How to effectively structure an English language lesson

Status
Not open for further replies.

kasakuri

Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2012
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
Vietnam
Hello and thank you sincerely in advance for your help. I'm an aspiring English teacher trying to learn the ins and outs :)

I am trying to arrange the most effective structure for a lesson plan exercise I have come up with a structure that makes sense for me (in blue) as well as an explanation.

If you would be so kind, could you please look at my lesson plan structure and explanation, and give me some feed-back on what could be improved?

PART FIVE - TEACHING AND LEARNING

A. Below are different stages in an English language lesson that aims to develop reading and speaking skills. The lesson centers around a written text that discusses The Greenhouse Effect on the planet. However, the order of activities is illogical.
Order each of the activities to make the lesson flow.
Write a brief rationale explaining why you have chosen your particular order.

For example: I have placed activity X after activity Z because students will need to understand that language before moving on to the next task.

Activities:
a) The teacher gives students a task that checks detailed understanding of the text.
b) Students talk about what they know about the greenhouse effect and how it affects the planet.
c) The teacher gives students a task that checks general, overall understanding of the text.
d) Students discuss their ideas of how the greenhouse effect could be reduced in their countries.
e) The teacher clarifies the meaning of important vocabulary items in the text.
f) The teacher gives the students the text.

Here is how I've structured these activities and why:

Activities:
f) The teacher gives the students the text.
e) The teacher clarifies the meaning of important vocabulary items in the text.
b) Students talk about what they know about the greenhouse effect and how it affects the planet.
d) Students discuss their ideas of how the greenhouse effect could be reduced in their countries.
c) The teacher gives students a task that checks general, overall understanding of the text.
a) The teacher gives students a task that checks detailed understanding of the text.

Explanation: Some educators might prefer to place activity b) first to test student knowledge, but a topic like the Greenhouse effect might be too complicated for some students. Therefore, I would place activities f) and e) first to familiarize all students not only with the topic but also with important vocabulary necessary to discuss the topic. I would place activities b) and d) afterwards to give students a chance to express their ideas on the topic using the learned important vocabulary. At the end, I would place activities c) and a) to check students’ knowledge about the learned subject and vocabulary.

What are your thoughts on how I've structured my lesson plan? Thanks again.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
If the topic's too complex or not known, what good is giving them a text? Shouldn't you get them into\introduce the idea before giving them the text?
 

Esredux

VIP Member
Joined
May 10, 2010
Member Type
Other
Native Language
Russian
Home Country
Russian Federation
Current Location
Russian Federation
Some educators might prefer to place activity b) first to test student knowledge
What could be wrong in the desire to know where to start and from what angle to tackle the whole thing?
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
I entirely agree that an informal class conversation about the subject should come first to make sure everyone understands the basics and the terminology etc. So in this example, a conversation about the greenhouse effect to show what the students already know and understand would logically come first, to my mind.

I would put them in this order:

b) Students talk about what they know about the greenhouse effect and how it affects the planet.
e) The teacher clarifies the meaning of important vocabulary items from the conversation and which will appear in the text.
f) The teacher gives the students the text.
c) The teacher gives students a task that checks general, overall understanding of the text.
a) The teacher gives students a task that checks detailed understanding of the text.
d) Students discuss the text and their ideas of how the greenhouse effect could be reduced in their countries.

That way, the class begins and ends with discussion. Terminology is explained before the text is handed out. Then come the text and the tasks. After the text has been read, understood both in general and in detail, another discussion can be had based on the students' original thoughts and any changes in their attitude and opinion based on the contents of the text, including how that impacts on how they think the greenhouse effect could be reduced in their countries.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top