Teaching Critical Thinking with Very Short Videos

How can we teach English and also develop these critical thinking skills?  A technique I’ve found to be effective is using video vignettes in the classroom. You can exploit a short (1-2 minute) video vignette of a social or workplace encounter for many levels of learning and skill development.

The Key to Using Video Vignettes:  Multiple Viewings
Once you have chosen an appropriate video, you can show the video multiple times for different outcomes.  Each time, focus on a particular aspect of the video and follow the viewing with classroom activities to develop students’ language and critical thinking skills.

1.  Focus on Content     

Develop these skills: comprehending language in context; summarizing; reporting information; and evaluating information.

Classroom activities:

• Answer comprehension questions, wh-questions, and true/false statements based on the video content.
• Listen for details to identify who says what or complete closes.
• Create activities around disappearing dialogs, retelling the information in the conversation, and reenacting or reconstructing the conversation.

2.  Focus on Language    

Develop these skills: grammar, vocabulary, intonation, and pronunciation.

Classroom activities:

• Identify the language point (listen for it or highlight it in the video script).
• Practice the language point (with cloze activities; substitution drills; pair read-alouds; dictations; audio-recording of student work).
• Apply the language point to new contexts (practice new conversations using  conversation frameworks and using language point in discussions).

3.  Focus on Pragmatics  

Develop these skills: making inferences; analyzing language usage; supporting generalizations with evidence; identifying conflict; and solving problems

Classroom activities:

• Listen for or highlight language in the video script.
• Generate and practice alternative language to accomplish same purpose.
• Perform role plays and problem solving scenarios.

4.  Focus on Social Communication 

Develop these skills: recognizing and using body language, register, and conversation cues to effectively communicate

Classroom activities:

• Perform and video-record role-plays.
• Analyze student videos for social communication.
• Write conversation exchanges.
• Apply similar communication styles to other contexts.

5.  Focus on Culture 

Develop these skills: recognizing workplace and social expectations and standards; making evidence-based generalizations using details; identifying cultural values and assumptions; and communicating on diverse teams

Classroom activities:

• Do Quick Writes to uncover cultural assumptions.
• Analyze language in video to support generalizations.
• Write formal paragraphs supporting a claim with evidence.
• Explain values in oral or poster-board presentations.
• Perform role plays and problem solving scenarios.

The Multilevel Teacher: Creating a Common Classroom Experience

Tags

Differentiating Instruction, Low-level ESOL

As educators, we know how to differentiate instruction one student at a time, but how do we differentiate instruction for a whole classroom of students at once?  And how do we maintain cohesion in a classroom with so many moving parts? 

A Common Classroom Experience

In our digital age, the classroom presents a unique opportunity for students to learn together and develop face-to-face social communication skills.  For this reason, I strive to use common materials , but I differentiate the tasks I give the students.  

We start each activity as a class, we break out into groups, and then we return to the class to debrief and summarize.  The class is the beginning and end of every learning activity.  

Grouping Students by Level

One way to manage break out groups in a multi-level classroom is by sorting students by level.  In this arrangement, students work with others at a similar level.  

Multilevel Tips for Low-Level Groups

·        Keep the numbers down.  Keep low-level groups small.  Communication and collaboration is always easier when fewer people are involved.

·        Provide model language.  Make sure students have the language they need to complete the assignment. Often that means writing some key phrases on the board or getting students to locate a reference page in their book. 

·        Limit the assignment.  Limit the number of items the group needs to complete.  When groups return to the whole class debriefing, make sure you call on this group early, so they can contribute the work they were able to complete.

Multilevel Tips for High Level Groups

·        Grow the group. The more people in a group, the more challenging the communication and collaboration.

·        Step away from model language.   Encourage students to work independently from the model language. If the model is on the board, encourage the students to turn their seats away from it.  If the model is in the book, encourage them to keep it closed as much as possible.

·        Assign an additional task.   These tasks should be familiar learning routines to students, so you don’t need to interrupt for long to explain the next step.  Some additional activities are: 

o   After a role play:  Students write their dialogue out and read it aloud, making language adjustments as needed.  Or students record their role play (with voice note on their cell phones), transcribe their speech, and identify errors.  Students submit their writing to you at the end of class.

o   After a reading activity:  Students identify key words in the text, or students write additional comprehension questions.  They write their additional information/questions on the board for the whole class debriefing.

o   After a discussion activity:  Students write their responses, and then review their written work by reading their responses aloud to group members.  Students submit their writing to you at the end of class. 

More of My Posts about Multilevel Teaching

Differentiating Instruction in a Multi-level Classroom  http://wp.me/pMYto-14

Multilevel Dictation Handout  http://wp.me/pMYto-8z

Conversation Cards:  A Warm-up Activity  http://wp.me/pMYto-8d

Mixing It Up!    http://wp.me/pMYto-3w

Building Better Learners:  The Teacher’s Worksheet  http://wp.me/pMYto-a8

 

The Multisensory Checklist for Teaching Language

Tags

Best Practices, Differentiating Instruction, Learning Styles, Study Skills

Here is a list I wrote to remind myself of the many modalities I can use in my class. 

Instructions:  Just think back to your last week or two of teaching and check the boxes off.  (To maximize this exercise, do it at regular intervals for several weeks.) Don’t expect to check all the boxes.    This is a self-observation tool.  The aim to help you become aware of the modalities you favor and the ones you avoid.  The real work is in trying to switch things up and use one of the un-checked modalities on this list.  

Did the students . . .
1.          look at illustrations or photographs?
2.          look at charts, graphs, or maps?
3.          read silently?
4.          read along as they listen to someone read aloud?
5.          read aloud to others?
6.          write in their notebooks?
7.          write on the board?
8.          trace words with their fingers?
9.          practice pronunciation chorally?
10.       practice pronunciation chorally with one ear plugged?
11.       practice pronunciation individually?
12.       use gestures, symbols,  or physical feedback to correct their pronunciation? (see Sarah’s blog “Let’s Get Physical:  Teaching Pronunciation”
13.       use movement or music to improve their intonation?
14.       study with flashcards?
15.       make their own flashcards?
16.       highlight or underline words in a text?
17.       write a vocabulary list?
18.       listen to the audio?
19.       listen to another student speaking English?
20.       listen for specific features:  stress, syllables, sounds, rhymes?
21.       work in small groups?
22.       work individually?
23.       work as a whole class on one question or assignment?
24.       work on a computer?
25.       use a dictionary or translating device?
26.       use a cell phone to show pictures?
27.       change seats?
28.       stand up in front of a group or the class?
29.       mime the meaning of a word or phrase?
30.       listen to relaxing music while doing individual work?
31.       listen to the words in a song?

 

Are there other modalities you use in your classroom that I didn’t list? Please share your ideas!

Other related posts:  http://wp.me/pMYto-2V

Conversation Cards: A Warm-up Activity

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Warm-up Activities

Questions are the springboard for most conversations in English, whether they be “What do you do?”  “Are you from around here?”  or “How was your day?”  These questions are a great way to open or extend a conversation.  In my low-level English class we practice and recycle these questions regularly.  Here’s how:

Conversation Cards

1. At the end of every class I write any new questions we practiced  that day on cards- one question per card.
2. At the beginning of the following class , I  place piles of the cards facedown on tabletops around the room.
3. As students come in, they meet in pairs  and take turns picking up a card and asking their partner the question.
4. The activity lasts about 5 minutes.

Notes:

• The piles of cards grow over time.  If you have open enrollment, change the color of the cards occasionally so you can easily sort out old questions.
• Students can also write these questions for their own set of cards.
• This is a great way to absorb  late-comers without disruption, as they can quickly join any group and take a turn without direction or transition.

Sample questions:

• What do you do?
• Where do you work?
• Where are you from?
• How was your day?
• How was your week-end?
• What are your plans for the week-end?
• Do you have family here?
• Where do you work?
• How’s the family?

More Posts about Multilevel Teaching

The Multilevel Teacher:  Creating a Common Classroom Experience http://wp.me/pMYto-b0

Multilevel Dictation Handout  http://wp.me/pMYto-8z

Conversation Cards:  A Warm-up Activity  http://wp.me/pMYto-8d

Mixing It Up!    http://wp.me/pMYto-3w

Building Better Learners:  The Teacher’s Worksheet  http://wp.me/pMYto-a8

Language for Working in Teams

Tags

21st Century Skills, Best Practices, Workplace Skills

Take turns Go ahead. You go first. It’s my turn.	Talk about procedure What do we need to do? What’s first? Now, we need to . . .
Ask for  repetition Excuse me? Could you repeat that, please?	Ask for clarification What do you mean? Tell me more. Really?  In what ways?
Invite your  partner to speak How about you? What do you think? What do you have for number X?	Show interest Really? Uh-huh. Wow!
Make suggestions Let’s . . . Maybe we can . . What if we . . ..	Express  Appreciation Thank you. I really appreciate it. It was nice working with you.

Mixing It Up!

Tags

Differentiating Instruction

In my workshops teachers have shared really great ideas for getting students into groups.  Here is one of my favorites:

 A Deck of Cards

Hand out a card to each student at the beginning of class.  Tell students to form the following groups in the following ways:

To form:	Tell students:
Pairs	Find a student with a different colored suit.For example:   Heart + Spade
Pairs or small groups	Find student with the same number.For example:  7 of Clubs + 7 of Hearts
Pairs or small groups	Find students  with numbers that add up to a total.For example:    4 + 7 + 3 = 14
Groups of four	Find one student from each suit.For example:   Heart + Spade + Diamond + Club
Pairs to large groups	Find students with matching suits.For example:  Diamond + Diamond + Diamond
Pairs to groups of 5	Find students with odd numbers.For example: 5 + 7 +  3
Pairs to groups of 5	Find students with even numbers.For example:  2 + 4 +  8

 Multi-level Classes

• To sort students by level, give low-level and high-level students distinctly different types of cards (for example: a number card vs. a face card).
•  To create same–level groups tell students to find someone with a similar card (for example: number card + number card).
•  For mixed-level groups, have students find someone with a different card (for example: face card + number card).
• For large multi-level groups have students play “Black Jack” and find enough students to add up to 21.

The Benefits

• Students learn the terms for playing cards.
• It is not an obvious assignation of level.
• It works in a large class.
• There are myriad ways to mix and match.

More Posts about Multilevel Teaching

The Multilevel Teacher:  Creating a Common Classroom Experience http://wp.me/pMYto-b0

Multilevel Dictation Handout  http://wp.me/pMYto-8z

Conversation Cards:  A Warm-up Activity  http://wp.me/pMYto-8d

Building Better Learners:  The Teacher’s Worksheet  http://wp.me/pMYto-a8

Working Across Levels in the Multi-level Classroom

Tags

Best Practices, Group Work

Working Across Levels in the Multi-level Classroom

Mixed-ability grouping is a great way for students to learn from one another and to build classroom community.  Grouping students across levels works particularly well when the task is open-ended and less structured.   Pre-level students benefit from working with their more skilled partners, and the above-level students are challenged by their leadership roles.

This perfect-world scenario, however, sometimes falls apart.  Occasionally the more-skilled students dominate while the lesser-skilled students withdraw.  By doing some work up-front you can help students manage the dynamics of group work so that it is an engaging and challenging experience for all.

 

1.  Tell above-level students how to help their classmates.

When teachers assign students to groups, we often say “help each other” or “work together.”  Get specific.  Describe how students can help one another.  For example:

Activity:  Read the story together.

Above-level student:   Read the story aloud to your partner.

Activity:  Practice dialogue together.

Above-level student:   Model the pronunciation of each line first.

Activity:  Ask and answer the discussion questions.

Above-level student:   Respond to the question first to model answers.

Activity:  Practice new vocabulary

Above level student:  Give an example of the word in a sentence.

2.  Talk about good teaching practices.

Have students follow these principles in their groupwork:

• Wait!  Give your partner time to answer.
• Don’t tell!  Give an example but don’t give the answer.
• Ask for help!  The teacher is always here to help.

3.  Equip students with language for managing group work.

Write a list of phrases on the board (or even better, post them permanently on the wall) to remind students of useful group-work language.  For example:

Take turns

You go first.

It’s my turn.

Ask to make sure you understand

What do you mean?

What does ________ mean?

How do you pronounce this word?

Could you please repeat that?

What did you say?

Tell your partner you understand

I see what you mean.

That’s an interesting idea.

That’s right.

Invite your partner to participate

What do you have for number  . . .?

How about you?

What do you think?

Make suggestions

Let’s . . .

Maybe we can  . .

What if we  . . .

Talk about differences

I have a different answer.

I see it another way.

 

4.  Divvy up the responsibilities.

Look at what each group activity requires of students, identify different roles, and assign the roles to students according to their skills.  For example:

Role plays: Students act out situations using vocabulary and grammar they have studied.

The pre-level student plays the role of the person who asks the questions.  (The teacher can provide a paper with the questions listed.) The above-level student plays the role of the person responding, which allows for lots of improvisation and embellishments.

 

Role plays	Pre-level Role	Above-level Role
Job interview	Employer	Applicant
Doctor Visit	Doctor	Patient
Getting a doctor’s appointment	Receptionist	Patient
Ordering food at a restaurant	Waiter	Diner
Calling 911	Dispatcher	Caller
Making returns to a store	Customer Service Person	Customer
Renting an apartment	Applicant	Landlord

 

 Team projects:  Students work together in groups of three or more to make a product or complete an activity.  These projects can vary widely, but include such activities as: design a poster on a topic; solve a problem; do a survey and make a graph; discuss ideas; create a menu; plan a party; write up a community guide; make a holiday calendar; play a board game; or write a story.

The pre-level student can:	The above-level student can:
keep the time assemble the supplies read aloud the directions, questions, or anything else printed on the activity handout copy the group answers on the board draw the group poster or calendar collate and assemble information for a booklet or directory	lead the discussion model the activity take notes during the discussion be spokesperson for the group edit the group’s first draft write a summary of the group-work

Group-work is a great vehicle for practicing language. If you anticipate the kinds of tasks, roles, and language needed for the group work, your students will benefit from the experience and learn valuable collaborative skills.

More of My Posts about Multilevel Teaching

The Multilevel Teacher:  Creating a Common Classroom Experience http://wp.me/pMYto-b0

Multilevel Dictation Handout  http://wp.me/pMYto-8z

Conversation Cards:  A Warm-up Activity  http://wp.me/pMYto-8d

Mixing It Up!    http://wp.me/pMYto-3w

Building Better Learners:  The Teacher’s Worksheet  http://wp.me/pMYto-a8

Differentiating Instruction in a Multi-level Classroom  http://wp.me/pMYto-14