CESL-SA 24 Feb 2020 meeting: Lesson PlanningPresentAnn Davenport, Beth Morgan, Virginia Nicholls, Sue Fraser, Maria Berekally, David Hankinson, Samiya Malik, Lou-Anne Sinclair, Grace Newhaven

Arrangements for 2020NEWSLETTERAs no-one has put their hand up to take over writing the Newsletter this will be in abeyance until such a person can be found. The same applies to updates to the website.

As I explained in the Newsletter, I have new commitments this year so won’t be able to continue taking these roles.

If you are interested in taking on the newsletter please contact me on communityesl.sa@gmail.com

Although I’ve been trying to put out a newsletter monthly or bi-monthly, it doesn’t have to be this often. Maybe you could do one a term. Maybe a group of you could take this on and share the work.

I’d be happy to talk to anyone willing to give it a go and give the template I’ve prepared to help layout – it’s just in Word and then saved as a PDF to make distribution easier.

NEXT MEETINGWe have booked another meeting on “Getting Writing Going.”

Monday May 18 2020, Bragg Room 1, STATE LIBRARY

12.30pm to 2.45pm

I will send an email out about this and post a note on the website. Please put it in your diaries now, as there won’t be a newsletter to remind you.

Letter re FundingWe talked about the response sent from Lisa Tudehope (Settlement and AMEP Programs Branch, Dept of Home Affairs) to Blair Boyer’s letter to the Federal Minister for Education about reinstating our funding . It appears there is nothing imminent as there have been policy changes and AMEP is only focussing on eligible migrants, and most of our students are not in this category. I am having a coffee with Blair Boyer later this week to discuss this response with him and will let you know if there are any further developments. (Blair Boyer is the Member for Wright in SA Parliament)

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Notes from our session – Planning for LearningHow do you plan lessons for your groups?David - Program depends on needs of the group

• Need to assess needs. Some have tried this formally others do it informally gauging level from a short conversation. Ann tried the test provided on the British LearnEnglish website (https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org)and most of her students couldn’t do it. One who did complete was recommended to do the lowest (beginners) level

• Tools for assessment – it would be good to share some of these (Candy Gray?)

• Cover the skills of Listening, Speaking, Writing and Reading

• Some want Business English, some are preparing for IELTS

Some places cater for a range of needs and have enough tutors to set up smaller groups at different levels (eg Hope’s Café, Sophia)

Beth and Maria - Pick up needs re various pronunciation or grammar points from interactions - Create lesson segments based on this for future weeks. They also use topics, especially around celebrations and important dates in the calendar eg Easter, ANZAC Day, Ramadan etc

Virginia - Games work well – she uses one requiring people to give the INFINITIVE/PAST TENSE/PARTICIPLE of a word they select. Eg [INFINITIVE = go / PAST tense = went / PARTICIPLE = gone] Works well with intermediate level

Samiya - mentioned the concept of “False Beginners” which they used at Sophia. I Googled this as I was still a bit unsure and I got this definition:

A “false beginner,” is someone who lacks the skills to be considered an intermediate learner but still has some English skills under his or her belt.

There was a reference too on FluentU

6 Classroom Techniques for Teaching False Beginner ESL Students

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator-english/false-beginner-esl/

Samiya - began with students by focussing on what people could do – used shopping catalogues to stimulate conversation and vocab development. Builds confidence.

Lou-Ann, recent arrival in Adelaide, spoke of how classes were run in a group she was involved with in Melbourne.

• Mixed group. A team of support tutors with lead teacher.

• Participants assessed intuitively as came in and spoke with leader

• Elementary to Intermediate was focus

• Leader had a list of topics that they would draw on and used this basic format:

1. Start with main group to introduce the topic and start talking on this.

2. Move into small groups of 4-6 – Discuss topic further.

3. Grammar segment – examples on the grammar point are matched to the night’s topic. Instruction given on the white board followed by individual activity TO PRACTISE the point.

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4. Small Groups according to ability - reading a piece on the topic– out loud taking turns. Tutors ensure correct pronunciation

Had a break somewhere in there where it fitted.

This is a useful structure for a 2 hour session.

Ann develops the program with the group by asking them what they want for the term. Most say conversation, some reading and writing and sometimes they raise a topic that they need help on eg Catching the bus , Reading timetables, Online shopping. They always want an excursion and this provides content for several weeks – preparing for it (future tense) , enjoying it (I take lots of photos to be used for later conversation, and then the follow up session where we talk about what happened, what we saw, what we did, referring to the photos. This can be followed up by some writing and sharing what we have written (a reading exercise) Some of our excursions have been to Rundle Mall during the Fringe, The Migration Museum, The Art Gallery of SA, Parliament House.

Having a team of tutors enables Ann’s group to do a lot of small group activity and cater for different levels although most are at post beginner level.

Ann uses the Learn English site at www.learnenglish.britishcouncil.org a lot. The videos are terrific and a great stimulus for conversation. Worksheets are downloadable.

NOTE The beginner level series I had trouble finding is Starting Out – really good and humorous too

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/general-english/starting-out/

Candy Gray (who coordinates at Hopes Café) was unable to come but sent in this structure for a session

1. ILLUSTRATION OF NEED

Example: Concept questions re verb tense. Use a visual or task to elicit the need for the target vocabulary and/or structure

2. MODEL AND HIGHLIGHT

Provide the target language - always oral before written (words + pronunciation + intonation) Only write language at the end of the lesson. Allow enough time.

3. STUDENT PRACTICE - controlled

Drill>open pairs>closed pairs>open pairs An open pair is a pair of learners working together with the rest of the group observing. Closed pairs - all the learners work in pairs that do not monitor each other.

4. FURTHER PRACTICE - real use

Provide stimuli that naturally elicit the target language (If the language is not produced return to stage 2.)

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FINALLY Have a look at the tips and topics on our website under RESOURCES at

https://communityeslsa.wordpress.com/resources/

See “What to teach” https://communityeslsa.wordpress.com/what-to-teach/

Ann also showed some picture sequences which can be used to prompt conversation, vocal development and writing. Here’s an example that is copyright free. – washing her car! – see next page.

Grace - Finds Wikipaedia very useful to get a suitable piece of text for reading/discussion

Print a page so they have something to take away. Not too much. Examples Penguins/Child care/

Drawing a timeline of their experience in Australia is useful. Helps with tense – past vs future goals

Lou-Ann - Family Tree useful for vocab and conversation

Picture Dictionaries also very useful for vocab and talking about what you see– National Geographic very good - and Oxford Picture Dictionary

Sue F - CFS , bushfire safety, and water safety also useful topics

Thanks to Sue Fraser who has volunteered to type an updated list of Community ESL groups in SA for us all.

We need to give her time because there are a lot!

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WASHING THE CAR (adapted from an idea of Maggie Power)

Instructions for Tutors

1. Ask the student what’s happening in this picture sequence.2. Write down the key words drawing arrows to the objects/actions

– eg

car dirty hose bucket sponge watersoap/detergent wash polish clean.

3. Cut the page into 4 separate pictures. Shuffle them out of order.4. Ask the student to put them into the correct order and tell the

story again. Do this several times.

Extension

5. Write their story onto strips of paper.6. Read each sentence strip and match it to the picture.7. The student can then stick the pictures into his/her book and

write the sentences under the relevant one, copying from the sentence strips.

8. Finally, cut the sentence strips into a) phrases and then later, b) single words and reconstruct the sentences.

9. Talk about washing cars:a. Have they ever washed a car? b. If so, how do you go about it?c. Do you have any tips/advice for washing cars?d. What should one NOT do when washing the car?

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