17/11/2010 was certainly a day to celebrate for 3A! It was our first ever English-only day!!
As the name suggests, we were trying to speak only English for the whole day (including recess, lunch-time and even CCA periods!!) The aims were to:
1. create an English-speaking environment for the students.
2. make students think, speak and dream in English.
3. increase students' self-discipline in taking responsibility for their own studies.
4. unite the class.
Other than dreaming in English, I think all aims were achieved. Of course, I understood that it was a tough day for all the students, and it made it even worse that 10 students had to be punished for speaking Chinese. But I truly believe that this is a necessary step if students in 3A are to become more confident in speaking English.
The reaction from other people was fantastic. Our librarian, Mrs Kate Gale told me how happy she was to hear students speaking English to each other while they were lining up outside the library. She said that our class was a true role-model for all other classes. Other English teachers were also impressed by our English-only day and complemented the English level of our students. Finally, the best thing that I observed was that students from other classes also spoke English to our students (at least when I walked past).
Change is always painful at the start, but if we are strong enough to get through it, I am very sure that we will see some fabulous results. If we can all work towards this common goal, not only will our class be more united, but we will also improve our English together.
Look forward to the next English-only day!
I think this day was really a tough day, but I sure that if we keep on this activity, we can speak fluent English next year.
ReplyDeleteI do like this activity a lot(although I was the one who has been punished~~)I think it can be a really be a good chance for us to improve our English.
ReplyDeleteJust a little comman: I think the rule of specking English shall be relax in the Science lesson cause we may have experience and we may speak chinese for some important moment.
I think it is a good way to train our English,discipline and confidence in speaking English,I has been punished though. Look forward to the next English-only day and hope that I will not speak Cantonese accidentally again during this activity.
ReplyDeleteStephanie
To be honest, at this moment, I really can't be able to dream in English. However, on that day, I did tell myself that I must speak in English in every minute. It was really difficult for me but my classmates and I still passed through it at last. I hope there will be no names on the "black list" one day :)
ReplyDelete