What Do EFL Students Want to Do the Most in Class?

Most of us EFL teachers prepare for hours for our classes, especially at the beginning when we start teaching one level or another (advanced or elementary, for example). We worry about grammar-how much should we give our students? We worry about reading-how much and what do they want to read in English. And then finally-most of us-if we're good EFL teachers-ask the experts: our students.

And the most common answer of what students want to do in English? They want to talk. Discuss. Speak. Most students come to an EFL school to learn to speak English.

And that's very good news because enabling your students to speak and discuss things in English is the most fun thing you can do with your students. Almost anything can lead to a discussion. Here are several ways of getting students to speak:

1. Ask a student a question about his/her life, work, homeland, anything. When the student answers, ask who else feels the same, does the same, thinks the same-or has had the same experience as the first student?

2. Don't ask yes-and-no questions-because you'll most likely just get a yes or a no answer. Instead, ask open-ended questions that "force" students to use sentences or expressions. Ask why about something; ask how-did-that-happen type of questions.

3. Start with any other activity-reading an article; listening to a song in English; telling a short story about yourself-and turn it into a discussion.

4. You can even use grammar to stimulate a discussion. Here's how. Let's say you're going to teach the conditional form: I should have. Don't just hand out a sheet with exercises on it that have nothing to do with the lives of your students. Demonstrate the use of I should have in a sentence reflecting something about yourself that will intrigue the students, such as: "I should have stayed in bed today." Most likely, someone will ask you why. Then, ask students to pair up-if possible-and make up an expression using I should have with something that relates to their own lives Then practice the sentences out loud, correct any grammar-and then use of the sentences given by the students as a jumping off point for a discussion. A student of mine once said during this exercise, "I should have studied something else in the university." That led to a lot of discussion about what she would have rather studied-and why.

See what I mean? Anything can lead to a discussion in an EFL class-which is what students say they want. And if you don't believe me, ask them-which is a great way to start off a class chat.

Ilene Springer teaches EFL in Malta and is author of An-American-in-Malta.com.

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