Comments on: How to be a Judge http://owendennis.com/blog/archives/1093 What I'm doing, where I am, and what I'm seeing. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:30:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Lane http://owendennis.com/blog/archives/1093#comment-294 Lane Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:47:33 +0000 http://owendennis.com/blog/?p=1093#comment-294 Owen, you floored me with this brilliant little phrase: "I’m sure the glass ceiling here resembles a coffee table." Owen, you floored me with this brilliant little phrase: “I’m sure the glass ceiling here resembles a coffee table.”

]]> By: Wei http://owendennis.com/blog/archives/1093#comment-230 Wei Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:12:21 +0000 http://owendennis.com/blog/?p=1093#comment-230 Haha~ when I saw the pictures about the students studying in almost every corner in the school, it reminds me of the days when I was in high school. Exactly the same~ By the way, if you wanna know how to say something in Chinese, you may find someone who is younger nearby and maybe they speak a little bit English... French fries are called" shu tiao" ~~ Seems that you've learnt really a lot and experienced a looootttttt of differences~!! Wish everything will be fine~! Take care of yourself~ Haha~ when I saw the pictures about the students studying in almost every corner in the school, it reminds me of the days when I was in high school. Exactly the same~ By the way, if you wanna know how to say something in Chinese, you may find someone who is younger nearby and maybe they speak a little bit English… French fries are called” shu tiao” ~~ Seems that you’ve learnt really a lot and experienced a looootttttt of differences~!! Wish everything will be fine~! Take care of yourself~

]]> By: Barbara Dennis http://owendennis.com/blog/archives/1093#comment-153 Barbara Dennis Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:08:15 +0000 http://owendennis.com/blog/?p=1093#comment-153 When the students don't have confidence in addressing a group, remind them that their audience doesn't know exactly what they are going to say so if they make a mistake, the listeners won't even know it! (I wonder if that is valid in China where everything is scripted, but it sure seemed to help US students) GB When the students don’t have confidence in addressing a group, remind them that their audience doesn’t know exactly what they are going to say so if they make a mistake, the listeners won’t even know it! (I wonder if that is valid in China where everything is scripted, but it sure seemed to help US students)
GB

]]> By: Owen http://owendennis.com/blog/archives/1093#comment-152 Owen Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:33:50 +0000 http://owendennis.com/blog/?p=1093#comment-152 I've pulled that one dozens of times. It usually works for a couple of minutes and usually only on the kids who are the most advanced in the class. The goal is to try and get the rest of them to speak up as well. It has gotten some kids to nervously come see me in my office however. Usually in pairs (because they can't do anything alone). Humor and "It's not me saying this, it's a character I'm playing" are the top two ways to get them to talk. My most successful classes have been a perfect merging of the two (zombie lesson, asteroid lesson and to a lesser extent the ghost lesson). Now that I've started to try to get them to talk about serious and more profound things (What is a lie?) they immediately shut their mouths. I’ve pulled that one dozens of times. It usually works for a couple of minutes and usually only on the kids who are the most advanced in the class. The goal is to try and get the rest of them to speak up as well. It has gotten some kids to nervously come see me in my office however. Usually in pairs (because they can’t do anything alone).

Humor and “It’s not me saying this, it’s a character I’m playing” are the top two ways to get them to talk. My most successful classes have been a perfect merging of the two (zombie lesson, asteroid lesson and to a lesser extent the ghost lesson). Now that I’ve started to try to get them to talk about serious and more profound things (What is a lie?) they immediately shut their mouths.

]]> By: Son-o-Tassadar http://owendennis.com/blog/archives/1093#comment-151 Son-o-Tassadar Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:19:37 +0000 http://owendennis.com/blog/?p=1093#comment-151 You should use those examples of peoples' shyness to get them to open up in class. Say like "I had one girl who was afraid to say that the chairman wasn't a good speaker". If their reaction isn't obvious, ask them questions. If it it, and they all are agreeing that it's not good to say such things, I'd yell at them in a funny way. "I DON'T CARE! For crying out loud, have an opinion!" Let them know it's as important to you that they have an opinion as it is that they learn English in your class. You should use those examples of peoples’ shyness to get them to open up in class. Say like “I had one girl who was afraid to say that the chairman wasn’t a good speaker”. If their reaction isn’t obvious, ask them questions. If it it, and they all are agreeing that it’s not good to say such things, I’d yell at them in a funny way. “I DON’T CARE! For crying out loud, have an opinion!” Let them know it’s as important to you that they have an opinion as it is that they learn English in your class.

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