Sample Tutorial[1] on
Active English Series (Band 2)
Units 1-2
General introduction
Date :
Time: 9:00 ~ 16:30
Place: Live Broadcast Classroom, 5th floor of English college
TC: Beijing TC
Tutor: Tang Jinlan
Participants : Class 1 of Diploma in English program, IOE, Beijing TC
Class size: 50 Ss
Framework
Session / Task / Duration (min.) / Objective (s) / Skills &knowledge / Type of tasks / AidsIntroduction / 5 / - Introducing the tutorial framework
1
Focus on the language / Task 1:
Words, words / 20 / - Reviewing the new words learnt in the unit
- Giving the different forms of words
- Translating some sentences into Chinese from the texts learnt / Spelling, word formation, reading comprehension, translation / Pair & plenary / A pen, a blank sheet of paper, CE2 (units1-2), ER2 (units1-2), IE2 (units 1-2)
Task 2:
Word forms / 10 / Pair & plenary
Task 3: Sentence translation / 20 / Group & plenary
2
Learning at school / Task 4: How is the text structured? / 15 / - Identifying the rhetorical structures of the texts
- Finding out specific information from the text and synthesizing it in the discussion
- Reflecting your study problems
- Practicing your critical thinking skill / Reading, speaking / Pair, group & plenary, / A pen, a handout, a blank sheet of paper, CE2 (unit 1)
Task 5: What are your study problems? / 20 / Pair & plenary / A pen, a handout, a blank sheet of paper, CE2 (unit 1 )
Task 6:
Getting more familiar with the text / 15 / Pair & plenary / A pen, a handout, a blank sheet of paper, ER2 (unit 1 )
3
Learning at school and good manners / Task 7: Oral discussion / 20 / - Finding out specific information from the text and synthesizing it in the discussion
- Practicing your ability of expressing views on certain issues
- Practicing your listening ability
- Reading the text for gist
- Finding out the main idea of a text / Reading, speaking / Plenary / A pen, a notebook, ER 2(unit1)
Task 8: Watching an interview / 15 / Pair & plenary / A pen, a handout, a blank sheet of paper
Task 9: What is the main idea? / 15 / Pair & plenary / A pen, a blank sheet of paper, ER 2 (unit 1)
4
Good manners / Task 10:
Extra reading / 35 / - Practicing your ability of reading for gist and for information
- Practicing your ability of expressing views on certain issues
- Practicing your listening ability / Reading, listening, speaking / Group & plenary / A pen, a supplementary reading text, a worksheet
Task 11 : Watching an interview / 15 / Plenary / A pen, a handout, a blank sheet of paper
5
Computer / Task 12: Language awareness / 10 / - Practicing your language awareness
- Finding out specific information from the text and synthesizing it in the discussion
- Practicing your ability of expressing views on certain issues / Grammar, speaking / Pair, group & plenary / A pen, a blank sheet of paper, CE2 (unit2)
Task 13: School today and tomorrow - a comparison / 20 / Pair & plenary / A pen, a handout, a blank sheet of paper, CE2 (unit2)
Task 14: Oral discussion / 20 / Pair, group & plenary / A pen, a handout, a blank sheet of paper, ER2 (unit 2)
6
Prepositions of place / Task 15: Grammar practice the use of prepositions / 30 / - Reviewing the use of prepositions
- Practicing how to use the prepositions properly / Grammar / Pair, group & plenary / A pen, a handout, CE 2(unit 1)
Conclusion / 15 / - Reviewing and summarizing what have been covered in the unit / -
Lesson plan
Session 1 (9:00-9:50)
Task 1: Words, words (20 min)
a) The tutor asks the students to write down 20 words that they think important in the units learnt.b) The tutor asks the students to discuss in groups of four the most important 20 words and write them down.
c) The tutor chooses two groups to read aloud their 20 most important words.
d) The tutor summarizes by showing her 20 most important words.
Task 2: Word forms (10 min)
a) The tutor asks students to change the given words into required forms.b) The students can discuss in pairs their answers.
c) The tutor asks some students to give their answers in class.
Give the corresponding noun, verb, adverb or antonym（反义词）.
1) Give the noun
participate memorize prompt appreciate interact redundant donate create calculate permit ready arrive
2) Give the verb
clarification enrollment disposal connection satisfactory
3) Give the adverb
relative satisfactory efficient steady prompt
4) Give the antonym
formal adequate efficient relevant encourage
Task 3: Sentence translation (20 min)
a) Students work in groups of four to translate the given English sentences into proper Chinese.b) The tutor asks some students to give the Chinese translations in class.
c) The tutor concludes the task by showing her translation on the slides.
Please translate the following sentences into proper Chinese.
1 It pays to refresh your memory.
2 In this view, learning takes place through a process of challenging old ideas and asking questions.
3 The point, again, is not that Americans have the "right' approach to learning, but that the interactive classroom is a strong feature of US education. You will need to adjust to it - and in time, take advantage of it.
4 Particularly in freshman/sophomore courses, they may base part of your grade on your efforts to participate in the work of the class.
5 Rewards in the form of good grades will come if you have an inquiring mind and think for yourself.
6 Why not kill two birds with one stone by encouraging businesses to recycle their old computers by giving them to schools?
7 The government sees efforts to broaden access to computer technology as very important in educational development.
8 The government is also aware of the importance of skills in information technology that is developing a skilled and productive workforce.
9 The money needed to be spent wisely rather than be squandered on buying computers, leading educators said.
10 Besides the Internet, multimedia has been touted for its potential to make learning more interactive through animated graphics and music.
Session 2 (10:00-10:50 am)
Task 4: How is the text structured? (15 min)
a) The tutor divides Ss into groups of four.b) The tutor asks Ss to figure out the main idea of each paragraph in unit 1, CE2.
c) The tutor asks some students to identify the text structure.
Task 5: What are your study problems? (20 min)
a) The tutor divides Ss into groups of four.b) The tutor asks Ss to discuss in groups of four the following questions.
c) The tutor asks some students to answer the questions and gives comments.
Questions for discussion:
- What are your study problems so far?
- Have you come up with any solutions? What are they?
- What have you learnt from the text “Common study problems – and solutions”(unit 1, CE2)?
Note: If there is not much time, leave out this task.
Task 6: Getting more familiar with the text (15 min)
a) The tutor asks to Ss to skim through the text “The undergraduate classroom” (unit 1, ER2) and find out the underlying structure of the text.b) The tutor asks students to discuss in pairs their answers.
c) The tutor asks some students to present their views in class.
d) The tutor gives comment and shows her analysis of the underlying structure of the text.
Session 3 (11:00-11:50 am)
Task 7: Oral discussion (20 min)
a) The tutor divides Ss into groups of four.b) The tutor asks Ss to discuss in groups of four the following questions.
c) The tutor asks some students to answer the questions and gives comments.
Questions for discussion:
1. What are your views on interactive classrooms?
2. What challenges do this teaching and learning approach pose on the students?
Task 8: Watching an interview (15 min)
a) The tutor asks students to look at the following questions first.b) Students watch an interview on “what do the classrooms in Canada look like”
b) Students answer the questions based on the interview.
Please answer the following questions:
1. Is the classroom in Canada also interactive?
2. What are some the differences between Chinese students and that of Western students in terms of study according to the speaker?
Task 9: What is the main idea? (15 min)
a) The tutor asks students to skim through the text “How to tell an American” on pp8-9 of ER 2.b) The tutor asks students to discuss in pairs the main idea.
c) The tutor will choose some students to give their answer.
Session 4 (1:30-2:20 pm)
Task 10: Extra reading (35 min)
a) The tutor divides students into pairs (student A and student B).b)The tutor gives each pair two reading passages (part 1 and part 2) (see Appendix 1) on good manners in England.
c)Student A reads part 1, student B reads part 2.
d) When the two students finish their reading, student A asks B to help her with the questions on her sheet. Student B asks A to help him with the questions on his sheet.
e) In the process of asking and answering questions, the two students should not look at each others' sheet, just focus on their own sheet.
f) When each pair of students have their questions on their worksheets answered, the tutor asks some students to answer the questions in class and gives comments.
g) The tutor asks students to discuss one question listed below.
Please discuss the following question in groups:
Suppose you were asked to give some advice to some foreigners who first come to live in China, what advice are you going to give?
Note: The above reading exercise is also called information-gap exercise (Remember you have done this type of exercise in last semester?). One student has the information that the other student needs, in order to do the task, the two students must communicate with each other. This exercise combines reading, listening, and speaking practice together. Remember not to reduce the exercise into a pure reading exercise.
Task 11: Watching an interview (15 min)
a) The tutor asks students to look at the following questions first.b) Students watch an interview on “ how politeness varies from country to country”.
c) Students answer the questions based on the interview.
Please answer the following questions:
1. Do Canadians also say "Please"s and "Thank you"s a lot?
2. What examples did the guest speaker give about what is good manners in the West is not in China and vice versa?
Session 5 (2:30-3:20pm)
Task 12: Language awareness (10 min)
a) The tutor asks the students to skim through the text “The fun they had” (unit 2, CE2).b) The tutor asks the students to discuss in pairs about the way the verb tenses are used.
c) The tutor asks some students to tell why certain verb tenses are used that way.
In doing the exercise, students can refer to p22 of CE 2.
Task 13: School today and tomorrow- a comparison (20min)
a) The tutor asks the students to skim through the text “The fun they had” (unit 2, CE2).b) Ss in groups discuss the following questions based on their reading.
c) The tutor will ask some students to present their views.
Questions for discussion:
1. What does today's school look like?
2. What does tomorrow's school as described in the text look like?
3. What are the similarities and differences between school today and tomorrow?
Task 14: Oral discussion (20min)
a) The tutor divides the students into groups of four.b) The tutor asks the students to discuss the questions listed below.
c) The tutor will ask some students to answer the questions.
Questions for discussion:
1. Do you think that computers may someday take the place of teachers? Why or why not?
2. Should computers be introduced into the primary school? Why or why not?
3. Do you agree with the view that we should spend more money on educating teachers than buying computers?
Session 6 (3:30-4:20pm)
Task 15: Grammar practice the use of prepositions (30 min)
a) The tutor gives each student a worksheet (see Appendix 2).b) The tutor asks Ss to do all the grammar exercises on the worksheet.
c) Ss check their answers in pairs.
d) The tutor asks some students to give their answers in class.
e) The tutor comments and gives a brief summary of the use of some important prepositions of place.
Appendix 1
Task 10 Extra reading (An information gap exercise)
Part 1
Chinese people may be shocked at what counts as good manners in England. When an Englishman passes a friend in the street he does not always stop to talk. He may just nod, say "hello" and pass on. If two friends do stop to talk, they do not shake hands. It is only at parties for young people (students, for instance) that a person could go up to someone he does not know and introduce himself. On more formal occasions or at parties run by older people a guest always waits to be introduced to someone he does not know by the host, hostess or another guest who he already knows.
At even a formal dinner an Englishman does not wait for a toast before he has a drink. The English reserve toasts for very formal or very special occasions. In these cases the toast will usually be accompanied by a short speech, for example, at a wedding reception or at a party for somebody who is retiring. After a private dinner in someone's house an Englishman will only shake hands with the host and hostess if it is a fairly formal occasion, like a business dinner, and he will usually put his coat on and say goodbye as he leaves the house.
Please answer the following questions:
- How does taking one's leave vary from England to that of China?
- Do people eat off a knife in England?
3. Do the English usually show their guests around their houses?
Part 2
Taking one's leave varies in other ways between China and England. The time taken for saying "goodbye" after a private dinner may seem very short to us. Yet strangely enough, English people also often think that we Chinese end such occasions very suddenly. This is because English people usually begin to show that they want to leave fifteen or twenty minutes before they actually do by saying things like, "we'll have to be going soon. Our baby-sitter has to be home by 11.30." They do this two or three times within twenty minutes; so when they do finally leave the formalities can be conducted fairly quickly without anyone feeling offended.
What else is good manners in England? People eat food off a fork, but never off a knife. A host does not show his guest around his house unless there is a special reason for doing so. Usually he just shows him where to “wash his hands”. Men often walk on the outside of the pavement when they are with a woman. This is a custom left over from earlier times, when a woman’s dress might have been spoilt by mud splashed up by a carriage in the street. Men also often stand up when a woman enters a room, especially in more formal occasions.
Please answer the following questions:
- How do two English friends greet each other when they meet in the street?
- On what occasions is it appropriate for one to introduce oneself to other people?
- On what occasions do the English propose toasts?
Appendix 2
Task 15 Grammar practice - the use of prepositions
Choose the best answer to fill in the blanks below.
- She was ____her early thirties when she became a party member.
A) from B) of C) in D) after
- The ship sailed _____ the Atlantic.
A) across B) into C) among D) by
- _____ all the teachers, whom do you like best?
A) About B) From C) Of D) For
- John came into the room and put his bag ______the floor.
A) over B) above C) at D) on
- The parking lot lay _____ them.
A) before B) after C) against D) along
- A sword was hung ____ his head.
A) up B) above C) along D) from
- I always find him ____ his books.
A) on B) in C) to D) at
8. The delegation arrived in Beijing _____ Tuesday morning.
A) at B) in C) on D) till
9. I saw them standing _____ there a few minutes ago.
A) at B) to C) through D) over
10. I like to have my reference books _____ my reach.
A) from B) without C) within D) under
11. ____ school, he is a naughty boy.
A) Beyond B) On C) From D) Outside
12. Place the ladder ____ the wall.
A) at B) up C) against D) over
13. All this was done _____ envy.
A) by B) in C) among D) through
14. She lost her way ____ the dark.
A) under B) in C) for D) at
15. We went ____ a picnic last Sunday.
A) on B) alone C) about D) off
16. I used to be _____ the school's basketball team.
A) inside B) under C) with D) on
17. When he saw her, he ran ____ her.
A) at B) towards C) for D) against
18. She fell ____ her horse.
A) on B) by C) off D) out of
19. Things fall ___ the earth because it pulls them.
A) in B) to C) off D) from
20.He likes to do experiments ____ chemistry.
A) on B) at C) in D) to
1
Tang Jinlan, Institute of Online Education, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing, PRC
[1] This tutorial sample and related materials were prepared in BWOL, BFSU for the students in BJTC. Any BWOL tutors and students may use them while working on BWOL courses. Any extensive printing or publication without the written permission of the author and the Institute of Online Education, Beijing Foreign Studies University is strictly forbidden.