Lesson Plan: Chinese Teacher Training Session 2

Lesson Plan: Chinese Teacher Training Part 2

This lesson is designed as session two of a series of four given to introduce Chinese teachers with a low level of English to both the English Language and British Culture.

The four sessions together form a one day seminar.

Note: because parts of this lesson are based on personal anecdote they will need to be changed if used by another teacher. One section also needs you to be able to translate, or have someone present who can translate, a number of classroom phrases from English to Chinese.

Lesson Level: Training For Chinese Teachers    Lesson Duration: 45 minutes

Lesson Title: Classroom language and language difficulties

Grammar/Vocabulary

Phrases for use in the classroom

Lesson Objectives

Develop understanding of problems in communication.

Learn some common English phrases for use in the classroom.

Preparation 

Prepare stories from own personal experience to replace stories used below

Prepare a handout of common classroom phrases in Englisg with space to write them in Chinese.

Procedure 

1 

Write title on board “Communications Difficulties and Classroom Language”

2 

Explain that I speak virtually no Chinese and that the Chinese phrases I do know I pronounce so badly that no one ever understands me.

Tell story of trying to buy tea. (See Notes)

Tell story of trying to take a taxi home. (See Notes)

 

3 

Ask class what they think is the problem in each case. Elicit ideas from students.

Explain why those two stories show differences between Chinese language and English

(The first is because in English it’s possible to communicate in single words and often possible to communicate with just nouns… this is much harder in Chinese because of the number of homophones and near homophones. Without a context and with my mangled pronunciation no one can tell if I am talking about poetry or earwax because both are shi.

  The second illustrates how difficult it is for some foreigners to hear and use Chinese tones.)

4 

Tell class we will now learn some phrases in English that teachers need to use in class.

Tell them I have tried to learn these in Chinese but with little success.

Tell them the only classroom phrases I know in Chinese are (and this is phonetic – NOT pinyin – Anjin and bie cho le)

 

5 

Tell class we will start by seeing how many phrases they can recognize and obey.

I will say a phrase and they must do it.

Practise with these phrases.

            Stand up

            Sit down

            Open your books.

            Turn to page twelve.

            Repeat after me, “This is Bob’s class”.

            Put up your hand.

            Look at the board.

            No more talking.

            Quiet

            Do you understand?

            Can you say that again?

            Work together.

            Do you have any questions?

            Have you finished?

                       

 

6 

Hand out he phrase sheets.

Write each phrase on the board one at a time in the order they are on the sheet.

Have classroom assistant translate each phrase into Chinese for students to write down.

7 

Explain about the use of tone in ENGLISH.

Explain about question intonation.

ANY SENTENCE IN ENGLISH CAN BE A QUESTION, rising tone makes it a question.

Give examples.

            This is a bottle.  V  This is a bottle.

            He likes noodles. V He likes noodles? V He likes noodles? V He likes noodles?

Repeat some sentences and ask class to decide if they are questions or statements. If they are questions what are they asking?

            Coffee is his favourite drink.

            Rice is his favourite food?

            There are three trees in my garden?

            Teaching is a good job.

            Picasso was a good artist?

            There are eleven men in a football team?

            All my students say that they love my lessons.

            John says Michael is his friend.

            Michael says John is his friend?

 

8 

Write sentences on the board WITHOUT punctuation.

Ask students to pronounce them either as statements or questions.

            Coffee is his favourite drink

            Rice is his favourite food

            There are three trees in my garden

            Teaching is a good job

            Picasso was a good artist

            There are eleven men in a football team

            All my students say that they love my lessons

            John says Michael is his friend

            Michael says John is his friend

9 

Q and A

Students can now ask any questions about the content of THIS Session.

Notes 

The “buying tea” story.

I had been in China for just a few days. I wanted to buy some tea. I know the Chinese for “tea” is “cha” but I don’t know the tone. I went into the shop and said “cha” the man looked at me blankly. In England this wouldn’t happen. Just saying “tea” would be enough but he had no idea what wanted. I tried again with a different attempt at a tone. Nothing. And again. Nothing. Eventually I was repeating the worder over and over in different silly voices like some crazy person.

I never did get my tea.

The taxi story

I had just moved to Baiyin. The FAO’s son there is a good friend of mine and he had tried very hard to teach me how to say my address in Chinese so that I could get home in a taxi. After going out to dinner I got into a taxi and said my address. The man did not understand. I tried about ten times but he had no idea what I was saying. I telephoned my friend, told him the problem and put the phone on speaker. He said my address. To me it sounded EXACTLY the same as I was saying. I could hear no difference at all. The taxi driver nodded and took me home.

Common Classroom Phrases

Stand up

          Sit down

          Open your books.

          Turn to page twelve.

          Repeat after me, “This is Bob’s class”.

          Put up your hand.

          Look at the board.

          No more talking.

          Quiet

          Do you understand?

          Can you say that again?

          Work together.

          Do you have any questions?

          Have you finished?

Lesson Plan: Chinese Teacher Training Session 4

Lesson Plan: Chinese Teacher Training Part 4

This lesson is designed as session four of a series of four given to introduce Chinese teachers with a low level of English to both the English Language and British Culture.

The four sessions together form a one day seminar.

Lesson Level: Training For Chinese Teachers    Lesson Duration: 45 minutes

Lesson Title: Classroom Techniques of British Teachers In China

Grammar/Vocabulary

Demonstration of classroom techniques

Lesson Objectives

To introduce Chinese Teachers to the techniques used by western language teachers and compare them to Chinese techniques.

Preparation 

This lesson plan assumes that you are familiar with and have observed both western teachers and Chinese teachers delivering English lessons.

Coloured ball for Hangman game

Map sheets/Instruction sheets for the collaborative activity.

Pictures of the animals can be used for the zoo activity. 

Procedure 

1 

Explain to the class that you have observed Chinese and Western teachers giving English lessons.

Talk about the normal Chinese techniques of repetitive drilling and rote memorisation

Explain that a foreign teacher has a different job... to encourage and devlop speaking and listening

Talk about biggest problems... class size and student engagement.

Remind them from last lesson of different size of classes in UK.

(Laugh at Telegraph report describing UK class sizes as “among the biggest in world” (average 26 for primary, 24 for secondary)

Ask how they deal with the class sizes in China.

Class discussion

2 

Explain that you will now demonstrate how we deal with it.

Break class into groups of four.

Explain that I always break the class into groups of between four and eight and then teach as if each group is one student.

Advantages: students less reluctant to answer questions – group responsibility not individual

                     can ask every group a question where you can't ask every student

                      tell story of observing one (western teacher) who asked EVERY student in a class of 52

                     “What will you do in the holiday?” and used entire lesson on one question.

Disadvantages: students can “hide” and let others do the work.

3 

Demonstrate Hangman and variations

Describe the purpose of the task.

(To develop and remember vocabulary in an interesting way)

4 

Demonstrate a communicative activity

(Zoo creation activity.)

Give the map sheet and the instruction sheet to each group.

Allow just a few minutes for them to begin the task. (Not enough time in lesson to complete)

Describe the purpose of the task: to encourage communicative and collaborative discussion within groups.

 

5 

Final Q and A session about anything covered during the day.

Give address of the blog www.esolesfltefl.blogspot.com and explain what they will find there.

Notes

For the Hangman game a coloured ball can be used to select student to give next answer.

For the collaborative activity each group needs a zoo map and a set of instructions.

See below

Zoo Activity: Information sheet.

1.     The giraffe is having a baby.

2.     Crocodiles are very scary.

3.     Some animals need water.

4.     The panda is very shy.

5.     The monkeys are very noisy.

6.     The camel is very smelly.

7.     People don’t like empty cages.

8.     Some animals are shy but some are scary.

Lesson Plan: Chinese teacher Training Part 3

Lesson Plan: Chinese Teacher Training Part 3

This lesson is designed as session three of a series of four given to introduce Chinese teachers with a low level of English to both the English Language and British Culture.

The four sessions together form a one day seminar.

Lesson Level: Training For Chinese Teachers    Lesson Duration: 45 minutes

Lesson Title: British Culture And British School Life

Grammar/Vocabulary

Information about the UK and UK School Life

Associated Vocabulary

Lesson Objectives

To introduce Chinese Teachers to aspects of United Kingdom Culture and to some of the differences between UK and China School systems.

Preparation 

Before the lesson make sure to have a copy of a British Isles map that you can put on the board or copy onto the board. This map should include the Shetlands, Orkneys, Channel Islands, Isle of Wight and Isle of Man as well as the two main islands.

You also need a copy of the United Kingdom Quiz (see notes)

Procedure 

1 

At the start of the lesson put the students into groups of six or eight depending on the class size. There should be no more than ten groups.   Give each group an answer sheet.

2 

Write “United Kingdom Quiz” on the board. Explain that we will do a quiz about the United Kingdom. Explain that they can discuss the answers in Chinese but must write them in English.

 

3 

Put the Map on the board. Question 1 relates to the map.

 

4 

Conduct the quiz as follows.

For multiple choice questions write the question on the board with the four possible answers.

For other questions write the question on the board.

Read the question to the class.

Allow groups time to discuss and write their answers.

 

5 

When all ten questions have been completed, repeat the questions (orally only) and ask the class for their answers. Write the correct answers on the board and discuss them. See notes for discussion points to be raised.

6 

Check scores.

7 

Change class into smaller groups (4 or 5 students)

Write this Question on the board.

How do you think British and Chinese schools are different?

Allow groups time to discuss.

8 

Go round groups one at a time and get ideas.

Write ideas on the board.

When the ideas are all on the board discuss them

Explain where their ideas are right and where they are wrong.

Make sure the following points are covered.

Length of school week and day (6 days and up to 12 hours in China/ 5 Days and up to 7 hours UK)

School discipline

Students in China also act as cleaners etc for the school.

More exams in China.

Size of classes and different teaching techniques.

School ages 5- primary, 11-secondary, 18 higher (can leave school at 16 but must have some kind of continuing education until 18 changed 2013.)

Compulsory subjects

• English, history, mathematics, science, geography,modern foreign languages, art-design-tech, music, pe, citizenship, ICT
• careers, sex and relationships, RE (parental discretion allowed) (not examined)

9

Further time for Q&A session.

Notes.

UK Quiz

1. What is this a map of?
   a) The United Kingdom, b) Great Britain, c)The British Isles d) England

Discuss the meanings of the various terms. UK Consists of England/Scotland/Wales/N. Ireland

Great Britain is the main Island (England/Scotland/Wales), British Isles is the whole lot including Channel Islands and Republic of Ireland etc England is Just part of the main island.

2. What is Big Ben?
   a) a clock b) a bell c) a tower d) the Government Buildings

It's the bell in the clock. The clock has no name, the tower is called Saint Stephen's Tower and the building is the Palace of Westminster

3. What is the name of the Queen's eldest child?
   a)Edward b)Anne c) Andrew d) Charles

Charles was born in 1948, Ann in 1950 Andrew in 1960 Edward 1964

4. What is the population of the United Kingdom (in millions) Free answer

63 million (July 2013) compared to 1.35 billion in China (billion = thousand million NOT million million)

5. What is the size of the UK? Free answers in km2

244,000 sqkm which makes it a little larger than Guangxi and about half as big as Sichuan

6. After English and Welsh what is the next most common language spoken in the United Kingdom?
   a) Polish b) Chinese c) Spanish d) Punjabi

In the 2011 census Polish had overtaken Punjabi with more than half a million speakers. Explain about EU open borders policy.

7. What is the most popular food in England?
   a) stir fry noodles and vegetables b) fish and chips c) roast beef d) curry

According to a survey earlier this year.

Discuss if this surprises them. Explain how British culture loves to take things from all over the world.

8. The BBC asked the people in the UK who was the greatest Briton ever? What was the answer?
   a) William Shakespeare b)Princess Diana c)Winston Churchill d)Margaret Thatcher

Ask class for their ideas.

9. Who is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom?

David Cameron (at the time of writing, July 2014)

10. Queen Victoria was our longest reigning monarch. How long was she the Queen for?
    a) almost 55 years b) almost 60 years c) almost 64 years d) almost 70 years

But if our present queen reigns for another 400 days (as at July 2014) she will pass that record.

Lesson Plan: Chinese Teacher Training Part 1

This lesson is designed as session one of a series of four given to introduce Chinese teachers with a low level of English to both the English Language and British Culture.

The four sessions together form a one day seminar.

Lesson Level: Training For Chinese Teachers    Lesson Duration: 45 minutes

Lesson Title: Introduction

Grammar/Vocabulary

Question words.

Asking and answering questions.

No new vocabulary will be introduced.

Lesson Objectives

Practicing question words.

Introduction to class.

Introduction to UK culture.

Preparation 

Before the lesson prepare a list of questions and answers relating to yourself. Answers should be in the form of single words or short phrases. Try to include a variety of question words. There should be between fifteen and twenty question and answers.

The question set that I use is.

       Where are you from?

       What is your home city?

       How old are you?

       How many countries have you visited?

       When is your birthday?

       What is your favourite food?

       Which country do you like best?

       Who is your favourite composer?

       Why did you come to China?

       What is your favourite book?

       How many brothers and sisters do you have?

       What is your favourite sport?

       What is your favourite colour?

       Who is your favourite singer.?

       How many times have you been to China?

Before beginning the lesson write your name on the board and introduce yourself to the class. 

Procedure 

1 

At the start of the lesson put the students into groups of six or eight depending on the class size. There should be no more than ten groups.   (1 Minute)

2 

Write the following question words on the board. Check understanding of each. Explain that although “whom” is a valid question word almost nobody uses it now – IT IS STILL TAUGHT IN CHINESE TEXT BOOKS. (5 Minutes)

Who, What,Why,When,Where,Which, How, Whom

 

3 

Tell students you will write some words on board that are all about you.

They are the answers to questions about you and the students must ask the right questions using the question words that you have written.

Tell students there is one point for each correct question.

At one side of the board write the group numbers for keeping score.

At the other side of the board write the answer to an easy question.

Elicit the question from the whole class.

(e.g. England/Where are you from?)

Tell class to raise their hands and NOT shout out answers. (2 Minutes)

 

4 

Students raise hands when they think they can ask a question that matches one of the answers.

Choose students to answer.

Try to spread choices between the groups evenly.

Direct questions specifically to any non-participating groups.

Give groups one point if they ask the correct question for any answer.

If questions match the answers but are not the questions you wanted you can reject them (with an explanation) or accept them. (5 Minutes)

 

5 

Write answers to all remaining questions.

Go through the vocabulary.

Explain any new words.

(e.g. “Birmingham is a big city in England”) (4 Minutes)

 

6 

When all questions have been found tell class that they can now ask more questions about you. Give groups 2 minutes to think of questions. They can discuss them in Chinese but must ask in English. (2 Minutes)

7 

While students write more questions monitor activity of all groups. Help them as necessary. (2 Minutes)

 

8 

Go round groups one at a time and get one new question

Answer the questions.

Give group one mark for a well-formed, new question.

If the grammar is incorrect help group to correct it.

Give one mark for each new question.

When all groups have askjed one question ask class to raise hands with more questions.

Choose students to answer and give one mark to group for new questions.(5 Minutes)

9

Tell groups that England and China are similar in some ways but different in others. Tell group that the differences are sometimes small and surprising but even small differences can be a problem.

Tell the shower story or a similar story of a difference between China and the UK. (5 Minutes)

10

Tell groups to spend 5 Minutes thinking of things they know about the UK and questions they would like to ask.

11

Question and answer session about UK to end of lesson.

Notes 

1. The shower story is a true story about me.
   Chinese apartments usually have the fuse box OUTSIDE the apartment door not inside the apartment. One day I was about to take a shower. I turned the shower on and there was an electrical fault and the fuse blew. I pulled on my boxer shorts and my flip-flops and went out to reset it. The apartment door closed behind me. My phone, keys etc were all inside. My spare keys were at my friends apartment two miles away. I had to walk through the streets in boxers and flip-flops to get to her apartment. Luckily she was in, she gave me the keys and a bright pink womans T-shirt and the money for a cab back. It was very hard to get a cab driver to stop.