No Chinese, English Only?

1. No Chinese, English Only? Shih-yin (Stella) Hsu (許世英) teesssh @mail.nkmu.edu.tw National Kaohsiung Marine University

2. Presentation Overview • Introduction • Common Problems of EFL Instruction at a University of Technology • Why, How and What to Do to Prepare and Help Students in English Only Class • Conclusion

3. Common Problems of Teaching EFL at a University of Technology 1. Students’motivation is low. 2. They never or seldom use English in their Daily lives. 3. They do not have English independent learning habit. They study English for a test. 4. More than 50 students meet once a week for less than 100 minutes. 5. They do not have enough exposure to the target Language.

4. No Chinese, English Only in your Class? • Possible? Impossible? • Right? Or Wrong? • How can we do to make it possible and make it right?

5. Preparing Students for Using Only English in Class (1/1) It is important to add that the number one rule is: Everybody speaks only English.

6. Preparing Students for Using Only English in Class (1/2) The preparation to Using Only English in class should involve “the Why and the How…”

7. Why the Teacher will be speaking only English in class • Explain to students that the Teacher will not be speaking Chinese: • To learn their mother tongue, parents spoke to them using the mother tongue • To help them learn English, the teacher will be speaking to them using English

8. How students can understand from the start • Students will all be able to understand English because… • The teacher will use PowerPoint, pictures, lots of gestures, writing down words on the board • Students will need to look at the teacher to see PowerPoint, pictures, gestures, words written down on the board

9. Why the Students should not use Chinese during English class • Explain that students are not to use Chinese during English class: • Ask students if they think speaking Chinese during the English class is a good way to learn English?

10. How students can avoid using Chinese during English class (1/3) • Suggest them how they can avoid using Chinese by as follows: • Point • Show things • Mime • Use gestures • Repeat words the teacher says

11. How students can avoid using Chinese during English class (2/3) • Add that: • They will learn words and develop ways to communicate in English • They don’t have to be perfect, they only need to try • They should use words they know and gestures for the rest

12. How students can avoid using Chinese during English class (3/3) • They should try to form short messages (one, two, three words) • When they don’t know the word they are looking for, they can mime or point to the object, and the teacher or a classmate will help • Tell students that • “Everybody is in the same boat • We will all help each other speak English”

13. Why Learn English? • Real stories from a student of NKHC: • At Singapore customs • At Tesco Supermarket in Tainan

14. Effective Learning Strategies • It is important to help Students Develop Effective Strategies in Using and Learning English.

15. Speaking Strategies • To lower anxieties, take risks, build up confidencein using the L2,make friends with people of the L2, ask questions, answer questions, purposely seek the opportunities for social interaction in and outside the classroom (Oxford 1990).

16. Listening Strategies • During listening, look at PowerPoint, pictures or the speaker’s facial expressions and gestures • Guess and predict what will happen or what the speaker will say. • Make the best guess if do not understand • Askthe speaker questions to understand more.

17. Listening Strategies • In listening, the listener does not have to understand every word, but need to try to form a main ideafrom the key words they understand.

18. Listening Strategies • After listening, responding makes more interactive listeners. By using successful listening strategies—predicting, inferring, clarifying, and responding, they will become more confident and more ‘fluent listener’ (Robbins and MacNeill 2001).

19. Course Design • 100 minutes: Integrate Toastmasters Into Students’ Time

20. Introduction of Toastmasters International (1/3) • Toastmasters International • A non-profit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide • Purpose: Helping members improve such skills as communication, public speaking and leadership.

21. Introduction of Toastmasters International (2/3) • A member of Toastmasters International Club • 1980~1990 • 1985~June 1986: President of the Club • I would like to apply what I learned from this club into my teaching career.

22. Introduction of Toastmasters International (3/3) • In order to help them • to overcome stage fright • to be confident on the stage • they can speak with a partner instead of speaking alone. • In doing so, they can help each other make a better speech.

23. Introduction of Toastmasters International (1/4) • Through Toastmasters program students have to learn to • overcome stage fright • build up confidence to speak in front of their teacher and classmates as • joke-tellers • story-tellers • prepared speakers • impromptu speakers • a host of the meeting • PowerPoint presenters

24. Learning through Speeches and Role Play • Learning through Making Speeches • Good speech ≒ good writing • learn to organize their speech like essay. • learn to use gestures, and improve intonation and pronunciation • Learning through Group Role Play or Singing • to enhance their oral skills, group role play and singing are often used to integrate into the English only class as well.

25. Contests for Outstanding Students (1/2) • Encourage outstanding students to participate in such competitions on and off campus • English Song contest • English PPT Presentation contest • English Speech contest • English Story-telling contest • English DJ contest

26. Contests for Outstanding Students (2/2) • These outstanding students who won prizes on and off campus gained much more confidence and interest in English learning, especially in English speaking. • They will become good models for other students.

27. Debate Workshops at Wenzao • 1. A debate workshop in the winter vacation • 2. An International Debate Contest

28. Four Language Skills in Exams • Mid-term and final exams include four language skills, especially oral/aural skills.

29. Questions for Students • 1. What do you think of using only English in class? • 2. What do you expect to learn from the English class ? • Students were asked to answer these questions in English by email after the first day of the English class.

30. Students’ Comments on Using Only English in Class I was so scared. I could not understand what you said in the class sometimes. I could only understand about 40% in the first class. So, it's a big challenge for me. However, I will study English hard. I think using only English in class will improve my English communication skill with other people, and it make me get used to talking to others fluently.

31. I think it's a special experience for me to learn English without Chinese. Since I got into junior high school, I had never learned English without Chinese. But I think it may be a good idea and method to improve our English ability. I would love to learn English in this teaching method because I will study abroad. It can be a chance for me to improve my communication skills in English. And I can improve my writing skill by writing summaries.

32. I think using English only in class is a good way to improve our listening, and even speaking skills. But, my new classmates, who come from the class of A2, told me that they couldn't understand what you were talking about easily. So I think whether you can use Chinese sometimes or not. I wish that I can get higher scores in TOEIC!! I like this rule that we need to use English only in class. I also like the students’ time. In the students’ time I can learn to give a speech which is the most interesting thing for me to try. It is very new to me. This semester, English class can be a lot of fun. Thank you.

33. In my opinion, using English only in class is great because I am not good at listening. And it can also improve our speaking ability. In fact, I was dreaming of having an English only class. Nowadays, the world is like a global village. What position we are going to obtain in our career often depends on our English ability. So, I think using English only in class is a good idea.

34. I want to learn more about the English grammar and also foreign customs. I want to develop speaking skills in the special students’ time and by reading English aloud out of class. I hope I can speak English like an American. By this way, I can practice speaking English more often than before. I can also have the courage to speak English. The idea of student‘s time is also great. It can help us to learn about theleadership.

35. My Learning Experience in College (1/2) • Tell these students who are struggling to adjust to using only English in class my learning experience in college. I was very scared, too.

36. My Learning Experience in College (2/2) • I will tell them how I did in college: • Preview lessons before the class • Listen to studio classroom in the early morning • AttendEnglish Clubs (on campus, Taichung YMCA), English Drama Club, and English Bible Class

37. Not Enough Exposure to the Target Language • Even though there are many different activities in class, such an English course still does not offer enough exposure to the target language.

38. The Importance of English Independent Learning • Guide students to develop language independent learning and language use for communication in their lives outside the classroom.

39. Out-of-Class Assignments and Activities (1/2) • Students should do a lot of out-of-class assignments and activities, as follows: • (a) Listen to the textbook CD and read it aloud every day • 1. practice several times • 2. record their reading aloud (send by e-mails or upload to my Website.) • (b) Write a paragraph (at least 120 words) of summaries each from the textbook and each from outside reading every week.

40. Out-of-Class Assignments and Activities (2/2) • (c) Use English to write e-mails or chat with their teacher, partnersor keypals from abroad through communication technology tools (such as Skype or MSN) every week. • Write at least two e-mails in English every week • Or choose to talk to at least five international people online • Write a report regarding their experience socially interacting with others across cultures • Upload them to my Web site • (d) Every week they should do at least one TOEIC sample test from the English Language Center Web site. Their scores are recorded on computer. I will collect their writing assignments and test records as part of their portfolios for assessment.

41. Why is it important for EFL teachers? • The Importance of • Out-of-Class Assignments and Activities • Technology(especially Computer-Mediated Communication Tools ) • To build language learning environments • To help students to develop integrated language skills, especially oral language skills • English independent learning

42. Collaborative Research Projects • Robert E. Beasley, Ph.D. • Professor of Franklin College • Inseok Kim • Dongduk Women’s University

43. Improvements in Language Skills through Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) Interactions • In the questionnaire, 92% of the participants enjoyed the project overall and were optimistic in terms of improving four traditional language skills, especially their listening and speaking skills. • The participants claimed that CMC interactions proved to be a highly effective way of gaining valuable practice in language skills. A number of comments germane to improved language skills are found as follows:

44. Comments on CMC Interactions I think it is crucial to take risks to learn to communicate with people through Skype or MSN. My language skills have improved a lot, especially in both listening and speaking skills by talking with my international key pals through Skype. I still remembered that when I wrote my first e-mail in English. I was so worried my spelling, my grammar and my vocabulary. Now I am much confident in writing e-mail. My written content in e-mail exchange is much better than the content at the beginning of the project. So I think my written English has become better.

45. I have become interested and confident in speaking English because I frequently talk with my international keypals from such countries as the USA, Korea, Brazil, Singapore and Malaysia. My international key pals from non-English-speaking countries were also eager to practice their spoken English. We often discussed perceptions of ourselves and others and political and environmental issues. I have tried to make my English as clear as possible so that my key pals can understand me. I believe practice makes perfect. We can progress English speaking skills by practicing speaking. My English seemingly improved a great deal after trying to communicate with international key pals.

46. From communicating with international keypals, I learned and used a lot of new vocabulary and improved my speaking skills. When I encountered the words I did not know, I could ask them how I could say them in English. Through this way, I have acquired a lot of new English words and learned how to communicate with people in English. Through this project, I have found out that there were a lot of similarities and differences among cultures. With the help of CMC tools I learned to communicate with people from different countries, I acquired many different things. It was much better than reading from books or from English courses and was an effective way of learning and using English.

47. Before I needed to think in Chinese first and then translated Chinese into English in my brain, but now I have learned to think in English when I speak/write English. So now I can speak/write English more fluently and confidently. I have become interested and confident in speaking English. I think it is a wonderful experience to use English to engage in authentic communication with native speakers or people from abroad. It is an excellent feeling that my international key pals can understand my English.

48. Conclusion (1/3) • Using English only in class • Using English only in class + Using English outside the class • Students working in pairs • Different activities in and out of class

49. Conclusion (2/3) • Develop students’ Multiple Intelligences • Taking responsibility for learning (learner autonomy) • Speaking confidence and Interest. Hence, your students will be motivated, hardworking, and interested in English learning and use.

50. Conclusion (3/3) • Using English only in Class? • Possible! • Absolutely! • No doubt about it!