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‘What starts well, ends well’ Giving Effective Instructions and Monitoring Learner Progress Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
‘What starts well,
ends well’
Giving Effective Instructions and
Monitoring Learner Progress
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
In this interactive webinar, we discuss the notion of what ‘activities’ are,
why we use them in the English language classroom, and common
challenges teachers face when setting up activities. Participants will have
an opportunity to consider their current approach, review the stages of
giving effective instructions and experience a variety of approaches to
monitoring learner progress during and after activities. The presenters will
reference TESOL principles, share personal experiences and key
resources that have proven successful when leading activities in their
own classroom contexts.
Abstract
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
About Us
Fiona Wiebusch,
Melbourne – Australia(Senior Teacher – Teacher
Training, ICTE-UQ, Brisbane)
Rufus James,
Leeds – UK(CELTA trainer, Brisbane)
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
Classrooms are active places.
Images: ICTE-UQ EMTP & CLIL training; CELTA training, NEAS conference
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
When we’re new to teaching…
Image: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/what-i-wish-id-known-new-teacher-elena-aguilar
1. You need students to stand in a circle
for a speaking activity.
2. During the activity, you notice two
students are not on task.
3. At the end of the speaking activity, you
ask students to reflect on their progress.
Let’s jump into your classroom:
💡 gestures (instruct)
💡 move closer (monitor)
💡 thumbs up/down (reflect)
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
Today’s Webinar
• Giving Effective Instructions
• Monitoring learner progress during an activity
• Reflecting on learning after an activity
• Resources to review
• Q&A session
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
Definition of an activity (n) /akˈtɪvɪti/
“Something that learners do that _________ them
using or working with _________ to achieve some
specific _________. The outcome may reflect a
_________ outcome (e.g. role playing buying a train
ticket) or it may purely be for the purpose of learning
(e.g. fill in the gaps to find the present perfect).”
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
involves
language
outcome
real-world
Scrivener, J. (2005). Learning Teaching. OUP: Oxford. P73.
A little theory...
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
learners’ willingness to communicate(Brown, 2007)
Teacher roles:
‘Activator’
(Ur, 1996)
successful learners need: input,
interaction, output…(Thornbury, 2014)
14
Previous responses (#AusELT)
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
A successful activity is like a good story.
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
getting attention
setting the scene
giving instructions
interacting
monitoring
correcting
reflecting
connectingchecking
Demo Video - Setting up an activity
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019 Special Guest: Vicki Bos, ICTE-UQ Teacher Trainer
Video 1 – Beginning an activity
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
Activity - Speaking Practice
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019https://eslactive.com/activities/spot-the-difference/
Task: What does the teacher…
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
prepare? say? manage?
purpose,
target language,
materials, etc.
stages,
instructions,
questions, etc.
progress,
behaviours,
outcomes, etc.
Let’s watch video 1 – Beginning an activity
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
Video 1 Review– the beginning
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
prepare? say? manage?
sing to get attention
used gestures
gave praise
(learner willingness)
marker pens
coloured papers
eliciting target language
(is + ing)
Purpose:
speaking practice
pronunciation of target
language
(she’s / she is)
Instruction Check
Questions (ICQs)
to check steps
NOT ‘Do you
understand?’
Simple language
(infinitive verbs)
participant names
(engagement)
Let’s watch video 2 – the middle
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
Video 2 Review – the middle
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
prepare? say? manage?
gave praise
(learner willingness)
addressing Ss use of
target language
moving around quietly
sitting near participants
(not standing over)
taking notes
(for plenary feedback)
post-it notes/pen
(collecting language)
classroom seating
arrangements
+ -
Let’s watch video 3 – the end
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
Video 3 Review – the end
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
prepare? say? manage?
plenary feedback
(focus on language)
transition to next activity
(speaking > writing)
drilling correct forms
checking for task
completion
indicating ‘times up’ with
words and gesture
nominating students to
share examples
classroom seating
arrangements
prioritise errors from
teachers’ notes
plan how to address
errors (strategy)
Activity 1 - Preparing activities
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
Some teacher considerations: Comment
What will my seating arrangement be? Pairs or…? How?
Will I use a student to demonstrate the activity? Who?
Can gestures, the WB, visuals help me to explain?
At what point will I monitor the learners? How?
Should I grade my language? Remember? Script?
Adapted from Thornbury, S. & Watkins, P. (2007). Cambridge CELTA. Unit 4 – Classroom Management.
pairs /
gesture
ask for a
volunteer
4 pens /
miming
near start /
post-it notes
highlight verbs
Advice – find your own style!
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
Vicki Fiona Rufus
Activity 2 – What will I say/do?
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019 Adapted from Thaine, C. (2011). Teacher Training Essentials. CUP
STEP 1 Teacher holds up a worksheet.
STEP 2 Now I want you to match these 8 words...
STEP 3 Teacher points to the left-hand side of the worksheet.
STEP 4 … to the definitions on the right.
STEP 5 Teacher points to the phrases.
STEP 6 There’s one extra definition that doesn’t have a word.
STEP 7 I want you to do this alone and check in pairs after.
STEP 8 OK, then, how many words are there? (Learners: Eight)
STEP 9 And how many definitions are there? (Learners: Nine). Good.
STEP 10 And finally, are you going to do this together? (Learners: No).
STEP 11 Teacher hands out the worksheet. Learners start the task.
say
say
say
say
say
say
say
Advice – sample teacher language
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
Getting attention
3...2….1...
Welcome back, everyone!
Ok, is everyone ready?
Checking Instructions (ICQs)
Can you show your
partner your picture?
When we find a difference,
should we circle it?
Correcting Errors
Remember, for the present
continuous we need is…and..?
Setting the scene
Imagine you are…
In my picture...
Reformulating errors
That’s right but can you say that
in the present continuous?
Reflecting on the task
Can you give me one example
from your conversation?
What was easy/difficult for you?
Sharing purpose
We’re going to do a short
speaking activity to help you
practise our new language...
Praising students
Great, thank you. /
Excellent use of the present
continuous.
Connecting to next task
That’s the end of our speaking
practice. Now, let’s use the
present continuous in
a writing activity.
Activity 3 – How will I manage?
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019 Adapted from Thornbury, S. & Watkins, P. (2007). Cambridge CELTA. Unit 4 – Classroom Management.
Classroom Management Agree Disagree
Start giving instructions, even if the learners are still
talking – time is precious.
Avoid using too many gestures – they can be
distracting for learners.
Don’t point at the learners – it can seem
aggressive.
Demonstrating activities is sometimes better than
explaining activities.
Instruction Check Questions (ICQ) should be
challenging for learners to answer.
Webinar Summary
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
YouTube – watch others giving instructions!
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019 Source: http://bit.ly/BBCInstructions
Film yourself – focus, watch, share if you dare!
Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019 https://www.swivl.com/classroom-setup/
Open Access Resources 1
Activities Giving Instructions
OneStopEnglish - downloadables BBC Learning English - Teacher’s Room
Teaching English.org - Teaching Teens The Big List of Giving Instructions - TEFLTastic
BBC Skillswise English - lessons Future Learn Course - Giving Instructions
Open Access Resources 2
Supporting Learner Progress Teacher Talk (CPD)
Teaching English - Monitoring article TESOL Teacher Talk - Facebook
Edutopia - Formative Assessment activities #AusELT - Facebook, blog & Twitter
Reflective activities English Australia Webinar Library
38Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
Webinar Exit Ticket
39Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
Digital Exit Ticket
40Fiona Wiebusch and Rufus James I 29 May 2019
References
Brown, H. D. (2001). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy. White
Plains, NY: Longman.
Nunan, D (1995). Language Teaching Methodology. Phoenix ELT
Scrivener, J. (2005). Learning teaching: A guidebook for English language teachers. (2nd ed.). Oxford:
Macmillan.
Thaine, C. (2011). Teacher Training Essentials - Workshops for Professional Development. Cambridge
University Press, UK.. ISBN 9781139230599
Thornbury, S. (2014). Ed-tech: The Mouse that Roared. #AusELT.com
Thornbury, S. & Watkins, P. (2007). The CELTA Course. CUP. Unit 4 – Classroom Management.
Ur, P. (1996) A Course in English Language Teaching - Practice and theory. CUP.
