Author: Seomul Evans

One of the most difficult situations for the language teacher is a group which includes students of different levels, of varying learning ability, or even both. The class has to be organized so that no-one needs to feel they’re wasting time waiting for the others or alternatively, that they are “out of their depth” in comparison to other members of the group. How do you design a lesson to meet all the varying needs?

One way of coping with this situation is to abandon lockstep teaching (all of the students working on the same activity at the same time) for at least part of the lesson, so that the teacher can work intensively with one sub-group while the others work independently. This, of course, means that you need to have suitable materials for autonomous study on hand. These could be in any format, but if you have computers available in the classroom, the easiest solution is to use on-line materials.

It would be possible, of course, to make these materials the sole basis of the lessons. Each student works through a course at his/her own level while the teacher circulates, monitors and gives help , explanation and practice as necessary. In groups where the students are of widely differing levels, this could well be the best solution. But with others, where the difference is less extreme, it’s also possible to integrate the autonomous work into more traditional full class lessons.

As an example, let’s look at a mixed level EFL group including students from upper-elementary to mid-intermediate levels. The next area to be covered in the course they are following is the present perfect for past to present events – for example, He’s worked here for the last five months. For the upper-elementary students this is a completely new structure, and they’re going to need a systematic presentation as well as a lot of controlled practice before they can go on to freer activities using the structure. But for the mid-intermediate students, the lesson is only revision and consolidation.

Here is a possible outline for the lesson:

1) The first activity is a warm-up consolidating the simple past, which all students have met before.

2) The class then splits into two groups. The elementary and weaker intermediate students remain with the teacher for a systematic presentation of the new structure, while the other, stronger students work independently at the computer on a second simple past consolidation activity -this might be a short listening or reading activity.

3) When the teacher has finished the presentation, the class comes back together to do a receptive practice activity which asks them to distinguish between the two verb forms.

4) The class then divides into two groups again. The stronger students return to the computer and work on activities which consolidate the present perfect at their own level. These activities could be grammar practice, a listening consolidation, or whatever the teacher thinks is right for those students at that point. Meanwhile the lower level students stay with the teacher to complete some controlled practice work.

5) The groups then change over. The stronger students work with the teacher on some semi-controlled or freer practice, while the others work independently at their own level – which may or may not mean completing the same activities done by the stronger students at stage four.

6) Finally the group comes back into lockstep and works on an activity organized in one of the following ways:

•Students are grouped in mixed high/low level pairs with the stronger student having a more challenging role

•Again, students are paired high/low and complete an activity in which the strong students help the weaker ones

•Students are paired or grouped with others of the same ability – high/high, low/low – and work on an activity at their own level.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/ways-language-courses-can-help-you-become-a-better-traveler-1535800.html

About the Author:
Seomul Evans is with Dallas SEO Services consulting for CallMD, an informational Medical resource site specializing in: Skin Care and freeFungal Infections articles.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Author: Seomul Evans

Would you like to study it abroad?

Do you want to learn a new foreign language?

It has been proved that cultural immersion is the fastest and most effective way to learn a new foreign language. To study a language in her corresponding Mother tongue country is the only way to learn speaking it fluently, while having the opportunity to learn deeply about different cultures and creating interesting connections with different people who have similar viewpoints and interests.

• In addition, the learning of a language may appear difficult when trying by yourself in a classroom or at home, but it can be a fun, memorable and exciting experience if lived abroad.

• But, sometimes to find the right and useful information is not so easy: it could be a hard work to find the school able to suit your personal needs, because there are several language institutes displaced all over Europe.

• Learn Languages Abroad is a full website selecting and gathering complete information on how and where to study the language and culture you have chosen to get in touch with.

You can choose to study, Italian in Italy, French in France, German in Austria, Spanish in Spain or Russian in Russia, by just having a look at the schools we have carefully selected for you. We provide high quality institutes (certified by national and world wide organizations such as ASILS, SOUFFLE, AEEA and CAMPUS AUSTRIA) that directly give American University credits while helping you find an accommodation during your permanence abroad. We offer you top standards of language tuition combined with attractive leisure programs and a wide choice of accommodation. We provide schools from several cities in Europe and Russia while giving the possibility to look among different programs, which include also intensive language programs and summer programs to any level (from beginner to advanced) and for students of any age.
We provide information about language courses in France, Spain, Italy, Austria and Russia. All featured schools organize courses all around year about different topics: from cultural to professional courses.

Each school has several solutions for accommodation and for your free time!

Study a language in the country where it is spoken is the best and fastest way to really learn and understand it, and Europe is a small cultural niche where people have the possibility to interact with a large variety of cultures and traditions, sometimes really different one another. It is an exciting, interesting and different way to increase oneself knowledge and experience.

Learning Foreign Language via E-Learning
Internet Radio Following the above advice give yourself more opportunities to hear your new language. Radio can expose you to new vocabulary and fresh content daily. Today, there are many words from the Hawaiian language that are still used conversationally and informally by the Islands’ inhabitants. We all know the word “aloha”, which has a myriad of meanings including hello, goodbye, and love. . If you choose to receive a degree in a foreign language you will come away not only with a college education but you will more than likely come away being fluent in the language you studied both written and conversationally. This has many advantages for you career-wise.

How to Learn Languages
By learning a foreign language you begin to learn how to learn languages making it easier to learn other languages and understand how language and communication works in general. The imperial power of the British Empire valued ‘geopolitical and mono lingual standardization’ and influenced Australia France Russia and the United States to follow their values. Though political and socioeconomic profits may benefit those who use international language their spread and domination has caused and will continue to cause the loss of much native language. Today, there are many words from the Hawaiian language that are still used conversationally and informally by the Islands’ inhabitants. We all know the word “aloha”, which has a myriad of meanings including hello, goodbye, and love.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/top-reasons-you-should-learn-foreign-language-1535834.html

About the Author:
Seomul Evans is with Dallas Web Optimization Services consulting for CallMD, an informational Medical resource site specializing in: Skin Care and freeExcessive Sweating Treatment articles.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites