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copy_DD59DB39-DD4E-40E2-9632-37325E3EB95A.movThis lesson plan has been created following the WWW model proposed by Dudeney & Hockly (2007). To read more about my work visit my site.
Background information
Background information
Level: B1
Age: 13/14
Unit topic: "My life as student"
General objectives: By the end of the unit, the students will be able to...
Recognize digital and non-digital organizing tools
Become more autonomous learners
Organize their study routines, projects and writings to improve their learning performance
Analyze and evaluate their educational needs and priorities to enhance their learning experience
Warmer (10 m)
Warmer (10 m)
T will begin with a brief discussion on the importance of organization as a student. T will ask Sts what they do to be organized based on their previous experience and how they may improve that.
T will ask students if they have ever used mind maps before, and if so, what they know about them.
T will show a sample mind map and briefly explain its purpose and structure.
Web (45 m)
Web (45 m)
Students will open this link from the British Council webpage. They will complete the "Preparation" section and then, they will read the blog post. In order to check understanding, the students will complete the True or False and Fill in the gaps activities that follow.
In pairs or small groups, students will choose one of the titles suggested by the teacher and they will use Bubbl.us to create a mind maps. They should:
Include a central topic or idea and branch out to subtopics or related ideas.
Add details, keywords, and images to each branch.
Possible titles for the Mind Map:
Note: The content of the mindmap is free, which means that students can design it on their own with their own experience. In case they need some prompts, they can click on the links of each title and get inspired or use the material as a source.
What's next (25 m)
What's next (25 m)
Each group will present their mindmaps and will explain what it is about. After all presentations, there will be a whole-class discussion about the most useful ideas they have heard from their peers and reflect on the benefits of using mind maps.
Why does Bubbl.us make the lesson more inclusive?
Why does Bubbl.us make the lesson more inclusive?
Bubbl.us is a great tool for students with SEN and it also appeals to different learning styles. By segmenting information into smaller units and colour-coding data, students can visualize their ideas more clearly, thus the learning process may be enhanced. Delaney (2016) explains, "Students with SEN often have trouble organizing their thoughts and sequencing ideas. Graphic organizers can make a big difference to all kinds of writing and learning tasks. They appeal to visual learners and work by breaking down information and ideas into smaller, more manageable steps." This means that Bubbl.us not only makes the learning experience more appealing but it also functions as a tool that many students can resort to any other time for other subjects as well.
Moreover, the activities proposed help students develop the 21st century skills they need for the upcoming years. Delaney (2016) states that "Students with SEN can find measuring and organizing time difficul." In this lesson plan, asking them to reflect on their way of organizing their studies and to get to know themselves as learners provides them a great opportunity for personal growth. It is important as well to guide the students through all the levels Bloom (2001) explains in his revised version of cognitive levels. If we take into account Bloom's Taxonomy, using Bubbl.us can be categorized in the High-order thinking skills, as it would be part of the Analyze level. Sneed (2016), defines Analyzing level as "To draw connections among ideas, concepts, or determining how each part interrelate to an overall structure or purpose," and in this case, mind maping consists of organizing, sequencing and structuring data. This step goes beyond having a piece of information and understanding or remembering it: learners actually have the chance to analyze it and get to produce something of their own.
The use of Bubbl.us involves the development of cognitive skills as well as gaining new learning experiences. The European Frmawork proposes the use of "digital technologies to foster and enhance learner collaboration" (p.56) since these entail peer communication and collaborative skills. For example, this lesson plan would categorize the teacher as an "Integrator (B1)", according to this level description: "I design and implement collaborative activities, in which digital technologies are used by learners for their collaborative knowledge generation".
Besides, this lesson plan was designed taking into account SEN students, which is aligned with the "Empowering learners" section of the framework: "To use digital technologies to address learners’ diverse learning needs, by allowing learners to advance at different levels and speeds, and to follow individual learning pathways and objectives." Transforming written text into a visual mindmap can address the special needs of individual learners (e.g. dyslexia, ADHD).
References
References
Delaney, M. (2016) Special Educational Needs. Chapter 6: Assistive Technology. Oxford: OUP
Sneed, Obiageli. (2016, May 9). Integrating Technology with Bloom’s Taxonomy. Arizona State University. https://teachonline.asu.edu/2016/05/integrating-technology-blooms-taxonomy/
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