Using Pair Activities To Keep Students Active in Learning English

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Ayu Pertiwi October 19, 2012 15:56

Hi, sofia.

It means that pair activities will keep students active as long as they are serious to achieve the goal, doesn't it?

Thanks for your opinion.
Oriani October 17, 2012 23:18

So, we as teachers have to keep monitoring our students' work. I NEVER leave them alone. I let them think but I am always going to a chair to another so that they can focus on what they're doing =)
Ayu Pertiwi > Oriani October 19, 2012 15:57

I agree with you Oriani. Never leave them alone because they will make any chaos :))

Thanks.

Oriani October 17, 2012 18:32

Hi dear.

Well, I always use pair work with my students in class. I usually asked them to complete sentences in pair, to fill and complete any dialog and the performance it so that they can do some oral practice. However, we must be careful in having our students working together in class because they misbehave, there might be a chaos or they may have the chance to talk and catch up about everything instead of English.

Ayu Pertiwi > Oriani October 19, 2012 15:54

Hi, Oriani.

You are right. Some of students (included me sometimes) did a chaos, such as talking out of the topic. hehehe... That's might be one of the weakness of pair activities.

Thanks for your comment :)

TK Chan October 17, 2012 14:20

Hello my dear pen pal!

What do you think about using pair activities to keep students active in learning English?

Honestly, two people learn better than alone if they have the similar goal. They always encourage one another to learn English. For example, when one is stuck with any English grammar, then the other one could help him/her out. The worst part both of them do not understand a particular grammar, then they will go ask their teacher altogether. What an encouraging learning pair method! =)

What kinds of activity you can apply in pair when you teach or learn English?

In fact, a pair can be assigned with a particular question or questions. For example, what does marriage mean to you? Both discuss about it for a certain length of time, and then wait to be called by their teacher or raise their hands voluntarily. So one of them would be able to share about the written down information to their class and teacher. =)

What are the strengths and weaknesses of using pair activities?

Let me tell you the truth, the strengths are plenty such as an opportunity to build team work skills, interpersonal skills, friendships, mutual encouragement, conflict resolutions skills, learn from each other, prepare for their future jobs(e.g. people skills), etc.

Conversely, the only weakness that I see is those who do not understand the connotation of pair activities due to some reasons. Hence, they do not care about their partners.

Thank you for asking me! =)

TK

Ayu Pertiwi > TK Chan October 19, 2012 15:51

Hi TK,

thanks bunch for your answer, it really helps me full ^_^
TK Chan > TK Chan October 17, 2012 21:10

Postscript: Students have the same goal in pair activities are most important. =) Without such goal, they will just chitchat, chitchat, chitchat like the old TK. =)>

Zahra October 17, 2012 10:03

When teaching a dialog in the class, after reading it to the class several times yourself, then you can ask students to work in pairs to master the dialog and then retell it to the class. When teaching questions, for example, WH words, after giving the class some examples, you can ask them to make questions of their own and ask from their fellow interchangeably. You can show how to work in pairs by first picking a student to work with you.

But in completing exercises of the book in the class, I won't ask them to do them in groups or pairs, since it makes a chaos. More importantly, each individual won't master the material by themselves; smarter ones would complete everything so soon and instead of everyone, so others won't learn fully.

In letting students practice with their partners, you should specify a limited time in order not to waste the time of class. You can make a competition, too, sometimes. You may consider positive points for those who can sooner finish the action. But do it sometimes, not always, so that everyone in the class stays active and practices.

To do writings, everyone should do it by themselves. No group work while writing. But, after they are done with writing, you can ask them to correct one another, and then collect papers. But avoid calling them to tell the whole class what mistakes their friend had in the writing assignment; it makes the one who made mistakes disappointed and embarrassed.

In speaking and vocab, it is really needed to ask them work in groups. You can give them some topics and ask them to brainstorm in groups of two or three. But supervise them to make sure everyone in the group is participating. Shy students should learn to participate!

Anyway, thanks for the good topic.

Have a nice time.

:)

Ayu Pertiwi > Zahra October 19, 2012 12:44

Thanks for you opinion ^_^

It can help me to determine which material is good for pair activities. But, how to give score for each student in pairs? Will they have similar score or not?

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Using Pair Activities To Keep Students Active in Learning English

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