Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Cerriowen]

Thanks so much for everyone's suggestions before.

I think I've found a lesson outline that *so far* has worked really well the last 2 or 3 weeks. I use the same structure for every lesson, just swapping out the listening and book parts, depending on the level. The Questions, Tongue Twister, and games are the same for each level.

I thought I'd share it, and ask other people to post their lesson plans, so we can compare and help eachother make easier and more interesting lessons.

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1) Simple Questions to get them warmed up and sitting... (2 min)
a) what's the weather like?
b) what day is it?
c) how are you today?

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2) EITHER a listening comp or SOUNDS comp worksheet... (5 to 10 min)
I switch these, so the first week they get a listening comp, and the second week they get a "sounds" lesson.

a) Listening comp... I write a short dialogue using the words from the previous "lesson". I put a "word box" up at the top. Read the word box together, then listen to me while I read the text. Which word did I say? Usually I put in 10 words for them to find...

*Partial example... (reportcard, upset, do well on my test, knew --- by heart)
I got my _______ from school today. I was very ______ by it. I didn't _______________. I thought I ______ the topic ___________.

b) "sounds" section... Depending on what the sounds lesson is like, I EITHER...

Talk about the two sounds. Lots of words in english are similar, only changing the R or L sound... Glass/Grass, Cord/Cold, Rock/Lock.
Give them a hand out with the all the words i can think of like that. We say them all together. Then I say one or the other, and they circle which one I said. I go through a long list (maybe 10-15 sets of words). Trade with a partner and correct.

OR

If it's like the best/behind "e"... then I show them the International Phonetic Alphabet symbol for the sound. Say the sound a few times, and show them a few words that make the same sound. "Better, Best, Very, Bell"... "Between, Behind, Become, Bee"

Then give them 15 or so words, with a blank next to it. I say the words, and they write the symbol for the sound next to it...

Beast ____ Bell_____ Bent ____ Before ____

Trade with your partner and correct.

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3) Pronunciation (OK, actually it's just a tongue twister, and the kids think they are funny and silly) Usually takes 5-15 min, depending on their level of enthusiasm

I give them a new tongue twister every week, with a week to practice it. First we do last weeks tongue twister. I write it on the board, and we practice it together one or two times. Then they have to say it 3x perfectly, and slowly *to make sure they get all the sounds right*. If they can, they are rewarded with a cheap piece of candy. You can get a big bag of it at Homeplus for 3-8k, and it will last all week. It's a cheap price to pay for enthusiasm.

I give them NEXT week's tongue twister... Write it on the board, underline the sounds you want them to focus on, demonstrate how the sound is made, maybe draw a pic on the board of a mouth making the F sound. Then practice a few times. Have them write it in their books. Tell them they have 1 week to practice. Next week you'll check their progress.

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4) Book: 5 min

Pick something from the book you should review, or cover. Something small. Maybe some new vocab you think would be helpful (instead of "that's too bad", teach them "bummer" and "that sucks!"). Or a culture tip (Teachers usually get apples for teachers day, instead of an expensive present, because apples represent wisdom and learning)

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5) Game... 10-15 min, depending on how much time you have left.

I rotate these every 2 weeks. First week we learn it, and play it once for a minute. Second week we play it for "real". Every class plays the same game, with different levels of difficulty.

So far I've played:

Word Train - Winning team gets candy
Scattergories (altered... such as... as many 4 letter words that begin with M) Winning team gets candy
Word Search - first 5 people to complete it get a piece of candy!


Usually I go through about 20 pieces of candy in a lesson.

So far, the kids seem to really love my new lesson structure. There are a FEW classes (like, 2) where I cannot bribe, beg, threaten, or torture them into even playing a game for candy. But... the other classes are enthusiastic and excited when I come to teach.

So again... thank all of you who helped contribute to coming up with this lesson structure. Much appreciated.

Please post YOUR lesson plans, and different suggestions for games and things.

[Easter Clark]

Thank you very much for posting this! This is how Dave's should be used!

I teach HS but I will share the basic structure of my class:

Warm-up: Ask questions relating to today's topic ("What's your favorite TV show?" "What kind of show is it?" "How often do you watch it?")

Vocabulary: Introduce the vocab using photos on PPt (Sitcom, Talk show, game show, etc.) 3 times. 1st time, I show the photos without the words and elicit the vocab so I can see what they know and the words appear once someone has shouted it. We also work on pronunciation. The 2nd time I have the same (or different) photos with the words blocked out ("S_ _ _ _m" "T_ _k s _ _ _" etc). The 3rd time is just the photos and we go through these very quickly.

Listening task: Play a listening task that uses the target language you plan to teach. ("How often does Sally watch the news?" "How often does she watch game shows?") Make the gap fill and after a few listens get the students to read through the dialog a few times.

Grammar point (the Korean teacher usually handles this part): Teach the target language with the vocab. "Sometimes I watch the news." "I hardly ever watch game shows." "I never watch talk shows" etc).

Drills as a whole class: Just substitution drills. I usually divide the class in half and have one half ask the question--
Ex: Sitcoms / always 1. "How often do you watch sitcoms?"

And the other half give the answer: 2. "I always watch sitcoms."

Pair / Group work: After doing this for a few minutes I put them into pairs or groups and assign a speaking task ("Find two people who never watch cartoons. Find one person who always watches the news." etc)

Follow-up: Choose some good examples you heard while monitoring and have them stand up and "perform" for the class.

Close: Either some kind of "test" on the PPt or review the vocab one more time.

In an ideal class we can get through everything. Sometimes we have to stop before the group activity and sometimes we have time to spare, depending on how hard the students work.

[bogey666]

yeah this is good stuff.

my only bitch/complaint would be that it's not kept together in a single section anywhere where such posts/ideas/suggestions can be easily accessible in the future.

[TeeBee]

Thanks guys! This is fantastic! I definitely agree that this is what Dave's should be used for.

I've been struggling with my MS students, and I'm going to give these formats a try.

[Cornfed]

Yes, good thread. I wish there was some kind of on-the-job training and meeting of minds about what the hell FTs are supposed to be doing. I bought a bunch of textbooks over the weeking, so later this week I'll try to use them an the suggested plans given to take back control of my classes from the Korean teachers.

[maingman]

Yep, agree good post here






Cornfed wrote :


later this week I'll try to use them an the suggested plans given to take back control of my classes from the Korean teachers.


haha!! you are joking

[crusher_of_heads]

Thanks for starting this thread-I alwyas start the class with those questions...all 3 grades know that if not immeidately, there is a payoff for volunteering information than having to get them to answer directly.

[Fishead soup]

[R. S. Refugee]

[Proustian]

I tried this stuff with my first year kids this week - with some modifications. It was actually the first step in taking control of my classes and being free of the textbooks they have me teach.

The students loved it -might have something to do with the candy?

But I think it is so much better than having them repeat lines from their textbooks, perform boring role-plays with stilted dialogue and basically be bored stiff and learn SFA.
At least this way they get to practice and perhaps perfect some pronunciation problems and get some one - on- one tutoring as I walk around the room and listen to them individually.
"No not meach - meat, yes much better, try again - excellent"!

The pace of the lesson, with different activities, works well for students with the attention span of a nat so I am grateful. Thanks.

[D.D.]

Show a short youtube video. Have them make up some sentences about the video,with the best two kids in the class helping them to write them. Either have them read their sentences out loud or go from group to group and ask them to read them to you and the co-teacher. Stay away from books, grammar, role plays and bogging them down with new vocab. Get them to use the words that they already know. Main point is for them to be able to explain actions and ideas about the video. Make it an interesting topic and have fun.

[hauwande]

i have HEAPS of stuff i can share with everybody. it is on my usb - miles of games and activities. where can i add a file here?

i think there should be a sticky about lesson ideas.

[ddeubel]

hauwande,

PM sent.

R.S.Refugee -- there is a site that I started after getting no satisfaction with the lack of "searchability" here and being able to pull up stuff or store. EFL Classroom 2.0 .

I now have over 80 lessons in a can, check out that thread with full lessons/ideas and materials all downloadable. Plus thousands of resources. We have unlimited file storage (I pay), just load up what you want in our share area .

Cheers,

DD
http://eflclassroom.ning.com