Excellent job this week guys! Don't worry, you will get more comfortable in front of a classroom, and you will create awesome lesson plans- let's just keep working on it:)
For this week, I would like you to discuss the following questions based on Penny Ur's section Listening for Comprehension with Short Responses in the comments here and then be prepared to talk about it next week after the quiz. Think about the language classes you have taken and try to remember if you have done anything like the examples she has given. Did they work? If so, think about why. If not, think about why...
1. What do you think are the most useful exercises of the week?
2. Which activity (ies) could you imagine actually using in the classroom? Why?
3. Which activity (ies) could you not imagine using in the classroom and why?
4 comments:
1. What do you think are the most useful exercises of the week?
I found that the exercises that exercises that incorporate visuals were the most useful. As I was reading the text, the pictures would pique my interest and make my task - of reading - more enjoyable and on that note, the visuals are likely to create a similar effect for students in the classroom. I also liked the ground plans and grid exercises because they are task based.
2. Which activity (ies) could you imagine actually using in the classroom? Why?
I can imagine using most of the exercises in the text but I really would like to try using a "detecting mistakes" exercise. I like it because it is like a game. Often times, on the back of a cereal box or in a children's magazine, you'll find this exact activity. It is fun and takes the learner out of the classroom environment, which increases student motivation (and perhaps lowering the affective filter). It can also be adjustable to suit students who are beginners and also the advanced.
Noting for specific information is easy to imagine in the class because it is a big part of listening. Being able to weed out the redundant parts of a listening is pivotal to being able to successfully understand any listening. You'll find this kind of activity in just about every listening activity book as it is a necessary skill in order to improve one's listening.
3. Which activity (ies) could you not imagine using in the classroom and why?
There aren't any exercises that I can't imagine being used in the classroom. The activities described in this week's reading are all good exercises. I think some exercises are just better suited for different levels and age groups and so should be used accordingly with the students of the class.
1.I think “true or false” and “detecting mistakes” activities are the most useful activities because both of them are not only very simple but also effective for both students and teachers. Students can get clues and key words from questions if the teacher gives students a handout that shows questions or a picture card before listing; on the other hand, the teacher can confirm students’ comprehension simply.
2.I’d like to use activities which require students to obey instructions such as physical movement, constructing models by using the Lego, and picture dictation. First, these activities have students focus on only listing to the speaker and don’t require either writing or reading skills. Secondly, teacher can confirm the students’ comprehension immediately and obviously. Finally, these activities should be fun for students because they don’t need to feel pressure and these activities seem to be games not tests.
3.Personally, I really liked all the activities in the book, and I thought they were very practical. However, I realized some considerable points as a student while I was taking ESL classes. Visual activities such as drawing pictures and physical movement are very useful when we teach English to younger students, but not to elder students because they sometimes feel uncomfortable and embarrassed about joining such activities. In addition, some activities which require memorization also make students feel nervous because some people are not confident about their memory. Consequently, we have to consider the length of the content and the generation of the students when we have activities.
(1)
I love these activities. Before I read this chapter, I just knew several activities for comprehension, like true or false and aural cloze. So I really like all the ways from the text book. Among go them, I think ‘physical movement’ in obeying instruction activities is most useful. I think this activity is really good for teacher and students with three reasons. First of all, in this activity, teacher doesn’t need to spend the time to teacher feed back, such as quick oral check. Teacher can immediately check to students’ comprehension whenever teacher commands something. And students also can check themselves compared to their peers’ action. Furthermore, this activity provides good practice and are motivating to students. Moreover, this is really funny, especially for the low level students. They can learn listening with enjoyment through this activity like ‘Simon says’.
(2)
I would like to use picture dictation activity in my class. ( Because I love children, so I want to work in a kindergarten.) When young children learn something, they need to fun with studying, because they can’t pay attention on their task without fun. I think most children enjoy drawing; thus I want to take this activity. And also I think this activity is really useful for teach concept of preposition.
(3)
Actually, there is no activity which I don’t want to use, because all of them are really useful for teacher and students. However, I think ‘family tree’ activity is a kind of difficult to low lever students and also it is hard to make students understand at a glance.
There are lots of thing to remember, so teacher need to spend the time to explain and say the text several times. Therefore I think this activity is a little bit difficult to use in my class to low level young children.
1, In my case, most useful one is the use of the pictures. when I was taking the IEP classes before, using the pictures was great such as ordering the sequesces or making what differences are between two pictures after listening to the teachers reading because these exercises make students ti think about the informations or markers that represent what they have to listen.
2, In my opinion, identifying pictures or marking the differences between two pictures ,which was great to me before, may be adapted to every level of students and very helpful to students because the picture can be use in many way. for example,it can be used before the discussion and listening dialogue.
3. I agree with Sado..generally, all these exercises can be useful to ESL students in listening class.
the matter of which one is better than others depends on level of students. Also, this matter will bi fixed by modified exercises to appropriate levels
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