Teach English in LiangshAn Jiedao [incl. Chengdong XiAng] - Chongqing

learning grammarMichael, who is a six grader, has been studying English since he was six years old. However, he doesn?t like English at all. He doesn?t pay attention in his English class. He doesn?t do his homework because he doesn?t know how to do it. Michael?s parents force him to go to his English cram school after school 2 days every week. Comparing to those kids who have almost the same English learning experience, Michael is a very slow student and he always falls behind the schedule. Michael?s parents are both very busy, so they don?t have too much time helping him doing his homework. The scores he gets from every test are very low, usually the worst. But his parents think English is too important to give up. They ask the schoolteacher and the cram school teacher to help him. Michael is a typical reluctant student. He doesn?t seem to want to talk or participate in class. Although with so many years of learning English, he still doesn?t like English. He is unwilling to participate in any class activities. He found English quite boring. He is shy, so he doesn?t like to speak in front of people. But sometimes he can be asked to speak if it is necessary. He doesn?t like to memorize new words, but he can be required to memorize some with longer time. His handwriting is not the best, but it?s neat and clean enough. But his biggest weakness is grammar. He especially has difficulty understanding grammar. Every time when he has some homework related to grammar, he always gives it up. After his parents talk to his cram school teachers, the teachers are willing to give him extra attention and assistance. When the teacher is teaching, he or she uses plenty of pair work. The pair work allows Michael practice in a safe environment. He can practice with the support of a fellow student before he has to contribute in open class discussion or feedback. In order to ensure Michael is able to produce language abilities, the teacher is always using controlled practice. Sometimes when students are bored, it?s a good idea to do some role-play to switch the atmosphere. And more students, including Michael, find role-play more comfortable to communicate when they are acting as someone else than when they are being themselves. Role-plays are very helpful in teaching reluctant students. And the teacher asks Michael to use a recorder to record what he would like to say outside the lesson. The recording allows the students to express themselves in a less threatening atmosphere. The teacher can listen to the recording and point out errors. As to the worst problem - grammar, Michael?s teacher uses more extra time helping Michael. His teacher always asks him to stay after class for extra 10 minutes. His teacher will explain the rules slowly and everything in details. His teacher offers him extra grammar handout to review. In the beginning, Michael could only do the drilling activities. He could only fill in simple answers. Now Michael gets the rules and answers more quickly than before. Sometimes he doesn?t even need extra explanation when learning a new sentence pattern. He can make sentences by himself, too. Michael used to hate English, but now he thinks English is not so bad. And he can finish his homework by himself most the time. He is improving gradually. In another words, with the correct support and teaching methods, even a reluctant student who doesn?t know what grammar is could be changed and proved to be better.