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Teaching Strategies to

Trick your Students into

Learning English

Presented by Alex Husband and

Mika Ogasawara

Susono High School

Introduction

1st grade Communication English I (Oral Communication, once a week)

2nd grade 異文化理解, Cross Cultural Class

3rd grade English Communication class

3rd grade 時事英語, Current Events/Debate class

What is the goal of this seminar?

• To better understand how to use

different teaching methodologies

(specifically Content-Language

Integrated Learning and Task-Based

Learning) to build a better ‘Learning in

English” classroom.

• To see English as a skill rather than a

subject

Timeline

• Introductions/Seminar Goals

• Input / Output terms

• What methods do we use now?

• What is Content-Language Integrated Learning?

– Case Study #1: Learner Training

• What is Task-Based Learning?

– Case study #2: Input / Output

– Case study #3: “Noticing”+Acquistion

Input vs Output

Input / Receptive / Passive skills

Reading

Listening

Output / Productive / Active skills

Writing

Speaking

Comprehensible Input

- NEW Material/Information

- Slightly above student’s level

- Student Level +1

- Teacher’s job is to make input

comprehensible to student’s level

- Ex. Words, pictures, gestures, tone, hands

on activities, demonstrations, repeat,

recycle vocabulary

Comprehensible Output

• Student made writing or speaking

– Tests, projects, speeches, drills, etc.

• Clarification + Answer

– During class, after school, reviewing material

• Evaluations

– Marking tests, journal responses, project remarks

– Time spent helping student’s English become comprehensible

So………

Input:

– Teaching the progressive form in class

– Introducing vocabulary

– The history of Manchu Picchu

Output: Drills, speaking activities, practice,

writing, marking/grading, any time you ask the

student to produce something, even if it’s just the

answer

*clarifying and re-teaching, or re-explaining

5% input,

95% output

Grammar Translation Method

• Traditional

• L2 L1 and L1L2

• Produces good readers/writers

• Passive form of learning

Audio-Lingual Method

• “Repeat after me”

• Builds pathways/muscle

memory

• Passive form of learning

Total Physical Response Method

• Engages the body and

memory

• How do you use TPR in the

classroom?

eg: stand up, open your

textbooks, etc.

• Passive form of learning

Content-Language Integrated Learning

AKA Content-Based Learning

• CLIL or CBL

• Teaching content, not English

• English learning is a means/consequence,

not the goal

How do ALTs and JTEs use CBL

already?

• When we teaching about

– Culture

– Holidays

– ALT Self Introductions

– Expanding on textbooks

• When students do

– Reading comprehension questions

– 感想/Response Writing

– Research projects

– Etc.

What separates CBL from other

methodologies?

• Presentation of the material – Doesn’t introduce new grammar/vocabulary as the

focus

– Less emphasis on correctness of language.

– Pictures, graphics, videos, “authentic” material.

– “Chunks” of information

• Evaluation – Listening tests based on content, Reflections,

Research projects, Creative writing, teacher observation, speeches.

– Similar to what you would find in non-English classes.

But how do you evaluate English

as well as content?

• “Less emphasis on correctness of language”

Examples of CBL classes

• 50 minute structured class

• Textbook-Based activities

• Case Study #1 : Content-Based Class 異文化理解 / Understanding differences between

cultures (Cross Culture Class)

One Shot CBL lesson!

Worksheet

Rocky Mountains

Rocky Mountains

Worksheet

Rocky Mountains

Long: 3000 km

High: 4400 m

Quiz: How high is Mt. Fuji?

Answer: 3776 m

Prairies

Prairies

The Prairies are

very, very, very

flat.

Highway 1 is

7820 km.

Tomei from Tokyo

to Nagoya is 387 km

Quiz:

Why is Highway 1

dangerous

in the Prairies?

Answer: It’s very boring

15/20 minute activity

Adding to the textbook Theme of reading (content): Volunteerism

- Before reading : Brainstorm ways people

can volunteer. (ex. Time, Money, Skills) or volunteer

associations students know (UNICEF, Doctors

Without Borders, etc)

- During reading : Write about a volunteer

experience, etc.

After reading: Issue a Help Each Other

Challenge (Students must do one kind thing that

week) and have students write about it.

15/20 minute activity (2) - History of Radio Taisou

- Do Taisou in English

- Teddy Bears

- Have a teddy bear picnic

- Kimchi

- K-pop dancing, looking at a map of Seoul

- ABO Blood types

- Personality test

Case Study#1: CC Class/異文化理解

• 1st semester

Getting to know the class

- Teaching students how to learn

- Learning how to teach your students

• 2nd semester

Teacher chosen topics, student chosen projects

• 3rd semester

Student chosen topics

Teach Students How to Learn Not just language training

1. Integrate study skills work

Danger

Strength

Government

Technology

Universe

Help

Secret identity

Brave

Save

Avenge/Revenge

Teach Students How to Learn Not just language training

1. Integrate study skills work

2. Explain your reasoning

Semester 1

Getting to know the class

– Topics that use information students know

• School, self introductions, geography/the world

– Group work/Pair work

• Discussions, pair writing

– Peer evaluations

– Put students outside of comfort zone

Let’s talk about school!

Do you like school? Why?

Yes, I do/ No, I don’t because…

Why do you go to school?

I want to~ / I must~

Do you think school is important? Why?

Yes, I do because~ / No, I don’t because~

What subject is most important? (Science, math, language, PE, etc.)

PE is most important because~

Do you remember????

Did Alex wear a uniform in high school? Is there an entrance exam? Entrance exam=入試

Do students have to go to high school? Have to = しなければいけません

Can students change their hair colour? When does Canadian school start? How do students go to school? Where do students eat lunch? Do students have a homeroom?

Track/ Football field

Baseball Field

Student Parking

Teacher Parking

School Bus

Town Library

One room

classrooms

School Years

0 5 10 15 20

Japan

Canada (2)

Canada (1)

No School

Kindergarten

Elementary

Junior HS

High School

When is school?

September

October

November

December

January

February March

April

May

June

July

August

1st Semester

Winter Break

2nd Semester

Summer Break

2nd

Semester

Winter

Break

3rd

Semester

1st

Semester

Summer

Break

Information

In the world, 57, 000, 000 children don’t go to elementary school.

In the world, 69, 000, 000 children don’t go to high school.

Why?

No money.

Must travel very far, no roads.

No teachers, no buildings, no books.

Must have a job.

Not safe.

Malala Yousafzai

17 years old

Born in Pakistan (パキスタン）

Wrote a blog about girls in

school.

学校に女子についてブログした

In October 2012, she was shot

in her face on her school bus.

10月2012年、スクールバスに顔を撃たれました。

Malala Yousafzai

HOMEWORK

Read Malala’s UN Speech.

マララのUNスピーチを読んでくる。

1) What do you think about her speech?

1) 何を考えますか？

2) Do you think education is important in order to change the world? Why?

1) 世界を変わるために教育は重要だと思いますか？

Write 6-10 English sentences about her speech.

B5ノートに英文を6-10個ぐらいを書く。

100 Person Project

Picture

• Camera

• People not person

• Machine

• Numbers

• Far away

• Cold

Portrait

• Pencil, paper, paint, etc

• Person not People

• Human to Human

• Stories

• Close

• Warm

Picture of Susono High School

• # of students

• # of girls/boys

• # of clubs

• # of sports clubs

• # of culture clubs

• # of students with a part-time job

• # of students who come by train/bike/walking/car

Portrait of Susono High School

Let’s interview!

• 1 Classmate (in 異文化理解）

• 1 Teacher

• 1 person in school you don’t know well

• 2 Students

– One Boy (not 2年生）

– One Girl （not 2年生）

• 1st semester

Getting to know the class

• 2nd semester

Involve students in decision process

• 3rd semester

Student chosen topics/projects

Case Study#1: CC Class/異文化理解

Why should teachers use CBL in

classrooms?

• Motivation

• Adaptable to all levels

• Student-Generated

• Active form of learning

• Promotes “noticing”

• Break from grammar

Task-Based Learning

• TBL

• Using English, not learning English

• Accuracy is a consequence

• What will students DO rather then what will students LEARN.

• Tasks should be things native speakers are expected to do – Phone calls, ordering food, etc

– Debate

– Expressing opinion

– Creative writing

Long term task-based lessons

• Language learning isn’t a race, it’s a marathon.

• Case study #2: 1st Year OC class and the 5%/95% Ratio

• Case study #3: 時事英語 / Current Events class and how I got tricked into teaching debate

Case Study #2:

1st Year OC Class

Input / Output ratio

- Make up

- Schedule

OC Class Make Up

11HR

(40)

11A

(20)

11B

(20)

12HR

(40)

12/13

(24)

12

(28)

13HR

(40)

12/13

(24)

13

(28)

15HR

(40)

14/15

(24)

15

(28)

14HR

(40)

14/15

(24)

14

(28)

4 times a week = 3 JTE, 1 TT

OC Class

• 1st Semester (April-May)

Lesson 1: Self Intro

Lesson 2: Classroom English

Lesson 3: Canada 1

Lesson 4: Canada 2

Lesson 5:Review class

Midterm (25pt Listening test)

OC Class

Lessons 6-9: Task

“Let’s make a dialogue!”

- Meeting New People

- Making Plans

- At a Festival

Lesson 6

Lesson 6

Lesson 7

Lesson 8

Warm Up

OC Class

• 2nd Semester

Lesson 10: Big Numbers

Lesson 11: Prepositions

Lesson 12: Directions

Lesson 13: Review

Midterm (25pt Listening test)

Lesson 14: Halloween Story

Lesson 15

Lesson 15

Hey, remember that 5%/95% thing??

• 1st semester Class time = 50min x 9 = 450min

Checking dialogues = 60 min x 3 = 180min

Reading journals = 60min x 9 = 540min

Self intro (20), Classroom English (10), Canada (30), Review (15)

– Lesson 6, 7, 8, 9 (20)

TOTAL: 1170 min (~20 hours over 2 months)

75 minutes input, 1,095 output/checking

~ 7% input, 93% output/checking

Hey, remember that 5%/95%

input/output ratio??

• 2nd semester Class time = 50min x 10 = 500min

Marking Test = 60 min

Reading journals = 60min x 5 = 300 min

Checking Scripts = 60min

Big Numbers (10), Prepositions (15), Directions (15), Halloween (15), Explanation (5)

TOTAL: 920 min (~15 hours over 2 months)

60 minutes input, 920 output/checking

~ 6% input, 94% output/checking

Case study #3:

時事英語 / Current Events class

Teaching students how to learn

1. Integrate study skills work

2. Explain why! Your teaching method

isn’t a national secret!

3. Give students

opportunities to “notice”

where learning takes place

Learning vs. Acquisition

Learning

• Textbook

• Grammar

• Memorizing

• Formal

• Learner is conscious of it

Acquisition

• Natural

• “Input must be

comprehensible, slightly

above learner’s level,

interesting and relevant,

not grammatically

sequenced, in sufficient

quantity and experience in

low-anxiety contexts.”

(Richards, 23)

Rebuttal

=

Attack

How does this relate to Learning vs Acquisition and helping student “notice” English?

– Comprehensible

• Largely peer generated

– Interesting

• Topics can be freely chosen

– Not grammatically sequenced

• Skill sequenced

– Quantity

• Same task every week

– Low anxiety

• Prep time, gradual increase of tasks/expectations

Traditional Grammar-Translation

SVO+C

I like the person who is wearing glasses.

メガネをかけっている人が好きです

Student example

“We can feel happy because people who live

in Osaka enjoy talking with people who are

visiting Osaka for the first time.”

Works Cited

• Approaches and Methods in Language

Teaching by Jack Richards and Theodore

Rodgers

• Learning Teaching: The Essential Guide to

English Language Teaching by Jim Scrivener