TESL 130

Vocabulary Lesson Plan

For this activity, we had to create a vocabulary lesson activity based on activity 1 from unit 3 or we could easily make a different lesson plan based on a different reading/text. I decided to keep the first lesson (given for group activity) and develop my vocabulary activity from there. These activities are for CLB 5 learners. I took many of the ideas from a couple of websites and from the lesson provided in assignment one (Manitoba Memo).

Lesson Plan:

The lesson is divided into Pre-reading, While Reading, and Post Reading. At the end of the lesson, I have three activities.

1) The definition sheet: Here the students are asked to find the definitions of a word from the same text and then use their skimming and scanning skills to find the word in the text. Once they locate the word, the student is to write the full sentence in which this word was used in the text.
I took the idea from this website. In this lesson, they have the students use the word from the list and create their own sentence with it. I decided to change this part and have the students find the sentence as is written in the text.

2) sentence sheet: In this activity, I decided to use the idea from the website mentioned above and have the students write their own sentences using the vocabulary words provided.


3) entry sheet: To finalize the lesson, I created a sheet in journal entry form. Here the students will write their opinion and thoughts about the examined text.

Click  Here to see my complete Lesson Plan


Vocabulary lesson plan - idea

Activity # 2 - TESL 130

Adapting A Text

In my opinion, the given reading sample about the two students emailing each other could very well be used with LINC level 4 learners. I don't think I have the need to make any significant changes to it. 
One thing that comes to my mind is probably making a small adaptation to the reading on the emails. Instead of having only two emails with all the information, I would create about 3 to 4 to shorten the pieces of information between them. For example, Simon's first email could be only about asking his friend if he's at Eidenburg and hoping that things are good. Fran could easily reply that she's been busy and that she's learning a lot about other languages and cultures. Then Simon can answer back asking about his host family, and have Fran tell him all about them. I would keep this format until I get the full story. I know that if I break the emailing into multiple pieces of information I am stretching the activity to a certain point that it might be tedious for some people, but I have to take into consideration that I might have some students that are not familiar with emailing and who probably never had or used a computer before. If this is to be the case, I would totally follow the above adaptation.

The exploitability level of the text is adequate for my learners. Here, I can have my students brainstorm ideas and begin to anticipate the content of the reading. Discussions of unknown vocabulary will take place as we work our way into reading the text once, twice and possibly three times. Each time will give us a different level of understanding and comprehension.

As soon as I feel or think that my students have learned the objectives of this lesson, I would have them create additional emails from Simon and Fran with entirely new information, but following the same format as it was initially presented. This extra activity can take us to explore other areas in the English language like sentence structure, grammar, speaking and listening.

Here are some sources that are useful when it comes to knowing if your reading material is suitable for your learners.

https://app.readable.io/text/

http://blog.tesol.org/reading-texts-for-adult-ells/

Multilevel Classroom

Just an idea on multilevel classrooms...

 I used to work in a Multi-Age classroom ( gr.4, 5, 6) in an elementary school many years ago. The classroom teacher at the time used many different ways, methods, and approaches to address the needs of each grade level. She taught each subject, in the same way, Maureen describes in her comment. For example, if she was going to start a unit in math, she gathered everyone at the carpet area and taught the lesson that covered the outcomes for grades 4 and 5. Then, she sent this group off to work on their own and stayed with the grade sixes to go over the new lesson with them. This group also got sent off to work on their own, which allowed the teacher to be available for the whole class after.
I believe that this method could be a great way to teach an EAL multilevel class.