What and Why?
In CES, homework gives students time to absorb, process and practice what they have learnt at school. (See also 'Notes on the Workbook', in the Teacher's Book.) It also keeps the students involved between lessons and maintains their commitment to learning English. In most courses, the amount of time available in class is simply not sufficient for language learning to take place fast enough. Extra work outside class is essential.
Practical ideas
- Before you set homework make sure that the students know which exercises they have to do and how long they are expected to spend on their homework. (No more than half an hour is recommended.)
- There are no answers in the Students Workbook so their homework will have to be checked in the next lesson. You will need to allow some time for this and to build it in as part of the lesson.
- There are a number of ways in which you can correct homework. See 'Notes on using the Workbook'.
- If you set homework, but find that students do not do it, you need to consider why this is happening. There may be a number of possible reasons. It may be too difficult or too easy. They may not have time because of other commitments. They may not see the point of it. They may not have the book (!) They may have other personal problems. You may be able to resolve these problems talking to the students about it, agreeing with them when they can do their homework, discussing whether they find it too easy/difficult, and so on. Perhaps they can sometimes suggest something to do for homework. (Everybody doesn't always have to do the same thing.)
Researching the Classroom
- Talk to the students about homework, what they think about it and why it is necessary. Ask them what kinds of homework they find most enjoyable. Ask for ideas of what they would like to do for homework.
- You could also find out what they students think by giving them a questionnaire or by interviewing a few students.
- Experiment with different kinds of homework to see if it affects their response: homework that requires research, homework that requires to find/make things, homework exercises, homework they can record on cassette and so on. Many teachers have found that students respond better to homework that is social (i.e. that involves them interacting with other people) rather than solitary.
- Experiment with how homework is organised. For example, you could give students a list of things for homework from which they choose. You could sometimes ask them to tell you what they are going to do for homework and get them to put it in writing.
- You could involve the students in monitoring their own homework: what they did, when they did it, where they did it, what they found difficult and how well they performed. You can then see in what circumstances they appear to do best.
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