Kevin Leon

10-12-2016
Artifact: Prepositions of Place Worksheet
Context: Components of TESOL A mini lesson

Description: The artifact is a worksheet introducing prepositions of place. The

front of the page introduces the prepositions In, on, and at. At the top
there is a chart that shows different uses of the words. Underneath is an
exercise in which students complete sentences with prepositions using a
given image. The second section has the students fill in the blanks using
specific information from an image of a sample envelope. The last section
has the students write about themselves, filling in sentences with their
country, city, street and address. On the back of the paper is a more
thorough list that uses images of books and cups to introduce prepositions
such as above, beside, between and inside. In the sample lesson, the teacher
used the list on the back of the page to introduce the students to the
prepositions. The teacher then asked the students to identify where certain
objects in the classroom were located using the prepositions that were just
taught.
New ideas from the artifact: This worksheet used many aspects of
Communicative Language Teaching. Almost everything that is done is done
with a communicative intent (Freeman, Anderson, 2011). The worksheet
depicted prepositions of place, which were necessary for students to learn in

order to communicate where they were to other people. The students also
used the prepositions to locate objects and give instructions to others to do
the same. The entire purpose of these prepositions is to describe location
and position to other people, which is one of the fundamental aspects of
effective communication. The students need to know that many different
forms can be used to perform a function and also that a single form can often
perform a variety of functions (Freeman, Anderson, 2011).The word in was
used for a country and a city. On was used for streets, roads, etc., and at
for specific street addresses. Students used the different words depending on
how much information they were required to or felt comfortable revealing. A
student would use a street address when filling out a form but only reveal
their country or city when they met a new person. The list structure would be
appealing to logical learners, while the clear and descriptive images with
caption would be very useful to visual learners.
Reflection: Prepositions of place are some of the most important tools a
person can use to communicate. In, at and on can be used to
effectively tell another person were they are from or where they live. The
other prepositions are necessary when asking for something, pointing
something out, or giving instructions to another person. From buying
something at a store (I would like the necklace next to the gold ring.) to
telling someone where to sit (Please sit behind that girl.) to asking for
assistance in getting something (Can you please get me the book on the top
shelf? I cant reach It.), these prepositions are heard and used daily. The

images are very useful for illustrating a concept that is otherwise incredibly
difficult to explain in words alone. As a take-off from the list, I can bring my
own objects to the classroom and move their positions around to physically
illustrate the concept. To appeal to physical/kinesthetic learners, I can have
an activity in which the students themselves position the objects however
they want and the other students must describe the objects using the
prepositions. Although these prepositions seem straightforward, they are
some of the most powerful learning communication tools a person may have,
and a worksheet with images on it is one of the best ways to illustrate the
word meanings.
Citations
Freeman, D.L. , & Anderson, M. (2011). Communicative Language Teaching.
Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. Great Clarendon St.,
Oxford: Oxford University Press.