Giving directions: Speaking
Elemantary level
Description
Materials
Main Aims
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Students will be able to give directions with simple instructions in the context of a tourist's city tour
Subsidiary Aims
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Students learn the most common vocabulary used in directions
Procedure (39-47 minutes)
I engage students by giving the context: I am new in the town and I don't know where certain buildings are. I use demonstratitons to explain the situation. I show a map and ask students: What's this? Why do we use a map? I ask one of the students: Where's the supermarket? I want him/her to show it on the map. Teacher gives a map of Levent district and asks them to draw the rout from metro station to ITI Center on the map. Teacher asks : "Can you guess our subject today?"
Teacher gets the students elicit the meanings of phrases that are necessary to give direction. First teacher gives the instruction with a brief explanation. She checks with ICQs: In pairs students are asked to match the pictures with the instructions so with the visuals students elicit their meanings. Then in groups of four, students check answers. Teacher gives feedback. If necessary asks CCQs. A quick drill for pronunciation is useful for learners to recognise the words during the listening activity.
Students listen to a man's instructions to give directions to reach A312 to Dorchester which is also depicted with a map. The students, individually do a gap-fill exercise while listening to the script. If needed they listen to one more time. Students check in pairs - they swap their sheets. Teacher monitors. As a whole class feedback students stick the cards with instructions written on them on the map so it is ensured that no one missed the answers. Also that way instructions become more catchy to remember.
(For the first practice teacher leaves the cards on the wall so the learners can look at them when they forget.) Teacher gets the students stand up and group them in pairs. Now every learner has a language model to make use of it (The gap-fill exercise they have done - with correct answers). What the learners will do is a role-play activity to practice their knowledge. Teacher arranges pairs and then shortly explains the tasks, checks with ICQs. One learner will be the tourist and the other one will be one of the locals of Kingston Town. One of them asks and the other gives directions. Teacher monitors and notes down the incorrect usages. When everybody is done, teacher stops the activity. Learners change their roles. Every step is stopped by the teacher to provide clear instruction stages. Then learners work with a different partner and they continue to practice until they feel confident to stop looking to the script. Teacher monitors and in the end for common mistakes she makes delayed error correction as a feedback.
In this stage, learners are given new handouts with the same map on which certain routes are drawn as a controlled practice. Only two new different routes will be given. Teacher arranges students again in pairs. Whole class will be asked to study on only one new route. First, students take a look at the route and buildings to think on it and then in pairs again they practice asking and giving directions.Teacher monitors. When both students practiced in two roles, teacher stops the practice. Second practice with the exercise number one: Teacher gives a new instruction. With different partners they do the same role-play exercise. Again when students are done, they shift their roles. Teacher monitors and takes notes. For common mistakes she gives feedback. If time, for the second new route the same cycle goes on.
Teacher emphasizes the correct usages of the common mistakes made by the learners. She clarifies the vague points - If there are any questions. Review of the new phrases and correction of the pronunciation are beneficial for the learners.