Day One Class Planning Questionnaire (EFL/ESL)

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Note: This handout was originally written for my classes in Japan. It has been moved to my Czech site almost intact.

I teach in a wide variety of environments, many with very different expectations and no clear set curriculum or syllabus. With my adult conversation classes, especially the new ones, I like to get a feel for what my students expect BEFORE I teach my first class. My first day routine is the same for every first contact. We do introductions and this questionnaire.

Introductions vary, of course with level and size of class. I always start by introducing myself, with my name (and since in the local language (Japanese) my name can be easily mispronounced as meat, I write the Chinese character on the board, make a big "X" through it and make a joke about 'My Father was a butcher, but I'm not a piece of meat.' No one ever forgets my name ;-{))))

I then tell the class where I am from, where I have lived and traveled to, my job, hobbies and a few other things. I then write a list of questions on the board, and ask each member to briefly introduce themselves. Depending on size, prior student knowledge of other members and group dynamic, I sometime quiz them on each other. Listening to their introductions gives me some idea of their level and interests.

The questionnaire helps to fill in the gaps, and gives me a written record of their likes, needs and basic data like names and contact information.

Feel free to try this out with your own classes. Note: I do not use this with children or large formal classes in academic settings. (However, with high school and university classes having the students make a little index card with some basic information and a self drawn picture can be very helpful.)

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Nick Miller's

Day One Class Planning Questionnaire

Name: _______________________________ Class: ______________

Address: ____________________________ Phone: ______________

Why do you want to study English?

.	0	1	2	3	4	5
To meet foreigners	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
To travel abroad	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
To work with foreigners	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
To work abroad	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
To study abroad	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
As a hobby	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
To make Japanese Friends	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)

What do you like to study?

.	0	1	2	3	4	5
Conversation	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
Grammar	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
Listening	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
Pronunciation	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
Speaking	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
Spelling	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
Technical Terms	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
TOEFL	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
TOEIC	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
Vocabulary	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
Writing	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)

How do you like to study?

.	0 - 25 %	25 - 50 %	50 - 75%	75 - 100 %
1. By your self	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
1. One partner	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
1. Small groups	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
1. Big groups	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
2. With videos	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
2. With cassettes	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
2. With books	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
2. With papers	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
2. With pictures	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
2. With computers	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
3. Listen to teacher	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
3. Listen to students	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
3. Speaking	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
4. Free conversation	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
4. Low structure	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
4. High structure	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)
4. Drills	(___)	(___)	(___)	(___)

How would you describe your level?

What are your hobbies?

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What is your job?

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Comments:

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Copyright © 1996, 2002 by Nicholas Miller

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