Assignment 3 Amir Din

Skills related task

I have aimed this task specifically at intermediate level however it is adaptable to all levels as the
context and ideas behind the task sheet can appeal to anyone. I believe it is useful for English
language students who not only want to widen their English knowledge but also those who need to
improve their reading and speaking skills for academic study, examination preparation or business
English (Learner teaching Page 235).

Pre-reading

Lead-in

I would show a range of images from each of the five countries and the SS must work in pairs to
match the pictures, this will gain the SS interests. After the matching game I would elicit the word
‘culture’ from them and concept check. The lead-in will allow the students to predict what the text is
likely to be about and what they are going to see or hear. When students are encouraged to predict
the text before they read or listen, expectations are created in their minds which help them focus
their reading or listening. I will have turned a potential task into a creative tool for receptive skill
training (Harmer Page 274).

Pre-teach Vocabulary

There may be some vocabulary items in the task sheet that the students may not understand (a
lesson sub-aim). I will need to use concept questions which are used to check learners'
understanding of a language item, to elicit the words from the students and then go over MFP. The
words they will need to be familiar with to understand the text more clearly are:

Jump the queue, impolite, punctuality, & contrary

As stated by Harmer (page 272) who said where students are likely to be held back unnecessarily
because of three or four words it makes sense to teach them first. Furthermore, Harmer said:
‘teaching vocab should take a small portion of the lesson in order for the SS to understand the
reading’ (page 283).

While reading

Gist Task

The first reading task is a receptive skills (reading) task. I would handout the task first and get
students to read the questions and statements before handing out the reading sheet (task before
text), I would then direct the students to skim through the text to get a general understanding and I
would set a time limit (Harmer page 270) to ensure they don’t read the text in detail and I would
monitor the SS as this is a key element during the task to ensure students have understood and are
working together.

Once the SS have completed the task I would get them to peer check in pairs so there is less teacher
involvement and it is more student centred, this is to develop their awareness and enhance their
learning. (The Practice of English Language Teaching 4th Edition page 140). Also, another reason why
peer checking is favourable is because it allows more opportunities to work together and partly so
when we go through the answers as a class, the individual students do not get exposed as having
failed the task (Harmer page 271).

The reason being is that gist reading (top down processing) allows the learners to activate their
schematic knowledge and prepares them for the detailed reading task. It also mirrors real-life
Assignment 3 Amir Din

reading/listening techniques, in real life people often use top-down approaches when they
encounter a text, as opposed to intensive or bottom-down techniques (such as reading for detail).

Detail Task

Following on from the gist task, I will instruct the students to look at the next set of questions and
statements. Once they have done that, I would instruct them to read the text again in which they are
required to examine in more detail, I will set a time limit of eight minutes (Harmer page 271).

I would model the first question as a demonstration and then let students complete the rest. Once
complete, I will ask the students to check answers in pairs and then feedback. Monitoring during this
task is key so I can observe their progress as this will give me valuable information about how well
they are doing individually and collectively so if help is needed I can assist.

Detailed reading makes SS more positive about reading, will improve their overall comprehension
skills and will give them a wider passive and active vocabulary (Harmer page 273). These are every
day skills that students need to develop so my task will be questions looking for specific information,
the task I have designed is focussed on finding answers to a series of questions, by having students
perform this activity of looking up information, I am helping them become better readers and
listeners (harmer page 274).

Post reading

Follow up task

For my follow up task, I will be focusing on speaking. When students write or speak in class they
have a chance to rehearse language production in safety, experimenting with different language and
different genres that they will use on some future occasion away from the classroom.

I would start the activity by saying ‘the final task is a speaking game, I need five volunteers to come
at the front of the class to be a panel of experts, the rest of the class will ask a series of questions
regarding the country each student on the panel is from’. Before the volunteers come to the front of
the class I would demonstrate by prompting the students to ask me about the country I am from.

Once the volunteers have come to the front, the rest of the class will write down the questions on
paper and I would go around checking the questions, once the questions have been written they are
put to the panel of experts.

After around 10-15 questions I would round up the lesson with a review of what has been covered
and ask what skills the students have learnt.
Assignment 3 Amir Din

Bibliography

The Practice of English Language Teaching by Jeremy Harmer, 4th Edition, Pearson Education Limited
2007 chapter 16,17,18 and 20.

Learning Teaching by Jim Scrivener, 3rd Edition, Macmillan books for teachers, chapter 10.

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-abstract-vector-color-map-of-great-britain-country-
43968024.html

https://creativemarket.com/SiberianArt/367797-Thailand-map.-Thai-icons-and-symbols

https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/146288-free-singapore-map-vector

https://answersafrica.com/west-african-countries-list.html

https://expatexplore.com/tours/taste-of-spain/
Assignment 3 Amir Din

Gist task

1. Look at the text, think of a title you would give this text?

2. Which of these countries are not written in the text? Ireland, Spain, Britain, Thailand.

Detailed Task

Read the text and answer the question below. The first one has been done for you.

a) In Spain restaurants start to fill up at what time?

Answer; 10 o’clock

b) If you don’t flush the toilet in Singapore, what will happen?

c) In which country is it impolite to ask ‘how much do you earn?’

d) In west Africa how do you attract a person’s attention?

e) What is considered the dirtiest part of the head in Thailand?

f) In West Africa what do they use their left hand for?

Assignment 3 Amir Din

Lead-in

Ten pictures will be laid on a table. Students will come and work in groups to match the pictures,
the first team to do so wins.
Assignment 3 Amir Din
Assignment 3 Amir Din

Follow up task

It is based on speaking so no handouts are needed.

Answer Sheet

Gist task

1. Look at the text, think of a title you would give this text?
Answer; Culture shock or different cultures (something to do with culture)

2. Which of these countries are not written in the text? Ireland, Spain, Britain, Thailand.
Answer; Ireland.

Detailed Task

Read the text and answer the question below.

g) In Spain restaurants start to fill up at what time?

Answer; 10 o’clock

h) If you don’t flush the toilet in Singapore, what will happen?

Answer; you will be fined.

i) In which country is it impolite to ask ‘how much do you earn?’

Answer; Britain.

j) In west Africa how do you attract a person’s attention?

By Hissing.

k) What is considered the dirtiest part of the body in Thailand?

Answer; the feet.

l) In West Africa what do they use their left hand for?

Answer; Unclean activities