How to make my college students understand English...
@mendoza_charissa (41)
Philippines
January 13, 2009 5:23am CST
I teach part time in a college, nursing and medical technology students. English is not our primary language, but everything's been taught in English since time memorial. The problem now is that my students fail in exams now matter how spoon-fed they are with their lessons. Tracing where it went wrong, I find out that these college students don't even understand basic English. I tried asking some of the students, and from what they tell me, their difficulty started since grade school. Their foundation in English (reading, speaking, and writing) is very weak. It may be said that the solution is to discuss the all lessons in our native language. But we can't do that because all of their academic books, reviewers, handouts, everything, even the board exam is in English. I don't want to fail my students, but I don't think I can teach them basic English. It would take months, even years for them to learn. What do you think? Is there anything that can be done about this?
2 people like this
3 responses
@Bebs08 (10681)
• United States
14 Jan 09
That is why it is very important to have best Elementary school teachers. I hate to hear people saying, I will just take Education course because it is not as hard as nursing or engineeering or accounting. that is not suppose to be. Teachers specially in the elementary school should be the best teachers because they are the ones laying the foundation of all students. And students also should cooperate, they should not be lazy to study and learn.
About your case now? you can advice your students to have a private tutor if you will not do it yourself to them. Or if they they don't strive to learn, you should fail them. It is not good to let these college students pass with nothing in thei' heads. It will lower the standard of professionals. There are many who earned degree but they don;t know anything. And this is not solely their fault, the teachers contributed a lot too. So, better fail them if they don't strive to learn and study. That is just my opinion.
@mendoza_charissa (41)
• Philippines
17 Jan 09
hello there bebs, i think what you're saying is true. my students just get too complacent on their studies. i'm new in this field of teaching, so i guess i was just getting too idealistic with how i handle my students. but alas, reality is starting to crash down on me. i appreciate your opinion, and thanks for responding ^_^
@oyenkai (4394)
• Philippines
14 Jan 09
First my answer to the underlying question that I feel is implied: fail them if they can't pass your tests. It's how the system works, no matter how flawed it is. And you would only be making it worse for the system if you perpetuate the "I'll let this guy pass, let the next teacher take care of him and teach him what he didn't learn from me" - that's actually why they passed high school.
Then for an alternative solution - you can force them to learn by themselves. They're students and they should be studying. I've been a student and I know how much time we have to study - that's why we don't have the same schedule as high school students who spend their whole days in school and only have time for homework when they get home.
Forcing them to learn by themselves would mean threatening their grades. And showing them how - but not actually tutoring them (well at least not for free, if you're actually willing to tutor them). Direct them to the right books that would help them learn. And make them realize how important it is for their career that they learn english.
