Pedagogy. 2nd Edition

Evaluation

Terminal objective (1) and enabling objectives (1) through (5) are evaluated as the activities unfold without a formal testing component. The culminating pair work actlvity is the evaluative component for terminal objective (2) and enabling objec- tive (6). As pairs work together, T circulates to monitor students and to observe informally whether they have accomplished the terminal objective. The success of the extra-class assignment—enabling objective ( —will be informally observed on the next day.
This chapter has focused specifically on the planning stage of classroom teaching. When you walk into the classroom, all that planning—you hope!—will work to your advantage. We turn in the next three chapters to the crucial steps of initiating interaction, sustaining interaction through group work, and classroom management issues.

TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION, ACTION, AND RESEARCH

[Note: (I) Individual work; (G) group or pair work; (C) whole-class discussion.]

1. 
   (I) Following are some curricular goals selected from various academic English language programs:
   
   • 
     Understand academic lectures
     
   • 
     Write a business letter
     
   • 
     Use greetings and “small talk”
     
   • 
     Request information in a restaurant
     
   • 
     Read informal essays
     

For each of the above, briefly describe a specific audience for which the goal might be appropriate, then (a) transform the goal into terminal objective(s) and Q) state a number of enabling objectives that would have to be reached in order to accomplish the terminal objective.

1 62 CHAPTER 10 How to Plan a Lesson

2. 
   (G/C) Direct groups to practice stating other lesson objectives for a course everyone is familiar with, and to discuss the extent to which one could empir- ically evaluate students’ achievement of the objectives. Groups can then share their conclusions with the rest of the class.
   
3. 
   IJ/C) Observe an ESL class in which you look for manifestations of variety, sequencing, pacing, and timing, or the lack thereof. Write down your observa- tions and share them in the form of a brief report with the whole class.
   

‹. (C) Accounting for individual differences is not as easy as it sounds. Ask

members of the class to describe some dimensions of student differences they have experienced or observed. How would one ensure, in each case, that snidents on both ends of the continuum are “reached” in some way? Small groups sometimes provide a means for accounting for differences.

What are some other ways (d on p. 154) to divide the class into small groups? Justify each.

5. 
   ^{(G) Have groups look at the sample lesson plan (pp. 137-61) and use the six} guldelines for lesson planning (pp. 152-56) to evaluate the plan. Should any changes be made? Conclusions should be shared with the rest of the class.
   
6. 
   NJ/G) Transform the lesson plan (pp. 156-61) into some practical“lesson notes”—no more than one or two index cards perhaps—that you could carry into the classroom with you. What decisions did you have to make? On what basis did you decide to create your notes the way you did? Share your notes with others in a small group and discuss your reasons for doing what you did.
   
7. 
   ^{(G) A needs analysis normally considers such questions as who the learners} are, why they are learning English, in what context(s) they use it, etc. Ask groups to identify learners they are familiar with, and devise a list of specific questions that one could use to analyze needs and, in turn, to determine how
   

a curriculum or a set of lessons should be designed.

5. 
   (I) Find a teacher’s manual or instructor’s edition of an ESL textbook. Look at a chapter or unit and read through the “plan” or “suggestions” for teaching. Using the principles cited in this and in previous chapters, evaluate it for an audience that you specify. How would the suggestions need to be changed or added to for your audience?