Colin

Currently Teaching:

Speaking level 6

Speaking Level 6.
I primarily focus on conversation skills, by providing students with daily topics to discuss after a warm up. I begin the class by having each student tell me what they did the previous night, correcting verb tense and preposition errors as we go. We then move on to the discussion - topics range from food to crime. I introduce the topic, define new vocabulary, and split the class into partners or groups depending on the attendance. I monitor each group's discussion and interject to correct errors or assist with phrasing. In addition to the conversations, I also have students do consensus building exercise, such as space colony (I tried to attach this handout but the system would not let me) and desert island (an exercise in which students must make up the rules and laws they will adhere to during a one year stay on a deserted island. These exercises help students to practice their interpersonal skills, as well as learn the proper terms for agreeing or disagreeing with someone.
Material is either sourced from the internet or written by me.

Speaking level 8

Similar to my level 6 class I focus on conversation skills by introducing a daily topic, because these topics are more advanced, we sometimes continue the conversation over a few days. Topics that I cover range from love, death to ethics and corruption. I also hold debates in this class. In the past we have debated Canada's drinking in public ban, as well as the use of corporal punishment with children.
Each class ends with me asking the students their individual opinions.
Materials are sourced from the internet or written by me.

Reading and Writing Level 7

Writing: I alternate between creative writing and formal writing. To get a sense of a student's ability to form a sentence, and the understanding of sentence structure and verb tenses, I often provide them with the first few sentences of a story and have them complete it. All marking is done one on one with the student, and all problems discussed. I often see the same grammar problems with students and will take a day to address those issues (for example I almost always do a short lesson on using articles). For more formal writing, I teach the students how to prepare a resume and cover letter, focusing on formal writing, and structure.

Reading: For the reading portion of the class I alternate between having the students read articles from magazines or websites and having them read the first few chapters of the Hunger Games. For each reading the students have to complete a series of comprehension questions. Before every reading I write new vocabulary words on the board with their definitions.
Materials are sourced from books in the teacher room, the newspaper, and the internet.