Organizing the Second Lesson of the Week

Organizing the Second Lesson of the Week
GOD BLESS MY ENGLISH CLASS - UN BLOG PER INSEGNANTI DI INGLESE
Blog di Elaine Bertolotti ♥ WITH A VERY BIG THANK YOU FROM THE ENGLISH GRATIS TEAM!

Questo blog in inglese è un'iniziativa di supporto a tutti gli insegnanti di inglese che abbiano voglia di discutere di didattica innovativa e di come rendere lo studio dell'inglese sempre più piacevole, motivante ed efficace. Il pronunciatore di inglese ReadSpeaker integrato in ogni pagina consente di ascoltare il testo premendo sul pulsante ASCOLTA IL TESTO. Inoltre è possibile scegliere anche la varietà di pronuncia che si preferisce: inglese britannico, americano, australiano, scozzese o indiano! Per operare la scelta cliccare sul simbolo di ruota dentata quando il player è visibile.
PER SCRIVERE A ELAINE BERTOLOTTI: elainemaryb CHIOCCIOLA yahoo PUNTO it
PER ACQUISTARE IL SUO E-BOOK SU FIRENZE: vai sul sito amazon.it

Now let’s go on to the next 50 minute English lesson.

I would divide the class into 2 or 3 groups.

One group can work on writing dialogues. Have available Photo Cards with a list of some starter vocabulary words and verbs that the student can use. Tell them to keep the sentences simple and to insert English expressions when possible.

A good idea is to have them read short dialogues first. This helps them to “enter” into the language before they create their own dialogues.

Create a group of simple dialogues. I’d advise you not to use the dialogues from the textbook. Make up your own to review certain grammar points, in this way the students can actually see the grammar in action.

Another group can use these same Photo Cards but this time they will write only questions. These questions can be made in all tenses for practice.

Finally there is the group that works with the teacher.

This group can work in various ways, and the aim of this teacher guided group is to
converse in English.

the conversation can be stimulated by an event: a school “happening” for example, a sports event, a conference, a new school regulation etc.
choose an important international figure to discuss, for example Steve Jobs
using an English newspaper (USA Today is easier to read than the English Herald Tribune!) read the headlines and comment.
Talk about the use of expressions. Notice the difference between common Italian expressions and those that are instead used in English

Before this conversation takes place, it’s advisable that the teacher prepares the students. Each topic can begin with simple questions using Who, What, Where, When, How, Why, etc.

Give them ways to participate in the conversation.

1) “In my opinion,”
2) “I believe”
3) “I agree with…” (“I don’t agree with…)
4) “I heard that…” (I read that…”)
5) “People say that….”

These comments can be copied by the students to use for future conversation practice.

Every week the groups can be rotated so that everyone gets a chance to work with the teacher guided group.

Once the students get into the habit of working in groups, there will be many advantages.
It will be interesting to see how many activities can be used.

1) using ID of persons to write questions
2) making new word categories
3) finding the word opposites
4) listing adjectives to describe people, places, things
5) labelling photos
6) listing adverbs

If during one lesson period there isn’t enough time to finish the work the students started, the same activity can be continued the following week.

Later on in the year, the students can prepare their conversation lesson with the teacher by finding the appropriate information for a topic they choose.

All of this takes time but with the proper organization students will benefit from these activities.

A Nice Thought:
“One of the greatest sources of energy is pride in what you are doing.”