PowerPoint Presentation

PRIME TASKThink & Link

Please complete the PRIME TASK worksheet BEFORE we begin.THANK YOU!

Activating Prior KnowledgeThe First Step in Active LearningFor Teachers of English as a Foreign Language in Upper Elementary & Secondary SchoolsWithWilliam M TweedieAssisted by: Che Ku Ruhaya Binti Che Ku Ali (CK)WELCOME TO:

1. Welcome and Intro. 2. How many Primary and Secondary Teachers? Form Groups. Hand out Brainstorming Rules. Every concept in learning is grounded in certain beliefs (a philosophy or Approach) about the process of acquiring knowledge. The Approach that underlies my work in EFL is called PRIME. What could the Acronym stand for? Brainstorm.2

Brainstorm

Have attendees read the rules for brainstorming. Then guess in groups or as a class (depending on the size of the group and the time allotted for the workshop) what each of the letters in the acronym might mean. Write all the ideas on flip chart or whiteboard, discuss each interactively with the group briefly and reach a consensus before proceeding to William Tweedies intended meaning as the PRIME Approach 1996 on the next slide.3

PRACTICAL Doable and Doing (Active Learning)RELEVANT Important or Significant to the Students. (Fun is always significant)INTEGRATED Language Skills, Learning Styles, Background, Interest, Goals (BIG)MEANING-centered MeaningfulENRICHING Engaging Creating a Brighter Future

The PRIME ApproachFor more information visit http://prime-learning.weebly.comThe Learning Process must be:

My Approach in EFLAF the Method is SID C ME only possible if students are given the responsibility for their own learning which comes with setting and achieving specific goals with the assistance and guidance of the teacher. The reward is seeing the benefit and enjoy the fun of learning.4

9 PRIME Reading SkillsI2SQP4RIMAGININGSKIMMING SCANNINGQUESTIONING/PREDICTINGREADING ALOUDRATERHYTHMRESEARCHUUNDERSTANDING

I2SQP4R U (I too see quiet people forrr you) Skills we hope to practice today in deepening our understanding of how important it is to Activate Students Prior Knowledge. 5

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY PRIOR KNOWLEDGEP?K?

What is Prior Knowledge? And Why Activate it? I group four aspects of being human and a student under the one umbrella term.

6

New Experience New Behavior New Attitudes New Knowledge New Attitudes New Knowledge New Experience New Behavior

Experience and Knowledge are directly related to Attitude and Behaviour common sense. For the average person, positive, progressive experience and knowledge lead to positive and progressive attitudes and behaviours. To understand and retain new information in what they are reading, students need to connect this information to a framework of what they already know and understand. Reading Specialist Dr. Suzanne Clewell explains this idea with an example.7

Activating Prior Knowledge (APK):A Framework to Integrate New Information

http://www.thinkport.org/career/strategies/reading/activate.tp#1

Dr. Suzanne Clewell 8

APK in EFL Contexts

If the student knows but cant explain in English the teacher must be aware of this. L1 is therefore necessary to focus on building lexis and ability. Many research studies have led to this conclusion. We must distinguish among the ESL, ESL Immersion, and EFL contexts.Feelings/Attitudes (the Affective Filter(s) as Krashen hypothesized) are absolutely critical in the process of L2 acquisition. Now lets get to the sampling of strategies and activities we selected for today. Our First Strategy is going to be Using Poetry to activate prior knowledge. How many here teach teenagers? 9

We Try to Help them Learn!But it aint easy!!!

This visual may activate YOUR prior knowledge of the dreaded teenager.10

Strategies & Activities to APK

Use Word Poems ToActivate Prior Knowledge As Warm-ups To Any TopicTEENAGERS !

Write a simple word poem about teenagers. Follow the format on the worksheet.11

Question-Answer RelationshipsDevelop one each of the 4 types of QuestionsWhy teenagers find learning a drag

Once students have focused on the topic and begun to activate what they have already experienced and know about it you can expand the range of what they know and extend this knowledge through other APK and learning activities. The QAR is a good strategy for informational or narrative texts.12

Possible QARsIn the Book: What part of the brain is involved in learning?In my Head: Can this explain (partly) my students attitudes and behaviours?Think and Search:How is the hippocampus involved in learning?Author and Me:Should I share this information with my students?

Compare your questions to these and your groups. What other factors are involved in learning difficulties?What are receptors and how many are just right?Will it help?This would be a great PRIME project for a class of teenagers to undertake!

13

ReadingInformative PleasurableStimulates Engrosses CompelsIn a quiet placeCreates Persuades SatisfiesEffectively StresslesslyWriting

Your Poem Topic: MICEDiamante Poem

Example Diamante Poem about Reading: Noun, 2 Adjectives, 3 Verbs, 1 phrase, 3 more Verbs, 2 Adverbs, a similar, associated or contrasting Noun14

Compare and ContrastUse the worksheet to compare and contrast your ideas about City Mice and Country MiceYou may also use Similarities & Differences using a matrix:

Share your ideas with your group or with the class if called upon.15

The City Mouse and the Country Mouse

An Ancient Fable from Aesops ABC compiled by Heather Forest http://www.storyarts.org

A READ ALOUD:

APK is not only for words. It also involves the sounds, rhythm, stress, intonation of words. Reading Aloud is one of the most effective strategies because students must Imagine or construct images based on what they hear and see the reader do. These aspects are valuable clues to meaning as well.16

Shape PoemEach member of your group chooses a different one of the following to create a shape poem:

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5

Frogbear bananasflower pondHornbillrabbit milkpear armadilloMonkeycow carrotegg leafLizardsnake cheese bean rootMouse cat ricepotato raindrop

The words are suggestions that relate to the content of activities to follow thereby activating some prior knowledge. Ideally for a group of 25 participants. Content and number will change according to the groups size and facilitators choice of subject matter.17

The Elements of THIEVESPlease Scan the Elements of THIEVES handout.

Or you might lose something!!

Life on Earth Readings. Use this strategy BRIEFLY: In turn, describe to your group the key topics and facts in your article from Life on Earth. From 1000 Questions and Answers 1997 Bookmart LimitedThe other group members will formulate 1 or 2 questions each to ask about the article.

Are these Topics Relevant to you and your students?

The KWL Strategy may be substituted if time is short.18

Building Vocabulary while APKYou Are Beautiful As You AreAesops Fables

Cloze Activity

An Ancient Fable from Aesops ABC compiled by Heather Forest http://www.storyarts.org

The story is on your worksheet with words some students might not know. For secondary students have them fill in words without the word box first. Next they can look at the word box to check for synonyms they might have used, or other words that could also be used in the story.19

PREDICTINGThe Lion and the MouseYour Fable in 3 PartsAn Ancient Fable from Aesops ABC compiled by Heather Forest http://www.storyarts.org

100s of Strategies, Activities, Lesson Plans, and WorksheetsConference Presentation MaterialA Complete Book of 26 Graphic OrganizersMore than 600 Stories: Fairy Tales, Fables, Short Stories, etc.Theoretical and Reference resources for APK16 Videos demonstrating how to use some of the Strategies, Activities and Lesson Plans

Participants FREE CD Contains:These resources, compiled by William M Tweedie, are freely available on the internet.

Search The Joy of Reading pedagogical project and add yourself to their mailing list for regular emails of stories from around the world and The Story Break to receive 3 or more classic and contemporary short stories regularly by email. Check out Heather Forests site http://www.storyarts.org as well.Also search Active Learning and Activating Prior Knowledge on YouTube and a must is visiting the Buck Institute for Education (BIE.org)21

Thank You So Much!CK for her terrific assistance! And YOU for your hard work!

The Very Best of Luck and Happiness in Helping Students to Love Reading!By Activating their Prior Knowledge