Visit to Chemeketa Community College Class
Summer 2000
Basics
What?
We are going to spend about 1/2 hour in conversation pairs
or groups with some students in an English as a Second Language
class at Chemeketa Community College
When?
Friday, June 2, leaving at 8:15 and returning at
10:15
Where is it?
In northeast Salem -- about 15 minutes from TIUA by
van
Why?
We're going to Chemeketa Community College in order to:
Learn about who has immigrated to Oregon and why
Learn about some of the cultures represented in this
area
Practice English (speaking and listening)
Reminders
We'll leave at 8:15 a.m. Please look
for the van outside in the parking lot and get in. Don't
wait.
Please dress casually but respectfully.
Bring your questions, a bilingual dictionary, paper, a
pencil, and a map if you have one.
Also bring some small item from your culture to talk
about -- a photo of your family, a map of Japan, a piece of
clothing (yukata or chopsticks or ???), words to a song, your name
in kanji, or anything you can talk about.
When we walk in the room, smile and make eye contact
with the teacher (Mr. Whitney) and with the students. Look
alive.
Conversation guidelines
Start with a greeting -- something like: "Hello. My name's
___________. What's your name?" Look at your partners'
faces.
Do not read your questions with your head down. This is NOT an
interview; it's a conversation.
Start your conversation with something that is not personal.
One idea is: "Could you tell me about your English class?" After
you have talked for a while, you can ask some other, more
personal, questions. Some of the students in this class have had
difficult lives, so if they look uncomfortable, change the
topic.
If you don't understand something, tell your conversation
partner! Please don't pretend to understand! ("I'm sorry. I
didn't understand. Could you please repeat what you said.")
When you're finished talking together, thank your partner for
the conversation: "Thank you very much for talking with me."
Questions
Ask "open" questions that get your partners to talk.
Don't ask questions that can be answered with "yes" or "no" or one
word.
Example of a good question: Could you tell me some of
things that are difficult for you in Salem?