Skills focus: Practice spelling words with this excellent stirrer.
How to Play:
Separate the classroom board into two or more equal parts by drawing rows and columns. The students will spell words in the rows. In the columns above write team names. (You can create more rows and columns depending on the number of teams.(tip- more than four rows is not advisable).
Give each team a board marker or chalk depending on the nature of your boards.
Make an equal line up of first relay runners of each team.
The teacher then says a word s/he wants the students to spell. Each runner runs to the board and writes the beginning letter of the word. He/she runs back to team members and hands the chalk or board marker to the next runner in the team. Each team takes turns writing a single letter until the word is completely spelled.
The first team to finish spelling the word correctly scores a point or gets some form of praise.
Tips:
This is an exciting game. Relay runners have a tendency to stand up before the marker or chalk is handed to them. Make sure relay runners are not doing similar unfair practices.
Start with easy words that students can spell
This is a stirrer and can be physically demanding. Some students might be good at spelling but not good runners. Mix students according to intellectual and physical strengths.
Generally, in all games of competition, make sure there is a balance of abilities in teams- physical & intellectual.
Try to help weak teams score points.
As a general rule, don’t always let one team win thrice in a row. This might discourage the other teams.
Keep the competitiveness by helping the weak teams in a way the winning teams do not judge unfair. But in the end give every team what they deserve.
Watch out for students who cannot handle the physical demands of the game. Pause occasionally and give students a few minutes to rest.
For higher levels don’t just ask them to spell a word. Describe a word and they guess and spell.
Adapt games according to the situation of your classrooms and students.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Three Activities to Promote Learners' Autonomy
Introduction:
I believe that many EFL teachers, like myself, have experienced the frustration of investing endless energy in designing interesting, from the teacher's point of view, tasks and organizing various activities for students, but getting little response. Learners are often reluctant to use the target language in pair/small group work. Students do not reflect on their mistakes and, consequently, do not learn from their errors. Even really motivated learners do not always seem to attain their potential.
The common phenomenon among learners is a passive role they assume in the process of learning -- they rely on teachers too much and are reluctant to develop a sense of responsibility for the outcome of their learning. This holds for other subjects as well as for foreign languages.
It is unreasonable to expect that encouraging a student to become more independent, or autonomous, in acquiring language skills will bring about any tangible changes. Learners have to be taught the skill 'how to learn'. Learning this skill is a slow process and can only be perfected in a step-by-step manner.
First, learners need to become aware of the ways they learn best, which involves their learning styles and strategies (Brazis, Kavaliauskienë, 2000). Naturally, it takes time for learners to find out what are the most effective techniques and activities for each person.
Second, learners have to change their passive attitude to learning to a more active attitude, i.e. to become less dependent on the teacher and take charge of their own learning (Wilga M. Rivers, 1992). Teacher's role is to involve students in search for interesting materials, e.g. surfing the Internet, or finding pen-friends on the Internet, taking part in competitions, chat-clubs, encouraging to read English books, newspapers, magazines, etc.
Finally, learners have to be given a chance to gain experience in 'swapping places' with a teacher, which means changing the traditional role of a teacher, developing the art of negotiation, emphasizing the importance of self-assessment, etc. (Grudzinska, 2000). This involves tasks and activities designed and administered by the learners themselves. The diversity of tasks may cover grammar, games, written work, audio- and video- recordings, news items, translation -- you name it -- anything that interests learners will benefit them.
This article presents some techniques I have used in order to involve my students in active preparation and administration of activities. I hope my experience may be of interest to other English teachers who like experimenting in the classroom and trying out various techniques.
Crossword Session:
GOALS:
Recycling vocabulary, peer assessment and self-assessment, students' communicative interaction and cooperation, enhancing motivation
LEVEL: intermediate & above
LANGUAGE FOCUS: giving definitions, evaluating performance
PREPARATION: pair work in class, between 7 and 10 minutes
DELIVERY: pair work, time limit -- about 10 minutes
In this activity students assume the teacher's traditional role of designing a task and carrying out the activity.
For many students learning professional vocabulary is a tedious task. Learners find it difficult to retrieve a specific item impromptu (speaking or writing). The possible cause of this failure is that vocabulary items have not been consolidated, i.e. have not been transferred to a long-term memory and either remained in a short-term memory or have been forgotten. Some items might be recognizable when encountered by learners, but usually learners complain that they are short for words and use rudimentary vocabulary because appropriate terms have not been effectively activated.
In this activity a situational context and a lexical content are intertwined. Students use the wordlist of target vocabulary from the topic-based reading materials. Students choose the items they want to process and design a crossword working in pairs. It is advisable to limit the number of vocabulary items (about 10) and to set the time limit (7 to 10 minutes). Each pair is expected to deliver their crossword either on the chalkboard or transparency using an overhead projector. One student reads the definitions, and another writes the item as soon as somebody generates the answer. Students are awarded a point for each correct answer. In case of an inaccurate definition, a point is awarded to a person who corrects it. The guessing activity should not take longer than 10 minutes. The idea is to have a fast performance and delivery. The activity also helps develop fast-thinking, which is necessary in spontaneous speech. It can be administered as a warm-up or between other activities, like writing or reading, for students to unwind. The crosswords designed by other pairs should be administered in the follow-up lessons, one at a time. Thus, learners will be able to recollect and process the task-based vocabulary during a few weeks. Naturally, different pairs will choose diverse vocabulary items, which also encourages revising. Learners' interaction, cooperation, assessment and self-assessment is lively and takes place in a friendly atmosphere: students argue over definitions, pronunciation and spelling, and enjoy awarding the titles of 'the best', 'the second best' and 'the third best' performers.
An example of a crossword and definitions are presented below. This crossword example was prepared by a pair of learners using vocabulary from the reading text 'The Law and the Family' (Powell, 1993). Although the visual design may seem unprofessional, this crossword puzzle serves the goals.
DOWN
1 A legal document in which somebody states to whom they want their property & money to be given after their death (WILL)
2 The duty and the right of a parent to keep and bring up a child after divorce (CUSTODY)
3 Husband or wife (SPOUSE)
4 Born of parents who are not married to each other (ILLEGITIMATE)
5 A person who is being sued for divorce (RESPONDENT)ACROSS
6 A legal statement declaring a marriage null and void (NULLITY)
7 Dying without having made a will (INTESTACY)
8 Sexual intercourse between a married person and somebody who is not their spouse (ADULTERY)
9 A condition or requirement in a legal document (PROVISION)
10 Money paid by the state to the person responsible for a child under 16 (BENEFIT)
Grammar Training:
GOALS: identifying the right tense, self- & peer correction, self assessment, generalizing from examples, developing an autonomous learner
LEVEL: pre-intermediate & above
LANGUAGE FOCUS: usage of appropriate tenses within the context
PREPARATION: pair work, authentic materials
DELIVERY: pair work, handouts or transparencies (use of overhead projector)
The usage of English tenses is rather problematic to Lithuanian learners. The most likely cause of students' difficulty is a difference between grammar systems of English and the mother tongue. There are only three tenses in Lithuanian -- Present, Past and Future. There are no notions of either Continuous or Perfect tenses and learners find the usage very confusing. Although students are very familiar with the structures of all the tenses, they tend to simplify their usage to simple forms. The technique presented below demonstrates an opportunity for students to practice the usage of various tenses within the topic-based context.
The activity is prepared at home and administered by learners in class. Learners use authentic professional materials either from professional journals, CNN or BBC news, newspapers and so on. Each pair prepares a passage in which verbs are replaced by infinitives and reproduced on transparencies or handouts. In the classroom, all peers exchange their ideas and suggest the choice(s) of a tense. All students are involved in the discussion and present their arguments for or against the suggested usage. This activity is very lively, particularly when there is an alternative possibility. Learners argue the points enthusiastically, and as a rule a final decision is reached without the teacher's intervention. Learners enjoy awarding 'prizes' to their peers and demonstrate the ability of being objective in their evaluation. It is noteworthy that students should complete the activity during the lesson, and the teacher's feedback should follow the learners' self-assessment. It is advisable to have no more than one such activity during a lesson, so that students do not get bored or frustrated in case it is rather hard.
Here is an example.
BICYCLE PATROLS
The use of bicycle patrol (1) ___________ foot patrol in many areas. (REPLACE)
Lately US law enforcement agencies (2) _____________to recognize the many benefits of patrolling
on bikes. (BEGIN)
Patrolling on bikes (3) ____________ high visibility, accessibility and mobility. (PROVIDE)
Bicycle patrols (4) _____________ crime by the capability to approach crimes in progress without
being seen or heard. (REDUCE)
The element of surprise (5) _____________ police to catch more suspects.. (HELP)
Police bicycles (6) ______________ with radar or computerized communication systems. (EQUIP)
Electric bikes travel up to 20 mph and (7) ____________ pedaling. (NOT NEED)
Answer key
1 replaces / has replaced 2 have begun 3 provides / has provided 4 reduce / have reduced 5 helps / has helped 6 are equipped / have been equipped / were equipped 7 do not need
VariationA possible variation of this activity is combining two tasks: selecting the word order and the tense. A useful tip: usage of tenses is better understood and learnt from a context. The choice of tenses out of the context is often ambiguous. The following example is a part of a passage, which is meant to demonstrate the format of the exercise. Students-peers have to determine the logical word order and choose the appropriate tense:
/ a student / for two years / to juvenile offenders' / be sent / institution / for making / death calls / anonymous / / until his trial / be remanded / accused of harassing / in custody / young girls / the youth / last month /
Answer Key: A student has been sent to juvenile offenders' institution for two years for making anonymous death calls. The youth accused of harassing young girls was remanded in custody until his trial last month.
TranslationA way towards bilingualism :
GOALS: developing bilingualism, peer- and self-assessment, fostering formal vocabulary and style
LEVEL: intermediate & upwards
LANGUAGE FOCUS: adequate translation of legal excerpts from L2 into L1 and back from L1 into L2
PREPARATION: handouts of legal passages
DELIVERY: peer analysis, class discussionDeveloping bilingualism in learners demands their awareness of the word-combinations and options that language allows (Kavaliauskienë, Janulevièienë, 2001). Students find it hard to understand the language of agreements, contracts, treaties, laws and conventions, although they seem to know the meanings of most words.
This activity is designed to give students practice in translating short legal excerpts from English into the mother tongue. It is advisable to select two passages of similar scope that do not contain new vocabulary items. Prepare two passages of approximately the same difficulty and scope. Divide the class into an equal number of pairs and give different passages to the students sitting next to each other. Ask students to translate their passages into the mother tongue and set the time limit for translating.
As soon as students have finished translating, collect the original English texts and ask students to exchange their translations in mother tongue. Set the time limit and ask them to translate their peers' work back into English.
As soon as students have finished the translating, give them original texts and let the pairs who swapped their translations compare and analyze their work. The emphasis is on the difficulties they encountered in translation both ways. A whole class discussion is a follow-up activity.
The final stage is to provide a copy of an officially approved legal document in the learners' mother tongue so that learners can compare their own understanding and translation with the official version. As it is obvious from my description, this activity is time-consuming, because learners need some time for reflection, analysis and discussion. Discussions concern different aspects of language -- a choice of vocabulary, collocations, structure of sentences, style, etc.
I applied this technique for fostering comprehension of the Schengen Agreement documents. The majority of students were baffled by the usage of vocabulary items like 'alien' which they associated with 'a being from space' and not 'a foreigner'; 'a technical support function' has been understood as some 'computer software' which actually is 'a service' in the Schengen Information System; the term 'Contracting Party' some learners have understood either as 'a political party' or 'an entertainment contract'.
It is noteworthy that the use of the translation technique is not the old-fashioned way of teaching languages that was common in the middle of the 20th century. The communicative approach to translating is a useful means for teaching comprehension of legal texts, which are hard to follow because of the formal wording and change in the meaning of otherwise familiar vocabulary. Now that my students are aware of translation benefits, they bring their own legal excerpts into the classroom for peers to translate, analyze and discuss.
References:
.Brazis, R and Kavaliauskienë,G Application of Multiple Intelligences Theory to Teaching English, in 'Network', A Journal for English Language Teacher Education, Vol. 3, No 2, April 2000, pp. 47-51.
.Powell, R Law Today, 1993, Longman Group UK Ltd.
.Rivers, Wilga M. Communicating Naturally in a Second Language, Theory and Practice in Language Teaching, 1992, CUP.
I believe that many EFL teachers, like myself, have experienced the frustration of investing endless energy in designing interesting, from the teacher's point of view, tasks and organizing various activities for students, but getting little response. Learners are often reluctant to use the target language in pair/small group work. Students do not reflect on their mistakes and, consequently, do not learn from their errors. Even really motivated learners do not always seem to attain their potential.
The common phenomenon among learners is a passive role they assume in the process of learning -- they rely on teachers too much and are reluctant to develop a sense of responsibility for the outcome of their learning. This holds for other subjects as well as for foreign languages.
It is unreasonable to expect that encouraging a student to become more independent, or autonomous, in acquiring language skills will bring about any tangible changes. Learners have to be taught the skill 'how to learn'. Learning this skill is a slow process and can only be perfected in a step-by-step manner.
First, learners need to become aware of the ways they learn best, which involves their learning styles and strategies (Brazis, Kavaliauskienë, 2000). Naturally, it takes time for learners to find out what are the most effective techniques and activities for each person.
Second, learners have to change their passive attitude to learning to a more active attitude, i.e. to become less dependent on the teacher and take charge of their own learning (Wilga M. Rivers, 1992). Teacher's role is to involve students in search for interesting materials, e.g. surfing the Internet, or finding pen-friends on the Internet, taking part in competitions, chat-clubs, encouraging to read English books, newspapers, magazines, etc.
Finally, learners have to be given a chance to gain experience in 'swapping places' with a teacher, which means changing the traditional role of a teacher, developing the art of negotiation, emphasizing the importance of self-assessment, etc. (Grudzinska, 2000). This involves tasks and activities designed and administered by the learners themselves. The diversity of tasks may cover grammar, games, written work, audio- and video- recordings, news items, translation -- you name it -- anything that interests learners will benefit them.
This article presents some techniques I have used in order to involve my students in active preparation and administration of activities. I hope my experience may be of interest to other English teachers who like experimenting in the classroom and trying out various techniques.
Crossword Session:
GOALS:
Recycling vocabulary, peer assessment and self-assessment, students' communicative interaction and cooperation, enhancing motivation
LEVEL: intermediate & above
LANGUAGE FOCUS: giving definitions, evaluating performance
PREPARATION: pair work in class, between 7 and 10 minutes
DELIVERY: pair work, time limit -- about 10 minutes
In this activity students assume the teacher's traditional role of designing a task and carrying out the activity.
For many students learning professional vocabulary is a tedious task. Learners find it difficult to retrieve a specific item impromptu (speaking or writing). The possible cause of this failure is that vocabulary items have not been consolidated, i.e. have not been transferred to a long-term memory and either remained in a short-term memory or have been forgotten. Some items might be recognizable when encountered by learners, but usually learners complain that they are short for words and use rudimentary vocabulary because appropriate terms have not been effectively activated.
In this activity a situational context and a lexical content are intertwined. Students use the wordlist of target vocabulary from the topic-based reading materials. Students choose the items they want to process and design a crossword working in pairs. It is advisable to limit the number of vocabulary items (about 10) and to set the time limit (7 to 10 minutes). Each pair is expected to deliver their crossword either on the chalkboard or transparency using an overhead projector. One student reads the definitions, and another writes the item as soon as somebody generates the answer. Students are awarded a point for each correct answer. In case of an inaccurate definition, a point is awarded to a person who corrects it. The guessing activity should not take longer than 10 minutes. The idea is to have a fast performance and delivery. The activity also helps develop fast-thinking, which is necessary in spontaneous speech. It can be administered as a warm-up or between other activities, like writing or reading, for students to unwind. The crosswords designed by other pairs should be administered in the follow-up lessons, one at a time. Thus, learners will be able to recollect and process the task-based vocabulary during a few weeks. Naturally, different pairs will choose diverse vocabulary items, which also encourages revising. Learners' interaction, cooperation, assessment and self-assessment is lively and takes place in a friendly atmosphere: students argue over definitions, pronunciation and spelling, and enjoy awarding the titles of 'the best', 'the second best' and 'the third best' performers.
An example of a crossword and definitions are presented below. This crossword example was prepared by a pair of learners using vocabulary from the reading text 'The Law and the Family' (Powell, 1993). Although the visual design may seem unprofessional, this crossword puzzle serves the goals.
DOWN
1 A legal document in which somebody states to whom they want their property & money to be given after their death (WILL)
2 The duty and the right of a parent to keep and bring up a child after divorce (CUSTODY)
3 Husband or wife (SPOUSE)
4 Born of parents who are not married to each other (ILLEGITIMATE)
5 A person who is being sued for divorce (RESPONDENT)ACROSS
6 A legal statement declaring a marriage null and void (NULLITY)
7 Dying without having made a will (INTESTACY)
8 Sexual intercourse between a married person and somebody who is not their spouse (ADULTERY)
9 A condition or requirement in a legal document (PROVISION)
10 Money paid by the state to the person responsible for a child under 16 (BENEFIT)
Grammar Training:
GOALS: identifying the right tense, self- & peer correction, self assessment, generalizing from examples, developing an autonomous learner
LEVEL: pre-intermediate & above
LANGUAGE FOCUS: usage of appropriate tenses within the context
PREPARATION: pair work, authentic materials
DELIVERY: pair work, handouts or transparencies (use of overhead projector)
The usage of English tenses is rather problematic to Lithuanian learners. The most likely cause of students' difficulty is a difference between grammar systems of English and the mother tongue. There are only three tenses in Lithuanian -- Present, Past and Future. There are no notions of either Continuous or Perfect tenses and learners find the usage very confusing. Although students are very familiar with the structures of all the tenses, they tend to simplify their usage to simple forms. The technique presented below demonstrates an opportunity for students to practice the usage of various tenses within the topic-based context.
The activity is prepared at home and administered by learners in class. Learners use authentic professional materials either from professional journals, CNN or BBC news, newspapers and so on. Each pair prepares a passage in which verbs are replaced by infinitives and reproduced on transparencies or handouts. In the classroom, all peers exchange their ideas and suggest the choice(s) of a tense. All students are involved in the discussion and present their arguments for or against the suggested usage. This activity is very lively, particularly when there is an alternative possibility. Learners argue the points enthusiastically, and as a rule a final decision is reached without the teacher's intervention. Learners enjoy awarding 'prizes' to their peers and demonstrate the ability of being objective in their evaluation. It is noteworthy that students should complete the activity during the lesson, and the teacher's feedback should follow the learners' self-assessment. It is advisable to have no more than one such activity during a lesson, so that students do not get bored or frustrated in case it is rather hard.
Here is an example.
BICYCLE PATROLS
The use of bicycle patrol (1) ___________ foot patrol in many areas. (REPLACE)
Lately US law enforcement agencies (2) _____________to recognize the many benefits of patrolling
on bikes. (BEGIN)
Patrolling on bikes (3) ____________ high visibility, accessibility and mobility. (PROVIDE)
Bicycle patrols (4) _____________ crime by the capability to approach crimes in progress without
being seen or heard. (REDUCE)
The element of surprise (5) _____________ police to catch more suspects.. (HELP)
Police bicycles (6) ______________ with radar or computerized communication systems. (EQUIP)
Electric bikes travel up to 20 mph and (7) ____________ pedaling. (NOT NEED)
Answer key
1 replaces / has replaced 2 have begun 3 provides / has provided 4 reduce / have reduced 5 helps / has helped 6 are equipped / have been equipped / were equipped 7 do not need
VariationA possible variation of this activity is combining two tasks: selecting the word order and the tense. A useful tip: usage of tenses is better understood and learnt from a context. The choice of tenses out of the context is often ambiguous. The following example is a part of a passage, which is meant to demonstrate the format of the exercise. Students-peers have to determine the logical word order and choose the appropriate tense:
/ a student / for two years / to juvenile offenders' / be sent / institution / for making / death calls / anonymous / / until his trial / be remanded / accused of harassing / in custody / young girls / the youth / last month /
Answer Key: A student has been sent to juvenile offenders' institution for two years for making anonymous death calls. The youth accused of harassing young girls was remanded in custody until his trial last month.
TranslationA way towards bilingualism :
GOALS: developing bilingualism, peer- and self-assessment, fostering formal vocabulary and style
LEVEL: intermediate & upwards
LANGUAGE FOCUS: adequate translation of legal excerpts from L2 into L1 and back from L1 into L2
PREPARATION: handouts of legal passages
DELIVERY: peer analysis, class discussionDeveloping bilingualism in learners demands their awareness of the word-combinations and options that language allows (Kavaliauskienë, Janulevièienë, 2001). Students find it hard to understand the language of agreements, contracts, treaties, laws and conventions, although they seem to know the meanings of most words.
This activity is designed to give students practice in translating short legal excerpts from English into the mother tongue. It is advisable to select two passages of similar scope that do not contain new vocabulary items. Prepare two passages of approximately the same difficulty and scope. Divide the class into an equal number of pairs and give different passages to the students sitting next to each other. Ask students to translate their passages into the mother tongue and set the time limit for translating.
As soon as students have finished translating, collect the original English texts and ask students to exchange their translations in mother tongue. Set the time limit and ask them to translate their peers' work back into English.
As soon as students have finished the translating, give them original texts and let the pairs who swapped their translations compare and analyze their work. The emphasis is on the difficulties they encountered in translation both ways. A whole class discussion is a follow-up activity.
The final stage is to provide a copy of an officially approved legal document in the learners' mother tongue so that learners can compare their own understanding and translation with the official version. As it is obvious from my description, this activity is time-consuming, because learners need some time for reflection, analysis and discussion. Discussions concern different aspects of language -- a choice of vocabulary, collocations, structure of sentences, style, etc.
I applied this technique for fostering comprehension of the Schengen Agreement documents. The majority of students were baffled by the usage of vocabulary items like 'alien' which they associated with 'a being from space' and not 'a foreigner'; 'a technical support function' has been understood as some 'computer software' which actually is 'a service' in the Schengen Information System; the term 'Contracting Party' some learners have understood either as 'a political party' or 'an entertainment contract'.
It is noteworthy that the use of the translation technique is not the old-fashioned way of teaching languages that was common in the middle of the 20th century. The communicative approach to translating is a useful means for teaching comprehension of legal texts, which are hard to follow because of the formal wording and change in the meaning of otherwise familiar vocabulary. Now that my students are aware of translation benefits, they bring their own legal excerpts into the classroom for peers to translate, analyze and discuss.
References:
.Brazis, R and Kavaliauskienë,G Application of Multiple Intelligences Theory to Teaching English, in 'Network', A Journal for English Language Teacher Education, Vol. 3, No 2, April 2000, pp. 47-51.
.Powell, R Law Today, 1993, Longman Group UK Ltd.
.Rivers, Wilga M. Communicating Naturally in a Second Language, Theory and Practice in Language Teaching, 1992, CUP.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Using bilingual glossaries to teach new vocabulary items.
Hello dear colleagues,
Let me share with you some activities I have just tried successfully with my students. Actually, they were about teaching new vocabulary items related to Food, drinks and cooking utensils. From my past years experience, I noticed that students liked this unit so much and they expressed curiosity and enthusiasm to know more about the mentioned above items. They used to ask me for words translation as they have very few resources if none at all. To face these constraints and satisfy their curiosity, I created a 2 page bilingual glossary encompassing the maximum “cooking” jargon. Actually, this idea was inspired by the Oxford English Arabic Picture Dictionary. So I gave students copies of this glossary, which served as a vocabulary resource for the lesson. They were happy to keep the copies for their own use later on. Below is a detailed description of that lesson steps.
Objectives: Students will
- acquire new vocabulary items related to Food, drinks, cooking utensils and practice them in meaningful context as in their everyday life
- talk about their favourite dishes and describe the process of making them.
Materials:
- Copies of the glossary encompassing English Arabic word lists related to: vegetables, fruits, spices, kitchen utensils, drinks and some key action verbs.
- Copies of recipes with pictures and phrases describing the process.
References:
- The Oxford English Arabic picture Dictionary. Norma Shapiro and Jayme Adelson Goldstein
- English for everyday activities. A picture process dictionary. Lawrence J. Zwier.
Time: 45 minutes.
Steps of the lesson:
- Students are shown some pictures of some food and drink items to determine what they already know.
- Students are given the copies of the bilingual glossary and asked the following questions to make them go through the glossary and get familiar with the new items and their pronunciation:
- Which vegetables do you eat raw / cooked?
- Which fruits are sold in the summer / winter in Ouarzazate?
- What kitchen utensils do you use in making Spaghetti / Tajine …? - Students are given copies of some dishes‘ recipes with pictured actions .Then they are asked to work in pairs, read the process and complete the following information :
Ingredients :
spices :
Used utensils :
Method/ Process - When they have completed the task, some volunteers come up to the front of the class. One reading out the recipe while the second miming the actions.
- As a follow up activity, students are asked to describe some local dishes their way.
To conclude, students were so much excited during this lesson and were happy to get copies of the glossary . I think it will be beneficial to apply the same technique while dealing with the next topics.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Effective Ways to Use Authentic Materials with ESL/EFL Students
This paper explains how authentic materials can be effectively used in the ESL classroom. Each pair of students is given a copy of the authentic material accompanied by a set of questions about the contents of the handout. Students work together with a partner to extract pertinent information that is necessary to answer the questions.
The Authentic Materials
Background
We have been using authentic materials for over 10 years and have found that they complement English classes by enlivening the class and creating a more positive attitude toward learning. We now have an extensive collection of materials that include menus, maps, newspaper inserts, store advertisements, travel brochures, catalogs, phone books, real estate pamphlets, and various pamphlets of sightseeing and tourist information. We have found that using sets of materials are particularly appealing. A set could include a map, a travel guide, a menu, and a store advertisement from the same town -- all of which are interwoven, immersing the student in a multidimensional English experience.
Choosing Authentic Materials:
There are several important points to consider when choosing authentic materials. You should make sure that you have enough copies of the materials to be used so that each student or pair of students can have a copy to use. It is best not to use material with too many pages, unless the pages are clearly numbered for easy reference. If you plan to use the same materials in more than one class, it is important that they be hardy enough to withstand a lot of handling and they should be easily refolded and put back together. Materials with multiple pieces or pages that fall out or come apart should be avoided. Also, keep in mind that some materials are more easily dated than others. For example, last season's catalog does not have the same impact as a current one which is filled with items which the student could actually order. A menu, on the other hand, can be used as long as the prices remain contemporary. Students are generally uninterested in special events, for example an Expo, that have already past. Remember to choose material that is appropriate for the students' level. However, a certain amount of adjustment can be made depending on the type and level of questions used in the accompanying question handout.
Using Authentic Materials:
When we first began using authentic materials, we handed out materials to each student and had them work individually. However, experience has shown that having students work in pairs is a better approach because they tend to be more enthusiastic and work harder. We give each pair the authentic material and a question handout. Interestingly, the student with the stronger command of English is not necessarily the one who is able to extract the most information from the material. Students of different abilities tend to complement one another and, as a result, do not get bogged down easily. Students tend to contribute individual strengths to the completion of the task. We usually tell students that question handouts will be collected since this keeps them more focused on the completion of the exercise. The teacher's personal anecdotes and other background information should be shared before the students begin concentrating on the material.
After the authentic material has been distributed, we give a brief explanation and point out, for example, the importance of the table of contents in a pamphlet or the legend in a map. We point out small print and other parts of the material that are easily missed. We have found that pointing out Japanese words and products raises the level of interest in the material. This is a good time for the teacher to explain measures, abbreviations, and difficult words and expressions.
While the students are working on the assignment, we help them by answering questions and commenting on their work. This is also a good chance to give hints to those who are stuck on a particular question.
Once the allotted time is up, we collect the material along with the question handout and go over the difficult questions with the class. If the handouts are to be factored into the students' grades, it is a good idea to make sure they have a chance to work with various partners over the course of the semester.
Putting the Question Handout TogetherFor the authentic materials to be effective, the questions must be well constructed to (a) give the students the opportunity to practice English, (b) help the students gain confidence in their English ability, (c) expose the students to cultural differences and customs, and (d) help the students develop their ability to find pertinent information quickly.
Tour QuestionsThe first part of the question handout should contain easy multiple choice or fill-in factual questions. These questions give the students a 'tour' of the material and exposes them to a variety of question types. The students gain an overview of the material as they answer these initial easy questions and this makes them feel confident enough to tackle more difficult questions later.
Cultural and Personal Choice QuestionsThe second part of the handout should contain questions that can be used to bring attention to cultural differences in packaging, sizes, and pricing. Authentic materials often contain references to cultural events such as holidays, and questions can be used to bring these to the students' attention. Questions which require one word or written answers could be used at this stage. Furthermore, students are familiar enough with the material at this point to answer personal choice questions. These questions usually require the students to choose items from the material or a course of action based on personal preference. These often lead to lively discussion because students must agree on what answer to write.
Challenging QuestionsThe third part should have questions that are more challenging and time consuming. Because of the differences in abilities (and sometimes luck), the time it takes students to complete a question handout can vary considerably. The more challenging questions at the end of the handout tend to work as 'equalizers' and slow down faster students so slower students can catch up. Questions can involve reading the small print, be especially detailed, or involve deductive reasoning. When students are working on the challenging questions they often begin to compare their progress to that of their neighbors'. Deliberately misleading 'red herring' questions add to the competitiveness while developing the students' critical thinking.
Types of Questions and Sample Questions
Multiple Choice:
How many Navel Oranges can you buy for a dollar? a) 3 b) 4 c) 5
Which is the cheapest? a) orange juice b) grapefruit juice c) tomato juice
One Word Answer:
What country are the seedless grapes from? __________
On the back page it says Chilean Asian Pears for $1.00 each. What do you think "Asian pears" are called in Japanese? _________
Written Answer:
Why are the strawberries on the back page called California Strawberries?
How do you order coupons on the Internet for this store?
Lists:
You want to make sandwiches for your family. What would you buy?
Stone Ground Wheat Bread - 2 loaves - $4.00
_________________ - _______________ - $ ______
_________________ - _______________ - $ ______
_________________ - _______________ - $ ______
_________________ - _______________ - $ ______
You are having a party for five friends at your house. You can spend only 50 dollars. What would you buy for the party?
Cape Cod Potato Chips - 4 six ounce bags - $6.00
_________________ - _______________ - $ ______
_________________ - _______________ - $ ______
_________________ - _______________ - $ ______
_________________ - _______________ - $ ______
Factual:
How many large brown eggs can you buy for $1? _________
How much are two jars of Mayonnaise on page 7? $ _____
Analytical (multi-step):
How much do 10 ears of Florida Super Sweet Corn and 2 pounds (lb.) of Fresh Ground Round cost? $ ______
Which costs more, one lb. of Fresh Boneless Shark Steaks or one lb. of Whiting Fillets? ________
Personal Preference:
Look at the back page. What fruit would you like to eat? __________
What flowers do you want to give to your mother on Mother's Day? ________________________________ $ ______
Conversion:
How many ounces are there in a two liter bottle of Pepsi One? ____
How many grams of Florida Red Potatoes can you buy for five dollars? One pound is about 453 grams. _________
Red Herring:
One Florida Juice Orange costs $2.00. True or False (NOTE TO TEACHERS: The advertisement says one bag is $2.00.)
Which is cheaper, one lb. of Whiting Fillets or one lb. of Crunchy Clam Strip? ________
Obvious:
What is the name of this store? _____________________
What month is the Mother's Day Sale? ______________
Challenging:
Find something that is cheaper in Japan than in the USA. ________.
What can you buy in a glass jar that is usually sold in a plastic bottle in Japan? _________
ActivitiesThere are other methods of using authentic materials. Some of these can be used as a supplement to the question handout, or on their own, for variety. Here are four examples of effective activities with brief explanations.
Word Search
The students search for parts of speech such as adjectives on a given page or search for certain categories of things. An advantage of this activity is that students do not need identical copies of the authentic material.
Crosswords
The teacher prepares a crossword puzzle using words from the handout. The questions for the handout can also be presented as crossword clues. Crossword generating programs found on the Internet make this easy.
Personalizing
The students write a list of purchases for an imaginary party using a supermarket handout, plan a trip using a travel brochure or plan a meal with a menu. The students could also be asked to fill out a mail order form with an imaginary order of purchases for family members, boyfriends, girlfriends, and themselves.
Pair Practice
The students ask and answer the printed questions on the handout and are encouraged to ask their own questions. The students can role play the parts of customer and clerk either following a sample conversation provided by the teacher or making up their own.
Internet
The Internet can be used to provide authentic material as well. The teacher can search for sites that focus on a specific topic, make questions, and post them online. These online lessons can be completed by the students on their own. Although the Internet has many advantages, it cannot replace the hands-on, three dimensional quality of real materials brought into the classroom by the teacher.
Conclusion
When used effectively, authentic materials help bring the real world into the classroom and significantly enliven the ESL class. Exposing the students to cultural features generates a deeper understanding of and interest in the topic. On one hand, the students develop their ability to zero in on relevant information, and on the other, they learn how to disregard what is not relevant. As students pool their individual strengths they gain confidence in being able to function in an English-speaking society.
The Authentic Materials
Background
We have been using authentic materials for over 10 years and have found that they complement English classes by enlivening the class and creating a more positive attitude toward learning. We now have an extensive collection of materials that include menus, maps, newspaper inserts, store advertisements, travel brochures, catalogs, phone books, real estate pamphlets, and various pamphlets of sightseeing and tourist information. We have found that using sets of materials are particularly appealing. A set could include a map, a travel guide, a menu, and a store advertisement from the same town -- all of which are interwoven, immersing the student in a multidimensional English experience.
Choosing Authentic Materials:
There are several important points to consider when choosing authentic materials. You should make sure that you have enough copies of the materials to be used so that each student or pair of students can have a copy to use. It is best not to use material with too many pages, unless the pages are clearly numbered for easy reference. If you plan to use the same materials in more than one class, it is important that they be hardy enough to withstand a lot of handling and they should be easily refolded and put back together. Materials with multiple pieces or pages that fall out or come apart should be avoided. Also, keep in mind that some materials are more easily dated than others. For example, last season's catalog does not have the same impact as a current one which is filled with items which the student could actually order. A menu, on the other hand, can be used as long as the prices remain contemporary. Students are generally uninterested in special events, for example an Expo, that have already past. Remember to choose material that is appropriate for the students' level. However, a certain amount of adjustment can be made depending on the type and level of questions used in the accompanying question handout.
Using Authentic Materials:
When we first began using authentic materials, we handed out materials to each student and had them work individually. However, experience has shown that having students work in pairs is a better approach because they tend to be more enthusiastic and work harder. We give each pair the authentic material and a question handout. Interestingly, the student with the stronger command of English is not necessarily the one who is able to extract the most information from the material. Students of different abilities tend to complement one another and, as a result, do not get bogged down easily. Students tend to contribute individual strengths to the completion of the task. We usually tell students that question handouts will be collected since this keeps them more focused on the completion of the exercise. The teacher's personal anecdotes and other background information should be shared before the students begin concentrating on the material.
After the authentic material has been distributed, we give a brief explanation and point out, for example, the importance of the table of contents in a pamphlet or the legend in a map. We point out small print and other parts of the material that are easily missed. We have found that pointing out Japanese words and products raises the level of interest in the material. This is a good time for the teacher to explain measures, abbreviations, and difficult words and expressions.
While the students are working on the assignment, we help them by answering questions and commenting on their work. This is also a good chance to give hints to those who are stuck on a particular question.
Once the allotted time is up, we collect the material along with the question handout and go over the difficult questions with the class. If the handouts are to be factored into the students' grades, it is a good idea to make sure they have a chance to work with various partners over the course of the semester.
Putting the Question Handout TogetherFor the authentic materials to be effective, the questions must be well constructed to (a) give the students the opportunity to practice English, (b) help the students gain confidence in their English ability, (c) expose the students to cultural differences and customs, and (d) help the students develop their ability to find pertinent information quickly.
Tour QuestionsThe first part of the question handout should contain easy multiple choice or fill-in factual questions. These questions give the students a 'tour' of the material and exposes them to a variety of question types. The students gain an overview of the material as they answer these initial easy questions and this makes them feel confident enough to tackle more difficult questions later.
Cultural and Personal Choice QuestionsThe second part of the handout should contain questions that can be used to bring attention to cultural differences in packaging, sizes, and pricing. Authentic materials often contain references to cultural events such as holidays, and questions can be used to bring these to the students' attention. Questions which require one word or written answers could be used at this stage. Furthermore, students are familiar enough with the material at this point to answer personal choice questions. These questions usually require the students to choose items from the material or a course of action based on personal preference. These often lead to lively discussion because students must agree on what answer to write.
Challenging QuestionsThe third part should have questions that are more challenging and time consuming. Because of the differences in abilities (and sometimes luck), the time it takes students to complete a question handout can vary considerably. The more challenging questions at the end of the handout tend to work as 'equalizers' and slow down faster students so slower students can catch up. Questions can involve reading the small print, be especially detailed, or involve deductive reasoning. When students are working on the challenging questions they often begin to compare their progress to that of their neighbors'. Deliberately misleading 'red herring' questions add to the competitiveness while developing the students' critical thinking.
Types of Questions and Sample Questions
Multiple Choice:
How many Navel Oranges can you buy for a dollar? a) 3 b) 4 c) 5
Which is the cheapest? a) orange juice b) grapefruit juice c) tomato juice
One Word Answer:
What country are the seedless grapes from? __________
On the back page it says Chilean Asian Pears for $1.00 each. What do you think "Asian pears" are called in Japanese? _________
Written Answer:
Why are the strawberries on the back page called California Strawberries?
How do you order coupons on the Internet for this store?
Lists:
You want to make sandwiches for your family. What would you buy?
Stone Ground Wheat Bread - 2 loaves - $4.00
_________________ - _______________ - $ ______
_________________ - _______________ - $ ______
_________________ - _______________ - $ ______
_________________ - _______________ - $ ______
You are having a party for five friends at your house. You can spend only 50 dollars. What would you buy for the party?
Cape Cod Potato Chips - 4 six ounce bags - $6.00
_________________ - _______________ - $ ______
_________________ - _______________ - $ ______
_________________ - _______________ - $ ______
_________________ - _______________ - $ ______
Factual:
How many large brown eggs can you buy for $1? _________
How much are two jars of Mayonnaise on page 7? $ _____
Analytical (multi-step):
How much do 10 ears of Florida Super Sweet Corn and 2 pounds (lb.) of Fresh Ground Round cost? $ ______
Which costs more, one lb. of Fresh Boneless Shark Steaks or one lb. of Whiting Fillets? ________
Personal Preference:
Look at the back page. What fruit would you like to eat? __________
What flowers do you want to give to your mother on Mother's Day? ________________________________ $ ______
Conversion:
How many ounces are there in a two liter bottle of Pepsi One? ____
How many grams of Florida Red Potatoes can you buy for five dollars? One pound is about 453 grams. _________
Red Herring:
One Florida Juice Orange costs $2.00. True or False (NOTE TO TEACHERS: The advertisement says one bag is $2.00.)
Which is cheaper, one lb. of Whiting Fillets or one lb. of Crunchy Clam Strip? ________
Obvious:
What is the name of this store? _____________________
What month is the Mother's Day Sale? ______________
Challenging:
Find something that is cheaper in Japan than in the USA. ________.
What can you buy in a glass jar that is usually sold in a plastic bottle in Japan? _________
ActivitiesThere are other methods of using authentic materials. Some of these can be used as a supplement to the question handout, or on their own, for variety. Here are four examples of effective activities with brief explanations.
Word Search
The students search for parts of speech such as adjectives on a given page or search for certain categories of things. An advantage of this activity is that students do not need identical copies of the authentic material.
Crosswords
The teacher prepares a crossword puzzle using words from the handout. The questions for the handout can also be presented as crossword clues. Crossword generating programs found on the Internet make this easy.
Personalizing
The students write a list of purchases for an imaginary party using a supermarket handout, plan a trip using a travel brochure or plan a meal with a menu. The students could also be asked to fill out a mail order form with an imaginary order of purchases for family members, boyfriends, girlfriends, and themselves.
Pair Practice
The students ask and answer the printed questions on the handout and are encouraged to ask their own questions. The students can role play the parts of customer and clerk either following a sample conversation provided by the teacher or making up their own.
Internet
The Internet can be used to provide authentic material as well. The teacher can search for sites that focus on a specific topic, make questions, and post them online. These online lessons can be completed by the students on their own. Although the Internet has many advantages, it cannot replace the hands-on, three dimensional quality of real materials brought into the classroom by the teacher.
Conclusion
When used effectively, authentic materials help bring the real world into the classroom and significantly enliven the ESL class. Exposing the students to cultural features generates a deeper understanding of and interest in the topic. On one hand, the students develop their ability to zero in on relevant information, and on the other, they learn how to disregard what is not relevant. As students pool their individual strengths they gain confidence in being able to function in an English-speaking society.
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