Teaching english at low level students
Teaching English to ninth-grade students whose actual proficiency resembles that of fifth graders is not an easy task. This challenge became very real for me when I taught a narrative text entitled “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.” On paper, the lesson was appropriate for the grade level. In reality, it felt far beyond my students’ comfort zone.
During the first meeting, I tried to use the traditional approach. I sat in front of the class, opened the textbook and began reading the narrative text aloud. I explained vocabulary, translated difficult sentences, and asked simple comprehension questions. However, the classroom felt unusually quiet. The students stared blankly at the text, avoided eye contact, and gave no response at all. At that moment, I felt as if I were practicing in front of a mirror-speaking, explaining, and reading, but receiving nothing in return. Ohhh... I dont know how to say...
This situation made me reflect deeply. The problem was not the students’ intelligence, but the method. For learners with low English proficiency, abstract texts and long paragraphs can feel intimidating. The narrative text, instead of being an engaging story, became a wall they could not climb.
 | Playing Video |
|---|
| Laptop and speaker |  |
 | Another story |
In the next meeting, I decided to change my approach completely. I prepared an LCD projector, speakers, and a short animated movie based on Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. Before showing the video, I briefly introduced the characters and setting using simple English and gestures. Then, I played the movie.
| They start to be serious |  |
|---|
| Watching story |  |
The result was astonishing. The students’ response changed almost instantly 180 degrees. They sat upright, focused their eyes on the screen, and followed the story with genuine interest. Some students laughed, others whispered predictions about what would happen next. For the first time, the story came alive for them.
After watching the movie, I returned to the narrative text. This time, the students understood the context. Vocabulary was no longer abstract, and comprehension questions were answered more confidently. The visual and audio elements helped them build meaning before facing the written text.
This experience taught me an important lesson: effective teaching is not about forcing students to adjust to the material, but about adjusting the material to the students. Especially for low-level learners, storytelling must be experienced, not merely read. When students feel connected to the story, learning naturally follows.
Thanks for reading
Regards @ubayiqbal
Upvoted! Thank you for supporting witness @jswit.
Santai kali siswanya di dalam kelas.
Yaa... Begitulah anak anak sekarang sir