Professional Documents
Culture Documents
TOPIC 1
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of Topic 1, you will be able to:
identify the language skills and language content taught in the Malaysian
primary classrooms;
interpret the curriculum content and plan specific activities for meaningful
learning;
examine and talk about integration of language skills and language content in
teaching methods used;
LISTENING
Teaching Productive Skills
Introduction
There are four basic skills in any language; receptive skills- reading and listening,
and productive skills- speaking and writing. All are equally important and whenever
possible we should try to incorporate all of them into our lessons if we want to have a
balanced approach. Often we will want to focus more on one particular skill but still
bring others in to create an " integrated "skills lesson.
1
In this part I will focus more on productive skills; speaking and writing. While
speaking and writing are substantially different in many ways, they both are used for
the same purpose- to communicate.
In many ways writing is the most neglected skill in the TEFL world " teaching
English as a foreign language", as many teachers don't like to see the classroom
hours devoted to what is often 'quiet time'. Writing, therefore, is often relegated to
homework, which in turn is frequently not done so the skill is never developed. It is
true that most students prefer to focus on their speaking skills but this doesn't mean
that writing should be ignored. In many ways writing is the more difficult skill,
requiring a greater degree of accuracy. When speaking, any misunderstanding can
be cleared up' on the spot', whereas this is not possible in writing. Speaking, on the
other hand, requires a greater degree of fluency as the speaker will rarely have time
to think and plan an answer.
Communication between people is a very complex and ever changing thing. But
there are generalizations that we can make which have particular relevance for the
teaching and learning of languages.
When two or more people are communicating with each other, we can be sure they
are doing so for one of the following reasons:
They have some communicative purpose
They want to say something
They want to listen to something
They are interested in what is being said.
Therefore, if a teacher wishes to introduce a communicative activity to the students,
he or she should bring in a number of the mentioned factors. The teacher must
create the need and desire, in the students, to communicate. If these factors are not
present, it is far less likely that the activity will be the success the teacher had
envisaged. If the students don't see the point in doing something, they're far less
likely to want to participate.
What is the difference between accuracy and fluency activities?
Accuracy activities are concentrated on producing correct language. Such activities
are usually controlled to ensure accurate reproduction of language.
2
Activity
With a partner/group, look at the strategies given on the handout to you
(or the one you have selected). Briefly plan how you might teach these
strategies to students.
Report back to the whole group on at least two of the activities.
SPEAKING
What is speaking?
Productive Skill
Some differences between written and spoken language
5
Activities
Information gap
Jigsawactivities
Role-plays
Simulations
Guided activities accuracy based but a little more creative and productive. The
output is still controlled by the teacher but the exact language isn't.
Model dialogues
Guided role-play
Creative communication fluency based activities. The scenario is usually created
by the teacher but the content of the language isn't.
The teacher must try to overcome these hurdles and encourage student interaction.
The aim should be to create a comfortable atmosphere, where students are not
afraid to speak or make mistakes, and enjoy communicating with the teacher and
their fellow students.
READING
How do we read?
Some assumptions about reading:
The nature of reading
Reading aloud
Silent reading
Manner
Silent
Speed
Usually slow
Usually fast
Purpose
Usually to share
information
Skills involved
Pronunciation and
intonation
Activity type
Collective activity
Individual activity
Management in
the classroom
read silently;
10
concentrate on the important bits, skim the rest, and skip the
insignificant parts;
guess the meaning of new words from the context, or ignore them;
What do we read?
Calendars
Magazines
Addresses
Graffiti on walls
Radio/TV guides
Phone books
Childrens scribbling
Advertisements
Name cards
Informa1 letters
Posters
Bank statements
Business letters
Travel guides
Credit cards
Cookbooks
Maps
Electronic mail
Repair manuals
Anecdotes
Telegrams
Memos
Weather forecast
Fax messages
Time schedules
Pamphlets
Junk mail
Street signs
Product labels
Postcards
Syllabi
Washing instructions
Credit cards
Journal articles
11
Short stories
Comic books
Song lyrics
Novels
Newspapers
Film subtitles
Plays
Diplomas
Diagrams
Poems
Application forms
Flowcharts
Handbooks
Store catalogues
Name tags
(adapted from Gebhard 1996:189)
Besides authentic texts, ESL/EFL textbooks also employ a lot of nonauthentic texts, i.e. simulated text. Simulated texts are aimed for
beginner students who are probably not able to handle genuine
authentic text. It is believed that the reading of such texts will help
students to acquire the necessary receptive skills they will need when
they eventually come to tackle authentic materials (Harmer, 1983).
Visual
signal
Writers
meaning
Visual
information
Readers
knowledge
Readers
reconstruction
Understanding references;
Making inferences.
13
Tasks should be designed to encourage reading for the main meaning rather
than test the students understanding of trivial details.
Tasks should help develop students reading skills and strategies rather than
test their reading comprehension.
Teachers should help the students to read on their own, so that they
eventually become independent readers.
This model of teaching reading is based on the theory in which reading (and
listening, too) is regarded as a process of decoding, which moves from the
bottom to the top of the system of language.
14
In the Top-down Model, not only linguistic knowledge but also background
knowledge is involved in reading.
Therefore, it is believed that in teaching reading, the teacher should teach the
background knowledge first, so that students equipped with such knowledge
will be able to guess meaning from the printed page.
WRITING
Despite these differences, many of these factors are as those for speaking,
need to be considered and incorporated.
Spelling
Incorrect spelling can not only create misunderstandings but also can often
be perceived, by the reader, to reflect a lack of education. Spelling in English
is very difficult by the fact that many words that are pronounced the same are
written differently and some words are written the same but pronounced
differently.
16
Once again, this can present the students with major problems if the rules of
their first language are significantly different from those of English. In reality
(despite the many rules) punctuation is a matter of personal style, but totally
incorrect usage can lead to rather awkward and difficult looking pieces of
writing.
Creative writing
Although most writing in the 'real world' is an individual act, there is nothing to
stop the teachers assigning students to work in pairs or groups, particularly for
creative writing where the input of ideas from different sources may be helpful
if not necessary.
17
Integration on the language skills and language content, language arts and
educational emphases
Activity 1: Answer cultural question and introduce rational for Integrated skills .
Discuss with your partner before you write down your answers.
Question: Is the capital of Australia Sydney, Canberra or Melbourne?
Which skills do you use to answer the question?
Reading, listening, speaking, writing, thinking, researching, interacting.
Activity 2: Discussion
Why do we teach Integrated Skills?
Because it is closer to real life communication or It is a more realistic way of
learning a language.
Situation
Discussing a
magazine
article with a
friend
Attending a
lecture
Riding a
bicycle on your
own
Ordering a
meal in a
restaurant
listening
speaking
reading
writing
18
Type of medium
Receptive Skill
Productive Skills
Oral
Listening
to
Speaking
Written
Reading
to
Writing
Complex integration
This involves constructing a series of activities that use a variety of skills. In each of
the activities, there is realistic, communicative use of language.
19
Every teacher teaches content (i.e. there are no stand-alone ESL classes) and
every teacher teaches language.
an outgrowth of content. However, when small groups negotiate the meaning of the
content and clarify understanding, the language becomes a vehicle for deepening
content comprehension. In order to discuss the content effectively, teachers need to
provide support for students to develop the necessary vocabulary and language
structures. These are acquired through multiple opportunities to apply them in
conversations and activities (redundancy). Grammar is taught in the context of
learning content (e.g. the past tense is taught because students need to discuss
something that happened in the past for a particular project). Language is not taught
as a goal in and of itself, but as a means to improve understanding of the content.
Collaborative structures of the classroom can also be useful for students who need
native language support to grasp the content. Through small group discussions,
students have the opportunity to first comprehend the content in their native
language (thereby developing their native language) before needing to articulate
their understanding (through discussions, projects, presentations) in English.
Research indicates that content knowledge in one language transfers to another,
and that developing students native languages supports growth in English.
Language Arts
Integrating the language arts means providing natural learning situations in which
reading, writing, speaking, and listening can be developed together for real purposes
and real audiences. It is a counterpart in the elementary school for the "languageacross-the-curriculum" movement among high school and college teachers. Because
such a high proportion of elementary classrooms are self-contained, with the
individual teacher responsible for language arts as well as for most of the rest of the
curriculum, the term "integration" seems appropriate to describe elementary school
practice.
In the 1960s and 1970s, partly in response to the success of the integrated day
curriculum in Great Britain, the claims of the many advocates of language arts
integration began to be supported by an increasing body of respected research.
During this same period, however, a counter trend developed, namely, an
intensification of the conventional "subskills" approach to language arts instruction.
In this approach, processes such as reading and writing are segmented into tiny
components that are taught and tested as discrete units, discouraging efforts to
teach the language arts in a holistic and natural way--to integrate them.
22
Language arts integration can be considered in three different ways: The most
common understanding of integration is learning each of the language arts in terms
of the others. Reading is learned through appropriate oral and written activities;
writing is learned by attending to reading as a writer would -- composing orally,
reading drafts to peers, and engaging in related activities; and oral language is
learned in the context of rich opportunities for receiving and producing written
language. The second concept of integration is implied in the first: each language
mode is an integrated whole, not a set of isolated, minute components. Finally,
integration may involve the development of language while learning other content
areas, such as social studies, science, or math, as in the "language-across- thecurriculum" model.
Two decades of research in diverse fields have led to a new understanding of a far
more complex relationship between thought and language than that characterized by
earlier behaviourist models of language and literacy acquisition. For example, John
Mellon (1983) notes that children beginning school have already successfully
learned many word-order principles, semantic relationships, sentence-combining
transformations, and lexical feature systems. The fact that this human competence
grows as language used for real purposes--without formal coaching, drill, intensive
corrective feedback, or direct instruction--suggests that school language programs
might best emphasize the use of language in meaningful contexts.
At least three types of research support learning languages through use: first
language acquisition, emergent literacy, and effective classroom experiences.
23
Teachers have long been aware of the usefulness of oral prereading activities, such
as Directed Reading Thinking Activities (DRTA), to generate questions prior to
reading. This strategy has helped children learn to predict and thus read more
efficiently. Teachers who have participated in Writing Projects have seen how writing
can be used as an effective prereading activity, just as reading can be a powerful
prewriting tool. Oral language throughout both reading and writing helps children
maintain focus and interest. George Hillock's (1984) meta-analysis of studies that
compare strategies in writing instruction also demonstrates the value of integrating
the language arts.
25
When focusing on something other than language, the teacher needs to provide an
environment rich with resources for making language connections. For example, a
kindergarten teacher can provide opportunities to see print in context by labeling the
objects in the classroom. In the primary grades natural occasions for reading and
writing occur with the daily schedule, charts of classroom task monitors, or lists of
the names and addresses of the class. The language experience approach to
reading integrates the language arts in a way that improves not only reading but
writing as well, because children see the purpose of both. Diaries, learning journals,
records of observations-- all will prepare children for later science lab reports. As
children write true and invented stories, using almost anything inside or outside the
classroom as a stimulus, they develop language fluency.
26
Also promoting integrated language learning are small group tasks, such as
generating a list of questions for research, responding to first drafts of writing,
discussing the meaning of stories or poems, deciding how to prepare a group report,
editing one another's work for publication, and planning a readers theatre or other
type of rehearsed reading.
School environments for integrated learning must be safe and structured, with ample
opportunities for long periods of reading, writing, and carrying on task- or topicoriented conversations in the classroom. Teachers can serve as models by engaging
in all of these activities with their students. Children can learn subskills efficiently
within meaningful interactions with others and with print. Their understandings of the
language arts become integrated through processes that are themselves wholes
rather than fragments.
27
Charles.
"Pre-School
Children's Knowledge
of
English
Phonology."
28
Includes ways in which reading and writing development complement and facilitate
each other; different concepts of reading instruction reflected in the terms emergent
literacy and reading readiness; and the relative importance of skills instruction and
frequent, sustained reading and writing in fostering literacy development.
Includes ways of fostering reading and writing strategies and skills within the context
of actual reading and writing (e.g., shared book experience, for reading); strategies
for helping emergent readers and writers who have particular difficulties; using the
interrelationships among reading, writing, listening, and speaking to support literacy
development; fostering the appreciation of reading for personal enjoyment (e.g., by
reading aloud to students, providing time for sustained reading, providing materials
for graphic interpretation, providing opportunities for oral interpretation, such as
puppet shows and drama) and nurturing the habit of exploring lifelong learning
through all forms of language arts; interpreting and evaluating text based upon ones
experiences; and appreciating the interpretations and evaluations of others.
29
Understand strategies for constructing meaning from a variety of texts and for
a variety of purposes.
Includes the use of different reading comprehension strategies for different purposes
(e.g., reading a textbook to review for a test versus reading for enjoyment);
techniques for monitoring comprehension of different kinds of texts; techniques for
30
reconsidering text when meaning is unclear; issues related to reading in the content
areas (e.g., the relationship between reading comprehension and content area
learning); and strategies for helping readers with particular reading difficulties.
Includes strategies for the use of writing to engage and explore ideas, access
memories, record information, rehearse language, and analyze reading; the use of
writing for learning in content area classes; the use of writing-to-learn activities (e.g.,
notes, reading logs, clustering, journals) as a means of gathering and generating
material for formal texts; and the relationship of writing-to-learn activities and the
improvement of both content area learning and formal written expression.
journals, letters, personal writing, poems, plays, stories, reports, essay exams); the
ability to determine the writing form that best suits the objective of the writer and the
requirements of the writing situation; techniques for gathering background
information (e.g., research resources, interviews, observation, personal experience,
peer interaction, mapping, and webbing); and strategies for using various forms and
purposes for writing in the content areas.
Organize, develop, and write an essay applying select theory and practice in
language arts.
Includes characteristics and principles of the steps in the listening process, such as
perceiving and discriminating, attending, assigning meaning, evaluating, responding,
and remembering; and recognizing the distinction between hearing and listening.
32
Includes types and functions of feedback: ways to adapt the speaking process based
upon feedback; the use of the questioning process to respond to a message; effects
of source credibility (i.e., competence and character) on understanding the message;
the importance of communication modes; and effects of verbal and nonverbal
communication (e.g., gestures, movement, eye contact) on message understanding.
Includes purposes, types, and structural elements of different genres and sub-genres
of literature (e.g., historical fiction, realistic fiction, folk/fairy tales, fantasy, myths and
fables, picture books); the use of rhythm, figurative language, symbolism,
characterization, theme, conflict, setting, and other literary elements in poetry,
drama, and fiction: the use of topics, themes, theses, and organizational patterns
(e.g., sequence, cause and effect, comparison/contrast, problem/solution) in
nonfiction; and the comparison of language, style, mood, and point of view in
different works of literature.
34
Understand literature for children and adolescents and issues related to these
types of literature.
Includes characteristic features associated with major works, authors, and genres of
literature for children and adolescents; criteria for evaluating such literature (e.g., in
terms of stereotypical images, authentic portrayals, literary quality, readers
responses); real-world uses of such literature (e.g., to promote cultural awareness,
address student issues, generate ideas for writing); and techniques for integrating
such literature into the language arts program and other content areas.
Includes major developments in the history of the English language (e.g., the change
from a highly inflected language to a word-order dominated language; contributions
of other languages such as Latin, Greek, French, and native American languages to
English structure and vocabulary; the history of and variations among English
dialects such as Black English and Appalachian English); significant aspects of
structure (e.g., distinction between grammar and usage, effective syntactic
alternatives, major grammatical terms, grammatical aspects of punctuation and
usage); steps in the acquisition of language, including learning English as a second
language; and strategies for helping students use the syntactic resources of
language effectively and appropriately.
Includes ways in which language can affect thinking and perception (e.g., the use of
the generic he); how the use of language relates to issues of age, religion, gender,
36
37
Includes ways in which reading, writing, listening, and speaking connect and
mutually influence one another; ways to integrate these language modes to promote
learning; and techniques and activities for integrating the language arts within other
content areas.
2013 Hope College Department of Education| Van Zoeren 2nd Floor | 41 Graves Place | Holland,
MI 49423 education@hope.edu | phone: 616.395.7740 | fax: 616.395.7506
TASKS:
1. Compare and contrast the thematic approach in KBSR and the modular
framework in KSSR syllabus.
2. Review and design activities with focus on techniques and ideas from Years 1
3 relevant to LTP.
3. Discuss the techniques and ideas from Years 1 3 relevant to LTP that can
be used in the teaching of language arts.
4. Discuss and present ways to integrate vocabularyand language skills, and
gramar and language skills in the classroom.
39
TOPIC 2
SCHEME OF WORK
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of Topic 2, you will be able to:
State the relationship between the syllabus items and the curriculum
specifications
Prepare a SoW according to the format integrating the four language skills
Example
Before starting a project, a group works on defining a scheme of work for it.
In the classroom
Questions to ask learners for a scheme of work include:
What are your aims?
What do you want to produce?
Who is going to do what?
40
Content
Objectives or Outcomes
Methods of delivery (student and teacher activity)
Assessment strategies
Resources
Other Remarks
A scheme of work is a plan that defines work to be done in the classroom. Involving
learners in defining a scheme of work, whether for a short project or a long course, is
an important step towards motivation and involvement.
A scheme of work defines the structure and content of a course. It maps out clearly
how resources (e.g. books, equipment, time) and class activities (e.g. teacher-talk,
group work, practicals, discussions) and assessment strategies (e.g. tests, quizzes,
Q&A, homework) will be used to ensure that the learning aims and objectives of the
course are met. It will normally include times and dates. The scheme of work is
usually an interpretation of a specification or syllabus and can be used as a guide
throughout the course to monitor progress against the original plan. Schemes of
work can be shared with students so that they have an overview of their course.
41
When designing a scheme of work, there are a number of factors that should be
taken into consideration. The following questions may help you to focus your
thoughts.
Is there a syllabus?
THE INGREDIENTS
42
THE RECIPE
A scheme of work is your plan of what you will teach during every lesson throughout
the academic year. It is a vital and useful document which you will need to produce.
STEPS:
1.
Check if your place of work has a proforma. They may have a special way
they like the schemes of work to be laid out, and/or have a template available. This
will make your life easier.
2.
left by your predecessor, but if one isn't available, look at a colleague's scheme of
work.
3.
and put a table in it, or create a spreadsheet. Give yourself 5 columns: Date,
Lesson content, Key Skills (if it's embedded), Resources, and Assessment
4.
Begin by breaking down the year into chunks. How many modules do you
need to teach? Three modules breaks down nicely into one module per term. Allow
yourself a couple of weeks at the end for revision and assessment - or games. Allow
a week at the start for introductory stuff.
5.
Within each module, break down into further chunks. E.g. you might
break down a Sociology module on The Family into the following chunks:
* Marriage & Divorce
44
6.
Decide how long you'll need for each of these chunks. If the above
module is lasting one term, then you'd have about 2-3 weeks per chunk.
7.
Now within each chunk, decide what lessons you could do. Try to offer a
variety of practical, theoretical, group work, single work, and teacher-led work. For
the chunk on Marriage and divorce, you might have:
o students draw their own family trees
o Teacher explains theory and students take notes
o Discuss why marriages are losing popularity
o Find textbooks on marriage and create posters using the information
o Look at official statistics & answer questions
o Use Internet to produce leaflets
o Write quizzes / crosswords for each other8
8.
Do this for every chunk, and for every module, and fill in the bare bones
9.
Now think about what resources you'll need. Textbooks? Large paper and
45
10.
- Application of number
- Communication
- ICT
and these may have to be embedded into your curriculum. in the Family example,
looking at the official statistics can count as Application of number, any discussions
or essay work can count as Communication, and using the computers is your ICT.
11.
Don't forget that you are trying to promote equality and diversity
through your teaching, and include how you will do that across the sessions
on your course (e.g. cross-cultural case studies; balanced examples from various
cultures, including disabled people and a balance of genders).
12.
The assessment column can be filled with how you will know, after each
lesson, that the information has sunk in. This may be through Q&A, written tests,
by reading their posters, or by listening in to their conversations.
Active learning works. Research shows that active learning is by far the
best for recall, student enjoyment, deep learning (full understanding), and for
correcting the learners misunderstandings.
46
Teams share best practice so the best teaching methods are available to all
It stores best practice. Good teachers who leave the college leave behind
their methods for others to benefit from and enjoy.
Tasks:
1. Create and present mind maps or other Graphic Organiser to show the
organization of the English Language syllabus. Match appropriate
curriculum specifications to the syllabus items.
2. Compare and contrast samples of SoW.
3. Assess and rectify a flawed scheme of work.
4. Design a scheme of work for a year; a semester and a week.
47
TOPIC 3
LESSON PLANNING
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of Topic 3, you will be able to:
Prepare SoW according to the format integrating the four language skills
State the frameworks of the lesson for teaching the language skills and
language arts
48
Non-Behavioural
From an environmental perspective, develop an appreciation of the problems
associated with motorway construction
Develop the interpersonal skills necessary to complete a group project
Engage in discussion and debate in relation to bin charges
Opening facilitated a smooth transition from known to new material e.g. link to
previous lesson if appropriate
Use of a variety of activities and groupings e.g. individual work, group work,
discussion, role-play, problem-solving, project work
Use of examples
49
Questioning Skills
Redirection
Higher order
Prompting
Seeking clarification
Refocusing
ByRichard Stowell
50
Crafting an appropriate objective before designing the lesson serves three important
functions. First, it helps teachers choose the most appropriate activities to support
students in learning the required material. It will also help save time by giving the
teacher a stopping point. Third and finally, it will help students stay focused and give
them an indication of when they have learned what they need to.
Teachers need to remember that objectives should be SMART to help design them
effectively. It should go without saying that, as teachers deliver lessons, they ought
to be able to identify what they want students to learn. Such an identification of
learning outcomes is the basis for objectives.
The first component, then, is that the objective is stated. In other words, it should be
communicated explicitly to students, and made public in writing. It should be visible
and written in terms such that the students are able to articulate what it is they are
supposed to be learning. If, after all, they cant say exactly what they should be doing
in class, how are they to do it?
Simply stated, once a teacher has delivered the lesson according to the objective, it
will be easy to find out whether students have learned the material. In order for an
objective to be SMART and effective, it needs to be able to be measured by an
51
assessment of some kind. Measuring will help students and teachers determine if
they learned what was intended.
Objectives can embed a performance criterion, such as, "students will identify
mammals from among other animals in 9 out of ten attempts." Or, the objective may
imply a performance standard: "students will solve one-step equations in one
variable."
The SMART objective is aligned, or tied, to every component of the lesson. It stands
to reason that verbalized and visible lesson objectives are tightly connected to the
activities and material being presented. Common words, especially verbs should
reinforce the connection.
For instance, if the objective (for a 6th-grade language arts lesson) is that students
compare features of different cultures in an expository text, then activities should
make use of the verb compare in directions and within the work. Alignment should
be given consideration when designing activities, but it begins by creating objectives
that are easily adapted to learning tasks.
52
The written objective should reflect the rigor. Students need to understand the
terminology of the lesson, but see immediately that it will take work and practice in
order to meet the objective. In short, objectives must present tasks and ways of
thinking that are somewhat difficult for learners.
Teachers of all age groups can design better lessons and facilitate more meaningful
student learning by creating objectives that are stated, measurable, aligned,
rigorous, and taught. The SMART acronym will help teachers remember what
effective objectives look like.
Sources
Gagne, R., Briggs, L., Wager, W. Principles of Instructional Design, Third Ed. New
York: Holt, Reinhart and Winston: 1988.
53
Typically the scheme for each year is broken down into six units of work each lasting
half a term.
The scheme should:
Be clear, concise and realistic, i.e. focussed on the practical and do-able;
As has been pointed out previously, the framework charts in this curriculum guide
are not, in themselves, a scheme of work. Rather they should be seen as offering a
structured bank of material, based on sound pedagogical principles and related to
the main national assessment frameworks. They thus provide substantial support for
colleagues in developing an up-to-date scheme of work suited to their own context
and to the needs of their pupils.
If you are producing a scheme of work for the first time, you may find the following
step-by-step approach useful:
1 Getting an overview:
On one side of A4 create rough outline and headings for (6) units of work to
be taught over the year.
(Refer to exam specifications, textbooks and other documents including this guide.)
54
2 Deciding on format:
Usually schemes of work are set out in the form of a grid as in the framework
charts. This makes it easy to refer across and see how the elements fit
together. An alternative is to simply list information under headings. Your
department or school may, of course, have its own established format that
everyone is expected to follow
3 Creating a unit:
Break unit down into sections and specify main contexts and learning
objectives.
Identify key structures and vocabulary bearing in mind range of levels within
class and highlighting
Map on activities from textbooks and other sources, which are relevant and
useful, as well as material you have produced, bearing in mind importance of:
o Catering for range of attainment levels and for different learning styles;
o Balancing teacher and pupil centred work;
55
56
Add any resources not already mentioned including websites and reference
material.
process. Aim to get the basics in place and then flesh it out gradually.
Keep the scheme of work in a ring binder. This makes it easy to slip in extra
pages or reminders
Once a unit or scheme has been created, aim to review it every one to two
years.
A word of encouragement
Although creating a good scheme of work requires thought and effort, it will save you
time in the long run and give you confidence in your teaching!
TASKS:
1. List words that are specific for writing an objective for a lesson. Write specific
aims and objectives of a chosen topic.
2. Select and adapt techniques, strategies and activities for a chosen topic.
3. Critically review a lesson plan and discuss the importance of lesson planning.
57
58
TOPIC 4
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of Topic 4, you will be able to:
Identify and explain different strategies used for formative assessment in the
language classroom;
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
If the teacher doesnt change the instruction when needed, its not
formative assessment. Its just activity.
Teacher Reflection
Ask, yourself, Am I teaching so that students will learn or am I teaching just so that I
can cover the required material? (Rick Wormeli, 2006)
COVERAGE UNDERSTANDING
Memorization does not lead to transference.
Student Reflection
Student reflection is very important.
We must save to the hard drive
Reflection helps to place information into long-term memory,
Students will have to do something with that information soon after being exposed
to it for the very first time.
59
They will have to reflect, respond, record, tell, describe, illustrate, explain, discuss,
summarize, draw, use, re-organize, predict, hypothesize, evaluate, and/or judge
(Reflect and Make a Connection)
Formative Assessment
Formative assessment is assessment FOR learning, not OF learning
It is an on-going process used during instruction
It provides students with feedback
It informs decision-making for future teacher instruction and student learning tactics
Make a Connection
After a mini-lecture, class discussion, text reading, video, or PowerPoint
Have students make their own connections and share with the class
Compare two characters, two books, two authors styles
Note a sequence
Predict a future outcome
Recognize a cause or effect
60
Stop n Jot
Stop n Jot can be a very useful strategy in order to monitor text that you are reading.
Its very simple and doesnt take much time. All you do is take one of the sentence
stems listed below and finish it off with your own thought regarding what you have
read. By doing this, you are focusing your attention onto the text and self-evaluating
to make sure youre not confused.
I think
I dont get
I can picture
I wonder.
I predict
I hope
I uderstand
61
Quick Writes
Quick Writes involve asking a question, giving people a set amount of time for
responding (usually between one to ten minutes), and either hearing or reading the
responses. The quick write can be modified endlessly, depending on circumstances.
critical thinking warm-ups: use the quick write at the start of a class to
get students focused on a new concept, or the material from last class,
or preparatory reading material, etc.
A Quick Write
Promotes spontaneity and freedom in writing.
Encourages writing as a habit or practice.
Promotes critical thinking and focus.
Gives students time to collect thoughts before verbalizing to others.
Saves time for instructors since quick writes do not necessarily have to be read by
the latter. Students can respond verbally from their quick writes (reading directly
or using the piece as a touchstone) or get peer response in groups.
Provides a basis for collaborative peer work
Students can also DRAW instead of write
62
After making their choice, students will be required to write out the reasons for
their choice on the other side of the card. Students could be allowed four or five
minutes to do so.
The instructor then asks them to gather in the corner of the room that corresponds
to their choice.
In each corner, students form groups of three or four each, to discuss the reasons
for selecting a particular choice.
64
Pinch Cards
On a large notecard, write four levels of understanding in student friendly terms, one
on each corner. At any time during the lesson, ask students to PINCH their level of
understanding on the card and hold them where you can see them.
Im a bit confused.
Im lost.
Price and ODonovan (2006) suggest that effective feedback starts with a set of
explicit criteria and standards that the student understands, and which form
the basis for both feedback and evaluation. Students need to be encouraged to
engage actively with these criteria and standards throughout their placement
and with feedback provided by the workplace educator, other staff or other
students. Students need to practice reflection to assist with their learning and
development while on placement.
Clear - try to be clear about what the feedback is that you want to give. Being
vague and faltering will increase the anxiety in the receiver and may not be
understood.
Owned - The feedback you give is your own perception and not an ultimate
truth. It therefore says as much about you as it does about the person who
receives it. It helps the receiver if this is stated or implied in the feedback, e.g. I
found that rather than Its obvious that
Regular - If the feedback is given regularly it is more likely to be useful .If this
does not happen there is a danger that grievances are saved until they are
delivered in one large package. Try to give the feedback as close to the event as
possible and early enough for the person to do something about it, that is, do not
wait until someone is leaving to tell them how they could have done the job
better.
Balanced - It is good to balance negative and positive feedback and if you find
that the feedback you give to any individual is always either positive or negative,
this probably means that your view is distorted in some way. This does not mean
66
Specific - Generalised feedback is hard to learn from. Phrases like, You talk
too much can only lead to hurt and anger. You talk too much to the client while
you are administering an assessment gives the receiver some information which
he or she can choose to use or ignore. Physiotherapy provides Examples of Key
Performance Indicators - a useful, comprehensive (but not exhaustive) list of
specific behaviours - on which to hinge feedback.
Another simple acronym for remembering how to give effective feedback is the
KSS (kiss) approach. It is particularly useful in the early stages of a students
development.
Keep doing what you are doing right (name the specific
behaviour/s)
Stop doing what you are doing incorrectly (name the specific
unwanted/changeable behaviour/s)
be expected by students;
67
Please remember that no matter how well you give feedback, individuals
will react differently to your comments.
Verbal;
You will use different methods of feedback on a daily basis. Sessions can
be short and informal, for example, between appointments and based on
one or two particular performance items; or planned and formal, covering
the students performance generally, with specific areas for comment.
The way you deliver your feedback will depend on what you have
observed, where the student is in the placement, the time available and
the learning style of the student. The majority of your feedback will be
verbal; however you will be required to provide written feedback at times,
for example at the final assessment.
70
of
the
information,
without
feeling
overwhelmed
or
incompetent. Basically, you will provide feedback whenever you see the
need and the opportunity is available as well as during the evaluation of
the students performance. Remember, feedback is most effective when
given as soon as possible after the student is observed.
You should plan certain times each week for formal feedback sessions as
well. These might be short sessions, on a daily basis at first, for example
immediately after lunch and at the end of the day, with longer sessions on
a weekly basis, for example Friday afternoon to discuss the week. The
structure of these sessions may change over the duration of the
placement as the student gains experience and confidence.
71
However when providing feedback later in the placement you may want to
utilise the following techniques:
Ask them to tell you what they got right and wrong;
Provide less feedback about outcome and more about quality; and
TASKS:
1. Read and compile notes in your portfolio on the different types of
strategies used for formative assessment in the language classroom.
2. Describe a teaching-learning scenario and the suitable feedback
strategies used.
72
TOPIC 5
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of Topic 5, you will be able to:
Identify and talk about the different resources available for teacher;
Explore and exploit free multimedia and digital resources available for use by
teacher;
Thinking questions
1.
2.
73
Selecting a text
The process of selecting a text to be used in the classroom should meet the
following criteria:
The aim of selecting a text is to enable pupils to read and comprehend the literal and
inferred information in the text
What is adaptation?
The process of finding an authentic text which can be of interest to pupils, and
bringing some modifications to it in order to make it usable as the basis for
teaching and conducting in-class reading activities.
Why Adapt?
Some ESL pupils come to schools with limited exposure and experiences
(content/context)
When all pupils are able to understand and participate actively in reading a
given text, the lesson becomes effective
74
2. Elaboration
The goal is to make a text more coherent and limit the ambiguity within it.
Added elaborations do not necessarily decrease the difficulty of a text.
Simpler vocabulary would allow the pupil to focus on essential meaning rather
than become frustrated with overly complex words
75
Teaching materials
Teaching materials include:
Textbooks, audio cassettes, videos, CD-ROMs, dictionaries, grammar book, readers,
workbook, teachers books, photocopied materials, flashcards, and other authentic
materials, such as newspapers, photographs, advertisements, radio/TV
programmes, etc.
76
2. Addition:
3. Reduction:
4. Extension:
5. Rewriting/modification:
6. Replacement:
7. Reordering:
teachers may decide that the order in which the texts are presented is
not suitable for their students. They can then decide to plot a different
course through the texts from the one the writer has laid down.
8. Branching:
Conclusion
Teachers need to know how and to have the initiative to evaluate, select and adapt
teaching materials. Very often, with a heavy workload, teachers simply do not have
the time or energy to do anything beyond lesson planning and marking students
78
TASK:
1. Compile notes on the different types of resources available for teacher
in print and in digital format. Transfer the information gathered from the
notes into a suitable Graphic Organiser.
2. Identify a list of websites available for teacher and provide overview of
the website.
3. Discuss criteria used in evaluating language resources for use in the
classroom.
79
TOPIC 6
Macro/Micro-teaching
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of conducting the micro-teaching session, you will be able to:
Reflect orally the strengths and weaknesses of lesson observed and carried
out.
Students are to prepare and conduct a micro-teaching session in the class. They
are then to reflect critically on the teaching and the resources used in the lesson.
80
TOPIC 7
Student-teacher Development
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of Topic 7, you will be able to:
81
Goal: Map out and follow a personal wellness-model, balancing the different roles in
my life
Objectives Be physically active 4-5 times per week.
Keep track of tasks that must be completed each week on a to-do list
Limit my intake of staff-room treats to once per week.
Initiate two conversations per day with a family member or friend that is non-work
related.
Complete school related tasks by no later than 6:30-7 pm, 4 out 5 weekdays.
In order to ensure that I am the best teacher possible, it is essential for me to take
care of myself, taking into account all aspects of my life and all of the roles that I
82
play. By making healthy food choices, being physically active, taking part in fun
activities, maintaining the relationships in my life and completing my work on time, I
will ultimately be finding a balance that makes teaching enjoyable and ensuring that I
am able to give the best of myself to my students.
83
process.
Model for students how to provide feedback that explains to someone how they are
doing as well as areas where the work can be improved.
Keep criteria concise so that tasks or activities do not become overwhelming for the
students
Use various ways to assess my students
Review literature that exists on the wide range of assessment approaches
It is important for students to have opportunities to improve upon their work and at
the same time it is important for teachers to see the student growth that occurs over
time. Therefore, it becomes important for evaluation to be more than just a one-shot
deal. It is important to find the value that comes from providing students with
continuous feedback in order for them to understand what they are doing well and
areas where they may need more work. Ongoing assessment allows for this to
happen and I feel as though it should be something that I strive towards in my
practice. I think that by allowing students to participate in the assessment process, it
ultimately provides them with an opportunity to assess their progress.
http://studentspseanna.blogspot.com/2010/04/teacher-professional-growth-plan.html
Task:
1. Plan a professional development programme that fulfill ones needs and
wants as a future teacher.
85