It is a pretty great game, I have to say. It is great for teaching comparatives and superlatives to students of, in my opinion, any age. You can read the description on the MES English website for more detailed information. I'm not here to explain the game--I'm going to talk about how this game sets a particular group of sullen eighth graders on fire.
I lie; these kids aren't properly described as sullen. They've just had it with school. That's all. We all know (or have been) the type. However, given that getting kids jazzed up for learning English is one of the few specifics in the JET ALT job description, these students are a particular challenge for the ALT who is determined to fulfull the role. They are the sort of students who just make you want to give up and do worksheets for the rest of the year. However, I resist that for three reasons:
(1) There are a few students stuck in the class who are highly motivated, talented, and attentive. They deserve a great classroom experience even though they will do whatever dumb work that is assigned to them.
(2) I hate worksheets and have sworn to never make them unless instructed to do so by the JTE, in which case I frown a lot and slouch unprofessionally at my desk. I like talking/listening activities because I figure they can do reading and writing without a native English speaker.
(3) The 'bad kids' are usually barrels of gunpowder. If you find something that catches their attention, you've got a better party on your hands than you could ever have with the attentive students. How could one pass this up?
So, on to the beginning of this week's tale:
ALT stands for Assistant Language Teacher. Typically, you play a support role for the JTE (Japanese Teacher of English) by coming up with games and activities, speaking like an instructional recording, and being unqualified yet authoritative about matters of English. Usually you adhere to the plan established by the JTE and fill in where you are asked to. However, every once in a while I am asked to run classes alone. The first time I did this was with the particular class of students I am talking about today. It was some time ago.
In short, that class didn't go so well. The students weren't out of control, but many of them simply didn't even look at the worksheet that the teacher had instructed me to give them. Instead they just talked the whole time. Then, when I collected the worksheets at the end of class, many of the moderately good students (who would normally have done the worksheet in the presence of the JTE) started scrambling to finish what they could before I took up the papers. The tough guys/comedians in their corner still didn't move much-- no loss there, really. Anyway, the class wasn't horrific, but it did seem like a waste of time for everyone.
This week, I once again had to teach that class (and several others) solo. I was determined (well, as determined as I get...) to do things differently-- that is, not use a worksheet-- and make that particular class a success. Fortunately, when I arrived at the school on the first day of the week, I found that the JTE was out and had left me NO PLAN-- no worksheet, no hindrance, no specific goals. Sweet. I clicked around on the internet and discovered Eigomon, prepared the cards, and conceived a game. Immaculately.
To be continued...
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