Date post: | 10-Jul-2015 |
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Education |
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A Student-Centered Learning Approach for Developing Depth of Understanding for Key Terms of Vocabulary or Concepts
The Natural Approach is all about using language in meaningful communication.
This happens easily when you give students tasks to complete – if those tasks require
them to communicate with others in order to complete the task.
OBJECTIVES: The students will - Discuss the meanings of teacher-selected key
terms of vocabulary or concepts for a unit or cumulative review
Analyze and discuss what the selected terms have in common, allowing them to deepen their
understanding of the terms and concepts
AGE RANGE: very adaptable
SUBJECT / COURSE: very adaptable to any subject material or any ESL level (beyond absolute beginner)
PREPARATION
Choose the terms you want students to analyze.
Ideas for beginners: foods, clothing, occupations, etc.
Ideas for advanced: literary elements (metaphors, similes, foreshadowing, personification, etc.), characters from a story, genres of writing
Choose terms to which your students have already been
introduced.
In this activity, you want to increase their comfort level with the terms
and increase their depth of understanding of the terms.
We want to push students just a little beyond their comfort level
(+1) to help them grow linguistically.
Remember the +1 principle.
PROCEDURE
Put students in groups of 3-5. Have them arrange themselves so they can work together. Give each group one
set of cards
Option 1: Teacher-assigned topic categories
You then tell students to group the cards into categories which YOU have selected in advance. For
example. . .
Peas
Bana
nas
Gr apes
Pot at oesGreen BeansWat er melonOr anges
ApplesLet t uce
Tomat oes
Past aBr eadRice
Peas
Bana
nas
Gr apes
Pot at oes
Green BeansWat er melonOr anges
ApplesLet t uce Tomat oes
Past aBr eadRice
Will students in the group all agree? Probably not. Is that okay? YES! It will encourage discussion!
“Make one group of foods that are best COOKED and one group of
foods that are best RAW.”
MEANINGFUL discussion is the BEST thing that happens in this
activity.
Tomat oes
No, tomatoes are a LOT
better raw!
Best COOKED Best RAWPeasBananas
Gr apes
Pot at oes
Green Beans
Wat er melonOr anges
ApplesLet t uce
Tomat oes
Past a
Br eadRice
Some of this is opinion. How do I know if they the students did it
correctly?
http://superspark.wordpress.com/2007/02/16/
Tomat oes
http://www.kitchenconnaisseur.com/recipe_result.php?&rid=85
Apples
http://www.roadfood.com/recipephotos/mini_29.jpg
MS clip art
Bananas
http://www.ladylunchalot.com/wp-content/banana%20fritters.jpg
MS clip art
Remember: The goals are analytical thinking and authentic
language use.
So if they can justify their answers, they
are correct!
Option 2: Student-chosen categories
Teacher
Doct
or
St one Mason
EngineerSt or e OwnerLawyerBaker
Far merCar pent er
Paint er
Bar berMovie Act orExpor t er
In this option, you let students decide categories into which they can divide
the cards.
Teacher
Far mer
Doct
or Baker
Engineer
Expor t er
St one Mason
St or e Owner
Movie Act orPaint er
Bar ber
“Look over your set of cards. Then decide 2 (or 3 or 4)
categories into which you can place almost all of your cards.
Put them in groups and be prepared to explain how you
divided your cards.”
Lawyer
Car pent er
The students may come up with categories like:
Teacher
Doct
or
St one Mason
EngineerSt or e OwnerLawyerBaker
Far merCar pent er
Paint er
Bar berMovie Act orExpor t er
high salary medium salary low salary
lots of training some training very little training