TEACHER-TRAINING WORKSHEETS

Gretchen Bitterlin Dennis Johnson Donna Price Sylvia Ramirez K. Lynn Savage, Series Editor TEACHER-TRAINING WORKSHEETS with Ann Jackman West Palm Beach, Florida

cambridge university press Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo, Delhi Cambridge University Press 32 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013-2473, USA www.cambridge.org Cambridge University Press 2009 This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press. First published 2009 A catalog record for this publication is available from the British Library isbn 978-0-521-14439-1 Ventures Professional Development DVD Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet Web sites referred to in this publication, and does not guarantee that any content on such Web sites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate. Information regarding prices, travel timetables, and other factual information given in this work are correct at the time of first printing, but Cambridge University Press does not guarantee the accuracy of such information thereafter. Art direction, book design, and layout services: Adventure House, NYC... It is normally necessary for written permission for copying to be obtained in advance from a publisher. The worksheets in this publication are designed to be copied and distributed in class. The normal requirements are waived here, and it is not necessary to write to Cambridge University Press for permission for an individual teacher to make copies for use within his or her own institution. Only those pages which carry the wording Cambridge University Press may be copied.

Authors acknowledgments Cambridge University Press would like to extend its thanks to the following reviewers and consultants for their valuable insights and suggestions. Karen Batchelor, City College of San Francisco, San Francisco, California Catherine Bell, LAUSD Division of Adult and Career Education, Los Angeles, California James Chang, 1199SEIU ESL Program, New York, New York Maria Koonce, Consultant Teacher Training, Cocoa, Florida Portia La Ferla, Torrance Adult School, Torrance, California Jean Maracle, Scottsdale Community College, Scottsdale, Arizona Laura Martin, Adult Learning Resource Center, Arlington Heights, Illinois Tim McDaniel, Green River Community College, Auburn, Washington May O Brien, Harris County Department of Education, Houston, Texas Kathleen Olson, Teacher-Trainer, Hilliard, Ohio Jean P. Rose, ABC Adult School, Cerritos, California Gilda Rubio-Festa, Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte, North Carolina Guadalupe Ruvalcaba, SAISD Adult and Community Education Department, San Antonio, Texas Debbie Talavera, Austin Community College, Austin, Texas Claire Valier, School District of Palm Beach County, West Palm Beach, Florida iii

Contents Module 1 Enhancing instruction with visuals 1 Module 2 Developing listening skills 4 Module 3 Teaching grammar communicatively 6 Module 4 Developing reading skills Part I: Narrative reading 8 Part II: Document literacy 10 Module 5 Developing writing skills 12 Module 6 Facilitating multilevel classes 14 iv

Module 1 Enhancing instruction with visuals 1 Before you watch 1. What topic could a teacher introduce with the picture below? Ventures Student s Book 1, Unit 8, page 96 2. What do you think are the main goals of using visuals at the beginning of a unit? Number them in order of importance. (1 = most important; 4 = least important) to create interest in a topic to activate students prior knowledge (find out what students already know) to build vocabulary and grammar to prompt pair work 3. What questions could you ask about the picture above to activate students prior knowledge? 1

2 While you watch Use the space in the second column to take notes. Strategies for using visuals What do you see? Before using visuals, create interest in the topic Use visuals to activate students prior knowledge Use visuals to build vocabulary and grammar Use visuals to prompt pair work 3 After you watch 1. Which of the strategies for using visuals have you used in your classroom? 2. Which of the strategies in the video are you most likely to implement in your classroom? 3. In what other ways can visuals be used as an effective teaching tool? 2

4 Try it out Choose one of the four strategies for using visuals presented in the video. On your own or with a colleague, describe what you would do to implement the strategy in a class you are currently teaching. Use the picture below or select another visual. Ventures Student s Book 1, Unit 9, page 110 3

Module 2 Developing listening skills 1 Before you watch 1. Why is it important for your students to develop their listening skills? 2. What are some of the challenges you face when developing students listening skills? 3. What do you currently do to prepare students for the content of a listening passage? 4. When you have your students listen to a passage, what do you ask them to listen for? 5. How many times do you typically have students listen to a passage? Why? 2 While you watch Use the space in the second column to take notes. Steps for developing listening skills What do you see? Before students listen, preview the material Practice listening for gist Practice listening for detail Provide independent listening practice 4

3 After you watch 1. What are the basic steps for developing students listening skills? 2. The teacher had students listen for specific vocabulary words and match pictures with conversations. What are some additional listening tasks you can give your students so that the same listening passage can be used multiple times? (e.g., listening for tone) 3. Why is it important for students to practice listening outside of class? 4. Which techniques from the video are you most likely to implement in your classroom? 4 Try it out Look at the picture and the accompanying audio script excerpt. On your own or with a colleague, do the following: 1. Develop a list of questions that you could pose to students in a class you are currently teaching to preview the material before they listen. 2. Create two listening tasks, each with a different focus. Ventures Student s Book 1, Unit 4, page 44 Excerpt from audio script Conversation A A What s the matter? B I have a headache. A Oh, I m sorry. Conversation B A What s the matter? B I have a fever. A Get some rest. Conversation C A What s the matter? B I have a sprained ankle. A Oh, I m sorry. Conversation D A What s the matter? B I have a stomachache. A Oh, that s too bad. 5

Module 3 Teaching grammar communicatively 1 Before you watch 1. What challenges do you face when teaching grammar? 2. Reflect on your current students grasp of English grammar. Generally, what are their strengths and weaknesses? 3. What instructional practices have you implemented to develop students understanding of English grammar? 2 While you watch Use the space in the second column to take notes. Steps for teaching grammar communicatively What do you see? Present grammar points in meaningful context Check for student understanding Provide guided practice Provide communicative practice 6

3 After you watch 1. What are the basic steps for teaching grammar communicatively? 2. Why is it important to teach grammar in a meaningful context? 3. Why is it important for teachers to confirm that students know the focus of the grammar, can make the form, and understand the meaning before beginning partner or small group work? 4. The purpose of guided grammar practice is for students to develop fluency with the grammatical structure. The purpose of communicative grammar practice is to get students to communicate meaning. How would error correction differ for each? 5. The teacher had students practice a dialog (substituting different vocabulary) and interview classmates. What are some additional interactive ways to practice grammar? 4 Try it out On your own or with a colleague, describe a context you might use to illustrate to students the meaning of the grammar in the chart below. Future tense with be going to Ventures Student s Book 1, Unit 10, page 126 7

Module 4 Developing reading skills Part I Narrative reading 1 Before you watch 1. Generally, did your students receive a formal education in their native countries? 2. What factors do you think affect a student s ability to read in a second language? 3. What steps do you currently take to teach reading? 4. Specifically, what types of pre-reading activities do you use in your classroom? 2 While you watch Use the space in the second column to take notes. Steps for developing reading skills What do you see? Before students read, preview the material Have students read in more than one way Check for student understanding 8

3 After you watch 1. The teacher had students read silently before he had them listen to an audio recording of the reading. Would you ever have students listen to an audio recording of a reading before they read silently? If so, why? 2. The teacher did something called echo reading students repeated short, meaningful word groups after the teacher modeled the language. How do you think echo reading can help students to become more fluent readers? 3. After checking students comprehension of a reading, the next step would be to have students reflect on the reading. What questions might you ask to help students relate the reading featured in the video to their own lives? 4. Why is it important to end reading lessons with communicative activities? 4 Try it out On your own or with a colleague, outline a lesson plan for the narrative reading passage below. Be sure to include activities for each of the following: a) preview the material b) have students read in more than one way c) check for student understanding Ventures Student s Book 1, Unit 3, page 38 9

Part II Document literacy 1 Before you watch 1. What challenges do you face when teaching document-literacy skills? 2. Imagine that you were using the form below in a low-beginning classroom. What could you do to orient your students to the organization of this form? Ventures Student s Book 1, Unit 8, page 106 3. Do you see any vocabulary that might be difficult for students? If so, which words? 4. How would you explain unfamiliar vocabulary words to students? 10

2 While you watch Use the space in the second column to take notes. Steps for developing reading skills What do you see? Before students read, preview the structure of the document Check for student understanding Have students scan for specific information 3 After you watch 1. What elements of the form did the teacher focus on? Would you have focused on anything different? Explain why or why not. 2. Why is scanning such an important reading skill? 3. Why is the multiple-choice format ideal for document-literacy tasks? 4 Try it out On your own or with a colleague, select a help-wanted or for-sale ad from a local newspaper or Web site. Outline a lesson plan for a document-literacy activity based on this ad. Be sure to include activities for each of the following: a) preview the structure of the ad b) check for student understanding c) have students scan for specific information 11

Module 5 Developing writing skills 1 Before you watch 1. What are some of the challenges you face when developing students writing skills? 2. Think about the types of writing that your students must complete in their day-to-day lives. What types of writing do you think they use most on a daily basis? 3. What steps do you currently take to teach writing? 4. What types of pre-writing activities have you used with your students? 5. Why are pre-writing activities important? 2 While you watch Use the space in the second column to take notes. Steps for developing writing skills What do you see? Before students write, provide a warm up for the topic Provide a model of the writing Provide tasks that break the writing into small chunks Have students share their work Have students revise their work 12

3 After you watch 1. What are the basic steps for developing students writing skills? 2. The teacher had the students complete the writing task outside of class. What are the benefits of having students complete a writing task outside of class? What are the benefits of having students write in class? 3. The teacher had students read their paragraphs aloud to their partners. Why did he do this? Would you do this in your own classroom? 4. What are some ways you can have students publish their work? 4 Try it out On your own or with a colleague, outline a lesson plan to help students write a note. Use the note below as a model to give your students. Be sure to include activities for each of the following: a) provide a warm up for the topic b) develop questions that focus students on key elements of the model c) provide tasks that break the writing into small chunks Ventures Student s Book 1, Unit 4, page 52 13

Module 6 Facilitating multilevel classes 1 Before you watch 1. Reflect on your experiences teaching multilevel classes. What has been most challenging for you as a teacher? 2. What strategies do you currently employ to address differences in student proficiency levels and abilities? 3. Which of these strategies have been most effective? 2 While you watch Use the space in the second column to take notes. Ways to facilitate multilevel classes What do you see? Use different materials for different students Organize students in like-ability groups Organize students in cross-ability groups Check student understanding as a whole class 14

3 After you watch 1. The teacher had different materials for different learners, and he let the students self-select their materials. What factors would you consider when determining whether to let students self-select or assign materials based on individual students needs? 2. Students worked collaboratively in two different ways with the same worksheet once with students at their own ability level and once with students of mixed abilities. What are the benefits of using like-ability groups and cross-ability groups? 3. What are the challenges of using like-ability and cross-ability groups? 4. Why is it important to review answers with the whole class after pair or small group work? 4 Try it out On your own or with a colleague, study the exercise below and answer the questions. Add Ventures 1, Unit 7, page 110 1. How could you modify this exercise for lower-level students to make it less challenging? 2. How could you modify this exercise for higher-level students to make it more challenging? 3. If you wanted your students to complete the exercise in like-ability groups, how would you set up the task? 4. If you wanted your students to complete the exercise in cross-ability groups, how would you set up the task? 15