I teach English conversation to retired and semi-retired ESL students. Between 35-50 % of the class touches on communication tools such as vocabulary, phrasal verbs and collocations and the remainder is devoted to conversation activities in the form of table games, Taboo, Scattergories, and the list goes on.

One student has hearing problems but refuses to wear a hearing aid. In the teaching portion he asks his classmates to explain things that he hasn’t heard. I have told him I would be pleased to answer all of his questions myself, but he prefers to turn to his neighbour(s) for help.. Some of the strategies I’ve tried are stopping the class until he rejoins us, continuing with the others expecting he will catch up, switching him from one group to another to see if it is a question of camaraderie with one particular student, etc. But no luck! Then he asks me to repeat the part he missed.

As far as I am concerned, he can do this in the conversation activities within the small groups. It will be up to his classmates whether this is a problem for them.

This is so very annoying. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to contend with this situation? I would very much appreciate it.