Designing a language course involves learners to whom this course will be taught, the goals and the objectives you want to achieve, and resources available for the course designer (Graves, 2000, p. 1). This course is in communicative English that provides speaking and listening practice for students from the elementary level through the intermediate level. It is suitable for students who may have some passive knowledge of grammar and vocabulary from previous study, but lack the skills and confidence to participate in conversation (Saudi Technical Colleges Site, 2010). This course is designed to meet students’ needs once they engage in real-life work
This lesson is the fifth one after three weeks from starting this semester. EFL in a course named “FIFTYFIFTY”. This is taught at the third level at a college of technology as an intermediate course to Saudi students learning English as ESP (technology). The classroom is on the third floor, No. 302. The classroom has 30 chairs, a whiteboard, and a computer system with speakers. The students are 25 Saudi male students, aged 20–22, ranging in proficiency levels from post-elementary to intermediate. In this lesson, the teacher will teach new vocabulary, prepositions, prepositional phrases, and grammar to help students in speaking and listening skills.
Those not able to achieve 50% in their overall grade will take this course again next semester.
Beliefs underlying planning
According to Graves (2000, p. 26), beliefs stem mainly from our past experiences in two areas: our education and our work.
Although there is probably some truth to the maxim that teachers teach the way they were taught, there is probably a lot more truth in saying that teachers teach the way they learned best in school.
When I was student, I preferred to learn in different ways. That means I used educational methods other than books, such as PowerPoint slides, whiteboard presentations, videos, audio speakers, and a computer system. All of these methods help students to acquire information easily and successfully. Now that I am a teacher and know more about students’ needs, I use all of these methods to make lessons appropriate for my students.
Beliefs are also the results of our work or professional experiences. According to Richards and Lockhart (1996, p. 31), beliefs derived from work/professional experiences come from: experience of what works best, established practice, educationally-based or research-based principles. and principles derived from an approach or method.
Speaking is seen as the most important macro skill (Study Guide 8001, 2001, p. 126).
In this lesson, I teach students speaking and listening skills. Some students are hesitant to participate because they do not know how to say the sentences in the correct way. McArthur (1983, p. 96) points out that the Grammar Translation Method did have some success and positive effects on learners. In this lesson, students need to learn the correct way to ask and answer questions about locations in books and in class. I give them a way to translate sentences easily. This course introduces students to many new vocabulary terms and expressions required in their particular field and in general life as well. Communicative language teaching (CLT) has recognised the value of vocabulary and placed it as the core in learning a second language (Harmer, 2002, p. 13). I translate new vocabulary and sentences to help students to speak sentences in the correct grammatical way and to have confidence when they speak and listen.
Needs of stakeholders
What and why students’ need to learn should be taken in consideration when designing language courses (Nunan, 1999, p. 311). Students in colleges of technology in Saudi Arabia are preparing to work in the private sector after they finish their study. Hence, this course is designed to meet both students’ and employers’ needs. Stakeholders need students who have the ability to speak and listen when dealing with customers who speak English. If students can listen and respond well, the chance for a job will be good. In this lesson, the student will practice listening and speaking in class in order to encourage them as in real life.
The Framework
Graves (2000) sets up some factors to consider when designing a language course. First, one must analyse the learners’ needs. Investigating learners’ needs makes it easier for course designers to specify goals and objectives, which is the second consideration when designing a language course. Third, one must choose the methods that best serve the goals and interests of both the learners and the course objectives. Fourth, one must define the context of the course: where it will be held, when it will be held, and to whom it will be addressed. This should also include consideration for cultural differences. Fifth, one must design an assessment plan to measure students’ progress. Finally, one must develop or adapt appropriate materials for use in the classroom. All of these factors constitute the basis of curriculum design.
This lesson will be conducted using three main methods: communicative language teaching, task-based learning, and collaborative learning. Three reasons underpin the choice of these methods and techniques. First, the target students are high school graduates who are not familiar with the CLT approach, which, in fact, can help promote students’ communicative abilities. Moreover, it is well understood that communication skills are greatly required in the business field. Second, English is a foreign language in the Saudi community; therefore, task-based learning will help create an atmosphere in which students can practice situations that largely resemble real-world ones. Third, general education in Saudi Arabia applies the teacher-centred approach, in which students are dependent learners. However, at technical colleges and in other fields of higher education, the emphasis is on the learner-centred approach in which learning is, to a great extent, independent. Hence, it is important to scaffold this gap by using a collaborative learning style that increases the students’ abilities as autonomous learners.
B ii Discuss the content:
Designing a language course involves learners to whom this course will be taught, the goals and the objectives you want to achieve, and the resources available for the course designer (Graves, 2000, p. 1).
This course is focused on listening and speaking skills, so this lesson is the first of five lessons where students will learn how to ask and answer questions through listening and speaking skills that fit into the rest of the course.
Nunan (1999, p. 171) identified the notion of ‘strategy’ as a special technique used to help learn and use language. Teaching different kinds of strategies helps learners master their language learning process (Brown, 2007, p. 258). Needless to say, effectiveness is not measured by how many strategies are used, but by a suitable choice and its flexible application to the learning task at hand.
Different tasks are assigned to suit students’ styles. It is important when designing a course to provide a variety of activities that suit various learners’ styles (Study Guide 8004; Robyn, 2001, p. 68).
Different kinds of resources are provided: a CD player, PowerPoint slides, paper sheets, students’ books, a computer, a whiteboard, and an audio system.
Authentic materials are offered. Authentic materials help learners to use the language outside the classroom. This motivates them and encourages their interest in language learning.
This lesson includes the following activities;
Warm-up activity: In this beginning stage, I will start by greeting students and then asking them some general questions in order to create a safe atmosphere. This will also encourage students to participate and raise their motivation (Dornyei, 2001, p. 36).
A quick review of the previous lesson: This will help students to contribute to this lesson with the previous one and build up their knowledge. The new lesson should add to what was covered in the preceding one (Graves, 2000, p. 136).
Introduce new lesson:
Explain lesson`s goals and objectives:
Nunan (1999 p. 308) defines goals as “ broad general purposes for learning”.
I introduce to students the main idea of lesson and I explain the goals and the objectives of lesson. It is very important for students to know what they are going to learn. (Graves 2000, p.79) mentioned that “formulating goals and objectives helps to build a clear vision of what you will teach”.
I need my students to know what they are expected to learn and what the purpose behind that. I will make activities in which they are going to be involved explicit and clear.
The teacher will teach students in this lesson new vocabulary, prepositions, prepositional phrases and grammar to help them in speaking and listening skills.
By the end of this lesson students will demonstrate their abilities to do the following;
Differentiate between prepositions and prepositional
phrases.
- Deal with locations using prepositions and prepositional phrases.
- Use prepositions and prepositional phrases in questions and
Answers as communication.
- Describe locations in full sentences.
- Practice speaking and listening skills in class which encourage SLA.
The number of years’ exposure contributes greatly to the overall communicative fluency of the learners, but starting age determines the level of accuracy achieved, particularly in pronunciation (Nunan, 1999, p. 41). As we can see, age does not affect the route of SLA, so all learners will follow the same developmental path regardless of how old they were when they started learning. Students will listen to recorded conversation for native speakers which encourages SLA. After that, they will practice speaking in groups. All of these activities in class encourage SLA.
Observable objectives for activities. Students will:
• Learn new vocabulary
• Read and comprehend the kind of questions and answers associated with the locations of objects in pictures and in class
• Listen to real-life conversations
• Practice speaking in class
Building a schema:
‘Past experience leads to the creation of mental frameworks that help us make sense of new experiences’ (Nunan, 1999, p. 313). Students will benefit from their background knowledge if it is introduced gradually into the lesson. At this stage, I also intend to attract students’ attention and interest, which is important at the beginning of the lesson.
As the sequence of my activity moves from receptive skills (listening) towards productive ones (speaking), I will strategically introduce this activity in this stage. Nunan (1999) states that strategies enhance learners’ motivation towards the learning process (p. 63). Students will start listening to a simple conversation as a warm-up exercise and engage in listening activities. After that, they will move to speaking activities.
Group work:
Harmer (2007) indicates that students in groups will share each other’s ideas, ensure their knowledge, and cooperate with others (p. 165). In other words, putting students in groups will give them opportunities to participate and interact with each other successfully. I will divide students into five small groups in which each learner has the opportunity to participate effectively. In my class, small groups are better to stimulate higher involvement in the learning process.
Listening activity:
At this stage students are introduced to two strategies: listening for purpose and listening for specific information. The CD will present authentic materials relevant to students that will raise students’ motivational levels and enable them to perform better when they face similar situations in real life (Dornyei, 2001, p. 66; Nunan,1999, p. 27). By using a CD, I wish to expose students to a native language model as well.
Refine answer:
Here students have an opportunity to assess themselves. They are able to share information, correct themselves, ask questions, and confirm their mastery of knowledge. According to Nunan (1999), these techniques are essential in aiding comprehension and giving students control over the text (pp. 208–209).
Speaking activity
Students have an opportunity to speak in this process. I will therefore come to know how capable they are to understand the conversation and to speak and express their own knowledge. In such a situation, I preceded this activity with the necessary vocabulary they may need in speaking, which is important in any speaking activity. In a role play model, students are asked to produce language within a meaningful conversation. In a pairs situation, learners are more confident to produce language rather than to speak in front of others (Brown, 2007, p. 65). The teacher should give students a chance to talk as much as possible, because students who study English as a foreign or second language lack the opportunity to use language outside the classroom. Harmer (2007, p. 344) states that giving students opportunities to use their backgrounds to use language will lead them to use words and phrases fluently.
Conclusion:
I will conclude the lesson by briefly summarising the lesson’s key points and asking students how they have benefited from the lesson, as well as what constraints may hinder them and why. Ongoing needs assessment helps to determine whether what is being taught is effective for the students or not (Graves, 2000, p. 110). I will give students homework that is connected with lesson.
Teacher’s role:
In this lesson I will:
Prepare a suitable environment that encourages students to participate without fear of making mistakes. Furthermore, I will try to create a pleasant classroom atmosphere by starting the lesson by talking with students on an intimate level. After that, I will make simple revisions by asking some questions about the previous lesson in order to connect it with this lesson
Explain the main goals and what I need my learners to achieve from the lesson
Facilitate the activities by reconstructing the main goals through several building steps
Monitor the activities without correcting every mistake; alternatively I will let the students learn from their mistakes
Divide students into small groups to give them enough opportunities to participate, learn, and communicate
Prompt students to speak English, especially in role-play activities
Participate with students in activities. Students usually enjoy having the teacher work with them instead of acting as a resource (Harmer, 2007, p. 109)
Provide information where necessary
Comment positively on students’ responses
Student’s role:
Through this lesson students will:
Share a greeting with teacher and listen to the goals of the lesson
Recognise the importance of listening skills and the techniques that we will use
Listen to the recording individually to concentrate on what the speaker is saying. This will lead to develop students’ listening skills. Students will not be passive; they will act as they listen and discuss the answers
Silently read descriptive sentences that the teacher distributes at the beginning of listening activities. Reading will enable students to understand how sentences and phrases are formed
Have the opportunity to ask questions. They will be active because they ask and discuss. Nunan (1999) states that students learn best when they are active in the classroom
Communicate in class
Express their needs and comments at the end of class
In CLT class, students need to be active, creative, and involved with the whole lesson. The teacher should also give students the opportunity to practice language sufficiently. Students will practice speaking through speaking activities
Generate their own sentences when describing the pictures. The role will be productive. Nunan (1999) points out that students should produce their own language in order to learn language effectively and communicative.
Balance and sequence:
In this lesson, students have plenty of opportunities to practice listening and speaking skills through activities. These activities meet students’ needs and cater to their various styles and interests. In my EFL context, students lack an English-speaking environment, and need to practice language as much as possible; therefore I tend to give them a sufficient number of speaking and listening tasks. Nevertheless, teachers need to be concerned about the balance of activities over a sequence of lessons, not only within a certain lesson, in order to determine the overall level of their students during the whole course (Harmer, 2007, p. 377).
The lesson starts with receptive skills (listening) and ends with productive ones (speaking). Similarly, the lesson moves from simple activities towards more complex ones (e.g., from short warm-up conversations towards creating new conversations in groups). These sequences I use can assist students to achieve the goals and objectives of the lesson.
Assessment:
Brown and Abeywickrama (2010, p. 141) state that teachers observe or notice what their students are doing in the classroom, and this observation, either verbally or non-verbally, can be used to assess students’ abilities. In this lesson, I prefer to use the observation method to assess my students according to their:
Participation in groups
Response to teacher’s questions
Involvement in peer work
Ability to demonstrate the lesson’s goals and objectives
The basis for assessment is as follows:
15% attendance
35% participation (encourage students to participate in speaking and listening activities)
15% homework
35% quizzes
Excellent: 90–100%
Very good: 80–89%
good: 79–70%
Passing: 69–60%
If a student has a grade of less than 60%, he will not pass and should take this course again.
The teacher should take into consideration any potential problems with the audio system in order to use audio descriptions for listening activities. The teacher may play the role of the speaker and ask students to participate in their roles. I have put all audio descriptions in a file in order to avoid potential problems.
If there is a problem with the computer system, the teacher can use the whiteboard, paper for pictures, and markers instead of PPT slides.
For students with poor eyesight, who perhaps cannot see the slides, I provide a picture for each group to do activities.
