Vol.2 no.4 
February, 2000
Vol.2 no.4
February, 2000
While it is easier to remember than the change from most years to the next, writing 2000 also seems very strange. It really is a milestone that feels like having entered the future. It had been spoken of and dreamed about for so many years. Things didn't really change during that 24 hours as we watched from midnight to midnight around the world. However, after talking abut the next century and of course millennium, for so long, doesn't it feel exciting, challenging, even rejuvenating to write those very special numbers 2000. All the best to you, belatedly, in the new - year, century and millennium. Ron
The consortium, which is the official committee that is responsible for cooperative advancement of the ESL-LA programme has been working on several fronts. Future modules will be project-based to keep in step with the reform and more current pedagogy.
The re-edited Guidelines for writing modules will be sent to the schools offering ESL-LA as a reference for teachers who like to develop their own modules.
A copy of Impressions -Expressions 2000 will be sent out. Teachers can choose to copy and use in class, ESL-LA or regular, as well as think about having the ESL-LA students gather contributions for next year. Audio tapes of Impressions -Expressions from past years can be ordered if you are interested. There is a Web version, with links on Cybersite or directly,
http://www.cssmi.qc.ca/carrefour_educatif/ressources_pedagogiques/anglais/index.htm though the site is not yet up-to-date.
I will be sending out a short list of suggested evaluation units as well as an example of an exam with a language arts approach.
The unit Would you say Yes or No? Sec V has been revised and is included in the mailing to schools.
A list and overview of the available modules will be sent to allow you to check your inventory and order missing modules.
GUIDE
Introductory Writing/Art Assignment *
Encouraging creativity, reading and writing *
The annual perfectionnement collectif was held from February 8 to 10. James Rainville, from the CEMIS de Trois-Rivieres, Randy Hamlyn, a CP from the cs des Navigateurs, Lévis and I, gave the first day's workshops. (The warm-up band for the James Howden show). The WebQuest workshop is available on Cybersite at http://station05.qc.ca/css/cybersite/webquest/site/webquest.html . The site is built for group work and takes visitors through the pedagogy, examples and models to give an understanding, examples as well as guidance on how to create your own WebQuest.
Let's go to the movies: an ESL Internet language learning rally was the second part of the TIC day. The documents will be sent to high schools and you can preview the site at http://www.james.rtsq.qc.ca/rreals2000.htm or download the documents directly on the site.
The next two days were given by the guru of cooperative learning, James Howden. Using the cooperative approach to demonstrate cooperative learning techniques, we experienced and exchanged through several structures while investigating the reform as well as multiple intelligences and dimensions of learning concepts. These are all key elements of the new programs in all disciplines, along with project-based learning and others. Training will be offered throughout the school board over time.
The team of CP's, among other things, are developing one hour capsules of the different approaches inherent in all new programs. These could lead to more intensive training sessions depending on the interes shown.
Several publishers held a short exhibit. For elementary schools, Success, Quartet, Clues and Passport Adventure were among the star products of the year. Most are available to sample by contacting the different publishing houses.
Between the lines: Level 1 is a new workbook of 100 short texts with questions or activities for the first cycle secondary to improve reading comprehension. (HWR)
Friday the 11th was the RREALS meeting. Some completed mandates were distributed:
TV Shows: a listing of the top shows in different categories as well as a video with samples that is available upon request.
Secondary 2 activities with a cassette and covering PO, PE, CE on the environment.
Secondary 2 summative exam preview was distributed but it will only be available after the end of April.
The MEQ Oral Production Grid for June 2000 in secondaries 4 & 5 was distributed and presented with a CD-ROM that has examples of the levels of production expected from the students according to the grid. One copy of the CD is sent to each school board so we'll make arrangements to copy and put on video tape the examples as soon as possible. I have annexed a copy of the grid for teachers at all levels who might be interested in adapting the grid. It will probably be incorporated into the secondary 3 school board exam as the new written production grid was last year. The distinguished list of credits for the new grid included our own Sylvie Duquette from L'Éscale.
A survey from a McGill research project is annexed to Reach-out. The researchers are interested in receiving as many replies as possible.
The latest version of the Programme d'études 2e cycle - Primaire (Grade 3-4) was distributed and is annexed for all. The content will change from cycle to cycle through into high school but when the MEQ decides on the final presentation, it is supposed to be the same for all.
For elementary teachers, a document, Oral Interaction Posters as well as an experimental Integrated Activities for Grade 3 will be sent out. These are materials offered by the MEQ in the spirit of the reform. An unofficial video that is not yet available, demonstrated the new program in action and I hope to be able to show it or a similar video to those interested. It makes all the concepts so much more concrete.
As I mentioned in the paragraphs above, many things are going on within the context of the reform. The 2nd cycle primary program should be final in June, the third cycle is underway and the 4th (formerly secondary 1, 2 and 3 ) will be built, beginning next fall. The projected implantation of new, kindergarten and 1st cycle programs is still planned for next fall. However, it is a two year plan to 'test' and adjust the programs before they become official. By the fall of 2001 when the new 2nd cycle primary ESL program is scheduled to begin, training and the experience of the 1st cycle should make it all more feasible.
It`s time for schools to apply for a language monitor for next year. This year, only one monitor, shared by St-Patrice and Ste-Marguerite, was awarded in our schoolboard. The monitor costs approximately $1500 divided between the two schools. It also involves as many as 5 days participation, per monitor allocated, by a representative (me, in this case) to interview local candidates at the regional MEQ for the other provinces.
PROGRAMME DES MONITEURS DE LANGUES OFFICIELLES information:
http://www.meq.gouv.qc.ca/daic/Prog2000/renscapl.htm
The month-long summer exchange will be offered to students, 12 to 14, throughout the schoolboard. The coordinator Bill Hogg will be contacting schools and asking for your cooperation if you are teaching in grade 6 or the first cycle of high school. He is planning to send out a short video presentation and activity to integrate into a class for recruiting candidates. Visiting all the targeted classes in all the schools would be a time-consuming and expensive task. Students from Asbestos to Stanstead participated last year and while it is not for everyone, those who did participate have found it a worthwhile learning experience.
Échanges d'élèves, d'étudiants et d'étudiantes et stages à l'étranger (Volet 1)
http://www.meq.gouv.qc.ca/daic/prog_int_educ.htm
This is a link to a program that funds exchanges to countries around the world for school groups.
Summer
camps
Here is a short list of summer camps compiled by Louis Longchamps, conseiller pédagogique at Commission scolaire des Samares
Camp-Ecole International inc.
51 Des Jardins, Suite 200.
Quebec, Quebec Canada G1R 4L6
Phone: (418) 692-0937
Fax: (418) 692-1950
Email: campecol@qbc.clic.net
Anglofun
Secrétariat
600, chemin de la Diligence
Stukely (Québec) J0E 2J0
Tél.: (450) 297-3717
Anglofun@interlinx.qc.ca
D.L.S.,
The Maples, Bd
de Verdun, 33670-CREON
05.56.23.30.66
England
http://www.dls.asso.fr/fr_sejours-lingui.htm
Champlain Regional College
ESL - Summer Programs
Lennoxville, Quebec
J1M 2A1
Phone: 819-564-3684
Fax: 819-564-5171
site web: http://www.lennox.champlaincollege.qc.ca/ProgramsDepartments/esl/english/english.htm
Pensionnat des Ursulines
500, Dufferin
Stanstead, Québec J0B 3E0
Téléphone: (819) 876-2795
Télécopieur: (819) 876-2797
Station05 & the CSS site.
As I have mandates to work on these two projects, I wanted to mention that a committee is in the process of designing the outline of a cs des Sommets Internet site that would open sites for schools and then depending on the school policy, provide for teacher sites.
Also, via Station05, teachers or schools with special projects of interest to others and following certain guidelines can ask for web space to develop and share.
The grade 6 exam has been reviewed and adapted with the help of the comments teachers were asked to submit. A special thanks to Ann Williams in Danville. The secondary 3 exam will also be reviewed and probably include the new oral production grid keeping in mind the context.
In secondary 4 and 5,
the new OP grid and English instructions are the major changes. A CD-ROM
or video for the OP will be sent to schools and/or be the subject of
a short training session. More information on English instructions
and practice exams will follow as they become available.
The new release of the BIM CD-ROM includes one additional exam per level for your consideration in view of the June exams. Cassettes are available: send in a completed order form from the Banque Didactique. Each school and teacher should have this form or you can use the Internet site for Reach-out.Please allow 2 to 3 weeks for delivery.
Université de Sherbrooke
29 janvier 2000 January 29th 2000
http://www.interlinx.qc.ca/~edwards/speaqcamp.htm
Gaston Turcotte, Julie Malouin, Bob Beaulieu and Gisèlle Veuilleux from Cs des Sommets were among those who attended.
Project-based Learning
Would you like a change? If so, come and explore the world of project-based pedagogy. This workshop promises to leave you with a new outlook on teaching in the ESL classroom. See documents in annex.
More info: Project Based Learning
Interactive Grammar
The `contenu disciplinaire' of the proposed elementary program includes a grammar component. This workshop demonstrated how to deal with grammatical structures in context and in an interactive manner. A handout containing several activities of this type will be sent out to primary.
Creative Use of Video
This hands-on workshop will show teachers creative new ways to use video in the ESL classroom. Activities based on reading, writing and conversation will be presented. Teachers will also discover links between video and specific web sites on the internet which provide material for classroom use. See documents in annex.
Evaluation (Rachel Lalonde)
In this workshop, portfolios were presented as an alternative assessment tool. Current theory was presented. The presenter showed concrete examples of portfolios that her students used last year. Other aspects such as setting up a portfolio center, using computers, and communicating with parents were also addressed. (GREAT workshop)
More info: A portfolio assessment model for ESL
http://128.164.90.197/miscpubs/jeilms/vol13/portfo13.htm
Reading script
Jacques Plante broke with tradition and changed the face of hockey forever.
Jacques Plante was to become one of the National Hockey League's greatest goalies, but was never one to rest on his laurels. He would dare to be different and go against the game's "macho" traditions by wearing a protective face mask, and developed a very personal style of play in front of and behind the net.
The turning point came in a game at Madison Square Garden on November 1, 1959, when a powerful slap shot shattered his nose. After receiving a total of 200 stitches on his face, he decided he had paid his dues to the gods of the national sport and stubbornly held his own against coach Toe Blake, who believed a player had to "fight for his life" to play well. That same night, with his face sewn from nose to lip, Plante agreed to return to the ice only if he was allowed to wear his mask, which he had worn in practices since 1955. This cream coloured mask drew a mix of criticism, admiration and wisecracks. Nevertheless, the team won by a score of 4 to 1. To keep wearing the mask [which he was supposed to give up once he was healed], Plante outdid himself by leading the team on an 11-game winning streak and eventually winning the Stanley Cup the following spring.
A resourceful and stubborn individual, Plante did not fit hockey stereotypes. The oldest of 11 children in a Shawinigan family during the Depression, he knew how to cook, sew, and knit. A sports columnist remembered seeing him in goal for the Montreal Royals at age 22 wearing a toque and jersey he had knit himself.
Plante produced the masks himself. He made several models for himself and fellow players, constantly improving their strength, visibility and lightness. In the 1960s and 1970s, protective masks with captivating graphics flourished in the NHL. Today, players wearing helmets and visors are a common sight.
But even his masks could not outshine Plante's free-ranging style in the goal crease. The mask made Plante more confident, daring and astute. He had a very unique technique of moving out of the crease to cut down angles and stop pucks or pass them to his defencemen behind the "cage." In various ways, Jacques Plante managed to influence and shape the rules of the game. His innovative spirit gave hockey a new face.
Excerpt from: The Heritage Post / Le Courrier du Patrimoine 3rd Edition / 1990/91.
Intermediate
http://www.heritageproject.ca/learning/minute/indmin/jplant/use.htm for a QT4 video minute
Write a news article for the Montreal Gazette for Monday November 2, 1959
We do not usually think of sports as leading social change, but in his own way, Jacques Plante's decision to wear a mask points out some changes in our ideas about courage and masculinity.
Plante's concern for personal safety and the social pressure he faced parallels many health and safety concerns faced by students today.
Sports can be the subject for lively debate, whether students are "fans" or not.
AGNES
MacPHAIL
recalls Canada's first female
MP works towards the reform of the Canadian penal system. (1935)
Featured
lesson plan for The Canadians TV Series
AVRO
ARROW
Canadian aerospace scientists
design and test the world's fastest and most advanced interceptor aircraft.
(1953)
BALDWIN
AND LAFONTAINE
Two politicians from Upper
and Lower Canada demonstrate French/English cooperation when Lafontaine
seeks election in Toronto, and goes on to help shape democratic reforms
for all of Canada. (1841)
BASKETBALL
Basketball revisits the sport's
inventor, James Naismith of Almonte, Ontario, during one of the first experimental
games. (1891)
BLUENOSE
A 17 year old Nova Scotian
schooner - the undefeated champion of the International Fisherman's Trophy
- is pitted against an American ship in the last and most dramatic sailing
race of her glorious career. (1938)
LA
BOLDUC
depicts the first recording
session of Mary Travers, the young woman whose songs cheered les Québécois
during the bitter Depression of the 1930's.
Featured
lesson plan for The Canadians TV Series
BORDUAS
In his Paris studio in 1957,
Paul-Emile Borduas, Québec's voice of the Quiet Revolution, reflects
on the impact of his writing and his art.
CASAVANT
looks at young Joseph Casavant
as he builds the first of his world-renowned music organs. (1834-1879)
EMILY
CARR
portrays the artistic evolution
of the British Columbia painter and her life long commitment to her muse.
EMILY
MURPHY
recounts how Murphy and a group
of Canadian women secured the rights of women as "persons" throughout the
Commonwealth.(1929)
Featured
lesson plan for The Canadians TV Series
ETIENNE
PARENT
looks into the young journalist's
prison cell in 1838, where the future political economist writes an editorial
calling for mutual tolerance between French and English Canadians.
EXPO
'67
Montréal's Expo literally
rises from the depths of the St. Lawrence River to give Canada a dazzling
one-hundredth birthday party. (1967)
FLAGS
MP John Matheson,
a member of the 1965 parliamentary
committee to choose a national flag, surveys the many proposed designs.
FLANDERS
Outside a field hospital in
Belgium, Canadian Army surgeon John McCrae solemnly pens the country's
most oft recited poem. (1915)
FRONTENAC
portrays the fortitude of Governor
Frontenac and the people of New France as they repel an Anglo-American
invasion in 1690.
HALIFAX
EXPLOSION
dramatizes one man's heroism
during this 1917 disaster in Halifax Harbour, which killed or injured thousands
of people.
HART
AND PAPINEAU
retraces the path toward religious
tolerance laws in Québec and the Commonwealth. (1832)
INUKSUK
joins an RCMP officer in 1931
as he watches a group of Inuit build one of these remarkable Northern landmarks.
JACKIE
ROBINSON
In 1946, Montreal Royals players
and fans welcome the first African-American player, marking the beginning
of the end of major-league baseball's colour barrier..
JACQUES
PLANTE
portrays the goalie's challenge
to hockey conventions by wearing his invention, the hockey mask, during
an NHL game. (1959)
Featured
lesson plan for The Canadians TV Series
JOHN
CABOT
Voyaging from England to North
America in 1497, Captain John Cabot and his sailors enter the Grand Banks
off Newfoundland and encounter schools of cod fish so thick they slow the
progress of the ship.
JOHN
HUMPHREY
A Montréal lawyer drafts
and wins support for the United Nations' Declaration of Human Rights.
JOSEPH-ARMAND
BOMBARDIER
glimpses the boyhood beginnings
of Joseph-Armand's career as innovator and entrepreneur. (1920)
And many more….
MON AMI(E) IMAGINAIRE
ICE BREAKER - CLASS BUILDER
A Cooperative FSL to adapt in ESL
We hope that you will enjoy this classbuilding activity which is called MON AMI(E) IMAGINAIRE. My wife, Barbara, who also teaches French, learned about this one on a course many years ago, but where it comes from and who created it we do not know. So we give credit to that person or persons. I hope that you and your students will find this a fun one to play with.
To begin the activity, I usually model what I expect the students to do.
I will stand in front of the class and put my arm around some fresh air which is "mon ami imaginaire". I will then introduce this friend in French to the class by saying: "Je vous présente mon ami imaginaire. Elle s'appelle Sophia. Elle a les yeux bruns et les cheveux noirs. Elle habite en Italie et elle est actrice. Elle est très grande et elle aime regarder les films au cinéma. Sa nourriture favorite est le poulet rôti et elle adore le vin blanc."
I will then invite students to give back a full description of "mon ami imaginaire".
Once this is done, I ask the students to create their own "ami imaginaire" - they must include a name for the "ami" and four or five details. I ask them to practise inside their heads the description until they are completeley comfortable with it..
Now the fun part begins! Have the students stand up and
relocate themselves anywhere in the class. They have to find another student
to talk to and then present to that student the "ami imaginaire" which
they have just created. They must ensure that the student to whom they
have just presented their "ami imaginaire" can remember ALL the details.
Once done the student to whom they have just described their friend , in
turn describes her/his "ami imaginaire" - again ensuring that all the details
are remembered.
Once this part of the activity is completed, have the students move again - but this time they are all carrying around a totally new "ami imaginaire" (!) - the one their classmate just introduced them to. They now have to present this friend to a different classmate and vice-versa.
You can have the students rotate four or five times exchanging friends.
After the fourth or fifth rotation, stop the activity and ask student X for the name of the original "ami imaginaire" which she/he created. Let's say the name of that "ami imaginaire" was Vincent. Ask who was the last person in the class to be introduced to Vincent and have that student, in French, describe Vincent - it is really neat to hear how close or far away the description of Vincent was from the original by double checking with the student who first created Vincent.
I hope that you will enjoy this classbuilding activity. It takes no time at all to set up and gets the students communicating in the target language.
You can also have fun by having the students create a "magic box" into which they place three objects. They present their magic box to classmates and recive a magic box from them in return which they then present to other classmates just like the "ami imaginaire." You will have to number the magic boxes 1, 2, 3, 4 etc. in order to keep track of them. Some of the fun things which have gone into them are: Le billet gagnant pour la loterie, un stylo qui sait toutes les réponses aux tests de français et un voyage autour du monde.
Please take a few moments to e-mail us your comments. Pete and Barb
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/LeftBank/3852/imaginaire.html
Writing
English
http://www3.sympatico.ca/ray.saitz/writing.htm
1. You have been placed in a group of 4 students.
2. You will need to interview someone but there is a catch --
you will only be allowed to ask SIX questions.
As a group, create a list of SIX questions which you could ask someone.
The questions will be skillfully phrased so that the person will tell you everything important and interesting about himself or herself when
answering.
Everyone should make a good copy of your questions.
Put your names on a good copy and HAND IT IN.
3. Now divide your group so that you have two pairs.
Each person in a pair will interview the other person asking only the six questions that your group devised and writing down all of the answers that your partner gives you.
4. Your assignment will be to write a biography of the person that you interviewed. Your biography will need a title and you can write it in any one of several styles, such as:
a short story
a newspaper report
a magazine story (you choose the magazine but it could be Seventeen or Sports Illustrated)
The story or article will be at least 250 words which would be a minimum. This is roughly one typed page.
5. You will also need to create A COVER and the ARTWORK for a book or magazine article based upon your interview. Your title and picture should reflect something distinctive about your subject.
In summary you will hand in and be marked on:
1. Good copy of group's six questions.
2. Biography of your partner.
3. Cover and artwork for the biography (either a book or magazine cover).
Most classes will begin with 15 minutes of writing. At the end of the allotted time you will hand in your page. I will return the writing within two days.
If you are absent, your writing becomes homework to be handed in upon your return.
Since speed is more important than accuracy for this daily writing, spelling and grammar will not be marked. You will receive 2 marks for each entry based on a minimum of one page (double spaced).
When required, usually about once a month, you will choose a piece of writing to polish and perfect. This writing will be marked for creativity and style and mechanical correctness.
TOPICS
DO FOUR FROM EACH CATEGORY PER WEEK.
WEEK ONE: DESCRIPTION
1. Describe your bedroom or your favourite room.
2. Your favourite place.
3. A teacher, relative or friend you will never forget.
4. Your favourite pet or type of animal(s).
5. Your favourite food or meal.
6. A description of your choice.
WEEK TWO: PROCESS
1. How to stay in bed as late as possible but still gets to school on time.
2. How to make the best TV snack (or a meal).
3. How to get along with ___________.
4. How to make ____________ (use a hobby)
5. How to pick the best place to eat.
6. How to get to your favourite place.
WEEK THREE: COMPARING AND CONTRASTING
1. The person you are and the person you would like to be.
2. Two different types of music or groups.
3. You and a friend.
4. Two fast foods places.
5. Two sports or two seasons.
6. Your choice of two things to compare.
WEEK FOUR: CLASSIFYING
1. Movies -- good ones and bad ones.
2. Different groups in your school or community.
3. Different types of TV commercials.
4. The different types of _________ (shoes, skiis etc.)
5. Different ways of getting downtown.
6. Your choice.
WEEK FIVE: ARGUMENT (FOR AND AGAINST) Present both sides.
1. A school rule.
2. Capital punishment
3. Heavy metal music.
4. Abortion
5. Speed limits on highways.
6. Minimum wage.
7. Your choice.
WEEK SIX: DEFINITION -- Always give examples
1. School is .........
2. Friendship is ..........
3. The most serious problems in society
4. A good movie is........
5. The best holiday is......
6. Your choice.
Introductory Writing/Art Assignment
-- Intermediate
Fill out the blanks below with the information required. You will not be expected to share your answers with other students so you can be as truthful as possible (although I am going to read it.)
Your name: ___________________________________
Is there any significance as to why you have any of these names?
Yes____ or No____. If "Yes" , why, in a few
words:_______________________________________________________
Where have you lived before (or where are you now)?
Who else is in your family?
What schools have you attended?
What is your favourite:
COLOUR FOOD:_____
HOBBY:____________
SPORT:_____
PERSON (or hero)
MUSIC OR BAND:__________
MOVIE:_____________
FLAVOUR:___________
TEACHER/SUBJECT:__
PLACE (room etc.)_
CLOTHING:__________
SAYING:____________
FUTURE PREDICTIONS
CAREER:_____________________ FAMILY:_________________________
APPEARANCE:______________________
PLACE OF RESIDENCE:________________________
NOW TURN THE SHEET OVER FOR YOUR ASSIGNMENT.
WHO ARE YOU?
1. You can use a sheet of paper 8 1/2 X 11 inches OR LARGER although you have to supply the paper.
2. Create a collage of pictures, photos, art, wrappers, tickets etc. to represent most of the categories on the other side. Do not use anything really valuable or that would be horrible if lost since occasionally things do fall off a collage and I don't have collage loss insurance.
3. Hand-in the completed questionnaire on the other side of this sheet.
4. Be creative. Be amazing.
The Writing part:
On a separate sheet of paper, write at least a one page explanation of why you put what you did into your collage. How does the collage represent you?
The assignment will be marked for creativity, thoroughness and writing and communication skills.
Written part: 15
Collage 15
Questionnaire 05
Here is a There, Their, They’re story from (Maria Banyacski/EHS).
A how-to and the modified exercise follows the text.
Once upon a time, their were three little pigs. They’re was Curly. He was the oldest. Their was Wurly. He was the smartest. And then they’re was Flo. She was the favorite pig. Their mother loved Flo the best. Curly, Wurly and Flo lived with their mother in a high-rise apartment building in New York City. There apartment was on the 75th floor. The pigs didn’t mind this because they’re was an elevator that opened right in front of their apartment door. It was on the days that there elevator wasn’t working, that the pigs suffered. There little hoofs would be aching by the time they reached their apartment. There mother would have to have little hoof baths waiting for her three little pigs when they finally reached the top. Of course, Flo always got the warmest hoof bath because she was they’re mother’s favorite.
One day, Mama Pig sent the three pigs to the store to buy apples for there dinner. She gave them a list of items that she needed. She also gave them they’re allowance, and she told them that they could buy there favorite candy which they would eat for they’re dessert. The three pigs put on their jackets (it was winter). They put on there gloves and scarves. Next, it was time to put on their boots. Curly slipped on his bright red leather boots over his red and yellow polka dot socks. Wurly, being the most intelligent, slipped on his waterproof, fully lined boots over his white socks. Curly and Wurly were ready and waiting for there sister. She could not find her boots.
"Curly and Wurly," she said, "have you seen my boots?"
Curly and Wurly looked at each other and then they looked at there sister. "I’ll tell you where they are," said Wurly, "if you’ll give us your allowance to hold while you go and get them."
"Okay," agreed Flo as she handed the boys her allowance.
"They’re are your boots, over their," said Curly.
"Where?" asked Flo suspiciously.
"Over their!" squealed the boys as they pointed to the window in there living room. "There over they’re behind that curtain."
Flo slowly walked toward the window. They boys followed closely behind there sister. Just as she reached the window, Curly opened the window and Wurly pushed Flo through. Curly and Wurly squealed with delight as they’re sister fell 75 floors. Curly and Wurly were thrilled that there plan worked. They were rid of Flo and they had her money! Luckily for Flo, she landed on a huge snow pile and was not hurt. Her brothers were not so fortunate.
Mama Pig heard the commotion, ran into the living room and, when she realized what they had done, sent the boys to live with there Uncle Oscar Mayer. Uncle Oscar always knew what to do with bad little pigs. The boys protested. They were just doing Flo a favor by helping her find her boots; it wasn’t they’re fault that she was clumsy. But Mama would not listen to there excuses and off they went to Uncle Oscar’s.
Flo and Mama Pig still live on the 75th floor of the apartment building in New York City, and their very happy their. Now Flo gets her brothers’ allowance since there not they’re.
Herbert Hoover Middle School
Edison, NJ
Copy and paste a text from the Internet to Word , choose edit - Select all - then Edit - replace and type They're, in replace with type __________ and chose replace to make a fill -in -the-blanks document. Repeat for other words such as their and there.
Ron
Name ___________________________
Complete with There, Their or They’re
Once upon a time, ____________ were three little pigs. ____________ was Curly. He was the oldest. ____________ was Wurly. He was the smartest. And then ____________ was Flo. She was the favorite pig. ____________ mother loved Flo the best. Curly, Wurly and Flo lived with ____________ mother in a high-rise apartment building in New York City. ____________ apartment was on the 75th floor. The pigs didn’t mind this because ____________ was an elevator that opened right in front of ____________ apartment door. It was on the days that ____________ elevator wasn’t working, that the pigs suffered. ____________ little hoofs would be aching by the time they reached ____________ apartment. ____________ mother would have to have little hoof baths waiting for her three little pigs when they finally reached the top. Of course, Flo always got the warmest hoof bath because she was ____________ mother’s favorite.
One day, Mama Pig sent the three pigs to the store to buy apples for ____________ dinner. She gave them a list of items that she needed. She also gave them ____________ allowance, and she told them that they could buy ____________ favorite candy which they would eat for ____________ dessert. The three pigs put on ____________ jackets (it was winter). They put on ____________ gloves and scarves. Next, it was time to put on ____________ boots. Curly slipped on his bright red leather boots over his red and yellow polka dot socks. Wurly, being the most intelligent, slipped on his waterproof, fully lined boots over his white socks. Curly and Wurly were ready and waiting for ____________ sister. She could not find her boots.
"Curly and Wurly," she said, "have you seen my boots?"
Curly and Wurly looked at each other and then they looked at ____________ sister. "I’ll tell you where they are," said Wurly, "if you’ll give us your allowance to hold while you go and get them."
"Okay," agreed Flo as she handed the boys her allowance.
"____________ are your boots, over ____________," said Curly.
"Where?" asked Flo suspiciously.
"Over ____________!" squealed the boys as they pointed to the window in ____________ living room. "____________ over ____________ behind that curtain."
Flo slowly walked toward the window. The boys followed closely behind ____________ sister. Just as she reached the window, Curly opened the window and Wurly pushed Flo through. Curly and Wurly squealed with delight as ____________ sister fell 75 floors. Curly and Wurly were thrilled that ____________ plan worked. They were rid of Flo and they had her money! Luckily for Flo, she landed on a huge snow pile and was not hurt. Her brothers were not so fortunate.
Mama Pig heard the commotion, ran into the living room and, when she realized what they had done, sent the boys to live with ____________ Uncle Oscar Mayer. Uncle Oscar always knew what to do with bad little pigs. The boys protested. They were just doing Flo a favor by helping her find her boots; it wasn’t ____________ fault that she was clumsy. But Mama would not listen to ____________ excuses and off they went to Uncle Oscar’s.
Flo
and Mama Pig still live on the 75th floor of the apartment building
in New York City, and ____________ very happy ____________. Now Flo gets
her brothers’ allowance since ____________ not ____________.
Encouraging creativity, reading and writing
The children made their own x-files stories at home and we all went to the computer room and they wrote it down using the spelling program in Word.
NO CORRECTIONS WERE MADE BY ME.
We copied everyone’s stories and made a book that everyone got and read. This is a perfect way to get poor students to try. This is not an exercise for traditional teachers because you have to accept pretty horrible stories and language from some of the boys.
But it is a great way to make the students love text work and you. My students begged me to do it again.
The students felt it was relevant for them, they got writing and reading practice, and they learnt how to use text programs on a PC which is very useful for dyslexic and weak students.
This time we worked with other texts before they made their own. I even found some texts on the net with symptoms of haunting which they read and used as ideas for their own stories.
This was a rather complicated text but they read it happily.
Then they wrote their texts in Word, after making a draft at home. We then used some time in response groups where they gave each other ideas on how to improve the stories before they made the final draft in Word again. They were allowed to find pictures and use them to make their presentation look nice. This encouraged the weak students a lot. They were so proud. As in topic 1, everybody got a book with everyone’s stories.
The last thing we did was that everyone had to find something good and ONLY GOOD in everyone’s stories. I didn’t correct spelling, grammar or anything this time either because this is NOT the goal for this kind of work. The goal was to get the students to enjoy using the language no matter what level they were at. So if you use this idea, DON’T CORRECT! We ended this theme by seeing the film "Scream" with the Norwegian text hidden.
(We never dub films in Norway)
It will combine The civil war in USA, Kosovo and human rights as pre writing work and the students will use Internet and Word, articles from Time and newspapers and TV as sources.
Some of my students never read voluntarily so this is a great way to make them want to read.
I plan to do this as a project and I will use drama as well (A reporter in a war zone etc.)
Ideas from the students will play a great part in planning this.
I love this text. It is relevant for all ages. It has ethical implications, which is something I love and which inspires students to think and mean
something. Trine Meyer Vogsland
Uses:
b. I have used them in various exercises for practicing rules for conjugating verbs.
c. I have used them to practice using the dictionary.
d. These 99 ways and the quote are something everybody can mean something about and discuss or write about.
"Hold his hand so that he can walk, let go so that he can run, cheer so that he can fly!"
2. Pick the 5 (or 10) least important things. Why did you choose those?
3. How would you raise your child?
4. (Students are given only a few words): What will happen if a child isn’t given these things?
5. Use drama and role-plays to practice oral language
6. Make a song or a poem about the subject
Accept Admire Adore Advise Advocate Aid Allow Amaze Answer Applaud Appreciate Approve Ask Assist Assure Attend Believe Care Carry Celebrate Challenge Champion Charm Cheer Cherish Comfort Commit Compliment Confide Consider Console Defend Devote Discipline Discover Educate Empathize Empower Encourage Endorse Enlighten Excite Explain Guide Hear Hold Honor Hope Hug Imagine Influence Inspire Involve Join Kiss Know Laugh Learn Like Limit Listen Marvel Motivate Need Notice Nourish Nurture Observe Offer Participate Play Please Praise Protect Provide Recognize Regard Respect Respond Show Smile Speak Squeeze Stimulate Suggest Supervise Support Surprise Talk Teach Thank Train Treasure Trust Understand Value Watch Wish Wonder.
Hold his hand so that he can walk, let go so that he can run, cheer so that he can fly!
http://www3.sympatico.ca/ray.saitz/litera1.htm
Video
Rising: Newsletter of the Japan Assoc. for Language Teaching.
Vol.
7, Issue 3. (Fall 1995)
|
Gary Ockey, Kanda University, and Diane Ogden, Snow College (Utah, USA) |
Students of today have a strong visual orientation because of their contact with television, movies, and videos. It is a part of their lives and if used carefully, it can be employed to the learner's and the teacher's advantage. When a television is brought into a room, even the most disinterested student will sit up and take notice of what is going on in the black box.
Video has many uses in the classroom. This medium makes explanations clearer, grabs the students' interest, and is very adaptable to all levels of students and many different lessons. With this in mind, we decided to make video a key component across the curriculum in all four of our intermediate level skill area classes. We used short videos of fairy tales; the videos ranged in length from three to twenty minutes. The fairy tale videos were pictures with a narrator showing and telling a story. We will focus on one of the fairy tales we used as an illustration of what was done.
We began our lessons by introducing key vocabulary which aided in helping the students understand the video and the accompanying written version of the story. We told the students to try and see how these words were used in the video. The vocabulary words were selected on the basis of importance to general understanding of the story. For example, with the video, Seven with One Blow, we introduced such words as breastplate, giant, blow, yardstick, and tailor. These words were very important in helping the students understand the written version of this story and easily understood when seen in the context of the video.
Listening
We next focused on the listening skill. We began by giving the students a list of questions. The questions directed the students' listening. One type of question was designed for giving the students practice in understanding global ideas. Examples of global questions written for the story Seven with One Blow were, "What is the meaning of the phrase, 'seven with one blow'?" "How did the little tailor trick the giant the first time?" This type of question helped the students focus on the main idea of the story. This type of question often required less concentrated listening since the visual component of the video made these questions evident. A second type of question introduced vocabulary. For example, one question we used was, "What did the tailor use to kill the flies?" In this case, the little tailor used a yardstick to kill the flies. We used this question in order to teach the students the word "yardstick."
Our third type of question was designed to give the students practice in concentrated listening for detail. An example of this type of question from the story Seven with One Blow was,"How much money did the tailor pay for the jelly?" In this case, the students could see the tailor pay for the jelly, confirming the video's narration, but in order to know how much was paid, they needed to listen to the narrator for the specific amount. We then showed the video to the point where the little tailor had tricked the giant two times.
After the students had seen this portion of the video we had them attempt to answer the three types of questions that they had previously been given. We stopped the video at a key point in the story since one of our main purposes was to provide motivation for the students to read the story.
Reading
The video worked well as a pre-reading activity to build schema and key vocabulary. More importantly, it caught the interest of the students. Most students were excited to read in order to find out how the story ended. At this point we handed out a fourth type of question. This type of question was designed to get the students to predict what would happen in the story. An example of this type of question for the story Seven with One Blow was "How do you think the little tailor might trick the giant a third time?" These questions coupled with the video and the pre-taught vocabulary served as our pre-reading activities. After the students answered the fourth type of question, they were given a written version of the story to read accompanied by our fifth type of question which was aimed at getting the students to find differences between the written story and the video. An example of this type of question was, "What are three major differences between the written story and the video version of the story?" This type of preparation made the reading task very much a predictive process since the students were asked to compare the video version of the story to the written version of the story and also to compare the written version of the story to their own predictions of how the story might end.
Speaking
After the students had seen part of the video and read all of the story, they were asked to tell the story in their speaking class. The speaking class included native-speaker tutors. The students were put into small groups with a tutor. The tutors had not seen the video or read the story. The tutors were given a set of questions which was designed to get the students to tell the fairy tale in detail. The tutors asked the students the questions and the tutors became curious about the story and asked the students for more information so they could better understand the story. This became a very positive exchange of information filled with authentic language for both the tutors and the students. We also discovered an added benefit. Students who were absent when the video was shown were also included as they were interested to hear and understand the story as well.
After the tutors had gotten the information from the students on the story, we let the class including the tutors watch the video from beginning to the end. The students then got back into groups and talked about the moral of the story. They discussed different possible endings for the story and finally shared similar stories from their own cultures. This again was very effective as a substantial exchange of ideas occurred among the students and the tutors.
Writing
Many of the conversational activities naturally carried over into the writing class. For example, we had the students write their own endings for the story. We also pointed out that in many fairy tales the hero has two or three challenges that he usually overcomes. We had the students add another challenge to the story and had them tell how the hero succeeded in this new test.
We also used these fairy tales to teach rhetoric. First, we had the students compare and contrast the written story and the video story. Because of the many differences and, of course, similarities in stories and their video versions, this was an excellent springboard for teaching comparison/contrast. We also taught the students how to write process essays. We had them explain one of the challenges or describe what one of the characters did in a step-by-step process. Other types of rhetoric could easily be taught as well.
Furthermore, we used these fairy tales to teach students about writing summaries. We have found that students usually have a difficult time summarizing. They are so afraid of making a mistake that they often plagiarize, taking sentences directly from the reading. In working with these stories, we were able to synthesize and summarize with greater fluency. In training our students to write summaries, we had them write in class where they had no access to a written version of the story. This helped them to understand what we mean by using one's own words in a summary. We noted that plagiarism was not nearly as much of a problem on subsequent writing tasks as well.
As a final class project, we had students write their own fairy tales. This was a great way to have them express their own ideas and be creative in the target language. This proved to be extremely interesting as the students showed great enthusiasm in telling, listening to, and reading their own and other students' fairy tales.
By using video as part of our curriculum, teaching became more interesting for us and increased the motivation of the students to learn. More importantly, we found that video is an effective tool to teach all four skills in a cohesive way across the curriculum.
Author Info
Gary J. Ockey (J02510@simail.ne.jp) is an instructor at Kanda University of International Studies. He is the coordinator of the video-mediated university proficiency exam, and has worked as a teacher and a teacher trainer in the US, Taiwan, Thailand, and Japan.
Diane Ogden (diane.ogden@snow.edu), an Assistant Professor at Snow College in ESL in Ephraim, Utah, USA, is currently serving as the Video Interest Section Chair for TESOL.
Return to the
Video Rising Homepage
members.tripod.com/~jalt_video/vr_OtOg.htm
A list of topics from the PBS TV program
NOVA that you can find on their Internet site. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/onlinelibrary.html
Alive
on Everest
Avalanche!
Balloon
Race Around the World
Cracking
the Ice Age
Curse
of T. rex
Deadly
Shadow of Vesuvius
Diamond
Deception, The
Doomsday
Asteroid
Everest
Quest
Flood!
Hawaii
Born of Fire
Hunt
for Alien Worlds
Into
the Abyss
Lost
City of Arabia
Shackleton's
Antarctic Odyssey
Terror
In Space
To
the Moon
Warnings
from the Ice
Alive
on Everest
Beast
of Loch Ness, The
Bombing
of America
Bomb
Squad
Decoding
Nazi Secrets
Escape!
Everest
Quest
Fall
of the Leaning Tower
Ice
Mummies of the Inca
Island
of the Spirits
Kaboom!
Kidnapped
by UFOs
Leopards
of the Night
Loch
Ness, The Beast of
Lost
at Sea: The Search for Longitude
Lost
on Everest
Mystery
of the First Americans
The
Perfect Pearl
The
Proof
Pyramids--The
Inside Story
Secrets
of Lost Empires
Medieval
Siege
Pharaoh's
Obelisk
Easter
Island
Roman
Bath
China
Bridge
Secrets
of Making Money
Special
Effects
Special
Effects Titanic and Beyond
Submarines,
Secrets, and Spies
Super
Bridge
Supersonic
Spies
Terror
In Space
Time
Travel
Titanic's
Lost Sister
Top
Gun Over Moscow
Treasures
of the Sunken City
Trillion
Dollar Bet
Warriors
of the Amazon
AIDS,
Surviving
Alive
on Everest
Animal
Hospital
The
Brain Eater
Coma
Crocodiles!
Cut
to the Heart
Electric
Heart
Island
of the Sharks
Killer's
Trail
Kingdom
of the Seahorse
Leopards
of the Night
Night
Creatures of the Kalahari
Odyssey
of Life
Shark
Attack!
Special
Effects
Surviving
AIDS
Tales
From the Hive
Wild
Wolves
Avalanche!
Einstein
Revealed
Faster
Than Sound
Pyramids--The
Inside Story
Special
Effects
Titanic's
Lost Sister
Top
Gun Over Moscow
Alive
on Everest
Balloon
Race Around the World
Fall
of the Leaning Tower
Ice
Mummies
Island
of the Spirits
Killer's
Trail
Lost
City of Arabia
Mysterious
Mummies of China
Mystery
of the First Americans
Pyramids--The
Inside Story
Search
for the Lost Cave People
Secrets
of Easter Island
Secrets
of Lost Empires
Medieval
Siege
Pharaoh's
Obelisk
Easter
Island
Roman
Bath
China
Bridge
Secrets
of Making Money
Voyage
of Doom
Alive
on Everest
Balloon
Race Around the World
Ice
Mummies of the Inca
Into
the Abyss
Island
of the Sharks
Lost
on Everest
Mysteries
of the Nile
Pyramids--The
Inside Story
Secrets
of Easter Island
Shackleton's
Antarctic Odyssey
Tracking
El Niño
Gaston Turcotte from the Tournesol cuts up strips of magnets,
sticks them on the back of cards and sticks them on the board for demonstrations.
You can also use the address
http://station05.qc.ca/css/cybersite/reach-out/reach1.htm
which appears on the bottom of each page
for
REACH-OUT
The Internet edition of the REACH-OUT Newsletter
where you can click on the links to take you to:
RREALS