Materials Design Project: Lesson Plans for Chilean Context

Aarika Floyd

LING 583

April 24, 2012

As part of a cohesive view to the 8th

grade English program in Chile, lesson plans for

usage in the English classroom are the final step in reforming the curriculum for the Chilean

school system. Lesson plans are used to elaborate on initial syllabus design framework, to plan

time management, sequence daily activities, plan for overlapping of activities, and plan the aims

and objectives for student learning. Teachers have the freedom to create their own lessons, but

as previously researched, teacher training needs improvement and English language teachers lack

adequate English proficiency levels for proper teaching (Brandt, 2010; McGuire, 1996). The

needs of teachers who are required to teach subjects they lack in are not being met. The

textbook, Travelers 8°, mandated by the Chilean Ministry of Education (Ministerio de Educación

de Chile, 2012), already gives direction to teachers for every question featured in the textbook

(Jantus, 2009, p 107). This denotes that teachers will most likely use the textbook as both a

framework and a step-by-step guide to teach English.

For the purpose of this assignment, usage of the third term is meant for continuity of the

entire teaching portfolio. All materials created by Vanessa Armand and Aarika Floyd for the

peer collaboration project are featured as well as the assignments by the latter author for the

materials design project, which this assignment is a component. Armand & Floyd (2012) created

a syllabus design for Unit 3: Different Lives, which adapts the Travelers 8° textbook and

provides a loose framework for tasks, assignments, and specific textbook questions to be used on

certain days. The lesson plans featured in the appendices aim to focus on two of the days

originally created during the syllabus design. Specifically, the days featured are first two days of

the first week in the new semester, new term, and new unit. Upon further review of this initial

syllabus framework, the two contiguous lesson plans will correct any problems and display in-

depth lesson planning that can be modeled and effectively taught.

The sample lesson plans provided in the appendices are by the author of this assignment

and contain the necessary components usually found within a lesson plan. These components

describe the lesson logistics like the content information, previous language and topic work, the

materials needed for the day’s work, the aims and objectives for the lesson, the lesson procedure,

and a notes/adjustments section for teacher to make comments or changes to the lesson plan.

The lesson procedure section includes timing, step-by-step instructions to lesson, possible

problems, goals within the steps, and homework assignments (Appendices A & C). Woodward

(2001, p. 47) exemplifies that the procedure for a lesson should have a beginning, a middle, and

an end, and that teachers all have their own unique way of teaching during these sections of each

lesson.

The previous assignment for the materials design project, a task design (Floyd, 2012),

discussed the classroom management technique of creating “Pod Nations” in which students are

placed into groups of four and as a group they decide to represent a nation from a list of

previously selected nations1 (Floyd, 2012, p. 2). During Day 1 of the introductions into this unit,

students will be informed of this overall thread and the Pod Nation assignments that will be part

of an overall portfolio showcasing the group’s progress and accomplishments throughout the

term and unit.

At this point, they will continue sitting in their previous semester groups and they

continue using the “roles” technique. This technique is used for group work where the teacher

will write four roles on the board and write numbers next to each role (see example below).

Then the teacher counts students off within their groups of four, and the students assigned 1 – 4

will be the role that has their assigned number next to it. They will remain that number assigned

to them throughout the class time. For different group work assignments in class, the teacher

1 see Appendix A from Floyd, 2012 for information on the country selection methodology

erases and mixes up the numbers before each stage so that students have the opportunity to

perform different roles. Each group will have a copy of Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary for

vocabulary reference use for the Researcher role.

Roles (Stage 1) Roles (Stage 2) Roles (Stage 3)

1) Artist 2) Artist 3) Artist

2) Researcher 4) Researcher 1) Researcher

3) Writer 1) Writer 4) Writer

4) Presenter 3) Presenter 2) Presenter Figure 1. Group work “roles” technique example

Day 1.

As previously stated, the first day begins with introductions to the students as to the

information about what they will expect during the term and for the day’s lesson. This first day

back is important for teachers not to hastily rush right into teaching a new language focus, but

get students mentally prepared after a long break to start thinking and interacting again in

English. Day 1 of activities provides schema activation for the new unit, gets students to elicit

previous vocabulary, and demonstrate what they already know. The middle part of the lesson is

the main activity students complete for overall language use because it allows students to use the

four language skills. They are providing their own input with the task to think of words they do

not already know and find look for the English word and definitions. During the presentation of

findings part of the lesson, the presenters have the chance to participate and speak, but the

teacher should ask for input by other students as well. Finally, to drive this activity home, all

students will copy the new vocabulary and definitions into their learner notebooks.

Day 2.

If the first day’s activities blend over, it is necessary to either skip over the activities the

class was unable to complete or begin the next day’s activities with the previously skipped. This

second day begins with schema re-activation by asking students to take out their Travelers

textbook and learner notebook to answer comprehension check questions based on the first day

activities. Then, the teacher starts the progression into the lesson and on to new material from

the textbook, specifically a new grammar point. This lesson will focus on scaffolding the

student’s previous knowledge of comparatives and prior lessons in order to introduce a new

grammar form, superlatives. The use of the chalkboard or dry/erase board is essential for this

lesson, as is proper board organization for learners to effectively understand the scaffolding

approach to order to arise to their own conclusion about the new grammar form. For ending the

lesson, the teacher distributes a worksheet for students to work on in groups, but have the teacher

available for questions. If students are unable to complete this worksheet in class then it is

homework for the next English lesson.

As previously stated, lesson plans are very important for the organization of the

classroom, time management, and overall sanctity of the teacher. It is better to have more

activities and tasks planned than what time allows in case learners complete tasks faster than

expected. If extra time is not planned in the lesson plan, it is important that students do not

become bored or unenthusiastic about English. To remedy this problem, Woodward (2001)

suggests that teachers have “filler ideas” of activities to do with students at the end of class if all

pre-planned activities are complete (p. 70).

The sample plans provided for this context are just that, samples. They aim to show how

in the Chilean context where teacher training lacks, teachers can strive to create their own lesson

plans. It also models how teachers do not have to follow the directions laid out in the Teacher’s

Guide of the mandated textbook. Teachers can modify and adapt the material found in the

Teacher’s Guide to better suit the needs of their students, and these lesson plans demonstrate this

ability.

Appendix A: Sample Lesson Plan Day 1

Curriculum Unit: 3: Different Lives Topics: Experiences in a Foreign Country

Date: Group:

M: July D: 30 Y: 2012 Level: 8th grade English (A1-A2) Ages Range:

Class Length: 1 hour Context: Public Primary School - Chile 12 - 13

Recent Topic Work: Recent Language Work:

- New Curriculum Unit after Winter Break - Prior semester topic work: Unit 1 – Cultural Elements Unit 2 – Self-Care

- Prior semester language work included: Unit 1: Past Simple Tense; sequence markers; adverbs of frequency; words related to traditional celebrations, music & dances Unit 2: modal verbs to express possibility, obligation, & no obligation; question words for countable & uncountable nouns; words related to: feelings & moods, physical activities, study habits; comparatives

Aims: Materials Needed:

- Scaffold new information from students’ prior knowledge - Mentally prepare learners for new unit, term, & semester

- Travelers 8° textbook - Board (Chalk or Dry/Erase) - Chalk or D/E markers - Handouts/worksheets

- Learner notebook - Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary (1 per group)

Objectives: Assessment Strategies:

Students will: - Reactivate English schema after Winter Break - Elicit vocabulary & learn new with definitions

- Daily observation of students’ overall language use in the four language skill areas & group work activities (participation grade) - Check for understanding on worksheet assignments

Lesson Plan:

Timing: Procedure: Problems: Goals:

Preparation: Write daily agenda on board Notify students of

daily activities

5 – 10 minutes

Beginning: (1) Listening – [whole class]

(a) Introduce students to unit; give an overview of activities, projects, and how they will be working in “Pod Nations” – (discussed more on Friday, August 3 lesson) (b) Give opportunity for Ss to ask questions

(1a) Notify students of the expectations of upcoming unit (1b) Fulfill learner needs for understanding

10 – 15 minutes

(2) Listening/Speaking/Writing – [whole class] (a) Tell Ss of trip you went on (can make up details) & write some travel vocabulary on board – try to cluster words that relate to each other together (b) Ask Ss if they traveled anywhere during their Winter vacations; what activities they did (c) Write on board any places, verbs, & adjectives describing student vacation activities (d) Have Ss write the vocabulary words in their notebooks

(2b) Ss do not participate & eliciting responses is difficult (2c) organization of word maps becomes disorganized & difficult for Ss to read (2d) Ss are distracted by speaking & do not write in notebooks, or vice versa

(2a) scaffold for Ss what you want them to elicit (2b) elicit previously learned vocabulary

20 – 25 minutes

Middle: (3) Listening/Speaking/Reading/Writing – [group work]

(a) Write roles on board – Open Travelers (p. 60) – p. 107 in Teacher’s Guide

- Writer 1 (Pictures #1-2) record vocab; - Writer 2 (Pictures #3-4) record vocab; - Researcher – look up new vocabulary in Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary & tells writers to record; - Presenter – reports information to class

(b) Count off 1 – 4 in each group (c) Pass out worksheets to Writer 1 or 2 & go over the directions for Task 1 (d) Ss work as a group to create a list to fill in each chart using vocabulary they already know to describe each picture

(i) Writer 1 begins first by filling in the Old Vocabulary section of Pictures #1-2. (ii) Writer 2 then fills in Old Vocabulary section for Pictures #3-4. (iii) Group thinks of words in their native language for Researcher to look up in the Learner’s Dictionary; Writer 1 completes the New Vocabulary section for Pictures #1-2 & Writer 2 completes Pictures #3-4.

(e) T walks around answer Ss questions & clarifying responses – comprehension checks

(3) overall lack of participation; Ss do not understand the task (3c) Ss do not understand their roles or get confused by the task (3d) Ss mix up roles; one S takes on too much writing responsibility; unequal participation

(3a-b) Division of group work necessary for group collaboration; (3c) T explains for better understanding of S expectations (3d) Ss use own working memory to answer task questions; Use all language skills; Providing their own vocabulary input; Translations & definitions help link native & L2 languages

15 – 20 minutes

(4) Listening & Speaking – [presenter/whole class] (a) T calls on Presenters to report group findings; T helps with pronunciation; T creates a visual organizer on board (b) T asks other comprehension check questions or if other groups used the same words to describe the pictures; puts overflow below in Old Vocabulary column under Group 5

(4) Ss are shy to participate

(4) Select Ss are asked to participate demonstrating their speaking skills

10 – 15 minutes

End: (5) Reading & Writing – [Individual]

(a) Ss copy the board work, just new vocabulary & definitions

(5) Ss run out of time copying answers to notebook

(5) Close the activity with a writing task for all Ss to solidify new material

Homework:

No homework first day of class

Notes/Adjustments:

Appendix B: Day 1 Worksheet Name: _____________________________ Open Schema Picture Page

Date: _____________________________ Worksheet A

Class: _____________________________

Task 1: For each picture on Unit title page, write words you already know under Old

Vocabulary, and words you researched under New Vocabulary with definitions.

Roles: Writer 1: Fill in information for Pictures #1 – 2

Writer 2: Fill in information for Pictures #3 – 4

Researcher: Find (2) new vocabulary words to discuss & write definitions

Presenter: Present vocabulary answers to the class so teacher can write your

responses down.

Picture #1

Old Vocabulary

1)

2)

3)

New Vocabulary with definitions

1)

2)

Picture #2

Old Vocabulary

1)

2)

3)

New Vocabulary with definitions

1)

2)

Picture #3

Old Vocabulary

1)

2)

3)

New Vocabulary with definitions

1)

2)

Picture #4

Old Vocabulary

1)

2)

3)

New Vocabulary with definitions

1)

2)

Task 2: To class: please present the Old Vocabulary words you chose. Then, please present the new word and definition provided by the dictionary.

Appendix C: Sample Graphic Organizer for Board (Spacing should be wider for use of entire board)

Picture #1 Picture #2 Picture #3 Picture #4

Old New Old New Old New Old New

Group 1 1) 2) 3)

1) 2)

1) 2) 3)

1) 2)

1) 2) 3)

1) 2)

1) 2) 3)

1) 2)

Group 2 1) 2) 3)

1) 2)

1) 2) 3)

1) 2)

1) 2) 3)

1) 2)

1) 2) 3)

1) 2)

Group 3 1) 2) 3)

1) 2)

1) 2) 3)

1) 2)

1) 2) 3)

1) 2)

1) 2) 3)

1) 2)

Group 4 1) 2) 3)

1) 2)

1) 2) 3)

1) 2)

1) 2) 3)

1) 2)

1) 2) 3)

1) 2)

Group 5 1) 2) 3)

1) 2)

1) 2) 3)

1) 2)

1) 2) 3)

1) 2)

1) 2) 3)

1) 2)

MORE 1) 2) 3) 4)

1) 2) 3) 4)

1) 2) 3) 4)

1) 2) 3) 4)

Appendix D: Sample Lesson Plan Day 2

Curriculum Unit: 3: Different Lives Topics: Experiences in a Foreign Country

Date: Group:

M: August D: 1 Y: 2012 Level: 8th grade English (A1-A2) Ages Range:

Class Length: 1 hour Context: Public Primary School - Chile 12 - 13

Recent Topic Work: Recent Language Work:

- New Curriculum Unit after Winter Break - Prior semester topic work: Unit 1 – Cultural Elements Unit 2 – Self-Care Unit 3 – Different Lives: Lesson 1 – Experiences in a Foreign Country Day 1 activities

- Prior semester language work included: Unit 1: Past Simple Tense; sequence markers; adverbs of frequency; words related to traditional celebrations, music & dances Unit 2: modal verbs to express possibility, obligation, & no obligation; question words for countable & uncountable nouns; words related to: feelings & moods, physical activities, study habits; comparatives Unit 3: previous day’s vocabulary

Aims: Materials Needed: - Continue with previous day’s lesson - Scaffold new grammar form: Superlatives - Relate current topic to S reality

- Travelers 8° textbook - Board (Chalk or Dry/Erase) - Chalk or D/E markers - Handouts/worksheets

- Learner notebook - Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary (1 per group) - Flashcards for class

Objectives: Assessment Strategies: Students will: - learn the form-meaning connection of Superlatives - use & practice new form

- In-class participation - Actively demonstrating English language skills (oral production, reading & listening comprehension)

Lesson Plan:

Timing: Procedure: Problems: Goals:

Preparation: Write daily agenda on board Notify students of daily activities

5 minutes

Beginning: (1) Listening/Speaking/Reading – [whole class]

(a) T asks Ss to take out learner notebooks & Travelers Unit 3 (p. 60 - ) (b) T asks Ss to share the new vocabulary from previous class with the definition (schema activation; continuity) (c) Ask Ss: What countries do they think the people in the picture come from? Write list of possible countries on the board.

(1a-b) Ss do not have materials; do not participate

(1b) schema activation repetition of new vocabulary for acquisition

10 – 15 minutes

(2) Listening & Speaking – [whole class] (a) Ask Ss to turn to p. 62 in Travelers & discuss question 1, Kelly’s questions, in text (p. 108 in Teacher’s Guide) Adapt her questions to previous list of countries - Teacher talk: ○ Do you have any friends or family that live in any of the countries on our list? ○ Do you have any friends or family in any other country? ○ Do you know why they moved to another country? ○ How did you or your friends/family feel when they left? ○ Do you know how they feel living in another country? ○ How would you feel if you moved to another country? (b) Ask multiple Ss the questions & write new countries, feeling words on board

(2a-b) Ss do not participate; difficulty eliciting responses; cannot relate to questions (T use personal experience to resolve); ask if move to different Chilean province

(2a-b) relating class topic to Ss’ own realities; eliciting interaction & responses

15 – 20 minutes

Middle: Introducing Grammar Point (3) Listening/Speaking/Reading/Writing – [whole class]

(a) Read question 3 on same page as above (b) Scaffold question responses by writing (a – c) on board & ask for multiple responses by Ss (c) Create more questions to go with the first three; Something: fun, beautiful, boring, etc. & continue asking questions (d) Ask Ss questions to compare (using comparatives) to rank the order of the endings they already created: Is A nicer in Chile than B? (e) Reformulate the first three sentences– write the adjective in a different color & in superlative form - The nicest thing in Chile is… - The saddest thing in Chile is… - The most interesting thing in Chile is… (f) Explain to Ss that since we decided that [insert first ranked ending for “nice” above] is the best, we say: The nicest thing in Chile is… [fill in the ending Ss ranked first] (g) Repeat with other examples above asking Ss to help answer

(3b-c) Ss do not participate; may give outlandish examples (3d) Ss do not remember “comparatives” remind Ss of the forms & then ask questions

(3) Provide a scaffolding approach with Ss prior knowledge (comparatives & earlier lessons) in order to introduce a new grammar form; multiple visual examples for proper scaffolding

20 – 25 minutes

(4) Listening/Reading/Writing – [whole class] (a) Explain that the words with the extra letters are called “Superlatives” – What do these words tell us? - Ask Ss to come up with answer – They compare one thing to the rest of the group. (may need to explain in Spanish) (b) Write grammar rule scaffolding sentences from p. 63 / p. 109 in Teacher’s Guide on the board. “To compare more than two things, we use superlative adjectives.” (Have Ss copy rule into notebooks) (c) Write: “To form the superlative of the short adjectives, we add _____________ to the adjective.” - - Ask Ss to guess what the answer is & hint to the word nicest – the long superlative form is taught later (d) Tell Ss that some adjectives have different spellings – Check Error Alert! section in Teacher’s Guide p. 135 (e) Explain that some superlatives that end in “d & t” (or with “big” – that you write 2 of the letters with the ending “-est” – Write examples for Ss to copy in notebook (f) Explain that superlatives that end in “y” change to “i” before adding the ending “-est” to “-iest”

(4) Ss need explanation in Spanish for better comprehension; (4d) explain the spelling with saddest needing an additional letter “d” & with adjectives that end in “i” changing to “iest”

(4) Have Ss arise to the conclusion about the grammar form rule; copy grammar point into learner notebook for further reference

5 – 10 minutes

Wrap- Up/End: (5) Listening/Speaking/Reading/Writing – [Individual or group work]

(a) Hand out Superlative worksheet to Ss (b) Instruct them to complete the worksheet either in their group or individually (c) Provide necessary assistance for any questions

(5) Ss do not work on worksheet becomes homework assignment

(5) Provide Ss with additional practice in forming superlatives to prepare for the next lesson’s elaboration of topic

Homework: If worksheet is incomplete, then it is homework.

Notes/Adjustments:

Appendix E: Day 2 Worksheet Name: _____________________________ Superlatives

Date: _____________________________ Worksheet A

Class: _____________________________

Superlatives

Task 1: Form superlatives in adjective categories.

Adjectives of Size: Superlative:

1. large _________________________________

2. small _________________________________

3. big _________________________________

4. little _________________________________

5. fat _________________________________

6. skinny _________________________________

7. long _________________________________

8. short _________________________________

Adjectives as Colors: Superlative:

9. red _________________________________

10. black _________________________________

11. brown _________________________________

12. green _________________________________

Descriptive Adjectives: Superlative:

13. clean _________________________________

14. dirty _________________________________

15. pretty _________________________________

16. ugly _________________________________

Adjectives of the Weather: Superlative:

17. rainy _________________________________

18. sunny _________________________________

19. hot _________________________________

20. cold _________________________________

Appendix F: Day 2 Worksheet “Superlatives” Answer Key Task 1:

Adjectives of Size:

1. large largest

2. small smallest

3. big biggest – [2 g]

4. little littlest

5. fat fattest – [2 t]

6. skinny skinniest – [y to i]

7. long longest

8. short shortest

Adjectives as Colors:

9. red reddest – [2 d]

10. black blackest

11. brown brownest

12. green greenest

Descriptive Adjectives:

13. clean cleanest

14. dirty dirtiest – [y to i]

15. pretty prettiest – [y to i]

16. ugly ugliest – [y to i]

Adjectives of the Weather:

17. rainy rainiest – [y to i]

18. sunny sunniest – [y to i]

19. hot hottest – [2 t]

20. cold coldest

References

Armand, V., & Floyd, A. (2012). Syllabus Design: The Chilean Context. Retrieved from

http://aarikapinkfloyd.wordpress.com/curriculum-project/syllabus-design.

Brandt, N. (2010). Climbing on giants’ shoulders: Better schools for all Chilean children. OECD

Economic Surveys: Chile, 2010(1), 103-144.

Floyd, A. (2012). Materials design project: Task design – Nation festival assignment (Chilean

context). Retrieved from http://aarikapinkfloyd.wordpress.com/material-design-

project/task-design.

Jantus, L. (2009). Guía Didáctica para el Profesor . [Teaching Guide for the

Teacher Travelers: 8° Basic] Santiago, Chile: Eds. Cal y Canto.

McGuire, P. (1996). Language planning and policy and the ELT profession in selected central

American countries. TESOL Quarterly, 30 (3), 606-611.

Ministerio de Educación de Chile. (2012). Catalogo de Textos Escolares. [Catalog of Educational

Texts] Retrieved February, 2012, from Ministerio de Educación de Chile website:

http://w4app.mineduc.cl/catalogo2012/catalogo_2012/catalogo_pub.php#app=3fbd&1aa8-

selectedIndex=0&4eb3-selectedIndex=0&f5ca-selectedIndex=0

Woodward, T. (2001). Chapter 2: How long is the lesson? Planning Lessons and Courses.

Cambridge, UK, Cambridge University Press.