulties e.g. gaps in knowledge, misunderstandings etc students were able to keep conversation flowing
I could observe positive changes in student’s attitudes e.g. more willing to ask for help, asking questions, more outspoken
‘I want to be an English teacher so I want to be good at English’
‘I don’t like English. But I like English now!’‘I enjoyed every time! I started enjoy talk in
English!’‘[We] don’t speak Japanese, so we have to do
our best’‘I don’t ever have a speaking chance. I want
to communicate with other student in English’
‘
In a short period of time it is possible to change the attitudes of students
Students are willing and eager to practice what they learn
Students want more opportunities to speak English
Students can stick to rules and instructions if you enforce them
Students understand how important it is to be able to communicate in English