Viral memes in the classroom.

[Mr Nobody]

Dunno if this is where I should put this, but maybe this forum is for discussing teaching.

OK, I have been experimenting this term with trying to institute some viral memes in the classroom, in an attempt to get the students to teach each other and learn outside of class.

After considerable effort I seem to have partially succeeded.

I taught my classes how to correct sounds like w in advice, r in usually, etc. Some of course learn better than others. After a few reinforcement lessons, some pairs do it well, some, noticably males, do it less well. As part of revision for the pronunciation component of the tests and finals, I got some of the ones who can do it well to help those who can't. In about 15 minutes they taught them to pronounce it well enough.

Both groups were happy, so I reinforced that feeling with praise, of course. Then told the ones who were teaching that now, their fellow students would pass better, that this was a skill for life, and how it would be useful for their CET etc etc.

Later that same week, I noticed some of the ones who weren't involved with the corrections teaching others at English corner. I am hoping this will go viral.

So far, it is looking good. I hope it holds until they come back after the hols.

Viral memes: Not just for coke and maccas.

[phets72]

Way to go!

[acjade]

Good on you Mr Nobody. The Chinese students take well to team learning and if you get the results with the articulation go for the articles and prepositions, too.

I have just come back from a class where one of the students told me Jane Eyre was a comedy.

[Stil]

acjade said:

Good on you Mr Nobody. The Chinese students take well to team learning and if you get the results with the articulation go for the articles and prepositions, too.

I have just come back from a class where one of the students told me Jane Eyre was a comedy.

Having Chinese students in my middle school study Jane Eyre is comedic.

[Mr Nobody]

I felt chuffed myself. HOpe it works, and holds. I don't know if it will, but i am trying by getting some of the teachers to use some of the ideas, so maybe it will be externally reinforced a little. I am hopeful, but not dreaming, if you know what I mean.

[Dragonsaver]

Could you PM me a little more about this. I am trying some of it but maybe need some example sentences and or methodology for changing pronunciation. I remember the '2 in pinyn' for 'r' and there was another one but it's not at the front of my brain today so no recall.

[acjade]

No Mr. Nobody. You're not dreaming. It's a great teaching methodology and works well and you can expand it to other areas of your curriculum. Go for it as much as possible. And it's great to hear from someone who gets excited by the process because the kids pick up on that, too. Just as they do on ennui and other negative feelings projected by the teacher. I say you deserve a good weekend with a few Bloody Mary's.

Stil I wouldn't in a miilion years mention the word genre to my middle schoolers but this was a university third year English Major class and the focus wasn't on Jane Eyre. It was a follow up quizz on vocabulary using simple present tense.

[Mr Nobody]

Well, my curriculum IS getting them to speak. I don't teach English, I teach people how to talk about business. Or rather, to me, this IS real English. Parts of speech to me just get in the way after a time. I would like to know about other people's successes, too, and perhaps we can all incorporate this kind of idea (or I will, anyway). Methodology, drills, etc.

Oh, yeah, I am typing this with a Bloody Nobody as we speak. (Bloody Nobody - home made tomato plus vegetable juice with vodka. Nothing special, just a completely remade bloody mary, but I like it. A few more jugs and I will get it down pat. But I like the name. (Yeah, never start a sentence with a junction. So I don't do it much. And if my students do it I mark them down. So there.)