Tefl 120 parte 7

Learning Objectives

• By the end of Lesson 7, students will be able to design and implement lesson plans effectively teaching:

  • Listening

  • Speaking

  • Writing

  • Reading

• Objectives include understanding challenges and strategies for each skill and integrating them for comprehensive language development.

Teaching Listening (7.1)

Key Points

• Nature of Listening

  • Often perceived as the simplest skill but requires significant practice.

  • Neglecting listening hinders comprehensive language learning.

  • Integration with other skills is essential (speaking, writing, reading).

Mechanics of Teaching Listening

1. Integration

   • Blend listening with speaking, writing, and reading activities.

2. Focus on Language Sounds

   • Emphasize phonetics, especially for students from varied linguistic backgrounds.

3. Diversity in Listening Situations

   • Expose students to formal and informal listening styles.

4. Interactive Listening

   • Encourage responses to promote engagement.

5. Assessment

   • Focus on understanding rather than right/wrong answers; provide explanatory feedback.

Listening Passages

1. Consideration of Limits

   • Be mindful of endurance; avoid overwhelming listening tasks.

2. Level-Appropriate Materials

   • Choose materials aligned with students' proficiency and cultural contexts.

3. Adjusting Speed and Length

   • Align material pacing with comprehension levels.

4. Targeting Sub-skills

   • Design tasks focusing on following instructions and predictions.

Assisting Learners with Listening Challenges

Common Challenges

• Inadequate Sound Distinction

  • Learners may struggle to distinguish between sounds.

• Unfamiliarity with Vocabulary

  • Often they encounter unknown terms frequently used by native speakers.

• Perception of Rapid Speech

  • Difficulties in processing fast-paced spoken language.

• Structural Differences

  • Incomprehension of sentence structures distinct from their native language.

Challenges of Authentic Speech

• Brief Speech Segments

  • Conversations consist of short exchanges, complicating comprehension.

• Pronunciation Differences

  • Spoken language may differ substantially from dictionary forms.

• Use of Colloquials and Informal Grammar

  • Everyday language includes slang and grammatical anomalies.

Overcoming Listening Barriers

1. Familiarization with Language Sounds

• Early exposure helps students acclimate.

2. Contextual Relevance

• Choose culturally appropriate material.

3. Speaker Clarity

• Use clear and unaccented speech, preferably recorded.

Structuring Effective Listening Lessons

The 5 Steps

1. Opening

   • Begin with a warmer related to prior learning; explain the activity's significance.

2. Introduction of New Material

   • Address misunderstandings and engage students actively.

3. Guided Practice

   • Set clear expectations; offer practice opportunities that increase in complexity.

4. Independent Practice

   • Assign tasks demonstrating mastery and provide extension activities.

5. Closing

   • Engage students in summarizing their learning; assign relevant homework.

Effective Listening Strategies, Exercises, and Activities

Strategies to Enhance Learning

1. Simple Dialogues

   • Record dialogues from diverse environments for real-life practice.

2. Short Passages

   • Use engaging stories followed by comprehension questions.

3. Information Transfer Activities

   • Convert spoken information into another format (graphs, tables, etc.).

4. Dictation

   • Reinforce vocabulary and skills through repetition in familiar contexts.

5. Role-playing

   • Create real-life scenarios to enhance learning.

Teaching Speaking (7.2)

Key Points on Teaching Speaking Skills

• Progression of Skills

  • Students learn to speak before writing; focuses on productive skill development.

• Features of Spoken English

  • Spoken language is informal with varying speech patterns; essential for adapting to real-world usage.

Structuring Effective Speaking Lessons

Repeat the 5-step lesson plan structure for speaking:

1. Opening

   • Connect with previous lessons.

2. Introduction of New Material

   • Clarify misunderstanding, ensure engagement.

3. Guided Practice

   • Provide structured activities for practice; specify time limits.

4. Independent Practice

   • Encourage use of new structures in discussions.

5. Closing

   • Summarize lesson and assign relevant practice homework.

Boosting Speaking Skills: Strategies and Activities

Engaging Activities

1. Little-Known Fact

   • Students introduce themselves and share unique facts.

2. The Hot Seat

   • Students guess words based on classmates' descriptions.

3. Interviews

   • Peer interviews about personal interests enhance casual conversation skills.

Teaching Writing (7.3)

Key Points

• Importance of Writing Tasks

  • Ensure assignments are appropriate for language level and engaging. Emphasize real-world relevance.

Types of Writing

1. Imitative Writing

   • Mimics language points, suitable for beginners.

2. Personal Writing

   • Focus on student reflections rather than communication with others.

3. Display Writing

   • Intended for showcasing work to others (essays, reports).

4. Authentic Writing

   • Real-world writing tasks for a genuine audience.

Structuring Effective Writing Lessons

Follow the 5-step lesson plan structure:

1. Opening

   • Engage with related warmers.

2. Introduction of New Material

   • Clarify and confirm understanding.

3. Guided Practice

   • Offer opportunities for correction and improvement.

4. Independent Practice

   • Encourage personal application and fluency.

5. Closing

   • Recap and assign relevant writing tasks.

Practical Writing Activities

• Gap-filling exercises for grammar practice.

• Creative writing projects for personal expression.

Teaching Reading (7.4)

Key Points

• Role of Reading

  • Promotes independent knowledge acquisition; apply strategies emphasizing practical use.

Structuring Effective Reading Lessons

Follows the same 5-step lesson plan structure:

1. Opening

   • Engage with background knowledge.

2. Introduction of New Material

   • Clarify and maintain interest.

3. Guided Practice

   • Collaborate with manageable texts.

4. Independent Practice

   • Foster broader discussions based on readings.

5. Closing

   • Summarize and assign related reading.

Effective Reading Strategies and Activities

1. Context Clues

   • Encourage inference of meanings using surrounding text.

2. Word Formation

   • Recognize word origins to aid in comprehension.

3. Character Study

   • Analyze character actions and implications for deeper understanding.