teaching esl middle school using stories

Firstly, make sure the stories have a clear moral or lesson. Middle school students are at an age where they can start to understand deeper meanings. You can then have group discussions based on the story's moral. For instance, if the story is about kindness, discuss how kindness can be shown in different situations. Additionally, get the students involved in creating their own stories based on the ones they've read. This promotes creativity and further language development.

One effective method is to choose stories that are relevant to the students' interests. For example, if they like sports, use a story about an athlete. This grabs their attention. Another is to use pictures or props related to the story. It helps visual learners better understand the plot and new vocabulary.

It makes learning more interesting. Students are more likely to be engaged when there are stories.

Stories are full of descriptive language which is rich in vocabulary. Teachers can encourage students to make a vocabulary list while reading the story. Then, have them use those new words in their own short writing pieces related to the story. For example, if the story is about a magical forest, students can write about what they would do if they visited that forest, using the new words they learned. This helps in both vocabulary acquisition and application.

They are cost - free. Teachers can save money on teaching materials. Also, they can be easily printed and distributed to students, which is very convenient.

They make learning more engaging. Students often find graphic novels more interesting than traditional textbooks. For example, the visual elements in 'Maus' help students better understand the complex and harrowing events of the Holocaust.

Well, there are horror stories about cultural misunderstandings. For instance, the teaching style that might work well in Western countries could be completely misinterpreted in Korea. Teachers might be too direct or casual in their teaching approach according to the local standards, and this can lead to conflicts with students or parents. Also, some teachers have horror stories about the long working hours. They might be expected to work extra hours without proper compensation, like staying late to help students with exams or prepare teaching materials.

There was a middle school teacher who had a student with a learning disability. Most teachers thought this student couldn't keep up. But this teacher decided to spend extra time after school with the student, using different teaching methods. He used visual aids, hands - on activities, and real - life examples. After a while, the student started to improve significantly. This story shows that every student has potential and a dedicated teacher can unlock it.

One of the best teaching stories I know is about a middle school math teacher. He noticed a student who was really struggling with math concepts. Instead of just giving lectures, he started using real - life examples like calculating the area of a basketball court for a school project. This made the student much more interested and his grades improved.

One challenge is getting students interested. Middle - schoolers can be easily distracted. So, it needs creative teaching methods to engage them. For example, if the traditional way of just lecturing on story elements doesn't work well.