Thursday 28 November 2013

Goal # 21 Ditch the plan

Last Monday, last lesson of the day with my B2 students. They came in my office with a guilty smile on their faces. It was a strange coincidence that all of them forgot their workbook either at home or at school. I smile back, 'Don't worry. We'll find something to do.' I sensed they weren't very thrilled .

They are good kids, cooperative, and I must admit that they did their best in both projects we have worked on. Then it struck me! How about finishing the last part of our project about literature? We had to arrange the presentation and they had to evaluate the whole process. What impact did it have on them? Did they gain anything?

Believe it or not, I hadn't seen them so engaged before! First, they worked  on their own, preparing their part. When  they asked me for my help, I encouraged them to help each other. I would check their outcome later.

Thus, as you can realise, I ditched the plan.

I was there as a facilitator in the procedure, watching over them without interfering. For the whole two-hour lesson they were talking in English, writing, looking up words/phrases/expressions in dictionaries or on line, editing, practising all four skills and sub-skills.

I didn't have much to do in the end. I just suggested some changes in their pieces and then I had them rehearse their presentation. There I took up the role of the director (and I loved it!). You may have noticed that some students do not know how to read aloud, where to pause, where to change the tone and use the right intonation.

Soon I hope we will have the pleasure to share our work with you!



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