Designing a short-term course for

Activity Based Language Teaching

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Icebreaker Reflect

1. your best academic strength2. your best academic achievement3. your major academic goal

List questions you ask someone to find these answers

Pair Share with each other (2+2 minutes) Present highlights to the class

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Discuss

Was it an activity/task? Was it meaningful? Was it related to real-life language

use? Did it involve communication? Was there a pre-defined outcome? Was the outcome measurable?

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Right or Wrong?1. Activities that involve real communication are essential for language learning.2. Activities in which language is used for carrying out meaningful tasks promote learning.3. Language that is meaningful to the learner supports the

learning process.4. Fluency is a greater priority than accuracy in seond language learning situations.5. Meaning is more imporant than form in second language learning situations.6. Language cannot be learned by interacting communicatively.7. Sequencing tasks according to their difficulty is a good pedagogic idea.

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Reflect!

Does instruction have an effect on second language learning?

Does syllabus have a bearing on learning a second language?

Is learner activity necessary for learning a second language?

Does one method allow more learner activity than another?

Should a course design include the choice of one language teaching method over another?

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Course Design

Who does what with whom, with what resources, when, how long, how and why?

(The way language competences are taught, learned, used and assessed)

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Who Designs a Course?

• Who decides the expected outcomes?

• Who designs a course? the state / the university professional materials developers pre-published works adopted the classroom teacher the learner

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Designing a CourseDefining Course

rationale

Assessing needs

Defining expected outcomes

Formulating goals

Developing pedagogic materials

Integrating communication

skills

Sequencing contents

Deciding methodolog

y

Designing assessme

nt

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Defining Course

rationale

Assessing needs

Defining expected outcomes

Formulating goals

Developing pedagogic materials

Integrating communication

skills

Sequencing contents

Deciding methodolog

y

Designing assessme

nt

Course Rationale

1. Why a new course?2. Pragmatic efficiency

economy of time and money practical constraints in the situation

3.. Pedagogical efficiency• economy in the management of learning

process• structured method of dealing with learning• how much and what kind of instruction

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Course Rationale MAPS

1. Measurable2. Achievable3. Personalized4. Specific

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Defining Course

rationale

Assessing needs

Defining expected outcomes

Formulating goals

Developing pedagogic materials

Integrating communication

skills

Sequencing contents

Deciding methodolog

y

Designing assessme

nt

Needs Assessment

Communication Skills Presentation Skills Interpersonal Skills Critical Thinking Skills Personality Development Leadership skills Numeric Skills IT Skills

Writing a CV or Résumé Writing a Covering Letter Writing an Effective LinkedIn Profile Applying for a Job Interview Skills

A Course in Enhancing Employability Skills of Engineering Students:

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Defining Course

rationale

Assessing needs

Defining expected outcomes

Formulating goals

Developing pedagogic materials

Integrating communication

skills

Sequencing contents

Deciding methodolog

y

Designing assessme

nt

Expected Outcomes

Upon completing the course, the students will be able to describe their career objective in a grammatically accurate English sentence

At the end of the course, the students will be able to give confident and frank answers to questions at job interviews

The students’ will effectively participate in career development workshops/seminars

A Course in Enhancing Employability Skills of Engineering Students:

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Defining Course

rationale

Assessing needs

Defining expected outcomes

Formulating goals

Developing pedagogic materials

Integrating communication

skills

Sequencing contents

Deciding methodolog

y

Designing assessme

nt

Formulating Goals

The course will identify and bridge the skill gaps and improve the student’s overall language competences

The communication and presentation skills of students will improve to meet the needs in their chosen fields

At least 75% students taking the Course will be more prepared to effectively compete and secure placements

A Course in Enhancing Employability Skills of Engineering Students:

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Defining Course

rationale

Assessing needs

Defining expected outcomes

Formulating goals

Developing pedagogic materials

Integrating communication

skills

Sequencing contents

Deciding methodolog

y

Designing assessme

nt

Choice of Pedagogic Materials

Learner proficiency & need

Learner interest Frequency of occurrence

Teachability Classroom usability Coherence

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Course Contents – Sample 11. My Strengths2. Self Confidence3. Team Work4. SMART Goals5. Time Management6. Decision Making7. e-learning8. Body Language9. Social Responsibility10. Leadership

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Course Contents – Sample 21. Greetings2. Questions3. Enquiries4. Directions5. Instructions6. Descriptions7. Narrations8. Suggestions9. Agreements10. Opinions

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Course Contents – Sample 3

Your English text book that is already in use

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Instructional Materials- Books- Newspapers- Magazines - Worksheets- Radio programs - AV materials- TV - Internet

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Sample Tools on the Web www.calendar.google.com /

www.facebook.com www.audio-lingua.eu(personalized mp3 resources to listen online or download in order to practice the oral comprehension skill)

www.maps.google.com (to practice reading, writing and speaking skills as well as to develop visual literacy, and technical skills, easily adaptable for project based learning tasks)

www.verbling.com(classes for students to join and practice their English with other English speakers from different parts of the world)

www.film-english.com(innovative lesson plans revolving around the use of video and film to teach English language and promoting critical thinking)

www.ed.ted.com www.teflvideos.com

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Exercise

Choose a digital tool from the previous slide and incorporate it in the task that you have designed.

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Types of Classroom TasksTask Language activity

Listing Brainstorming, fact-findingOrdering / sorting Sequencing, ranking, categorizing, classifying

Comparing Matching, finding similarities / differences

Problem solving

Analysing real or hypothetical situations, reasoning, and decision making, advising, planning

Sharing experiences

Narrating, describing, exploring and explaining attitudes, opinions, reactions

Creative tasks Discovering, analysing, problem solving, solving language puzzles

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Defining Course

rationale

Assessing needs

Defining expected outcomes

Formulating goals

Developing pedagogic materials

Integrating communication

skills

Sequencing contents

Deciding methodolog

y

Designing assessme

nt

Integrating Communication Skills Pair/group/collaborative work

Information gaps Opinion exchanges Preference lines Decision making tasks Problem solving tasks Collaborative jigsaws

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Information Gap Activities Card A

There are many different ways a teacher can be bad. Even an overall effective teacher may be ineffective in certain areas. A major part of a principal’s job is to identify which teachers are effective, which teachers need to improve, and which ones are ineffective and need to be dismissed. This process begins with an accurate teacher evaluation.

Card B

A principal has to identify 3 categories of teachers:Category One……………………………….……………………………….Category Two………………………………..………………………………..Category Three………………………………..………………………………..

What is the initial step?………………………………..

Think of another activity like this, using a grid. Choose a topic that students would find interesting. Brainstorm with your group and list your ideas.

Practise in pairs. One student looks at Card A and the other at Card B.

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Opinion Exchange Activities Opening discussion on what makes great

people. Ss look at a list of celebrities. Who do you think is the most successful and

why? Describe your choice to your partner and

explain your reasons. After listening to partners, Ss may either hold

on to their view or may change their choice. Each pair justifies its choice to another pair. Feedback and language review.

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Preference Line Activities Individual work; group work

Promoting fluency; insisting on accuracy

Assigning homework; avoiding homework

Parents supporting children until they grow up; children becoming independent as soon as possible

Extended families living together; generations living apart

Love marriages; arranged marriages

Living in a big city; living in the country

Having a large family; not having children

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Decision Making Activities A nuclear war has just taken place! Soon, most of the world will be destroyed by radiation. However, you, delegates to the United Nations, have learned that due to unusual wind patterns, one small, uninhabited island 1000 miles off the coast of the Andamans will not be affected and is safe.Unfortunately, there is only time enough for one small plane at the Hyderabad airport to make it to the island. Aside from the pilot, the plane can carry only 6 people. But there are 10 people at the airport who want to get on board the airplane. You have fifteen minutes to decide which 6 of the following people will you carry and which 4 will die.Remember while you decide that the 6

people you choose will have to start a new civilization.1. As a group, think of reasons for and against each person.

1. male, religious pujari, age unknown2. male, homosexual doctor, age 463. female, beautiful ventriloquist, age 304. male, warrior with a gun, age unknown5. male, valiant chief of a tribe, age unknown6. female, the tribal chief’s pregnant wife, age unknown7. male, scholarly juror, age 418. female, university professor, atheist, age 349. female, handicapped meteorologist, age unknown10.female, agronomist, alcoholic, age unknown

2. Discuss and agree upon one unanimous list of six survivors. Be prepared to justify your choice.3. Present your list to the class and justify each choice.

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Problem Solving Activities

Have you had any classroom problems?Identify the most pressing one of them.Discuss in groups, invite solutions, choose the best Share your ideas. What is the best solution?

Why? Review language use

(you could, you should, you may, you need to, why don’t you?, this worked for me, try this)

I have a classroom problem, what should I do?

Jigsaw ActivitiesA Task-Based Approach

Task-based Learning offers an alternative for language teachers. In a task-based lesson the teacher doesn't pre-determine what language will be studied, the lesson is based around the completion of a central task and the language studied is determined by what happens as the students complete it. The lesson follows certain stages.Pre-taskThe teacher introduces the topic and gives the students clear instructions on what they will have to do at the task stage and might help the students to recall some language that may be useful for the task. The pre-task stage can also often include playing a recording of people doing the task. This gives the students a clear model of what will be expected of them. The students can take notes and spend time preparing for the task.TaskThe students complete a task in pairs or groups using the language resources that they have as the teacher monitors and offers encouragement.PlanningStudents prepare a short oral or written report to tell the class what happened during their task. They then practice what they are going to say in their groups. Meanwhile the teacher is available for the students to ask for advice to clear up any language questions they may have.Report Students then report back to the class orally or read the written report. The teacher chooses the order of when students will present their reports and may give the students some quick feedback on the content. At this stage the teacher may also play a recording of others doing the same task for the students to compare.AnalysisThe teacher then highlights relevant parts from the text of the recording for the students to analyze. They may ask students to notice interesting features within this text. The teacher can also highlight the language that the students used during the report phase for analysis.PracticeFinally, the teacher selects language areas to practise based upon the needs of the students and what emerged from the task and report phases. The students then do practice activities to increase their confidence and make a note of useful language. nagaRAJ

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Sharing Experiences Activities

Find a conversation partner

Narrate your experience during your first day as a language teacher

Listen to each other

Ask any question you might have

Describe your partner’s experience to the whole class

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Picture Clue Activities

A task taken from a task-based syllabus for beginners.

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Exercise

• elicit typical problems to set context• give guidelines, parameters, time frame• form groups • groups discuss problems, solutions and alternatives• groups design their utopia• monitor and take notes• report to another group/class• review, analyze and assess

Creating a perfect English classroom

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Reflect

What language skills were involved in performing the activity?What linguistic forms are essential and useful while performing the activity? How do you know if the task has worked?

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Defining Course

rationale

Assessing needs

Defining expected outcomes

Formulating goals

Developing pedagogic materials

Integrating communication

skills

Sequencing contents

Deciding methodolog

y

Designing assessme

nt

Sequencing ContentsLanguage units are neither totally independent nor dependent on other items, but are a network of interrelated items.

Complexity of form Frequency of occurrence Coverage Learnability Teachability Priority of need

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Defining Course

rationale

Assessing needs

Defining expected outcomes

Formulating goals

Developing pedagogic materials

Integrating communication

skills

Sequencing contents

Deciding methodolog

y

Designing assessme

nt Direct Method (English only) Grammar-Translation Method Bilingual Method Structural Method Situational Method Functional Notional Method Immersion Method Communicative Language Teaching

Method Task Based Language Teaching Method

Choice of Teaching Method

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How to Choose a Method?

What are expected learner competences?

What type of content is selected? What role is given to grammar? How do we engage students? How do we assess outcomes?

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Tasks

Real World Tasks

Pedagogical Tasks

Rehearsal rationale

Pedagogical rationale

Classroom Language Tasks

The goal of the language teacher is to develop meaningful and relevant pedagogical activities that are as close to real-world tasks as possible.

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Why ABLT?

natural learning inside classroom tasks- related to real-life language needs classroom activities - clear language outcome contexts - facilitate language acquisition

meaning gains emphasis over form intrinsically motivating & higher interest learner-centered classroom facilitation

more STT and less TTT non-interventional monitoring, supportive environment continuous assessment possible, tolerant to mistakes

can be used alongside traditional approaches

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What is ABLT? (TBLT, TBLL, TBL, TBI)

ABLT

involves comprehending, manipulating, producing or interacting in target L

authentic communication for performing meaningful tasks

focus on meaning; freedom with form

has a sense of completeness and has clearly defined outcome

allows teacher guidance and limited control

assessment based on task outcome

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ABLT Activities involve a plan for learning primary focus on making meaning offer real-world two-way language use focus on language skills after task

completion engage learners in cognitive skills to

accomplish tasks have a pre-defined communicative

learning outcome“A task is an activity which requires learners to use language with emphasis on meaning, to attain an objective.”

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Components of ABLT

Post TaskSs repeat, reflect, analyze L use

T conducts practiceCloser study of L features

Optional follow-up

Pre TaskAwareness raisingPre Task warmer

Introduce topic and task; supply languageUse recordings, demonstrations

Task Cycle(Task, Planning, Report)Work with and use target L

Pair and group work activitiesOpinion gap, information gap, reasoning gap techniques

T monitorsSs plan, report and present

Which components provide most exposure to the target language?

Think of three things the teacher might do during the pre-task.

At which stages in the task cycle might students benefit most from correction?

Why do you think the language focus phase always comes after the task cycle?

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Pr.1 T arouses awareness about the topicPr.2 T offers some ideas on how to do thingsPr.3 T shows a model / demonstration, if necessaryPr.4 T gives the topic that is going to be treatedCy.1 Ss collect information and materialsCy.2 Ss work in groups , with T’s guidanceCy.3 S groups plan their presentationsCy.4 Ss report on their projects to the rest of the classPo.1 Ss repeat / analyze the entire activity and their rolepo.2 T discusses language featuresPo.3 T assigns homework

Arrange the strips in logical sequence

Activity Structure Jumble

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Pre Task Phase motivational, linguistic, cognitive

brainstorming, comparing, sharing experiences

materials to lead into the topic (picture/text/song/video)

activities to elicit vocabulary

provide a model or role-play

allow the students time to plan

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While Task Phase Detailed instructions Set time for completing the task Allow enough planning time Pair / group work / the whole class Introduce a surprise element Vary group members Minimum teacher control Ss have to report to the whole class

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Post Task Phase

Summarize the outcome

Repeat / reflect / analyze

Watch a quality sample to compare

Feedback / issues / communication problems

Evaluate the task success / language use

Relevant homework / critique

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Phases of an ABLT Lesson Pre-task: T introduces the topic and gives clear

instructions Task: Ss complete the task in pairs or groups

using the language resources that they have Planning: Ss prepare a short report to tell the

class what happened during their task Report: Ss report back to the class orally or

read the written report Analysis: T highlights relevant observations for

the Ss to analyze Practice: T facilitates relevant language

practice

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Exercise

Develop a task about a topic of your choice.Test your task on these yardsticks:

Is there a well defined outcome? Does the activity relate to real world activities? Will the activity engage learners' interest? Is there a primary focus on meaning? Is there scope to judge outcome? Is completion of task a priority? Can the outcomes be assessed?

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Review Activity

Discuss in groups and decide a few effective means to implement in your class one new technique you have learned at this workshop.

Group Spokesperson to make one recommendation to the other groups.

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References

“A Framework for Task-Based Learning," by Jane Willis

"Designing Language Courses," by Kathleen Graves

"A Course in Language Teaching,“ by Penny Ur

“A Framework for the Implementation of Task Based Instruction,” by Shekhani, Peter

“The Task Based Approach: Some Questions and Suggestions,” by Littlewood William

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Questions

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Thanks

this slideshow is available at

www.authorstream.com/tag/lionnagarajuwww.slideshare.net/lionnagaraju

write to me atlionnagaraju@gmail.com