[M C Crumlish]

So clear and easy to understand. Hedi is a fantastic teacher and also a fantastic role model and mentor for those who are new to teaching.

[M C Crumlish]

You have no control over the person who is speaking, whereas you do have some control over the speed you read. The accent may prevent you understanding words which you would recognise if they are written down. The noise level of a room will prevent you from hearing every word, in contrast the words are already written down.
You will be able to pick up of body language and visual clues when a person is speaking to get a general feel for the mood and feelings of the speaker, whereas on the written text this may be more challenging.

[M C Crumlish]

Excellent module, really got to the essence of a reading lesson. It is skills based. The pre teach of lexis is for recognition to understand the text.
I found this module challenging however I could understand each stage of the lesson plan so much better now. The video of Hedi gave me such a better idea of what is expected of a teacher in the classroom, in the 21st C.

[M C Crumlish]

As a teacher we must look towards the needs of the student, their age and ability. The simple verb tenses are needed to have a meaningful conversation on a basic level, however I think the more complex tenses are not required unless the student has a need for these ie. graduate, business etc.

[M C Crumlish]

STEVE’S LEAD IN:
WELCOME THE CLASS, ASK HOW THEY ARE.. EXPLAIN I AM GOING TO SHOW YOU A PICTURE ON THE BOARD AND I WOULD LIKE YOU TO DISCUSS WHAT YOU SEE
WITH YOUR SMALL GROUP OF 3/4 PEOPLE 3 MINS. I WOULD PUT QUESTIONS ON THE BOARD AS GUIDANCE.

WHAT ARE THE GROUP OF PEOPLE DOING?
WHY IS THE GIRL HOLDING THE TORCH?
WHAT TECHNOLOGY CAN YOU SEE IN THE PICTURE?
WHAT DO THEY HAVE IN COMMON

THE LEVEL OF THE CLASS MUST BE QUITE HIGH TO BEGIN WITH, TO SET THIS TASK.
I WOULD ASK THEN ASK THE QUESTIONS AND ELICIT ANSWERS FROM THE WHOLE CLASS. THIS SHOULD ONLY TAKE 5 MINS.
ASK TO PREDICT THE TOPIC OF THE LESSON.

[M C Crumlish]

I would use a short fun video clip of pets in the home that you can get from Youtube.
teacher then asks the class what did you see? where were they?
what do we call animals that live in our homes?

For older children I would brainstorm a general discussion about pets, putting words or phrases on the board.
The teacher could ask what other pets live in our houses?
how do you care for them?

For younger children I would do games, sorting pictures and toys with words, listen to a nursery rhyme video with words and actions, cut out pictures and stick them next to the correct word.

I am interested in the flipped classroom technique too. Perhaps giving each child a picture of a pet and asking them to find something out about it before they come to class, what is it, size, colour, so they can talk about it in pairs in class.

[M C Crumlish]

I remember the lesson would focus on learning vocabulary at home and lots and lots of grammar in the classroom. Understanding verb tenses and how to build a sentence. We had language labs at school where you would put on huge white ear phones and listen to a native speaker and then practise speaking. The language labs were fun. On reflection it would have been more beneficial if we could have recorded our speech and then listened to our own voices afterwards. We worked from exercise books and there was little opportunity to bring the ‘language to life’. Use what we know in real life situations that we found interesting or relevant. I once remember we had to translate a passage and the phrase written was ‘to moor a boat’, not something a teenager would necessarily need to know. Oral exams were the most stressful as I had to think about what was asked, translate it and then think about how you would reply and then say that in the foreign language. I think if we had equal emphasis on all aspects of learning a language, tailored to our interests and needs the whole experience would have been much more enjoyable.

[M C Crumlish]

I agree, I had no idea that comprehension questions should be para-phrased and not lifted from the text. The example we did in the module was very cleverly done, it made you think in a different way by using nonsense words. Bravo.

[M C Crumlish]

REALLY USEFUL APPROACH.

[M C Crumlish]

VERY GOOD LEAD INS SHORT AND EFFECTIVE

[M C Crumlish]

I really like your idea of describing the pet and getting the class to guess which animal it is. Great for pair work or larger groups. Even if you had a one on one lesson online the student or the teacher could take it in turns.

[M C Crumlish]

Being prepared for disruption is a skill acquired over time and with experience. I am glad you mentioned this point, it reminds me that we are not born good teachers.

[M C Crumlish]

Good point! positive energy is vital.

[M C Crumlish]

I was the exact same, thankfully times move on and now we know better.

[Author]

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