SECOND-LANGUAGE TEACHING METHODSPrinciples & Procedures

Jill Kerper Mora, Ed.D.San Diego State University

Below is a description of the basic principles and procedures of the most recognized methods for teaching a second or foreign language.

For a survey of the history of second or foreign language teaching click here.

Click here for L2 teaching methods described below:

Grammar-Translation ApproachDirect ApproachReading ApproachAudiolingual MethodCommunity Language LearningThe Silent WayCommunicative Approach--Functional-Notional Total Physical Response

The Grammar-Translation Approach

This approach was historically used in teaching Greek and Latin. The approach was generalized to teaching modern languages.

Classes are taught in the students' mother tongue, with little active use of the target language. Vocabulary is taught in the form of isolated word lists. Elaborate explanations of grammar are always provided. Grammar instruction provides the rules for putting words together; instruction often focuses on the form and inflection of words. Reading of difficult texts is begun early in the course of study. Little attention is paid to the content of texts, which are treated as exercises in grammatical analysis. Often the only drills are exercises in translating

disconnected sentences from the target language into the mother tongue, and vice versa. Little or no attention is given to pronunciation.

For a review of elements of grammar teaching click here.

The Direct Approach

This approach was developed initially as a reaction to the grammar-translation approach in an attempt to integrate more use of the target language in instruction.

Lessons begin with a dialogue using a modern conversational style in the target language. Material is first presented orally with actions or pictures. The mother tongue is NEVER, NEVER used. There is no translation. The preferred type of exercise is a series of questions in the target language based on the dialogue or an anecdotal narrative. Questions are answered in the target language. Grammar is taught inductively--rules are generalized from the practice and experience with the target language. Verbs are used first and systematically conjugated only much later after some oral mastery of the target language. Advanced students read literature for comprehension and pleasure. Literary texts are not analyzed grammatically. The culture associated with the target language is also taught inductively. Culture is considered an important aspect of learning the language.

The Reading Approach

This approach is selected for practical and academic reasons. For specific uses of the language in graduate or scientific studies. The approach is for people who do not travel abroad for whom reading is the one usable skill in a foreign language.

The priority in studying the target language is first, reading ability and second, current and/or historical knowledge of the country where the target language is spoken. Only the grammar necessary for reading comprehension and fluency is taught. Minimal attention is paid to pronunciation or gaining conversational skills in the target language. From the beginning, a great amount of reading is done in L2, both in

and out of class. The vocabulary of the early reading passages and texts is strictly controlled for difficulty. Vocabulary is expanded as quickly as possible, since the acquisition of vocabulary is considered more important that grammatical skill. Translation reappears in this approach as a respectable classroom procedure related to comprehension of the written text.

The Audiolingual Method

This method is based on the principles of behavior psychology. It adapted many of the principles and procedures of the Direct Method, in part as a reaction to the lack of speaking skills of the Reading Approach.

New material is presented in the form of a dialogue. Based on the principle that language learning is habit formation, the method fosters dependence on mimicry, memorization of set phrases and over-learning. Structures are sequenced and taught one at a time. Structural patterns are taught using repetitive drills. Little or no grammatical explanations are provided; grammar is taught inductively. Skills are sequenced: Listening, speaking, reading and writing are developed in order. Vocabulary is strictly limited and learned in context. Teaching points are determined by contrastive analysis between L1 and L2. There is abundant use of language laboratories, tapes and visual aids. There is an extended pre-reading period at the beginning of the course. Great importance is given to precise native-like pronunciation. Use of the mother tongue by the teacher is permitted, but discouraged among and by the students. Successful responses are reinforced; great care is taken to prevent learner errors. There is a tendency to focus on manipulation of the target language and to disregard content and meaning.

Hints for Using Audio-lingual Drills in L2 Teaching

1. The teacher must be careful to insure that all of the utterances which students will make are actually within the practiced pattern. For example, the use of the AUX verb have should not suddenly switch to have as a main verb.

2. Drills should be conducted as rapidly as possibly so as to insure automaticity and to establish a system.

3. Ignore all but gross errors of pronunciation when drilling for grammar practice.

4. Use of shortcuts to keep the pace o drills at a maximum. Use hand motions, signal cards, notes, etc. to cue response. You are a choir director.

5. Use normal English stress, intonation, and juncture patterns conscientiously.

6. Drill material should always be meaningful. If the content words are not known, teach their meanings.

7. Intersperse short periods of drill (about 10 minutes) with very brief alternative activities to avoid fatigue and boredom.

8. Introduce the drill in this way:

a. Focus (by writing on the board, for example)

b. Exemplify (by speaking model sentences)

c. Explain (if a simple grammatical explanation is needed)

d. Drill

9. Don’t stand in one place; move about the room standing next to as many different students as possible to spot check their production. Thus you will know who to give more practice to during individual drilling.

10. Use the "backward buildup" technique for long and/or difficult patterns.

--tomorrow

--in the cafeteria tomorrow

--will be eating in the cafeteria tomorrow

--Those boys will be eating in the cafeteria tomorrow.

11. Arrange to present drills in the order of increasing complexity of student response. The question is: How much internal organization or decision making must the student do in order to make a response in

this drill. Thus: imitation first, single-slot substitution next, then free response last.

Community Language Learning

Curran, Charles A. Counseling-Learning in Second Languages. Apple River, Illinois: Apple River Press, 1976.

This methodology is not based on the usual methods by which languages are taught. Rather the approach is patterned upon counseling techniques and adapted to the peculiar anxiety and threat as well as the personal and language problems a person encounters in the learning of foreign languages. Consequently, the learner is not thought of as a student but as a client. The native instructors of the language are not considered teachers but, rather are trained in counseling skills adapted to their roles as language counselors.

The language-counseling relationship begins with the client's linguistic confusion and conflict. The aim of the language counselor's skill is first to communicate an empathy for the client's threatened inadequate state and to aid him linguistically. Then slowly the teacher-counselor strives to enable him to arrive at his own increasingly independent language adequacy. This process is furthered by the language counselor's ability to establish a warm, understanding, and accepting relationship, thus becoming an "other-language self" for the client. The process involves five stages of adaptation:

STAGE 1

The client is completely dependent on the language counselor.

1. First, he expresses only to the counselor and in English what he wishes to say to the group. Each group member overhears this English exchange but no other members of the group are involved in the interaction.

2. The counselor then reflects these ideas back to the client in the foreign language in a warm, accepting tone, in simple language in phrases of five or six words.

3. The client turns to the group and presents his ideas in the foreign language. He has the counselor's aid if he mispronounces or hesitates on a word or phrase. This is the client's maximum security stage.

STAGE 2

1. Same as above.

2. The client turns and begins to speak the foreign language directly to the group.

3. The counselor aids only as the client hesitates or turns for help. These small independent steps are signs of positive confidence and hope.

STAGE 3

1. The client speaks directly to the group in the foreign language. This presumes that the group has now acquired the ability to understand his simple phrases.

2. Same as 3 above. This presumes the client's greater confidence, independence, and proportionate insight into the relationship of phrases, grammar, and ideas. Translation is given only when a group member desires it.

STAGE 4

1. The client is now speaking freely and complexly in the foreign language. Presumes group's understanding.

2. The counselor directly intervenes in grammatical error, mispronunciation, or where aid in complex expression is needed. The client is sufficiently secure to take correction.

STAGE 5

1. Same as stage 4.

2. The counselor intervenes not only to offer correction but to add idioms and more elegant constructions.

3. At this stage the client can become counselor to the group in stages 1, 2, and 3.

The Silent Way

Caleb Gattegno, Teaching Foreign Languages in Schools: The Silent Way. New York City: Educational Solutions, 1972.

Procedures

This method begins by using a set of colored rods and verbal commands in order to achieve the following:

To avoid the use of the vernacular. To create simple linguistic situations that remain under the complete control of the teacher To pass on to the learners the responsibility for the utterances of the descriptions of the objects shown or the actions performed. To let the teacher concentrate on what the students say and how they are saying it, drawing their attention to the differences in pronunciation and the flow of words. To generate a serious game-like situation in which the rules are implicitly agreed upon by giving meaning to the gestures of the teacher and his mime. To permit almost from the start a switch from the lone voice of the teacher using the foreign language to a number of voices using it. This introduces components of pitch, timbre and intensity that will constantly reduce the impact of one voice and hence reduce imitation and encourage personal production of one's own brand of the sounds.

To provide the support of perception and action to the intellectual guess of what the noises mean, thus bring in the arsenal of the usual criteria of experience already developed and automatic in one's use of the mother tongue. To provide a duration of spontaneous speech upon which the teacher and the students can work to obtain a similarity of melody to the one heard, thus providing melodic integrative schemata from the start.

Materials

The complete set of materials utilized as the language learning progresses include:

A set of colored wooden rods A set of wall charts containing words of a "functional" vocabulary and some additional ones; a pointer for use with the charts in Visual Dictation A color coded phonic chart(s) Tapes or discs, as required; films Drawings and pictures, and a set of

accompanying worksheets Transparencies, three texts, a Book of Stories, worksheets

Functional-notional Approach

Finocchiaro, M. & Brumfit, C. (1983). The Functional-Notional Approach. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

This method of language teaching is categorized along with others under the rubric of a communicative approach. The method stresses a means of organizing a language syllabus. The emphasis is on breaking down the global concept of language into units of analysis in terms of communicative situations in which they are used.

Notions are meaning elements that may be expressed through nouns, pronouns, verbs, prepositions, conjunctions, adjectives or adverbs. The use of particular notions depends on three major factors: a. the functions b. the elements in the situation, and c. the topic being discussed.

A situation may affect variations of language such as the use of dialects, the formality or informality of the language and the mode of expression. Situation includes the following elements:

A. The persons taking part in the speech act

B. The place where the conversation occurs

C. The time the speech act is taking place

D. The topic or activity that is being discussed

Exponents are the language utterances or statements that stem from the function, the situation and the topic.

Code is the shared language of a community of speakers.

Code-switching is a change or switch in code during the speech act, which many theorists believe is purposeful behavior to convey

bonding, language prestige or other elements of interpersonal relations between the speakers.

Functional Categories of Language

Mary Finocchiaro (1983, p. 65-66) has placed the functional categories under five headings as noted below: personal, interpersonal, directive, referential, and imaginative.

Personal = Clarifying or arranging one’s ideas; expressing one’s thoughts or feelings: love, joy, pleasure, happiness, surprise, likes, satisfaction, dislikes, disappointment, distress, pain, anger, anguish, fear, anxiety, sorrow, frustration, annoyance at missed opportunities, moral, intellectual and social concerns; and the everyday feelings of hunger, thirst, fatigue, sleepiness, cold, or warmth

Interpersonal = Enabling us to establish and maintain desirable social and working relationships: Enabling us to establish and maintain desirable social and working relationships:

• greetings and leave takings • introducing people to others • identifying oneself to others • expressing joy at another’s success • expressing concern for other people’s welfare • extending and accepting invitations • refusing invitations politely or making alternative arrangements • making appointments for meetings • breaking appointments politely and arranging another mutually convenient time • apologizing • excusing oneself and accepting excuses for not meeting commitments • indicating agreement or disagreement • interrupting another speaker politely • changing an embarrassing subject • receiving visitors and paying visits to others • offering food or drinks and accepting or declining politely • sharing wishes, hopes, desires, problems • making promises and committing oneself to some action • complimenting someone • making excuses

• expressing and acknowledging gratitude

Directive = Attempting to influence the actions of others; accepting or refusing direction:

• making suggestions in which the speaker is included • making requests; making suggestions • refusing to accept a suggestion or a request but offering an alternative • persuading someone to change his point of view • requesting and granting permission • asking for help and responding to a plea for help • forbidding someone to do something; issuing a command • giving and responding to instructions • warning someone • discouraging someone from pursuing a course of action • establishing guidelines and deadlines for the completion of actions • asking for directions or instructions

Referential = talking or reporting about things, actions, events, or people in the environment in the past or in the future; talking about language (what is termed the metalinguistic function: = talking or reporting about things, actions, events, or people in the environment in the past or in the future; talking about language (what is termed the metalinguistic function:

• identifying items or people in the classroom, the school the home, the community • asking for a description of someone or something • defining something or a language item or asking for a definition • paraphrasing, summarizing, or translating (L1 to L2 or vice versa) • explaining or asking for explanations of how something works • comparing or contrasting things • discussing possibilities, probabilities, or capabilities of doing something • requesting or reporting facts about events or actions • evaluating the results of an action or event

Imaginative = Discussions involving elements of creativity and artistic expression

• discussing a poem, a story, a piece of music, a play, a painting, a film, a TV program, etc. • expanding ideas suggested by other or by a piece of literature or reading material • creating rhymes, poetry, stories or plays • recombining familiar dialogs or passages creatively • suggesting original beginnings or endings to dialogs or stories • solving problems or mysteries

Total Physical Response

James J. Asher, Learning Another Language Through Actions. San Jose, California: AccuPrint, 1979.

James J. Asher defines the Total Physical Response (TPR) method as one that combines information and skills through the use of the kinesthetic sensory system. This combination of skills allows the student to assimilate information and skills at a rapid rate. As a result, this success leads to a high degree of motivation. The basic tenets are:

Understanding the spoken language before developing the skills of speaking. Imperatives are the main structures to transfer or communicate information. The student is not forced to speak, but is allowed an individual readiness period and allowed to spontaneously begin to speak when the student feels comfortable and confident in understanding and producing the utterances.

TECHNIQUE

Step I The teacher says the commands as he himself performs the action.

Step 2 The teacher says the command as both the teacher and the students then perform the action.

Step 3 The teacher says the command but only students perform the action

Step 4 The teacher tells one student at a time to do commands

Step 5 The roles of teacher and student are reversed. Students give commands to teacher and to other students.

Step 6 The teacher and student allow for command expansion or produces new sentences.

Knowledge Base and Teaching Strategies of Effective Biliteracy Teachers

Purpose and Objectives for Biliteracy Instruction

MoraModules On-line Resources

Curriculum Design for Primary-language (l1) and Second-language (L2) Literacy Development

Biliteracy teachers are familiar with the curriculum for Language Arts/Reading (LAR) and how dual language instruction is related to LAR standards, as well as content standards at a particular grade level.

Biliteracy teachers understand the theoretical principles of bilingual education and second-language acquisition to implement effective L2 program models.

Biliteracy teachers are knowledgeable about the socio-cultural, policy and demographic factors that pose challenges to literacy, biliteracy and second-language acquisition.

Curriculum Development

Theoretical Foundations of Bilingual/L2 Education

Models of Bilingual Education

Curriculum Framework for Biliteracy Development

What Works (and Doesn't Work) for ELL

Thematic Unit Planning for ELD

Biliteracy teachers plan instruction around themes to maximize opportunities for students to acquire language and concepts.

Biliteracy teachers know how to integrate the

Thematic Planning for ELLs

Thematic Planning Guidelines, Models & Resources

A Model 4X4

language arts: Listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Biliteracy teachers base their instruction on a thorough understanding of learning theory, including metacognitive, cognitive and social/affective strategies and processes that learners employ to enhance their linguistic and content-area knowledge.

Thematic Unit

4X4 Activities by Levels & Skills

Outline of the Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach

Classroom Organization and Management for Effective English Language and Literacy Development

Biliteracy teachers coordinate the complex elements of ELD instruction to organize a classroom through multiple teaching strategies and grouping patterns.

Biliteracy teachers organize literacy instruction based on a logical progression from structured teacher-guided activities toward increasing levels of independent reading and writing activities.

Literacy Instruction for English Language Learners

Characteristics of Effective Second-language Learning Classrooms

Organizing the B/CLAD Classroom

Literacy Framework: Instructional Procedures

Lesson Planning for Dual Language Instruction

Biliteracy teachers select appropriate methods of instruction to enhance second-language acquisition, literacy development and content-area knowledge.

Biliteracy teachers structure step-by-step lessons to include presentations of concepts and vocabulary and ample opportunities for guided and independent practice.

Biliteracy teachers plan for high levels of student involvement focused on both process and product of learning.

Biliteracy teachers provide ample guided and shared reading and writing activities for students to formulate their thoughts and ideas into stories and narratives.

Theoretical Basis for the Natural Approach

Lesson Planning for ELLs

A Model 5-Step Lesson Plan for ELD

Principles & Procedures of L2 Teaching Methods

L2 Methods

Guided Story Construction

Guided Writing in the L2 Classroom

Maximizing Cross-linguistic Transfer in Biliteracy and ELD Instruction

In a bilingual classroom, teachers are familiar with how Spanish language arts and reading and ELD are interrelated and coordinated.

Biliteracy teachers are familiar with principles of cross-linguistic transfer and points of interaction between Spanish and English.

Biliteracy teachers are knowledgeable about Spanish reading methods and Spanish phonetics and orthography to maximize students' abilities to read in their primary language.

Biliteracy teachers know how to create conditions for supporting and promoting transfer of learning in biliteracy development and the components of language and literacy skills that are transferable.

Biliteracy teachers understand how metalinguistic awareness, knowledge and skills develops across grade levels and students' levels of L2 proficiency.

Biliteracy teachers are able to structure and implement effective word study and grammar/syntax study activities to maximize students' implicit knowledge of how their L1 works (form and function) and how this compares and contrasts with their L2.

Definitions of Literacy

A Smooth Road to Biliteracy

Spanish Reading

Cross-linguistic Transfer in Biliteracy: Research and Instructional Practices

Metalinguistic Transfer in Spanish/English Biliteracy

Research on Metalinguistic Transfer

Components of Metalinguistic Knowledge

Word Study in Biliteracy Classrooms

Rules for Written Accentsin Spanish

Metalinguistic Knowledge Development Continuum K-3

Spanish Word Study & Grammar Teaching Points

Evaluation and Selection of Appropriate Instructional Materials and Activities

Biliteracy teachers select activities to meet the ELD goals and objectives for each student based on formal and informal assessments of L2 learners' levels of linguistic and cognitive

Model of Natural Approach Lesson

Activities for ELD/SDAIE Teaching

Teaching Vocabulary

development.

Biliteracy teachers plan carefully for students' concept development and critical thinking skills using a variety of interactive and independent teaching formats.

& Concepts

Activities for Vocabulary Development

Sentence Transformation Activities

Points of challenge and instructional interventions in L2 reading

Biliteracy teachers understand the dynamics and complexities of reading in a second language.

Biliteracy teachers analyze and select literacy texts for instruction and independent reading based on learners' ability to handle the challenges of the text.

L2 Reading

L2 Writing

A Phonics Sequence for L2 Readers

Text Analysis for L2 Readers

Content-area Teaching

Biliteracy teachers relate content-area knowledge and L2 language and literacy development.

Biliteracy teachers plan to integrate content and concept development into primary language and ELD instruction and learning activities.

Biliteracy teachers design structured learning activities to enhance content-area reading by guiding students in their abilities to analyze and reflect on content area text structures and patterns of exposition.

Making the Language-concept Connection

Content-area Reading for L2 Learners

Using Study Guides to Enhance Content-area Reading

Evaluation and Assessment

Biliteracy teachers conduct on-going assessment to monitor English language and literacy development

Biliteracy teachers collaborate with administrators to ensure that the program for L2 is congruent with sound pedagogical principles

Language Assessment

L2 Writing Rubrics

ELL Program Implementation Checklist

Accountability FOR

and well-supported through appropriate material and personnel resources for effective implementation.

and TO Language Minority Students

The Truth About the CELDT

Multicultural Education

Biliteracy teachers continually refine their knowledge of linguistic and cultural factors that promote L2 acquisition and the overall development and well-being of diverse learners

Biliteracy teachers use multicultural literature to enhance and refine L2 learners' enjoyment and appreciation of their own and each other's diversity.

Biliteracy teachers understand the implications of broader social, economic and political and demographic changes and dynamics that effect their programs and their classroom instruction.

Cultural Diversity in B/CLAD Classrooms

Understanding Cultural Values

Using Multicultural Literature to Teach Reading Processes

Philosophical Assumptions of English-only vs. Bilingual Education

Advocacy for Language Minority Students

Knowledge Base and Teaching Philosophy

Biliteracy teachers continually grow professionally by reflecting on their practices and engaging with current research in L2 language and literacy development and teaching.

Biliteracy teachers articulate a philosophy of bilingual and second-language education based on a knowledge base that is congruent with their values and beliefs and connected to their personal and professional experiences.

Biliteracy teachers access research and scholarly writing about policies and practices that increase their effectiveness with language minority students and second language learners.

Biliteracy teachers are informed about controversial issues surrounding their profession and education reform in order to be proactive participants in the formulation of pedagogically sound and coherent laws and policies regarding

Formulating a Philosophy of B/CLAD Teaching

The Why's and How's of CLAD Teaching

CLAD Teaching is Good Teaching Plus

Teachers' Beliefs About Biliteracy Instruction

A Heuristic Analysis of the Performance of Bilingual Readers

Bibliography on Biliteracy and L2 Reading

Bibliography on

the effective schooling for language minority students.

Effective Schooling Practices for Language Minority Students

A Road Map to the Bilingual Education Debate

For a complete description of the Four by Four Lesson Planning Model, see this chapter:

Mora, J.K. (2006). Differentiating instruction for English Learners: The Four-by-Four Model. In T.A. Young & N. L. Hadaway (Eds.). Supporting the Literacy Development of English Learners: Increasing Success in All Classrooms. Newark, DE: International Reading Association, pp. 24-40.

The 4X4 Thematic Unit

Purpose of the Assignment

The purpose of the 4X4 thematic planning assignment is to guide preservice and inservice teachers of English Language Learners (ELL) through the steps and procedures for designing and teaching an integrated thematic unit using differentiated instruction. The 4X4 Thematic Unit is based on the K-12 Content Standards. The 4X4 planning model provides a framework that accommodates the needs and abilities of students with various levels of language proficiency. The model provides a systematic way of planning for English Language Development (ELD) or Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) for English language learners. The 4X4 Thematic Unit is applicable in any of the different programs that serve ELL. These include English immersion programs in elementary schools, and English as a second language (ESL) or English Language Development courses, sheltered content classes and mainstream content classes in secondary schools. The 4X4 model is also applicable for teaching in bilingual classrooms, where level 4 proficiency learning and teaching are addressed through instruction in the ELLs' first language, usually Spanish. Click here for a definition of terms and an overview of different programs of instruction for second-language learners.

This unit can be included in your professional presentation portfolio to demonstrate your skills as a credentialed teacher with expertise in adapting language arts and content for limited English proficient students

in interviews for teaching positions. If you are currently in a teaching assignment, this unit design model will familiarize you more in depth with the curriculum used in your school and classroom setting and strategies for adapting language arts and content-area performance standards for different levels of learners within your classroom. These guidelines for lesson planning are provided to prepare you for submitting Embedded Signature Assignment tasks in PLC 915A and PLC 915B Multiple Subjects and Single Subject Credential Program courses.

Teacher credential candidates completing the 4X4 to earn the Multiple Subjects or Single Subject credential will use a content-area textbook currently in use in California schools or a children’s literature book as the basis for the theme. There is a section of public school textbooks on the fourth floor of the SDSU Love Library. You may select a textbook or reader from this section to develop your unit. Click here for a link to the Teacher Performance Expectations (TPE#7) that describe the teacher competencies needed for effective instruction of ELL.

By completing this thematic unit you will learn to integrate content-area standards with English Language Development (ELD) standards and English language arts instruction through effective planning, classroom organization and instruction for sheltered immersion classrooms. Click here for the scoring rubric for the 4X4 Thematic Unit.

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Conceptualizing the Structure of the 4X4 Thematic Unit

This table provides a visual representation of the concept of the 4X4 Thematic Unit. This form of planning allows the teacher candidate to address the developmental needs of a diverse group of students within a structured English immersion, bilingual or mainstream classroom. The teacher will include activities to focus on each one of the four skills of language: listening, speaking, reading and writing. This focus will shift for each level. S/he will plan learning activities and use instructional strategies adjusted for each of four levels of language proficiency.

Click on the cells of the 4X4 grid below for teaching strategies and activities for each level and skill. Click here for a complete list of teaching strategies and activities for each level of language proficiency. Click here

for a description of the focus of 4X4 thematic instruction according to students' English proficiency levels.

The 4X4 Thematic Planning Model

Level 1 Listening

Level 2 Listening

Level 3 Listening

Level 4 Listening

Level 1 Speaking

Level 2 Speaking

Level 3 Speaking

Level 4 Speaking

Level 1 Reading

Level 2 Reading

Level 3 Reading

Level 4 Reading

Level 1 Writing

Level 2 Writing

Level 3 Writing

Level 4 Writing

For a model of a thematic unit designed using the 4X4 model, click here to view Ocean Movements by Shauna Howard.

Overview of the 4X4 Unit

Your completed 4X4 thematic unit will contain the following elements:

Section 1- Rationale: A 3-5 page narrative description of the unit that explains the goals and objectives under the Content Standards that you address in your unit. The description also provides a narrative description of the important points you considered in planning, such as students' levels of language proficiency, prior knowledge of the subject matter, and motivations for learning the content.

Section 2: Daily lesson plans for the four levels (1, 2, 3 and SDAIE) and the four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) using the Five Step Lesson Plan Model.

Section 3: Samples of handouts, visuals, and worksheets. Include enough examples to give an idea of your development and use of instructional materials

Section 4: A list of resources and references used in the unit, including URLs for Internet sources and materials.

In designing the 4X4 ELD/SDAIE or sheltered instruction unit, follow the questions, guidelines and structure presented below. These questions will serve to stimulate your thinking about how to plan a thematic unit and each lesson within the unit. Do not attempt to address all of the questions. Focus on the important features of your own thematic unit and specific subject matter.

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Components of the 4X4 Thematic Unit: Guide Questions

Section 1 Rationale

Section 1 of the 4X4 unit will be divided into the following six subtopics:

1. Introduction

Questions:

What are the characteristics of the students for whom your unit is designed in terms of native language(s), English language proficiency levels and cultural characteristics?

Why did you choose this theme? Of what relevance or importance is it to your students? How does the theme connect with state and/or school district Content Standards for language arts and your specific content area? Have you referenced the ELD Standards in your planning?

What are the overall goals and objectives of your unit? Include content objectives, language objectives and critical thinking objectives. What are the "Big Ideas" or "Essential Questions" students will address through your unit? How have you selected or distilled a "subset" of the concepts and relationships contained in the Content Standards you address in your unit and in each lesson?

How will you structure your classroom to carry out the activities planned in the unit?

2. Staging the concepts

Questions:

How will the students’ interest and motivation to learn the topic be awakened?

What do the students already know about the topic?

What are the students interested in learning about the topic?

How does what the students know and want to learn match with what is covered in the textbook or storybook?

What kind of graphic organizers, films or visuals will I use to discover what students know and want to learn?

What key concepts and vocabulary words and terms do I as a teacher believe are the most useful and important for students to learn from this unit of the text or literature book. State these in terms of: a) their ability to continue on in the text or language arts sequence with a good foundation? b) their general knowledge of the content area? For example, in history you may wish to address the lesson to promote critical thinking about these issues: How development occurs; how society changes; or how the economics of a region shape history. Look for the essential questions or big ideas behind the content. You can refer to your content-area Framework published by the California Department of Education for a description of the global concepts addressed at your grade level.

Select or design an activity to help you visualize a framework or schema to address the questions above. Examples are KWL procedures, a film and discussion, graphic organizers, or other visual displays. For Section 1 you will write a one or two paragraph discussion of the procedures and materials you will use.

3. Vocabulary

Questions:

How will I have students at different levels of language proficiency practice using this vocabulary with the appropriate oral or written focus in a meaningful way?

What level of linguistic and conceptual complexity can my students handle successfully, with a challenge but without becoming frustrated?

What vocabulary will I teach because it is most important to understanding the content and/or useful for enriching students’ conceptual level?

How do I teach this vocabulary in context without merely assigning students dictionary work or activities to define vocabulary words through isolated definitions?

Devise a Word Bank for your unit consisting of a) vocabulary words and b) cognates or words that have similar spelling and meaning in English and Spanish. Be sure to include different parts of speech: nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs or adverbial phrases. The cognates will facilitate understanding in L2 and enrich vocabulary in L1. The complete Word Bank for all four levels will go in Section 3 of your unit. Write a one to two paragraph description for Section 1 explaining why you selected the words in your Word Bank and how you will teach the vocabulary for Section 1. (For example, fill-in-the-blank with context clues or cloze procedure).

4. The Reading Selection

Questions:

What elements of the content-area or literature text will be easy for my limited English proficient students to understand? What elements will be difficult? Have I conducted a thorough text analysis? How can I make a grade-level textbook accessible to ELL through structured and guided reading and use of the textbook?

What paragraph from the content-area lessons in the textbook or from the storybook can I select to simplify by paraphrasing to focus on vocabulary and concept learning without "overloading" my students with difficulty in reading?

What types of reading activities will I use to reduce the difficulty of the reading text and ensure comprehension of the language and content? (For example, cooperative groups with comprehension questions, semantic mapping.)

Select and paraphrase a paragraph of the text or storybook for Section 3. Write one or two paragraphs for Section 1 describing why you selected a certain passage or paragraph to paraphrase and how you paraphrased the text for your students. Describe what level(s) of L2 students will be able to read your paraphrased passage and how you will guide students at the lower levels to understand the text. Click here for an example of a paraphrased text or summary written to be accessible for ELL.

5. Guided Practice

Questions:

How will I organize the new concepts I have selected to teach and guide students step by step through this organizational schema?

What configuration of individual or group activities will I use to have them practice the concepts and manipulate the language of the lesson?

What reading and writing activities will the students participate in, with the teacher, with each other, and/or on their own?

What product can the students produce through the guided practice process? For example, a news story or short narrative about the topic; a paragraph to begin a report, a fact sheet, the beginning of a timeline or graphic organizer, or a language experience story or guided story can be developed under the teacher's guidance.

For Section 1, write a paragraph describing what guided practice activities you will use to teach the important vocabulary and concepts. This will be an overview of the four levels of lessons you have included in your plan, telling how you focused guided practice for each level of language proficiency distinctly. Explain briefly your rationale for choosing the class product or project using the activities you selected. Include samples of graphic organizers or worksheets in Section 3.

6. Evaluation

Questions:

What product or display will demonstrate to me that students have learned the concepts and vocabulary to the best of their ability?

How will I determine what I need to re-teach or review with some students and which students can go on to more complex levels of understanding of the concepts or vocabulary? (Examples: tests, pre- and post- writing samples, reports, etc.)

How will I reward or recognize students’ efforts to learn and their progress in the unit in a way that will build their confidence and self-esteem?

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Section 2: Lesson Plans

You will include four lesson plans, one for each of the four levels (1, 2, 3 and SDAIE) describing activities for each of the four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing). These four lesson plans will cover a day or more of instruction and activities. Do not be concerned about the time frame of the lesson. Focus rather on covering each of the components of the lesson as shown in the model provided.

Questions:

What will the teacher do and what will the students do during each day of the time span allotted to cover the theme in a logically related sequence of lessons?

Have I utilized a variety of L2 teaching strategies (audiolingual method, TPR, Communicative Approach) to ensure mastery of linguistic structures and vocabulary?

How have the students used academic language during the lesson? For what function or purpose? Is their academic language use integrated into critical thinking and problem-solving activities?

What pace of presentation, activities and concept development is reasonable to expect from L2 students? Have I avoided "leaps of logic" that will confuse students because I moved too quickly from concrete and semi-concrete concepts into complex and abstract concepts?

How can I best organize a logical, coherent and motivating sequence of content and activities, culminating in students' being prepared for the next stage of learning of the theme and the text or book I have selected?

Have I included activities that address all the diversity of learning styles and cultures in my classroom through different sensory modalities?

The lesson plans will be prepared using the Five Step Lesson Plan Model (Hunter, 1982). This model provides a format to describe the objectives and sequence of teaching strategies and activities you will use to accomplish the purpose of the lesson. In each of the lessons for the four levels, you will also provide a short rationale. This rationale will explain briefly how you integrated the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing and how you adjusted the focus of each lesson for to achieve comprehensible input.

A format for the Five Step Lesson Plan Model and a sample language arts lesson are provided on-line. Click on the highlighted text for The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly Lesson Plan.

Click here for a model lesson plan for secondary math.

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Section 3: Samples of materials

This section will include the following components:

The complete Word Bank (Vocabulary List) for your thematic unit

The paraphrased selection from your textbook or literature book

Samples of worksheets, visuals, handouts, etc. These can be either your originally designed materials or commercially developed materials. If you include commercial materials, be sure to cite the original source.

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Section 4: List of references & resources

As professionals, we must always acknowledge others who have given us ideas for our work. Give credit to your sources of ideas and materials. Use the citation style of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Remember: It is the quality of the content and the thoughtfulness that goes into the assignment, and not the length of the project, that will earn the best grade.

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Course Activities and Requirements

for 4X4 Unit Development

Cooperative Group Work

There will be three working sessions during class time for your groups to accomplish its tasks. Additional time outside of class with your group members is optional. During the time provided in class, you will select your topic and determine the main concepts, principles and content that will be your focus. You will also share ideas for activities and lesson plans for the four levels of proficiency and four skills. Use Section D of the course reader as a guide. However, all grading of the 4X4 Thematic Unit is individual. There will be no group grade. Questions or Comments?

E-mail Dr. Mora from here or off my Home Page if you have any questions. I also invite you to send me the URL of any useful websites you may discover as you search the Internet.

A Model Integrated Thematic Unit for English Language Learners

Science/Language Arts

Ocean Movements

by

Shauna Howard

PLC 914 Teaching in the Content Areas: ELD/SDAIE Spring Semester 1999

Presented to Dr. Jill Kerper Mora CLAD Credential Program San Diego State University

Dear Website Visitor:

Congratulations go to Shauna Howard, author of this excellent thematic unit for science/language arts based on the 4X4 thematic planning model. Shauna gave me permission to post this unit as a model for my PLC 914 students and for all of the visitors to my CLAD website. I have linked the content of the thematic unit to instructional modules (MoraModules) that explain the principles of sound curriculum design and lesson planning for English language learners that are applied here. As time allows, I will add commentary about the features of the unit to assist other educators in improving instruction in CLAD classrooms.

A note to my PLC 914 students:

I have added discussion of the theoretical basis for ELD/SDAIE and description of planning principles and explanations of Shauna's teaching strategies within her narrative about instruction and guided practice. Consequently, this unit is more elaborated than the units my PLC 914 students are required to submit. So, don't panic! Use this unit as a model to guide your thinking process and as a source of examples of what can be included in your unit.

I send a sincere thank you to Shauna Howard and to all the teacher candidates who work very hard to prepare themselves for the challenges of cultural and linguistic diversity in our public schools. As your professor, I am proud to be a part of that process.

Jill Kerper Mora

Table of Contents

4X4 Unit Rationale Unit Goals Staging the Concept

Vocabulary Reading Passage Guided Practice

EvaluationLevel 1 Lesson Plan

Level 2 Lesson Plan

Level 3 Lesson Plan

Level 4 Lesson Plan

Word Bank

Paraphrased Text Sample News Story Graphic Organizer 1

Graphic Organizer 2

References On-line Resourses

Thematic Unit Rationale

The demographics of my third grade sheltered classroom are eleven females and nine males. Of these twenty Mexican American students, their primary language is Spanish and they are all learning English as their second language. While this classroom is conducted in only English, my students are at various levels of English and therefore need different levels of support to guide their learning. Three students are at Level 1, the Pre-Production Stage of English. Six students are at Level 2, the Early Production Stage of English. Five students are at Level 3, the Speech Emergence Stage of English. Six students are at Level 4, SDAIE, with an Intermediate Fluency Stage of English.

The overall theme of this unit is oceans. This theme was chosen for two reasons. One, I consulted the performance standards required by the school district and found that in the San Diego City Schools adopted third grade standards, understanding oceans is part of Grade 3 Science: Performance Standard 3. 1. 1. "The students can identify geographical features in San Diego county area, for example oceans." In planning this unit I also consulted the district standards and state standards for cross-referencing for Science and Reading/Language Arts. The state science standard for physical science Grade 3-1.d and for earth science Grade 3-3. b & c were related to concepts of ocean movements. Click here for a link to the CDE Science Standards.Click here to link to the California Department of Education Website for the grade level Language Arts Standards.

Secondly, I thought that oceans are important for students in San Diego to learn about since San Diego is located on the Pacific Ocean. Since the students here

are so close, this unit opens the doors to exciting learning experiences in which they can go see most of what they learn about, such as the waves and tides in this unit. In addition, students living near the ocean have the opportunity to see how oceans effect our environment, our sea life, our land forms, the food chain, water transportation as well as a number of other things.

Goals of the Unit

There are five overall goals for the entire unit on oceans. These goals include learning about the ocean movements, sea life, in particular whales, the food chain within the ocean, the ocean floor, and pollution that occurs in the ocean and its detrimental effects on our quality of life. In my section of the unit following this rationale, the students will specifically learn about ocean movements. The goals for this section of the unit is for the students to learn about the two forms of ocean movements, waves and tides, how they occur, and what effects they have on our beaches. For the students in levels three and four, the goal is to deepen their level of understanding of the notion of ocean movements and take it one step further by learning about the effects that oceans movements have on other aspects of life, such as sea life. At each level, the critical thinking tasks become progressively more complex and demanding, so that students are challenged to grow in their ability to comprehend, analyze, synthesize, make evaluative judgments and to transform and apply the content in new and creative ways.

Since I am teaching this unit to a "sheltered" class of English language learners, I also included specific language learning goals in planning for each level of English proficiency. Consequently, I have integrated the four language arts: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students will develop their language skills by expanding their vocabulary, using increasingly complex syntax and grammar, and applying these skills in meaningful reading and writing tasks. For level one, the focus is on developing listening skills to identify words and associate these with visual images and concepts. For my level two learners, the goal is to increase their speaking abilities by forming sentences to express their ideas. Level three learners are capable of reading simplified text and extracting meaning when prepared for the task in pre-reading activities. Level four learners are "reading to learn" and are expanding their content area vocabulary and comprehension of more abstract concepts, but still need structure and "scaffolding" in order to handle the linguistic demands of the textbook.

In order to accomplish these goals, while teaching each of my four level groups with varying degrees of complexity from easy (level one) to most difficult --level four), I had to strategically set up the classroom to fit my students needs. Since my students are very familiar with centers, I continued to use centers for this unit. I incorporated five centers that rotated in a clockwise manner around the classroom. The students rotated in the centers in their level groups. I chose to do grouping by levels of language proficiency because the tasks at the teacher and writing center need to be done with peers in the same grouping level. In this way I am also focusing on students' second-language learning as well as on academic content. Alternatively, the students can be grouped heterogeneously

across levels for some projects that are less language-dependent. A variety of grouping patterns are used throughout the unit.

Level one began the rotation grouped with me for instruction and guided practice at the rug. Level two was at the library looking at and reading assigned level books about waves and tides. Level three started at the computers. They were given specific internet sites to took up and research to help them gain some background information about ocean movements. Level four began at the art center were they begun painting the mural. The fifth center was the writing center, which was left open during the first rotation. The rotation was set up so that in the second rotation, the group that just left the teacher would always move to the writing center where they would complete their independent practice. No group was at the writing center for the first rotation because none of the groups had met with the teacher yet. In the interest of time, each group only went to one of these centers a day, therefore taking five days for the students to get through all five of the centers.

Staging the Concept

In an effort to stage the concept of ocean movements and assess my student's prior knowledge, I took one day at the beginning of the unit to do a KWL with the students. On a large chart I wrote Ocean Movements. Then I headed the three columns on the chart to state, "What We Know, What We Want to Learn, and What We Have Learned." Then, with all twenty of the students, we discussed what we know and wanted to learn and recorded all of the information on the chart. I then hung the poster in the classroom, where it was visible to all of the students, and left it there until the unit was complete.

After the KWL is completed, I introduced the theme of ocean movements to the students by showing them a short video of the ocean. I chose to run a video without the audio the first time since I did not want any of my students to get lost with the vocabulary in the video. Besides, the purpose of the video was to introduce ocean movements and show the students what the ocean looked like. This was especially important since not all of my students had seen an ocean before. Throughout the video as I pointed out scenes of the ocean, I was able to capture my students interest and then further engage them by telling them that after we learned all about the ocean movements, we were going to make our own ocean in the classroom through a mural and then take a field trip to visit the ocean.

Vocabulary Selection and Development

For this unit, I chose specific vocabulary and concepts. Among this list of words placed in the word bank, I divided them among the four levels based on level of difficulty of the concept and level of abstraction of each word or term. Each level, starting with level one, builds off one another and progresses according to my students varying level of English language proficiency. For example, in level one the concept being taught, waves, is the easiest and least abstract. Therefore the vocabulary chosen for this level is less difficult and more concrete. The vocabulary came specifically from the paraphrased paragraph

about waves that I read to the students. In level two, the concept grows in difficulty and abstraction. The student's new vocabulary builds on the concept of waves to include words about tides, a more abstract and complex concept. The vocabulary for this lesson also comes from the paraphrased paragraphs that I extracted from a science textbook. However, I include not only the paragraph on waves, but also the paragraph on tides.

In these early levels one and two, there is more of a focus on learning new vocabulary. The reason is because the students at these stages have limited vocabulary and need to be taught the key terms and vocabulary in order to understand the content of the lesson. These vocabulary words are listed in the Word Bank. As a result these lessons were designed to give the students some basic understanding of the most concrete and widely used terms regarding ocean movements, but in a meaningful context that they will understand.

Some strategies that are used in these lessons include science experiments so that the students can actually see waves and the difference between a high and low tide. Pictures are used to give students a visual representation of the words they are leaning. A graphic organizer is created with the students so that they can organize this new information in a clear, specific manner. And finally, the paraphrased paragraphs are used which uses the information the students are learning in a meaningful context.

In levels three and four, the students are slightly more challenged. There is no direct vocabulary instruction of isolated words, but rather the students learn progressively more difficult words and concepts through the context of the narratives in level three and the news stories in level four. Similar to levels one and two, the students all practice these new concepts and vocabulary orally with the teacher by discussing the context of the text, and by writing independently using frameworks for narratives and news stories.

Reading Selection

The reading selection about waves and tides that I chose to paraphrase for my students came from a third grade science textbook titled The New Exploring Science Textbook, by Blecha, Gega, and Green. I chose to paraphrase this particular section from this textbook because I felt that it presented the information is an extremely clear manner. In my process of modifying the information and language of the text, I had to first decide what I wanted my students to learn from the paraphrased passage. I only wanted to include what I through was essential for their understanding, as I did not want to overload them with unnecessary information and language that was too complex for their level of comprehension. I then needed to spend time on lowering the level of language used in the paragraphs so that I did not overload the students with unnecessary difficult vocabulary.

The third task was making sure that I clearly defined all new vocabulary and concepts through the context of the text. For example, I could not just use the word energy without stating that it gives the waves more power. The final step

of the paraphrasing process was to re-read and edit it a number of times to make sure that it was clear for my students.

In addition to the paraphrased paragraphs on waves and tides, I also made up my own modified narratives and news stories to used with the level three and four students. The purpose of this was to provide these students with reading material at their level that that they could read and comprehend, but was also high interest material that would teach the concepts and content selected. Using an informal reading inventory and running records of students' reading performance, I have determined their independent, instructional and frustration levels for matching their reading skills with the demands of the text.

Principles of Guided Practice

To help guide all four levels of my students through the various readings, I used a variety of reading strategies. I read the paragraph first so that the students heard it once through before reading it themselves. I used echo and choral reading to help the students read the passages. For the levels, one and two, I used repetition of words and phases with the words in large print to read along. In some instances when the students were working on their independent work, I allowed them to work with partners or in cooperative groups so that they could help one another.

Through the guided practice, I guided and facilitated my students into learning the skills that they need to apply to the independent practice and ultimately use to learn the new concepts and vocabulary. This strategy is referred to as scaffolding. In my effort to do this effectively, I made sure that what I instructed them with and what I guided them through, was what the students did on their own in the independent practice. I made sure that when I was teaching I altered my language based on the i+1 concept, in which the language used with the students was only slightly harder that the students' level of proficiency. For example, if students were using one or two words to respond, I encouraged them to use complete sentences. If they could form rudimentary sentences, I helped them elaborate, using more complex sentence formation.

In the instruction, I used kinesthetic activities and TPR (Total Physical Response) to help my level one and two students who may not be ready to do a lot of speaking, yet I still want to know they are listening. I used small groups with teacher directed activities to make sure that all four levels of students were receiving the attention and instruction appropriate for their needs, while also challenging them to perform at a higher level. I made sure that when the students do go to work on their independent work to apply and practice the concepts that they learned, that they are sitting at a center with the other members of their groups. This is so that they can assist each other if there are questions or problems. Finally, I made sure that the library center and computer center, in which the students would work at with their groups, was structured to reinforce the concepts and vocabulary that they were learning with me during direct instruction.

Evaluation

At the conclusion of the unit, the students will be evaluated as individuals and as a class to see what they have learned and on the products they have produced. The students will be formally assessed individually based on their independent work that they did at the writing center, after they worked with me for the instruction and guided practice. For example, the level three students will be looked at whether they met the objectives and were able to write an ending to a narrative. The students will also be individually assessed on their individual contribution to the class mural, which was the overall objective for each lesson. For example, level three students will also be assessed on their letter that they had to write to the other classrooms inviting them to come and see our mural on ocean movements.

The whole class assessment will be conducted through the completion of the KWL that the students will do at the end of the unit. This KWL will informally reveal to me how much the class learned about ocean movements as compared to how much they started out knowing. Finally the whole class will be assessed as a group based on the overall presentation of the mural and how they talk about it to the other classes who come to view it. Based on these four evaluation areas, I will be able to determine if there is anything that I need to re-teach or review with my students and if any of my students are ready to go on to even more complex levels of understanding.

After the students work together to complete the class mural and then show the mural to other classrooms who come to view the mural and learn about ocean movements, I will reward and recognize my students efforts to learn by taking them to the beach where they can see all of the things that they learned about. We will then turn this experience into an introduction for the next phase of our study of the oceans. In this way, I make connections between the important concepts and skills my students are learning at each point in the curriculum as I follow the school districts performance and content standards.

Lesson Plans by Levels

Level 1

Ocean Movements: Understanding Waves

Lesson Rationale--Level 1

Students who are learning English as a second language need development of key terms and vocabulary in order to understand the content of the lesson. This lesson is designed to give the students some basic understanding of the most concrete and widely used terms regarding ocean movements. The instruction of this new vocabulary will be accomplished through a science experiment as

well as a variety of listening and speaking strategies in which the students will be engaged into. A beginning knowledge and understanding of these terms, will aid these second language learners in the transition from a pre-production stage of English to the point where they can speak and/or understand some of the English involved in this unit of ocean movements.

Oceans, and in particular ocean movements, are important for students in San Diego to learn about because San Diego lies on the Pacific Ocean. Since students are so close, it opens the doors to exciting learning experiences in which they can go see most of what they learn about, such as the waves in this lesson. In addition, students living near the ocean have the opportunity to see how our oceans affect our environment, and ultimately how our environment impacts our sea life.

Objectives--Level 1

I. After learning the key terms and vocabulary, the students will be able to listen and signify recognition of vocabulary words related to ocean movements by raising their hand when they hear the words read.

2. After listening and practicing speaking with the teacher as she models the new key terms and their definitions on waves, the students will be able to use the terms by filling in the missing word in a definition sentence.

3. After practicing reading the key terms and vocabulary words orally, the students will be able to recognize and/or sight read the words related to ocean movements from their word bank individually.

4. After practicing matching the key terms and vocabulary to the pictures with the entire class, the students will individually be able to complete a handout in which they write a short descriptive sentence using the correct key terms related to ocean movements next to a picture.

5. Overall, the students will be able to use the graphic organizer and what they learned about ocean movement to write three short sentences in narrative form to explain the ocean movements of waves.

Anticipatory Set--Level 1

To motivate the students about ocean movements and especially waves, engage them in a discussion about the water at the beach. Ask the students if they have ever been to the beach and seen the ocean. If they went, did they see the water moving? Have they seen surfers riding the waves in the water? Have they seen a boat that bounces up and down in the water? Ask them if they know why these things occur. Then explain to the students that today they will be learning the words that will teach them why the water/ocean moves. Also, further motivate the students by reminding them that when the unit is over they will be visiting the ocean and looking at the movements that they are going to be learning about.

Instruction/Presentation--Level 1

1. To begin to introduce the students to the important terms regarding waves, do an experiment demonstrating waves. Use a large rectangular aluminum foil backing tin. Tell the students to pretend that the water in the tin is the ocean. Place a cork in the water in the center of the pan and wait till the water is still. Then gently hit the top of the water at the end of the pan with a spoon until the waves are made. Then ask the students, "What do they see happening with the cork? It is rising and falling? What do they see happening with the water? It is also rising and falling? Explain that the movement in the water/ocean is waves. "Waves are the rise and fall of the water. We made the waves in the pan by hitting the pan with a spoon, but in the real ocean the waves by made by the wind blowing on the water."

2. To reinforce what the students just saw and to develop their vocabulary of the key terms and concepts just introduced, continue the instruction by showing students a large picture of waves in the ocean.

3 . As the card is held up, allow the students to use their prior knowledge of oceans and the experiment that they just saw to guess what the picture is.

4. Then describe what the picture shows to the students. Since it is a picture of waves, explain to the students that waves are the movement they see in the ocean water. Also show waves with your hands and arms and say that "waves go up and down or rise and fall."

5. Then show the students how the word "wave" looks and how it is spelled by using sentence strips.

6. Place the picture of the waves beside the word in the pocket chart in front of the classroom.

7. Have the students repeat after you "wave" three times so that they get some listening and speaking practice of the word.

8. Continue this process of teaching these key terms and vocabulary for the rest of the words related to waves (ocean, water, rise and fall, wind, energy, big, tall).

9. Build on the students listening skills and vocabulary by reading the short paraphrased paragraph on waves to the students. Tell the students to listen carefully for the key words that they just discussed. When they hear one of the key words have them raise their hand to signal that the word was heard. Remind the students that if they need help remembering the key words, they can look on the pocket chart.

Guided Practice--Level 1

1. Pull the words off the pocket chart and place them on the table. Remove and scramble up the pictures and then place them back on the pocket chart.

2. Hold up the first word on the sentence strip and ask the students to try and recognize the word. Provide the students with a sentence that gives the meaning of the word in context. Have them chorally sight read it aloud. Allow them to shout out the word and then again model the correct pronunciation by repeating the word after them by saying, "Yes, the word is wave." Then have the students repeat back the sentence with the word in it.

3. Then ask the students, "Who can come up to the pocket chart and place the word wave next to the correct picture?" Calling on individual students, allow them to come up and place the word in the appropriate place.

4. Continue holding up terms, saying them, and matching them to the correct picture by placing the word next to the correct picture on the pocket chart.

5. Further work to reinforce the definitions of these words by placing them in a graphic organizer, which the students will then use these to make sentences. Have the students do this by eliciting the words through context questions.

Graphic Organizer Level 1

OCEANS

Movement Waves

Cause Wind

Effects "What we see"

Rise and fall of the waves

ChangesMore wind produces more energy to make waves bigger

6. Informally assess the students during this entire process. If they are not pronouncing and reading the words correctly, them continue to model and have them repeat after you. If they are having trouble remembering what picture matches what word and placing them in the graphic organizer, then they need more instruction about what the words means and give them more practice matching the right pictures and words. I don't continue on to independent practice until I am confident that the students are successful with the language and processes covered in the guided practice.

Independent Practice--Level 1

1. Pass out to students the handout, with the pictures of the vocabulary they just learned and with the word bank filled with these words. Have the students draw lines to connect the correct picture to the word.

2. Finally, using the graphic organizer that the students made together on the board and their new knowledge of these important terms have the students write three sentences on sentence strips that explain waves. They should use

seven of the nine words. (ocean, waves, water, wind, rise and fall, and energy, tall, big) These sentence strips are going to be place on the final mural to explain waves.

Closure/Evaluation--Level 1

As a final assessment of the students, look at whether or not they were able to meet the reading and writing objectives. If the students were successful and they met your goal then they should have been able to read all of the new words given to them in the word bank and then write all 9 of those words in their science journal under the appropriate cut out picture. Using this new vocabulary, they should also have been able to write three short sentences in narrative form. Together, these two assignments should demonstrate the student's new understanding of waves.

Bring the lesson to a close by allowing the students a chance to share what they have learned. Allow each student each an opportunity to read aloud the narrative that them made. Finally bring the lesson to a full circle by asking them what they will look for next time they visit the beach.

Level 2

Ocean Movements: Understanding Waves and Tides

Lesson Rationale--Level 2

Students who are learning English as a second language need development of key terms and vocabulary in order to understand the content of the lesson. This lesson is designed to build upon the basic understanding of some of the most concrete and widely used terms regarding ocean movements. Students at this stage still have a restricted vocabulary, so developing a more concrete understanding of the previous lessons terms as well as some added new terms in this lesson is necessary in order to help them speak and construct sentences. The students all do this by building on the terms related to waves from the level one lesson to more difficult words regarding tides in this lesson. The instruction of this new vocabulary will be accomplished through a science experiment as well as a variety of listening and speaking strategies in which the students will be engaged into. By gaining more control of the vocabulary used in discussing ocean movements, these second language learners will be able to make the transition from limited speaking control to the point where they have enough for communicating about ocean movements.

Oceans, and in particular ocean movements, are important for students in San Diego to learn about because San Diego lies on the Pacific Ocean. Since students are so close, it opens the doors to exciting learning experiences in which they can go see most of what they learn about, such as the waves and

tides in this lesson. In addition, students living near the ocean have the opportunity to see how our oceans affect our environment, and ultimately how our environment impacts our sea life.

Objectives--Level 2

1. After learning the key terms and vocabulary, the students will be able to listen and recognize at least 12 of the 18 definition sentences related to ocean movements by raising their hand when they hear the words read.

2. After listening to the teacher modeling and using the key terms in definition sentences and practice saying the key words, the students will be able to restate all of the definition sentences with the key words given.

3. After the whole class chorally practices sight-reading the key terms in the context of definition sentences related to waves and tides, the students will be able to recognize and/or sight read chorally at least 75% of these same words.

4. After practicing sight-reading definitions of the key words regarding both waves and tides, the students will individually be able to correctly sight word spell at least 12 of the 18 of the key terms given and place them with the correct definition in a modified cloze activity.

5. Overall, the students will be able to use a graphic organizer (organized by ocean movement, cause, effect and changes) and what they learned about ocean movement to write five sentences in a short narrative form, which include at least 12 of the 18 key words, to explain the ocean movements of waves and tides.

Anticipatory Set--Level 2

To motivate the students about ocean movement and especially tides, engage them in another discussion about the water at the beach. Ask the students if they have ever been to the beach and seen the ocean water extremely far away from the end of the beach? Have they ever seen the ocean water up so high on the beach that it is covering most of the sand? Ask them if they know why or how the ocean does this? Then explain to the students that today they will be learning the words that will teach them why the water/ocean moves in this manner. Also, to further motivate the students, remind them that when the unit is over they will be visiting the ocean and looking at the movements that they are going to be learning about in this lesson.

Instruction/Presentation--Level 2

1. To begin to introduce the students to the important terms regarding tides, do an experiment demonstrating tides. Use two large rectangular aluminum foil-baking tins. Tell the students to pretend that the water in the tins is the ocean. Mark the front and the back of the two tins so that one is the beach side and one is the ocean. Have the students observe the water in one pan when it is lying flat. With the second pan slightly tipped back, also have the students

observe the water. Ask the students, "what is different about the water in the in the two pans?" Have them notice that in the first pan the water covers the whole pan up to the beach, but in the second pan the water does not come all the way up on to the beach.

2. Connect this experiment with a short language experience discussion in which the students talk about their experiences seeing tides or movements in the ocean water at the beach.

3. Then connect this experiment to the pictures of the high and low tides. Explain that the first pan, in which the water goes all the way up the beach, is like picture 1. Tell them that, "when the water goes up the beach and cover most of the sand, we call that high tide." Then show picture 2 of the low tide and make that same the same connection.

4. To reinforce what the students just saw, to develop their vocabulary of the key terms and concepts just introduced, and to help them make the connection of the word discussed to the written word, continue the instruction by showing the students the picture of the high tide. Since it is a picture of a high tide, explain to the students that when the water level is high along the beach then it is called a high tide. Then show the students how the word "high tide" looks and how it is spelled by using sentence strips.

5. Place the picture of the high tide beside the word in the pocket chart in front of the classroom. (Note that the pictures and words about waves from the prior day are on the top half of the pocket chart and today the new words will be added to the bottom half of the chart.)

6. Have the students repeat after you "high tide" three times so that they get some listening and speaking practice of the new word.

7. Continue this process of teaching these key terms and vocabulary through pictures, discussion and sentence strips for the rest of the words related to tides (high tide, low tide, earth, moon, gravity).

Guided Practice--Level 2

1. To reinforce what the students just saw and to further develop their vocabulary of the key terms and concepts introduced in lesson I and in the lesson today, continue the instruction by reading the paraphrased paragraphs on waves and tides.

2. Tell the students that you want them to be listening carefully for key words defined through the context of the paragraph and for them to raise their hand when they hear one.

3. After reading the two short paragraphs through one at a time, tell the students that now they are going to retell, in their own words, the key words and their meaning through the context in which they just heard it. For example, "Waves are caused by wind."

4. As the students are practicing speaking by retelling the key word through their meaning, write their sentences that they say on sentence strips. Place them one at a time in the pocket chart.

5. With the sentences in the pocket chart have the students practice decoding/reading the short sentence and in particular the key words in that sentence.

6. Guide the students into reading all of the sentences.

7. Then as a quick sight word reading assessment, point to the key words one at a time and have the students orally decode them. To meet the assessment goal, they should be able to decode at least 75% of the key words.

8. Reinforce the definitions of these words by placing them in a graphic organizer, which the students will then use to guide them in making sentences in the form of a narrative.

9. Informally assess the students during this entire process. If they are not pronouncing and reading the key words correctly 75% of the time, them continue to model and have them repeat the word and the definition sentences after you, If they are having trouble restating all of the definition sentences after listening to them, then they need more speaking practice with the ocean movement vocabulary.

Level 2 Graphic Organizer

Movement Waves Tides

Cause windgravity from the moon pulling on the ocean water

Effect (What we see)

rise and fall of the waves

rise and fall of the water onto or away from the beach

Changes

More wind produces more energy to make bigger waves

High tide is when the moon is facing the ocean. Low tide is when the moon is facing away from the oeacn.

Independent Practice--Level 2

1. To individually practice and to gain better control of the vocabulary discussed in the lesson, provide the students with a modified cloze activity in which they

will practice sight word spelling the key words in the pharaphsed paragraph that they heard and retold during the guided practice.

2. Finally, using the graphic organizer that the class made together on the board and their new knowledge of the important terms, have the students write five sentences in a short narrative form. They should include at least 12 of the I 8 key words to explain the ocean movements of waves and tides. These short narratives should be written, corrected, and then rewritten. The final draft should be written nicely on lined paper since it is going to be placed on the final mural to explain waves and tides.

Closure/Evaluation--Level 2

As a final assessment of the students, look at whether or not they were able to meet the writing objectives. If the students were successful and they met your goal then they should have been able to sight word spell at least 7 of the 10 key words and place them in the correct cloze definition sentence. They should also have been able to write three short sentences on tides and waves using at least six of the key words.

Bring the lesson to a close by giving the students a chance to share what they learned. Allow the students an opportunity to read aloud their sentences in the form of a narrative. Finally bring the lesson to a full circle by asking them what they will look for next time they visit the beach. When they respond with ocean movements or waves and tides, tell them that when they see these different ocean movements at the beach, they should think about what is causing what they are seeing.

Level 3

Ocean Movements: Beyond Waves and Tides

Lesson Rationale--Level 3

Students who are learning English as a second language at Level 3 still need a lot of sheltering and modification to understand abstract concepts. At this stage, they speak and understand enough English for communication, but they still have difficulty with everyday class work in English. In particular, they are limited with their reading and writing abilities. In this lesson, the students will build on their English listening and speaking skills, but the focus will be mainly on improving their reading and writing. They will be engaged in reading short, modified narratives on ocean movements and then working with meaning by learning to write the main idea and as well as new endings for these narratives.

Each narrative that the students will work with will help to deepen their level of understanding of ocean movements as they each describe higher levels of content such as how ocean movements affect sea life, tide pools, or pollution. To accomplish this task, the students will be engaged in a short mini-lesson on finding the main idea. The concept of paragraph structure will also be reinforced to help them with these narratives. Finally, they will put to use all of their new knowledge on ocean movements, paragraph writing, and their prior knowledge of a letter format to complete their final writing task, a letter to other students in the school inviting them to see their mural. With continuous sheltering and practice of these skills, these second language learners will eventually be able to make the transition from enough English so they can communicate to the point where they attain full native-like fluency.

Oceans, and in particular ocean movements, are important for students in San Diego to learn about because San Diego lies on the Pacific Ocean. Since students are so close, it opens the doors to exciting learning experiences in which they can go see most of what they learn about, such as the waves and tides in this lesson. In addition, students living near the ocean have the opportunity to see how our oceans affect our environment, and ultimately how our environment impacts our sea life.

Objectives--Level 3

1. Prior to the start of the lesson, the students will be able to work on their speaking skills by orally sharing at least one thing about their experiences with the ocean.

2. After listening to modified narratives on ocean movements, the students will be show that they have listened for meaning by orally describing at least one main idea or a possible ending that would make sense.

3. After listening to modified narratives on ocean movements, the students will be able to orally explain at least two reasons why they have chosen a particular main idea or possible ending for the narratives.

4. After practicing echo reading of short narratives about ocean movements, the students will be able to read the final passage independently for comprehension with 75% accuracy.

5. After reviewing and discussing the meaning of several different narratives as examples, the students will be about to write an ending to a narrative that includes at least eight sentences.

6. Overall, the students will be able to apply what they learned about ocean movement through the narratives, and their knowledge of paragraphs and the letter format, to write a letter of at least eight sentences to other classrooms in the school explaining why they should come to see our class mural on ocean movements and what they will learn by coming.

Anticipatory Set--Level 3

Before the lesson begins, I motivate the students to be interested in learning about ocean movement by engaging them in a conversation in which they all have the opportunity to share about their experiences at the beach and with the ocean. I structure the conversation so that I am guiding them to talk about the ocean movements, in particular the waves and the tides. Use prompting questing to guide them thought the thought process. Some questions may include: Have you ever seen the ocean water extremely far away from the end of the beach? Have you seen the ocean water up so high on the beach that it is covering most of the sand? Why or how does the ocean do this? These questions begin the critical thinking process that I continue throughout the lesson. The students' responses also allow me to assess their level of prior knowledge and experiences, and their facility with vocabulary related to the topic.

After all of the students have had an opportunity to share their experiences, explain to the students that today they will be learning more about the ocean movements and why the ocean water moves. Finally, to further motivate the students, remind them that when the unit is over they will be visiting the ocean and looking at the movements that they are going to be learning about.

Instruction/Presentation--Level 3

I . Teach the students the critical thinking skill of finding the main idea or what the narrative is about. Use modified narratives about ocean movements to teach the students how to listen for the main idea.

2. Once the passage is read once by the teacher, have the students echo read the same narrative.

3. Model for the students how to find the main idea of the narrative.

4. Then model for the students how to create an ending for the narrative. Explain why that ending would make sense. Provide the students with a different ending that would not make sense and explain why.

5. Lead the students in a discussion of the paragraph structure. Use the narrative from above that the students are now familiar with, to describe the paragraph structure and illustrate that the main idea is what the paragraph is about.

Guided Practice--Level 3

I . Let the students now that now it is their turn to find the main idea of the narrative and to create an ending.

2. First read the passage to the students and have them listen for the main idea.

3. Then echo read the same narrative by giving each student a copy of the narrative to read from.

4. Engage in a discussion of the main idea. Have the students explain why it is the main idea. Can they find evidence from the narrative that supports their main idea?

5. Continue on by discussing possible endings for the narrative. Again the students must explain why that ending could make sense.

6. Informally assess the students understanding of the narrative up to this point. Are they reading for meaning? Are they able to express the main idea and possible endings? Do they understand the information about the ocean movements that the narrative is providing in the context of a story? If so, then they can move on to independent practice where they will be given another narrative on ocean movements to do on there own. If not, guide the students with finding the main idea and possible ending through another narrative.

Independent Practice--Level 3

1. Give the students the independent narrative about how ocean movements affect sea life to read on their own. After they read the narrative, they are to use the blank lines that fill the rest of the paper to write at least eight sentences to finish the narrative. These narratives will be posted around the class mural.

2. Using the letter format that they have learned recently, have the students write a letter to the other classrooms in the school inviting them to come to our classroom to see our mural on ocean movements. (Make sure to point out the letter format poster hanging on the wall. Quickly have the students reread the learning poster that they made while learning the letter writing format.) Tell the students that the letter should include at least eight sentences to explain why other classrooms should come and what they will learn. Once the letters are written, edited and rewritten, then the students may distribute them to the other classrooms.

Closure/Evaluation--Level 3

As a final evaluation of the students understanding of ocean movements, read and help the students edit their letters to the other classrooms. What the students understand about ocean movements will be revealed from the letter where they write why the other classrooms should come and what they will learn by coming. Also, evaluate the students understanding of ocean movements by looking at their narrative and their creative ending that they had to make up.

To finally close the lesson, allow the students an opportunity to share their possible endings to the narrative to the rest of the class. Bring the lesson to a full circle by having them describe the ocean movements in their narratives, as well as how it affects our sea life.

Level 4

Ocean Movements: Beyond Waves and Tides

Lesson Rationale--Level 4

Students who are learning English as a second language, with Level 4 language abilities, are at an intermediate fluency level in English. This allows them to develop academic concepts and vocabulary in the content areas. However, they are not completely ready for full instruction in an English mainstream classroom where all students are taught assuming that they are fully proficient in English (Level 5 FSI). These students need specialized strategies of SDAIE as well as some support in their LI. In this lesson on ocean movements, these Level 4 students will learn with the support of some of these SDAIE strategies. They include scaffolded texts, graphic organizers, note taking, and large visuals through chart paper. In addition, they will continue practicing their listening and speaking skills, but the focus will be mainly on improving their reading and writing.

These goals will be accomplished by engaging the students in reading, outlining and writing new stories about various things that have occurred as a result of the ocean movements. Each news story that the students will work with will help to deepen their level of understanding of ocean movements as they each describe higher levels of content such as how ocean movements affects sea life or water transportation. In addition, the final activity will end with the students writing their own news story in which they have to synthesis what they learned to write about the news headline, "The Oceans Stopped Moving Today." With continuous support and use of SDAIE strategies to complete these tasks, these second language learners, within a few years, will eventually be able to make the transition from enough specialized instruction to mainstream English instruction.

Since students are so close, it opens the doors to exciting learning experiences in which they can go see most of what they learn about, such as the waves and tides in this lesson. In addition, students living near the ocean have the opportunity to see how our oceans affect our environment, and ultimately how our environment impacts our sea life.

Objectives--Level 4

1. After listening to pretend modified new stories on ocean movements, the students will be show that they have listened for meaning by orally contributing at least three main ideas to the group's notes and graphic organizer.

2. After discussing the important information from the modified new stories on ocean movements, the students will orally present to the class their own creative news story.

3. After practicing echo reading the news stories about ocean movements, the students will be able to read and outline, with 75% accuracy, the final news story with their partner.

4. After modeling how to rewrite news stories, the students will be able to rewrite in at least ten sentences their own news story.

5. Overall, the students will be to use what they learned about ocean movement through the new stories to write, with at least ten sentences, their own creative news story with the headline, "The Oceans Stopped Moving Today" to describe the effects that an nonmoving ocean would have on our beaches, ocean life, and transportation.

Anticipatory Set--Level 4

Before the lesson begins, motivate the students about ocean movement by engaging them in a conversation in which they all have the opportunity to share about their experiences at the beach and with the ocean. Structure the conversation so that you are guiding them to talk about the ocean movements, in particular the waves and the tides. Use prompting questing to guide them thought the thought process. Some questions may include, have you ever seen the ocean water extremely far away from the end of the beach? Have you seen the ocean water up so high on the beach that it is covering most of the sand? Why or how does the ocean do this? After all of the students have had an opportunity to share their experiences, explain to the students that today they will be learning more about the ocean movements and why the ocean water moves. Finally, to further motivate the students, remind them that when the unit is over they will be visiting the ocean and looking at the movements that they are going to be learning about.

Instruction/Presentation--Level 4

I . Have the students listen to a short, modified news story about ocean movements and how they affect sea life. While the teacher is reading, have the students listen for the main points in the story.

2. Once the passage is read once by the teacher, reread the passage again, this time echo reading with the students.

3. On large chart paper, model for the students how to take notes. Go through each part of the news story and model for the students how to pull out the important information.

4. Once all of the important information is pulled from the story, teach the students how they can further organize the information by placing it into a graphic organizer.

Guided Practice--Level 4

I . Guide the students into reading and organizing another sample news story about how ocean movements affect our water transportation and trading.

2. First read the news story to the students and have them listen for the main points.

3. Then echo read the same news story by giving each student a copy of the new story to read from.

4. On chart paper, engage in a discussion of how they are to organize their notes, Have the students explain what the main idea of the news story is. Reread through each section of the news story. Stop and allow the students to pull out all of the important points to write in their notes.

5. Once all of the notes are taken, allow the students an opportunity to organize the information into a graphic organizer. Create this new graphic organizer on chart paper. Each student should be orally contributing at least three ideas to notes and the organizer.

6. As a group, guide the students into rewriting this news story in their own words. Use the same information from the notes and the graphic organizer. As the students are dictating, teacher models writing the story on the large chart paper.

7. Informally assess the students understanding of the reading, writing and understanding of news stories. Do they understand the content of ocean movements that is taught through the context of the new story? Are they able to express the main ideas in the notes and graphic organizer? As a group are they able to write their own news story using this information. If so, then they can move on to independent practice where they will be writing their own new story related to ocean movements. If not, guide the students in reading and organizing another news story.

Independent Practice--Level 4

I . Give the students another news story to read on their own. Using the same outlining and organizing strategies that they just did with the whole group, allow the students to work with partners to do the same with this new news story.

2. Then independently, have the students rewrite that same news story using their notes and graphic organizer. This writing can be modeled directly after the news story that they did as a group.

3 . As the final project that will be posted up around the mural, have the students write a news story of their own. The news story has to answer this news headline, "The Oceans Stopped Moving Today." In their story, have them describe the effects that a nonmoving ocean would have on our beaches, ocean life, and transportation. This news story has to be at least ten sentences.

Closure/Evaluation--Level 4

As a final evaluation of the students understanding of ocean movements, read their notes and new stories given to them during independent practice. Were they able to pull out all of the important information from the news story and then rewrite the story in a way that makes sense? Were they able to create a news story on their own, in which they explained what the affects would be if the ocean stopped moving? What the students understand about ocean movements will be revealed through these new stories.

To finally close the lesson, allow the students an opportunity to orally share their creative news stories with the class. All students should present their stories as a way to practice their speaking skills. Finally bring the lesson to a full circle by having the students tell how essential the ocean movements are.

Word Bank

*Students are expected to master the concepts and vocabulary for their level as well as the easier levels.

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

waves tides sea life shore

ocean high tide tide pools ashore

water low tide pollution Blue Whale

to rise Earth oil spill rescue

to fall moon recreation wash up onto

energy force disaster transportation

big gravity harmtrading, to trade

tall sandfacing (away from)

goods

surfers beach mess to contaminate

Paraphrased Text

Paraphrased Paragraph on Ocean Water Movement: Waves and Tides Adapted from The New Exploring Science Green Book by Blecha, Gega, and Green.

• Level I - The focus is on the paragraph on waves

• Level 2 - The focus is on the paragraph on tides

The water in the ocean is always moving. You may be wondering what makes the water move. Two main types of ocean water movement are waves and tides. Waves are one movement of the ocean water. Waves are the rise and fall of the ocean water. They are caused by the wind. The waves are bigger when there is more wind. The more wind produces more energy. This gives more power to make the waves taller. Surfers ride the waves in the ocean. They need wind to make tall waves to surf on. When there is no wind, there are no waves for the surfers to ride.

The wind causes waves. The moon causes the tides. The moon has a force called gravity. This force pulls on the Earth. When the ocean is facing the moon, the moon pulls on the ocean water. Its pulls on the ocean because the ocean is a very large body of water. This pull is strong enough to make the water rise. When the water rises, it is called a high tide. When the moon is not facing the ocean, there is no gravity pulling the water. The water that had risen before now falls. This is called a low tide. It is easy to tell if it is a high or low tide. When you go to the beach, look at the sand on the beach. It is a high tide when there is almost no sand on the beach, only water. It is a low tide when there is a big beach with a lot of sand.

Sample News Story For use with Level 4

Blue Whale Found on La Jolla Beach

Last night a large blue whale was washed ashore on the beach in La Jolla. This morning lifeguards on the beach found the blue whale. It was dead on the sand. Lifeguards think that the water from the high tides carried the whale on to the shore. One lifeguard told reporters, "When the tides are high, it can bring dead sea life onto the beach." The animal rescue team is now waiting for the low tides to come. They need the low tides because when the tides are low, the water falls far back off the sand. Then they can drive the rescue trucks on the sand to take away the whale. Unfortunately, the ocean's tides brought in a large mess to pick up.

Paraphrasing Warmer

Aim: to develop students' paraphrasing skills

Target Audience: students

Relevance to KET: Reading and Writing, Parts 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7

Organisation: whole class

Materials needed: none

1. Begin by asking students how they can describe something when they don't know the exact word. Introduce or practise the following structures:

• It's made of… • It's used for… • It's the same as… • It's the opposite of... • It's big, small, round, soft etc.

2. Ask for a volunteer to sit in a chair facing the rest of the class, with their back to the board.

3. On the board write a word that the whole class knows e.g. restaurant.

4. The class has to help the volunteer guess the word by explaining it to them, saying things like 'you go there to eat', 'there is a good one next to the school', 'Italian ones are my favourite'.

5. Repeat with a different volunteer and a new word.

To make it more difficult, the student has to spell the word when they have guessed it.

Missing Word Jigsaw

Aim: to develop students' paraphrasing/defining skills

Target Audience: students

Relevance to KET: Reading and Writing, Parts 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7

Organisation: pairs

Materials needed: worksheets given here, or your own

1. Play Paraphrasing Warmer first, to teach students the principle behind this activity.

2. Then put students in pairs, facing each other. Ask students in each pair to decide who is A and who is B.

3. Give the As the A handout and the Bs the B handout. Tell them not to look at each others' paper.

4. Explain that where they see a gap, their partner will help them fill it by explaining the missing word to them. Their partner will not say the exact word. Underlined words in the text show where their partner has a gap, and they must explain these words to their partner in the same way.

5. Go round listening and helping as necessary.

6. During feedback, discuss which words were difficult to explain and why.

Alternative Procedure

Divide students into two groups, A on one side of the room and B on the other. Give out the handouts. Explain the task as in point 4. Then ask each group to work out the paraphrases together, orally. When they are ready, ask each A to find a B and then do the activity.

Missing Word Jigsaw A

Read this article about a doctor. When you see a gap, your partner will help you find the right word. Your partner will not say the exact word! When you see a word in bold, explain it to your partner so that your partner can guess what it is. Do not say the exact word!

At school, I.....................science more than English or maths and I passed the exams easily. Even before I started school, I wanted to be a doctor, so I decided to study medicine at Oxford University. For the next two years, I studied hard and went to..................... For the next three, I also helped doctors at the John Radcliffe Hospital four days a week. The days there seemed very long and sometimes the work was....................., but it was easy and I learnt more there than in the classroom. My last year of studying was at Harvard Medical School in the United States.

Now I live in London and work at a hospital in the.....................of the city. My working hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 5.30pm, and every fourth day I have to work at the hospital all night and the next day too. I also work every fourth ..................... and that's when I feel very tired!

I earn £20,000 a.....................- not much if you think about the hours! I'll earn more later, so I don't mind. Life in a big hospital can be difficult, but I love working with people and I feel happiest when I can help them.

Missing Word Jigsaw BRead this article about a doctor. When you see a gap, your partner will help you find the right word. Your partner will not say the exact word! When you see a word in bold, explain it to your partner so that your partner can guess what it is. Do not say the exact word!

At school, I liked science more than English or maths and I passed the exams easily. Even before I started school, I wanted to be a doctor, so I decided to study medicine at Oxford University. For the next two years, I.....................hard and went to classes. For the next three, I also helped doctors at the John Radcliffe Hospital four days a.....................The days there seemed very long and sometimes the work was boring, but it was.....................and I learnt more there than in the classroom. My last year of studying was at Harvard Medical School in the United States.

Now I live in London and work at a .....................in the south of the city. My working hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 5.30pm, and every fourth day I

have to work at the hospital all night and the next day too. I also work every fourth weekend and that's when I feel very.....................!

I earn £20,000 a year - not much if you think about the hours! I'll earn more later, so I don't mind. Life in a big hospital can be ....................., but I love working with people and I feel happiest when I can help them.

Reading and Writing Skills and Strategies in KET

Aim: to establish what reading and writing skills students need for the KET exam

Target Audience: teachers

Relevance to KET: all parts of the Reading and Writing paper

Organisation: small groups or pairs

Materials needed: 1 copy of worksheet per small group / pair; 1 copy of Reading and Writing Skills and Strategies in KET for each participant

1. Establish the idea of what is meant by text types by eliciting briefly from the group some different text types that they read and write in their everyday lives.

2. From the list they give you, discuss whether one or two of them are the type of text they would expect their KET-level students to be able to read or to write.

3. Divide the group into small groups or pairs and give out the skills worksheet. Allow some time for them to discuss whether they think these are reasonable expectations for KET-level students, or if any of these text types would need to be simplified.

4. Discuss the group's answers and ideas for how and where teachers can find these types of text in your country/region.

Answers

Read...

a novel No, unless it was a simplified reader

a newspaper article Yes, if it was simplified

a street sign Yes

some information in a tourist office Yes

labels on clothes/food Yes

instructions on medicine bottles Yes

information in a junior encyclopaedia Yes, especially if it was simplified

Write...

a report No

a composition No

a story No

a postcard Yes

a formal letter No

a note to a friend or acquaintance Yes

Skills and Strategies

Which of the following could we reasonably expect a student at KET level to be able to do?

Read...

a novel

a newspaper article

a street sign

some information in a tourist office

labels on clothes/food

instructions on medicine bottles

information in a junior encyclopaedia

Write...

a report

a composition

a story

a postcard

a formal letter

a note to a friend or acquaintance

Gappy Definitions

Aim: to give practice with definitions

Target Audience: students

Relevance to KET: Reading and Writing, Part 6

Organisation: pairs

Materials needed: worksheets

1. Remind students about the content of Part 6 of the exam.

2. Explain that they are going to do an adapted Part 6, where they have to find the answer to the definition, but to make it more difficult they also have to fill a gap in the definition.

3. Give out the handout and let students work out the answers in pairs.

4. Ask students to think of two or three more jobs and try to write their own definitions with gaps. These can then be passed around for the rest of the class to try.

Gappy Definitions Worksheet 1

Can you find the word for each definition? They are all jobs.

Which word is missing in each definition?

1. I show customers the _________ and bring them their food. w _ _ _ _ _

2. People _________to my shop to buy medicine. c_ _ _ _ _ _

3. I will repair your car ______ you. m _ _ _ _ _ _ _

4. If you ______ to change the colour of your roomI will do it for you.

p_ _ _ _ _ _

5. I help my boss by answering the phone,_________ letters and making appointments.

s_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

1. waiter (menu)

2. chemist (come)

3. mechanic (your)

4. painter (want)

5. secretary (writing)

Split Dialogue

Aim: to help students' awareness of appropriate responses in spoken English

Target Audience: students

Relevance to KET: Reading and Writing, Part 3

Organisation: pairs

Materials needed: worksheets A and B, or your own along the same lines

1. Set the scene by telling students they are going to work on a dialogue where two friends, Gordon and Marie, meet in a street.

2. Ask for some ideas on what they might talk about.

3. Divide the class in half, one side A the other side B

4. Explain the task carefully as it is complicated! 'A's can see what Gordon says, and 'B's can see what Marie says. They should work in pairs to write the missing half of the dialogue only on a separate sheet of paper.

5. When everyone has finished, each student should have a sheet of paper with half a dialogue on it. To avoid 'cheating' later, ask students to hand in the original halves of

dialogue that you gave them. Now match up each 'A' student with a 'B' student. They should read out their dialogue and see how well it matches.

6. This is usually a funny activity as the two halves rarely match perfectly. When students have finished, hand back their copies so they can sit down with their new partner and compare their dialogue with the original.

7. During feedback, go over why certain things did not match and explain the importance of looking at what comes after as well as before the gap.

Split Dialogue A

What does Marie say?

Gordon: Hi, Marie. How are you?

Marie:

Gordon: I'm fine. That's a lovely sweater you're wearing. Where did you buy it?

Marie:

Gordon: It looks very expensive.

Marie:

Gordon: Do you know where he bought it?

Marie:

Gordon: Is that the shop next to the pizza restaurant?

Marie:

Gordon: Do they sell sweaters for men?

Marie:

Gordon: Good. I must go and have a look.

Split Dialogue B

What does Gordon say?

Gordon:

Marie: I'm fine, thanks, Gordon. How are you?

Gordon:

Marie: I didn't. My brother gave it to me for my birthday.

Gordon:

Marie: Yes, he always buys me nice things.

Gordon:

Marie: No, I don't. He didn't tell me, but he often buys things from New Look.

Gordon:

Marie: No, it's on the other side of the road.

Gordon:

Marie: Oh, I'm sure they do. They have clothes for everyone.

Gordon:

Written Conversations

Aim: to practise making appropriate responses in spoken English

Target Audience: students

Relevance to KET: Reading and Writing, Part 3

Organisation: pairs

Materials needed: blank paper, pens

1. Make sure each student has a blank sheet of paper in front of them.

2. Tell students they have just bumped into an old friend in the street. What would they say? They should write down exactly what they would say on their piece of paper.

3. When everyone has finished, ask them to pass their papers to the person on their left.

4. Ask students to read what is on the page in front of them, and to write their reply down, as if they were speaking.

5. They then pass the paper back to the person on their right who gave it to them.

6. The conversation can continue like this as long as students have ideas about what to write, (usually 4-6 exchanges).

7. When everyone has finished, mix up the dialogues for everyone to read. Ask students to correct any errors they find. The teacher can monitor and help at this stage. The best dialogues can be read out for everyone to hear.

Variations

Give students a different person to write to:

• a famous person • a school friend

• your old teacher

For strong students, try giving more challenging situations:

• you have just spilt your drink on someone's new shoes • your team mate just missed an easy goal

• your parents don't want you to go out tonight

Expressing Functions

Aim: to revise ways of expressing certain functions

Target Audience: students

Relevance to KET: Reading and Writing, Part 9 (Part 3 also)

Organisation: pairs

Materials needed: worksheets, or your own along the same lines. The chart could easily be put on the board for studentsto copy.

1. See if students can tell you what suggesting, inviting, accepting, describing mean. Explain if necessary.

2. Get students to give you some examples of each. Give them some suggestions to start off if necessary, e.g. 'shall we', 'what about', 'would you like', 'yes, please', 'I'd love to', 'it's big and yellow'.

3. Give students the worksheets. Ask them to decide what the function of each sentence on the first sheet (Functions Sentences) is and to put them in the right box on the second sheet (Functions Table).

4. Go through the answers.

5. Follow up by asking students to write some notes to each other, using some of the functions they have just seen. Here are a few ideas for notes:

• Invite a friend to lunch • Thank a friend for a present • Write to say why you can't play football today • Describe something you have lost

Remind students to begin with Dear...And finish with From, Love and their name.

6. These can then be swapped around the class for other students to answer (and correct).

Expressing Functions SentencesCan you put these sentences into the right boxes on your handout?

It's black and it's made of leather.

Can you bring it to school tomorrow?

I'll see you outside the cinema on Green Street.

Let's go swimming.

I'd love to come to your house tomorrow.

It's small and round and made of gold.

I think I put it down in the bathroom.

He's tall and thin and wears glasses.

Shall we go shopping on Saturday morning?

I'm free on Tuesday.

She's got long blonde hair and green eyes.

I'll wait for you by the entrance.

The last time I saw it was in your house.

Can you give it to me tonight at the disco?

I'm not busy on Friday afternoon.

Expressing Functions Table

Describing something you lost

•

• Saying where you lost it

•

• Saying how to return it to you

•

• Saying what day you can meet someone

•

•

Saying where you will meet someone

•

• Describing someone

•

• Suggesting what to do

•

• Accepting an invitation

•

Guess the Situation

Aim: to help students' awareness of appropriate responses in spoken English

Target Audience: students

Relevance to KET: Reading and Writing, Part 3

Organisation: pairs and whole class

Materials needed: paper and pens

1. Ask students to come up with a list of possible situations where dialogues might take place and write them on one side of the board (in a bank, shop, airport, railway station, in the street, at home, at school, at work, in a restaurant, in a museum, on the bus etc.).

2. On the other side of the board, put the following words. A problem. A present. An invitation.

3. Invent two characters and put their names on the board. Ask students to choose a situation and one of your three words. Together, build up a dialogue on the board, practising as you go and getting different students to take part each time.

4. When you feel students have had enough practice, put them in pairs to write their own dialogue, using one of the situations and one of the words on the right hand side of the board.

5. Go round and help as necessary. When students have finished, ask them to perform their dialogues for the rest of the class. The class has to guess the situation and the word the pair chose.

6. Give feedback to the whole class on any strong or weak points that came out.

Cut Up Story

Aim: to develop students' awareness of coherence and cohesion in texts

Target Audience: students

Relevance to KET: Reading and Writing, Parts 4 and 5

Organisation: pairs

Materials needed: a story, cut up into strips. Use the one provided, or make your own.

1. Tell students they are going to read a story called 'The Ring and the Fish'. Ask if they can predict what the story will be about. (But don't give too much away!)

2. Put students into pairs and give each pair one story, cut up into strips.

3. Ask students to work with their partner to put the strips into the right order. Go round the class helping and encouraging.

4. Mix the pairs up and ask them to check each other's work.

5. Read the whole text to them so that they can check their order.

6. Discuss with students how they decided on the right order and go through any difficulties they had.

You could follow this activity up by giving students the questions that go with the text.

Variations

• If you have the right number of students, get each student to memorise a different sentence. They should then try to put themselves in the right order by saying their sentences aloud to each other. (A good activity for a strong class.)

• After working on the story, get students to practice retelling it from memory. This is good for paraphrasing and pronunciation.

The Ring and the Fish

Thomas and Inger, who live in Sweden, are the happiest couple in the world.

Two years ago, they were on a boat a few kilometres from the beach.

Thomas asked Inger to marry him and he gave her a gold ring.

He wanted to put the ring on Inger's finger, but he dropped it and it fell into the sea.

They were sure the ring was lost forever.

That is, until last week, when Mr Carlsson visited them.

He has a fish shop and he found the ring in a large fish which he was cutting up for one of his customers.

The fish thought the ring was something to eat!

Mr Carlsson knew that the ring belonged to Thomas and Inger because inside the ring there were some words.

They were, 'To Inger, All my love, Thomas.'

And so Mr Carlsson gave the ring back to them.

Inger now has two rings. When they lost the first one, Thomas bought Inger another one.

But they think the one the fish ate is the best one.

The Ring and the Fish Task

Read the article about a young man and woman who lost a ring.Are sentences 21-27 'Right' (A) or 'Wrong' (B)?If there is not enough information to answer 'Right' (A) or 'Wrong' (B), choose 'Doesn't say' (C).

Example:

0 Thomas and Inger's home is in Sweden.

A Right B Wrong C Doesn't say

21 Thomas asked Inger to marry him when they were on a boat.

A Right B Wrong C Doesn't say

22 Thomas put the gold ring on Inger's finger.

A Right B Wrong C Doesn't say

23 They returned from their boat trip without the ring.

A Right B Wrong C Doesn't say

24 Mr Carlsson often visited Thomas and Inger.

A Right B Wrong C Doesn't say

25 Mr Carlsson caught the fish.

A Right B Wrong C Doesn't say

26 Mr Carlsson found the ring when he ate the fish.

A Right B Wrong C Doesn't say

27 Thomas and Inger prefer the first ring.

A Right B Wrong C Doesn't say

The Ring and the Fish Answers

Thomas and Inger, who live in Sweden, are the happiest couple in the world. Two years ago, they were on a boat a few kilometres from the beach. Thomas asked Inger to marry him and he gave her a gold ring. He wanted to put the ring on Inger's finger, but he dropped it and it fell into the sea. They were sure the ring was lost for ever.

That is, until last week, when Mr Carlsson visited them. He has a fish shop and he found the ring in a large fish which he was cutting up for one of his customers. The fish thought the ring was something to eat! Mr Carlsson knew that the ring belonged to Thomas and Inger because inside the ring there were some words. They were, 'To Inger, All my love, Thomas'. And so Mr Carlsson gave the ring back to them.

Inger now has two rings. When they lost the first one, Thomas bought Inger another one. But they think the one the fish ate is the best one.

21. A

22. B

23. A

24. C

25. C

26. B

27. A

Definitions

Aim: to practise the language of definitions

Target Audience: students

Relevance to KET: Reading and Writing, Part 6

Organisation: whole class and pairs

Materials needed: some objects, paper and pens

1. Take a bag full of everyday objects (e.g. cork screw, tin opener, tape measure, stapler, camera, binoculars) into the classroom. Hand them round the class.2. Ask students if they know the names of the objects in English. If they don't, how could they explain what they mean?3. Build up the different ways on the board, e.g.You use it to... It's made of.... It's green, red, blue etc. It's hard, soft, round, square, etc. 4. Put students in pairs to play a quick game. One thinks of an object and tries to define it for his/her partner. The partner can guess the object in their own language.ExtensionBuild up a crossword on the board. Begin by making sure students are familiar with crosswords and how they work. Put a word on the board yourself, e.g. INTERNATIONAL. Then ask a student to add a word vertically, using one of the letters in international. Build up a grid of words. Then number them and get students to write definitions in pairs. They can then give the crossword to another class in school to see if they can complete it.Focus on Part 9 Assessment

How is Part 9 assessed?There are 5 marks for Part 9. Candidates at this level are not expected to produce faultless English, but, to achieve 5 marks, a candidate should write a cohesive message which successfully communicates all three parts of the message, with only minor grammatical and spelling errors. A great variety of fully acceptable answers is possible.What is the main focus of assessment?The main focus for assessment is how successfully the three points have been communicated. The accuracy of the language is important and will be rewarded, but it is secondary.

Mark scheme for Part 9

Mark Criteria

5 All three parts of message clearly communicated. Only minor spelling errors or occasional grammatical errors.

4 All three parts of message communicated. Some errors in spelling, grammar and/or punctuation.

3 All three parts of message attempted. Expression may require interpretation by the reader.

Two parts of message are clearly communicated. Only minor spelling errors or occasional grammatical errors.

2 Only two parts of message communicated. Some errors in spelling and grammar. The errors in expression may require patience and interpretation by the reader.

1 Only one part of the message communicated.

0 Question unattempted, or totally incomprehensible response.

Assessment Activity

Assessing candidates performance

Look at this sample Part 9 task (PDF)

Here are four sample answers to the question. What mark, from 0-5, do you think each answer achieved and why?

Now look at the examiners' comments. Do you agree?

Focus on Assessment Sample Answers

Sample 1

Dear Sam, Here is my town, Marina de Pisa. It is a seaside resort near Pisa. It isn't very big, but I think it's so nice! The nicest part of Marina is the seaside front.

On summer holiday, in the evening, I go always there!Francesca

Sample 2

Dear Sam,I lived in a small town, although it was small but lovely. People lived in my town are friendly and nice, they always help each other. I think that's the nicest part of my town. I hope you can come here. By the way I'm not went out in evenings.LoveRuby

Sample 3

Dear Sam,Here is a postcard of my town. It looks like Huesca. The nicest part of my town is the park and every evening my friends and I go to the park.Gloria

Sample 4

Dear Sam,Here is post cart shows you my tawn, it in south.The nicest part is mountains.In evening I go to jungle with my friend.ByeDavid

Focus on Assessment Examiners' Comments

Sample 1

This answer scored 5 marks. All three parts of the message are clearly communicated with only minor errors.

Sample 2

This answer scored 4 marks. All three parts of the message are communicated but there are frequent errors with tenses. It is acceptable that 'the people' should be the nicest part of the candidate's town.

Sample 3

This answer scored 3 marks. Only two parts of the message are communicated. Information about the size of the town is not given.

Sample 4

This answer scored 2 marks. Only two parts of the message are communicated and there are errors in spelling and grammar which require patience on the part of the reader.

KET Reading and Writing Part 1

Task Description

In this task, candidates have to match a sign or notice with a simple paraphrase of its meaning.

What sort of text do candidates have to read?

The kind of signs, notices and labels that we see around us in daily life.

Where do the texts come from?

From roads, railway stations, airports, offices, schools, the street, shops etc.

What skill is being tested?

Understanding the main message of the text.

Understanding the Task

To understand better how students need to approach this task, look at this sample Part 1 from a KET Reading and Writing paper. Complete the task and then consider the questions below.

Sample Part 1 Task (PDF)Answers

Things to Consider

Think about how you approached the task and then say whether the following statements are true or false.

1. One way to get the right answer is to look for the same word in the notice and the sentence (word-spotting).

2. You need to understand every word of the notice to be able to get the right answer.

3. You may need to change your mind about an answer as you go through the task.

4. The two extra notices should make the candidate think hard.