module planning in adult esl

ALIGNED TO THE CANADIAN LANGUAGE BENCHMARKS

JOANNE PETTIS 2013

www.Facebook.com/PettisPBLA

THEMATIC, TASK-FOCUSED MODULE PLANNING

WHAT IS A MODULE?

A module is the blueprint that drives individual lessons. It provides an overall coherence and specifies the particular elements that will be addressed throughout the series of lessons.

It keeps teachers on track, ensures everything is covered that needs to be covered and sets up the assessment process.

Module planning precedes lesson planning.

MODULE PLANNING

THERE ARE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO MODULE PLANNING.

TWO APPROACHES COMMON IN CLB-ALIGNED COURSES INCLUDE:

Competency focused module plans Organized around specific CLB competencies. They are embedded in a variety of relevant language tasks. Giving directions, being tactful, giving opinions

Task-focused module plans Organized around specific language tasks Students need to carry out in particular social situations. They embed I or more CLB competencies. Making a doctor’s appointment, calling in sick, writing a cheque

As long as the module contains certain key elements: language tasks and CLB competencies, language skills and strategies, propose assessment tasks, the format can vary.

IT IS FUNDAMENTAL, HOWEVER, THAT TEACHERS UNDERTAKE MODULE PLANNING PRIOR TO LESSON PREPARATION

N.B.

TASK-FOCUSED MODULE PLANNING

Conduct a Needs Assessment to determine: the social situations in which Students need to communicate in English, and, if possible

some specific events/tasks Students might want to carry out in those situations.


Select a theme (e.g. Employment) and a communication event from your Needs Assessment results (e.g. Applying for a Job).


Analyze all the ACTIVITIES involved in applying for a job, such as: Choose appropriate job ads in the classified section of the paper

Find directions to one of the businesses posting a job wanted ad

(At the business) Get a job application form

Complete the job application Prepare a resume Return the application and resume to the business

Participate in the selection process Follow up


For each activity, identify possible LANGUAGE TASKS and note the skills. You might suggest others, but here are a few examples: Choose job ads to respond to

Read job ads in the newspaper classifieds (Reading task)

Read an ad on a job board at an employment centre (Reading)

Read a job posting in a window (Reading)


Find directions to business Do a Google Map search (Computer/Reading & Writing task)

Read a map to find a location (Reading)

Get a job application form Request a job application (Listening/Speaking)

Complete the job application (Writing)


Prepare a resume Writ a Resume (Writing)

Return application and resume Write a cover letter (Writing) Address an envelope (Writing) Submit an application F/F (Listening & Speaking)

Selection Process Participate in a job interview (Listening & Speaking)

Follow Up Make a follow-up phone call (Listening & Speaking)


Select tasks appropriate the Students CLB level. Teachers can choose as many tasks as they want; however, the Manitoba template we use provides for 4 tasks – Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing.

This approach generally works well for a well-integrated thematic module plan.

Selecting/Modifying a Task Teachers might modify a task to make it appropriate to the CLB level performance conditions, e.g. Finding a job ad in the newspaper might be above the CLB level of the class because of text complexity, but maybe reading a Job ad posted in a business window might be OK.

Preparing a resume is WAY to difficult for a CLB 3 class or even a CLB 5, but it seems to be OK for a CLB 8 class.

Teachers might also want to consider tasks that might have been taught previously. Maybe a task outlined as a possibility for this unit is too similar to a previously taught task. It might be a good transfer to another context, or it may be redundant given what was taught before.

POSSIBLE TASKS:

Listening – Request a job application form at a place of business (understand the receptionist’s Qs and info)

Speaking – Request a job application form at a place of business (give info, polite request and ask Qs)

Reading – Read a job ad in a window

Writing – Fill out a job application

POSSIBLE TASKS:

Listening – Participate in a job interview

Speaking – Participate in a job interview

Reading – Conduct an online job search

Writing – (task 1) Prepare a resume and (task 2) prepare a cover letter


Analyze the tasks to determine the CLB competencies at the class’s level that will/could be addressed by this task.


Analyze the tasks to determine: the functions/speech acts that would need to be taught,

the grammar, vocabulary, orthography/pronunciation needed,

the genre and textual features, the pragmatic conventions/concerns, and

the language and learning strategies that could be taught.


Specify any particular background information required to carry out these tasks successfully in this particular social context. E.g. In this module, it would be important for Ss to understand the process, services and assumptions of looking for work in Canada.


Identify any resources that would need to be developed or acquired. This includes noting any guest speakers to book.


Identify how the tasks could be assessed. (Teachers may choose not to formally assess all the tasks. Some tasks might be self-assessed or peer-assessed for the portfolio, but the teacher should formally assess at least one of the tasks).

Remember, an assessment task is usually a skill-using activity administered under test-like conditions with pre-determined criteria selected.

Benefits of Module Planning Easy for the teacher to keep on track with well-sequenced inter-related lesson plans.

Module plans, once developed can be used again or modified for other classes.

Module plans be shared in a module bank with colleagues.

module planning in adult esl

Education

job application writing

taught task

job application form

task teachers

job board

job interview reading

online job search writing

appropriate job ads