As indicated by my last entry, things have not seemed to go well in my classes since the Mid-term. I learned yesterday that students, at least in my conversation classes, come to English Conversation thinking they will be able to relax and learn English in fun ways rather than have to learn grammar or have to sit through a difficult conversation.
I find myself feeling as if I am between a rock and a hard place. I hear the administration wanting students to speak English well and requiring English conversation and the students struggling to endure through an English Conversation class. This leaves me feeling almost sick to my stomach as I also try to sympathize with my students who seem to have almost unrealistic expectations. First, students tell me they want to talk. Then, when I give them opportunities to talk, they complain because the conversation is too difficult or because the activities are too boring. Then they expect the class to be fun in a way that relieves them of the pressure they feel in their other classes.
I feel like I have a better handle on all of this after talking with students yesterday that were in one or both of my conversation classes who said that they are stressed out from all the work they have to do to prepare for their tests in their other classes which are mainly to prepare them for THE teaching test they have to pass in order to become teachers of students with special needs.
I think that one of the students made a valid point about the environment of the classroom not being conducive to creating natural conversation. I think I may start with a simple conversation and see how far I can get with students and try to find some kind of a game to support what they are learning.
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