5th International Teachers’ ConferenceSingapore 28-30 October 2009

Teaching Science and Languages English as a Second Language

Workshop SessionsEnglish as a Second Language• Session 1: Teaching and Learning

– Teaching and assessment to support language learning

• Session 2: Reading– Encouraging active learning of a receptive skill

• Session 3: Writing– Supporting the development of writing skills and

exploring the link with reading

Workshop SessionsEnglish as a Second Language• Session 4: Listening

– Encouraging active listening as support to the development of speaking skills

• Session 5: Speaking– Building students’ confidence and utilising the link

with the other skills• Session 6: Science and Languages

– Developing language skills to support other areas of the curriculum

Session one: Teaching and Learning

• - Introductions

• - Expectations

• - Aims of the sessions

Aims of the sessions

• - To gain an overview of teaching methods and assessment strategies to support learning

• - To be able to translate ideas into classroom-specific activities

Diversity in learning and learners• What?

• How?

• Why?

(Activity 1)

Effective language learning• Exposure

• Use

• Motivation

• Instruction

(Activity 2)

E2L Syllabus: Introduction

• Not a first language

• Practical communication

• Language of study

E2L Syllabus: Aims• Practical communication

• Further study / employment

• Skills acquisition

• Personal development

(Activity 3 – Handout 1)

Assessment Strategies• Formative and summative assessment

– Teacher assessment and feedback– Self assessment and target setting– Peer assessment and feedback– Group/class assessment and feedback– Use of assessment grid

(Activity 4 – Handout 2)

Session two: Reading

• Encouraging active learning of a receptive skill

The six componentsof fluent academic reading• Automatic recognition ability• Vocabulary and structural knowledge• Formal discourse structure knowledge• Content/world background knowledge• Evaluation processes/strategies• Comprehension monitoring

(Activity 5)

White’s four stages for active reading• Stage 1: arouse the students’ interest

• Stage 2: give them points to search for

• Stage 3: encourage discussion

• Stage 4: develop into writing(Activity 6 – Handout 3)

Assessment Objectives: ReadingCandidates will be assessed on their ability to:

• R1: understand and respond to information presented in a variety of forms

• R2: select and organise material relevant to specific purposes

• R3: recognise, understand and distinguish between facts, ideas and opinions

• R4: infer information from texts(Activity 7 – Handout 4)

Session three: Writing

• Supporting the development of writing skills

• Exploring the link with reading

“Some L2 learners consider writing to be the

easier of the two productive skills to acquire

because it allows them time to consciously

access and edit language elements at

different levels” (M. Saville-Troike 2002)

(Activity 8)

Supporting the developmentof writing skills• Providing students with topics that are relevant

and interesting to them• Ensuring students have some previous

knowledge or experience of the topic• Giving students some sort of motivation for

writing• Providing students with time to prepare(Activity 9)

Assessment Objectives: WritingCandidates will be assessed on their ability to:

W1: communicate clearly, accurately and appropriatelyW2: convey information and express opinions effectivelyW3: employ and control a variety of grammatical structuresW4: demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a range

of appropriate vocabularyW5: observe conventions of paragraphing, punctuation

and spellingW6: employ appropriate register/style(Activity 10 – Handout 3)

Session four: Listening

• Encouraging active listening

• Supporting the development of speaking skills

Encouraging active listening and exploring links with other skills

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish

– Pre-listening (link with reading and speaking)– While-listening (use of questions)– post-listening (link with speaking and writing)

Assessment Objectives: ListeningCandidates will be assessed on their ability to:

L1: understand and respond to information presented in a variety of forms

L2: recognise, understand and distinguish between facts, ideas and opinions

L3: select and organise material relevant to specific purposes

L4: infer information from texts(Activity 11 – Handout 5)

Session five: Speaking

• Exploring the link with other skills

• Building students’ confidence

Creating opportunities for speakingin the classroom

• Free discussion• Role play• Classroom language• Gap activity• Integrated speaking

(Activity 12)

Assessment Objectives: SpeakingCandidates will be assessed on their ability to:S1: communicate clearly, accurately and appropriatelyS2: convey information and express opinions effectivelyS3: employ and control a variety of grammatical structuresS4: demonstrate knowledge of a range of appropriate

vocabulary S5: engage in and influence the direction of conversationS6: employ suitable pronunciation and stress patterns

(Activities 13 to 15 – Handouts 6 & 7)

Session six: Science and Languages

“ There can be no science without reading, talking and writing. “

(Jonathan Osborne)

The Language of Science• Vocabulary• Grammar• Language in science learning• The language barrier• Language development strategies

Science across the World• http://www.scienceacross.org

– Supporting languages• teaching strategies

– Language for thinking• Key words/phrases recognition

(Activities 16 & 17 – Handout 8)

Content Integrated Language Learning• Joint lesson planning

– Requirements of both subjects– Content and language– Cross-curricular support– Learning outcomes

(Activity 18 – Handouts 9 & 10)

The beauty of language

• A world of opportunities– Communication– Study / employment– Transferable skills– Personal development