29th May for 1st June 2019
Today, two classes at level 4. The first is a substitution; I don’t know the students, but on the other hand, I’ll be able to recycle or adapt exiting material to plan the lesson.
The second class is my usual group, from 10.10 – 12.10.
Today should be better as I have stopped my Level 1 class (nineteen students of screamers, shouters, special needs, no motivation, no memory, no idea why there are in a classroom being spoken to by a strange man in a strange language and, of course, some very sweet, well-behaved students who, unfortunately, are being restricted in their learning by the amount of classroom management I have to do). I’m just covering this first class for a week, and I have to do a review of their last two units.
As a warm up, I’ll ask the students what they know about London, maybe using some Google images to help them (possibly British food, Sherlock Holmes, a London football club, a street market).
Recent units have included space exploration, future careers and travel so I’ll kick off with a familiar children’s guide to London:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrJNIUp2izQ
I will stop the video at key places and elicit responses, and to board new vocabulary. The students will be made to write down new vocabulary and then use them throughout the lesson.
Next up, a board write – small boards are handed out to groups and they have to write down answers. Points for the first team to finish. The questions can be about space (but must be taken from the class book, nothing too advanced).
What do you call a person who travels in space ?
Is that a man or a woman ?
Are people heavier or lighter in space ?
How do people get into space /
What is the ISS ?
Why is this man floating ?
To cleanse the palette, a quick kinetic activity. I shall hide six flash cards around the room and ask the students in pairs, to avoid a stampede, to find them. Instead of asking directly I will give them clues, e.g. if you want to buy something, you need this paper (money), after swimming, you use these to get dry (towels).
Next activity, I prepare four information sheets for the students about New York, London, Norway and Venice. The students, in small groups, will then have to present their city and answer questions. I shall awards points for good questions, to encourage the students to speak.
Julie lives in New York
She is a scientist
She wants to see a show
She takes a taxi
She brings lots of money
Next weekend, she will fly to London and stay in a hotel
Peter lives In London
He is an actor
He wants to ride a horse
He takes a bus
He brings a towel and extra clothes
Next weekend, he will go to the beach and swim in the sea
Anna lives in Norway
She is an astronaut
She is on holiday.
She takes the ferry to get home
She wants to go climbing and swimming
She goes to space by Space Shuttle.
Martin is on holiday in Venice
He is a journalist
He lives in Berlin, Germany. He is going home next Tuesday.
In Venice, he travels by gondola
He wants to see famous paintings
He likes to go on boat tours
The questions from the other students can use the patterns they have learnt, such as, “When is he going ?”, “What will she do ?”, “How will he get there ?” etc.
This should be enough activity before the book work and checking. Hopefully it will be a gentle way into my heaviest day, three classes of young learners. Hopefully …
Thay Paul's Notes 