My First Attempt at Animated ppt which I had to Convert to Video to Upload on Blogger!

I have a mixed ability class of non-native speakers. In the beginning I struggled as to how to keep them interested in reading texts which were long, difficult and meant for native speakers. I kept making changes or incorporating techniques to keep them interested. Of many other things I did in the class, I employ different forms of readings followed by a discussion. Later I realised that to complete a whole chapter is not what is necessary, what is more important is to take up short passages in a period, or say go slow with two to three paragraphs at a time and then hold a discussion on how they connect to it or whether they connect to it or not and them lead them to a connection or difference in the selection and their life, or culture, or country. 


Like for example, today I had a Japanese folk tale to teach. I entered the class and told them they they ought to get into pairs and take turns to read one paragraph at a time. I told them today teacher is off-duty and they have to manage on their own. They were also asked to discuss what they understood after every three paragraphs, and after each group finishes reading one page they have to not just narrate the story to me but also give me their comments on it.


At the end of the class one of the students, who is lost in himself during long reading sessions, told me, "Teacher today I understood the story better than the other days". It was overwhelming to see how each group competed with the other groups to perform better, get stars, and receive teacher's praises.


This wasn't anything new I did but I realized how important it is to surprise the kids with a little change of strategies in class. They not only come up with marvellous interpretations of the story but also gain confidence that they are self-reliant in understanding the complex chapters as well.


This indeed would be rewarding for any teacher, to see her students happy when she leaves the class and not heave a sigh of relief at dispersal.

CHEERS!!!
Zindigi kam pad jaaye khushiyon ke liye,
Dosti kam pad jaaye doston ke liye;
Kuch is tarah jiyo yaaron,
Mahfile kam pad jayein, jalson ke liye.

Dukh sabhi ko bahut hain peene ke liye,
Mushkilen bahut hain, par karne ke liye;
Har kadam pe muskuraun,
Bus yehi hai janam jeene ke liye.
Cheers!!!!!!!!!!

Assigning Roles to Ensure Attention & Participation!

Recently in my quest for new ideas to improve students' interest in reading I came across a suggestion which came in real handy in class. It talked about assigning the naughty or easily distracted students with certain roles in the story like, for example, if I'm reading a story about a dog and a cat the students are asked to 'bark' or 'mew' when I read out the word 'dog' or 'cat' respectively. This way they are attentive also and participate too in the class and my objective of all listening and understanding the selection is also achieved. Share if you can add up anything to this idea in yr class.

My Joy I Know is Where

 I thought I would just laze around

Listening to music, truly abound;

To all my wishes and my wants

Just me and only me expound.

I thought I had that liberty

But lo my mind deceived me;

I had planned to carousal

But then I could not rest in peace.

Machine, that’s me would sit not still

And all but just in all goodwill;

Have aim in mind, to contrive

The future of the sphere trill.

And then I knew, my joy was where

It is in the midst of youthful fair,

The school is where my heart abounds..........

I thought I knew……..

I thought the world was what I saw,

I smelt the bonds of life in awe;

I felt the tugs of warmth from all,

And relished dancing in the ball.

In awesome terms did life lay bare,

And reveled in the beauty care;

But then I shrank as I did grasp,

the eccentricity of the multitude.

And lo just then the truth divulged,

They only knew to chastise;

I marveled but also despised,

How they would rev up, contrive;

Not one, oh, none could derive,

essence of love, humane divine

All that they do, I summarize,

Deprive, survive, disguise, devised!

This shattered me so callously;

As I did gape at their malice

If this is what the world beholds

A life of solitude, sans delude

Is what I wish, a safe seclude!!

Trying to Create a Perfect Learning Environment!

For different learning objectives, a perfect class environment is different. Educators all over the world work towards creating a perfect environment to make learning profitable, fun and enriching. To achieve this goal its a must to employ different strategies. Sometimes use of different strategies, like individual, pair, group work etc makes learning fun as then the learners are not just passive listeners of the 'active' teacher but actively involved themselves.

To break the monotony of a reading class I employ some strategies like, random turns to read (which most of us do), group reading, reading with partners (two together), reading silently one paragraph each in pairs and explaining each other what they understood in their paragraph, sometimes I snap my fingers and they have to catch the rhythm and read accordingly which the students love doing because then they are not actually reading but kind of playing but this is done just for a short to bring them back to the lesson when I find them distracted or uninterested in the lesson or sometimes when the theme of the chapter doesn't interest them.

Teachers have to be very innovative and constantly on their toes to find new means and ways of making learning fun. You have to make sure that the methods you employ make them crave for your class, wait for you to come to the class. Also its very important to enhance your student's confident by informing them after each class how happy you are with their learning. Moreover, if the situation allows, you can also discuss after the class what your teaching objectives were for that particular period and how with the active participation of the students you were able to achieve them. This participation in the achievement of your goals will make them proud of themselves and willingness to learn will help in both, teaching and learning.