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Q: do your students take notes, without you having to tell them too?
one of my pet peeves is teaching a class of university student and seeing them stare at me while i'm teaching them new vocabulary. i tell them over and over again, to write things down in their notebook. many students do not even come to class with a notebook. when i give them assignments, i write out the details of what i want them to do, when it is due, how i want it done, etc. and then a few weeks later i get dumb questions like, when is it due? are my expectations too high? are chinese students ever taught how to be a student?
Sounds to me like they just don't care about your class. You know some people don't need to write things down they can remember it there own way. And telling someone to do something is a sure way to make sure they don't do what you ask. You can suggest it to them that taking notes would benefit them and why it would benefit them, but the way you make it sound it sounds forced..
Sure crimo. I've got some outstanding female university students. They're respectful,attentive,they take notes,they try their best,they complete their assignments,etc. On the other hand, I've got male students that are lazy,don't even bring paper or a pen/pencil to class..are childish and arrogant..sometimes rude,etc. Still others have missed a bunch of classes,and then expect to get a passing grade. * Can you spell F-A-I-L? 
GuilinRaf:
Exactly!
When I am forced to re-test students who fail, if they never came to class, I will retest them but fail them again.
Last year, students who failed my class had to repeat the class. Sadly, my boss retired and I have a new one. She feels that making them retake a class (even if they NEVER came to class) is too "cruel" so now I have to retest them. But, like I said above, if they never came to class, then I wont pass them.
And, like LAR said above, the girls are usually much more diligent then the boys (though there have been exceptions for both).
On the first day of each class for the new semester, I go over class rules. On that list are two things required for my class; a dedicated notebook and something to write with. Then, I explain to them that if they take notes during class (along with movie vocabulary words, etc.) and towards the end of the semester (such as the next-to-last class) turn that note book in, they will get extra credit. I give the notebook back to them on the last class date so they can use it to study.
Personally, I consider it a "no-brainer," and as I remind them of the deal several times during the semester, I am still surprised by how many students don't take me up on it. I guess they figure since this is "conversational English," what in the heck should they be taking notes about! 
And no, your standards are not too high. Expecting your students to be good students is just par for the course.
Surprisingly, they do take notes when it could be considered useful. When we are doing speaking or group activities they obviously don't. Any time we are learning new vocabulary or new grammar rules they do. The lazy apathetic students are going to do what they want to do and always will. I tell them they are adults now and their dedication will reflect in their final grades.
Nope, not even when I DO tell them "write this down".
Then, when the final exam comes and I ask many of them questions about the lecture, they just stare in blanc or tell me "you didn't say that!".
Of the few that do, half of them will write it in some small little scrap of paper that they will stuff in their pockets (and presumably throw away or forget they even have it).
This happens every bleepin' day of the week....
