This series of lessons was designed to be delivered over four weeks in the lead up to a one-week national holiday. In the following sections, I will outline:
Rationale and objectives
This series of lessons is premised in the need to extend my students' language learning environment beyond the confines of the classroom and to maintain the momentum of class-based study. Accordingly, much of the Internet-based component will take place between lessons on a customised platform through which I hope to:
- develop students' reading and writing skills in the target language;
- provide them with an authentic forum through which they can publish their written work and an audience to comment on it;
- facilitate more open dialogue on controversial or sensitive issues;
- encourage shy or reserved students to find their voice;
- appeal to a wider range of learning styles;
- enhance the social aspect of learning;
- enable those lacking confidence in their language skills to learn from more able writers; and
- maintain an electronic record of students' linguistic development over time.
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Preparation
All students were sent electronic mail invitations enabling them to register - with authoring privileges, but without administrative rights - as members of the "private" class blog account at Blogger.com, which I had customised for them at the start of the academic year. A group photo was uploaded with their permission, and they agreed to make their posts accessible to the public following a trial period during which they familiarised themselves with the application. To this end, I set aside one lesson to take the Blogger tour with them, demonstrate core functionality and "seed" initial posts: discussions, based on classroom context, which have subsequently been deleted.
Time was also set aside to clarify what was expected of students over the four-week project and to introduce them to the assessment rubric, according to which they would ultimately be graded.
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Lesson One
In the first lesson, students are required to write a short descriptive profile of a film character. The following lesson plan serves as a point of reference for later lessons in this series.
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Course: IGCSE English as a Second Language |
Year level: Year 11
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Number on register: 10
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Boys: 5
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Girls: 5
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Term: Michaelmas
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Week: 1
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Date: 3 September 2008
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BACKGROUND TO LESSON
Students have signed up to a class blog account and have successfully commented on orientation posts. |
LEARNING OBJECTIVES - By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
- write a descriptive profile of a film character in the "third person" using simple present and present perfect (continuous) tenses
- enhance/qualify a profile written by a classmate in character and using informal register |
PREPARATION
Hardware: interactive whiteboard and projector (to watch the DVD); individual laptop computers; wireless internet connection
Software: http://y11esl.blogspot.com/
Others: Bend it like Beckham (DVD)
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BRIEF OUTLINE OF LESSON PLANNED
Pre-computer work:
Students watch the first 16 minutes of Bend it like Beckham. In groups, they focus on one of the main characters: How would they introduce this character to a friend? What is it about this character that interests/attracts them? Do they recognise any of their own traits/experience in this character? Students should make a list of descriptive attributes for later reference.
Computer work:
Students post a descriptive profile of "Jess" or "Joe" in response to their first assignment. They should draw on attributes and use the target language discussed in class. |
FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
Students read each other's blog entries and select one to comment on as "Tony" or "Jules" in response to their second assignment. Has their classmate provided an accurate picture of the person they know so well? What would they add to this description? Is there anything they disagree with? |
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Lesson Two
In the second lesson, students are required to express concerns, consider conflicting points of view and attempt to persuade others by justifying their opinions in character.
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Course: IGCSE English as a Second Language |
Year level: Year 11
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Number on register: 10
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Boys: 5
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Girls: 5
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Term: Michaelmas
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Week: 2
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Date: 10 September 2008
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BACKGROUND TO LESSON
Refer to plan for Lesson One. |
LEARNING OBJECTIVES - By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
- justify a point of view using first conditional forms (simple present tense + "will")
- acknowledge opposing points of view using appropriate connectives and concession words
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BRIEF OUTLINE OF LESSON PLANNED
Pre-computer work:
Students watch Bend it like Beckham up to and including the part where Joe meets Jess's parents. In groups, they discuss the reasons Mr and Mrs Bhamra do not want their daughter to pursue her footballing aspirations. What plans do they have for Jess? Are there any indications that one feels more strongly than the other? How might Jess persuade them to let her follow her own path in life? Is this a reasonable thing to ask? How about Joe: Was he right to approach Jess's parents about this?
Computer work:
Students post their feelings about Jess's footballing aspirations as Mr or Mrs Bamra in response to their third assignment. They should endeavour to use the target language, to reflect the different personalities of the parents and to draw on what they know about their backgrounds and culture.
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FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
Students read each other's blog entries and select one to comment on as "Jess" or "Joe" in response to their fourth assignment. How do they feel about the parent's resistance and plans for Jess? Using the target language, if possible, what more could they say to persuade him/her to support Jess? |
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Lesson Three
In the third lesson, students are required to express regret for their actions in character and to offer constructive advice as a concerned friend.
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Course: IGCSE English as a Second Language |
Year level: Year 11
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Number on register: 10
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Boys: 5
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Girls: 5
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Term: Michaelmas
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Week: 3
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Date: 17 September 2008
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BACKGROUND TO LESSON
Refer to plan for Lesson Two. |
LEARNING OBJECTIVES - By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
- express regret using "I wish..." or "If only..." followed by third conditional forms
- reassure and offer advice using "should" and "If I were you..." followed by "would"
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BRIEF OUTLINE OF LESSON PLANNED
Pre-computer work:
Students watch the third part of the film. In groups, they discuss how Joe and Jess feel after the incidents in Germany and on the football pitch back home. To what extent were the characters to blame for what happened? How might they have avoided upsetting themselves and others? What should they do to repair the damage caused and to regain the other party's trust?
Computer work:
Students post their feelings about having let others down in response to their fifth assignment. They should reflect on the breakdown of trust between Jess and her parents, as well as between Jess and Jules.
Alternatively, students may prefer to comment on how Jess reacted to the racist remark back home - and how Joe dealt with this in turn.
Wherever possible, they are to use the target language. |
FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
Students read each other's blog entries and select one to respond to as a concerned friend in response to their sixth assignment. They are to be sympathetic and offer a few suggestions as to how the characters could make themselves (and others) feel better about things using the target language. |
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Lesson Four
In the fourth lesson, students are required to consider the strengths and weaknesses of the film before writing a review.
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Course: IGCSE English as a Second Language |
Year level: Year 11
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Number on register: 10
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Boys: 5
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Girls: 5
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Term: Michaelmas
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Week: 4
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Date: 24 September 2008
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LEARNING OBJECTIVES - By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
- summarise plot and thematic development using the simple present tense consistently
- use persuasive devices (e.g., superlatives and adverbs) to recommend the film to others
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BRIEF OUTLINE OF LESSON PLANNED
Pre-computer work:
Students watch the final part of the film. In groups, they discuss what they liked about it and how they would describe it to others. Were characters realistic or two-dimensional? Were events plausible or overly contrived? What was their favourite scene? Who would the film most appeal to? Why?
Computer work:
Students review the film in response to their seventh assignment. They should provide enough details to inform a prospective audience, as well as a justification for why the film will appeal. |
FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
Students review a film of their choice (watched over the holiday) in response to their final assignment. |
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