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May 11, 2007
Surveys- Do your students want to be studying English?
Hello Readers,
In the ideal world, ESL students are highly motivated individuals who enjoy learning English, need it to function in life, and genuinely want to be in your classroom. Many textbooks assume this to be the case, as do many teachers when they create their lesson plans. It seems reasonable to think that students would only pay for English lessons if they really wanted them. Unfortunately...
this isn't always the case. Sometimes, it's the parents that are overly eager to have their children master English. Other times, a private English language school can be seen as more of a place to meet people than as a place to learn a language.
So, what are your students like? Do you think they want to be studying English? Or would they rather be hanging out with their friends elsewhere?
This month's survey question is: How many of your students want to be studying English?
To place your vote, go to the ESL Employment forum here: http://www.esl-jobs-forum.com/viewtopic.php?p=4911#4911
Don't forget that you'll have to either register or log in before you can take part in the poll. (But don't worry, it's free!)
Question: How many of your students want to be studying English?
1) Less than 25%
2) Approximately 25%
3) Approximately 50%
4) Approximately 75%
5) More than 75%
Anything missing from the above choices? Feel free to share additional ideas by commenting below!
If you have further comments about teacher meetings in your school, feel free to comment below. It'd be interesting to hear from you!
Carol Rueckert
Writer, ESL Lesson Plan
E-mail: crueckert@eslemployment.com
Blog: www.esl-lesson-plan.com
"I hear, and I forget. I see, and I remember. I do, and I understand." - Chinese Proverb
*Looking for other interesting surveys (and their resultes) about the ESL industry? Click HERE!
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About the author of this entry:
Carol, a native English-speaker who hails from the small town of St. Joseph in Minnesota, USA, and lived and worked in China for more than 7 years. During that time, she worked with students that range in age from three to more than sixty years old. She worked in universities, private language schools, grade schools, international schools, as well as private tutoring. Besides teaching, she also worked as a head teacher, an education manager, and a material development manager. In addition to working on this newsletter, she currently writes a monthly column for Time Out Beijing. Carol is also currently working on her MA in TESOL at the Oxford Brookes University in England. Look for her posts on the ESL-Jobs-Forum discussion boards!
Posted by crueckert at May 11, 2007 04:30 AM
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Comments
Brilliant question, Carol！ "wanting/willing to study English" and "wanting/willing to be able to speak English" are two different things. I would say that less than 25% of the students that I ever taught truly "wanted to be studying English".
Posted by: raymond at May 11, 2007 07:23 PM
The most important issue within the survey, in my experience, is that an instructor find the root reason for the student taking the class and gear the material towards this reason. Yes students can each be very different, just like the reasons for an instructor being in the ESL biz. Some are there for the money, some for the challenge, others perhaps simply looking for a new way of life. The important thing is to meet each other and share the middle ground, both the instructor and student need to leave the lesson a better person.
www.eslspider.com
www.healthyexpat.com
Posted by: Dazza at May 16, 2007 02:56 PM
Dear Carol,
I'm a Chinese EFL trainer who runs a small workshop in China. From June, 2006, I've been teaching a business egnlish course to Lafarge(a French company).The learners I teach are their Chinese employees who are from 23 to 50 years old.
In the training, I found that only a few learners are really willing to learn English. Most of them are out of intense job competition to learn the language.
However, for adult learners, inner motivation might be the most important factor for their succesfull language learning.
I believe that not English,the language itself,attacts learners. What really matter is the world behind the language. As EFL trainers, if we could design courses masterly to guide learners to reach to the world, in other words, to arouse their curiosity to communicate with English world, then learners are more likely to be keen in learning english.
Posted by: Rita at May 16, 2007 09:55 PM
