How to … run a successful English Club

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How to … run a successful English Club

This is based on Interclub, an English club in Radom run by Małgorzata Zdybiewska and Danuta Gocławska who share their experience with you here and give illustrations from its activities What is an English Club? An English Club is a place/forum/organisation where students learning English as a foreign language are offered a chance to use English in an interactive, personal and communicative way. What is its fundamental aim? An English club aims to promote genuine communication and develop the learner’s communicative and cultural competence, thus making it a valuable addition to the more systematic and theoretical teaching that takes place at schools. Who is it for? The Club should be open to anybody willing to speak English and participate in the club activities. The members may be recruited from among the students attending language courses in both state and private schools. Why should I include it in our busy schedule? An English Club is extremely beneficial to both students and teachers. It provides an exciting and unique opportunity for the student to explore aspects of their personality in a legitimate and safe atmosphere while building on the focus of their learning process. For the teacher it’s a chance to shed much of the heavy baggage a teacher/student relationship can hold without losing sight of the focus of learning. As an alternative to a language classroom environment where the teaching of English is mostly limited to the manipulation of grammatical forms the English Club offers an opportunity to broaden cultural and language horizons. And, above all, the Club is ‘fun’. How often does an English Club take place? The frequency of Club meetings and ‘Events’ obviously depends on organisational factors such as willingness, time and space availability etc. Having said that it is important to note that although ‘events’ taken in isolation are beneficial, the full benefits of the Club lie in its continuity. Regular meetings of diverse, exciting ‘events’ within a constant structure at a regular time and, if possible, a regular place lends the Club an ‘identity’ that binds the students and teachers to the experience. It also makes the Club more manageable for everyone involved. A simple example might have the ‘Events’ being held once a month in a designated space (other than a classroom if at all possible) and advertised on a school board, school newsletter or the Internet. (Advertising is one example where the Club could offer interested participants an opportunity to involve themselves in its running.) What makes up an English Club ‘Event’? An English ‘Event’ is made up of three stages: A Preparatory Session A Club ‘Event’ A Follow-up The Preparatory Session Here the teachers and learners decide upon the form of the meeting and prepare all necessary materials. It takes the form of an informal and relaxed discussion. It may have the form of a brainstorm but it should end up with a pretty detailed scenario of a club ‘Event’ It is an excellent opportunity for free exchange of teaching and learning ideas. It ought to be stressed that the Club should not be run by teachers for the learners. The Club should be a neutral ground on which students and learners interact. It is only through the joint effort and co-operation of both the students and teachers that the potential of the enterprise can fulfil its enormous potential. Topics of a Club ‘Event’: These may reflect the general interest of the club members and so cover a large area: from pop music and film to history and literature. The subject of relevance to the learner’s interests is indispensable for stimulating an authentic exchange of ideas: if the subject is attractive and provocative enough communication usually takes place in a natural way. An example: For over ten years Interclub has run an English Club. The Club meetings devoted to Christmas and New Year have always been a success because foreign guests who usually come have been willing to share their experience with the Club members who in return have been eager to talk about the corresponding Polish traditions. These meetings have been also important from another point of view: they have given the learners a sensible and realistic purpose for using their English. The Club ‘Event’ Atmosphere: In our club we have always taken care to create an atmosphere as different as possible from the usual and sometimes boring classroom routine. We use visual aids, theatrical prompts, lighting effects and background music. The elements of fun, enjoyment and humour act as wonderful stimulants accelerating language acquisition. The relaxed atmosphere of friendly competition in the club is a positive factor that helps to build motivation. An example: In November this year our English Club held a Halloween party. We prepared Jack-o-Lanterns by scooping out the inside of pumpkins and cutting holes for the eyes, nose and mouth. After putting lighted candles into the pumpkins and dimming the lights the atmosphere in the Club became very eerie indeed. As part of the evening our native teacher had written a short play about a precocious child’s meeting with ghosts for a group of our younger learners. Rehearsals were brief and mainly practice movements and look at the English language to see how tone, gesture and rhythm helped communicate the story to an audience. Simple, effective costumes and supernatural make-up were put together by the pupils, making the ‘Event’ special and helped build the excitement. Games, competitions and activities all followed. Attention to detail helped give the evening such an effective atmosphere and helped make an enjoyable and beneficial ‘Event’. The Follow-up This is essential for motivation. It allows time for consolidating knowledge and developing further interest. The Follow-up may take the form of relevant reading materials, discussion in the classroom or may even lead to the organising of a new club meeting following the needs/interests of the club members. Sometimes the products of the club meetings are displayed so that other students can see and perhaps be encouraged to take part in the club activities. That was the case with the event called “Reporters at Work” During the club meeting the learners and teachers acting as journalists, editors and artists produced to competing magazines: “Time” (sic!) and “Not Yet the Time” which were later displayed on a school notice board. What other things happen at an English Club? Club Activities: These include song-learning sessions, language games, quizzes, poetry-reading and writing, drama, role-play, group projects, video shows, talks and mini lectures. All learner-centred activities are welcome. Recently in our Club drama has become one of the most enjoyable activities. It has involved a large number of students and teachers (many of them having just discovered their acting skills!). It must be noted that ‘Acting’ came as a consequence of willingness, enthusiasm and co-operation together with the nature of the activities and is not the focus in itself. What is the teacher’s role? The teacher’s role: In the English Club the rules of teacher dominance are broken down and there is emphasis on interaction and co-operation amongst Club members, as well as between teacher and students. The teacher’s role changes because in the Club they become language advisors rather than masters of the language correcting mistakes and giving marks. They become actors or producers in theatrical projects for example. The teachers may also participate in games as assistants or act as hosts to guests visiting the club . Teacher development: There is no place for one central dominant teacher-figure in the Club as there is usually a team of teachers helping and assisting each other. The fact that the teachers involved in the Club work as a team is an extremely important element in their professional development. You can learn a lot by observing your fellow teachers at work and by exchanging teaching ideas. Through the Club the range of teaching techniques and materials in the classroom naturally broadens. The successful ones find their ways into the stock repertory of the teachers, expanding and improving their teaching skills. Conclusions for learners and teachers An English Club offers a challenge to learners: it helps them realise that they are learning a living language and therefore various forms of oral communication are valuable it helps to cross the threshold between grammatical competence that is so difficult to pick up in the classroom alone; it broadens the exposure of the learners to the foreign language due to the multimedia activities in the Club; it has great educational value as it provides an extensive cultural background to the language studied; - it is an excellent forum for cross-cultural comparisons; it is a place where students can meet their friends and enjoy themselves. The Club is equally important for the teachers: it provides field practice for young teachers who would like to acquire some experience in managing larger groups of various language levels; It allows for sharing of the teaching experience and testing new techniques; It is a break from classroom routine; It helps to produce some teaching materials like board games or cur cards; It teaches how to work in a team; And, of course, it is an excellent opportunity to make friends as you learn!