14th of September 2015 - reading along

This English lesson is easily told:

We held our good morning conversation and I told the class today's aim:

• They should read along the audio book.
• When they start feeling comfortable, they should start reading SOME WORDS like an echo...
• ... until they can read the WHOLE TEXT. 

I gave them an example by letting one of the audio books play over the stereo. I played three sentences first without saying a word. Then I started the text over again and I deliberately read the words AFTER hearing them just like an echo. With this "level 1" text, this is quite easy because there is enough time between the words so they could say one word and still hear the next one.

I handed out the MP3 players and was surprised how most of them already knew how to operate it. So in this lesson you could hear them humming their English texts in two rooms (I sent some of the class into the IF-room). I told them not to read it too loudly in order not to disturb their class mates. Some put on their earmuffs and had their earphones underneath them.

It was fascinating to walk through the class and listen to them reading. The pronunciation was really good. By the end of the lesson, some tried to read the text without the help of the audio book.

There were only a few that still didn't feel like reading out loud yet but they will get more time. The only problem is, that the class goes on a short camp Tuesday till Thursday so I couldn't ask them to read it at home because they already have enough homework till Friday. And from Friday till Monday I cannot give them homework neither. But I think, that I will tell them to read it voluntarily because it would be sooo good for them.

We didn't get to end the lesson properly because they had to take their camp luggage to the bus... So at the beginning of the next lesson, I asked them how they felt. Most had fun but some told me, that their ears were hurting. Some asked, if they could bring their own earphones next time and of course I said yes. I know that the ones from those 30.-- CHF MP3-players are not good at all...