Teaching the First Class

Aims For trainees to consider the aims of their own first lessons and ways to meet these aims For trainees to build up their repertoire of first lesson activities Warmer Write my typical first-day LP on the board from my first year of teaching and class decides pros and cons (mostly games and GTKY activities) Class discussion of aims of a first lesson and how my old LP meets/doesnt meet them Based on class answers, come up with class list of different options, e.g. use coursebook a lot, dont use coursebook, play games, get to know you, etc. (input other answers as necessary, including the ones in this lesson plan) Class makes possible stages of LP (staging of this session is flexible and should be altered to match trainees LP) GTKY Elicit options, demo one if trainees are interested Greetings game How I got my name Cloud game Class feedback on purpose of these activities Using the coursebook Discussion/Considerations of whether or not to use the coursebook Preview/review activities do demo or just show list Reflection on purpose of these activities learner autonomy, helps with future planning, etc. Study skills Group discussion think of L2 what HW do they enjoy? Find most useful? Learning preferences questionnaire (I dont do this anymore but might still be useful) Discuss/show useful sites for Ss Vocab notebook activity Class projects Why? autonomy, motivation, skills work Options? Book or Film club (show/give HO) Students bring songs Class blog (show Chris) Presentations (speaking and writing) Students bring stories/articles Students bring topics of discussion How? Elicit/make grid according to skills/ranking activity Diagnostics Elicit what/why, which skills we have already worked on Possibilities Pyramid activity with Most difficult areas of English (speaking/writing) Demo pron tongue twisters diagnostics (speaking/pron) Learning English is like (Writing/HW)

 Song (Listening) *If time/Wrap up Groups plan upcoming first lessons using ideas from session and their own

Greeting Question
Hello Hi Hey doin? Yo Yello Hiya

General Names
Man Guy Mate Matie How are you? Hows life? Howre you Hows it goin? Hows tricks? Alright? Hows things? Hows it hangin? Whats happenin? Whats goin on? Whats up? Whats new?
Whatre you sayin?

Answer
Fine Good Pretty good Not bad later Lousy Cant complain Okay day

Question#2
Yourself? You? How about you? What about you?

Goodbye
Bye See you later Later Check you Peace Ciao Have a good Have a good night Have a good one Im out

Not much The usual Same old (same old) Nothin Just kickin it

How I Got My Name Sharing the stories behind peoples names

Think about it Everything is a potential starter for conversation, from everyday events to basic information such as our names. Get it ready Theres nothing to prepare Set it up Write everyones first name on the board, then write the following questions: Does your name have a meaning? Does anyone else in your family have that name? Is it a popular name in Costa Rica? Tell the students to move around and ask each other the questions. Tell them they can ask you the questions too. Let it run

Everyone mingles and asks the questions on the board to at

least three people. appropriate.

You join in, helping with language and generally encouraging, as When they have finished, each person tells the whole class about
how a classmate got their name, until the story behind everyones name has been told. Round it off As a class, discuss the most common and the more unusual reasons for being given a name. As you talk, note on the board any words and phrases you would like to focus on later. Broaden the discussion by asking questions like these: What is the most unusual name you have heard of in Costa Rica? Is it good to be given a very unusual name? Discuss the words and phrases you have noted on the board. Explain, adjust and answer questions, as required. Follow-up For homework, or in the next lesson, everyone writes a short text about How I got my name, using some of the words and phrases that were highlighted and practiced.

Thornbury, S. and Meddings, L. 2009. Teaching Unplugged. England: Delta Publishing. P26.

Coursebook Preview Activities Find an article which interests you Find a grammar point which you think you will find challenging Find an area of vocabulary which you think is useful Find a unit which you think looks boring Find which page/unit talks about _____________ Read the title of an article/show a picture to your partner and they guess what it is about Find the page(s) which gives you extra information about grammar points/different kinds of writing/etc. * Follow up activities (presentations, HW, etc.) can be based around the students selections of what they find interesting.

Coursebook Review Activities (if starting the course midbook) Choose three difficult vocabulary items from book from last course (then play back-to-the-board/taboo) Decide with your group which units were the most difficult last course. Why? Write three grammar/vocabulary questions based on unit _____ to test the class (each group is assigned a different unit) Same as previous idea but with true or false statements instead of questions Look at all the readings/listenings from last course. How many of them did you do as a class? Would you like to do more or less?

 Were there any exercises from the book from last course that you would prefer to do as homework? (end of unit reviews, readings, etc.)

Useful Websites for Students

BBC World www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish Games, quizzes, exercises, and more Voxopop www.voxopop.com

Speaking practice with other students around the world. This is a free online voice recorder which is like contributing to a forum, but speaking instead of writing. Cambridge Dictionary www.dictionary.cambridge.org

A phrasal verb, idiom, and general English dictionary British Council http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en A wide variety of exercises and quizzes Lingro www.lingro.com

A tool that provides you with instant definitions of any word on any English website just by clicking on it. You can also record vocabulary lists of new words. Englishcentral.com www.englishcentral.com

Students can record themselves saying extracts from speeches, films and TV. Having done so, the students are given a report on their pronunciation. TED www.ted.com

TED talks are an excellent source of talks of various lengths by experts in their field. ELT Podcast www.eltpodcast.com

Source of podcasts for ELT students on a number of different topics The Bob and Rob Show www.thebobandrobshow.com

Another ELT podcast with a number of short and entertaining listenings created especially for students English Corner www.english-corner-online.com

Social networking for learners of English where you can practise speaking and writing English with people all over the world. European Language Portfolio eelp.gap.it/download

 A link to download the European Language Portfolio which allows learners to record their own progress and set personal goals in their language learning.

Vocabulary Notebook Example (7A Student, 2008)

Book Report
Write an essay that explains the main ideas of the book and your opinions of it, using quoted evidence from the text to back up your comments.

Content You should start by commenting briefly on the following: Book title and author Type of book and central subject Setting and time Main characters Plot summary

You can choose any suitable topic for the main focus of the essay, but here are a few suggestions that you may use: The style and genre of the novel and how the author has shown it. The development of the main characters throughout the novel. The way the book explored a theme or idea and whether you think it was successful or not. The hidden messages of the novel. Other requirements You must use quotations from the text to support your ideas, and always include the page number.

Please hand in the book you used when you submit the final version. 750 to 1000 words (please include word count on your assignment).

It is important to remember that you are not just retelling or summarizing the story, but that you must include your own ideas. Due dates First draft Final version ________________ ________________

Screenshot from Chris Ogs Upper-Intermediate Class Blog, I am the Morsa, 2011

Tongue Twisters
Unique New York.

The big village in the valley began to burn violently.

The three of them are thespians.

I hit the pig who hid the pick.

Which wristwatches are Swiss wristwatches?

Cheap ship trip.

The boot black bought the black boot back. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? We surely shall see the sun shine soon.

Which witch wished which wicked wish?

Old oily Ollie oils old oily autos.

If Stu chews shoes, should Stu choose the shoes he chews?

He heard she hurt the bird named Bert.

She resists the dentists but the scientists persist.

Chop shops stock chops.

Good blood, bad blood.

Cedar shingles should be shaved and saved.

Are our oars oak?

Strange strategic statistics. Cows graze in groves on grass which grows in grooves in groves. Tins of tiny sardines filled the field.

Bumblebees briefly buzzed beneath the bins of beans.