Displaying 371 - 380 of 1640

The beginning of any great new career starts with an interview. In the United States, the job interview is a chance for a company to see how the skills and personality of an applicant will fit their workplace. For many English learners, the American-style interview can be an unfamiliar experience because job applicants are expected to talk about themselves and their skills. This requires a vocabulary filled with strong adjectives and the linguistic competence to share plenty of details about personal qualities and experiences.

In this week’s Teacher’s Corner, students will experience job interviews while practicing strong adjectives that will make them the perfect job candidate!

LEVEL

Intermediate to Advanced

LANGUAGE FOCUS

Speaking (primary focus); listening (secondary focus)

GOALS

Students will:

  • Use adjectives to describe themselves and their experiences
  • Practice speaking and listening through a job interview question-and-answer format

MATERIALS

  • Teacher: computer, speakers, projector, whiteboard or chalkboard
  • Students: notebook, pencil, paper

PREPARATION

  1. Read through all the materials carefully.
  2. Print a class set of the adjectives in Appendix 1. There are 20 adjectives in the set; larger classes may need two copies, and in smaller classes, you may want to choose which adjectives to include and which to set aside. Cut out the adjectives before class.
  3. Print enough copies of the interview questions in Appendix 2 for each student in the class.
  4. Have one sheet of blank paper for each student in the class. Students will use the paper to write down the name of their company.

PART ONE: ADJECTIVE MATCHING

In this week’s Teacher’s Corner, students will practice using adjectives that can help them be more exact and assertive during a job interview. This lesson begins with a matching activity to learn vocabulary before students write and answer questions in a practice interview.

  1. Begin by dividing the class into two groups of equal number. Give half the students the strong adjective cards, and give the other half the weak adjective cards.
  2. Next, have the students mingle and look at one another’s cards. When two students think they have a match, have them stand together to form a pair. As students make correct pairs, write their strong/weak adjective combinations on the board. Writing the adjectives on the board will help students during Part Two of this activity.
  3. Once all the students have matched cards, review their answers as a class. If a pair of students is incorrectly matched, have them return to mingling until they make a correct match.
    1. Note: If students do not know all the words, that is okay. Just encourage them to make a guess based on what they know. During this warm-up, the goal is for students to think about this new vocabulary as a group.

PART TWO: JOB PREPARATION

  1. Once again, divide the class into two groups: Group A and Group B. Have each group sit on opposite sides of the room.
  2. Have the students get out a notebook and a pencil or pen.
  3. For Group A, give each student a blank sheet of paper. Have these students think of a company – this can be a real company, a sports team, or a local business they would like to represent – and tell them to write the name of the company on the sheet of paper and place it on their desks.
  4. Next, give each student in Group A a copy of the interview questions in Appendix 2. Have them read through the questions and prepare to ask interviewees the questions.
  5. While Group A reviews their interview questions, instruct Group B to prepare to interview for a job. To do so, they should use the adjectives from the warm-up activity. Encourage students to think about the following questions:
    1. What strengths and skills do I have?
    2. What education and experience do I have that make me a strong applicant?
    3. What adjectives best describe me?
    4. What kind(s) of jobs would I like to have?
  6. Once all the students have had time to prepare, have Group B stand up and move around the room to see the companies and work opportunities that Group A have made available. If a student is interested in a company, have him or her sit down with a student from Group A and have an interview.
    1. Note: If several students are interested in the same company, have them take turns. In the meantime, encourage them to sit down with another company for an interview while they wait; it is always important to get extra interview practice!
  7. Once all the students in Group B have had a chance to have an interview, have the groups switch roles and repeat the process again from Step 1.

APPENDIX 1: INTERVIEW ADJECTIVES

Strong Adjectives
 

Weak Adjectives
 

Accurate
 

Very correct
 

Amiable
 

Very friendly
 

Communicative
 

Very talkative
 

Crucial
 

Very important
 

Eager
 

Very willing
 

Essential
 

Very necessary
 

Excellent
 

Very good
 

Exceptional
 

Very special
 

Expansive
 

Very wide
 

Extensive

A lot or

Very long
 

Frequently
 

Very often
 

Gifted

Very talented
 

Inclusive
 

Very open
 

Intelligent
 

Very smart
 

Kind
 

Very nice
 

Rapid
 

Very quick
 

Rare
 

Very hard to find
 

Swamped
 

Very busy
 

Swift
 

Very fast
 

Terrific

Very great

APPENDIX 2: ADJECTIVE REVIEW

You are interviewing people for a new position at your company. Below are common questions asked during an interview. Use them to find the best candidate for the job. As the applicant answers your questions, be sure to write notes in your notebook.

  1. What information can you tell me about yourself?
  2. Why did you choose this field for your career?
  3. How would you describe yourself?
  4. What are your best strengths?
  5. What would you like to improve about yourself?
  6. What is the most important thing you are looking for in a job?
  7. What are your career goals?
  8. Do you like to work in teams, or do you prefer to work alone?
  9. Why do you want to work for our company?
  10. Do you have any questions for me?
Format: Text
Availability
Week 2 Activity
Text (PDF)

This session, "News They Can Use: Creating a Digital Newspaper," introduces how to help your students discover and share their own voices! A student-generated newspaper for a real audience engages students in the authentic process of inquiry, drafting, and editing their own work. Creating pictures, stories, and features covering topics they care about motivates students to learn more language. Participants will also learn how to adapt this simple idea to high-tech, low-tech, or no-tech settings.

Author: Ami Christensen Format: Text, Video
Availability
Webinar Slides
Text (PDF)
Related Materials
Lesson Plan: Using Journalism Skills in the Language Classroom, English Teaching Forum, 2006
Text (PDF)
Activate Games for Learning English - Board Games – Many of these games are helpful in preparing for interview activities.
Text (PDF)

In this week’s Teacher’s Corner, we highlight vocabulary that students can use in the workplace to sound more dynamic and professional. Students will learn this vocabulary through a matching exercise and then practice the vocabulary through a sentence completion exercise

LEVEL

Intermediate to Advanced

LANGUAGE FOCUS

Reading (primary focus); Speaking (secondary focus)

GOALS

Students will learn and review business related vocabulary through the following:

  • A vocabulary and definition matching exercise
  • A sentence completion exercise

MATERIALS

  • Teacher: computer, projector
  • Students: notebook, pencil, paper

PREPARATION

  1. Read through all the materials carefully.
  2. Print copies of the business vocabulary infographics in “Appendix 1: Business Infographics Blanks” and the word cards in “Appendix 2: Business Vocabulary Word Cards.” Print enough copies for each pair or small group of students to have a set.
  3. Cut out the business vocabulary cards from Appendix 1 and the word cards from Appendix 2.
  4. Print one copy of the activity in “Appendix 3: Business Vocabulary Sentence Completion” for each student in the class (Answers to the activities are included in Appendices 4 and 5.).

PART ONE: VOCBULARY GUESSING

  1. Begin the class by placing the students into pairs or small groups.
  2. Next, give each pair or group a set of the Business Vocabulary Infographics in Appendix 1.
  3. Provide the students a few minutes to look at the cards. During this time, encourage the students to guess the words based on the pictures and definitions on the cards.
  4. Next, provide each group with a set of the Business Vocabulary Word Cards in Appendix 2.
  5. Have the students match the vocabulary word cards to the correct vocabulary infographic. a. Note:​ Encourage the students to use the parts of speech and example sentences on the infographic cards to help them match the cards.
  6. After the students have matched the words, have the groups turn to another group and compare their answers. If the groups have different answers, have them work together as a large group to agree on an answer.
  7. Once the pairs or small groups have compared answers with one another, bring the class together as a large group and review the answers as a class.

PART TWO: SENTENCE COMPLETION

  1. Have the students put away the cards from Part One of the activity.
  2. Next, give each student a copy of the sentence completion activity in Appendix 3.
  3. Provide students time to fill in the blanks of the activity with the correct vocabulary words.
  4. Once students have completed the activity, have them compare answers with their partner(s) from Part One of the activity. If the pairs or small groups have different answers, have them work together as a large group to agree on an answer.
  5. Once the students have compared answers in their pairs or small groups, bring the class together as a large group to review the answers as a class.
    a. To encourage additional reading and speaking practice, have students volunteer to read sentences aloud during the review.

Format: Text
Availability
Week 1 Activity
Text (PDF)

It is likely most English language teachers have had to teach a group of learners who vary greatly in their language abilities. In order to successfully teach and meet the diverse learning needs of students in multi-level classrooms, teachers must use strategies to differentiate learning. This often requires teachers to spend extra time preparing and adapting materials to meet the needs of all of their students. This week’s Teacher’s Corner walks teachers through a resource while annotating the many ways it could be adapted to fit the diverse language needs in a multi-level classroom. The multi-level adult classroom in this scenario includes some true beginners, false beginners (students who lack the skills to be considered intermediate learners but have some language competency) and low-intermediate learners.

LEVEL

Multi-level beginning class

LANGUAGE FOCUS

Speaking
Listening

GOALS

During this activity, students will be able to:

  • Practice asking directions in a way that aligns with students’ language levels

MATERIALS

  • Copy of Dialog 15 from “Dialogs for Everyday Use” (see Appendix A)
  • Copies of adapted dialogs (see Appendix A); make sure enough of each level are printed for the students at each language level

PREPARATION

  • Adapt the dialog for three different levels of learners (Step One).
  • Pair students by language level: true beginners, false beginners, and low-intermediate learners (Step Two). This activity is best done if learners have had some previous practice reading and following directions.

STEP ONE: PROCEDURE FOR ADAPTATION

Adaptation for True Beginners, False Beginners, and Low-Intermediate Learners

Begin by asking questions about what language knowledge the different levels of learners have. Also consider what learners need to know when asking for directions. For example, for many true beginners, the original dialog includes too many colloquialisms and new vocabulary words for them to use it successfully. At the same time, a low-intermediate learner with better speaking skills might feel very comfortable using the dialog as it is. These learner differences need to be considered in order to make the lesson as effective as possible for all learners in the class.

Let’s look at some ways to make adjustments, working through the dialog. Here are some ideas for line 1.

  1. Consider the true beginner and how the question is asked in line 1:

Marilyn: Excuse me. Could you tell me which way Dobson’s bookstore is?

Notice that the speaker, Marilyn, uses the polite but somewhat indirect phrase “Could you tell me…” as a way to begin her question. For beginners, this polite form might include too many words for a clear, recognizable question. In addition, while the use of the phrase to introduce the question is polite, true beginners will not be able to fully understand why the phrasing is used and how polite it is.

Instead, this line can be adapted to simplify the language, making it more familiar and direct. For example:

Marilyn: Excuse me. Where is Dobson’s bookstore?

This simple change is much more representative of how true beginners are learning to ask questions: the question now has the Wh- word at the beginning of the question, followed by a verb, and then the object of the sentence. Rephrasing the question into a structure familiar to true beginners creates an opportunity for practice and success. At this point, true beginners in the class would be familiar with the question structure but would need time to practice and fine-tune the question for use in speaking.

  1. Now, consider the false beginner and the first line of the dialog.

Marilyn: Excuse me. Could you tell me which way Dobson’s bookstore is?

The false beginner comes to class with some language knowledge and background. This student may or may not have encountered colloquialisms but is more likely to be familiar with some speaking patterns and routine questions than the true beginner. In this case, the phrasing of the question might prove too difficult for a false beginner as well. The question could be simplified for this group of students as well, but another sentence could be added to increase the challenge.

Marilyn: Excuse Me. I need some help. Where is Dobson’s bookstore?

The single addition of the sentence, I need some help, adds a very small amount of language to increase the difficulty, but it is a sentence that some false beginners have encountered if they have had interactions with other English speakers.

  1. The low-intermediate learner would be the most capable of carrying out the original dialog but might need some minor changes to give them an effective tool for practice.

Marilyn: Excuse me. Could you tell me which way Dobson’s bookstore is?

The low-intermediate learner might be familiar with the polite phrasing of the question but might not have used it. Now is a chance for this group of learners to try using that phrasing, but in a more simplified way. Giving learners a chance to practice some pragmatic aspects of American English will help them understand how Americans use language and begin using it themselves.

Another option is to keep the sentence added for the false beginner group.

Marilyn: Excuse me. I need some help. Do you know where Dobson’s bookstore is?

By altering the question slightly, but offering a polite alternative, the low-intermediate learners have a chance to practice English as it is used by native speakers.

4. Now that the first line has been adapted for each group, try the same techniques on adapting the second line. The rewritten dialog models are included in Appendix A, as is the original.

    STEP TWO: PROCEDURE FOR CLASSROOM ACTIVITY

    1. Tell students that today they will practice asking for directions with a partner.
    2. Warm up by asking the entire class a direction question that is familiar to them:
      1. Write this question on the board and say it to the class: Where is the bathroom?
      2. Indicate for students to respond.
        1. Some students might respond by pointing and others might respond with language.
      3. When you hear someone respond with language, write his or her answer on the board and repeat the answer for the entire group.
      4. Offer two alternative answers and write those on the board as well.
      5. Now ask a student to ask you a question using a place they are familiar with, such as the bank.
        1. Encourage the student if unsure with the question (“Where is…?”).
    3. Explain that now the class will work together to practice asking directions.
      1. Group the students by their language level. If the class is large, put them into groups of 2 or 4 according to their level.
      2. Hand out the adapted dialogs to each group according to their level.
      3. Tell all of the groups to practice reading the dialog aloud together.
        1. Start by circulating around to the true beginner groups and model the dialog for them with one group member.
        2. As you circulate to the false beginner group, once again model the dialog and ask them if they know what I need some help means.
        3. Check in with the low-intermediate group modeling the dialog, and ask if there are any words they would add to the dialog. Encourage the low-intermediate group to add other information if they are able.
    4. After the groups have practiced a little, have them work in pairs to practice both parts of the dialog. After they have practiced three times, have them switch partners with someone else and repeat.

    When everyone has practiced the dialog with two different partners, put the students into large groups according to levels and have pairs present the dialog to the rest of the group. Ultimately, each pair of students should perform the dialog.

    EXTENSIONS

    If a dialog proves too easy for one group, offer them the dialog of the next level. For example, if some of the true beginners are doing an excellent job with their dialog, give them the dialog for the false beginners. If the low-intermediate learners are doing really well with their dialog, encourage them to work in pairs to write a similar dialog asking for directions. Teachers can always ask students to rewrite a text based on their own language knowledge. This is a way to further adapt a text and assess what language students have in their lexicon.

     

    APPENDIX A

    Dialogs for Everyday Use

    Dialog 15

     

    “Asking Directions”

    Marilyn: Excuse me. Could you tell me which way Dobson’s bookstore is?

    Nancy: Yes, it’s that way. You go two blocks, then turn left. It’s on the corner opposite the post office.

    Marilyn: Thanks I’ve only been in town a few days, so I really don’t know my way around yet.

    Nancy: Oh, I know how you feel. We moved here a year ago, and I still don’t know where everything is.


    Sample Adaptation for True Beginners

    Marilyn: Excuse me. Where is Dobson’s bookstore?

    Nancy: It is close. Walk north for two blocks, then turn left. The bookstore is across the street next to the post office.

    Marilyn: Thank you.

    Nancy: You’re welcome. Have a good day.

     

    Sample Adaptation for False Beginners

    Marilyn: Excuse me. I need some help. Where is Dobson’s bookstore?

    Nancy: It’s close. You go north for two blocks, then turn left. The bookstore is across the street on the corner and next to the post office.

    Marilyn: Thank you so much.

    Nancy: Of course. Have a good day.

     

    Sample Adaptation for Low-Intermediate Learners

    Marilyn: Excuse me. I need some help. Do you know where Dobson’s bookstore is?

    Nancy: I do. The bookstore is easy to find. Head north for two blocks, then turn left. The bookstore is on the corner next to the post office.

    Marilyn: Thank you for your help!

    Nancy: Anytime. Have a great day!

    Marilyn: You too!

    Format: Text
    Availability
    Week 4 Activity
    Text (PDF)

    When adapting materials, some teachers might think only about how to make them more accessible for beginners or lower level students; however, materials can also be adapted to be more challenging to meet the needs of more advanced learners. In this Teacher’s Corner activity, teachers learn how an article can be adapted to raise the level of its vocabulary. The reading, “Iditarod: Annual Sled Dog Race,” from the journal English Teaching Forum, focuses on Alaska and the annual 1,000-mile dog race across the state. There are a number of readings in this resource, but the article used for this activity is found on pages 52-53.

    LEVEL

    Advanced

    LANGUAGE FOCUS

    Reading
    Vacabulary

    GOALS

    During this activity, students will be able to:

    • Use an article about Alaska to practice using and manipulating new vocabulary
    • Recognize and define new vocabulary words from the Academic Word List (AWL), highlighted in the reading
    • Change highlighted words to appropriate synonyms

    Rewrite sentences so that highlighted words must change their form to a different part of speech

    MATERIALS

    • Copy of the original reading “Iditarod: Annual Sled Dog Race” (for teacher)
    • Copies of the adapted reading with highlighted AWL vocabulary (see Appendix A)
    • Access to dictionaries and thesauri (print or online)

    PREPARATION

    • Read the article (Appendix A) and practice completing this exercise prior to asking students to complete it
    • For each student, make a copy of the article with the AWL vocabulary highlighted (Appendix A)

    PROCEDURE

    1. Begin class by putting students into small groups and asking them to share what they know about Alaska. As they discuss, offer some other topics related to the state of Alaska. They can then discuss what they know or guess as to what these topics might mean.
      1. For example, ask them to discuss the climate, geography, people, etc.
      2. As the students discuss the topics, write the name of the article on the board: “Iditarod: Annual Sled Dog Race.”
      3. Draw students’ attention to the title of the article and have them discuss in their groups what they know about this specific Alaskan event.
      4. Bring the class together and have them share what they know and what questions they might have.
    2. Explain to the class that today they are going to use an article about Alaska to work on some new vocabulary words from the Academic Word List (AWL).
      1. If students have not worked with vocabulary from the AWL before, explain that it is a list of the 570 words most commonly used in academia.
    3. First, students are going to read the article with the new AWL vocabulary words highlighted.
      1. Hand out copies of the article (see Appendix A) to each student.
      2. Give students sufficient time to read the article on their own, paying close attention to the vocabulary words that are in bold print.
        1. Encourage students to write a definition and a translation next to the highlighted words if they know what a particular word means.
      3. Once students have had a chance to read the article, have them return to their groups to discuss the highlighted vocabulary. Have students work together to write down definitions and translations of the new words.
      4. After students work for several minutes, hand out dictionaries to learners or tell them they can use computers or their mobile devices to look up the new words.
      5. As they work together to find and define the words, tell students to correct any incorrect definitions they had written down.
    4. Tell students to return to working individually. Have students go through the article again, but this time they replace each AWL word with an appropriate synonym.
      1. If teachers find it necessary to model, elicit synonyms for the first word in the article teams. Write students’ suggestions on the board and then have them choose the word they think is the best fit.
      2. If a highlighted word is repeated in the text, students should try to find different synonyms for each instance of the word.
    5. After students have worked through the article and changed the words to appropriate synonyms, tell students to return to their groups and share the changes they made.
      1. Also encourage them to speak up in their groups if someone’s synonym does not have quite the same meaning or does not work as a substitution.
    6. Bring students back together as a large group and explain that the next changes they are going to make relate to parts of speech of the highlighted words.
      1. Clarify that when a word changes to a different part of speech, the meaning of the word is slightly changed. By understanding these changes in meaning, learners will have a better understanding of the word and all of the words in its family.
      2. Remind students that not all words can change to another part of speech.
      3. Explain that if a word changes its part of speech, it will not work in the same position in the sentence. For example, change the word economics to economical, and the word changes from a noun to an adjective. In English, nouns and adjectives do not sit in the same place in a sentence.
    7. Begin by modeling and working with the students on a single word from the article.
      1. First, write the word transportation on the board and ask students which part of speech it is.
      2. Then, ask students to suggest other parts of speech for the word, e.g., transport, transportable, transportability, transporter.
      3. Have students look at the first sentence in the article using transportation.
      4. Ask students to rewrite the sentence using the word transport instead.
      5. Have volunteers write their new sentences on the board or share them with the class.
    8. Explain that now students will do this for each of the highlighted vocabulary words in the text. Students will alter the text to retain the meaning but use different parts of speech for the new vocabulary words.
      1. Try to have students start this activity in class, but if time is short, return to the activity in the next class or assign it as homework.
      2. Save a few minutes at the end for students to return to groups and share one or two sentences that they have rewritten.

    VARIATIONS

    This activity can be adapted to fit additional needs of advanced learners in terms of other language skills. Instead of focusing on vocabulary, teachers could adapt the text to focus on a grammar point that has been studied in class. For example, if students are working on writing complex sentences, the teacher could rewrite sentences combining and adding information as a way to model sentence complexity. Then, the activity could be adjusted to practice this particular skill or grammar point.

    Another variation is to focus not on language skills when adapting the text but on another element such as content or rhetorical structure. Teachers could focus on a particular genre of writing that would require changing the language used to present information and ideas. For example, teachers working on comparative writing strategies might bring in another topic to incorporate into the article to create a comparison, such as between two traditional dog races.

    APPENDIX A

    The following article’s highlighted vocabulary words are all listed on the Academic Word List (AWL). In order to identify AWL words, a AWL highlighter was used. The original article was copied and pasted into the tool’s text box, and a version was created where the words from the AWL were highlighted.

    Iditarod: Annual Sled Dog Race

    By William P. Ancker

    Mushing is the sport of racing teams of dogs that pull sleds over snow. It grew from an ancient and practical means of transportation of native people of Alaska: using muscular dogs to carry cargo through harsh winter weather. The largest and most famous sporting event in Alaska is Iditarod, an annual race of teams of sled dogs and their drivers (or "mushers") that takes almost two weeks and covers approximately 1,800 kilometers (1,120 miles) from Anchorage to Nome. “Mushing" is the act of racing teams of dogs that pull sleds over snow. It grew from an ancient and practical means of transportation of native people of Alaska: using muscular dogs to carry cargo through harsh winter weather. The largest and most famous sporting event in Alaska is Iditarod, an annual race of teams of sled dogs and their drivers (or "mushers") that takes almost two weeks and covers approximately 1,800 kilometers (1,120 miles) from Anchorage to Nome.

    The Iditarod commemorates a historic event from the winter of 1925, when a relay of 20 teams of dogs and mushers was used to deliver urgently needed medicine to Nome. Severe weather conditions made delivery by boat or airplane impossible. That heroic effort of men and their beloved dogs prevented an outbreak of diphtheria in Nome and saved hundreds of lives.

    The first Iditarod was held in 1973. The race has grown steadily since then, both in the number of entrants who compete and the number of volunteers who help behind the scenes. Over the years, mushers and their dogs have come from Alaska, 20 other U.S. states, and 14 foreign countries to compete in "the last great race."

    The race begins every year on the first Saturday of March in the city of Anchorage, which is on the Gulf of Alaska in the northern Pacific Ocean. It ends in the town of Nome on the coast of the Bering Sea. The middle section of the racecourse, between the villages of Ophir and Kaltag, alternates each year. A northern route is taken on even numbered years and a southern route on odd numbered years. This enables more villages to participate as checkpoints during this test of endurance across very sparsely populated wilderness.

    The checkpoints are essential for a race of this length, difficulty, and isolation. Because there are no roads linking every section of the race, airplanes are used to ferry supplies and people before, during, and after the event. In fact, the race has its own "air force" of 23 volunteer pilots who transport dozens of race personnel, such as judges, dog handlers, and veterinarians, and tons of cargo, including dogs taken out of the race due to sickness or injury.

    There are important rules in Iditarod to protect the health and safety of the teams of musher and dogs. During the race, the mushers must take several mandatory rest stops. One eight-hour stop occurs in the middle of the race, and another occurs before the last 124-kilometer (77-mile) section of the race into Nome. In addition, at one point during the race whenever each musher decides is best the team must rest for 24 hours. The mushers have to carry certain safety equipment for themselves, such as a warm sleeping bag, a pair of snowshoes, and a small cooker for boiling water.

    This safety equipment also includes items for the teams of dogs, which can range between 12 and 16 animals per sled. Two pairs of "booties" for each dog are required to protect the animals' paws from sharp ice and other obstacles on the trail. Most of the sled cargo is dog food. Each musher must also carry a special veterinarian notebook, which is presented to the veterinarian who examines all the dogs on a team at each checkpoint. The rules of Iditarod specifically state, "There will be no cruel or inhumane treatment of dogs." A unique feature of Iditarod, in addition to the extreme climatic conditions and unusual mode of racing vehicle, is that women and men mushers compete together. In fact, in the 30 years of this grueling race, a woman has won five times. In 1985, Libby Riddles was the first woman to win. Clearly, winning Iditarod takes months of planning and training. Perhaps an indication of the tremendous dedication is that 20 editions have been won by only five mushers.

    Iditarod has an education component, too. Every year, a Teacher on the Trail is selected among numerous applicants to observe the race firsthand and prepare lessons based on the race for elementary students. The selected teacher follows the trail where the teams race, sleeps in a sleeping bag at checkpoints, travels on Iditarod Air Force planes, and is present for the finish in Nome. Every day during the race, the teacher uses a laptop computer to post news reports, photos, and lesson plans to the official race Web site for classroom use around the world. There are other responsibilities, too. The Teacher on the Trail must also attend and report on the Junior Iditarod, a short sled dog race for teenage mushers held beforehand, and may be called upon to serve as an official spokesperson for Iditarod and make many public appearances at schools in Alaska and other states

    Format: Text
    Availability
    Week 3 Activity
    Text (PDF)

    This session, "Creating and Adapting Materials for a Multilevel Class," focuses on how to help students of all levels learn by means of motivating and engaging activities. Participants learn how to identify students are varying levels, and provide support and challenge through carefully designed activities that offer the support and challenge each level of students require. In short, participants will learn how to push higher-level students without leaving the lower-level students behind. Ideas for speaking, listening, reading, writing, vocabulary, and projects will be covered.

    Author: Kitty Purgason Format: Text, Video
    Availability
    Presentation Slides
    Text (PDF)
    Related Resources
    Multi-Level Classes (Part 1)
    Text (PDF)
    Multi-Level Classes (Part 2)
    Text (PDF)

    As discussed in last week’s Teacher’s Corner, adapting materials involves carefully analyzing the material to be adapted based a number of factors. In this week’s Teacher’s Corner, teachers can follow along as the song “We Dig Worms” is slightly adapted by adding language and then used to conduct an activity for a beginning group of learners. The song comes from the American English compilation called American Rhythms; the entire compilation can be found on the American English site. The activity presented below adapts the song to meet the stated lesson objectives.

    LEVEL

    Beginning

    LANGUAGE FOCUS

    Listening

    GOALS

    During this activity, students will be able to:

    • Identify previously studied vocabulary words related to animals and plants
    • Define the word “dig” in the context of the song
    • Selectively listen and choose the correct animal or plant when heard while listening to the song

    MATERIALS

    PREPARATION

    • Make enough copies of the worksheet (Appendix A) for each student.
    • Prepare to have the song play from a set of speakers so students can listen.

    PROCEDURE

    1. Write the word “dig” on the board and ask learners if they know its meaning.
      1. Give students a chance to think about the meaning and share what they know.
      2. After some ideas are shared, write the title of the song on the board, “We Dig Worms,” and ask them what this title means.
      3. After a few more ideas are shared, write “We Like Worms” on the board and explain that in American English “to dig” can be used idiomatically to mean “to like.”
    2. Remind students of some vocabulary they have discussed related to animals and plants.
      1. Ask them for some of the words they have learned recently and write them on the board as they call the words out.
    3. Model how they could use the word “dig” to explain what they like: for example, “I dig cats” or “I dig flowers.”
      1. Have students turn to a neighbor and tell the neighbor what animal or plant they dig.
      2. Have some students offer some examples of what they dig before introducing the song activity.
    4. Tell students they are going to listen to the song “We Dig Worms” and listen for what animals and plants the singer digs.
      1. Hand out copies of the worksheet with the adaptations to the song lyrics.
      2. Give students a few minutes to study the lyrics before asking them to work with their neighbor to alternate reading lines aloud.
      3. Circulate to help students with pronunciation of new words.
    5. Bring the students back together and explain that now they will listen to the song and complete the worksheet. As they listen, tell them to circle the plant or animal the singer digs in each verse.
      1. Play the song and have students listen and circle the correct answers as best they can.
    6. At the end of the song, tell them they will listen again.
      1. If students feel confident in their answers, tell them to listen and check their answers the second time.
      2. If students still need to identify answers, tell them that they will have a chance to try their missing answers again.
      3. After listening again, give students a few minutes to consider their answers.
    7. Ask students to return to working with their neighbors. Have students compare answers with their neighbors and change any answers they think might need changing.
    8. Students continue to work with their neighbors while the song is played one more time. During this third time to listen, students can work quietly with partners to check all of their work.
    9. Once the song is finished, ask each pair to read a line with the correct answer. Ask for confirmation from the rest of the class to ensure that all students recognize the correct answer.
      1. If there is time, play the song again and have the students stand up and sing along to practice saying the words they listened for during the lesson.

    VARIATIONS

    This activity can be adapted to fit a multi-level group of beginners. Some students could receive a copy of the lyrics with a choice of words to listen for while more advanced learners receive a copy of the lyrics with the target vocabulary words not listed. The more advanced learners must write in the words that they hear rather than choose between two words.

    APPENDIX A

    We Dig Worms
    by Zach Ladin (4:53)

    Instructions: For each line, choose the correct word from the two options. The first one has been done for you.

    Lyrics:

    (Hello, everybody! This is a little song I wrote about all the things in this big old world that I really dig. Here’s how it goes…)

    I dig worms/worns
    You dig worms/worns
    We dig worns/worms
    Who digs worms/worns
    I said, we dig worns/worms
    because they’re wild!

    (Now, can you dig what I’m talking about?)

    I dig pugs/bugs
    You dig bugs/pugs
    We dig bugs/pugs
    Who digs pugs/bugs
    I said, we dig bugs/pugs
    because they rule!

    I dig dish/fish
    You dig fish dish
    We dig fish/dish
    Who digs dish/fish?
    I said, we dig dish/fish
    because they’re slick!

    Refrain
    I’ve never met a living thing I didn’t like.
    No, nothing bothers me.
    In this whole, wide world, I dig
    Just about everything I see.

    I dig dogs / frogs
    You dig frogs / dogs
    We dig frogs / dogs
    Who digs dogs / frogs?
    I said, we dig frogs / dogs
    because they’re smooth.

    I dig snakes/cakes
    You dig cakes/snakes
    We dig snakes cakes
    Who digs snakes cakes?
    I said, we dig cakes snakes
    because they’re sssss-super!

    I dig herds/birds
    You dig herds/birds
    We dig herds/birds
    Who digs birds/herds?
    I said, we dig herds/birds
    because they’re fly!

    Refrain
    (or smell. . .)

    I dig skunks/bunks

    You dig skunks/bunks

    We dig bunks/skunks
    Who digs bunks/skunks?
    I said, we dig skunks/bunks
    because they’re sweet!

    I dig cubs/grubs
    You dig grubs/cubs
    We dig grubs/cubs
    Who digs cubs/grubs?
    I said, we dig grubscubs
    just like those skunks!

    I dig pants/plants
    You dig plants/pants
    We dig plants/pants
    Who digs pants/plants?
    I said, we dig plants/pants because they’re
    great!

    I’ve never met a living thing I didn’t like.
    No, nothing bothers me.
    In this whole, wide world, I dig
    Just about everything I see.

    I dig mushrooms/brooms
    You dig brooms/mushrooms
    We dig mushrooms/brooms
    Who digs brooms/mushrooms?
    I said, we dig mushrooms/brooms
    because they’re fun - gi!

    I dig lichen/hiking
    You dig hiking/lichen
    We dig lichen/hiking
    Who digs hiking/lichen?
    I said, we dig lichen/hiking,
    we be liking!

    I dig rocks/locks
    You dig locks/rocks
    We dig locks/rocks
    Who digs locks/rocks?
    I said, we did rocks/locks
    because they rock!

    Refrain

    I dig otter/water
    You dig otter/water
    We dig water/otter
    Who digs water/otter?
    I said, we dig otter/water
    because it’s cool!

    I dig air/pear
    You dig air/pear
    We dig pear/air
    Who digs pear/air?
    I said, we dig pear/air
    because it’s fresh!

    I dig the fun/sun
    You dig the fun/sun
    We dig the fun/sun
    Who digs the sun/fun?
    I said, we dig the sun/fun
    because it’s hot!                                                                                      

    Refrain

    I dig Earth
    You dig Earth
    We dig Earth
    Who digs Earth?
    I said, we dig Earth because it’s our home!
    (repeated)

    Format: Text
    Availability
    Week 2 Activity
    Text (PDF)

    This session, "Strategies for Managing Large Classes," introduces strategies for building community, making it possible to take advantage of big opportunities for learning. Structured group work and interactive discussions are also explored as tools for keeping masses of students engaged, interested, and on task. Participants will gain knowledge of techniques for supporting and managing large classes.

    Author: Presenter: Christopher Stillwell Format: Text, Video
    Availability
    Presentation Slides
    Text (PDF)
    Related Materials
    Making The Most of Large Classes by Using Learning Teams
    Text (PDF)
    Managing Large Classes
    Text (PDF)
    Student-Centered Teaching in Large Classes with Limited Resources
    Text (PDF)

    This session, "Got Consistency? How Routines Support Effective Classroom Management and Teacher Planning," explores simple techniques to implement everyday routines that maximize student agency, learning, and participation while also increasing overall teaching efficacy. Participants will review classroom management “best practices” and identify how routines can support positive classroom management as well as maximize lesson planning time. Participants will learn practical strategies for establishing routines and apply them to case studies.

    Author: Presenter: Emily Tichich Format: Text, Video
    Availability
    Presentation Slides
    Text (PDF)
    Related Materials
    Classroom Management
    Text (PDF)
    Promoting Learner Engagement
    Text (PDF)

    When adapting materials for language learners, teachers must consider a number of factors in order to offer an effective and relevant activity. First, teachers must think about the chosen material in relation to the target skill of the lesson, the class environment and size, the language level of learners, and the ages of the learners. Following that, teachers must look closely at the material itself in order to identify what adaptations are possible; these adaptations need to be considered in terms of the sub-skills targeted, such as vocabulary, grammatical components, structure and design, and idiomatic expressions. After considering these factors, teachers can then decide if they need to edit, add to, or cut out some of the material. Though adapting materials can seem like a difficult task, the value added to students’ learning can make the entire process very worthwhile. In this week’s Teacher’s Corner, teachers will review the considerations necessary for adapting materials to meet learner needs.

    LARGER CONSIDERATIONS

    The majority of materials available for use in class can be easily adapted to fit a variety of teaching environments, but adaptation does require some time and forethought. Here are some key factors to consider as you adapt resources to best suit your goals and the needs and interests of your students.

    Target Skill of the Lesson

    The target skill (reading, writing, listening, or speaking) is the foundation of a language lesson. When bringing in outside materials and adapting them for a lesson, teachers must prioritize the lesson’s target skills and objectives over other factors. For example, a teacher might find a wonderful material that is relevant to the lesson’s theme and easily adapted for class size and environment, but the material does not fit well with the lesson’s target skill. Therefore, this resource may not be the best choice. Here are questions to help consider target skills:

    • Can the material be adapted to work with the target skill of the lesson? What kind of adaptation is needed for this material to be an effective part of the overall lesson?
    • How much time and effort are required to adapt the material to fit the target skill of the lesson? Is that time and effort better spent on incorporating other materials?

    Class Environment and Size

    The number of students in your class or your classroom context can affect a resource’s impact and usefulness for your students. Consider these questions before you adapt a resource for your learners:

    • How easily can the material be adapted to fit a large or small group of learners? For example, teachers with large groups of learners (40 students or more) might avoid using a long article due to the number of copies it would require. Resources and access to copy machines and other tools might be a limiting factor for large groups.
    • How does funding and access affect what can be adapted? Some teachers have a number of resources at their fingertips while others are working with limited resources. Again, consider a classroom with a large number of students. Is there enough money, paper, or even ink to provide this resource to a large class?
    • What other factors in the teaching environment will contribute to the need to adapt certain materials? For example, do you have access to technology that can help you make adaptations to listening materials?

    Language Levels of Learners

    Along with target skills, learners’ language levels are at the core of lesson planning and design. Materials, whether adapted or used in their original format, must be evaluated in terms of learners’ language levels. Some questions for consideration include:

    • Would this material prove too difficult to adapt for the learners’ language levels? For example, it may take too much time and language analysis to adapt an article from the New York Times to fit the language levels of beginning or intermediate learners.

    Learners’ Ages

    Perhaps the easiest factor to consider when adapting materials are learners’ ages. Many teachers know what topics interest their learners and are age-appropriate. Here are some questions to ask when considering materials relative to learners’ age levels.

    • Will the material hold an interest for the age group in question regardless of adaptations? For example, it could be a challenge to adapt a political news story to meet the interest level of younger learners. Likewise, adapting a children’s book to use with adult learners could be seen as too basic or even insulting.
    • Can the material be easily adapted to fit the interest and needs of the age group, or would an adaptation require too much research and effort?

    SMALLER CONSIDERATIONS

    Vocabulary

    For all materials used in the language classroom, the Lexile level, or the language level, of the material plays a critical role in whether the material is appropriate for learners. Lexile level is measured by vocabulary, the number of words, and sentence lengths; it indicates what level of learner would best be served by the material. For many beginning and intermediate learners, authentic materials without adaptations may have a Lexile level that is too advanced. There are a number of free online Lexile measurement tools that help teachers find out the language level of a text. Teachers can copy and paste or enter the text of a material into one of these measurement tools to find out the material’s Lexile level. Teachers can then make adaptations to the text to match the level of their students and then use the same tool to assess the revised text. Here is a link to a free online Lexile measurement tool, but there are many more available:

    Grammatical Components

    As with vocabulary, it is very important to adapt materials in terms of a lesson’s grammatical components or to meet learners’ existing grammatical knowledge. Unlike with vocabulary, however, there are no easy measurement tools for determining the level of the grammatical components in a material. Thus, adapting materials based on grammar levels takes a bit more time. So, what should teachers do in order to adapt for grammatical considerations? Try the following:

    • What grammatical components are learners already familiar with? Identify the grammatical components that learners are familiar with and have studied previously.
    • What are the targeted grammatical structures? identify the grammar to be taught in the lesson. Materials can be adapted to teach new language aspects but can also be adapted to fit learners’ levels while focusing on a different skill.
    • What aspects of this material already have the targeted grammatical structures, and what could be adapted to practice the target grammar? A teacher can change the material to meet either or both of the above aspects. For example, teachers could look at the verb tenses in a material and change them to either reflect learners’ existing knowledge or to practice the verb tense being taught.

    Structure and Design

    Structure and design can refer to the structure of the language in a material but this factor also refers to the layout and visual elements of the material. Many materials are designed with native English speakers in mind. For example, a material might use different fonts and colors and lay out the text in unfamiliar ways. Teachers may then want to consider adaptations that meet learners’ processing skills and learning styles. For materials such as these, teachers might want consider the following questions: 

    • What types of text layouts are already familiar to learners? Lay out the text in a clear and familiar pattern so that students can easily read or follow along while listening. For example, if students usually read materials formatted in columns of text, then adapting a material to have columns of text can help students to focus on learning the language.
    • Do the font and colors need to be simplified or changed to make it easier for learners to understand the material? Use the simplest and most accessible font styles and colors. Use only one font and choose a font that is easy for students to follow. Use black text on white paper to make the text easy to read.
    • Are there elements that are unfamiliar or distracting that need to be changed or removed? If students do not typically see extra pictures or pop-out boxes while reading, it may be worthwhile to remove these elements to help students focus on the text.

    Idiomatic Expressions

    The presence of idiomatic expressions in a text can easily change the level of the material. When adapting a resource, it is important to pay attention to colloquialisms and idiomatic expressions in case these language structures need to be altered to fit learners’ abilities. Use some of the following techniques when adapting for these factors.

    • Skim new materials for collocations of words that might be unfamiliar to learners. Teachers may want to note if the collocations should be adapted for a different level of learner.
    • Identify any phrases, idiomatic expressions, or colloquialisms that are not part of the learners’ background knowledge. Change unfamiliar expressions to more learner-friendly phrases unless some of the language in these expressions is part of the target skill.

    NEXT STEPS FOR ADAPTING MATERIALS

    After considering all of the factors explained here, it is time to decide how to adapt and adjust the material to fit the needs of students.

    • One place to start is to decide what edits should be made. For example, if verb tenses need to be changed to meet the target skill of the lesson, the teacher could then work through the material to edit each verb tense to the target verb tense. Editing can take time and require extra effort but will make the material more effective and appropriate for the learners.
    • Teachers might need to delete language that distracts from the lesson’s target skills or that may present a challenge for learners.
    • Teachers might need to add text to a material. This adaptation often is done when vocabulary in a text needs an explanation or a definition or when learners might need background information on particular themes or topics.

    During the next three weeks, revisit Teacher’s Corner to see specific examples of how to adapt texts for learners.

    Format: Text
    Availability
    Week 1 Activity
    Text (PDF)

    Pages