Teaching English as a Foreign Language - Assignment Example

Teaching English as a Foreign Language Affiliation Table of Contents 0Introduction 2 2.0Body 3 2.1Question4 3 2 1Step 1 3 2.1.2Step 2 3 2.1.3Step 3 3 2.1.4Step 4 4 2.1.5Step 5 4 2.1.6Step 6 4 2.1.7Step 7 5 2.1.8Step 8 5 2.1.9Step 9 5 2.1.10Step 10 6 2.2Question 5 6 This section of the report will identify a plan for a forty-minute lesson that intends to help elementary group of European students aged between 14 – 18 on how to use ‘have got’/’has got’ when talking about families. For instance, the statement ‘I’ve got two sisters and one brother’. Another example will be Yes/no questions such as ‘Have you got any brothers? Yes, I have. I’ve got two.’ The last sample that will be used will be information questions, such as ‘How many sisters have you got?’ 6 2.2.1Explain The Expressions 6 2.2.2Use Images 6 2.2.3Use Pictures with Student’s Vocabulary 7 2.2.4Encourage Students to use Target Language 7 2.2.5Class Practice 7 2.2.6Provide Script 7 2.2.7Descriptive Learning 8 2.2.8Short passages 8 2.2.9Play Game 8 2.2.10Homework 8 3.0Conclusion 8 4.0Bibliography 9 1.0 Introduction TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) is a lucrative field of study as more people are enrolling around the world to learn how to communicate in English. However, for the endeavor to be effective, specific step and plans have to be followed. This report will provide a discussion into various aspects of TEFL that elementary level student may have to use if they are to successfully learn the English language. The first section of the report’s body will discuss a lesson plan that intends to help twelve students learn the English language. The discussion will involve pointing out the most effective sections in helping the students learn the language. The discussion will also help point out how the plan can be modified to ensure efficiency in the learning process. The second part of the body will help identify the best ways in which a forty-minute lesson can be used to impart knowledge with regards to the English language, on the students in question. 2.0 Body 2.1 Question4 As stated in the term paper, a plan has been provided to teach the elementary students. This section of the report should provide details the effectiveness of the plan, as well as provide suggestion as to which steps can be followed to ensure that the learning process is successful. 2.1.1 Step 1 The first step is to explain how the expressions has got, is constructed, telling the students how it is used is the first step according to the plan provided in this question. Explaining how groups of words are used to individuals who have never used those words can be an uphill task. However, when combined with phases of the local language used by the target students, the lesson can be quite easy. This will help the students to relate to the meaning of the phrase ‘has got’, and understand how it is used1. The explanations process should be as simple as possible. The teacher needs to encourage the students to ask questions whenever they find that they do not understand the lesson. This will provide the teacher with the chance to correct any misunderstanding on the part of the students. 2.1.2 Step 2 The use of several images as a tool to teach the students the meaning of ‘have got’ and ‘has got’ is particularly effective in that it helps the students relate with visible element. This step is effective because the students can relate with a visible object rather than have an ideology with regards to the statement in question. Having several images is also efficient because it ensures that the students can obtain different perspectives of how the two terms can be used differently. The best way to use such images would be to use images that are familiar to the students. For instance, the teacher can use images of people familiar to the students such as local stars or leaders2. 1. Donald Snow, ‘From Language Learner to Language Teacher: An Introduction to Teaching English As a Foreign Language’. Alexandria, Va: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), 2007. P. 38 2. ibid, P. 40 2.1.3 Step 3 Using images can be altered in a way that the teacher can formulate statements that make use of ‘have got’ and ‘has got’ describing a particular image. The teacher pointing out a particular statement and requesting the students to point to the image that corresponds to the formulated stamen ensures that the students have understood the specific meaning of the statement3. This step can also help identify any weakness that the students have in the lesson in question. Correction is simple, as the teacher will tell the students the correct relationship, which can be used for future reference. Images are said to have a bigger impact in comparison to words. This is more true when the individuals learning the lesson in question are new to it. Foreign learners will have an easier time when images used to teach them about the English language are local in nature. 2.1.4 Step 4 Encouragement is a very important tool when introducing any form of new knowledge to an individual. By encouraging the students, to make use of target language when pointing to a picture, it will ensure that the students are learning the use of the phrases in question from their own understanding4. It also ensures that the learning process benefits from making mistakes. Most probably, when the students formulate the statements, they will make mistakes. Therefore, the encouragement is a positive reinforcement strategy that will ensure that the students learn from their mistakes instead of cramming the meaning and use of the statement within a sentence. Positive reinforcement will also include applauding a student when they learn the new sentence structure without the intervention of their teacher. This is effective when the student immediately performs well. The reinforcement should be done such that the student understands that they are being appreciated for their success in that particular lesson. 2.1.5 Step 5 Class practice is also crucial in that it ensures that the students learn from one another. English as a language is diverse. Pairing the students in a way that the better performing students have a partner who performs better than they do will ensure that the efficiency of the lesson is double. A single teacher can only teach much5. However, when the teacher makes use of pairs, several other implementations of the lesson in question is made possible. The teacher is therefore able to ensure that he/she can cover more ground than possible. One way that this step can be improved is by making use of pairs from different levels of the class. Students that are advanced in comparison to the current students will help in boosting their confidence by seeing that other students are performing as well as other students before them6. 3. ibid, P. 297 4. ibid, P. 543 5. ibid, P. 133 6. ibid, P. 351 2.1.6 Step 6 The script as described in the step will be a conversation between John and Peter who are at a wedding. By having the students read the scripts and understand the meaning of the information in the script will help the students to understand the meaning of the statements. Descriptive scripts help students determine the use of a stamen as the student will be able to see for himself just how one or more of the phrases being learnt can be used differently. A script also allows for the making of the lesson to be an interactive session where the students can ask questions if they do not understand the statement7. To improve this step, the teacher can require the students to role-play. They could dress up in a manner that fits the script in use. This will make the script reading process even more reasonable as it will provide the students with a visual representation of the way in which the statements are applied. 2.1.7 Step 7 Eliciting descriptions from the class on what the girls are wearing could be found to be objective in certain communities. Therefore, this step would require careful approach depending on the target class. However, to require the students to describe the dressing of the teacher will definitely prove effective, as the teacher is not related to on a personal way8. If the teacher can determine that the students can comfortably describe the dressing without having their culture being affected, then it is feasible to use this step. If the teacher determines that the students are comfortable with describing one another, this could prove a very effective way of teaching the lessons in question. The reason behind is that it encourages personal interaction among students. It also elicits cooperation among students who might be shy at the beginning. 2.1.8 Step 8 This step involves providing tape dialogues that have gaps in them. The students are requested to fill in the gaps to successfully complete step. This step encourages the students to realize the ways in which the statements can be used differently. It also allows them to remember and master the ways in which the phrases in question are used9. However, this step can be modified by allowing the students to create the tapes themselves. This can be done in pairs or in groups. The class can present their recordings in class and allow the students to compare each other with regards to their performance. This fosters competition among the students, which is good for the overall learning progress of the students. Dialogues are a way of teaching that will enhance the application of lessons learnt in class. It is the practical application of the lessons learnt in class, and will therefore ensure that the students are practicing the information as taught by their resident teacher. 7. ibid, P. 143 8. ibid, P. 211 9. ibid, P. 29 2.1.9 Step 9 In the ninth step, the students are expected to play a game where they take turns in describing fellow classmates. The student is expected to describe a random student without looking around. The rest of the students will then identify the described student. This, a very effective strategy, allows interaction between the students. By allowing the students to turn the learning process into a game, the step provides the students with the means make fun of something that would potentially be difficult for them to understand. The learning process incorporated in a game ensures that the learning process is easy and exciting. 2.1.10 Step 10 The final step sees the student write down a story that involves the students providing descriptions about people. This is an effective way of determining the performance of the students after the learning process. The teacher will be able to determine to what extent the student has managed to improve their use of the terms learn in class10. The students are also able to learn from their mistakes once they receive their personal results at the end of the class. However, this step can be improved by allowing the students to formulate a script of their own understanding instead of writing a story. This will push the students to think more about the ways in which the phrases learnt in class can be used in first, second, and third person. This perspective provides the students with the ability to show their strengths and weaknesses after their completion of the lesson. 2.2 Question 5 This section of the report will identify a plan for a forty-minute lesson that intends to help elementary group of European students aged between 14 – 18 on how to use ‘have got’/’has got’ when talking about families. For instance, the statement ‘I’ve got two sisters and one brother’. Another example will be Yes/no questions such as ‘Have you got any brothers? Yes, I have. I’ve got two.’ The last sample that will be used will be information questions, such as ‘How many sisters have you got?’ 2.2.1 Explain The Expressions The first part of the lesson will involve gauging the extent to which the students understand the meaning of the statements that will be used to learn the language in class. Therefore, the first step would be to ask the students to answer questions on how they understand the use of ‘have got’ and ‘has got’. This is aimed at gauging the level to which the students understand the use of this statement. It will also allow the teacher to determine the amount of information that the students are ready to receive on that particular lesson. The explanation process needs to be as simple as possible. This is to provide the students with the chance to understand the lesson without any form of confusion from the beginning of the lesson. 10. ibid, P. 79 2.2.2 Use Images The lesson should also incorporate the use of images, images that will have pictures of people in a family setting. The families in the images will require descriptive statements that will determine their looks11. The teacher will the point to the images and request the students to describe the dressings that they are clad in. For instance, the teacher may ask, ‘Does the boy have a hat on?’ to which the students should answer ‘Yes, the boy has got a hat on’. This among other questions that will incorporate information questions such as ‘How many family members do you see on the photo’. 2.2.3 Use Pictures with Student’s Vocabulary The pictures, however, should help the teacher in selecting the questions and statements that will be best understood by the students. This will help in determining the extent to which the students understand the statements in question. The teacher should have formulated several statements that are in line with the images that are being used in the lesson. This will enhance the capability of the student to grasp the meaning of the statements within a family setting from the most basic level. 2.2.4 Encourage Students to use Target Language Target language refers to defining terms that incorporate the descriptive phrases that will be used in the lesson 12. The students will be required to use targeting language, as it will provide students with the ability to determine their strength with regards to the use of the key phrases that will be taught in class. Target language will require the students to actively participate in the lesson. It will also provide the students with a chance to gauge their skills in the English language. The teacher can encourage the students to go through this part of the lessons with fellow student who may know of each other’s families. The advantage of this is that it will provide the students with a chance to realize their mistakes earlier on in the lesson without the help of their teacher. 2.2.5 Class Practice The lesson should proceed to class practice. The teacher should forward ideas on how the classes can combine their knowledge on the lesson and practice it together. There any ways the class can do this, which includes script reading, and storytelling13. This will be focused on the family of the class members. This will help the students relate personally to their own backgrounds and thus make it easy for them to retain information with regards to the lessons learnt. 11. ibid, P. 73 12. ibid, P. 182 13. ibid, P. 387 2.2.6 Provide Script The teacher should also provide a personal script. The script should allow the teacher to provide the students with a lesson that he/she can also internalize. Providing a lesson that is based on information that is personal can enhance the capability of the teacher to ensure that the details and data provided to the class are as detailed as possible. However, it is important to note that this is an optional step in the lesson. This is because some teachers may not necessarily be comfortable sharing such information with their classes. 2.2.7 Descriptive Learning The description process is also very important in the learning process. By providing detailed descriptions of their family members, even without using the lessons being learnt, the students can be able to determine the words that they are comfortable with. That can be the building blocks of the class implementing a learning process. 2.2.8 Short passages Short passages about the family that are based on statements, questions, and general information should be shared with the class. After this, the class should be able to contribute similar sentences that cover the information as mentioned in that respect. Therefore, the class is expected to provide detailed information about their family members as long as they do not infringe on their rights14. 2.2.9 Play Game Playing a game of description that does not have to be true can also provide the class with an interesting way of interacting and making the learning process more exciting. In this case, some of the students may be asked to describe a person in their family using the statements ‘have got’ and ‘has got’. The rest of the class will then be required to determine and/or guess who the student is talking about. A means for rewarding the student who gets it right should be devised to make it more competitive among the students. 2.2.10 Homework At the end of the class, it is important to provide the students with a homework that will ensure that they practice the lessons learnt in class. This is formulated before the lesson is taught in class. Once the teacher in question has completed the class, he/she can provide the students with the required questions/tasks. This should push the students to learn something extra on their own once the class is over. 14. ibid, P. 99 3.0 Conclusion Teaching English as a Foreign Language can be hard, but when the right processes are followed, it can be one of the most enjoyable processes for both the teacher and the students. This report has provided a detailed understanding and discussion of the plan that was provided in question four. It has also provided information that when used will ensure that the plan in question four can be improved and work even better than in was originally intended. The report has also provided a teaching plan for a forty-minute lesson. This plan ensures that the lessons provided to the class in those forty minutes are as comprehensive as possible. It also ensures that the information shared is reliable and easy to understand. TEFL is enhanced by way of following procedures and stipulated tactics that have been proven effective over the years. However, it has also been proven that adapting to changes in environment and culture can improve the efficiency of TEFL. Therefore, this report was also able to find that adaptation to the environment by the teachers in question is key to effective provision of Language to a foreign class. 4.0 Bibliography Snow, D. ‘From Language Learner to Language Teacher: An Introduction to Teaching English As a Foreign Language’. Alexandria, Va: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), 2007. Read More