Michael E. Rudder, Ph.D.Regional English Language Office

U.S. Embassy

Workshop for Teachers of English

Tips for Teaching a Text

Tips (suggestions/ideas/“tools for the kit”)

Teaching (presenting/facilitating/motivating)

Text (textbook/supplementary/authentic materials)

LISTENING & READING ACTIVITIES

• Pre-Listening• Listening• Post-Listening

• Pre-Reading• Reading• Post-Reading

I. PRE-LISTENING

A. Schema-building

B. Vocabulary1. guessing meaning from context2. presenting key vocabulary (for

understanding the main ideas)

C. Guide question(s) 1 or 2 simple content questions to create

purpose

II. LISTENING

A. Guide question(s)

B. Comprehension questions1. choice questions2. content questions3. inference questions4. interpretation questions5. opinions/feelings

C. Summarization (events, characters, places, etc.)

III. POST-LISTENING

A. Oral Cloze

B. Spot the mistake

C. DiscussionD. Debate

E. Simulated Role-Play

F. Dictation

G. Writing Assignment

READING ALOUD BY STUDENTS: Why not?

1. Not a real life skill2. Usually not a good model

3. Other students not involved4. Attention on pronunciation, not on meaning5. Interrupted for correction 6. Slows down the learning process

READING ALOUD BY THE TEACHER: How?

Make speech sound authentic (stress, intonation, body language, etc.)

Tell rather than read:

add/explain/paraphrase

I. PRE-READING

A. Schema-building

B. Scanningspecific information

C. Skimminggeneral idea

I. PRE-READING

D. Vocabulary1. guessing meaning from context2. presenting key vocabulary (for

understanding the main ideas)

E. Guide question(s) 1 or 2 simple content questions to

create purpose

II. READING (Silently)

A. Guide question(s)

B. Comprehension questions1. choice questions2. content questions3. inference questions4. interpretation questions5. opinions / feelings

C. Summarization events, characters, places, etc.

III. POST-READING

A. Discussion

B. Debate

C. Simulated Role-Playgroups and pairs: open and closed

D. Dictation

E. Writing assignments groups / pairs / individual

DICTATION

1. Listening comprehension

Reasons for using dictation

2. Writing exercise

3. Post-reading activity / review

4. Pair-work (correction)

5. Variety (motivation)

DICTATION

Hints for implementing dictation

1. Keep it short (1 - 5 sentences)

2. Summarize or paraphrase

3. Write difficult names or words on the blackboard

4. Avoid direct quotations

DICTATION

5. Read the dictated text ONLY 3 times:

a) the complete text at slightly slower pace than normal

b) in meaningful phrasal segments

c) the complete text at a normal pace

6. Allow for self-correction or peer-correction

FeelingsYvonne Lowe - Age 8

I was angry and mad.And it seemed that there was hot water inside me.And as I got madder and madder,The water got hotter and hotter all the time.I was in a rage.Then I began to see colours.Like black and red.Then as I got madder and madder,My eyes began to pop out of my head.They were popping up and down.It was horrible.And it would not stop.I was steaming with anger.Nobody could stop me.My mother could not stop me.Then it was gone.And I was all right.Horrible, black, madness.

Objectives:Objectives:

Linguistic practice (vocabulary, grammar, structures)

Variety (text with music)

Motivation (music as universal language

of expression)

Fun (affective, expressive, creative)

Preparation Activities:Preparation Activities:

Schema-building (questions, visuals, background information)Vocabulary (key words, idioms,

expressions)

Grammar (verb tenses, structures, etc.)

Predicting the meaning (title and key words)

Strips (putting lyrics in order)

Cloze (listening and writing)

Writing assignment (on theme)

Re-write lyrics (change first line)

Discussion (interpretation, opinions, feelings)

Illustration (pictures or mime)

Dictation (listening and writing activity)

Cloze (oral or written)

Follow-up Activities:Follow-up Activities:

“WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD!”

I see trees of green

red roses too.

I see them bloom for me and you.

"what a wonderful world!"

And I think to myself,

I see skies of blueand clouds of white.

The bright blessed day,the dark sacred night.

“what a wonderful world!”

And I think to myself,

The colors of the rainbow

so pretty in the sky

are also on the faces of peoplegoing by.

I see friends shaking hands saying, “how do you do?”

They're really saying, “I love you” .

I hear babies cry,

than I'll ever know.

I watch them grow.

They‘ll learn much more

And I think to myself, "what a wonderful world!"

Yes, I think to myself, "what a wonderful world!"

“I Believe”

A flower grows.

I believe for every drop of rain

that falls

I believe that somewhere in the darkest night

I believe, I believe.

A candle glows.

I believe for everyone who goes astray

Someone will come to show the way.

I believe above the storm

every word.

Will still be heard.

I believe that someone in the great somewhere

the smallest prayer

“love”Hears

Every time I hear a newborn baby cry

Or see the sky,

Or touch a leaf

Then I know why I believe.

BELIEVE !BELIEVE !and anything is possible