EXPERIMENTAL LESSON PLAN

Class Profile: It is an Elementary class of adult learners aged between 16-27 years old. The actual number of students taught in this class is 6; they have had classes for 6 months now- the course started in September and is to terminate at the end of May. It comprises three 1 ½ hour teaching sessions per week and they are currently using the cb Language-to-Go by Longman. It is a current teaching programme specialized in the area of General Tourism English, which focuses on useful language that has to do with giving-ordering food / drinks- particularly relevant to their professional field. Most students are engaged in the catering industry, apart from one, who is involved in dealing in fuels. The majority of students are Albanians with the exception of two Greek young adults. The Albanians are interested in getting jobs in summer in the village of Paros, one of the young Greek adults wants to become an electrician and the other one runs his father’s petrol station.

More specifically, Costas, from Albania, the leading figure in class is a quite strong student, since he’s had language classes in Albania before; he participates in all class activities with a rather strong vocabulary, basic linguistic structures and pronunciation; where he needs remedial work, though, is on tense formations and basic tense concepts. What gives him strong class participation is the fact that during high summer seasons, he practices his English a lot by working in a beach bar. On the other hand, his wife Letta is a complete beginner in class, who started from scratch and tries slowly, and gradually to pick up and process language in chunks, with one thing at a time, structures, vocabulary and frequent repetition of all language items. The pleasing fact is that she keeps notes of all language points covered in class, and revises everything at home.

The rest four Jim, Luljim, Demeter and Lyprandos are absent from classes quite a lot of times, and whenever they show up for class, they seem to focus on speaking and very basic life guided activities, which don’t seem to tire them out. They don’t want to take part in writing projects, keeping notes, keeping vocabulary notebooks, but, only to communicate in English with guided dialogues, tightly controlled and semi-authentic/authentic speaking activities stressing their pronunciation skills and working on developing their functions and vocabulary targeted at their own work field.

Lesson Aims/ Objectives for students Evidence

Primary Aim(s)

1. To be able to communicate with customers in a restaurant / café by learning how to take orders and how to serve them.

2. To incorporate task-based learning as an alternative teaching medium in the Survival EFL classroom in contrast with the conventional ones that will meet the occupational needs of students.

3. To use it as the most authentic and effective teaching method for speaking the target language from scratch in co-operation with fellow students.

Secondary Aim(s)

1. To express functions about their choices of food with the required sum of money they own (what can I eat with 8 dollars?).

2. To develop their speaking skills & practice orally new vocabulary through a “Liberty Café” menu and team work will also teach them social skills (being in a company).

3. And to experiment with the language using the grammar they were taught inductively.

Speaking: To practice their accuracy, fluency and social skills in the context of café’s/ restaurants giving/ordering food; to apply these skills necessary for their work field.

1. Ss will be provided with tasks relating to cafés/restaurants, taking / giving orders, and serving customers by means of role-plays.

2. Ss work altogether in two groups from the beginning of the teaching procedure by means of asking them to take down any vocabulary items related to food in their own groups.

3. From the very beginning, Ss use whatever linguistic means at their disposal to convey functions in the TL in two groups.

1. By using previously vocabulary presented on the w/b, to fill in the menu with food items of their choice to equate with the sum of 8 dollars.

2. By assuming the roles of a customer and a waiter in a self-service restaurant, to practice functions of giving/taking orders and socializing with classmates.

3. Ss will take on the same roles of a customer and a waiter at different cafés/restaurants and in teams they are to vote for the best presentation.

By presenting Ss with a variety of semi-authentic/authentic situations in different cafés/ restaurants, to practice their accuracy with functions and vocabulary and fluency to promote authentic interaction.

Listening: To an extended dialogue between two customers ordering food to a waiter in a café –to enhance their aural abilities as waiters in summer, when they are supposed to take orders from customers.

Reading: To read functions of giving /taking orders in a context of a café/restaurant; this will be importantly useful to them as functions, when interacting with potential customers in their own work.

Writing: To practice taking / giving orders and socializing with customers and waiters in writing, an essential job-related skill.

By means of listening to an extended dialogue between two customers ordering food to a waiter with intermediate pauses to facilitate comprehension, whenever possible, hopefully, they will be able to recognize polite /impolite requests, to draw inferences, to recognize turn-taking and to practice vocabulary previously taught.

They will be given a dialogue from a café context, full of giving/taking orders and food, and they will be asked to recognize and underline the polite/impolite requests, related to their own work field.

Ss will write the prices of the edible items on a menu, note down functions and circle them; they will also write a menu assigned as homework – necessary skills for the use of taking orders from customers in summer (job related skill).

Source Aids/Handouts 1. Re alia to pre-teach ham, lettuce, cheese, chicken at the Pre-Task (Vocabulary Section) stage (see Appendix A’), the T` s desk to put them on, green/yellow markers to highlight language functions, the tape and the radio for the listening stages of the lesson.2. A “Coffee please” task sheet for the speaking task also at the Pre-Task Stage (see Appendix B’).3. a “Liberty Café” menu as basis for Ss to practice the task with whatever linguistic means they have at their own disposal at the Planning stage (see Appendix C’)3. Also listening handouts for the Report stage of the lesson are used (see Appendix D’) as well as the radio and the cassette for Ss to perform the listening task. 4. Handouts for Ss to focus on pronunciation and language functions at the Analysis stage (see Appendix E’)5. And role cards are also provided for the Practice Stage to act out the role-plays (see Appendices F+ G’).

Linguistic assumptions

Ss have covered basic lexical fields, like the ones of basic food items, fruit and drinks, therefore, they will be able to read out menus and practice talking in the TL ordering /serving food. In addition, they have been taught how to count from 1-100, therefore, they will be in the position of talking about food prices. Finally, they were taught the modal verb “Can” in the function of asking for permission in the past , i.e. “Can I sharpen my pencil, please?”, hence, they will be able to act out the dialogues at the Liberty café’ , in pairs, at the Pre-Task stage; but, they are not familiar with the modal verb “will” for spontaneous decision “I’ll have a Cola.”, which makes me suspect that the context of the café’ will facilitate comprehension.

Anticipated Language Difficulties 1. Ss might not know the definition of words in visual prompts for the speaking task.

2. Ss may find it difficult to understand the gist of the listening tape script due to complex language functions.

3. In the next listening grammar activity, Ss might find it rather difficult to recognize the polite / impolite tone of the speaking requests on the radio as well as complex to interpret it.

4. Ss exploit the dialogues and underline the correct language functions of them, but, they seem to be confusing and they are not aware of what to choose.

Solutions/Remedies 1. They are to ask for assistance from their group members before the speaking task takes place.

2. T plays the tape script with pauses to facilitate Ss’ listening abilities and whilst listening, Ss note down the complex language functions and go them over in their groups, afterwards.(T intervention ensues for confirmation)

3. T plays it on the radio with pauses to facilitate understanding; then, peer feedback takes place to recognize the tones and altogether they process the answers.

4. Ss go over them in pairs, to see how the context works best; next, they choose options and, in groups, they check their answers, and only if necessary, they resort to T for help.

Timetable Fit The current group of Elementary students has covered the modal verb “Can” in the

context of school, at previous units, i.e. “Can I go out, Miss?”, asking for permission, therefore, I assume they might be able to act out the dialogue at the Liberty Café, making requests “Can I take your order?, Can we have a large coffee?”, both at the Pre-Task and at the Practice stages of the lesson. Moreover, since the majority of them are involved in tourism, in the catering industry, particularly, they are familiar with asking about prices; hence, they will be able to role play functions in the context of cafés, asking for prices and giving change. Finally, the fact that they have been taught how to give sizes at previous units in the context of clothes will aid them, systematically, to predict sizes in drinks, i.e. “a small/ large cola” at the Planning Stage with the Listening activity.

Board Plan(s) Unknown Vocabulary & Pronunciation

chicken

cheese

lettuce

ham

Language Functions (Stress):Can I have a Cola? (polite request)

Can I have a Cola? (impolite request)

Will:Yes, I’ll have some cake. (Decision = Yes, I’ll eat it.)

Commentary This lesson aims at developing the speaking skills of learners with customers from all over the world in the catering industry of an island in Cyclades.

Task-based learning as a novel teaching medium seems to involve the students in the situations they need to practice in team work and develop also social skills using the TL from scratch. It practices functions, such as ordering and serving food politely / impolitely, since all four skills are integrated into producing authentic situations for occupational reasons.

Students will be invited to role-play carefully-structured role plays between customers and waiters taking orders/serving food with a particular sum of money at the beginning of the teaching procedure “to use language to achieve a specific outcome” (McKinnon & Rigby, 2004). The listening activities with a strong focus on pronunciation and functions will develop Ss` capacity to comprehend and understand their customers` orders. Moreover, the presentation of vocabulary with re alia at T`s desk at the Pre-Task stage will aid them in negotiating in groups about the outcome of the task (Willis 1988), which is to communicate in the TL from scratch. Furthermore, focus on language functions (taking orders/serving food) with a strong emphasis placed on stress and their pronunciation will enable learners to comprehend and respond to their customers requirements and, hence, to promote authentic communication, to offer service to customers, to “activate the language they have learnt so far” (Estaire & Zanon 1994) in role-plays related to cafés/ self-service restaurants. Finally, in the analysis stage, learners underline “will” as a modal verb and in context, (…., I’ll have a coffee, please) should make out its meaning and function - with the teacher to help them as a facilitator. This procedure, will, hopefully, enable them to perceive that tasks relate closely to their needs and they will adopt an achievement orientation (Breen 1987:26 cited in Murphy 2003).

DELTA Lesson Plan

Name: Paraskevi Andreopoulou

Date 03/08/08

PROCEDURE

Stage Teacher Activity

Learner Activity Aims Materials

Interaction

Time

Ice-Breaker:

Vocabulary Presentation:

T puts up on the desk re alia of chicken, cheese, ham & lettuce before they enter the class; then, she says:1. Get into groups of three. 2) .Have a look at these things on my desk and ask your friends, if they have ever heard them in English

T sets 3’

“We eat ham and cheese in a sandwich”.“Ham & cheese”

Ss enter the class, see the re alia at T`s desk, get into groups of three and ask one another, if they have ever heard them in English before.

Ss follow the time limit

Ss listen to the words and drill them

To activate schematic knowledge, to arouse their curiosity, to give a reason for communication and to promote collaboration in groups

To follow the time limit

To pre-teach vocabulary and to teach pronunciation

/ Re alia and T`s desk

None

Plenary Mode

&

Group Work

Group Work

Plenary Mode

5’

Pre-Task Stage:

T presents Ss with the photo of a café` called Liberty and tells them that they only have 8$ on them; with this money, they must look at the menu and choose what to eat

Ss, in 2 teams, look at the photo of Liberty café and the menu and try to communicate the task

To interact in the TL with whatever linguistic means they have at their disposal,

To communicate in English from scratch

H/O 2+3 Group Work 5’

Planning (a):

After class feedback, T asks from them to look at

Ss, in their tams, look at the menu and try to guess the

To plan the outcome of the task , based on present

H/O3 Group Work 3-4’

the menu, once more, and try to guess , in teams, the price of each food item

prices of the food items, based on the context they have

evidence at one`s disposal

Planning (b):

T gets feedback, and based on the evidence, advises Ss to listen to the waitress taking the order from the customer and fill in the prices of the edible items

Ss listen to the dialogue between the waitress and the customer and fill in the prices of the food items

To assign a reason for listening, to practice Ss` aural abilities and to allow a chance for further collaboration in their teams

H/O 3 Individual work 3-4’

Report: At this stage, after listening, T asks from Ss to check their findings, in their teams, then, to compare /contrast results with the next team and then, to report them back to class.

Ss, check their findings in their teams, first, then, they compare / contrast results with the other team, and then, they report back to class, their findings.

To promote team co-operation, to check own work, and to promote learning from other team members

H/O3 Group Work 3-4’

Listening for specificinformation:

After class feedback, T informs Ss that they are going to listen to a dialogue between two customers and a waiter and need to find out what they will order

Then, they must check, in groups, their findings and report back to class

Ss, listen to the dialogue between two customer and a waiter ordering food items to eat and drink

Next, they check their results, in teams, and report back to class

To activate bottom-up skills, to listen for specific information and to introduce slowly and gradually language focus

To check findings in groups and to promote co-operation and team work

H/O4 Individual Work

Group Work

5`

Language Focus:

After class feedback, T hands out the tape script and asks from the two teams to look at and highlight a) what they can have – in green and b)what they will have – in yellow

Ss get the tape script in their teams , they read it out and proceed to highlight a)in green- what they can eat and b)in yellow- what they will have

To introduce Ss to language functions and to give them the opportunity to work out in context and in teams, their use in the dialogue

Green and yellow markers and H/O5

Group Work 2-3`

Analysis (a):

After feedback, T asks Ss, in their teams, to find out what a)can and b) will mean here; if not, T intervention, possible

Ss try to work out, in teams, what a)can and b) will mean here

To enable Ss to induce language functions in team work

H/O5 Group Work 2’

Analysis (b):

After class feedback, T gives out listening handouts asking for them to repeat polite /impolite requests , with proper intonation

Ss get the listening handout and repeat after T polite /impolite requests , with proper intonation

Ss listen to the tape, repeat the language functions and mark their intonation

To assign a reason for listening, to develop Ss` speaking skills, to teach proper intonation, to make them understood and comprehensible to others

To practice stress, rhythm and intonation, to develop speaking skills

H/O6, the radio and the tape

Individual Work

5`

Practice (a):After feedback, T hands out a task sheet to two groups, asking from them to read through and circle the proper requests in dialogue forms;

Next, T asks from them to change groups and act out the café` contexts

Ss get the task sheets, read them through, and circle the proper language functions in the café` contexts

They change groups and act out the dialogues

To practice language functions in situations and to act them out afterwards, to “see language in use”

To promote team work and to interact authentically

H/O 7 Group work

Group Work

5’

Practice (b): T divides Ss into pairs and tells them that they are going to take on the roles of the waiter and customer and give/take orders, in different cafés

Ss get into pairs , take on the roles of waiters and customers and role-play the situations at cafés

To interact in the TL semi- authentically, to assume roles to communicate related to their job and to practice real life skills

H/O 8+9 Pair Work 8-10`

Follow-Up:

T asks from Ss to read out the dialogues at home and practice them with a friend

T thanks for the time

Ss will read out the dialogues at home and practice them with friends

Ss thank T, too

To practice a real life skill at home

None

H/O 8+9

None

None

None

None

None

APPROX 55 mins

APPENDICES

1. PRE – TASK MATERIAL:

COFFEE, PLEASE!

2. TASKS:

a. You only have eight dollars in your pocket. You go to a café because you are hungry, and you want to eat and drink something with only this money. You have a look at its menu. How much does it cost? (Each food &drink item).

b.

L I B E R T Y C A F É

b. LISTENING:

SANDWICHES : HOT DRINKS : SIZE / PRICE

Chicken (with lettuce) $5.50 tea with lemon Small $...... Large $1.80Ham (with lettuce) $5.95 coffee with cream Small $1.60 Large $...... Cheese (with lettuce) $....... hot chocolate Small $1.70 Large $2.00Extra: tomato $0.50

COLD DRINKS: SIZE / PRICE Cola/juice $.............

CAKE: FRUIT: Apple/banana $............. Chocolate $.......

Listen to two customers order lunch from the menu. Circle what they order:

Example: a) coffee b) tea

1. a) an apple b) a banana

2.a) a cheese and tomato sandwich b) a chicken and tomato sandwich

3. a) tea with lemon b) cola

4. a) a cheese sandwich b) a ham sandwich

TAPE SCRIPT

C=Customer W=Waitress

C1: Excuse me, can we have a large coffee, a banana and a chicken and…..

C2: Urr…………..

C1:…….yes, a chicken and tomato sandwich.

C2: But, um…………

C1: And I`ll have a small tea with lemon and a ham sandwich. No tomato. How much is that, please?

C2: Sorry, I don`t work here. There`s the waitress.

W: Are you ready to order?

C1: Yes, I`ll have a coffee, please.

W: Small or large?

C1: Large, please.

W: Anything else?

C1: Yes. A chicken and tomato sandwich and a banana.

W: O.K. And………….

LANGUAGE FOCUS (PRONUNCIATION)

Listening: a. Listen and circle the polite / impolite requests.

Example:Can I have a chicken sandwich? A) B)

1. I`ll have a cola. A) B)2. We`ll have a coffee. A) B)

Tape script

Example:a. Can I have a chicken sandwich? (polite)b. Can I have a chicken sandwich? (rude)

1 . a. I`ll have a cola. (polite) b. I`ll have a cola. (rude)

2. a. We`ll have a coffee. (rude) b. We`ll have a coffee. (polite)

b. Listen and repeat the polite requests.

1. Can I have a chicken sandwich? (polite)2. I`ll have a cola. (rude)3. We`ll have a coffee. (polite)

Practice

a. Look at the dialogues and underline the correct forms of them:

Example: Can I / I can help you?

1. A: Are you ready to order?B: Yes, I`ll have a chicken, lettuce and tomato sandwich.A: Anything else?B: Yes, can I have / to have a cola, please?

2. A: Can I / you take your order?B: Yes, can I have / have I tea?A: Small or large?B: Large, please.A: Is that all?B: No, I`ll have / I want a piece of banana cake, please.

3. A: Good morning.

B: Good morning. Can I / I can have a coffee with cream?A: Yes, here you are.B: And I / I`ll have an apple, please. How much is that?

b. In pairs, practise the dialogues from the exercise above.

Get talking:

Role play a situation in a café.

Student A:You are a waiter / waitress in a café. The food and drinks where you work are expensive.

The Vegetarian Café

Sandwiches: cheese (with lettuce) $3.00Extra: tomato $0.60Cake: chocolate $3.25Cold Drinks: cola $1.50Fruit: apple $1.75

Costa Lot Café

Sandwiches: ham (with lettuce) $5.85Extra: tomato $1.20Cake: chocolate $4.50Hot Drinks: tea $2.50Cold Drinks: apple juice $3.50

Jo`s Snackbar

Sandwiches: chicken (with lettuce) $2.00

Hot drinks: coffee $0.65Cold drinks: cola, juice $1.00

Fruit: apple / banana $1.00

Student B:You are a customer. You go to the different cafés because you are hungry and you want to eat and drink something; you only have 20$ with you.

1. Food: cheese and lettuce sandwich

Drink: orange juice

2. Food: chicken and lettuce sandwich

Dessert: chocolate cake

3. Food: ham and lettuce sandwich

Drinks: coffee with cream

4. Food: cheese , lettuce and tomatoSandwich

Fruit: a banana

5. Food: ham, lettuce and tomato sandwich

Drinks: Cola

6. Food: chicken, lettuce and tomato sandwich

Drinks: tea with lemon