The Past Tenses - Past Continuous - Structure and Usages

Unit 20 ? Troubleshooting Summary In this chapter we have ? talked about the problem of teaching mixed-ability classes, suggesting either different material, different tasks, ignoring the problem or using the students themselves as ways of dealing with it. ? discussed the issue of large classes, suggesting ways of coping with them, such as using worksheets, using pairwork and groupwork, using chorus reaction, using group leaders, thinking about vision and acoustics and using the size of the group to your advantage. ? looked at solutions to the problem of students using their own language when we want them to be using English. We suggested talking to students about the issue, encouraging them to use English appropriately, only responding to English use, creating an English environment and continuing to remind them of the issue. ? studied the issue of uncooperative students, suggesting that where there is trouble, we have to deal with the behaviour rather than criticising the students themselves. We stressed the need for even-handedness and showed how we need to move on from the offending behaviour using any means of communication and, where appropriate, enlisting the help of others. We suggested a language-learning contract as a way of pre-empting behaviour problems. ? faced the problem of students who are reluctant to speak. Possible solutions included using pairwork, allowing students to speak in a controlled way first, using acting out and reading aloud, and using role-play. ? listed solutions for situations where students are having real trouble with listening material. Among many alternatives, we can give them interview questions before they listen (again), give them different bits of the listening text in a ?jigsaw? activity, concentrate on one simple listening task only, only play the (first) bit of the recording, use the audioscript in a variety of ways and, finally, get students to predict listening content by giving them key vocabulary. ? suggested that teachers should always have some spare activities ?up their sleeve? for situations where some groups finish long before others