2007年5月24日木曜日

Teaching Vocabulary

In last class,we learned about two approaches for teaching vocabulary: the Teach and Learn Approach and the Learning through Input Approach. You can see a PowerPoint presentation of the approaches here.
I want to tell you about the strengths and weaknesses of each approach as well as the approach I would use as a Junior High School English teacher.
First, I will talk about the strengths and weaknesses of the Teach and Learn Approach.

Strength:In this way, students can understand easily what teacher tells them. And, they can review the words.

Weakness: Students may be bored and forget the words.

Second, I will talk about the strengths and weaknesses of the Learning through Input Approach.

Strength: Students will memorize the words easily.

Weakness: It is difficult for low revel students to catch up with the class speed.


Lastly as a junior high school English teacher I would favor a Hybrid.

2007年5月17日木曜日

Communicative Activities

Today, I am going to review two of the "typical Japanese junior high school"communicative activities presented in ETM 3. The activities I am going to revieware Matching game and Using movement. You can view them here.

☆Matching game

In last class, I did this activity. I also experienced this game in last year.
In "Engish-Tesaching-Method special class",I played a roll as a teacher.
Then I used some cards and taught how to explain the way to tell how to go to somewhere.
The other student used the cards and did the mathing game.
Making some pairs, they talk about how to get to somewhere.
It was very wonderful! What I thought in the class is "How I make cards is also much important thing for the class.".

I mean, useful cards make the class fun.

Mathing game is a good activity for students to improve their English skills.

☆Using movement

I did this activity, too. Using movement is good for student's brain.
If students sit down long time, they will fall asleep. So, I think this activity is nessesary for the teaching.