Homework ideas

Here are some ideas of homework you can assign to students.

  1. Tried and true (but can be a little boring): Give them a GBC question. Make sure you give then a directive as well.
    • Eg:  What do you think of the Japanese healthcare system? Make sure you use "if" as many times as possible, as we practiced today.
  2. Give timed writing homework. This is really good for people with terrible grammar who get into dictionary worm holes.
    • ​Eg: Set a timer for 10 minutes. Write an answer (without stopping), then step away for at least 5 minutes. Come back and edit it for correctness. Send that homework. 
  3. Assign a discussion topic.
  4. Assign listening and listening/ writing homework. 
    • Eg: Listen to a TED talk and write a quick response to it. 
  5. Fluency homework: teach students about shadowing and assign some natural English. This channel is a good one: English speeches with big subtitles
    • Eg: Listen to this speech by Barak Obama and shadow it a few seconds at a time. 
  6. Pronunciation homework: talk to your smartphone and try to make it understand your pronuncaition. You can put this URL in the lesson record: https://youtu.be/1iSmWsO7eyQ?t=1m47s  as it has instructions for turning on Siri and then it has comedians failing so spectacularly that it should make any student feel better about themselves. 
    • Try to say "This that, and the other thing" into your phone. We'll check your pronunciation next lesson.  
  7. For GBC students who speak very slowly, type out their entire answer as they are saying it. Then practice with their language but using natural English rhythm and intonation. As a teacher, you should record a voice memo of the answer. 
    • Use the speaking homework option to say your GBC answer with more natural rhythem and intonation.