Asking DirectionsJoel D. Wilson

American Military University

EDUC531 I001 Sum 14

• Recommended accommodations for English Language Learners (ELL) are provided.

• Asking for directions is an essential skill English Language Learners need to master (Harmer, 2007).

• Whether traveling on business, for pleasure or studying abroad one can expect to need help finding a destination in an unfamiliar city.

• Students will learn how to ask for help finding a location, understand the basic vocabulary of directions and offer thanks to those who help them along the way.

Unit Overview

• This lesson is intended for Intermediate ELL students (Graham & Walsh, 2005).

• Learning objectives should be reached within three to five 45 minutes class periods.

• Students will demonstrate the correct usage and comprehension of this unit’s vocabulary with an accuracy of 80% or higher.

Reynolds, Livingston, & Willson (2009) state, “it may be appropriate to make assessment accommodations for English Language Learners” (p. 419).

Grade Level, Length & Standards

(NYC Tourist, 2013)

• Given a city map students will ask for and understand basic directions in English with at least 80% accuracy.

Learning Objectives

• Students will response appropriately when asked for directions.

• Students will show appreciation to people who help them find their way by remembering to offer thanks.

Students follow verbal commands to move about the classroom in order to find a “destination”.

Practice 1: Command-Response Stand up.Turn right.Turn left.Go straight ahead.Stop.Turn right and go four steps.Turn left and go two steps.Sit down.

(Graham & Walsh, 2005)

Dialog:

A. Is there a grocery store near here?B. Yes, there's one over on State Street.A. Where is State Street?B. Go down this street for two more blocks. Turn right and go a block. ABC Supermarket is on your left.A. Thanks.(Graham & Walsh, 2005)

The teacher assesses student pairs by listening and offers constructive feedback.

Formative Assessment

• Students with limited English reading proficiency may be tested orally as required.

• Test accommodations include language-simplified questions, defining words, and providing examples (Reynolds, Livingston & Willson, 2009, p. 406).

• Fill in the blanks constructed-response short answer items.

Responses to requests for help to find a destination on a city map are elicited. Answers are evaluated for skill of expression and appropriateness.

Summative Assessment• Multiple Choice selected-response

questions.

Directions are followed on a city map then the correct location is selected. Knowledge of this unit’s vocabulary and comprehension of commands are tested.

• Included with this unit are twelve images of commonly sought after standard city destinations (Graham & Walsh, 2005).

• Simplifying or clarifying language and providing cues is a presentation format modification (Reynolds, Livingston & Willson, 2009, p. 406).

• Flash cards are pictures which a teacher can hold up and use as a visual cue to associate a word in the target language to its meaning (Harmer, 2007).

• Younger students can color these images prior to lamination for maximum student engagement.

Presentation Format

• Included with this unit is a printable city map (Graham & Walsh, 2005).

• Students create and practice their own original dialogs in pairs with the aid of this map.

• Students use this map individually as a visual aid for the summative assessment and may draw on it as needed.

Visually tracking is a response format accommodation (Reynolds, Livingston & Willson, 2009, p.407).

Response Format

• Formative assessment of student dialogs is done in pairs.

• An assessment involving administration in a small group setting is a form of setting modification (Reynolds, Livingston & Willson, 2009, p 408).

Reynolds, Livingston & Willson (2009) state, “Modifications of setting allow students to be tested in a setting that will enable them to perform the best” (p. 408).

• Students with limited English reading proficiency may be tested orally.

• Individual test administration involves setting modification (Reynolds, Livingston & Willson, 2009, p 408).

Setting

• Reference materials such as a dictionary, thesaurus or spell checkers are adaptive devices and supports (Reynolds, Livingston & Willson, 2009, p. 409).

• Smart Phone and/or tablet computer applications allow students to access reference materials quickly and efficiently.

• Students may use mobile electronic devices just as real travelers would. • Flash cards in this unit are used as a form of “scaffolding” support.

• Sleeter & Grant (2009) explain, "This process refers to temporary support for students as they learn to do something new and complex (like training wheels on a bicycle); scaffolding also helps teachers embed lower-level skills and content in higher-order thinking" (p. 67).

Adaptive Devices and Supports

The language instructor’s responsibility includes administering assessments. Reynolds, Livingston & Willson (2009) state, “If the goal is to assess the student’s English proficiency, it is appropriate to test an ELL student in English” (p. 412). Evaluating a student’s competence in English includes more than just tests or grades.

Assessment is an ongoing process of providing feedback to students. Part of this procedure involves accommodating student needs. Reynolds, Livingston & Willson (2009) state, “It is also important to distinguish between conversational and cognitive/academic language skills” (p. 414). A traveler might need a map to guide him or her to a destination. An ELL student might need assessment or learning accommodations to reach his or her full learning potential.

Conclusion

References

• Graham, C., & Walsh, M. (2005, June 24). Lesson 1: Asking directions - brigham young university. Retrieved from http://humanities.byu.edu/elc/Teacher/SectionThree/lesson1.html

• Harmer, J. (2007). How to teach english. Essex, UK: Pearson Education Limited.

• New york city map | nyc tourist. (2013). Retrieved from http://nyctourist-map.blogspot.com/2013/05/nyc-tourist-maps-printable.html

• Reynolds, C., Livingston, R., & Willson, V. (2009). Measurement and assessment in education. (2nd ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

• Sleeter, C.E., & Grant, C.A. (2009). Making choices for multicultural education: Five approaches to race, class, and gender (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ; Wiley.