Teaching Practice 7 (Learning to Talk)
Upper-Intermediate level
Description
Main Aims
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To provide practice of reading and its sub-skills (skimming and reading for detail) by reading an authentic text.
Subsidiary Aims
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• To provide fluency speaking practice in a discussion in the context of 'Learning to talk.'
Procedure (45 minutes)
A picture with a mum and a child will be shown on the white board. Students will be asked to see the picture and guess the topic.Then give them the handout with some expressions spoken by a child. Students will be asked to work in pairs and discuss and put these expressions in order from youngest to oldest. They will discuss while the teacher move around and monitor their progress. The teacher will show them the answer they on the Board. After this, they will be asked to discuss, "Do you think a child's language develops in the same way in your language?" After the discussion, they will be asked to share their ideas with the class.
Show them the powerpoint slides with difficult words and their meaning on the white board.This will give them meaning, sentence usage, and pronunciation. Ask them if they could make one more sentence each to reinforce their understanding of the vocabulary. Have them focus on the pronunciation and the stressed syllables in the word. Give them a slight drill that the pronunciation is practiced well before the start of the actual text.
First show them the handout with four paragraphs and point towards the titles given on the page. Tell them to work in pair and give them clear instructions to read and put the paragraphs in order. While students are reading go around and check if they have any problem with the reading text. Note down any problems they face while reading. When they have finished ask them to check their answers with their peers. This will give them confidence. Show them the answers by putting the paper on the wall.
Tell them that they will work in pair. Show them the paragraph again and the comprehension questions below. Give clear instructions that they are going to read the paragraph in detail and answer the questions. Read and discuss with your partner. Some of the questions given are: What determines a child's first questions? How can one word constitute a sentence? What is the difference between a high rising tone and a high falling tone? etc. While they are reading, go around and see if they are reading properly. Check if they have any problem in understanding, Check and write if there are any issues. When they have finished ask some students for feedback. In case answers are incorrect or even correct get the feed back from the students. In order to check the vocabulary, show them the powerpoint slides for vocabulary so that it is reinforced. Next, gibe them an exercise and the sentences (in the activity) has an error in the word order. This activity is not meant for detailed grammar study rather it is meant to raise the students language feature awareness. Tell them to work in pairs and compare their answers with the group. Get the feedback at the end. Show them the answers on the board.
Ask them to work in a group of three. Show them the handout and the questions given on it. Since they have the handout with them (because we are using the same page). Tell them to read the four questions on the hand out and select any two questions they like. Sit in the group and choose any two topics. Tell them when start discussion, mingle freely with other groups and share ideas. After discussion, come back to your group and note down the ideas they they have talked about. Have the students share their ideas with the class, During the free mingling and group work, teacher mixes with the students and notes down any issues they have and manage the whole activity to the end.