Lesson Plan: UK and Chinese Schools

Lesson Level:   Junior                     Duration:  40 Minutes

Lesson Title:     UK Schools and Chinese Schools

(American teachers etc should go through the material carefully and adapt the sections on their schools according to their countries' practices.)

Grammar and Vocabulary

(words associated with feelings)

Unexpected, nervous, comfortable, relaxed. Helpful, exciting, boring, adventurous .

Lesson Objectives

 Students will learn words associated with feelings.

Students will be able to understand and discuss differences between UK schools and Chinese schools.

Materials Required

Dialogue and reading text¹

Preparation

Prepare enough copies of the dialogue and reading text to give one copy to each group of four students.

Procedure

1

Write lesson title on board – “School Life in the UK and China²”

Ask students if they like school.

Ask students what they know about differences between the two school systems.

(Use ball toss to select students. At this stage DO NOT correct misconceptions about UK schools, just tell students that we will see later if they are right.)

2

Put students into groups.

Write instructions on the board

            Read the dialogue.

            Try to find as many words as you can about how Bob and Ray feel.

Allow students two minutes only.

3

Select two strong students to read (or read one part yourself and have one strong student read the other part.)

Write on board “Shout ‘STOP’” when you hear a word about feelings.

Demonstrate reading and shouting STOP.

Have the two students read the dialogue. (You shout STOP if students miss a word.)

Write the feelings words on the board.

When first reading is complete elicit and add the meanings of the words³.

4

Write these questions on the board.

1. Who is Bob calling?
2. Was he surprised to hear from Bob?
3. How did Bob feel when he first started teaching?
4. How does he feel now?
5. How does his brother feel about England?
6. Why doesn't he want to go to China?

Have two more students read the dialogue.

Ask groups to write answers to the questions. Elicit answers from class.

5.

Write new instructions on the board.

           

Read “My School”

Write down as many differences as you can between UK and Chinese Schools

6

While class are doing that clear the board and divide into three columns. Put headings on columns 2 and 3 (UK Schools/Chinese Schools)

Ask class  these questions. For each one write a title in column one and the UK/Chinese answers in Columns 2 and 3.

What time do students start school?

What time is the first lesson?

What time does lunch begin?

What time does lunch end?

What time does school end?

What is the students’ lunch? (May need to explain “packed lunch”)

What do the students do before first lesson?

What foreign languages do students learn?

What other things do they learn? (This question has to be last as it needs more space to answer.)

When writing answers make sure there is a little space left on board to write instructions for last activity.

7

(Extension activity.)

Write instruction on board.

“In your groups, answer these questions.

            Which country’s school do you think is better?

            Why?

            Would you like to go to school in the UK?

            Why?

           

Give students almost all the remaining time to discuss. Monitor and assist the discussions.

Allow final minutes of lesson to ask class their opinions.

Notes

1

This dialogue and reading text come from Practical Oral English Junior 1, Volume 2.

Other dialogues and reading texts may be substituted.

	Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.
Ray	Hello?
Bob	Hello, is that Ray?
Ray	Yes. Hi, Bob. This is unexpected. Where are you now?
Bob	Still in China, but I thought I'd call you for a chat.
Ray	It's good to hear from you. How is it all going?
Bob	Great. I was a bit nervous at first. Teaching here is very different to England.
Ray	How is it different?
Bob	Well, for a start, there are eighty kids in some of my classes.
Ray	Eighty?
Bob	I'm more comfortable and relaxed now. I've got used to it. The kids are all great. They work very hard. And all the teachers are so helpful.
Ray	So, are you enjoying it?
Bob	Of course. It's great. I love living here. I have my own apartment and lots of friends. It's very exciting.
Ray	Here in England it's just the same as always. Same weather. Same food. Same job. Same everything.
Bob	Why don't you come to China and teach English?
Ray	Oh, I like it here but it sometimes seems a bit boring.
Bob	It's not boring here.
Ray	Too adventurous for me. I like everything to be the same.
Bob	OK. I'll say goodbye now.
Ray	Goodbye.
Bob	Goodbye.

My School

The students arrive at school at about 8:45 am. They wear a school uniform and carry their homework and a packed lunch in a school bag. School begins at 8:55 am. The teacher blows a whistle and the children go to their classrooms.

The teacher reads out each child’s name in turn. The children reply “here” and the teacher writes down whether the child is in school or not.

At 9:10 am the children go to assembly in the main hall. In assembly the head teacher talks to the children and tells them any important notices for the day.

The first lesson of the day begins at 9:30 am and lasts for an hour.

The children have their morning break from 10:20 - 10:35 am. They can bring a snack from home to eat in the playground.

 After break it is time for more lessons. Lunch time is from 12 noon to 1:10 pm. Most children bring their own packed lunch from home. Some children will have a school dinner cooked in the school kitchen.

There are more lessons in the afternoon until 3:15 pm when the children go home.

In school the children learn English and mathematics, history and geography and science. Some of them also learn to speak French or German. There are also lessons in music and art and every week there are games and PE lessons where the children do many different sports.

2

Teachers from the USA/Australia etc may need to substitute a different reading text describing schools in those countries.

3

Always make sure definitions are in simplest possible language.

I use these definitions for this lesson.

Unexpected – something you didn’t know would happen

Nervous – not sure of yourself

Comfortable – feeling calm and good about yourself

Relaxed – not worrying about anything

Helpful – wants to help people

Exciting – something interesting that makes you very happy

Boring – not exciting

Adventurous – Likes to do exciting things