Team: “Change Agents” Our Teaching Resource: “motivating the Unmotivated”
I.
Personalization
Personalization is education that puts the learner at the centre, providing assessment and instruction that are tailored to students’ particular learning and motivational needs (adapted from Hullan, Hilland Crevola, 2006) [1]. To start with, Personalized Learning requires knowing your students very well. What it means is their interests, learning styles, and their ability levels. In this case, teacher can cater for their needs and choose the activities which match their interests. Only knowing them, teacher can chat with them as with my friends, discussing different topics, relevant to them and showing deep understanding of them (topics). Furthermore, knowing students’ ability levels allows teacher to differentiate instructions, find all opportunities for remediation to help struggling learners, and understand how to provide enrichment to challenge the advanced student(s). However, some teachers say that personalization requires more preparation for the lessons, using more resources than for traditional lessons, high classroom management skills. We can’t but agree with this point of view, but, they are rather challenges than disadvantages. Besides, in today’s world of computer technologies it’s not a big deal to find and print some handouts, worksheets or even ready lesson plans and adapt or modify them keeping personalization in mind. How can we personalize students’ learning?: Adapting materials to make them more relevant to the students is an important part of personalization. Adapting materials can produce excellent results, and provide your students with a successful and dynamic learning experience. Here is a list of ideas on how you can bring personalization into classes where you are using typical textbook activities such as gapfills. The tasks mentioned can be done instead of the task given in the book (sometimes the textbook exercise will need rewriting in order to make this possible), as a warmer/ lead-in and/ or as a personalized extension activity: http://www.tefl.net/elt/ideas/games/textbook-activities-personalized/. Changing the context and situation to fit the students will give the target language real meaning. Try to make it a routine to personalise your teaching materials, so your students get the most out of learning your subject [2]. Make learning content engaging and unique to each student. This meets the student where they are at, in a time, place and modality that works best. Using tools such as Raptivity enables you to incorporate motivational interactions including brainteasers. Formative assessment platforms like Buzz from Agilix, and adaptive learning tools like i-Ready from Curriculum Associates are next-gen tools that can support in personalizing learning experiences for students. Make sure the tool you use is not just an online slideshow presentation, but a truly engaging, interactive and, above all, a useful exercise for students [3]. I would also recommend such online tools as Kahoot, Symbaloo, Storybird, Ourboox, Kizoa, Code Reader, Padlet, Mentimeter, Glogster and others to make learning more engaging. What can help teachers to personalize activities? Firstly, surveys can help teachers know their https://www.pinterest.com/explore/student-survey/?lp=true.
students’
needs
and
interests
better: e.g.
Secondly, teachers can fill in students’ profiles during the school year or some shorter period of time. For example:
Finally,, online learning is an engaging way for students to learn together with their peers from other countries. They can choose programs, teachers and courses according to their interests and needs.
Practical Part (by Ira Nedilkova) SEVEN SHORT RECIPES FOR WORK IN CLASS THAT MEET THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS (produce evidence/use ICT/keep students engaged and interested) 1. WORDART to help learning spelling We make kids write the words tens of times in order to memorize the spelling. Why not try wordart? Sites like https://wordart.com/ can be fun and still provide the exercise. Most of my unmotivated students liked it and I got some good work from the most unwilling to do any work at all. Here are some examples on the topic “Natural resources”
2. ALPHABETS Those tedious times when we have to teach large groups of words (fruit, vegetables, jobs, etc.) to kids who have not memorized the alphabet yet. There are plenty of these on the Internet. My teenagers are good at ‘copying+pasting’ but asking them to make their own Alphabets turned a real challenge. Some of them picked up words and pictures of things they had never seen in real life. This lead to a discussion, some extra reading and sharing (I even brought in some exotic fruits and vegetables for them to try and they had to describe the th taste).
Below is another example - words describing state and feelings.
3. MY (FB) FRIEND “Describe a friend” can also be a very ‘boring’ task for my students. So I asked them to use a picture from a friend’s FB page and write about him/her. They did use google translate but they also asked me for help which for some was a first time!
4. VIDEOS and VOICE RECORDINGS They hate speaking in front of the class/audience? No problem, they can video themselves and send it to me. They hate reading aloud in front of the rest? No problem. They can go out/sit in the corner and record themselves reading + send me the file. 5. SHOWS/END of YEAR LESSONS The ‘shy’ ones are happy to sit and watch themselves in the videos while the less ‘shy’ ones act as TV presenters/journalists, etc. around an agreed scenario (I try to include as many of the things they have produced (and forgotten about)/learnt/written, etc. as possible)
6. GOOGLE TRANSLATE My students don’t like dictionaries (“Too small letters, I’m getting a headache/my eyes hurt”). Google translate is the closest to a dictionary I can use, so I use it and I show them the features they rarely use.
7. THE DESERT ISLAND PERSONALITY TEST Works well when I have to ‘cover’ for a colleague and the last thing kids want to do is follow the book with me. I tell them the story of 6 teenagers stranded on 2 separate desert islands in the ocean after a plane crash. It’s a story of love, greed and betrayal and they have to rank the characters according to their ‘moral values’. Each name stands for a certain value (Linda=love, Ian=integrity, Charles=conventionality, Henry=honour, Michael=money, Steve=sexuality), which is revealed after they have done their ranking and argued their choices. NB! Suitable for upper classes/higher levels.
II. Cultivating students’ Interest in the learning process: In poor countries, such as Federal Republic of Nigeria, teachers should find some instructional materials for parents and students which can help explain them the importance and advantages of learning because most of the families send their children to school just to avoid abusement and bulling from neighbours. A teacher, a school counselor and students’ parents should work in team to help students set the goal for learning. For example, to improve reading skills, a teacher makes up a Reading time table. Parents monitor reading process at home and teacher then cross- check the results in the classroom. The role of either teacher or school counselor (depending on the school) is to explain the importance of being literate in modern world. The example of Reading cards: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/800163058763844788/ In more developed countries, such as Ukraine, for example, using technology for education is very motivating for students. Like we collaborate in this PISA4U program, students can collaborate with their peers from different countries exploring something together, commenting, sharing outcomes, creating different online products or just communicating online. In our school, we do it in such International programs as eTwinning Plus, Education Without Borders, British Council Schools Online and others. You can see what we do on my website: http://vnadia.wixsite.com/english/-------------------
Practical Part (by Nadiia Vovchenko) Lesson Plan for ESL lesson Lesson plan prepared by: Nadiia Vovchenko TOPIC: Theme Parties Target language (grammar and vocabulary): Skill in focus: Secondary skill focus: Lesson objective :
This is: Task-Grammar Lesson Integrated Skills Grammar Lesson LEVEL: Pre-Intermediate Time: 45 min Grammar: modal verbs might, could Vocabulary on topic “Parties” (masquerade, mystery, toga, taco, theme, stereotype, etc) Reading, speaking Writing, listening By the end of the lesson students will have been able to speak about theme parties in America and Ukraine and about their plans for the party using modal verbs “might, may”
and “will”. Stage /Purpose Warming Up Brainstorming the vocabulary Pre-Task Developing speaking and thinking skills Vocabulary practice Pre-reading (prediction) Developing reading (for specific information) skills Task Cycle Task Developing problem-solving skills
Brainstorming the ideas
Planning Developing writing skills
Report Developing speaking and listening skills Language Focus Analysis
Practice
Procedure /steps Teacher draws a mind map on the blackboard and asks students to list the theme parties they have been to or have known (“Ukrainian Parties”). T.: Can only children have theme parties? What theme parties can adults have? Look at the mind map of American parties. Guess what adults do at each of this parties. Compare Ukrainian and American parties. Students match new words with their definitions (in 3 groups- for each correct matching a group gets 1 point)(appendix #1). Students try to answer the questions (from “Comprehension” section http://www.rongchang.com/customs/comp/uacccomp085.htm) Students are given the handouts (appendix #2) and read the text individually to find out if their answers are correct or not. They discuss the answers. (http://www.rongchang.com/customs/cc/customs085.htm ) Students fill in the missing words in pairs (http://www.rongchang.com/customs/cloze/uacccloze085.htm ) Teacher explains the task: “Choose one theme party you would like to have (and will have) and write a plan, including the following information: 1) What theme will you choose? 2) What might (teacher’s comment: we use it for future possibilities) you do/wear/play? 3) What should you buy/prepare?” Teacher writes on the blackboard: “People might:” and students find in the text what they might do at the parties. (Suggested answers: dance, sing, speak, dress according to the theme, play games, enjoy the food”
Students work in 3 groups. They write the plan, prepare to report to the whole class what they have decided. (Teacher can appoint one member of the group to act as a “spokesman” and speak for the group after the discussion. Teacher can also allot other roles: a group secretary, who will take notes; a chair, who will control the discussion, nominating speakers and summing up at the end. Once the discussion begins, teacher leaves learners to get on with it by themselves as far as possible and helps if they ask for it.) Groups present their reports to the class. Peers can ask questions after each presentation. Finally, they compare plans and vote for the best plan of the party they would like to have one day. (Teacher makes notes of errors they are making). Students underline the sentences with modal verbs. They examine and discuss the form and meaning of modals of future possibilities: “might, may and will”. Teacher explains the difference between may, might and will: T: So, you will eat…(eliciting the answer) at the party. Ss answer. T: And you might wear …(again eliciting the answer) Teacher explains that we use “will” if we are certain and “might” if not. May and might + infinitive are used to express present or future possibility. May expresses a greater degree of certainty. In informal situations ‘might’ is more common than ‘may’ when we want to talk about what someone will do in the future. Often "May," "might," and "could" can all be used to say that something is possible, as in "The story may/might/could be true" . Form: Subject+could/might +infinitive… (Only affirmative sentences are to be introduced at this lesson) Students fill in “will, may or might”. (appendix #2 ). They should explain their choice. Teacher reads the sentences or phrases with errors from the notes and students correct
Self/peercorrection
them. (e.g. We might to bring masks) . Using the plan, students have voted for, they make correct sentences with “will, may and might”.
Evaluation
Students evaluate their ability to speak about future party using “might, may, will” (they write 10,20 or…% on a post-it note and stick it on the blackboard). (appendix # 4 ) Teacher gives feedback and assesses students’ work using rubric (appendix #3).
Feedback and assessment Homework
Students have to write a description of their future birthday party using “might, may, will”.
Appendix #1 Match the words with their definitions (from http://www.rong-chang.com/customs/cc/customs085.htm) blackjack
stereotype
board taco boring theme casino toga ethnic variation fake sheet fictional portray masquerade poker murder offensive mystery a type of card game played for money a flat piece of wood or other hard material with a special pattern on it, used for playing games not interesting or exciting building where games, especially roulette and card games are played for money a person belonging to an ethnic group not real, but made to look or seem real imaginary behaviour that is intended to prevent the truth about something unpleasant or notwanted from becoming known the crime of intentionally killing a person something strange or not known that has not yet been explained orunderstood a game played with cards in which people try to win money from each other to represent or describe someone or something in a painting, film, book, or other artistic work a large, thin, flat, usually rectangular piece of something a set idea that people have about what someone or something is like,especially an idea that is wrong a hard, folded tortilla (= thin flat bread) filled with meat, cheese, etc. and often ahot, spicy sauce the main subject of a talk, book, film, etc a piece of clothing worn by people in ancient Rome, consisting of a long piece ofcloth wrapped around the body and hanging loosely from the shoulders unpleasant a change in amount or level
Appendix #2 (from http://www.cambridge.org/grammarandbeyond/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Communicative_Activity_Hi-BegIntermediate-Will_May_Might.pdf ) Fill in will, may or might How … technology affect our lives in the future? Some people predict that robots … play a larger role. For example, some families of the future … have a robot in their homes. These robots … probably prepare food and clean the house. They … care for young children, too. Robots … also take care of sick people in hospitals. Therefore, it … be important to feel comfortable around robots. In fact, researchers are already teaching robots to speak and to move like humans. As a result, robots … behave more like humans in the future. They … also appear to show emotions, such as joy or anger. For all of these reasons, it is possible that human-like robots … be very important someday.
Appendix #3 Assessment
Appendix #4 Evaluation
Sketchnote by Sylvia Duckworth, thoughts by Ralph Marston - The Daily Motivator
The photos of the lesson https://padlet.com/v_nadia/ypi35e4w5z5v
References: 1. https://www.slideshare.net/HumanidadesUCSF/learningforall2011 2. https://www.teach-this.com/ideas/personalising-activities 3. http://www.gettingsmart.com/2015/08/online-guided-learning-activities-and-
personalization-could-be-the-key-to-supporting-opportunity-youth/ 4. http://www.tefl.net/elt/ideas/games/textbook-activities-personalized/ 5. https://www.slideshare.net/HumanidadesUCSF/learningforall2011 6. https://www.pinterest.com/explore/student-survey/?lp=true 7. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/800163058763844788/