Greetings to all of you!!!
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PROGRAMA BRITISH COUNCIL
Formador de Facilitadores PNIEB
Facilitador Workbook
Materials produced by:
Contents
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Project English: Vision
All kindergarten, primary and secondary school teachers in the State of Mexico
All Heads of schools will understand the vision and objectives of the training project and will actively support Teacher Educators, Mentors and English teachers in the achievement of project aims, promoting activities among local authorities, parents, teachers and pupils.
All Teacher Educators trained through the project will understand the content, approach and methodology of the Mexican National Curriculum for English and will be able to provide regular and consistent training and mentoring services for teachers as well as collaborative support for each other through the electronic sharing of training materials.
All English Teachers will feel more confident in their use of English and appropriate methodologies in the classroom, will be consistently and usefully supported by the Teacher Educators assigned to their school, and will come to perceive themselves as part of a national and international network of professional teachers.
The English language achievement of pupils of kindergarten, primary and secondary schools in the State of Mexico will improve, to match the aims of the Mexican National Curriculum for English, thanks to the on-going exchange of knowledge and expertise between UK
For a project to be successful, all participants must share the same vision. What are your opinions? Share them with your colleagues, and make notes of important ideas.
Project English: Objectives
Now you are going to look at the General and Specific Objectives of project English.
· First, individually, read the objectives
· Next, rank the objectives by importance, according to your opinion
· After that, compare your answers with a colleague
· Then join in the whole class feedback and discussion
General Objectives | Ranking |
To cascade training and on-going professional support activities in order to extend the English language confidence and skills, pedagogical knowledge and professional competences of teachers following the NEPBE | |
To enable English teachers to become autonomous and self-directed in their own future professional development through networking and sharing experience with other teachers | |
To raise awareness of the project objectives and course outcomes among Heads of Schools and administrators so that they fully understand the contents and activities planned and support their implementation |
Please write any interesting comments and opinions here:
Specific Objectives: Teachers | Ranking |
To achieve greater confidence in their own knowledge of, and competences in, the English language | |
To deliver high quality, more motivating and meaningful English classes to their pupils | |
To acquire the knowledge and skills to communicate project aims and outcomes to heads of schools and colleagues |
Please write any interesting comments and opinions here:
Specific Objectives: Pupils |
To become autonomous and self-directed in their own future professional development through networking and sharing experience with other students |
Please write any interesting comments and opinions here:
Now write a list of your own objectives in joining the course, in your personal journal. Compare your personal objectives with your colleagues’. In what ways are they similar or different?
Getting to know you
Taken from www.fumaga.com
Look at the picture and describe what is happening to a colleague. Why might this picture be an appropriate metaphor for what happens with colleagues on a course?
Please write your ideas here:
Suitcase activity
Everyone is coming to the Project with a lot of experience and sharing this experience will help to make everyone better teachers. Also, we have all come to the project with our own baggage.
My experience | My worries & concerns | |
My expectations | ? |
You might like to reflect on what you are carrying with you, and write some notes in the box above, or in your personal journal. It is important to reflect on what we are carrying in our baggage, and how this may help us to be a better teacher – or not. Self-awareness is vital in a teacher.
Expectations
The aims of the Phase 1 training course are to explore the knowledge, skills and competences that you have, and need to acquire, to become a Facilitador, a leader of a teachering model for working with the NEPBE.
Now go back to the programme and reflect on how the Phase 1 training course will help you to become a better Facilitador.
· Write your ideas on post-it notes (one idea per post-it) and try not to repeat ideas.
· Stand up and stick these on the whiteboard.
· Now look at the expectations of the other groups.
· How are other people’s ideas similar or different to yours?
Please write any interesting comments and opinions here:
Over the whole course, we’ll look at different aspects including qualities a teacher needs, helping teachers with change, and planning.
In Phase 1, we’ll be providing you with information and practical ideas for you to share with other teachers immediately.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of this session you will be better able to:
· Understand the importance of knowing the needs of your learners.
· Complete a needs analysis form and analyse the results.
· Create a needs analysis for your learners.
1 The reason for needs analysis
Activity aim: to begin participants thinking about their needs and the concept of a needs analysis
Consider the answer to the following three questions:
1) Why are you part of this training programme?
2) What do you have to learn from this training programme? i.e. what is expected of you/what you feel you need to know.
3) What would you like to learn from this training programme?
Follow your trainer’s instructions and discuss your answers.
What is the difference between question 2 and question 3?
2 Factors of needs analysis
Activity aims: To help participants understand the key elements in the creation and implementation of needs analysis
Look at the statements below and decide which are true or false
The creation and the implementation of a needs analysis
Some of the content is taken from an excellent reading on Needs Analysis by Abdeslam Badre (2003) http://www.slideshare.net/abdeslambadre/needs-analysis-a-valuable-tool-for-designing-and-maintaining-effective-esp-curriculum-by-abdeslam-badre
True | False | |
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After deciding whether the statements are true or false, follow your trainers’ instructions and discuss your opinions.
3 Creating a needs analysis
Activity aim: to find out your needs for the course and demonstrate how to conduct a needs analysis
Follow the instructions of your trainer and get into a small group. Look back at your answers to the three questions on page 11 and think of 10 needs you and the other members of your group have.
When you finish, feedback your groups’ needs to the whole group of participants with the intention of producing a common list of 15 needs for the entire group.
When the group has agreed on 15 needs, then write those 15 needs onto the handout that the trainer gives you. As you will need to return that handout to your trainer, please make any notes you have on the process of producing a needs analysis in the space provided below.
4 Needs analysis for students
Activity Aim: to create potential needs analysis surveys for the students you will teach.
Your trainer will put you in a small group. You need to consider the needs of your students and generate 10 potential needs statements. Please discuss these statements with your colleagues as it will probably be the case that they share similar experiences.
Come up with 10 needs statements for your group and then follow the instructions of the trainer and explain the needs statements you have created to the other groups.
Space for notes
Learning Outcomes:
Look at the 'Learning outcomes' box on the Powerpoint presentation. Can you identify which of the learning outcomes is related to ‘knowledge’, which to ‘competencies’ and which to ‘skills’?
Please write your ideas here, and check them carefully during feedback.
Activating schemata
Look at the two questions below and try to answer them:
a) What is a competence?
b) What kinds of competences are included in the NEPBE?
Answers:
The concept of ‘competence’ refers to the ability to respond appropriately and effectively to the demands of a given situation or interaction.
The term ‘knowledge’ applies to facts or ideas, acquired by study, investigation, observation, or experience and refers to a body of information that is understood.
Here are some other terms, which may come up in this discussion:
The term ‘skill’ is used to designate the ability to use one's knowledge with relative ease to perform relatively simple tasks.
The line between ‘competence’ and ‘skill’ is somewhat blurry, but the
conceptual difference between these terms is real.
You may like to correct your initial answers.
Theory and practice of NEPBE: The Cycles
Look at the diagram representing the 4 cycles of the NEPBE and answer the questions in the box. Then think about this question:
Would I be a more effective Facilitador at any specific level?
Questions for reflection
a) 1. Which levels of the NEPBE have you worked with?
b) 2. Which level(s) do you find the most challenging? Why?
c) 3. Which level(s) do you get best results in? Why?
Theory and practice of NEPBE: The Experiential Learning Process
Now look at the diagram of the process of experiential learning which forms part of the theoretical background to the NEPBE.
How can you plan a lesson for experiential learning, according to this sequence?
ACTIVATE KNOWLEDGE | Concrete experience | Reflective observation | Abstract conceptualization | Active Experimentation |
Look at this outline. Is it familiar? Are the concepts clear? Check carefully and be sure to ask your trainer if any point is unclear.
Remember that if you go to the SEP Básica webpage, you can download a copy of the complete NEPBE for yourself
Review: NEPBE Target Competences
Read the list of some of the target competences by level and reflect on whether the ages of the different age-groups will affect the basic lesson planning principles.
Cycle 1 (3rd Grade)
a) Acknowledge the existence of other cultures and languages
b) Acquire motivation and a positive attitude towards the English language.
c) Begin developing basic communication skills, especially the receptive ones.
d) Reflect on how the writing system works.
e) Get acquainted with different types of texts.
f) Start exploring children’s literature.
g) Use some linguistic and non-linguistic resources to give information about themselves and their surroundings.
Cycle 2 (3rd and 4th Grades Primary School
a) Express simple opinions and requests in familiar contexts.
b) Recognize basic instructions, information, and advertisements.
c) Identify basic aspects of pronunciation and vocabulary used in everyday life contexts.
d) Use expressions to refer to personal aspects and needs.
e) Respond to spoken and written language in different linguistic and non-linguistic ways.
f) Use different strategies to solve everyday problems, as well as to look for information about concrete topics.
g) Identify similarities and differences between their own cultural expressions and those of the English language.
h) Establish basic social contact by means of their linguistic repertoire.
Cycle 3 (5th and 6th Grades Primary School
a) Understand and produce everyday or routine information and its general meaning.
b) Begin or participate in some conversations or transactions using verbal and nonverbal strategies.
c) Recognize similarities and differences in the form and social use between their mother tongue and English.
d) Use strategies to present information, understand academic texts, and solve simple problems.
e) Express opinions and provide short descriptions.
f) Produce comprehensible messages, adapting their linguistic forms and pronunciation.
g) Use strategies to recognize form and understand content in a variety of simple literary texts.
h) Interact with oral and written texts for specific purposes, and use them as a basis for further interaction.
i) Socialize by means of common expressions.
Cycle 4 (1st, 2nd, 3rd Grades Secondary School
a) Identify the main idea and some details from a variety of short oral and written texts, using their knowledge of the world.
b) Understand and use information from different textual sources.
c) Identify the main idea and some details from a variety of short oral and written texts, using their knowledge of the world.
d) Produce short, conventional texts that respond to personal, creative, social and academic, purposes.
e) Adapt their language to unexpected communicative needs.
f) Recognize and respect differences between their own culture and the cultures of English-speaking countries.
g) Express some judgments and opinions about issues that are interesting to them or resemble their everyday reality.
h) Use appropriate registers in a variety of communicative situations
i) Master linguistic resources to understand the relationship between the parts of a statement or text.
j) Edit their own or their classmates’ writings.
k) Use grammar, spelling, and punctuation conventions.
l) Participate in formal communicative situations.
m) Keep communication flowing, identify breakdowns and use strategic resources to repair it when necessary.
Cycle 1: How do kindergarten children learn?
Look at the ideas in the left-hand column. Think of some examples of activities you might design or actions you might take with children, which would be congruent with these ideas. Write them in the right-hand column.
The nature of kindergarten learning activities | Examples |
Activities are play-based, involving exploration and inquiry, with hands-on activities that engage all their senses | |
Activities are developmentally and culturally appropriate | |
Environments provide for their social-emotional, intellectual, aesthetic, artistic, and physical development, and growth in social responsibility | |
The adults in their world — teachers, families, school and community members — work together to support them |
Would these types of activities be appropriate for kindergarten children?
Again, look at the left-hand column and decide. Write your opinions in the right-hand column, and discuss them with a colleague.
Possible Activities | My opinions |
Sorting and classifying pictures | |
Reading stories and singing songs | |
Exploring traditional stories | |
Taking walks or field trips to observe and describe things | |
Conducting library research | |
Having students create, and share with their peers, drawings, mini theatre plays | |
Working with the students to create an exhibition |
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Cycle 2+3: How do primary school children learn?
Fifteen Tips for Primary School Teachers
Are these useful tips? Have you used them? Discuss with a colleague
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Cycle 2+3: How do secondary school children learn?
Which of these qualities are most important when teaching adolescents? Tick the 3 most important, in your view, and share your views with the class.
q authenticity (being yourself)
q acceptance (of students' ideas and opinions)
q empathy (seeing things from the students' viewpoint)
q honesty
q justice
q transparency
Consider this outline of a possible class for adults. Analyse and criticize with your colleagues.
Now, with colleagues who work at the same level as you, get into groups and plan an outline for a competence-based lesson for your level.
Keep a record of your plan in the format below
Activate | Experience | Think | Create |
The Quiz
What is the difference between a diary and a journal?
Your trainer will give you a Teacher Journal. Complete the following quiz in pairs.
THE TEACHER JOURNAL QUIZ | ||
Questions | Write your answers here | |
1 | How many sections are there in the journal? | |
2 | In which section can you record your teaching timetable and other weekly appointments? | |
3 | Who said, “Give the pupils something to do, not something to learn”? | |
4 | In the ‘Development’ section, what is ‘CPD’? | |
5 | List all 13 ‘CPD’ activities the Teacher’s Journal mentions. | |
6 | In the Teacher’s Diary section, note down at least five of the things it suggests you can reflect on. | |
7 | List the five main areas of Teaching English – Your Global Home | |
8 | In which area of Teaching English – Your Global Home can you find a selection of lesson plans? | |
9 | What does ELTeCS stand for? What is the benefit of subscribing? Which regional newslist should you subscribe to? | |
10 | It’s not mentioned in the ‘Teacher’s Journal,’ but what is the main English teachers’ association in How can you find out about the conferences and events it runs? | |
11 | Is LearnEnglish suitable for adults or children or both? How many websites are listed for your level (primary, secondary or adults)? Has your partner ever used any of the websites? | |
12 | Find the British Council Mexico website address | |
Reflection – what is it?
Discuss these questions with your group.
What does ‘reflection’ mean in reference to teaching?
Why is reflection an important part of a teacher’s life?
Practising reflection and action planning
Complete the boxes in the first column of the table about today’s sessions.
Reflection on today’s sessions | Why? | Action needed? |
Something new I learned…. | ||
Something I really enjoyed……… | ||
Something I need to know more about…. | ||
Something I found difficult… | ||
Something I didn’t enjoy so much….. | ||
Something I will try with my class…… |
Now look back at what you have written in the first column of the table above. Ask yourself why you gave these answers. Complete the second column of the table. This will help you to reflect and think about your strengths and areas for improvements.
Finally, make a note of any specific action that you need to take to address any of the issues you have uncovered through your reflection in the third column.
Homework |
Read the suggestions about Reflection in the Teacher Journal. Write up your own reflections from your first day’s training in your journal. |
Training tips
Things to remember from this session
Thinking about your teachers
Your trainer will tell you about his or her most and least favourite teachers.
What do you remember about your own favourite and least favourite teachers?
Comparing beliefs: the “good teacher”
Look at the table on the next page. Put a tick in the column to show how you feel about each statement.
Now compare and discuss your beliefs in your group.
Are your beliefs about a “good teacher” similar or different to the other people in your group?
In your group, choose the two statements that you most ‘strongly agree’ with and the two that you most ‘strongly disagree’ with. Make a note of them here and then share your answers with the other groups.
Statements we most strongly agree with 1) 2) |
Statements we most strongly disagree with 1) 2) |
WHAT MAKES A GOOD TEACHER? | |||||
Statement | Strongly agree | Agree | Undecided | Disagree | Totally disagree |
1. It is important for a teacher to dress nicely and look good | |||||
2. It is important for a teacher to care a lot about his/her teaching | |||||
3. A good teacher controls the class firmly | |||||
4. A good teacher treats his/her students with fairness and respect | |||||
5. A good teacher has perfect pronunciation and total understanding of English | |||||
6. A good teacher knows and uses students’ names | |||||
7. A good teacher is interested in each student as a person | |||||
8. A good teacher will change the lesson plan and do something else if the students want it | |||||
9. A good teacher lets students mark their own tests | |||||
10. A good teacher corrects all student errors | |||||
11. A good teacher makes sure students have fun in lessons | |||||
12. A good teacher lets students take over and run the lesson | |||||
13. A good teacher lets students work in pairs/groups | |||||
14. A good teacher asks students for their opinions in class | |||||
15. A good teacher only uses the textbook | |||||
16. A good teacher always gives interesting lessons | |||||
17. A good teacher gets students to work hard | |||||
18. A good teacher makes sure that all language taught is for the exam | |||||
19. A good teacher uses the first language creatively if it assists with communication | |||||
20. A good teacher plans every lesson in great detail | |||||
Adapted from Penny Ur, 1996. CUP
Peep through the keyhole
You will compare an existing classroom with your idea of a learner-centred classroom. Listen to your trainer’s instructions and work together with your group.
What have you learned from this activity? Make some notes below.
Group and pair work
“A good teacher lets students work in pairs/groups”
How much do you agree or disagree with this statement?
How do you prefer to learn in class?
Read your section of ‘Pairs or groups or whole class?’ from page 7 in The Student-Centred Classroom by Leo Jones which your trainer will give to you.
What are the advantages of individual, pair, group and whole class work? Work with your group to complete the table on the next page. Use your own ideas as well as those from the text you have read.
ADVANTAGES OF DIFFERENT WAYS OF WORKING | |||
Individual | Pair | Group | Whole class |
Can concentrate better on some tasks (reading/writing) | Can check ideas and get other ….. | Can share ideas with a number of people | |
The Learning Centered Classroom
Your trainer will put you in one of two groups: the A group or the B group. According to your group define the words below in the context of teaching and learning.
A
Telling
Discovering
Instructions
Modelling
B
Collaborative
Learning climate
Conducive
Formative feedback
Here are Maryellen Weimer’s seven "Do" principles for teachers/faculty to begin their planning for learner-centered teaching (see below).
· Teachers do learning tasks less (let the students do more)
· Teachers do less telling; students do more discovering
· Teachers do more (instructional) design work
· Faculty do more modelling (of the learning process -- for student benefit)
· Faculty do more to get students learning from and with each other (collaborative)
· Faculty work to create climates for learning (conditions conducive to learning)
· Faculty do more with feedback (formative 'along-the-way' and summative assessments; grades and comments)
Taken from Maryellen Weimer Learner-Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice (2002)
Listen to your trainer’s instructions and discuss the meaning of the words you defined in the context of the seven principles.
Now think about the practical application of those principles in the groups that your trainer places you in.
Linking the NEPBE to the ideas behind the learner centred classroom
Here is an extract from the “Propósito general de la enseñanza del Inglés en la Educación Básica” pages 24 and 25
“Reconozcan semejanzas y diferencias en la forma y el uso social que hay entre su lengua materna y el inglés.” (Ciclo 3)
“Utilicen estrategias para reconocer la forma y comprender el contenido de una variedad de textos literarios sencillos.” (Ciclo 3)
“Editen sus propios escritos o los de sus compañeros.” (Ciclo 4)
In pairs, discuss answers to the following questions:
Questions for highlighting NEPBE links |
How do these principles from the NEPBE relate to learner Centred Classroom? Why is this principle part of the NEPBE? What can you do in your training/teaching to ensure that you follow this principle? |
Starting & finishing a lesson
Discussion
Think about the last class that you taught.
How did you start and finish your lesson?
What did you say to your class at the beginning of the lesson and at the end?
Demonstration of starting a lesson effectively
Which of the following actions does ‘the teacher’ do? Number the order of the actions of the teacher.
When you have finished, compare with a partner. Next, try to write what the “teacher” said.
Getting off to a good start
Think about your own lessons.
When you begin or end your classes, which language do you usually use?
· mostly English?
· mostly the students’ own language (L1)?
· a mixture of the two?
· neither
Why do you use this/these language(s)?
Which language do you use for the different lesson stages below? Tick the appropriate column.
Lesson stage | English | L1 | Both | Answers |
Greeting the students. | ||||
Taking the register. | ||||
Collecting the homework. | ||||
Discussing a topic, such as the weekend. | ||||
Beginning the lesson. | ||||
Asking what they liked about the lesson. | ||||
Doing a game at the end. | ||||
Setting homework. | ||||
Telling students to put their books away. | ||||
Saying goodbye. |
Now match the following phrases to one of the lesson stages on the table on the previous page. Write your answers in the last column of the table.
a) Can I collect the homework?
b) I’ll see you next lesson. Bye for now.
c) Let’s take the register now.
d) OK, let’s begin the lesson.
e) Can you put your books away, please?
f) What did you do at the weekend?
g) What did you like about today’s lesson?
h) Let’s do a little game before we finish the lesson.
i) Good Morning/afternoon/Hello.
j) For homework I’d like you to do page fifty-six.
It’s good to talk
Look at the first dialogue and compare it with the second one. Then discuss how the teacher can continue the dialogue with Maria Fernanda in the third dialogue on the next page.
1
Teacher: Hello Araceli! How are you?
Araceli: Fine thanks.
Teacher: Where were you last lesson?
Araceli: I was on holiday.
Teacher: Oh, that’s nice.
2
Teacher: Hello Araceli! How are you?
Araceli: Fine thanks.
Teacher: Where were you last lesson?
Araceli: I was on holiday.
Teacher: Really? Felipe, ask Araceli where she went.
Felipe: Where did you go Araceli?
Araceli: I went to the mountains.
Teacher: Good, now someone else ask her another question.
Pablo: Who did you go with?
Araceli: I went with my parents.
Elia: What did you do there?
3
Teacher: It’s nearly time for me to give you homework for next lesson. Maria Fernanda, we haven’t finished. You shouldn’t put your books away.
Maria Fernanda: Sorry.
Teacher:
National English Program in Basic Education (SEP) page 78
(Programa Nacional de Inglés en Educación Básica)
Social language
Here are some topics you could chat about in English at the beginning or end of a lesson.
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What other topics could you talk about? Think of two more and write them in the empty spaces above.
What could you ask the students about each topic? Make some notes below
Work in groups. Take it in turns to be the ‘teacher’ – the others are students. Choose one of the topics and ‘chat’ with them.
Demonstration of starting a lesson effectively
Person A:
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Person B:
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How good is your memory?
Work with a partner. Your trainer will tell you what page to look at. Test your partner on the phrases you practised before lunch.
Create a section for ‘Useful phrases’ in your Teacher Journal. Write down the phrases you think are most useful from this activity.
Peer teaching – preparation
Your trainer will put you into a group of four. Decide who is Teacher A, B, C and D. Read your role card below or on the next page.
Teacher A
You are going to demonstrate beginning a lesson. Decide how you will do each of these things. Write the phrases you will use underneath each instruction.
Greet the class
Deal with a student who arrives late.
Chat about a school event.
Teacher B
You are going to demonstrate beginning a lesson. Decide how you will do each of these things. Write the phrases you will use underneath each instruction.
Greet the class.
Chat about last weekend.
Deal with a student who has forgotten his/her homework.
Teacher C
You are going to demonstrate ending a lesson. Decide how you will do each of these things. Write the phrases you will use underneath each instruction.
Praise the class for their hard work.
Ask the students what they liked about the lesson.
Set some homework.
Teacher D
You are going to demonstrate ending a lesson. Decide how you will do each of these things. Write the phrases you will use underneath each instruction.
Explain what you are going to do in the next class.
Ask the students if they found anything difficult.
Set some homework.
Peer teaching
One person will be in charge of completing an observation sheet for each of the teachers. Decide who will write feedback for whom. You will use the observation sheet below. The other participants will act as students.
OBSERVATION SHEET | |||
Name | |||
Phrases used | Was the teacher clear? What did the teacher do well? | Was anything unclear? Why? | What could the teacher do differently? |
After each demonstration, discuss the teacher’s performance using these steps:
a) The teacher says what they think worked well and what didn’t work so well and why.
b) The observer says what they think worked well and what didn’t work so well and why.
c) The other group members add any points necessary.
d) The other group members say whether they think the observer gave positive and useful feedback. If not, why not?
Evaluation systems
You will be evaluated by your trainer as a Facilitador. Please refer to the Evaluation guide at the back of this document.
How good is your memory?
Participant A
Test your partner. What phrase(s) can you say in each situation?
· Collecting the homework.
· At the end of the lesson.
· Taking the register.
· Asking a student to tell you what is for homework.
· Asking a student to collect the homework.
· Telling students you are going to start the lesson with a game.
Suggested answers
Can I collect the homework?
I’ll see you next lesson. Bye for now.
Let’s take the register now.
Just to check, what do you have to do for homework?
Could you collect in the homework for me?
We are going to start with a game.
Participant B
Test your partner. What phrase(s) can you say in each situation?
· Ask students what they did at the weekend.
· At the end of the class, ask students what they liked about the lesson.
· Introduce a game at the beginning of the lesson.
· Greet the class at the beginning of the lesson.
· Ask the students to do page 56 for homework.
· Say goodbye at the end of the lesson.
Suggested answers
What did you do at the weekend?
What did you like about today’s lesson?
Let’s do a little game before we finish the lesson.
Good morning / Good afternoon / Hello
For homework I’d like you to do page 56.
I’ll see you next lesson. Goodbye!
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Discussion
Discuss the following questions with your group.
When do you give instructions in class?
When do you give instructions in the students’ language?
Which instructions do you give in English?
What kinds of problems do you have when you give instructions in English?
Giving instructions in English
What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of giving instructions in English? Make some notes below.
GIVING INSTRUCTIONS IN ENGLISH | |
Advantages | Disadvantages |
Now read the section of the text your trainer gives you. Discuss what you have read with the other people in your group.
Giving instructions in English
Read your section of the text below or on the next page.
A
When you use English in your classes, it will emphasise to your learners that the English lesson is very different from any other lesson in the school day. It will help to maintain a good ‘English-speaking atmosphere’’ and this will help your learners focus on learning and using the language.
B
Also, if you give them instructions, ask questions, and make comments in English, the learners will have to listen carefully to what you say all the time. This will keep them thinking in English. You only use a language well when you think in it and don’t have to translate everything in your head before you speak. So it is important, from the early stages of learning, to avoid translation as much as possible and make the learners think in that language. When you use classroom English, you are helping that process.
C
As well as listening carefully to you, the learners have to do something in response. If you say to a girl ‘Come to the board, please,’ she has to leave her place and move to you. This means that she is both thinking and doing something – in other words, she is an active learner. To learn actively is better and more effective for the learner than learning passively (for example, when learners just sit and listen to the teacher). Active learning is better because it links words and phrases to actions, objects, ideas, and people in a strong and positive way. This helps the learners learn and remember.
D
When you give an instruction or ask a question in English and the learners do or say something in reply, they quickly realise that they can understand something in English. This gives them a feeling of success and will help improve their confidence. Remember how important a feeling of confidence is when you are learning a language. Feelings of success and confidence will help your learners overcome the difficulties in learning a foreign language. If you keep using the same instructions, questions, and comments, even the weaker learners will begin to understand – and this will help their confidence too.
E
If you use English more in your classes, it will increase your own confidence as a teacher, because you will see that the learners understand you and that they are learning to use English. You will feel very satisfied when you don’t have to keep changing from English to your own language and back to English again. It will show you that the learners are making progress and that they really are thinking in English. And don’t forget that saying something in English only saves time. To say it in English then to repeat it in your own language takes twice as long.
Text adapted from Gardner & Gardner Classroom Language Oxford University Press pp.6-7.
Can you add any more ideas to the table above?
Giving clear instructions
Here are some long and unclear instructions. Discuss how you could make them clearer.
Ok, what I want you to do is just to get into groups and talk together about what you did at the weekend.
Maria, would you mind just coming over here just for a minute. Yeah just for a minute come and sit here.
Could you all open your books? Erm, open your books on page 24 and do the first exercise up there on the right, do you see it there all right?
I’m going to tell you about something that happened to me when I was younger and what I want you to do is to listen and decide, think about whether I was a well-behaved child then or was I very bad.
How could you check that your students understand the instructions?
Write instructions for the following situations.
· You want the class to open their books on page 50 and do exercise 5.
· You want a student to move to the other end of the class to sit with a new partner
· You want the class to work in pairs and discuss three questions.
· You want the class to listen to a story. You will tell it and they will then answer three questions.
· You want the class to stand up and ask five people questions about their families.
Write one Instruction Checking Question (ICQ) for each of the above instructions.
Reflection and action planning
Complete the following sentences:
a) One thing that I found very useful today is …..because …...
b) One thing that I have to study / read about more is …..
Think about the classes you teach. Write two action points for your classes.
ACTION PLAN FOR ‘GIVING INSTRUCTIONS’ | ||
1 | 2 | |
Class Which class will I work with? | ||
Goal What will I try? | ||
How What materials or aids do I need? | ||
When When will I try it? | ||
Evidence How will I know I have been successful? | ||
Homework |
Reflection Finish writing up your Action Plan |
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Learning Outcomes
Please read the aims of the session and write each aim in the appropriate column. Check your answers with colleagues.
Classroom Language | Classroom Management |
Draw your Classroom
First, in the first space on the next page, draw a quick picture of the training room and highlight the different elements of the room – furniture, door, windows, etc.
Next, in the second space, draw a quick picture of your own regular classroom. Be sure to draw in the furniture, doors, windows, etc. Also, note whether furniture can be moved or not.
After that, leave your book open on your table, stand up, and walk around the room. Find a drawing of a regular classroom which is similar to yours, and sit with that person.
Our Training Room
My regular classroom
Now, share ideas in pairs. Are there any ways that you could change the layout of your classrooms to facilitate learning? For example, could you make it easier to work in pairs or groups? Make notes below about your classroom, and be ready to share your ideas.
Things I can change myself | Things that the school could change |
Classroom Layouts (taken from http://www.kieducation.com/issues.aspx?ar=103)
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Layouts I can experiment with
Layouts I can experiment with
Layouts I can’t experiment with, and why
Stating the rules in your classroom: Useful language
Look at the rules below. Write the missing words in each of these sentences. (There is more than one possible answer for each statement).
· You _____________ speak in English.
· You _____________ make a lot of noise.
· You _____________ arrive on time.
· You _____________ shout in the classroom.
· You _____________ help each other.
· If you want to go to the toilet, you _____________ ask for permission.
· If you arrive late, you _____________ ask for permission to enter the room.
Do you have any of these rules in your classroom?
What other rules do you have? Tell your group.
Writing classroom rules
Now look at the table. Write the instructions for the first FOUR rules. Then write some rules and instructions of your own. Check them with a partner.
Rule | Instruction |
Example You should speak English. | Example Please, speak English. |
1. You shouldn’t make a lot of noise. | |
2. You must arrive on time. | |
3. You mustn’t shout in the class. | |
4. If you want to go to the toilet, you must ask for permission. | |
5. | |
6. | |
7. | |
8. |
Do you have any of these rules in your classroom? What other rules do you have? Discuss with your colleagues.
Classroom Contracts
A classroom contract sets out the rules of the classroom. The teacher and students all sign the contract to say they agree to abide by the rules. There can be rules for teachers and for students. Now create a contract for this training course.
You should include:
· five rules for the trainer
· five rules for the participants.
When you have finished, stand up and share your ideas with other groups.
http://www.nicolehuntly.com/images/other/classrules.jpg
Could you use this idea with your learners? Why/why not?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
When is the best time to introduce a Classroom Contract?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
General classroom management – your experiences
Work in groups of 4 or 5. Discuss these questions in your groups and make notes to report back to the whole group.
There are often incidents in the classroom.
a) What incidents have happened in your classes? What do you say?
b) What should your students bring to class? Do they forget? What do you say?
c) Do you have a cassette recorder, CD player, or video recorder, or any other equipment in your classroom? Do the learners need your help to use them? What do you say?
d) How do you change from one part of a lesson to another? What do you say? What do you do (e.g. clean the blackboard)?
e) What are the changes that you can make in your classroom? Can you open the windows, move the desks? What requests could you make in English? What do you say?
Asking learners to help in the classroom
How can learners help in the classroom? Work in pairs to complete the columns.
Learners can help with… | Language to use… |
Cleaning the board | Who would like to clean the board? Emilio, could you clean the board, please? |
Instructions and requests
Look at these examples:
· Instruction: “Open the window.”
· Request: “Please open the window.”
· Very polite request: “Would you mind opening the window please?”
Now complete the table with a partner:
Instruction | Request | Very polite request |
“Open the window.” | “Please open the window” | “Please could you open the window, Ximena?” |
“Form a circle.” | ||
“Please get into groups of 4.” | ||
“Flor, please would you collect the books?” | ||
“Stop talking.” | ||
Juan, please work with Checo today.” | ||
“Anita, would you mind going to get the DVD player, please?” | ||
“Please would you put your lunch away?” | ||
“Could you please stop chewing gum, Pepe?” |
When you have finished, please check your answers with another pair. There will be more than one correct answer for each example. If in doubt, please check with your trainer.
Changing activities in the classroom
Now we are going to move on to a new area of classroom management: changing activities in the classroom. First, look at the sentences and, individually, write:
a) next to phrases for beginning
b) next to phrases appropriate for ending activities.
Then, your training will check answers with the whole group. She/he will read the phrases out.
If it is a phrase for starting an activity, you should stand up. If it is a phrase for ending an activity you should sit down / stay seated. You can use this technique with your own groups.
“Next, I’d like you to discuss something with your group.”
“Now we are going to do something completely different”
“Now I’d like you all to close your books.”
“Ok, if you have a look at the picture on page 24”
“Does anyone have any questions about what we have just seen?”
““4,3,2,1 ok stop discussing and look at me”
“What does the word “Jungle” make you think of?”
“I’d like you to sit back and close your eyes”
“Thanks very much making this such a fun activity”
“If I can just have your attention a minute”
Phrasebook
To round up the session, please check / write all useful phrases from the activities session in the phrasebook section of your journal.
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Reflection and action planning
Think about how you can apply some of what you have learnt in Session 1 today in your own lessons.
Look at the 'Action plan' table and then choose two things you have learnt from Session 1. Try them with at least one of your groups at school and report back to your trainer.
Two things I would like to try with my own groups:
ACTION PLAN FOR ‘GENERAL CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT' | ||
Things I want to try with my groups | 1. | 2. |
Class: Which class will I work with? | ||
Goal : What will I try? | ||
How: What materials/aids do I need? | ||
When: When will I try it? | ||
Evidence: How will I know I have been successful? | ||
Planning an activity
Work in small groups to plan a pair work activity for upper primary or secondary school, in which their students will suggest rules for their course. This will include all aspects of classroom behaviour.
Get into groups of three or four and plan a 15 minute sequence. When you are ready, one volunteer in each group will “teach their colleagues”, to see if the activity works.
While you watch your colleagues, remember to make notes on the observation sheet you have already used for peer-teaching:
OBSERVATION SHEET | |||
Name | |||
Phrases used | Was the teacher clear? What did the teacher do well? | Was anything unclear? Why? | What could the teacher perhaps do differently? |
After the 4 volunteers have “taught” their activity, your trainer will ask you to stick your observation sheet for each teacher in a specific part of the training room.
Finally, all participants, including volunteers, will stand up and read the different notes which colleagues have made for each person.
Reflection on micro-teaching
Now that you have read everyone’s comments on the micro-teaching activities, think about which would be appropriate to try with one of your classes. Complete the action plan, try out the activities, and report back to your trainer.
Activities I will try with my classes
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
ACTION PLAN FOR ‘GENERAL CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT' | ||
Activity 1 | Activity 2 | |
Class: Which class will I work with? | ||
Goal : What will I try? | ||
How: What materials/aids do I need? | ||
When: When will I try it? | ||
Evidence: How will I know I have been successful? | ||
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Session aims
Look at the “Session aims” box and identify which of the outcomes is related to Management and which to Methodology. Be careful – there may be more than one possible answer for each outcome!
· Outcome (i) is related to …
· Outcome (ii) is related to …
· Outcome (iii) is related to …
Advantages and challenges of working with large classes
Brainstorm individually concerning the advantages and challenges of working with large classes and make notes below then be ready to share your ideas with your colleagues.
Advantages | Challenges | Comments/Suggestions |
Ten principles for teaching large classes
This activity is for ten pairs or small groups. Each group is given a number by your trainer.
Look at the 10 keywords and 10 photographs and select the number corresponding to your group. Then answer these questions and be ready to share your ideas:
Why is your concept especially important when working with large classes?
What examples can you give of how to deal with the concept from your own experience?
1. Keyword = Variety 2. Keyword = Pace 3. Keyword = Interest
4. Keyword = Collaboration 5. Keyword = Individualization 6. Keyword = Personalization
7. Keyword = Choice 8. Keyword = Routines 9. Keyword = Inclusion
10. Analyze teacher’s own questions
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Ten principles for teaching large classes
Which of the ten principles is the most important, in your view? Why? Reflect on your opinions, and make notes in relation to the principles.
Variety: Avoid falling into the same sequence or the same types of activities for every lesson! Students get bored with “pan con lo mismo”.
Pace: Busy brains are not bored brains! Always have something extra for faster students who finish early
Interest: Arouse curiosity! Show interest in individuals! Ask about their lives, their interests, hopes, dreams, whenever possible.
Collaboration: Use group work, pair work, peer correction, information sharing, collaborative writing, collaborative community projects, group poster presentations, for example.
Individualization: Organize Portfolio projects, poster reports, personalized picture dictionaries, personal diaries (pictures or writing). Allow individuals to shine!
Personalization: Stimulate mini-presentations about their favorite things, families, plans for the future, people they admire, poster presentations.
Choice: Having a choice liberates and makes people responsible. Whenever possible, allow choice!
Routines: For comfort and stability, set up routines for Attendance, Lateness, Handing in work, Giving out books etc.
Inclusion: Don’t respond to the first hand that goes up, encourage more “I see five hands up, but I am waiting for more…” Ask a question and give everyone time to think before naming a student. Do not use a predictable order, and don’t always let the same people answer!
Teacher’s Questions: Use Wh-questions / Could someone explain to me how/why etc…/Could you clarify what you mean, please? Avoid Yes/No questions, for richer responses!
General Comment:
Communicative activities for large classes
In this activity you are going to analyze and evaluate a series of communicative activities and discuss how they can be implemented in large classes. You will work in small groups with colleagues. One person in the group is the volunteer scribe, keeping a note of your ideas.
Look carefully at the 5 suggestions for communicative activities with large groups. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each activity, in relation to your own classes and say how you might adapt the activities for your students. When you have finished, the scribe will post your comments on the wall, and you will have a chance to read the opinions of other groups!
1. The Hot Seat
English Skills: Speaking, Listening, Vocabulary
Objective: Communicate words without saying them.
Put students into groups of 4/5. One of the students must sit with their back to the board, the other students facing the board.
The teacher can draw or put a flashcard on the board (or write a word). The students have to describe what is on the card to help the student with their back to the board to guess what it is.
2(a). Guess Who
English Skills: Speaking
Objective: Form questions and identify a person or thing
Choose a student leader for the group and ask them to think of a famous person
Group members have to ask yes/no questions to get information
When a group member receives a 'yes' to their question, they can ask one follow up question
If the answer to a group member's question is no, the next student gets to ask a question
The game continues until the students guess who it is
2(b). Guess What
English Skills: Speaking
Objective: Form questions and identify a person or thing
The same game can be played as 'Guess What', in which case students are playing to identify an object, animal, etc (it’s a good idea to start with an object in the room until students get the hang of it).
You may choose to prepare a handout of possible questions to get things started and help weaker students.
Music can add to the fun and tension of this game. Add recorded sound effects such as a ticking clock, Jeopardy, etc. to create a better atmosphere for the game.
3. I Went to the Market
English Skills: Grammar, Speaking, Vocabulary
Objective: Use memory to reinforce past-tense structure and focus on correct use of articles
Divide class into groups; select one group to help demonstrate the rules
Teacher starts by saying, "I went to the market and I bought an apple."
Student next to the teacher follows by saying, "I went to the market and I bought an apple and some eggs."
The next student continues by saying, "I went to the market and I bought an apple, some eggs, and a potato."
Play continues with each student repeating what previous members said and adding one item to the “shopping list”
Variation: you can change the game to practice all kinds of verb tenses and vocabulary!
4. Hold them up!
English Skills: Listening, Reading
Objective: For students to revise vocabulary.
Split the class into groups 4/5
Before the activity, write a different word on a separate piece of paper for each team (the vocabulary you want students to revise)
Have one student from each team sit in an allocated chair with the papers on a desk in front of them or on the floor
Say one of the vocabulary words on the board (or you could give a definition for higher levels)
Students have find the word on the board and hold it up!
The student to hold it up first gets one point for their team
Repeat until everyone has had at least one turn
5. Word Challenge
English Skills: Listening, Speaking, Spelling
Objective: One team says a word and the other tries to spell it
Have students get into teams of 4-10 people
One person from each team does rocks, paper, scissors/rolls a dice
Winner says a word and opponent tries to write the word correctly
If they get it right, their team gets a point
If they get it wrong, the person who said the word can write it out for a point for their team
Have another person from each team play 'Word Challenge'
Make an 'arena' in the middle of the class for two students to face off
Students will start to look up difficult words to stump the other team!
Remember to do a follow-up assignment for new words used such as teaching the class the meanings and having students make sentences with the new words.
Reflection and action planning
Now you are going to reflect on the Communicative Activities for Large Classes Session and make an action plan to apply your learning in your lessons.
Think about the classes you teach. Think of three ideas, techniques or activities which you would like to use in your classes and complete the action plan below.
ACTION PLAN FOR ‘TEACHING LARGE CLASSES | |||
Three Action Points | 1. | 2. | 3. |
Class: Which class will I work with? | |||
Goal : What will I try? | |||
How: What materials/aids do I need? | |||
When: When will I try it? | |||
Evidence: How will I know I have been successful? | |||
Session 12: Reflection for Professional Development
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Reflect on your learning
Complete the boxes in the first column of the table about today’s sessions.
Reflection on today’s sessions | Why? | Action needed? |
Something new I learned…. | ||
Something I really enjoyed……… | ||
Something I need to know more about…. | ||
Something I found difficult… | ||
Something I didn’t enjoy so much….. | ||
Something I will try with my class…… |
Now look back at what you have written in the first column of the table above. Ask yourself why you gave these answers. Complete the second column of the table. This will help you to reflect and think about your strengths and areas for improvements.
Finally, make a note of any specific action that you need to take to address any of the issues you have uncovered through your reflection in the third column.
Reflection for Professional Development
Have a look at Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle (1984) below:
Follow your trainer’s instructions and place the cut outs in the relevant places on the diagram
What is the difference between the inner circle and the outer circle?
Working with peers on being reflective practioners
Look at the steps below in helping your colleagues to be reflective practioners and put the steps in order
A | Allow your peers the space to try out their new improvements |
B | Allow your peers the space to try out the new things they have learnt |
C | Ask your peers to consider the reasons for their answers |
D | Ask your peers to contemplate what they have learnt, enjoyed, not enjoyed, need to learn more of, found difficult, will try out. |
E | Be available to help your peers as they become independent reflective practioners. |
F | Help your peers to plan ways to improve on the new things they learnt |
G | Help your peers to produce an action plan which will help them to develop on what they have learnt |
H | Help your peers to reflect on the effectiveness the new things they tried out |
If you have any doubts about the process, please ask your trainer. Working with your peers on becoming reflective practioners is very important for both their understanding and yours of Continual Professional Development so it is crucial you understand the process
CD Rom based lessons
Below is a table detailing the lessons which your trainer will give to you through the use of a CD Rom. The order of the lessons is not so important (although Presenting Vocabulary 1 should come before Presenting Vocabulary 2) so please talk to your trainer about what you would like to do. Some of the lessons will be revision exercises and some of the lessons will be for new material.
All of the content is in English and your trainer will translate the content for you if that is necessary. If anything is not clear, please ask your trainer for more details. If you feel your English is not strong enough for some of the content, don’t worry. Just tell your trainer and they will make provision for you.
A lot of the lessons require you to act out a lesson. Please assist your trainer as much as possible and remember that by acting out a lesson with them you can get invaluable feedback on the quality of the lesson before you have to use with your students.
Exploiting texts for speaking activities | Feedback – Praise and encouragement Constructive criticism | How to analyse language |
Pair and group work | Giving and checking instructions | Analysis of language tasks |
Presenting vocabulary 1 | Asking questions | Competence based lessons |
Presenting vocabulary 2 | Eliciting answers | Maximising a PLN for professional development |
Speaking activities for large classes | Classroom management |
