Methodology 3: Classroom instructions Language

1. Methodology 3:Classroom instructions �Language Veronika �talma�kov� Zuzana Juh�szov� Peter Plichta

2. Content Basic terms A good instruction Use of L1/L2 Some useful instruction-games Sources

3. Basic terms Instructions -Teaching, education performed by a teacher - the action, practice, or profession of teaching - the purposeful direction of the learning process Joyce, Weil, and Calhoun (2003) describe four categories of models of instruction: behavioral systems information processing personal development social interaction

4. Historical background of using L1/L2 in instructions Grammar-Translation method: language learning towards intellectual development rather than for communicative purposes The Direct Method: aimed at oral/aural competence and believed languages were best learnt in a way that emulated the �natural� language learning of the child � ie with no analysis or translation

5. Historical background of using L1/L2 in instructions Audiolingualism: language as a matter of habit formation. The L1 was seen as a collection of already established linguistic habits which would �interfere� with the establishment of the new set of linguistic habits that constituted the target language, and was thus to be avoided at all costs. TEFL �industry�: the theoretical opposition to the use of the L1 was compounded.

6. Historical background of using L1/L2 in instructions Total Physical Response - avoid the use of the L1 Suggestopaedia and Counselling Language Learning - have included L1 as an integral part of the methodology Mainstream methodology � an ambivalent approach, maintaining an �it depends� attitude.

7. Guidelines of clear and comprehensible instructions Planning - of how you�re going to give the instructions before you go into the classroom, and make sure that you can explain them within the limits of the language which the students can understand. Explicitness - don�t take anything for granted. Because we are so familiar with the activity types, we often assume that certain things are obvious.

8. Guidelines of clear and comprehensible instructions The time - If you have a long, complicated, or two part activity, don�t explain everything at once. Explain the first stage, and check that Ss have understood before you go on to the explanation of the next part. In some cases it is not necessary for the Ss to have an overview of the whole activity before they start. In this case, explain the first part, do the first part and then go on to the explanation of the second part.

9. Guidelines of clear and comprehensible instructions S�s attention - make sure they have stopped whatever they are doing, are turned towards you and are listening. Always English + gestures - Even in the first lesson, use English wherever possible. Get into pairs won�t be understood, but You two, you two and you two plus a gesture �pushing� the students together will be. No imperative � rather request forms: Repeat! � Can you repeat that?

10. Guidelines of clear and comprehensible instructions Feedback: asking them check questions repeating back to you demonstrating guessing the activity Always check that students have understood your instructions before starting the activity. The question Do you understand? is as good as useless.

11. L1/L2? L1 with beginners: activities which would be impossible to explain otherwise L1 in complex activities feedback in L1: just a short one to point out problem areas of grammar S�s receptive competence (their understanding) may be higher than their productive competence (their ability to use the language).

12. L1/L2 L1 For S�s difficulties - the teacher can reformulate it for them, possibly rephrasing and simplifying to show them how they could have expressed themselves within the language they already know. L1 durring a pre-lesson small talk Use of bilingual dictionaries L1 durring translation activities

13. Instruction games Simon says: TEFL game, Ss only do the action they are told to when the sentence starts with �Simon says��, e.g. If they hear any other command, they should remain totally still and not even start doing the action. To add some more useful language, you can replace �Simon says�� with �You have to�� or �The teacher wants you to��. Only when it matches: Ss only copy if the action and what the T says is the same, e.g. if the T both says �Stand up and face the window� and does that action. If the action and words don�t match, the Ss should just stay still. You can give points to individuals or teams who do the correct actions the quickest, and take points away or make them sit down out of the game if people do things when they shouldn�t. Tell me off: Ss should only copy if the action and what the T says is the same, and shout something negative like �No� , �That�s wrong�, �They are different�, �One more time, please� or �You�ve made a mistake� if they don�t match.

14. Instruction games Do as I say, not as I do: When the actions and what the T says don�t match, Ss don�t copy the action, but do what the T says instead Do what�s right, not what I say: Ss don�t copy if you ask them to do something that they shouldn�t do in the classroom, e.g. �Shout�, �Bang on the table� or �Kick a boy�, but race to follow instructions that are okay, e.g. �Bow to your neighbour� or �Shake hands� Tell me off too: If the T tells them to do something that isn�t allowed in the classroom, the Ss shout out �That�s naughty�, �That isn�t allowed�, �That�s bad�.

15. Instruction games Instructions protests: Tell the Ss to do some typical classroom actions, then throw in some things that are impossible, e.g. �Clean the whiteboard� then �Clean the ceiling�. With the impossible ones, they shout back �I/ we can�t (clean the ceiling)�, �That�s too difficult� or other useful classroom language for telling the T they have problems in class. Teacher robot: Elicit useful classroom language you want the Ss to say by doing things that make life impossible for them, e.g. writing in tiny letters on the board, speaking very quietly, speaking very fast etc, and only doing it properly when they ask you with the correct language. To add some fun, you can sometimes go too far the other way when they ask you, e.g. writing in huge letters, speaking very very slowly etc

16. Instruction games Pedantic robot: The Ss follow each other�s instructions, but only if they are so unambiguous that they can�t be misunderstood. Classroom language brainstorm: After the T says or does something, the Ss try to use as much classroom language as they can to ask the T to do it again or another way, e.g. if the T says �This is a whiteboard�, the Ss can say �How do you spell whiteboard?�, �Can you speak more slowly please?� (several times until it isn�t possible to speak any more slowly), �Can you speak more loudly please?� (ditto, until the teacher is shouting) etc.

17. Instruction games Classroom instructions collocations brainstorms: Give the Ss a verb and see how many possible things they can tell the T to do using that verb. Collocations pellmanism: Give each group of 2/4 Ss a pack of cards that has common classroom language verbs on half of the cards and common classroom nouns on the rest. Ss spread the pack of cards face down across the table and try to find a verb and an object that match up. If they think two cards match up, they should do that action in order to prove it. Classroom English ranking debate: Give students a list of 20 to 25 sentences that are useful for them to use in the classroom, including some more unusual ones like �Can I blow my nose, please?� In pairs Ss debate which are the top ten most useful sentences. These can then be turned into a poster or worksheet, and should be the ones the T is strict about not allowing L1 for from then on.

18. Instruction games Classroom language Pictionary: Ss try to draw a typical thing that Ss or Ts say in the classroom, and the rest of the class or their team try to guess what the sentence is. E.g. a drawing of a confused face and a question mark for �Sorry, I don�t understand� or a drawing of arrows going from a book, pen, eraser etc to a bag for �Put everything away in your bag�. Instructions action chains: Ss race to do the typical classroom action written on the board, then the T adds one more to the bottom of the list, and the Ss race to do both as quickly as possible when the T shouts �(Start) now� or �(Let�s) go�. The T adds one more to the bottom of the list and repeat over and over until they are doing at least 10 actions in a row.

19. Sources Citation: Huitt, W. (2003). Classroom instruction. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved [date], from http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/instruct/instruct.html http://eltnotebook.blogspot.com/2006/11/giving-and-checking-instructions.html http://eltnotebook.blogspot.com/2006/11/using-l1-in-efl-classroom.html The isntruction games were Contributed by Alex Case | July 2008Alex Case is TEFL.net Reviews Editor and author of the popular blog TEFLtastic: http://edition.tefl.net/ideas/games/15-classroom-language-games