Running head: INTO CSU OBSERVATIONS AND PEDAGOGICAL REPORT

INTO CSU Classroom Observations and Pedagogical Contribution Report

Krista Boddy
Colorado State University

INTO CSU OBSERVATIONS AND PEDAGOGICAL REPORT

Abstract
This report contains two parts. Part one summarizes my personal observations of an Academic
English Reading/Writing course at INTO CSU, the intensive English program at Colorado State
University. Part two of the report is my pedagogical contribution to the instructor of the course I
observed. My pedagogical contribution evolved from my observations of this particular course in
noticing some of the students lack of engagement in the class activities. With the instructors
approval, I developed a vocabulary mini-lesson based on Critical Pedagogy in the arena of power
and language that was meant to better engage the learners in the course curriculum. My minilesson used popular music lyrics from western culture to depict vocabulary and topics of how
power and gender is reflected in language. The students analyzed lyrics of popular songs for
vocabulary items including sexism, profanity, inferior, dominate, slang, dialect, etc. This lesson
was challenging, yet engaging to the learners of the course.
Keywords: critical pedagogy, INTO, pedagogical contribution, power, gender, language

INTO CSU OBSERVATIONS AND PEDAGOGICAL REPORT

Part I Observations
Overview of Agency
INTO UEA (INTO CSUs main organization) was created as a public-private enterprise
in 2005 by a professor from the University of East Anglia (UEA), UK to meet the needs of
international students who wished to study in English speaking universities, but lacked language
skills to be accepted into university programs. Since its beginning, INTO UEA has partnered
with universities across three continents, including the UK, the US, and China. CSU joined
forces with INTO UEA in February 2012 and welcomed 350 students in fall 2012 (INTO UEA
Official Website, 2015).
The purpose of INTO UEA is to connect international students with top universities in
the UK, the US, and China. The organization is passionate about its partnerships and its goal of
meeting the needs of students by creating educational opportunities for them. Stakeholders of
INTO UEA include education policy makers, university leadership, staff, and students (INTO
UEA Official Website, 2015). INTO CSU provides Pathway programs and English language
programs. Pathway programs are designed for international undergraduate and graduate learners
who need additional English language training or academic preparation before completing their
degree at a US university. Current Pathway programs being offered at CSU include: Chemical
Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Financial Risk Management, Master of
Tourism Management, MBA, Masters of Applied Statistics, Masters of Computer Information
Systems, and many more. In addition to the Pathways programs, General English, Academic
English, and College Year Abroad are offered at INTO CSU (INTO CSU Official Website,
2015).

INTO CSU OBSERVATIONS AND PEDAGOGICAL REPORT

The English language programs are designed to improve students English language
skills from basic to advanced levels. INTO CSU is currently ranked #2 in in the US in
international students overall satisfaction (INTO CSU Official Website, 2015). The mission
statement of INTO CSU aligns with INTO UEA, which is to expand opportunities for higher
education, ensuring success and transforming the lives of our students and staff (INTO UEA
Official Website, 2015).
Overview of Course Description
The course I observed was a combined Academic English Reading/Writing course for
level 2 (low-intermediate). This course is designed to improve students reading fluency,
vocabulary, reading comprehension, and writing skills. The course uses edited and academic
materials from many genres, including the NorthStar Level 3 Reading and Writing (4th Ed.)
textbook. Some highlighted reading strategies I noticed during my observations include:
annotation, predicting, inferring, highlighting, underlining, and circling items. Students are also
instructed in paragraph and essay writing, which allows them to express their opinions based on
course readings. Writing practice is meant to develop content, organization, vocabulary,
grammar, spelling, and punctuation skills. Learners also utilize critical thinking skills and
language learning strategies through self-reflection journals (AE Level 2 Reading and Writing
Instructor Information Packet, 2015, p 1-2). Specific writing strategies I noticed during my
observations included: paraphrasing, summarizing, and citing sources in academic writing.
The course syllabus is organized by topics based on the textbook units. The overall
goals/outcomes of the course are stated in the instructors INTO CSU Information Packet. They
are listed as: 1. Improve reading comprehension and fluency with Level 2 texts through the use
of reading strategies. 2. Use the writing process to write well-developed and organized
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INTO CSU OBSERVATIONS AND PEDAGOGICAL REPORT

paragraphs, essays, and other writing tasks connected to ideas from course themes (AE Level 2
Reading and Writing Instructor Information Packet, 2015, p. 3). Specific reading objectives
include: Fluency strategies and skills, vocabulary building strategies and knowledge,
comprehension building strategies, comprehension skills, and critical thinking skills. Specific
writing objectives include: writing strategies, writing skills, and critical thinking skills (AE
Level 2 Reading and Writing Instructor Information Packet, 2015, p. 3-4).
The course semester runs 14 weeks and meets Tuesdays through Fridays for 1 hour and
30 minutes in the Alder building. On Mondays the students have an alternative course, such as
pronunciation, US Culture, or another elective course. There were 13-14 learners depending on
the day. The learners ages ranged from 18-40, and came from China, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia,
and Taiwan. Eleven students were male and only three were female. All learners took this course
as a requirement of the English language program to improve their reading/writing skills.
Students also take a listening and speaking course, a grammar course, and a noncore course
concurrently with this reading/writing course (AE Level 2 Reading and Writing Instructor
Information Packet, 2015, p 1-2). The week of my observations was the beginning of Unit 4,
which was about gender, power, and language. This unit discussed power relations in language
and communication, including gender differences, differences between cultural communication,
and English as a global language. The classroom was set up with individual desks lined up in
rows. Students selected their own seats. The technology availability was very good, including a
document camera, computer connected to a smart board, a projector, and speakers in the ceiling.
The instructor was a woman who has taught at the school for five years (even before
INTO partnered with CSU in 2012). She had completed her Masters degree at CSU in the
TESL/TEFL program. She is very experienced and seems to enjoy her job. She was more than
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INTO CSU OBSERVATIONS AND PEDAGOGICAL REPORT

willing to allow me to observe her class for six days. She even allowed me to present a short
vocabulary lesson I developed for her students. She was very kind and generous in accepting me
into her class.
Instructional Procedures

The instructor used a variety of teaching methods which fit well into the Communicative
Language Teaching (CLT) approach, including: collaborative pair and group work, task-based
activities, group/pair discussion, student presentations, visuals (PowerPoint), interactive wikis
(technology), YouTube video clips, reflection journals, modeling on document camera, critical
pedagogy, reading aloud, etc. I noticed that the unit on power and language allowed for a more
Content-Based Instruction (CBI) method to be used. In CBI instruction, the language is the
medium for learning content (Larsen-Freeman & Anderson, 2011, p. 133). In this course, the
content involved how power is expressed in the English language. CLT also often employs TaskBased Language Teaching (TBLT), which provides meaningful tasks for learners to accomplish
cooperatively in the target language (Larsen-Freeman & Anderson, 2011, p. 149). This method
promotes strong communicative application and experiential learning through meaningful and
relevant tasks (Larsen-Freeman & Anderson, 2011, p. 156). The instructor had asked the students
to complete a Task-Based language assignment which involved creating a vocabulary word slide
in the course wiki and then present their word to the class. Such tasks provide a lot of
communication opportunities and are a fun, interactive way to bring technology and presentation
into the course. Unfortunately many of the students didnt complete the assignment, so the
instructor had to do it for them in the spare minutes before class. The topic of the unit, Power
and Language, allowed for the approaches of Critical Pedagogy and social justice. Critical
Pedagogy is often used as an approach to raise awareness of social injustice through language
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INTO CSU OBSERVATIONS AND PEDAGOGICAL REPORT

curriculum (Larsen-Freeman & Anderson, 2011, p. 168). This approach aids in the goal of
encouraging learners to use critical thinking and problem solving skills in evaluating material.

At the beginning of each class, the instructor often played instrumental music quietly
during 10-15 minute reflection writing. The music created a more relaxing atmosphere for
learners to reflect on their learning. The instructors role followed closely with Communicative
Language Teaching, in that she facilitated the learners throughout the activities in a respectful
way, allowing the learners to have more control of their own learning. Her role was a facilitator
and advisor who promoted opportunities for communication (Larsen-Freeman and Anderson,
2011, p. 122). She was very encouraging to students, such as saying, I like the point you
make. She also always asked if learners had questions after each activity before moving on to
the next topic. She often paused for a few seconds after giving instructions to make sure
everyone understood. She moved around the room freely in a relaxed manner and made direct
eye contact with students. Her teaching style fit well with CLT in that her activities and lessons
created a student-centered classroom (Larsen-Freeman & Anderson, 2011, p. 122). For example,
she utilized many TBLT activities, group and pair tasks, and group discussion in her lesson. The
instructor asked students to share their experiences and opinions with each other and with the
class if they wanted, which is a common practice in CLT (Larsen-Freeman & Anderson, 2011, p.
120). The way she created small groups was by mixing up individuals with different language
backgrounds, which is important in encouraging them to speak in English during class. In small
groups she gave a role to each person: note taker, reporter, task leader, and time-watcher. I like
this idea, as it makes everyone in the group accountable to participate. This technique of
assigning roles to group members is a perfect application of CLT in that it promotes cooperative
learning and communication from all group members (Larsen-Freeman & Anderson, 2011, p.
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INTO CSU OBSERVATIONS AND PEDAGOGICAL REPORT

121). The lessons were sequenced from simple to more complex. The instructor often scaffolded
the lessons for students. For example, she modeled how to organize and develop a paragraph on
the document camera. When learners needed instructions repeated, she would re-phrase them and
also provided examples to improve comprehension. I didnt notice the instructor using any
foreigner talk or modified/simplified language. She used natural English speech, which is
important for authentic language learning in CLT (Larsen-Freeman & Anderson, 2011, p. 121).

I noticed some misunderstandings from students who needed instructions repeated, but
this was mostly caused by their lack of listening or talking to each other in the back. The
instructor would pause sometimes for the talking to cease before continuing to give instructions.
This didnt always work. The instructor could have addressed this problem with more discipline
and classroom management in my opinion. For example, she could have spoken louder in getting
individuals attention, stood near the back of the room where the chatting occurred, assigned the
seating, or she may have asked problem students to leave the class. I spoke with the instructor
about the issue of discipline and student interruption after the classes. According to her and other
instructors Ive met at INTO CSU, unfortunately some learners come to the US to simply have
fun and are not serious students. The effects of their attitudes make them miss a lot of classes
and assignments. This is a common frustration with INTO CSU instructors Ive talked to. Some
students are more serious about their learning of English and I noticed this during my
observations. These few students were always on time, prepared, attentive, and had completed
their homework. The learners who were obviously unmotivated had not completed assignments
for class presentations nor homework. They often talked in their first language to each other in
the back of the room, disregarding what the instructor and peers were saying. This was an
obvious frustration to the instructor.
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INTO CSU OBSERVATIONS AND PEDAGOGICAL REPORT

The instructors evaluation methods involved formal unit tests on vocabulary, grammar,
and reading comprehension. She also used informal assessments, such as the student wiki
presentations, though many students didnt complete them. She edited and graded learners
essays and paragraphs. She also read the students weekly reflection journals as a way to make
sure they were comprehending the material. Homework assignments and class and group
discussion were additional formative methods for evaluation.

A Description of My Involvement

I observed the course on six consecutive days for 1 hour and 30 minutes each visit. I
sometimes joined in group discussions, but often simply observed the class. I presented a short
30 minute vocabulary mini-lesson during my final visit (see my pedagogical contribution in Part
II below). My lesson was meant to increase motivation and vocabulary comprehension of the
Unit regarding Power and Language from the NorthStar text used in the course. The instructor
was planning to give the class a unit vocabulary exam, so I wanted to help them review the
vocabulary in an engaging way that presented the meanings in a different format (song lyrics). In
my mini-lesson, I organized popular English song lyrics for pairs of students to analyze specific
vocabulary related to power and gender in language. Vocabulary items from the text included:
assertive, profanity, sexism, inferior, dominate, talkative, valued, slang, dialects, etc. My
intention was to have students make connections between the unit vocabulary and the meaning of
the song lyrics by using critical thinking skills. Once students analyzed song lyrics in pairs, they
were to answer five discussion and comprehension questions related to the lyrics and share their
insights and/or opinions with the class. The overall purposes of this lesson was to relate the unit
vocabulary to authentic language in popular music which deals with gender and power, and to

INTO CSU OBSERVATIONS AND PEDAGOGICAL REPORT

present the vocabulary in a different format. A strategy for encouraging learning retention
involves presenting material in multiple formats. My hope was that students would make new
connections between the unit vocabulary and authentic music lyrics which would aid in better
retention and comprehension of the content. Another goal of the mini-lesson was to engage the
learners in class, as many seemed disengaged during my prior visits. Throughout my 30 minute
mini-lesson, the students seemed to be fully involved in the activity despite the complexity of
some of the song lyrics.

Observation Tasks 1 & 4

The first observation task I chose, was to analyze the lesson phases by chronological
order. I answered the question, How does the teacher signal that one phase of the lesson is over
and the next is beginning? I recorded six signals during one course observation in the chart
below. I recorded what the instructor said and did throughout the lesson.

Signal What teacher says

shifts
1
Okay, good. So what do you
remember about yesterday? What are
some new words?
2
First, Im going to return your
reading exams.

I also have your writing exams.

Look at those for a few minutes.

Any final questions? Ya ready to

move on? Lets transition back to our
topic.
What Id like to do issummary
writing later, but before we do that,

What teacher does

When in lesson phase

Looks students in the

eyes

After 15 minute
reflection journaling

Passes out exams to

individual students

After asking class

what they remember
from yesterdays
class

Passes out exams and

answers questions
individuals have
about the exams
Holds textbook and
walks around the
room
She sets up the
computer for wikis

After discussing
exams
After answering
questions from the
text.
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INTO CSU OBSERVATIONS AND PEDAGOGICAL REPORT

lets look at vocabulary words first.

We are going to look at the wikis.
Were going toI want to introduce
summary writing, but not everyone
has read the article yet. Please read
it!

She pulls up the

summary file on the
computer and
smartboard

After wiki
presentations

Reflection: The general patterns I noticed during this lesson was that the instructor sometimes
changed what she was talking about mid-sentence, which shows she often shifted gears midthought. Her shifts of thought may have confused students by breaking up the flow of language.
No students said anything about this, but I noticed that it may have been confusing in breaking
up the concentration of learners. It is important to clearly signal the shift from one activity to
another, so that students can know what to expect next. It also allows students to better
concentrate on topics during the lesson. Good transitions help students know what is expected of
them and helps them to focus. My advice to any instructor in signposting phases of a lesson,
would be to: use signal words (first, next, last), not introduce another activity before finishing the
current activity, not introduce something you are unable to do that lesson, and write the phases of
the lesson on the board in chronological order and introduce them at the beginning of the lesson.
I did like that the instructor used, Are you ready to move on? as a cue to shift the phase. She
also mentioned the word transition in stating a change in topic. I felt she had obvious
transitions, but just verbally mentioned too many subsequent activities that had nothing to do
with the immediate activity at hand. I am sure I probably do this with my ESL classes, and dont
realize it. Since I observed this issue, I am more aware of how I transition from one activity to
another and keep the flow of my lessons in order. I always write the days activities in
chronological order on the board for students to know what to expect in class each day.

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The second observation task I completed was task 4, which dealt with giving instructions.
I observed the instructors ability to give instructions in sequence and recorded them in the chart
below. I also noticed if there was visual support, modeling, or concept-checking to complement
the instructions. Finally, I observed whether the instructor had to repeat the instructions and
whether they were understood.

Phase of lesson
1 Reflection Journaling

2 Talk about what you wrote

3 Review vocab wikis

4 Write a story using vocab

Summary writing in groups

Homework

Instructions
I want you to write about
your familys way of
communication. How does
your family communicate
using the article examples
of gender, house-talk,
chatting, complaining, etc.
I want you to talk about
what you wrote with
someone who speaks a
different first language.
(Later) Anyone want to
share interesting things you
learned?
Lets review the
vocabulary wikis. Im
going to give some wiki
words to share/present
tomorrow.
Get in a group and try to
write a story with as many
vocabulary words as you
can. (Later) Lets have
some groups share their
story with the class.
Lets transition on to
summary writing. I have a
summary from the text for
you to organize. Describe
what the author wrote in
the same order.
For homework, youre
gonna write a summary.

Comments
One student needed
instructions repeated.
Teacher repeated instructions
many different ways and
provided examples of topics.
A few people shared
differences in communication
based on their cultural
backgrounds.

One student asked for

clarification: Is this one
group story or individual
stories?
Use of PowerPoint visual
support
Some misunderstandings
mostly from students not
listening or talking
Showed example in Canvas
visual support

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INTO CSU OBSERVATIONS AND PEDAGOGICAL REPORT

Its worth 20 points. Take
notes first from the article.

Showed rubric in Canvas

Reflection: I noticed the instructor uses natural language and uses the pronoun You to give
instructions (I want you to). She also uses visual support in many of the writing tasks, which
is very helpful for learners to have instructions presented in multiple ways. I didnt observe any
foreigner talk used by the instructor. Her language was natural, which is important for English
learners who wish to replicate natural English rather than modified English. I did, however,
observe that the teacher had to repeat instructions often due to some students not listening or
talking to another student as she was giving the instructions. I think this was very frustrating for
her. My advice for being more effective in giving instructions would be to segment or pause after
giving instructions to make sure everyone has time to comprehend them before moving on. I
would also pause to wait for side-talk to stop before continuing to give instructions so I dont
have to repeat myself. I recommend raising your voice when trying to get individual students
attention, especially those who are talking during the instructions. Another way to attend to poor
student behavior would be to stop talking every time a student talks to his/her neighbor in the
back, or stand near the back of the room where the chatter is occurring. This would help the
students focus on the instructions or the task. One thing I recommend to aid visual support is to
write discussion/journal questions on the white board or smartboard. It is also helpful to cue
memory by acting out words or using gestures (e.g., talkative = using hands like a mouth). It is
also useful to ask students at the end of the lesson what they found interesting about the lesson,
or at the beginning of the lesson, ask about the previous days lesson/topic. The best thing a
teacher can do is model the task for the class, such as showing them how to create a wiki slide
from start to finish. This instructor modeled parts of tasks, but not the complete process. Learners
still seemed confused about the task due to the gaps in the modeling.
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INTO CSU OBSERVATIONS AND PEDAGOGICAL REPORT

Critical Reflection

My visit to INTO CSU was valuable in relation to my personal goals of teaching English
to speakers of other languages. I currently teach in an Adult Basic Education (ABE) program,
which serves primarily lower to intermediate level learners, yet I am interested in learning more
about intensive English language programs. This experience provided me with a glimpse of what
teaching for an intensive English program would be like. I like the overall mission of INTO UEA
in wanting to improve the lives of international students. I also can appreciate that INTO CSU is
a stepping stone for learners who wish to earn graduate and undergraduate degrees at English
and American universities. The Pathways program is a great way to bring international students
into the university. I learned that the programs at INTO CSU are well developed, with clear
language objectives and outcomes for learners to achieve. The NorthStar textbook seemed to
incorporate topics of use and interest to English language learners, such as language and power,
while introducing language skills. The instructor I observed was very competent, creative, and
approachable in my opinion. She uses the teaching methodology I most relate with,
Communicative Language Teaching. She also incorporated a variety of teaching techniques and
activities, including a lot of visual support and technology. I think it is important to use different
methods and approaches for the variety of needs learners have.

One issue I did not like about this program is the lack of classroom diversity. Students at
INTO CSU primarily come from solely Asian and Middle Eastern nations, and the ratio of
female to male students is vast. I prefer to teach students from more diverse backgrounds so that
it pushes them to learn about other cultures and not stick with the same groups of friends in class.
Many of the learners between the ages of 18-21 seemed to be not as motivated, choosing to skip

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INTO CSU OBSERVATIONS AND PEDAGOGICAL REPORT

class and not complete assignments. I personally felt bad for the instructor and serious students
who had constant classroom disruptions, lack of students completing assignments, and divisions
of cultures and languages within the classroom (i.e., Chinese speakers sitting together and Arabic
speakers sitting together). I believe INTO CSU should attempt to draw students from more
diverse populations than just Middle Eastern and Asian nations. They could advertise in
universities in other nations and offer scholarships or financial aid to learners from less wealthy
regions. They could also encourage more females to apply for the program. My observation of
INTO CSU was useful in showing me how a private-public corporation works in the field of
education. It allowed me to decide if this is the type of program I want to work for and if these
are the types of students I want to teach. One thing I enjoy about the program I currently work
for is the diversity of learners. I have learners from all regions of the world, who range from 1870 years old, and have all kinds of educational backgrounds. I also appreciate learners who are
motivated to work hard in studying English, and dont require much classroom management.
This is the reason I went into adult education in the first place; to teach learners who are serious
about their education and who have matured in their desire for learning.

I gathered data for my agency report from many sources. I used the official websites for
INTO UEA and INTO CSU to provide the mission statement, values, purposes, programs
offered, and history of the organization. I also interviewed the instructor and some students in the
program. I asked them to share their opinions of the program overall. I took detailed notes
during each of the visits I made. I also used the course syllabus and descriptions in the Reading
and Writing Instructor Information Packet, which the instructor was kind enough to email.

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Part II Pedagogical Contribution

The main issue I noticed during my observations had to do with student motivation.
Many of the students didnt complete homework or class assignments, so that the instructor had
to either push back her lesson plans based on lack of preparation, or complete the tasks for them
(vocabulary wikis). My goal was to make the unit more exciting and relevant to the students by
incorporating music and popular English song lyrics (Appendix B) that deal with the vocabulary
of the unit on power and language. The learners were also scheduled to take a vocabulary exam
in the subsequent lesson and I wanted to prepare them by reviewing the vocabulary meanings in
a fun and different format. Research has shown that presenting information in various formats
aids in learning retention. My goal was to help the students make connections to the unit
vocabulary based on their knowledge or experience with popular song lyrics that deal with power
in language. Song lyrics were also a new genre type that learners had not explored in the course
yet. I spoke about my ideas with the instructor, who was very excited and welcome to my minilesson. The discussion questions (see Appendix A for actual lesson plan) were meant to fulfill
specific course reading objectives including: Fluency strategies and skills, vocabulary building
strategies and knowledge, comprehension building strategies, comprehension skills, and critical
thinking skills (AE Level 2 Reading and Writing Instructor Information Packet, 2015, p. 3-4).
The theoretical foundation for my lesson is based on the strong version of
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), specifically Content-Based Instruction. CBI is a
perfect method for this lesson as the learners were engaged in the study of the unit content of
power and language. CLT incorporates authentic materials and genres, like popular song lyrics,
and combines collaborative learning with purposeful communication practice (Larsen-Freeman
& Anderson, 2011, p. 119-121). The role of the instructor in CLT is a facilitator who creates
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INTO CSU OBSERVATIONS AND PEDAGOGICAL REPORT

communication opportunities for the learners to negotiate meaning with one another (LarsenFreeman & Anderson, 2011, p. 122). The mini-lesson involved cooperative learning and
negotiation of meaning between pairs of learners as they analyzed and discussed how the music
lyrics related to the unit vocabulary of power and gender in language. This mini-lesson provided
meaning-focused input (song lyrics) and language-focused learning (vocabulary related to power
and language) (Nation, 2009). Nation (2009) advises that language instruction should incorporate
the Four Strands (meaning-focused input, meaning-focused output, language-focused learning,
and fluency practice) in each lesson. This mini-lesson incorporated two of the four.

The procedures and development of my mini-lesson was completed midway through my

observations. I wanted to prepare my mini-lesson to fit into the instructors timeline of the unit,
especially to provide more practice and review of the unit vocabulary before the exam. I first
mentioned my idea of using song lyrics to reflect the meaning and language focus of the unit to
the instructor, who was optimistic about the use of authentic songs to engage the learners. I first
developed the specific objectives I wanted for the learners to achieve. These included analyzing
the lyrics for ideas and themes related to power and language, making connections from the
lyrics to the unit vocabulary, negotiating meanings with a partner in collaborative learning,
expressing opinions in their own words, relating the lyrics to their own experience, using critical
thinking skills in making connections to previous readings, analyzing the authors main point,
and comparing/contrasting their own cultures music with English pop lyrics. Next, I reviewed
pop songs for themes relative to power, gender, and language. I went through them and provided
vocabulary definitions for difficult vocabulary, rare words, and slang. I also collected links to all
song lyrics on YouTube to refer students if they were interested in reading the songs they didnt
get to analyze in class. I then developed five discussion questions for students to relate the songs
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INTO CSU OBSERVATIONS AND PEDAGOGICAL REPORT

to previous readings from the Power and Language unit in the NorthStar text. The questions also
prompted students to compare/contrast music lyrics from their own cultures with popular
American music specific to the language of power and gender.

The main success of my mini-lesson was the active engagement and participation of all
students. They all seemed excited to have an outsider teach them. They also all seemed
enthusiastic about using music to learn about power and gender vocabulary. There was a lot of
valuable discussion between the pairs regarding the meaning of the songs and the authors intent.
The music lyrics provided a useful prompt for discussion about the topic of power and language,
as well as presented a different format of the unit vocabulary. In hindsight, the main challenge of
the lesson was the difficulty level of some of the songs I selected. Some of the lyrics were just
too complex due to the poetic genre, slang, dialects, and vocabulary. I realized a few songs were
simpler to read (Lady Gaga) than others, like the Lauryn Hill song due to its dialect. The students
struggled through the challenging lyrics as best as they could while I and the instructor tried to
explain their meanings. It would have been better to have checked the song lyrics in a corpus like
Lextutor before using them in the lesson. This would have shown the level of frequency of some
of the vocabulary, however it may not have been useful considering all the slang and dialects in
the lyrics. One of the major reasons for using authentic song lyrics was to provide examples of
English slang and dialect, as these were two vocabulary words from the unit. The level of
comprehension necessary for popular song lyrics in English was too high for this intermediate
English reading and writing course. One possible adaptation I could make is to select only one
song to analyze as an entire class. It would have been more helpful to students if I had spent
more time on explaining the song lyrics in class. Unfortunately, that would take more than 30
minutes of valuable class time. This mini-lesson could be further developed and simplified in
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INTO CSU OBSERVATIONS AND PEDAGOGICAL REPORT

future lessons. Overall, I think the goal of engaging learners in the discussion of the unit
vocabulary was a success, but the material was somewhat too challenging for learner
comprehension.

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References
Barton, L. & DuPaquier Sardinas, C. (2015). NorthStar 3 Reading and Writing 4th Ed. New
York: Pearson Education, Inc.
INTO CSU. (2015). AE Level 2 Reading and Writing Instructor Information Packet. 1-12.
INTO CSU Official Website. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.intohigher.com/us/en-us/theuniversities/into-colorado-state-university.aspx
INTO UEA Official Website. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.into-corporate.com/aboutinto/our-story
Larsen-Freeman, D., & Anderson, M. (2011). Techniques & Principles in Language Teaching.
Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Nation, I. S. P. (2009). Teaching ESL/EFL Reading and Writing. NY: Routledge.
Nation, I. S. P. (2009). Teaching ESL/EFL Listening and Speaking. NY: Routledge.

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Resources and Materials Used
Appendix A
Actual Lesson Plan

Power and Language Music Lyrics Lesson and Discussion (30 min.)
Overview of lesson outcomes:

Learners will analyze popular music lyrics for main ideas relating to power and language
Learners will connect new vocabulary to the main ideas behind authentic texts (popular
music lyrics)
Learners will use discussion strategies after reading lyrics to better understand content
related to the unit vocabulary
Learners will exhibit understanding of vocabulary through expressing main ideas in their
own words and relating it to their life
Learners will use critical thinking skills in identifying personal opinions through
discussion about song lyrics, and comparing and contrasting information between texts

Materials:

14 handouts of 7 different song lyrics

7 handouts of discussion questions

Equipment:

Smartboard computer with speakers for showing video of song lyrics (YouTube)
White board and markers

Purpose of activity: To provide critical thinking opportunities in relating new vocabulary to

authentic texts. Students will gain greater understanding in relating song lyrics to the content of
the Power and Language unit in the text.
Procedures:
1. Introduce the topic by asking the class if they like to listen to music. If so, what kinds?
Have students share which bands, artists they like.
2. Explain that we are going to analyze some popular song lyrics for main ideas and
meanings using the new vocabulary we have learned this week.
3. Play Youtube video of song lyrics to No Doubts Im just a girl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o8-1Zfop94
Ask the class what the song title Just a girl may mean. If no one answers, ask if it may
be a way to explain how the author feels inferior to boys.
4. Directions: Explain that I want the class to pair off with someone who has a different first
language. I am passing out lyrics to songs that I want you and your partner to analyze for
specific language that reflects power/gender differences. I will also give you some
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discussion questions to guide you in talking about how the song may relate to the Power
and Language vocabulary we have been learning this week. (5 min to read)
5. Pairs will discuss their song lyrics in relation to the questions (10 min)
6. After pairs have had time to answer the discussion questions, I will ask for volunteers to
share some of the ways their songs related to the unit vocabulary (5-10 min).
Possible extension activity: Have students write in their journals about what they learned about
the song lyrics they read. They should respond with their opinions about the topics and meanings
of the songs and whether they agree/disagree with the messages in the lyrics.
Discussion questions:
Power and Language vocabulary: assertive, profanity, sexism, inferior, dominate, talkative,
valued, excessive, slang, dialect, complicated, myth, proverb
1. What specific words or lyrics did you notice in the song? Do the words from the song
describe power or gender differences? Do they relate to any of the vocabulary above? If
so, how?
2. What do the lyrics tell you about the authors meaning or point about gender or power?
What specific words support your evaluation?
3. Think back to the Men, Women, and Language essay we read in the textbook. Are the
way women using language in the songs changing how women have been perceived in
the past? If so how? Are women speaking more like men? Do you see these changes in
songs from your own culture?
4. Can you relate to any of the song lyrics on a personal level? Do you agree/disagree about
the message the song is communicating? Why/Why not? How does the song relate to
your own culture and the way people use song lyrics?
5. Do you agree with the essay, Men, Women, and Language, that Speech is an
expression of power in many societies? Why/why not?

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Appendix B: Song Lyrics
Lady Gaga Born this Way
My mama told me when I was young
We are all born superstars
She rolled my hair and put my lipstick on
In the glass of her boudoir

boudoir: A private sitting room, dressing room

There's nothin' wrong with lovin' who you are

She said, 'cause He made you perfect, babe
So hold your head up,
girl and you'll go far
Listen to me when I say
I'm beautiful in my way
'Cause God makes no mistakes
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way
Don't hide yourself in regret
Just love yourself and you're set
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way, born this way
Don't be a drag, just be a queen
Whether you're broke or evergreen
You're black, white, beige, chola descent
You're Lebanese, you're orient

a drag: slang for boring/depressing

chola: female Mexican-American

Whether life's disabilities

Left you outcast, bullied or teased
Rejoice and love yourself today
'Cause baby, you were born this way
No matter gay, straight or bi
Lesbian, transgendered life
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born to survive
No matter black, white or beige
Chola or orient made
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born to be brave

orient: ethnically Asian

Source: Metrolyrics: http://www.metrolyrics.com/born-this-way-lyrics-lady-gaga.html

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Beyonce Flawless
I know when you were little girls
You dreamt of being in my world
Dont forget it, dont forget it
Respect that, bow down b******
I took some time to live my life
But dont think Im just his little wife
Dont get it twisted, get it twisted
This my s***, bow down b******

Flawless: perfect, without flaws

twisted: mixed up, confused

We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller

We say to girls: You can have ambition,
ambition: desire to achieve
But not too much
You should aim to be successful, but not too successful
Otherwise, you will threaten the man
Because I am female, I am expected to aspire to marriage aspire: to seek after
I am expected to make my life choices always keeping in mind that marriage is most important
Now, marriage can be a source of joy and love and mutual support
But why do we teach girls to aspire to marriage and we dont teach boys the same?
We raise girls to see each other as competitors
competitors: rivals, enemies
Not for jobs or for accomplishments, which I think can be a good thing
But for the attention of men
We teach girls that they cannot be sexual being in the way that boys are
Feminist: a person who believes in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes
You wake up, flawless, post up, flawless
Momma taught me good home training
My daddy taught me how to love my haters
My sister taught me I should speak my mind
My man made me feel so G** D*** fine (Im flawless!)
Say, I look so good tonight

Source: Metrolyrics: http://www.metrolyrics.com/flawless-lyrics-beyonce.html

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Yoko Ono Woman Power
Youve heard of woman nation
Well, thats coming, baby
What we need is the power of trust
Its coming
Woman power (Woman power)
Two thousand years of male society
Laying fear and tyranny
tyranny: abusive, oppressive authority or government
Seeking grades and money
Clinging to values vain and phony vain: worried about appearance phony: fake
Do you know that one day you lost your way, man?
Do you know that someday you have to pay, man?
Have you anything to say, man
Except, "Make no mistake about it, Im the president, you hear?
I wanna make one thing clear, Im the president, you hear?"
You may be the president now
You may still be a man
But you must also be a human
So open up and join us in living
Coming age of feminine society
Well regain our human dignity
Well lay some truth and clarity
And bring back natures beauty

dignity: self-respect, self-worth

Every woman has a song to sing

Every woman has a story to tell
Make no mistake about it, brothers
We women have the power to move mountains
Did you have to cook the meals?
Did you have to knit?
Did you have to care for life instead of killing?
Theres no mistake about it, sisters
We women have the power to change the world

knit: using yarn to make clothing

Woman power (Woman power)

Source: MetroLyrics: http://www.metrolyrics.com/woman-power-lyrics-yoko-ono.html

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Miley Cyrus Cant Be Tamed

tamed: to control something wild and make it submit

For those who dont know me, I can get a bit crazy
Have to get my way, yep, 24 hours a day cause Im hot like that
Every guy, everywhere just gives me mad attention
mad: slang for a lot of
Like Im under inspection
inspection: examination
I always gets a ten, cause Im built like that
I go through guys like money flyin out the hands
They try to change me but they realize they cant
And every tomorrow is a day I never plan
If youre gonna be my man understand
I cant be tamed, I cant be tamed, I cant be tamed
Well Im not a trick you play, Im wired a different way wired: slang for made, created
Im not a mistake, Im not a fake, Its set in my DNA
DNA: set of traits, qualities
that characterize a person/thing
Dont change me, Dont change me, Dont change me
I cant be tamed, I cant be changed
I can't be tamed, I can't be tamed
I can't be blamed
I can't can't, I can't can't be tamed
I can't be changed
I can't be tamed
I can't be, can't, I can't be tamed
If there is a question about my intentions
I'll tell ya I'm not here to sell ya
Or tell you to go to hell
I'm not a brat like that
I'm like a puzzle but all of my pieces are jagged
If you can understand this
We can make some magic I'm on like that

blamed: accused of something, at fault

intentions: plans, purpose

brat: slang for spoiled, annoying child

jagged: sharp, rough, uneven

I wanna fly I wanna drive I wanna go

I wanna be a part of something I don't know
And if you try to hold me back I might explode
Baby, by now you should know
Source: MetroLyrics: http://www.metrolyrics.com/cant-be-tamed-lyrics-miley-cyrus.html

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Rage Against the Machine Take the Power Back
In the right light, study becomes insight
insight: knowledge, understanding
But the system that dissed us
dissed: slang for disrespect, insult
teaches us to read and right
So called facts are fraud
fraud: deceit, lies
They want us to allege and pledge
allege: to support, agree pledge: to promise
and bow down to their God
Lost the culture, the culture lost
Spun our minds and through time,
Ignorance has taken over
ignorance: lack of knowledge, information
Yo, we gotta take the power back!
Bam! Heres the plan, M*****F*** Uncle Sam
Step back, I know who I am
Raise up your ear, Ill drop the style and clear
Its the beats and the lyrics they fear
The rage is relentless,
relentless: non-stop, not giving up
We need a movement with a quickness
You are a witness of change,
witness: observer, viewer
And to counteract,
counteract: fight back, go against
We gotta take the power back
One-sided stories for years and years and years
Im inferior? Whos inferior?
Yeah, we need to check the interior
interior: inside, hidden center
Of the system that cares about only one culture
to expose and close the doors on those
who try to strangle and mangle the truth

strangle: to kill by cutting off air

mangle: to
injure by mutilation, cutting, slashing
Cause the circle of hatred continues unless we react we gotta take the power back
Yeah, we gotta take the power backno more lies, no more lies

Source: Metrolyrics: http://www.metrolyrics.com/take-the-power-back-lyrics-rage-against-themachine.html

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Lauryn Hill Doo Wop (That Thing)

Doo Wop: 1950s style of vocal harmonizing in groups

Its been three weeks since youve been looking for your friend
The one you let hit it and never called you again
hit it: slang for have sex
Member when he told you he was bout the Benjamins
bout the Benjamins: slang for liking money;
Benjamin Franklin is on the $100 bill
To begin, how you think you really gon (going to) pretend
Like you wasnt down then you called him again wasnt down: slang for
not interested
Plus when you give it up so easy
give it up: slang for have sex
you aint even fooling him
Who you gon tell when the repercussions spin
repercussions: results, effects,
consequences
Showing off your ass cause youre thinking its a trend trend: popular style, fashion
Girlfriend, let me break it down for you again
break it down: slang for explain
more simply
You know I only say it cause Im truly genuine
genuine: authentic, real, true
Dont be a hardrock when youre really a gem
hardrock: ordinary, not special
gem: valuable, worth a lot
Babygirl, respect it just a minimum
minimum: lowest value, point, degree
Its silly when girls sell their soul because its in
sell their soul: idiom for giving up
your inner self for something less
valuable
Guys you know you better watch out
Some girls, some girls are only about
That thing, that thing, that thing
The second verse is dedicated to the men
dedicated: devoted, meant for someone
More concerned with his
concerned: worried with/about
rims and his Timbs than his women
rims and timbs: slang for stuff/possessions
Him and his men come in the club like hooligans (lawless, criminals)
Dont care who they offend
offend: insult, hurt, disrespect
they wanna pack pistol by they waist men (carry guns)
Cristal by the case men, still in they mothers basement
Cristal: alcohol brand
Need to take care of their three and four kids men
They facing a court case when the childs support late Child Support: money which a
parent pays for their kids
Money taking, heart breaking now you wonder why women hate men
The sneaky silent men
sneaky: deceitful, secretive
the punk domestic violence men (men who beat up their girlfriend, wife)
How you gon win when you aint right within?
Source: Metrolyrics: http://www.metrolyrics.com/doo-wop-that-thing-lyrics-lauryn-hill.html

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No Doubt Just a Girl
Take this pink ribbon off my eyes
I'm exposed, and it's no big surprise
Don't you think I know exactly where I stand
This world is forcing me to hold your hand
'Cause I'm just a girl, little ol' (old) me
Well don't let me out of your sight
Oh, I'm just a girl, all pretty and petite
So don't let me have any rights
Oh, I've had it up to here!

exposed: out in the open for all to see

petite: small in physical size

The moment that I step outside, so many reasons for me to run and hide
I can't do the little things I hold so dear
'Cause it's all those little things that I fear
'Cause I'm just a girl, I'd rather not be
'Cause they won't let me drive late at night
Oh I'm just a girl, guess I'm some kind of freak (abnormal person, different, strange)
'Cause they all sit and stare with their eyes
Oh I'm just a girl, take a good look at me
Just your typical prototype (average, original model)
Oh, I've had it up to here!
Oh, am I making myself clear?
I'm just a girl
I'm just a girl in the world
That's all that you'll let me be!
Oh I'm just a girl, living in captivity (prison, jail)
Your rule of thumb makes me worry some rule of thumb: idiom for standard rule
Oh I'm just a girl, what's my destiny?
destiny: future, fate
What I've succumbed to is making me numb succumbed: to submit, surrender
numb: loss of feeling; emotional/physical
Oh I'm just a girl, my apologies
What I've become is so burdensome (difficult)
Oh I'm just a girl, lucky me
Twiddle-dum, there's no comparison
Twiddle-dum: dumb character from
Alice in Wonderland
Oh, I've had it up to here!

Source: MetroLyrics: http://www.metrolyrics.com/just-a-girl-lyrics-no-d

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All song lyrics were obtained from MetroLyrics: www.metrolyrics.com

YouTube clips:
Beyonce Flawless https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17hPCHLMpyM
Lady Gaga Born this Way https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BsLd4Y060Q
Lauryn Hill Doo Wop (That Thing) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHvSAWWmADk
No Doubt Im Just a Girl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o8-1Zfop94
Miley Cyrus Cant Be Tamed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE4RxbcLPGs
Rage Against the Machine Take the Power Back https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl01lOKj3k
Yoko Ono Woman Power https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7UlQEBlbuQ

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