Return to normalcy

Well, today was a relief after yestereday. Not only did I only teach one class, but despite the fact that it was supposed to be (and was) relatively low functioning students, and despite the fact that it was the largest class I have, 46 students, they were more what I have been used to in a class. Even though they tend to talk more in classrooms here than in american classrooms, this class made an effort to be respectful and despite its size could be quieted down (well, sort of). I was told they were adults, and I was expecting people in their thirties, forties or fifties, but these were all college age or just out of college age students, although I guess for the most part they are in the work force which is what qualifies them. But as I said yesterday, these students are taking this course on their own initiative and are obviously much more eager to learn, even though, as I said, there english language level is relatively low.

The other thing that came as a relief is that I was in a normal (well, normal for here) classroom. All of my other classes have been in what I would call technology classrooms where each students sits in his or her own little booth and has a computer screen and headphones. There is really not much you can do in terms of group work or interaction. And the very format alienates you from the students and the students from each other because everyone has his or her own little space.

Now the traditional (non technology) classrooms all have fixed seating, so that you can't remove the chairs and form groups and such. But students are close enough togethe that you can get people to turn around to the row behind and form groups of four so there is a lot of traditional pedagogy in terms of pair and group work that you can do here. Plus, I think because the students are not cut off from you with their own little booth, they are easier to control, even though, as I say, this class is close to fifty.

So today we did not do much. My standard first day for an oral english class is in the first half of class, to have them fill out cards with their name on it and then put them into groups of two and then have them introduce each other to me. I can gauge their English by their introductions and can go on and ask them a question or two to really get a sense of their ability. I usually do as many introductions as possible in the first half of class and then in the second half I give them a list of things that are on a web site for advise to people coming to teach english in china.The list includes such things as 'learn to eat with chopstics' and 'watch some chinese movies'. I then have them come up with some pieces of advise of their own. This usually goes on for a half hour. In the last fifteen minutes or so I give them a survey to see what they want to learn in the class.

Things went pretty much according to plan today, with no suprises,which is always a relief. No classes tomorrow, although I do have a two hour session in the morning where I tutor someone in english for an hour and she tutors me in chinese.