"Teaching Dialogue" with my students

So many of my students have asked me this question:

How can I learn/study English very well?

I actually do not answer this question right away, but ask them a question myself instead...

Before I answer your question, I want to ask you this question...

"What is something you are very good at or something you can do very well...like playing a certain sport, cooking, doing laundry, playing the guitar, etc.?"

So, some students have chosen playing football (aka soccer), playing the guitar, and drawing just to name a few.  Once they've decided on the one thing they are very good at, then I ask them...

"The very first time you played football, guitar, or drew....were you very good, so so, or not very good?"

Most of the time my students would reply...

"So, so or not very good."

"Ok, now the second time you played football, guitar, or drew...a little bit better...yes or no (as I use my thumb from the down position and slightly go up a little bit)?"

My students nod their heads...yes.

"Yes? Ok, now the third time...a little bit better?"

"Yes, ok...now fourth, fifth, sixth, etc.?"

"Always a little bit better each time right?"

"Now, do you practice football, guitar, or draw every day?"

Most of my students replied...

"Yes, everyday"...while some said..."Sometimes a few times a week"...

"Ok, good...NOW...do practice English every day?"

My students sat quietly as their faces turned red, hit a moment of AWE/REALIZATION and laughed.

I smiled very big at them and responded...

“OH, you see...there...you need to practice English like you practice a sport/draw/etc....always trying to improve yourself.  If you put the same amount of time you do playing football into learning English...I'm pretty sure you will learn English very well.”

So then I tell them my 3 steps to learning/studying English very well:

Step #1

Practice

Step #2

Practice

Step #3

More practice

Then I SMILE. =)

But in order to practice well...you must overcome these 3 things that I see Lao students struggle with:

#1

Being shy, you cannot be shy when learning any kind of language especially if you want to improve your speaking ability...you cannot just sit there and be quiet...it doesn't work that way...

#2

Being afraid to make mistakes and asking questions...if you do not make mistakes or ask questions, it only means you already know the knowledge and understand it or you are not challenged enough....the GREATEST LEARNING COMES FROM MAKING MISTAKES and ASKING QUESTIONS...you learn best when you make mistakes because you remember them and know not to do the same mistakes again...I mean even Teacher John makes mistakes all the time...make "making mistakes" a learning opportunity...and by asking questions...you get to clarify your understanding and find insightful knowledge...

#3

Being confident in yourself...many Lao students do not believe in themselves and their true potential...you are your own Master of Will as I stated in one my poems...you have to believe in yourself to do anything...saying, "Yes, I can learn English" instead of saying, "Teacher, I cannot learn English very well" because negative thinking only leads you to negative results...you have to think positively...YES, I CAN...this is the MOST IMPORTANT challenge I believe Lao students must overcome to be a successful English speaker!

Once you've learned to overcome these challenges...I TRULY BELIEVE YOU will learn/study English better than before!

If you know you are not learning English very well, understand why you are not learning English very well...identify your problem, understand it, and make a change...the teacher cannot change it...only you, yourself can...it has to come from within you first...then the teacher teach and facilitate the learning process with you.  This is how the learning experience begins and your confidence will only increase with each and every learning experience you put yourself into.

My philosophy is not to tell the answers to my students right away, but to facilitate and cultivate their curiosity to make them own their learning experience.  Take them step by step...in this case through a series of questions to allow them to understand the meaning of learning English very well and how to learn English very well.