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There are no formal tests in the Eigo Noto classes, but there are times when checking students' work is necessary.

After doing a listening activity in the Eigo Noto workbook is an example. Here is a simple way for students to check their own answers.

Simply asking the students to check their answer with their seat partners before listening to the CD again and/or checking the answers with the whole class accomplishes many goals:

• Students are self-directed. Successful language learners, or any learner for that matter, display an ability to learn independently.
• Students check their answers in a (usually) non-threatening atmosphere, reducing their anxiety about testing. Keeping the anxiety level low in the Eigo Noto classes is paramount in achieving the goal of preventing students from learning to not like English.
• Paired students get an opportunity to communicate together in their native language. One of my HRTs today said her students need practice in this skill. The Eigo Noto lessons are not only about communicating in a foreign language, but also about improving the students' ability to communicate in their own language.
• Higher level students get a chance to teach what they know; lower level students get a chance for peer-level error correction. This is actually one of the great advantages of the mixed-ability classroom; use it to your advantage with group work.

Eigo Noto classes are not to discourage students from further English study, nor are the lessons meant to be Conversation Lessons. But what about students who CAN and WANT TO speak English?

Do you, or the HRTs you work with, ever insist that the Eigo Noto students interact in English? I sometimes hear Home Room Teachers exhorting kids to speak English together.
There are times when we want a student to speak English in the Eigo Noto lessons, to be sure- when listening and repeating words and phrases, or when checking accuracy in pronunciation, for example. And looking at the workbook itself, you could easily get the idea that the kids are supposed to be speaking English.
But as for student-to-student interaction in English,

Here are some strategies for helping students get the most out of group interaction.

1. Students in groups need to be close enough to maintain eye contact, talk quietly, and share resources.

2. Groups of 4 seem to work best in most cases.  Sometimes, odd numbered groups of 3 or 5 are required. Have 5 students sit around 4 desks, not 5, so they don't sit too far apart.*

3. Maximize student commitment towards achieving the best possible outcome.  Awarding points to groups competitively or based on other criteria work well for this.

4. Make each group member accountable.

5. Teachers may need to train and monitor students in skills for effective collaboration.

6.  Groups need to maintain some continuity in membership.  The ability to work together effectively is a skill that takes time to develop.