Thinking of How to Get My Students to Just Speak English, ANY English!

In planning and carrying out lessons this week, I`ve learned a LOT about the actual level of my students English capabilities. And I must say that if these students are considered the middle of the pack, I feel EXTREMELY sorry for the kids at the bottom. But hey, maybe for them in life, English won`t be all that important. But, I don`t really think of it as them just learning English. I also think of their attitudes in class as an indication of their attitudes towards everything/life. If they do things halfassssparagus in class, then I kind of consider that as their way of life. And then I think, what a freakin waste!!!! People with the possibilities of doing anything just doing nothing. In the end, I guess it doesn`t really matter if everyone in the world had the same opportunities.　 Ｉt only matters if people are motivated to take those opportunities. Do you think you`re motivated? Do you take advantage of the opportunities that are afforded to you or do you dish out excuses because of laziness? I must say that at times I fall in the second category and it doesn`t make me happy when I think about it now.

Anyway, moving on to how this past lesson brought me down. In the end, I think I just expect too much out of these kids. When I got here I realized that the Japanese are rarely afforded the opportunity to speak English. I hear this so often even from themselves as well. Thus, my main focus have been to give it to them. But, it`s like pulling the teeth out of a baby`s mouth. What would you say is something that you could definitely talk about? Wouldn`t it be yourself? Say, things that you like to do or whatnot, right? Apparently, I`m told, the Japanese have no interests. So, this one subject in which I thought the students could write plenty of turned out to be a dud. On top of that, the majority of them couldn`t even form a proper sentence even if it were to save their lives. It`s so frustrating. My job is to get them to speak and use English, Oral Communications. Yet, how can I do that when they don`t even know the basic grammar structure of the language. When I`m told they can`t do this or they can`t do that, I think, then what are you freakin people teaching them in their other English classes! They have another English class that`s supposed to focus on grammar, but it doesn`t seem as if these kids are learning anything.

On top of that, this system is so lax on the students. Grades here are basically non-existent, no really. All that matters is whether or not they completed the assignment or how much effort they put into the work. Even copying here is okay. And they do this constantly, even right in front of the teachers! Students here seem to be catered to like crazy. "Oh, you didn`t finish that?" (Even while you just sat there the whole class and talked with your friends for the whole period)..."Why don`t you just turn it in to me later?" Can you even imagine that happening in the States? If it was time to turn it in and you had done nothing the entire class period but amuse yourself with your friends, you could dang well believe that your grade for that assignment would reflect your stupidity. That just isn`t the case here and it`s HARD! to get accustomed to the laziness and the lack of motivation from my students. Since their actions don`t really affect their grades (or whatever they might call it here because that`s kinda nonexistent), they don`t care.

Maybe I`m just too much of a go-getter? I just need to let this stuff go. If they don`t do it, then they don`t do it. If they don`t care, then they just don`t care. Why should I? If I followed this, I would definitely be going through less stress. But, it just feels SO wrong to me!