Barbara Sherin Module 2 DELTA

Barbara Sherin Module 2 DELTA

B2 CLASS PROFILE

This is a mixed group of 6 Chinese, 2 Indian and 12 Malay secondary teachers who are very active and responsive to new methods and ideas. Some of the Chinese and Malay are weak at reading and writing skills. All lack a high level of vocabulary and many have unclear pronunciation. Generally, from what I've seen so far, they all need training on how to teach lexis, reading and writing skills.

LESSON AIMS

My aims are to recycle some of the lexis learned from last lesson relating to lexical chunks and introduce new classroom words and phrases found in the article on Lexical Threads. Another aim is to focus on reading strategies skimming and scanning for the article as well as discussion language for the given questions. Teachers/learners should be able to use the approach for learning lexical chunks in order to increase their vocabulary level as well as the skimming and scanning reading methods to improve their reading scores on the Aptis test in January 2014.

LANGUAGE SKILLS ANALYSIS

Skills analysis is on reading strategies and whether they can understand and apply the 2 methods of skimming and scanning in a timely fashion. Language skills analysis will be on pronunciation and meaning of new and recycled lexis.

NEEDS AND GOALS

For all the teachers their needs include clear pronunciation for new lexical chunks as well as methods for broadening their vocabulary through lexical chunks. All the Malay teachers need to increase their vocabulary/pronunciation and reading strategies for the Aptis test so they can go up to C1.

ANTICIPATED PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

Some teachers forget to put their phones on silent so I'll remind them. A few of the Malay teachers may not say anything for fear of being wrong or making a mistake, especially, in front of a BC observer. I'll tell them that Alison is here to focus on my teaching not on their correct or incorrect answers. Also, invariably, some teachers don't listen to the full set of instructions and start the activity anyway. This leads to me explaining it, so I'll check their understanding of how to do the activities first before setting them off.

REFERENCE FOR MATERIAL/RESOURCES

British Council EFT3 textbook Module 1 exercises 5.1 to 7.2

LESSON STAGES

1 10 Min

To stimulate learner creativity and grammar awareness in the warmer activity on Unfinished Sentences I explain to the teachers that they need to think, write, pair and share their finished sentences. I model one sentence on the board first. Students finish the unfinished sentences from the board and then discuss them in pairs and sm groups

2 5 Min

Narrow the focus for a lexis review of the previous lessons' vocabulary through unfinished definitions. Teacher puts 5 unfinished sentences on the board to reactivate students' memory of previously learned lexis. Learners discuss their ideas or answers in pairs before I elicit answers from volunteers

3 15 Min

Reading strategies skimming and scanning focus on the article on Lexical threads Learners discuss in groups the first two questions in ex. 5.1 and then scan/skim the article for the last two questions.

4 10 Min

Discussion of 2 new lexical approaches for pre- teaching vocabuary Students answer and discuss the questions in ex 5.2. Teacher monitors and elicits feedback at the end of the lesson

5 5 Min

To identify the correct words and their matching definitions for classroom words and phrases. Students follow instructions for the matching activity and skim/scan the article for key words

6 10 Min

To reinforce what collocations are and how they are a combination of content words. Learners work in groups and have an identical set of word cards that they need to turn over and match for collocations. They individually turn over 2 cards and show the others. If they think it's not a match then they replace them on the desk face down until they find all 12

7 5 Min

Reflection on past matching activity Teachers discuss the questions in ex. 7.2 and how they would adapt the activity for their students. Teacher monitors, helps and elicits answers from groups after they have finished discussion

Course and Lesson Planning (all of the elements below were involved in my planning for this lesson)

1 Demonstrates ability to plan lessons effectively with aims and learning outcomes appropriate to both to the course objectives and the needs of students.

2 Demonstrates ability to prepare a coherent sequence of purposeful activities relevant to acheiving the lesson aims and learning outcomes.

3 Teaching techniques are appropriate to the objectives and level of the course and to the needs of both individual students and the group.

Understanding Your Learners

4 Shows sensitivity to the group and to individuals within the group to ensure a positive learning atmosphere.

5 Demonstrates the ability to manage learning activities and interactions effectively to engage students.

Classroom Management

6 Uses appropriate feedback and correction techniques

7 Shows sound knowledge of the linguistic systems of English and will be able to model both spoken and written English appropriately.

Subject Knowledge

8 Demonstrates techniques for developing as well as practising receptive and/or productive skills/sub-skills appropriate for the ages, needs and level of the learners.

9 Demonstrates an ability to manage the resources appropriately and effectively to facilitate learning.

10 Evaluates own performance objectively through written self-reflection and post-observation discussion; illustrates commitment to further development

TEACHER REFLECTION POST LESSON

I believe my lesson was successful because: teachers could do the matching activity on the lexical chunks previously taught. Teachers could discuss in pairs what their perceptions of an ideal class, school and students were during the warmer. Teachers could understand the reading passage onlexical threads and also find the lexis definitions quickly and accurately. Teachers really enjoyed doing the memory game using lexical chunks. As the lesson was observed for an hour my planning and lesson stages were adjusted for that though the class is much longer at three hours.

Final comment

I believe my strengths involve my flexiblity with lesson plans in order to follow what the students need and their responses to the chosen material . As this was the 2nd lesson with the textbook I assumed the students could handle the various activities and lexis focus without difficulty. Areas for my improvement: in depth analysis of lexical chunks and methodology for teaching it.