855. Something wrong wasn't working...



One day teacher of English B said to teacher of English A, “In 2010, at this high of the academic year – In Spain the final exams are in mid-June - I was teaching private classes to a boy of some 15 or 16 years. One of the things I used to do in the classes was presenting some grammar form to him, so as he could understand it – for instance, the reported speech. In his school the teacher would set an exam mainly of grammar.

Alas, he hardly reached to understand anything of some rather high level, and we had to pass the exam in a few days!

I resolved to ask him to prepare himself some grammar point for the next day, both the grammatical theory and some realistic examples, I mean, examples and sentences that showed realistic aspects of his life using that grammar pattern.

I wanted he had to present the grammar point to me (in Spanish; the classes were mere reinforcement of grammar), and in this way he could find the points he didn’t understand, and also in this way I had him prepare a sound presentation of reported speech.

I found he studied and prepared the topics in a more outfitted way than ever before: he was no longer a passive listener that had to listen to my presentations, but he had become the actor of the presentation.

However, I’d tell you that students, in general, need you presenting and giving many examples of such and such specific grammar point. So you could combine your presenting such topic with having the students prepare the presentation themselves. You can see to it and decide together with your students.” / Photo from: jimhillmedia com. a scene of a short animation movie by disney pixar     

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