jill’s

In SLP Academy, we are not given any materials for our ESL students. There are no strict rules or guidelines that we follow. Though, we, teachers, were encouraged to teach students answer in complete sentences.

Furthermore, as an ESL Teacher who is assigned to just converse with students may not always be that easy. We have to remember that each student is a unique individual with different interests and their levels vary (others may be beginners, intermediate or advanced). Some like reading texts, using picture books and many more.

Within my first three weeks, I have learned to deal with my different students’ needs and interests. Since my students’ age range from 8 to 16 years old and some are beginners while others are advanced (though advanced may only be few) and I only get to meet my student once a week for 15 mins. so it’s very important to take note of each student’s name, what has been talked about and how is the student like during conversations.

Here are some topics, I have started with the following:

• Week1 (Day 1) Getting to know you. Knowing the student’s name, age, interests and hobbies.
• Week2 (Day 2) What day it is? What’s the weather like today? Days of the Week.
• Week 3(Day 3) Given choices, talk about a place the student wants to go to.

For some intermediate and advanced students, I used the story that was shared to me by one of my students. It’s an Aesop’s Fable entitled, “The Golden Ax and The Silver Ax”. For very young children or for a few beginners who really doesn’t want to talk, I show them a picture book found on Genki English Site.

Of course, being an ESL conversationalist is not limited to the topics I have listed above, one can go a long way from what was started. 15-mins is a lot of time and there are lots of things that a teacher and a student can talk and share about. What else can you share? Can you share them with us? : )