[seetheworld]

Homework can be very beneficial to students/teachers when one is considering the posssible progess that can be achieved by individual students when given the opportunity. Having taught in southern Taiwan in 2002, I saw first hand the results of appropriate homework tasks in my classrooms. ( I also recall good homework in my schooling through the 80's-90's in Texas as a student )

Our basic theme, while teaching ESL in Taiwan, was the tape recorder for each student to use at the end of each lesson to record a 10 minute run-down of the material and then carry home and practice.

This would include such things as recording the reading assignment for the day ( ask a student to read a sentence & then reread the same passage with the whole class together), recording topics for the day & anything else the students can practice once home was recited for the tape player. In addition to using recorders, the usual homework of spelling words and grammar sentencing worked well. ( the recordings were a parents favourite thing, as was the weekly class song sung outside of school )

I always kept in mind the situation of the students I was teaching. In Korea, I was well aware of the social and family pressures being put on students to perform and exceed. In Taiwan, I was aware of the lower social economical areas I was working in & how most parents went to many extremes to offer their children a better future through learning English. ( no matter the cost and sacrifice )

To sum up my reply in a much shorter statement, I would say homework has always had its time and place. Teacher's should always be considerate of their student's situations and the actual quality of the homework being applied. I have heard many arguements against homework, but I point to the low literacy levels of students in most westernized countries and some of their policies on homework & the value they place on education in general.

Consider yourselves lucky if you are working most anywhere outside the western world as a teacher. You are treasured as a resource & respected with most generous and reasonable pay wages. (compared % wise to the USA, UK, AUS)

Hope this has helped some.