I love to teach using the Smith’s School of English here at my Smith’s school in Ikoma. It develops beautifully, hits the real English that students need, and is designed to be easy to implement. And sometimes, near the end of the lesson, we have a few moments for some relaxed conversation after we have practiced the main content of the lesson.
When we speak informally like this, I can really get to know the student’s real English. Practice is one thing, but what they really speak like informally is a close indication of their real English. these are also the points when the extra phrase or turn of speach comes up. English, being the rich language that it is, could never be contained by any curriculum. And during these informal talks, the extra little bits pop out. Things like the party a student went to that was attended by ‘almost women’. Its amusing now, and even at the time, but it could embarrass the student outside the classroom.
It is easy to address the issue right there, but the student sometimes forgets to make a note of it since it is near the end of class. What can we do in this case? Of course, we can make a note of it ourselves, and review it in the next lesson, but it might be nice if they could review it themselves, later when they get home.
I thought a nice short story could help. When I say short, I really mean short. Rather the length of a literary vignette. One paragraph, or two at the most. I can often write a short story like this in about five minutes. Pass through once to check that the grammar is at the right level. And that the word or expression is used well and clearly. Done.
Now you have a story that can be used by that student if they want a bit of extra study material. You can write it or print it, and let the student have a copy. Plus, you can keep it in a file, and the next time you need it… there it is. Grow your intelletual capital as you go. You might be surprised how fast it grows when you are not really paying attention to it.
Have fun making ‘mini stories’ to help teach points that are not so common. Japanese students love what they call ‘mame chishiki’.
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