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Teacher trainers are tasked with many responsibilities, but none cause as much stress for teachers and teacher trainers as evaluative observations. Teachers can feel intimidated by the presence of an observer in their classrooms, particularly if that observer is judging their teaching. Teacher trainers might feel uncomfortable in their role as an observer and with a position of some authority. At times, observations can feel awkward and insincere for everyone involved. What if there was a way to make observations relevant and empowering for both teachers and teacher trainers? One possibility is conducting an observation that ends with a robust discussion on language teaching strategies and techniques. In this Teacher’s Corner, the teacher observation is presented as a more collaborative and less intimidating opportunity for teachers and teacher trainers to review a lesson by discussing what actually occurred in the lesson and what variations and adaptations could be made in other situations.

OBSERVATION PREPARATION

Before an observation ever takes place, a lot of goodwill can be created simply by the teacher trainer talking with teachers about the observation process. To begin, the teacher trainer should explain the purpose and structure of the observation to any teachers who will get observed. The purpose of observations will vary depending on the teaching situation, but the structure of the observations can follow what is outlined in this article. As teacher trainers talk with teachers about the process, they should also encourage any and all questions teachers might have. It is important to that both the teacher trainer and teacher feel comfortable with the process and have a clear understanding of how the observation will proceed.

Schedule the observation by contacting the teacher and offering a few possible times and days that would work for the teacher and the students. Conducting an observation unannounced or without the agreement of the teacher can start the process off badly and defeat the goal of having a collaborative process. Once again, explain the process and outline of the observation and ask for questions.

The day before the observation, confirm the time with the teacher and ask if there is anything the teacher would like the trainer to know ahead of time. Plan to arrive to the class shortly before it starts. Greet the teacher and take a seat in a spot that is unobtrusive but still gives a clear view of the teacher and students. Leave it up to the teacher as to whether to explain the presence of the observer.

CONDUCTING THE OBSERVATIONAL OBSERVATION

In this type of observation, the observer logs, or records, the lesson as it happens. The observer writes down what the teacher and students do and discuss during the class. It is also good practice for the observer to first note some information about the class and the context. For example, the observer might sketch the layout of the classroom, write down the number of students, or note any other information pertinent to the observation. Once class starts, the observer begins by logging the first thing the teacher or students do upon the start of class.

 

Time (minutses) Teacher Tasks Students' Tasks
0:00 (Teacher has written class outline on the board) Teacher greets students and asks them to take out their homework and review it with their partners Students take their seats
1:00 Teacher readies handouts and circulates among students Students find their partners and review the homework, comparing answers and discussing discrepancies
6:00 Teacher finds group for late arrival and then asks students to take one more minute to review their homework  
7:00 Teacher asks students to come back together as a large group by ringing a bell to get their attention  

Included in these purely observational notes, the observer might note any of the following:

  • Details about any interactions between students or students and teachers
  • Language the teacher uses to present information or give directions
  • Descriptions of processes, such as group strategies or transitions between tasks
  • Language used to make corrections and give feedback
  • Use of the classroom space throughout lesson
  • Teacher’s movements around the classroom
  • Technology and tools used to deliver the lesson

Once the lesson ends, the observer should take some time to review his or her notes, make clarifications, or add observations that he or she made but did not have time to log during the lesson.

LESSON REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

Ideally, the lesson discussion and reflection should be done immediately after the lesson or within an hour. This way the lesson and what occurred are fresh in the mind. After organizing his or her notes, the observer should try to make a copy of the notes for the teacher to reference throughout the discussion. In preparation for the discussion, the teacher can take a few minutes to reflect on the lesson and write down responses to the following questions:

  • What went well in class for you??
  • What was difficult about class today for you?
  • • What was normal about the lesson? (In the sense that something in class happens regularly and is a good example of a typical day in the class)
  • What was unusual about the lesson?
  • What two moments in the class would you like to discuss in greater detail?

Once the observer and teacher are prepared, they can begin to discuss the lesson. First, teachers and observers should go through the observation log, focusing only on reviewing the observable events of the class. Both the observer and teacher can make note of points they want to discuss as they review the lesson, but they should avoid making extra comments or giving opinions during this part of the process. Instead, they should focus on remembering the lesson as it progressed.

After reviewing the lesson, the observer can begin the reflection part of the discussion by asking the teacher for any reflective thoughts. The observer can encourage the teacher to review the notes he or she made on the lesson log and the answers to the questions he or she prepared earlier. After the teacher has had a chance to speak, the observer can begin discussing the aspects of the lesson that were important to both of them. For example, if something happened with a student during the class that required discipline, the observer and the teacher should talk through the moment. How was the teacher feeling? Has the teacher seen this before? How has it been handled in other classes? If the teacher were to have a similar incident occur, how would he or she handle it differently? The observer should be a part of this discussion rather than simply asking questions. In that respect, both the observer and teacher should talk about the lesson as it occurred and how things might go differently in another class, with a different group of students, or with a different level of learner. Reflective discussion can be a difficult skill for teachers and observers to master, but the whole process should be a collaborative reflection that encourages a conversation about best practices in language teaching. Both the observer and the teacher should ask questions and reflect on the questions asked. Other possible questions include the following:

  • How can we present the same topic using different types of technology?
  • What is the advantage of giving feedback to students as in this instance? If feedback was done differently, what might change on the part of the learners?
  • The structure of the lesson started out like this… What additional techniques could be used for organizing this type of lesson?
  • What other assessments can be used to achieve the same goal? What are the strengths about the assessment that was used?
  • How are objectives usually communicated to students? In this class, how were the objectives communicated? What are other ideas for explaining the objectives?

Before concluding the discussion, the observer can take a few minutes to review some of what was discussed and to explain any next steps regarding the observation, such as if the observation will be part of the teacher’s professional development file. It is also good practice for both the teacher and observer to finalize the lesson log and write a summary of the reflective discussion to share with one another. This way, both the teacher and observer have a written record and an understanding of how the conversation was perceived by their colleague.

At the end of this discussion and reflection, observers should feel that they achieved their purpose and carried out a successful observation of a colleague. Teachers should leave the discussion feeling as though the lesson was objectively observed and that they had an opportunity to share their teaching knowledge and skills. Both the observer and the teacher should feel as though they had participated in a fruitful exchange of language teaching practices and strategies.

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Language teaching professionals have many opportunities for professional development that are outside of the classroom and school. Although the cost can sometimes limit participation in some organizations, local organizations and resources found on the Internet offer many ways to become involved where teachers can find options locally, internationally, and digitally. This week’s Teacher’s Corner shares a comprehensive list of organizations, groups, and resources for language teaching professionals to engage and participate beyond their classrooms.

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Becoming a member in professional organizations is a great way for teachers to participate in professional development on a global level. Membership in the larger, international organizations can give access to publications and research, grant funding, and conferences and conventions that bring together professionals from all over the world. Smaller, regional organizations often offer the chance for teachers to connect with colleagues who understand the particular issues facing the schools, teachers, and learners in their region.

TESOL International Association is an international professional organization, and perhaps the largest on this list, that serves teachers, teacher trainers, researchers, and students in teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.

Local TESOL Affiliates are listed on the TESOL website. Affiliate organizations are in almost every country around the world and provide a local connection for professionals.

AAAL is the American Association for Applied Linguistics. While the organization focuses on language acquisition issues for all languages, there is a significant amount of attention, focus, and research on English language teaching and learning.

ACTFL, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, provides a number of valuable resources and connections for teachers of all foreign languages. This would include professionals teaching English in foreign language settings.

ILA is the International Literacy Association and focuses on literacy education around the world.

LESLLA, Literacy Education and Second Language Learning for Adults, brings together professionals interested in teaching adult language learners.

PROFESSIONAL EXCHANGE AND ONLINE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Teaching and research exchange opportunities give teachers a chance to immerse themselves in new language teaching and learning contexts.

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, in the U.S. Department of State, has a complete list of all of their exchange opportunities that are available to non-U.S. citizens. The programs below have differing application and qualification requirements so read the instructions carefully before applying:

ONLINE GROUPS AND COMMUNITIES

Social media has made teacher collaboration even easier for English teachers everywhere. Teachers can join an online group and become a member in a professional teaching community. This list of resources shares a small portion of what is available to English teaching professionals.

  • American English for Educators on Facebook is a Facebook page that provides selected content in a community forum for American English teachers.
  • Dave’s ESL Café Teacher Forums is part of Dave’s ESL Café website, which is a longtime source of activities, lesson ideas, and professional teaching tips. The teacher forums are facilitated group discussions covering a range of English teaching topics.
  • TESOL Communities of Practice are limited to TESOL members, but the main page is a great way to understand what Communities of Practice are online and how to find (or start) one that works for you.

If teachers in your area are unsure where to start, try some of the resources listed here or contact the Regional English Language Officer (RELO) from the U.S. Department of State in your area. RELOs can connect you to local professional organizations in your area. Additionally, consider submitting articles to journals such as English Teaching Forum as a way to become more involved in the field and build your professional résumé.

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Although teachers spend much of their time working with students, it is very important that they connect with fellow teachers. These meetings and gatherings can be formal or informal and should give teachers time and space to discuss teaching challenges, student issues, content questions, and research on language teaching and learning. When teachers are given opportunities to talk with their colleagues, they can return to their classrooms feeling more energized and better informed. They also can feel comfortable knowing that they have a supportive group of colleagues who are experiencing similar highs and lows in their classrooms.

In this week’s Teacher’s Corner, teacher-trainers can learn about a simple way to bring teachers together while strengthening their language teaching knowledge. A monthly discussion group lets teachers read about new research in language teaching and discuss how that research might be adapted to their language classes. This week, we outline how to get a discussion group started, where to find content, and how to recruit and retain participants

DISCUSSION GROUP LOGISTICS

For some teachers and teacher-trainers, two of the biggest barriers to professional development are the time involved and the interest in the subject. Address the following issues before the first scheduled discussion group:

  • Identify a time and day that is convenient for all or for most teachers at the school. Start by identifying times during the day when teachers are required to be at school but can use the time for different purposes. For example, if all teachers have an hour at the end of each school day, add this hour to your list of possible times.
  • Contact teachers through e-mail and in person to get their feedback on a language teaching discussion group. Present the idea as a bi-monthly, monthly, or quarterly meeting when teachers read an article related to current research in language teaching then come together to discuss the article and how to move from research to practice. Remind teachers that participation is voluntary and that teachers can participate as time and interest permit. For example, some teachers might not be interested in every topic and shouldn’t feel compelled to attend every meeting. At the same time, encourage those who are not always interested to attend and share their unique perspectives.
  • Offer teachers the opportunity to choose content. One option is for one person (someone new each time) to choose an article to read before the next meeting. Alternatively, teachers could vote on a set of topics that interest them. Then, the trainer could select the content to share with teachers before each meeting.
  • Identify a location that is accessible to all interested teachers and that can accommodate a fluctuating number of participants.
  • Offer small but appealing incentives to encourage participation. For example, hold the meeting over lunch time and suggest teachers bring their lunch, but provide a dessert. Offer coffee or tea at a late afternoon meeting. Also suggest that teachers can add their participation in this group to the professional development section of their résumés.

CHOOSING CONTENT

As previously mentioned, teachers can choose content each time, or teachers can create a list of topics and the trainer chooses content. Either way, teachers and trainers benefit from knowing about sites with free and open resources on language teaching and learning. Here’s a list of websites to get the selection process started.

CONDUCTING MEETINGS

Busy teachers are more likely to participate when meetings are engaging, relevant, and efficient. Try some of the following tips to make each discussion group successful.

  • Offer an agenda. Let participants know how the discussion group will proceed and how much time will be spent discussing the research versus how much time will be spent brainstorming ways to apply the research to the classroom.
  • At the beginning, offer a little background information on the topic to get participants thinking about the topic and the article they’ve read. Background information might include information about the researchers, the project, or the origin of the research.
  • Prepare a few questions to initiate discussion. Teachers could even submit their own questions ahead of time or write them down on note cards to give to the trainer. This way, if the discussion starts to go off topic, the trainer has a way to steer the discussion back to the topic.
  • Open the discussion up to the whole group by asking for reactions and thoughts on the reading. Encourage everyone to speak openly about their reactions. Explain that the discussion is intended to enrich their own thinking about the topic.
  • When the conversation slows or the meeting is at the halfway point, begin to switch the focus of the discussion to how the research and its results could be used in the language classroom. What are the implications for teaching? For learners? How might this research inform lesson or curriculum design?
  • Take notes throughout the discussion and spend the last two minutes reviewing what was discussed and the options for applying the research.

When language teachers and professionals take time to review current research in the field, they expand and add to their own language teaching and learning knowledge. By sharing their knowledge with colleagues, they further challenge themselves to think about who they are as teachers and how they can grow professionally.

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This week’s Teacher’s Corner will begin with discussing how to use a reflection journal throughout the service-learning project. Writing a reflection journal will encourage students to be more thoughtful about what they are learning and experiencing, while also providing another opportunity to practice English. Finally, this week’s installment will present strategies for students to share their experiences and reflections after the completion of the project.

Time:

  • 15-30 minutes at various points over the course of the project (either in class or outside of class, or a combination of both)

Goals:

  • To encourage students to reflect on experiences during the service-learning project.
  • To write in English about experiences, thoughts, and feelings.

Materials: notebooks or paper, pencils, whiteboard or chalkboard with markers or chalk

Procedure:

  1. At any point during the service-learning project, provide students with a journal prompt and have them reflect in their notebooks.
  2. Tell students that it is more important that they get their thoughts on paper and not to worry about spelling or grammar for the journal entries.
  3. Journal entries can be used in various ways throughout the project and after it is completed. Below are suggestions about when and how to have students use the journal.
    1. After your students have chosen a focus area for their service learning project (after completing the vote from Week 1), ask them to write about what they know about the issue and how it affects the local community.
    2. Have students answer the reflection questions about the materials they read or watched to prepare for the Guided Seminar activity in Week 2.
    3. During the service-learning project itself, have students write reflections regularly. If your students visit an agency or interact with others, they can write a reflection after each visit or interaction. If students are planning a fundraiser, participating in a letter writing campaign, or planning presentations, ask them to write about what they are learning, struggling with, or surprised about.
    4. Provide students with specific questions to answer about what they are seeing and doing or about their interactions with other members of their community or school. Ask questions that prompt students to share feelings or to discuss how their ideas about the issue are evolving or changing.
  4. Once the service component of the service-learning project is complete, students can look back at their journal entries to see how their thinking has changed or what they have learned about the issue.

Extensions:

  1. In addition to using the journal to keep track of their experiences and thoughts throughout the service-learning project, students can also use it to participate in additional guided seminars. Students can read additional information about the area of focus (especially if it is one that is often in the news) and follow the same format of pre-reading, answering questions, and sharing ideas in seminars. A less formal approach can also be taken where students simply gather their thoughts in their service-learning notebooks and then use the seminar to share personal experiences and reflections.

SHARING THE SERVICE-LEARNING EXPERIENCE WITH OTHERS

Final Reflective Essay

As a final activity, students can examine all the journal entries they have written over the course of the service-learning project. The entries can be used to write a final reflective essay about the whole experience. Ask students to explain what their ideas and assumptions about the issue were before the project. Using the journal, students can choose one or two key experiences to expand upon and discuss the type of impact they had. Then, students can write about whether the project changed their thinking or reinforced things that they knew. Essays and reflections can be shared among the class or with others invited to attend a sharing session.

Poster Session

Similar to the activity presented in Week 3, asking students to create a poster about their experience and to participate in a poster session is a great way to conclude the service-learning project. If students have photos or mementos from their experience, they can include them in the poster. If you plan to do this activity only with the students who participated in the project, it is best to have students take turns standing at their posters so that they have a chance to see others’ work. The class can be split in half with one group presenting their posters for the first part of the class period and a second group presenting their posters during the second part. Or schedule several poster sessions over different class periods and divide your class so that only a portion of students present each day. School administrators, government officials, other teachers and students, and professionals who work in the area of focus for your project can be invited to attend the sessions. Attendees should walk around and have a chance to look at the posters and talk with students standing at their posters.

Additional Action

After completing a service-learning project, students often want to continue volunteering or doing work in the chosen area of focus. If some of your students are interested in doing this, you can create a final assignment that asks them to write about why they feel inspired by their experience, what they plan to do to stay involved, and how or why they believe their continued involvement in the issue will be beneficial. These reflections and action plans can be shared with their peers, school officials, or community organizations.

All students will have unique experiences and interpret the service-learning project differently. The ideas above are only a few options for final projects. Providing several choices for how students can share their experiences is encouraged. Allowing students to choose how they would like to express their thoughts and present what they have learned can be very motivating and even encourage them to take risks with English in the process.

A service-learning project should have an impact on both the community and the students who are participating. For students learning English, a service-learning project is an opportunity to use the target language to learn about the issue, take part in discussions, interact with others, and reflect upon the experience.

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Thus far this month in the Teacher’s Corner, students have observed needs in their community, chosen an area of focus for a service-learning project, and participated in a seminar to learn more about their community issue. This week’s installment will present possible types of projects for the community-service portion of the service-learning project.

Often when one hears the term service learning, thoughts come to mind of hands-on volunteer work and helping others, usually at a location away from school. While this is a possibility for the service portion of a service-learning project, it is certainly not the only way. It is important to note that there are many opportunities to have an impact in the community without having to leave your school’s campus.

Below are several different suggestions for actions students can take as a way of serving their communities. The most appropriate model for your service will depend on what issue your class has chosen, how much time you have to offer, whether there are established agencies in your community, and what actions will have the most impact. When designing this part of the project, it is recommended that you also consider the ideas about action steps that students wrote in their reflections after last week’s Guided Seminar activity.

VOLUNTERRING TIME WITH A LOCAL AGENCY

One model for a service-learning project is to volunteer with an existing agency or non-government organization (NGO) that is working in the focus area that your class has chosen. How often your students volunteer and for how long will depend on the issue being addressed. For instance, suppose your class voted to focus on early childhood literacy, and they find a local NGO that provides educational activities or services for young children. If your students wanted to work directly with the children in the program, it would likely be more beneficial for them to volunteer twice a week for an hour or two each time, rather than to visit the agency just once for six hours. Or suppose your students chose the focus area of adequate housing, and they find a local agency that provides free home repairs or that builds affordable houses. In this case, it may be better for the class to spend a whole day or two working on a single project with that agency rather than to spread out the time over several weeks or months.

If you and your students cannot travel to the community organization to volunteer your time, there may be other ways to get involved. Many agencies can use assistance with creating brochures, flyers, or educational materials. You can contact the organization to ask about projects your students may be able to complete at your school. Additional ideas about fundraising or collecting materials to benefit a community organization are shared under Fundraising and Collecting Items below.

ADVOCATING AND RAISING AWARENESS

Sometimes students can be of service to people affected by an issue in the community by simply letting others know about the problem. Some people may not even realize that the problem exists because the issue does not directly affect them. There are different ways that students can raise awareness about the community need they have chosen.

Letter-Writing Campaigns

Students can write letters to newspapers, elected officials, or even celebrities about the issues in their community. If students choose to write letters, be sure that they include facts and information about how members of the community are being affected by the issue. Letters asking for people to take a specific action, such as voting for or against legislation or donating funds to a project, are very persuasive.

Often, people advocating for an issue or cause will create a form letter that others can easily sign and send to their government representatives. A form letter may not work for every situation, but if it is something that is appropriate for your students’ service-learning project, they might consider doing so.

Presentations or Speeches

To raise awareness about a community issue, students may want to give presentations or speeches to others about the issue. This type of presentation is effective when students share facts about the issue, discuss how it is affecting members of the community, and offer ways for the audience to take action or get involved. One way for students to gather necessary information is to interview professionals in fields related to the issue or to interview people affected by the issue. Students can share their presentations with community groups, government officials, or even other students and teachers at your school. Students can request time to visit and present at community meetings, or ask teachers for time to come to their classrooms to share information during the school day.

Infographics and Posters

If your students are creative, they can increase awareness about their community issue by making attention-grabbing visuals such as infographics and posters.

Infographics have become a very popular way to communicate facts, figures, and key information about different topics. An excellent free resource that students can use to create infographics is www.canva.com. More information about what to include in infographics and how to get started can be found in this webinar from American English. Infographics can be used in presentations and shared on social media.

Posters are another excellent way for students to share important information about their community issue with others. The information included can be similar to that of an infographic. Students can share their posters with others by using them in presentations or putting them up around your school. Another option would be to hold a poster session where students stand near their posters and share information about the community issue with others walking around the room. Students, administrators, teachers, community groups, and government officials can all be invited to attend a poster session.

FUNDRAISING OR COLLECTING ITEMS

If financial support would benefit the community issue your students have chosen, they may choose to organize one or more fundraisers. There are many ways to do this, some that require a bit of financial investment up front and some that do not. It is always important to communicate the purpose of the fundraiser to the audience, which can be done through presentations, posters, or any other ways your students come up with. Here are some ideas for simple fundraising activities:

  • Food or beverage sales: Set up a table at lunch or break times at school to sell snacks, coffee, tea, juice, etc.
  • Candy-grams: Your class can collect names, information, and money from students who want to send a candy-gram (a nice note and a piece of candy) to a friend at school. They then deliver the candy-grams on a certain date.
  • Change drive: Share information about the issue and the need for money, and ask every class in the school to collect spare change for a certain period of time. Offer a small reward, such as an ice cream party, for the class that raises the most money.
  • School dance/event: Plan a dance or other event that interests students at your school and charge admission.

Sometimes certain items are needed to help members of the community. In this situation, students can share information about their community issue and the need for these items and involve the whole school or other community members in collecting these items. Returning to the earlier example of early childhood literacy, students could organize a book drive to collect books for an organization that serves young children. Depending on the need, students can collect clothing, blankets, toiletry items, and more to benefit those affected by the issue.

There are many factors to think about when deciding what the service component of a service-learning project could be. It is important to consider the amount of time needed, students’ interests and abilities, whether your class can travel, and the area of focus. Most importantly, make sure that the activity will benefit both your class and the community. In the final installment of the Teacher’s Corner this month, we will examine ways for students to reflect on the service-learning project and share the impact with others.

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Last week, students observed issues in the local community and brainstormed possible areas of focus for a service-learning project. Now that students have chosen the area of focus, the next step is to learn more about the chosen issue.

In the Introduction to this month’s Teacher’s Corner, we mentioned that James Minor’s definition of a true service-learning project includes both community service and formal learning. This week will present a Guided Seminar activity that will help students fulfill the “formal learning” portion of the definition. By participating in the Guided Seminar, students will learn more about the community issue they have chosen while practicing meaningful use of English.

GUIDED SEMINAR

Time:

  • One class period for pre-reading and for answering key questions (This can also be assigned outside of class.)
  • One class period for the seminar
  • About 20 minutes of time outside of class for the post-seminar reflection

Goals

  • To have students read information about the community issue in English.
  • To participate in meaningful discussion about the issue with classmates in English.
  • To write a reflection in English.

Materials: article(s), videos or news clips, radio clips, or social media posts about the chosen issue; key questions (see examples in Preparation Step 2); discussion stems (see examples in Procedure Step 2); service-learning project notebooks and pencils

Preparation:

  1. Choose one or two articles or news clips for students to read or watch before the seminar. All students will consume the same material beforehand in order to promote thoughtful discussion.
  2. Write a few open-ended questions based on the material students are using. Give students a chance to copy these questions into their notebooks. Examples of the type of questions include:
    1. Was any information that you found in the material surprising? What information made an impression on you as you were reading/watching?
    2. Have you noticed the effects of this issue in our community? Where, and what have you experienced or observed?
    3. How would you feel if this issue was a problem for you and your family? Or, if it has been a problem for your family, how has it affected you?
    4. What do you think are some possible solutions for this problem? Who should be responsible for taking action to start solving this problem?
  3. Give students time in class to read or watch the information, or assign the material for homework. Have students reflect and answer these questions in their service-learning notebooks after they read or watch the material you have chosen.
  4. Talk to students about the seminar and your expectations for the discussion. Note that during a seminar, the students really lead the discussion and the teacher acts as more of a facilitator. Students usually do not raise their hands; instead, they simply begin talking, one at a time, while others listen and respond. Depending on your students, you can practice this ahead of time if it will be helpful.

Procedure:

  1. If you are able to do so, arrange chairs or the students themselves in a large circle on the day of your seminar.  Sitting in a circle will encourage discussion amongst students. If not, you can still conduct the seminar in your normal classroom setting.
  2. Write the discussion stems below, as well as any others you can think of, on the board. If needed, provide students with examples of how to use these.
  • I agree/disagree with __________ because…
  • I would like to add that…
  • I want to know more about…
  • This made me think of __________ because…
  • I would like to ask __________ about…
  • I was surprised to learn…
  • I felt __________ when I read…
  • I would like to ask <student’s name> what he/she thinks about…
  1. Before starting the discussion, review procedures and expectations for the seminar with your students. Remind them about the guidelines for taking turns, listening, and responding to classmates. Answer any questions that students may have.
  2. Ask students to take out the article(s) they read and the reflection questions they answered in their notebooks. Give them a few minutes to review their responses. If students watched news clips, you can replay the clips or have students chat in pairs about what they remember from the clips. While students review, you can write the reflection questions on the board.
  3. Tell students that they will participate in a guided discussion about the community issue they have been learning about. Explain that you will ask one of the reflection questions and anyone can start the discussion by sharing their thoughts or ideas. Tell students that they can refer to the article/news clips or their notes but should not read directly from their notebooks.
  4. Read the first reflection question from the board and allow students to respond. Remind students of expectations throughout the seminar if needed. Let students know that they can ask each other questions directly using each other’s names. This can be helpful for encouraging all students to participate.
  5. Continue until all of the key questions have been addressed. Based on the discussion and level of interest of the students, you can pose follow-up questions during the seminar to further engage students with the topic.
  6. To wrap up the seminar, you may choose to pose a closing question and give students time to respond with a short answer. It is helpful to share some possible answers with students before asking them to respond. Here are some examples:
  • What is one word that comes to mind when you think about this community issue? (Example answers: tragic, opportunity, hope, help, etc.)
  • Respond with one word that describes how this issue makes you feel. (Example answers: inspired, hopeless, worried, motivated, etc.)
  • What is one word or phrase that you can use to describe what is needed to improve this issue in our community? (Example answers: caring, generosity, time, money, hope, etc.)
  1. Once students have had a chance to answer the final question, explain that the last step will be to reflect on the seminar in their notebooks. Because this activity is preparing learners to participate in meaningful service learning, it is suggested that you ask students to write about ways the class can engage with the community issue they have chosen to have a positive impact.
  2. Write the final reflection question on the board for students to copy into their notebooks. You might write and ask “What ideas do you have for activities related to this issue that our class can do to have a positive impact on the community?” or something similar.
  3. If helpful, give students time to share a few ideas with the whole class. Then, assign students the task of writing ideas in their notebooks (either as homework or during the next class period).

Extension:

  1. It should be noted that this seminar can be repeated several times over the duration of the service-learning project. Students can read or watch additional materials about the community issue and answer new questions in a seminar discussion. This activity can also be used to reflect on experiences when students are engaged in the project. More information about how to do this will be shared in Week 4.

The Guided Seminar allows students to use English to learn more about the community issue they are interested in. Learners also use English to engage in thoughtful, structured conversation about the topic, to reflect on what they have learned, and to generate ideas.

The final step in this week’s activity asks students to begin thinking about how the class can engage in service related to the community issue they have selected. This will be the starting point for designing the community service component of the service-learning project. Next week the Teacher’s Corner will present several ways for students to become actively involved with the community issue they have chosen.

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    Week 2 Activity
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    Every community has its own set of successes and challenges. Where you live, the needs of your local community, and the interests of your students will determine the focus of your service-learning project.
     
    In her article “Service Learning and Community Engagement for English Classes” in English Teaching Forum, Aida Koci McLeod notes that there are two ways to design service-learning projects. Curriculum-based design examines the content of the curriculum to see how the material that students are learning could benefit the community. Need-based design has students observing issues in the community and brainstorming possible projects.
     
    This week, we will take a need-based approach to lead students through an activity to generate ideas about possible service-learning projects.
     
    BRAIN STORMING ABOUT COMMUNITY ISSUES

    Time:

    • Part One: 15 minutes
    • Approximately 1 week for students to observe and gather information outside of class
    • Part Two: 45-60 minutes

    Goals:

    • To define service learning for students.
    • To gather information about issues in the local community.
    • To observe community needs and brainstorm possible areas for service-learning projects.

    To determine one area of focus for the service-learning project by voting.

    Materials: notebooks or paper (if possible, students can designate a notebook to use throughout the service-learning project for a journal and for all of the activities), pencils, whiteboard or chalkboard with markers or chalk, timer

    PART ONE - INTRODUCING THE ACTIVITY

    1. Write the phrase service learning on the board. Ask students if they know what service learning is or if they have ideas about what the term means. If you wish, write their ideas on the board.
    2. After students have shared what they know about service learning, provide them with a definition (perhaps the one from this month’s Introduction) and write it on the board.
    3. Allow students time to reflect on the definition and to share their thoughts about it in small groups or as a whole class.
    4. Explain to the class that they will be participating in a service-learning project and their next step is to gather information about the needs in the local community. You can give examples of specific issues or ask students to share ideas.
    5. Write the table below on the board and have students copy it into their notebooks to use when gathering information outside of class. If you plan to have students use a single notebook for the service-learning project, this can be the first entry. 
      Community Issue/Problem Who is affected by the issue? What is being done to help or to address the problem?
           
           
           
    6. Tell students that they can gather information by talking to friends or family members, by reading local newspapers or publications, by interviewing community leaders, by watching news reports, etc.
    7. Determine how much time students should spend on collecting information outside of class; one week was suggested in the preparation section. Alternatively, if students do not have access to the internet or news publications outside of class, you can choose to schedule several class periods for them to do research at school.
    8. Set a date for students to come to class with information about at least three issues filled in on the information-gathering table. Answer any questions students may have about the assignment.

    PART TWO - BRAINSTORMING, DISCUSSING, AND VOTING

    1. On the day that students come to class with their completed information-gathering tables, split the class into groups of about five students. If helpful, have each group assign roles such as recorder, timekeeper, and presenter.
    2. Explain that each group member will share the community issues he or she recorded. The rest of the group should listen for any common themes, such as housing, hunger, literacy, etc. Provide students with 15-20 minutes for the discussion. Set a timer if desired.
    3. After each group member has shared his or her observations about issues in the community, the group should discuss common issues or problems. Each group should create a list of the top three issues that they identified after sharing and discussion. If there are any particularly unique or interesting community problems that someone shared, those can also be noted in addition to the top three.
    4. Once all the groups have had sufficient time to share and discuss ideas, each group will report their top three issues or community problems to the whole class. Depending on the size of your class, this should take 10-20 minutes. As each group names their top issues, write the issues in a list on the board. If issues are repeated, note this by making a tally mark next to the issue on the board. Any unique or interesting issues that were observed by the group can be noted on a separate list.
    5. Because students have been observing and collecting information about issues in their community, some common themes should naturally emerge. Ask students to look at the list on the board and determine which issues came up the most. (Do not include the separate list of the unique/interesting issues in this part.)
    6. Create a new list of the top three community problems that the class observed during information gathering. Write it next to the list of the unique or interesting issues, if any.
    7. Tell students that they will vote on the community issues on this final list to determine the focus issue of the class service-learning project. Explain that after choosing the focus issue, the class will be involved in some type of community service and classroom learning related to that issue.
    8. Although the class has yet to design the actual project, it may be helpful to give students some examples of what the community service component could be, such as volunteering time to tutor younger students in reading, cleaning up the environment in a part of your community, writing letters to government officials, etc. Answer any questions students may have.
    9. Allow students to vote for the issue(s) that interest them the most. You can ask students to vote for only one, or you can have them rank each issue from the list according to their level of interest (1 - top choice, 2 - second choice, 3 - third choice, etc.). Students can use a small piece of paper torn from their notebooks to vote.
    10. Collect all votes before the end of the class period. Count them to determine which issue your class has chosen to focus on for their service-learning project.

    The activity presented this week allows students to observe the issues in their community and vote on one area of focus for the service-learning project. The next installment of the Teacher’s Corner will explain how to engage students in classroom learning related to the topic they have chosen. Next week’s activities will allow students to engage in meaningful use of English as they learn more about an issue facing their community.

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    Week 1 Activity
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    In this puzzle, culture-based questions are given, but some words appear where they should not; your job is to move the words around so that the questions make sense.

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    The Lighter Side: Place Out of Words
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    This step-by-step guide shows how teachers can use pictures to help students develop language skills and cultural awareness. 

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    Thousand-Word Pictures 
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    International Subscriptions: English Teaching Forum is distributed through U.S. embassies. If you would like to subscribe to the print version of English Teaching Forum, please contact the Public Affairs or Cultural Affairs section of the U.S. Embassy in your country.
     
    U.S. Subscriptions: English Teaching Forum is exempted from the Congressional restriction on distribution of Department of State-produced materials in the United States. U.S. residents who want to order the printed edition can order from the U.S. Superintendent of Documents.

    Learn how teacher and administrator Zelila Roziyeva manages a busy schedule to provide her students with the English skills they need to succeed in their careers. 

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    My Classroom: Turkmenistan
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