教学设计Unit 14 Communication workshop

　 　

Teaching Design for Communication Workshop--Writing　　

Unit 14  Careers　　

Module 5 (BNUP)　　

Ⅰ.Analysis of the students.　　

     A good understanding of the students is a must of successful teaching since the curriculum reform emphasizes a more interactive, communication-oriented, and student-centred approach.

      In my class, different students have different language levels and different learning styles. However, most of them usually participate in class activities and make their presentations actively. They are eager to learn and if stimulated properly, they show great potential and interest in writing.　　

As to writing, there exist the following problems in most of my students: a lack of ideas of their own, poor expressions, incorrect using of words, grammar and spelling mistakes, and careless handwriting. 　　

　 　

Ⅱ.Analysis of the teaching materials　　

Content: To write a letter of application

Position and function: Following the four main language input lessons, communication workshop is actually a language output process, which gives students a chance to practise what they have learned in the previous lessons. The writing workshop is carefully staged so that it can be seen as a real communication activity, rather than simply the production of a “composition” for the teacher.    

This unit is about careers, which I believe is of great significance. As has already been found，Chinese students usually have a dim idea of their career choices, due to a lack of proper career education at school. Many people don’t know what kind of job they may be interested in, let alone what is suitable for them. High schools should offer them chances to explore this important field, as some developed countries do. That is why I am especially interested in this topic, and I regard this lesson as a chance to encourage and help the students to explore their future career choices

　 　

Teaching focus:  The students will learn about the organization of an article and the application of linking words by practising different writing strategies, eg. brainstorming ideas, paragragh planning, drafting and self and peer assessment. Meanwhile, they will begin to explore their future careers and realize what to prepare for the future.

　 　

Difficult points: The students may find it difficult to apply formal expressions and sentence patterns to express their ideas in the letter, as this is a formal style of writing.

　 　

Ⅲ.Teaching goals　　

1.       The knowledge-learning goal: to build up the students’ vocabulary about careers and qualities, and to help them learn how to write a letter of application, eg, the contents and layout of such a letter.　　

2.    The abilities-cultivating goal: to improve the students’ integrated competence of applying language, and to train their ability of applying linking words.　　

  3. Career education goal: to offer the students a chance to accumulate some basic information about career choices and help them begin their exploration of their future careers.　　

4.       Emotions: The English Curriculum Standard stresses the importance of understanding emotions, attitudes and sense of value in the language, so classroom activities should aim at raising learners’ awareness of emotions. In this lesson, the students are expected to have a better understanding of their own advantages, and to build up confidence by participating in different activities.  　　

           　　

Ⅳ. Teaching methodology　　

1.       On teaching methods: Benjamin Franklin once said, “Tell me, I will forget. Teach me, I will remember. Involve me, I will learn.”. Therefore, a task-based approach, which involves the students with different tasks to achieve the expected goals, is adopted; 　　

   Besides, according to Constructivism, which emphasizes the students’ own generative learning process instead of a cramming method of teaching, the teaching procedures are planned step by step, based on the previous knowledge, to prepare the students for the ultimate task.  　　

2. On learning methods: In response to senior high school learners’ psychological development and Curriculum Standard, learner’s learning activities should center on their cooperation and autonomy. Only in this way can we motivate their interest in learning and participation in classroom activities and help them get used to thinking independently. With learner’s autonomy, they will gradually extend their learning activities outside the classroom, which will benefit their life-long learning. 　　

　 　

Ⅴ.Teaching procedures　　

1.       Pre-task phase: 　　

1) Before the class, I ask the students to interview a person with the job they are most interested in. I offer each of them a form with some questions to make it clear what major details they should find out. And to  make sure they have time to complete this project, I allow them two periods off on one afternoon. 　　

2) I also collect their finished forms the next day to have a check and mark the better ones.　　

Purposes of the design: 　　

1) To collect some essential details to lay the foundation of their thinking, discussion and writing. The students should think of what kind of career they may be interested in and try to find out what is expected in it. 　　

2)To stimulate and sustain the students' interest in learning by providing the students with a favorable learning environment. As a matter of fact, students who have more interest in English learning are often ready to take greater effort in their study and thus get a better understanding of the language they learn.　　

3) To get the students realize what qualities, qualifications and skills they should possess for their future careers, so that they may have a clear idea of what to prepare while at school.　　

2.       During-task phase:　　

1) Lead in(1 mins): Introduce the topic by showing the students a resume of Chinese version, tell them that many leading companies will require the applicants to write their resume and letter of application in English, which is considered as one of the basic skills. However, many graduates don’t know how to write it. Encourage the students to have a try. They are expected to write a letter of application for their ideal jobs.　　

Purpose of the design: Arouse the students’ interest in practising writing a letter of application.　　

2)      Reading (5 mins): In this part, the students will read a model letter with work on style, layout, contents and linking. Then check the answers about topics and functions (Part 2, Page 30).　　

      Purpose of the design: Get the students prepared for the following tasks.

3) Prior knowledge construction: 　　

A.Useful vocabulary (6 mins): Let the students form a mind map by brainstorming relevant words about careers, skills and qualities, with the help of the notes in their interview forms.

Career: teacher, actor, dancer, writer, engineer, artist, business owner, reporter, lawyer, tour guide, doctor, policeman, TV presenter, salesman, etc.

Skills:  communication skills, computer skills, driving, typing, language skills, etc.

Qualities: creative, flexible, hardworking, motivated, positive, good judgement, understanding, careful, helpful, committed, reliable, loyal, determined, enthusiastic, etc.

B. Useful expressions (5mins): Go over the model text again with the students and guide them to find some useful expressions which they may apply in their own article.             　　

Reason: get experience, learn about, find out about, interested in, etc.　　

Qualifications: hold a certificate in…, passed exams in…, completed a course in…, etc.　　

Practical skills: be fluent in (language), be familiar with, be skilled in, etc.　　

Sentences: I’m interested in applying for the job of…　　

         I would like to work for you because I am very interested in…　　

         I think I would be a good … due to my …experience.　　

         In addition, I hold a certificate in…　　

         I look forward to hearing from you soon.　　

C. Linking words of reason (1 mins): as, because, because of, due to, since, etc.

Purpose of the design: To activate existing linguistic resources, and to make it clear how to write such a letter. The theory of Constructivism suggests that students construct new knowledge on what they’ve known instead of memorizing what the teachers cram into their minds. The students are required to collect all necessary authentic writing resources concerning the subject through reading, and communicating.                  

4) Pair discussion(10 mins): After such a warm-up preparation, students will come to the stage to practice and develop their language skills by finishing tasks related. I divide my class into 10 groups. Each group of students are expected to share their interview forms and then discuss about some questions related to the contents of the letter. In this step, the students can make use of the resources they have collected to decide what qualifications and skills they should try to acquire at school and what they should include in their letters so as to successfully interest the employers. Remind the students that they can include in their letters something they think is important but still haven’t possessed now. Give the following questions as a guide to discuss:

Help each other with these questions:　　

1. What’s your ideal job?　　

2. What qualities, qualifications and skills do you need to possess for your ideal job?　　

3. What should be included in the letter to make your application successful?　　

Purpose of the design: This is another chance for the students to practise in accordance with the concept “ I do, I learn.” and they can use their notes and ideas from the preparation stage to perform the speaking task. All these efforts are to provide opportunities for learners to access and consolidate information. At the same time, it contributes to the students composing a piece of writing with ideas of their own, as it is a letter of application for their ideal job.

5) Writing a draft(12 mins) The students are then given individual writing assignments, using the writing help on Page 30 as a guide to write a letter of application for their ideal jobs.　　

Purpose of the design: On the basis of interview and oral practice, students are through the process of “ words→sentences→paragraghs→composition”, but they still need to have a further processing with all the information.　　

6) Peer assessment(5 mins): After the students finish their compositions, the students can share their compositions and think about the following questions:　　

1. What can you help your partner to improve the composition?　　

2. What is well written and what still remains to be improved?　　

3. What can you learn from your partner’s writing to improve your own composition?　　

4. Are you interested in such an applicant by reading the letter? Why?　　

　 　

Then the students are to choose the best letter from each group to share with other classmates.　　

Purpose of the design: Students have a chance to read and react to each other’s writing. Exploiting students’ own writing is very important, as it helps them to see writing as a real communicative activity and it also helps to develop independent learning. Besides, students tend to learn better from their peers.　　

5.       Post-task phase:　　

Ask the students to perfect their letters, and hand them in. Remind the students that they had better include something special to make their letters distinguishing so as to successfully interest the employers. Note that their handwriting should be neat and clear. After being corrected by the teacher, print the letter and keep it in their folds. Choose the best letter from each group to post on the bulletin-board as examples.　　

Reflect on the lesson: What have you learnt today?　　

What is your plan for your school life now?　　

Teacher assessment　　

scores	5		4		3		2		1
Grammar
Vocabulary
Handwriting
Fluency
Relevance

　 　

　 　

　 　

　 　

　 　

　 　

　 　

　 　

　 　

　 　

　 　

Self-assessment: 　　

PROGRESS REPORT

Student’s Name:________          Date:_____________　　 Current Grade: ________          Teacher:____________　　 Help your grade improve by:　　 　 　        (     )      Completing the pre-task project　　 　 　        (     )      Participating in class　　 　 　        (     )      Less grammar and spelling mistakes　　 　 　        (     )      handwriting 　　 　 　        (     )      Other _________________________

　 　

                            　　

　 　

　 　

Pre-task Project           　　

Interview　　

Interviewer:                                　　

Interviewee:                        Job/Position:

Workplace:

Q1: How do you get this job?

Q2: Why do you want this job? Why do you believe it will be suitable for you?

Q3: What makes you a successful applicant?/What advantages do you have over other applicants?

Q4: What do you like about this job?

Q5: What experiences contribute to your successful application?

More:

　 　

P.S: Everyone is good for something. What kind of job do you think you may　　

be more interested in and what you may be suitable for? Think about 　　

it from now, and be prepared!