Tag Archives: Writing

The Life Line Activity

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A. As an introductory student to student activity, students are placed into groups of 4 (2 from each class, at least 1 male in each group). Each student receives three sticky notes, and is asked to write three brief descriptions of  language learning or travel experiences, to include the month and date. The sticky notes are gathered chronologically to create a line, a circle, or an arrangement of their choice, to form a game board. Students took turns rolling a single die, and moved coins accordingly across the Life Line board. If a student landed on her own sticky note, the other three students could ask her one question each related to that event. If the student lands on another student’s note, she asks a question to that student, followed by the other two students. As events are discussed they are removed from the board. If all sticky notes are removed from the table before the end of the allotted time, students can ask follow up questions to those already made.

B. A distinct advantage is that, as an interactive activity, the students are able to build rapport amongst themselves (building classroom culture) by sharing details they would otherwise not share. Additionally, by encouraging them to share events related to use of the TL, students are implicitly reminded of why they choose to study a foreign language (read: motivation). The topic of conversation can be adjusted according to student proficiency and curricular themes. For example, beginner students could write events related to their morning routine. Additionally, vocabulary related to the activity’s theme (e.g., routine) can be pre-taught, in which case the activity functions as practice.

C. Beginning level learners can write letters of the alphabet and arrange them alphabetically, then roll the die and say a pre-taught word which begins with that letter when the

D&E. Intermediate learners can write sentences which employ grammatical tenses as review or practice. The teacher can prompt the writing tasks with three questions which reflect language/topics of relevance to course curricula.

F.  This activity seems very appropriate for advanced learners, as it can activate uninhibited speech fueled by students’ curiosity and concern for one another.

G. Language classes with different TL writing systems (e.g., Chinese as TL for native English speakers) can allocate more time to the writing portion of the task. An activity with a stronger focus on writing skill development for advanced learners could request of the students they write sentences embedded with blanks. Students then roll the dice and on the sticky pad write words/phrases in the blanks, similar to Adlibs.

Composed by: Gerri; Josiah; Kendall; Dylan

 

On separating and integrating skills

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One of the current principles for language educators is that the four skills should be integrated as much as possible.  This will be a key guideline when we discuss unit planning in full detail (which will in the Curriculum Design course in the spring semester).  In the meantime, the posts here will be at least two-dimensional: that if students are to speak or write, we much know what they will do first (which might be to listen to or read something); and if students are to listen or read, we must include what they will do next, which will often involve speaking or writing.  The formulae are very simple:

X + Speak/Write;  Listen/read + Y.

Here are some simple examples: (1) in a common Co-operative Learning task called Think-Pair-Share, students in the early days of a new course might be directed to think of three specific L2 skills they want to develop through participating in this class (they may make notes if they wish); they then tell their partner (THINK + SPEAK); their partner listens carefully and passes the ideas to the rest of the group (LISTEN + SPEAK).  (2) The teacher removes  the title from a reading text; students skim the text and then work in pairs to write a good title (READ + SPEAK; DISCUSS + WRITE).  They then see the original title and must explain why their title is just as good (READ + SPEAK).  (3) Students study a graph or table of information and then write a paragraph summarizing the key information (PROCESS DATA + WRITE).

In other words, as we collect tasks and procedures related to particular skills, the specific skill will never be a single, free pedagogical molecule, but always linked to at least one other element.