Filed under: Classroom Tips, Conversation, Listening, Writing | Tags: English With Jennifer, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, online photos, photoblogging, photos in the language classroom, visual aids
As a continuation of my previous posting, here are two more whole language activities centered around online news photos:
2. Photoblogging. Some of the same sites that post weekly albums offer community interaction through photoblogging. Share one of the editor’s picks of the week with the class. Read the caption aloud and explain the meaning of any unfamiliar vocabulary or grammar. In pairs students can discuss their reactions to the photo. Prompts can be given, for example:
- Have you seen anything similar to this before?
- Does this photo help you learn anything new?
- What do you feel when you look at this photo?
- If you had to title this photo yourself, what title would you choose?
This brief oral exchange should serve as preparation for a writing activity. Have students write a personal reaction to the photo in 4-5 sentences. Once they submit it to you and receive feedback, they can be encouraged to post their comments online.
TIP 1: A selected photo can be the springboard for classroom discussion. On the MSNBC site, the editor includes a thought-provoking question that nicely suits this purpose.
TIP 2: Choose a photo with a caption that contextualizes vocabulary or grammar recently learned.
3. Audio commentaries. This is a variation of the previous activity and would have to be done in a language lab. Have students view 6-8 of the editor’s picks. Allow them time to select one photo and write 4-5 sentences about their personal reaction to it. Have them submit their writings to you for review. While you are providing corrections and feedback, students can work in pairs to come up with original titles for all the photos. Come back together as a class, view the photos again, and have volunteers call out suggested titles. Next, using their corrected writings, students must record their comments and send the audio files to you. As a class, you can playback these short recordings. The author will remain silent while the others guess which photo he or she is talking about.
TIP: Listen to the audio recordings once more after class and provide one-on-one feedback regarding each student’s pronunciation.
Filed under: Reading, Writing | Tags: English With Jennifer, essay types, essay writing, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, lea, story scramble, student compositions
I hope the title caught your attention, but perhaps it’s also caused some confusion. Let me explain. I’d like to consider the possibility of using student compositions as the basis for other activities. It’s similar to a craftsman building something from recycled materials. Compositions that have been thoroughly revised and already graded could be used among the same group of students or with other groups at similar levels (assuming you have the authors’ permission) in the context of a new lesson. Here are two possible “second-hand” activities:
1. Solo reading and speaking to the class
Student compositions written by one group can be shared with a second. Students receiving the essays can be assigned questions to answer:
- For essays expressing a point of view (problem-solution, cause-effect, etc.): What is the topic? What is the author’s opinion? Do you agree with the author? Why or why not? Be prepared to share your answers with the class.
- For essays presenting information (narrative, definition, etc.): What is the topic? Can you summarize the essay? Did you learn anything new from the author? Can you provide any additional information on the topic? Be prepared to share your answers with the class.
2. Paired reading and problem-solving discussion
Students at one level should be able to comprehend not only the writings of their classmates but also of those one level head. This means a teacher could share the compositions of a high intermediate class with the students at the intermediate or low intermediate level. The number of unfamiliar words or grammatical structures shouldn’t be high enough to hinder comprehension. That said, try the following activity with a narrative essay or short story.
- Story Scramble: You’re likely familiar with this game. I put a spin on it for a LEA-inspired activity (Language Experience Approach) back in March 2009. Now we’re taking a story or a description of events as related on paper by a student and dividing it up into 10-12 segments. This needs to be done by the teacher in advance. I recommend keeping sets of the story in envelopes. You’ll need about 5-6 sets so that the class can work either in pairs or small groups. Each group will assemble the story to the best of their ability. One group can volunteer to read the assembled story to the class. Alternative sequences can be discussed.
VARIATION: You can have each group work with a different story. After an assigned amount of time (e.g., 10 minutes), you can present a copy of the original story to the group so they can check their work. Groups can hand back the original “whole” copies to the teacher and exchange sets so the activity is repeated. Finally, after all the materials have been collected, have volunteers recall and orally summarize the 5-6 stories. The class can listen and assist as necessary.
Filed under: Grammar, Writing | Tags: academic English, business English, English With Jennifer, formal writing, informal English, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, multi-word verbs, phrasal verbs, professional English, register, two-part verbs
The purpose of this exercise is to reinforce students’ understanding of the differences between formal and informal English, highlighting the role phrasal verbs can play in changing the register. Students will begin with informal speech and edit it for a more formal context, using one-word equivalents for the selected phrasal verbs.
Level: High intermediate to advanced
STEP 1 – Ask students to name people in positions of power who can effect change, for example, a president, mayor, or school director. List their ideas on the board.
STEP 2 – Ask the students to choose one person in power and list 2-3 actions they would like that person to take. Each item on the list must use at least one phrasal verb. Be sure students have access to a good phrasal verb reference chart that includes definitions, such as the one in the appendix of Book 4 of the Focus in Grammar series. Model:
I want our governor to:
- come up with a way to help out state college students with tuition
- put together a program to help students find work after college
- make laws that will stop people from using up too much gas, water, and electricity
STEP 3 – Students will use their lists to compose a short letter. Model the business letter format on the board, indicating the correct positions of the addresses, the greeting, the closing, and the signature. In the body of the letter, one-word equivalents must replace the phrasal verbs. (Additional revisions may be necessary to increase the formality, e.g., elimination of contractions and abbreviations, more appropriate greetings and closings, etc.) Model:
Dear Sir:
I would like to make three requests. First, I kindly ask you to find a way to assist students who attend state colleges. Tuition is difficult to pay, and students like me need more help to get a good education. Second, the state government needs to create a program to help students find work after college. You could create free job centers at libraries, for example. Finally, I am worried about the environment. I believe the state government can make new laws that will stop people from wasting gas, water, and electricity. Until there are such laws, people will continue to waste.
Thank you.
Respectfully,
VARIATION: Instead of a business letter, students can write a short article. Tell them to imagine they are writing for a local newspaper. The headline can be Time for Change or Changes We Need.
Filed under: Writing | Tags: English With Jennifer, how to teach writing, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL
Okay, I confess I don’t know the one and only “right” way to teach writing skills, but I do believe certain practices lead to good results. Perhaps you can add to my list:
1. Explain the purpose of what you’re teaching. Students may readily see the value in sentence connectors but may question why they must learn so many that express the same relationship. For example, although, even though, and though all introduce a contrasting idea. They are even similar in form. What’s the value in learning all three when one can do the job? What will you tell your students? Hopefully, they’ll agree that variety is better than repetition.
2. Make writing meaningful. It’s not enough to understand the purpose of a certain structure or skill. A student will learn better if he or she can make a personal connection to the lesson. How can you tap into the students’ knowledge, experience, and beliefs? Often this can be done through an appropriate warm-up. For example, a brief discussion of a topic permits personal expression. Sharing opinions will focus students’ attention on the topic, expose them to alternative viewpoints, and generate content for the writing task that will follow, which may be expressing contrasts or developing an argument essay.
3. Don’t overcorrect. I’ve talked about this before in my entry The Dangers of Correcting Language Learners. The process of correcting writing requires the teacher to respect the ideas of the student and provide the kind of guidance that neither hinders self-expression nor threatens self-confidence. It helps for the teacher to focus on corrections that concern any targeted structures and that improve clarity. This was already discussed at length in my entry Choosing the Right Focus in the Writing Classroom.
4. Provide models that inspire without discouraging. Just as overcorrecting can destroy a language learner’s self-esteem, a too-perfect model can threaten a student’s willingness to try. I’m guilty of this. There was at least one time when a student looked at the model I provided in a writing lesson and stated in frustration, “I can’t write like that!” Just as we fine-tune our speech for the level we are teaching, writing models must be chosen or composed carefully so as to offer an attainable goal.
5. Teach expository writing, but make time for creative and practical writing, too. Students need to prepare for the academic and professional challenges they’ll face in the English-speaking world, but that doesn’t mean we should limit writing lessons and activities to ones that are academic or professional in nature. Writing a poem or short story also has value. In fact, I’d argue that a person who is able to do creative writing possesses the critical thinking skills to find innovative approaches and solutions in everyday situations. Creative writing can positively influence expository writing. As for practical writing, I mean everything from handwriting to greeting cards. How will a job applicant get hired if the information on the application is illegible? Also, students may be able to produce a solid three-paragraph essay, but can they write appropriate expressions on a birthday, wedding, or sympathy card?
Filed under: Writing | Tags: adverbs, conjunctions, English With Jennifer, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, sentence connectors, transitional phrases, transitional words, writing activities
LEVEL: low intermediate to advanced
LANGUAGE FOCUS: conjunctions and transitional words (sentence connectors)
OBJECTIVES: To understand the function of these structures and to identify when it’s appropriate to use them.
STEP 1 – Present the conjunctions/ transitional words you have selected for your students. With lower level students, you may choose coordinating conjunctions such as and or but. With upper level students, you may select transitional words and phrases such as moreover or in spite of. Need help deciding? Try Joe Landberger’s list or the one shared on Wikipedia. I’d suggest presenting only one or two at a time.
STEP 2 – Have students compose a short paragraph in which the target words or phrases are used. You may require only 3-4 sentences from lower level students. You may ask upper level students to produce 4-6 sentences. Prompt them with questions that focus on general knowledge or general experience:
- How do you like to spend your weekends?
- What hobbies did you have as a child?
- Name two places you wish to visit and explain what you want to travel there.
- Etc.
Model (with moreover):
I like to spend my weekends at home. I work and study during the week, and I’m always running somewhere. On the weekend, I just want to stay in one place. Moreover, by Saturday there’s a lot of housework to do. I do laundry and clean in the morning. In the evening I make a nice dinner and watch TV.
STEP 3 – Correct students’ work, focusing on their use of the target words or phrases. Next, have them rewrite their paragraphs without the conjunctions or sentence connectors.
Model (with moreover):
I like to spend my weekends at home. I work and study during the week, and I’m always running somewhere. On the weekend, I just want to stay in one place. By Saturday there’s a lot of housework to do. I do laundry and clean in the morning. In the evening I make a nice dinner and watch TV.
STEP 4 – Students pair up and exchange compositions. They must read their partner’s work and identify where the conjunction or sentence connector would function best. Alternatives can be discussed. This can be repeated two or three times with different partners.
Filed under: Classroom Tips, Writing | Tags: English With Jennifer, handwriting, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, penmanship, touch typing, typing skills, writing skills
In and out of the school setting, the use of keyboards has gradually been diminishing the need for pen and paper. Some bemoan the loss of handwriting skills. Others welcome the convenience of tapping on keys and prefer it to pushing a pencil through time-consuming strokes. Most likely, there are more people in the latter group. However, we need to recognize that although our daily lives put keyboards in front of us at work, home, and school, technology has yet to completely eradicate the need for pens and pencils. We must still handwrite notes to our housemates, sign in at the doctor’s office, and fill out paper forms our employers give to us. (Personally, I still handwrite my grocery list and keep it posted on the fridge until my next visit to the store.)
I think it’s important for our English language learners to have practice producing both forms of written text. Society requires typing and handwriting, so our classroom activities and take-home assignments should not give preference to one form and exclude the other. Students who plan to enter an English-speaking university or workplace will feel more prepared if they are confident of these basic skills in the target language. For instance, a rigorous academic or professional environment doesn’t allow one the luxury of typing out reports or e-mails at a snail’s pace.
Here are some interesting resources to develop both handwriting and typing skills.
HANDWRITING:
- Born Thinker. Great for those who need to see a visual demonstration of the strokes made for each letter of the alphabet. The program teaches printed letters, upper and lower case.
- Handwriting Worksheets. This site allows you to print out custom-made worksheets. You can write sets of words or whole sentences. It’s good for printed letters.
- Handwriting for Kids. Worksheets are appropriate for younger and older students. The site provides nice options for cursive writing (word level v. sentence level). They even have the classic exercise: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Check out the option for “Make Your Own Page” under the heading Manuscript.
TOUCH TYPING:
- Kid’s Typing Skills. Online tutorial that teaches touch typing. Adult-appropriate. Free download.
- Typing Games. A set of ten free games to practice touch typing. (I found “TypeDown” very addictive! I only got to Level 8.)
- List of Typing Tutorials. Take your pick. I selected two above, but you may find others more to your liking.
If your curriculum allows for flexibility, consider basing some lessons around group activities. The activities should be driven by themes that appeal to your students. A single theme and a set of clear procedures make for an enjoyable, constructive class. The following activities require small groups of students (approx. 4 per group) to use speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills to meet the objectives.
- GROUP TRIP
Objective: To plan a group trip for a budgeted amount of money.
Have students sit in groups at computer stations. Tell them they have 15 minutes to plan a group trip. They have a budget of $2,000. Together they must choose a destination, a means of travel, and lodging. They should also list options for food and entertainment. Groups will present their trip plans to the class. Notes should be taken by all members of the group for this purpose, and each member must present a portion of the group’s plans. After the presentations, students go back into their groups and compose a paragraph based on their notes. This trip summary will be submitted to the teacher for correction.
Possible language focus: Future tenses (especially be going to and will).
- GROUP FUNDRAISER
Objective: To plan a fundraiser as a small group.
Present the students with a dilemma. For example, tell them that some classmates are facing eviction from their apartment. They need rent money fast (say, $1,500). Have students sit in groups at computer stations. Tell them they have 15 minutes to plan a group fundraiser. They may get ideas from websites such as Do-It-Yourself Fundraising Ideas or Fundraising Tips.Com. Together they must choose a fundraiser, a date, and a time. If a location is needed, they should specify the site. Each member should have an assigned role in the execution of the fundraiser. Groups will present their fundraising plans to the class. Notes should be taken by all members of the group for this purpose, and each member must present a portion of the group’s plans. After the final presentation, students go back into their groups and compose a paragraph based on their notes. This summary will be submitted to the teacher for correction.
Possible language focus: Modals for necessity, obligation, and/ or possibility.
- GROUP DONATION
Objective: To decide where to make a group donation.
This activity could be the logical follow-up to the group fundraiser. Tell students they must decide the best way to donate $2,000. They may research local charities online or look at recent news headlines to identify local residents in need of financial aid. Have students sit in groups at computer stations. Tell them they have 15 minutes to make their decision. Sites such as Charity Navigator may be used. Background information on the recipient(s) is needed to justify their donation and will be part of their presentation to the class. Notes should be taken by all members of the group, and each member must present a portion of the group’s plans. After the final presentation, students go back into their groups and compose a paragraph based on their notes. This summary will be submitted to the teacher for correction.
Possible language focus: Active and passive voice (e.g., donate/ be donated).
NOTE: Alternatives to online information include hard copies of web pages and brochures.
OTHER THEMES: Group Party, Group Business, Group Dinner
Filed under: Classroom Tips, Conversation, Writing | Tags: classroom debates, debates, debating, English With Jennifer, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, online resources
The Internet is full of resources for ESL, although many of them are not actually designed to facilitate language learning. The trick is finding a good site among the thousands out there. Then you must consider how to put the site to good use.
I recently stumbled upon the site of I.D.E.A., the International Debate Education Association. This site has a good-sized database of topics, from global climate change to sports. For each topic, there is some background info provided (labeled as “context”). This introductory paragraph could be used as a reading or listening passage (with the teacher reading aloud). Appropriate vocabulary should be highlighted. Each page then presents in two-column form the pros and cons, followed by all the possible motions (conclusions). There is also a “Database Junior,” which seems to have been created for younger students. The language seems at a lower reading level than the main database, making it accessible for intermediate students.
Teaching tools on this site include suggested exercises, such as an argument assembly activity that requires students to work together to assemble the pieces of an argument into a logical order. (The teacher will have cut up the argument beforehand.) This great exercise integrates reading and speaking skills and develops their critical thinking skills as well. Other possibilities I’ve thought of include:
- Class debates with the two sides represented by two groups of students, who are given time to gain familiarity with the information from the site before the start of the debate.
- Paired presentations in which each student is assigned a position on a main point. Debate topics generally have around 5-7 points with each point discussed from two different positions (pro and con). This works out well for classes of 10-14 students. Presentations are made in twos, so partners should prepare together. Students are given time to gain familiarity with the information from the site, but during the actual presentation they may not read.
- Writing practice at the sentence level, paragraph level, or essay level. At the sentence or paragraph level, students should only work with one main point and its pros and cons. They can use the information to practice statements of contrast: although, despite, etc. They can also use the information for one main point to structure a paragraph. They’ll need to compose a unifying topic sentence, insert a transition from pro to con, and end with a concluding sentence. At the essay level, several of the key points can be used from a given debate topic. You might teach them the point-by-by format (pro-con for Point 1, pro-con for Point 2, etc.) and assist them in developing a thesis statement, introduction, and conclusion.
- Independent study is certainly possible via the online forums run by I.D.E.A. Students can not only read other debates online, they may also write on a discussion board. The discussion threads I reviewed were civil and stimulating, making it an appropriate place for our language learners to engage in self-expression.
Filed under: Methodology, Writing | Tags: consumer reports, English With Jennifer, expressing contrasts, expressing similarities, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, real life skills in the ESL classroom, venn diagrams
It’s wonderful to use authentic material in the classroom. The connection between a language lesson and the language used out there is strengthened. There are times when adapted material serves our purposes better, but when there’s a choice to fabricate or take what’s real, I think it’s best to integrate that piece of real life into our lesson plan.
In professional, academic, and everyday situations, our students may be asked to compare and contrast. Do they have an organized approach for gathering information? Do they have the language needed to express similarities and differences? One fun way to teach graphic organizers and structures for comparisons and contrasts is to ask students to write consumer reports.
Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Objective: To present a consumer report to one’s classmates.
Skills targeted: Reading for details, using graphic organizers, writing comparisons and contrasts, making oral presentations from notes.
STEP 1 – Students must have information on two products or two services. If possible, ask them to collect this information in advance. This allows them to choose something they are genuinely interested in. If, however, this kind of preparation time is not possible, you can collect sets of information yourself. In this case, you may have to ask students to work in twos or threes, depending on how much information you are able to collect yourself.
SUGGESTIONS: (1) At a local mall, get brochures from sales reps. Cell phone sales reps, for example, are always willing to hand out information. (2) Amazon.com is also great for this activity. Just type in the product you want (steam iron, dog raincoat, hair dryer, etc.), and select the two most appealing from the list. View the product details as well as customer reviews.
STEP 2 – Model the use of one or two graphic organizers. A Venn diagram and/or a traditional chart would be appropriate. You can find printable online Venn diagrams for classroom use.
STEP 3 – Have the students fill in the information on their graphic organizers. Remind them that at this point, complete sentences aren’t necessary.
STEP 4 – Review the targeted structures for comparisons and contrasts. Suggestions: (not) as…as; unlike; compared to; while; similarly, in contrast with, both, more…than. Provide models for the structures you want the students to use:
Both steam irons have stainless steel bottoms.
The Black & Decker iron is not as heavy as the Panasonic.
Unlike the Panasonic, the B&D model can do vertical steaming.
Etc.
STEP 5 – Have students write a short consumer report using information from their graphic organizers and the targeted structures. Provide a model:
Panasonic has steam iron for $36.98. It’s a little over five pounds. It also has an automatic retractable cord reel. Black & Decker makes a similar steam iron. Both have stainless steel bottoms. Compared to the Panasonic, the B&D is more sophisticated. It’s not as heavy as the Panasonic, but it’s more expensive. The B&D steam iron costs $46.29. Unlike the Panasonic, the B&D model can do vertical steaming. That means you can steam clothes while they’re on hangers. Also, in contrast with the Panasonic iron, the B&D model has an automatic shut-off. For ten dollars more, I think the B&D model is worth buying.
STEP 6 – Allow for students to share their reports with classmates. You may choose to do presentations to the whole class, in a small group, or as an exchange between partners.
