Session Four:
New lesson structure
to increase student motivation and independence
The idea behind this session is to help you create lesson plans that are more engaging, by using a few techniques which you may or may not use today. They are in the order in which you should use them. These tools can be used in any kind of lesson: reading comprehension, writing, speaking or listening or all of the above. The task at the end of the session will be to create a lesson plan and try it out. Afterwards, post the lesson plan with your reflection on how it went.
Read through the entire session (including watching videos)
The goal of your lesson
Choose a topic, NOT a skill.
Sometimes when we observe teachers and we ask them what the topic of their lesson was, they say adjectives. Adjectives is not a lesson topic.
Describing animals is a lesson topic which includes: vocabulary, grammar, writing, speaking, collaboration, creativity as well as ..... adjectives.
Think about what skills and knowledge the student will need to describe an animal. Give vocabulary flashcards, give sample sentences and a model. Always give a model first so everyone understands what to do.
Try this!
Have the students choose two different animals and make a chimera (a meld of two animals). Have them draw it first with colors and then describe it in writing. Give them access to dictionaries and then have them present their chimeras to the class by describing them. Have the students count the number of adjectives in the presentation while they are listening. (Don't forget to teach them the word chimera :).
How to begin your lesson
Instead of coming in and waiting for students to take their seats, get our their books, mark attendance, and go over homework, get them used to the fact that when you come into class, you will be beginning with something fun if they are already ready. (It works!) You can begin with any number of short 5-minute activities or begin with everyone (including you!) reading from their library books. Be patient, after two or three lessons, they will get the hang of it.
Lesson Starters
This is just one site that offers amazing lesson starters, there are millions.
Reading for Pleasure
Reading for pleasure means just that....for pleasure. No book reports, no character charts, no summaries, no quizzes, no translating every vocabulary word and writing a sentence with it....nothing. Just pleasure. Reading allows students to "sponge up" proper sentence structure, grammar and enhance their vocabulary. It allows students to escape to new worlds and learn new things. Reading should be a joy, not a task.
10 minutes at the beginning of each lesson of reading (you should bring a book and read as well) is enough to get them hooked. Keep a board of stars for each book the students have read and have a pizza party when they get to 100!
How to run the lesson
Example of Pair/Group Work Chart
This chart has been adapted from a lesson Judie saw in Mikve French School. The idea is that each pair/small group (no more than three students) work together on a series of independent tasks and tick off when they have completed them or add a piece of information to the whole class experience. The teacher can track student progress simultaneously and when a group has been working slower than others, offer help and encouragement. Pair/group your students based on social as well as English considerations (they shouldn't pair up themselves). These will be the best lessons (and least exhausting) of the day!
(Note: You can prepare the file ahead of class and project it onto the whiteboard. Each pair gets a whiteboard marker and is independent in ticking off what they have completed. You can draw it on the board as well if you do not have a barco in the room.
How to break up the lesson to restore focus when needed
Brain Breaks
Because they are fun and make you laugh. They also challenge your brain. Energizing Brain Breaks help you to cross the mid-line of your body which helps both sides of your brain engage. It is suggested to use an Energizing Brain Break every 30 minutes with your class or audience" (David Sladkey).
How to end your lesson
Lesson Wrap-ups
We all know that students have "instant forget" the moment they walk out of class. In order to combat this phenomenon, have a quick recap at the end of the lesson or even as they are walking out of the door.
Have them recite one word they remember, one new fact they learned, one sentence where all of the words begin with the letter M, or anything else that seems relevant to your lesson. Click on the video to the right where Diane (our most amazing JHS REED counselor) demonstrates how she does this with her own class.
Task One: Search Google: "lesson starters" or "lesson wrap-ups" or "brain break"
- Go into at least 3-4 different sites.
- Do you use any of the ideas that you found? What do you like/dislike?
- How could you use them in your classroom to motivate your students better?
- Post a URL where you found an idea that inspires you to use in the classroom on this GoogleForm.
Task Two: Summative Session Task:
A. Choose one of the techniques you read about in this session, to use on a consistent basis in one or more of your classes for the next two weeks.
B. Find your name in this GoogleSlide presentation and share your ideas.
C. Implement in class.
D. You will be asked to reflect on this class at a later date.
