Using a Sensitive Topic in Teaching Lecture Comprehension / Colleen Meyers and Diane Erdmann.

A sensitive topic can be used effectively in a class of English as a second language (ESL) if planned carefully. While there are the risks that non-native students will become embarrassed and withdrawn, or will develop negative feelings about American society, there are ways to minimize those risks. This can be done by considering the characteristics of the class and the amount of trust between students and teacher, easing into the topic, and maintaining an objective tone. Students benefit from controversial topics by developing confidence in discussing them in an atmosphere of trust and minimal personal risk-taking. The approach used in one university-level ESL course was to provide a preparatory lesson in anticipation of a visiting lecturer on the issue of child abuse, with three objectives: to learn what students already knew about the topic, to encourage them to think about related issues, and to have them come up with their own questions on the topic. The next class period was devoted to small group discussions based on topics presented in the previous day's lecture. The discussions, based on factual material and questions on the lecture topic, were related to American culture. (MSE)

MinneTESOL Journal, v5 p75-83 Fall 1985. ericd

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