WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?
TASK 1
Fill in the second column in the table:
TEACHER BEHAVIOR APPROPRIATE SITUATION(S)
The teacher shouts.
The teacher is at the back of the class.
The teacher is sitting on the floor.
The teacher is at the front of the class.
The teacher is not in the class.
The teacher is sitting at a table with a group
of students.
The teacher avoids eye contact with students.
The teacher is whispering.
The teacher turns her back to the students.
The teacher does nothing while everyone is
silent.
TASK 2
Look at the list below. Can you match each management aspect to one or more of the situations above?
Seating arrangement Setting up and monitoring activities Using the board
Using your voice Grading your language Handling authority and control
Using gestures Crisis management Creating rapport
TASK 3
a. Look at the following diagrams. What does each seating arrangement suggest?
b. Look at the following seating arrangements. What kind of activity would they be useful for?
TASK 4
A. Choose a, or b, according to your personal beliefs:
1.
a. It is more important for learners to listen and speak to the teacher than for learners to listen and speak to each
other.
b. Learners should get more conversation practice in interacting with other learners rather than with the teacher.
2.
a. People usually learn best by listening to other people explaining things.
b. People usually learn best by trying things out and finding out what works.
3.
a. The teacher should speak as much as possible in classroom time.
b. The teacher should speak as little as possible in classroom time.
B. Which of the two diagrams below would you associate with each of your choices?
TASK 5
Can you guess what the following gestures mean?
Here are some ideas:
a. Five minutes left. b. Give me a longer answer. c. Stand up.
d. What do you think? e. Work in pairs.
f. Don’t show the information sheet to your partner.
Now, create your own gestures for the following instructions:
Ask the other learners.
Repeat.
Please elaborate.
Please stop talking now.
Listen to me.
Come here! (polite)
Listen to each other.
Try them out with your partner.
TASK 6
A. Which of the two pictures comes closer to your
own habit?
B. Look at the board below. In pairs, try and imagine what could go in each box.
[Taken from Learning Teaching by Scrivener J., MacMillan 1994]
TASK 7
Read sentences a-g:
Tick five sentences that offer good advice. Cross out the other two sentences. Then compare your answers with
a partner.
Pronounce each word slowly and deliberately.
Use gestures, pictures and other things that will support what you are saying to make it easier to
understand.
Speak with natural rhythm and intonation.
Miss out small words (articles, prepositions, auxiliary verbs and so on) so that learners can focus on the
‘content’ words and understand the message.
Speak at a natural speed, but pause slightly longer after each ‘chunk’, if necessary.
Try to avoid ‘difficult’ vocabulary (for example, very idiomatic language).
Try to avoid complex grammar patterns.
[Taken from CELTA Course by Thornbury S. & Watkins P. CUP 2007]
TASK 8
Read below descriptions of two different ways of setting up an information gap activity. In both cases, the
activity involves students working in pairs to find ten differences between pictures they have been given.
Discuss how well you think the teacher manages the activity in each case.
Variation A
- Teacher says, Sit opposite your partner.
- Teacher waits while they move.
- Some of you are ‘A’ (gestures to letter A on the handouts). – Some are ‘B’ (gestures). Don’t show your paper to anyone
(mime hiding).
- Teacher distributes the handouts.
- Teacher says: Some things in picture A are different from picture B. Describe your picture. When you find something
different draw it. (mime)
- (Teacher checks understanding of instruction) What are you going to do? (Students answer with brief explanation).
Variation B
- Teacher asks one student to come out in front of the class and sit opposite her.
- Teacher gives the handout to the student and takes one herself, making a big show of keeping the handouts secret from
each other.
- Teacher pretends to be student A and does one example with student B so that the whole class can hear (e.g. A: Have
you got a tree in your picture? B: Yes. A: Is there a bird on top of the tree? B: no. A: Oh so that’s one difference – in my
picture there is a bird on tree.)
- Teacher distributes handouts to the class. The teacher says: Now you do the same. A and B. Find ten differences.
TASK 9
Categorize the steps to managing a learner-centered activity below in 3 stages: setting up the activity, running
the activity, finishing the activity.
Demonstrate the activity with a student or two.
Check that the learners have understood your instructions.
Discreetly monitor for language used.
Distribute handouts (if there are any).
Elicit or give instructions.
Elicit or revise any language the students might need during the activity.
Give feedback on task completion.
Give feedback on the language.
Help individual pairs or groups that are confused.
Monitor to see if everyone is doing the activity correctly.
Split the class into groups or pairs.
The process – 3 stages
Setting up activities can be divided into 3 stages:
Stage 1
Setting up the activity:
- dividing Ls into pairs/groups
- eliciting/giving instructions
- giving H/Os (if any)
- checking understanding
Stage 2
Running the activity:
- discreet monitoring
- monitoring to help Ls with problems
- taking notes of language used
Are the Ls doing what they
NO are supposed to be doing? YES
Stage 3
Finishing the activity:
- feedback on content
- feedback on language used
- (remedial work)
