ELTA Experiences in Junior High School

JEPRI ALI SAIFUL

ELTA SCHOOLS WHERE I WAS ASSIGNED

DA-DONG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

• I taught grade 6; two classes.
• The first class was a computer class; I taught English 20 minutes. The rest 20 minutes were for computer teacher to teach computer subject. I taught English in the computer lab.
• The second class was actually for a homeroom teacher. However, her class time was given to me to teach English, 40 minutes.
• I taught English for 12 weeks in this school.

ELTA SCHOOLS WHERE I WAS ASSIGNED

JHONG SIAO JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

• I taught two classes, grade 7 and 8.
• These two classes were devoted to learning English, because they belonged to the English teacher.
• I taught English for 6 weeks in this school.

SHARING SESSION TOPICS

LET’S START BY UNDERSTANDING YOUR GOAL IN TEACHING ENGLISH UNDER ELTA PROGRAM

• What is your goal as an ELTA in English classroom?

The goal of ELTA teachers is to provide various activities for the students to use English for communication.

• How many minutes (within 40-45 minutes one time teaching period) will you give the students the times to use English for communication?
• Will you use most of the allocated time (say for example 30 minutes) for you to teach English? Yes/no? why?

IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE

I know it is kind of hard to make students fluent in speaking English just for couple weeks teaching English under ELTA program. But, we should try my best to provide interesting instructional activities for the students to speak in English. At least, we can change their attitudes towards English. They love learning English and they are not afraid of English speaking.

SHARING SESSION

QUESTION-BASED SHARING

I WOULD LIKE TO ASK ABOUT COURSE STRUCTURE?�

HOW TO INTERACT WITH KIDS IN MY FIRST CLASS? WHAT WILL BE THE FIRST STEP?�

Introduction is the best topic to start the first class, including your country.

WHAT TOPICS DO TAIWANESE STUDENTS USUALLY ENGAGE THE MOST WITH?�

• I would say, any topics related to their real-life.
• For junior-high school students, try to search trends in music or anime, they like them.
• Try to incorporate your lessons with game, online game such as Kahoot. Ask the local teacher whether the students can bring their smartphone to do the online game using Kahoot.
• Kahoot is also a good tool to review all materials you have taught.
• Please learn basic classroom teaching in Chinese.
• Please provide both English and Chinese when you provide instructions for the students to do certain activities.
• Please speak slowly and repeat what you say at least twice.

WHAT IS THE TYPICAL CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR OF TAIWANESE STUDENTS? (E.G DO THEY ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE, ARE THEY DIFFICULT TO MANAGE ETC)�

• Shy
• Junior-high school students, as far as I experienced, they are nice and manageable. But, again, this is contextual. Case by case. But, generally they are nice. Ask the local teacher to help you discipline the students, if you cannot handle them.

HOW TO DEAL WITH STUDENTS OF ELEMENTARY AND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL IN ORDER DISCIPLINE IS MAINTAINED AT THE TIME OF TEACHING AND CHILDREN HEAR WHAT IS TAUGHT CAREFULLY.�

• First, ask the local teacher, if a microphone is provided. This is so helpful to control the class because our voice can be heard by all students.
• Second, if you know some students are so active, ask them to be your teaching assistant. For example, to help distribute worksheet. Local teachers who are also with you in the class will help, if no, ask them so that their presence have functions as well. Don’t worry, they are so helpful. Any concerns and needs, please tell the local teachers. Communicate with them, ask about the learning behaviors or characters of the students as well.

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HOW TO GET INTERACTIVE WITH THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS AND MANAGE THE TIME PERIOD.�

• Try to engage them to communicate with you.
• Use any multimedia when teaching.
• Do grouping activities and speaking one-by-one with you.
• Observe where the clock is hanged in the classroom. Asked how many minutes you are given the time to teach and watch the clock to help you manage your time.
• Make a general timeline of teaching, figure out how many minutes you need to spend in each lesson; can it be finished within one teaching period? Or need three teaching periods?
• In my case, for introduction for instance, I will finish in two meetings and the third meeting will be a individual speaking test for the introduction.

HOW WAS YOUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE TEACHING IN THOSE SCHOOLS?

Amazing, all stories have been disclosed to you.

HOW WOULD HANDLE A DIFFICULT STUDENT AND MOTIVATE FOR STUDY?

• For difficult student, I do not understand what it means by difficult in this case. May be, uncontrollable students. If yes, I have answered, try to involve them as a part of your team in teaching and ask for help to local teachers.
• For motivating students to study, provide interesting activities and relevant real-life topics of learning.

OTHER QUESTIONS

• How you deal with language barriers during teaching? For instance when you give instructions or when you 12. interact with students, then they answer you with local language?
• How you deal with less active/unmotivated students?
• How you do if the students feel bored?
• Which most difficulties situations you was used to face and overcome successfully?
• School culture, task designations.
• What are the tactics use to motivate children to speak English?
• What are the techniques you used to motivate the student to speaking English ?

ARE THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

WHAT ARE TAKEAWAYS YOU HAVE GOT FROM MY SHARING SESSIONS?

WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL AS AN ELTA TEACHER?

USE YOUR OWN STRATEGIES AND CREATIVITIES TO PROVIDE ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE THE STUDENTS TO SPEAK ENGLISH

THANK YOU