I've read the excellent feedback and suggestions blog visitors generously made on the post here about a new style and format of lesson material I am developing, and put some of it into action!
Illustrated above (and featured as downloads below) you can see a new unit in this sequence, with two different versions.
The first unit is basically identical in format to the one I presented earlier this week (but with different unit content). I now call this the "student version", as it presents everything on a single page which can be printed out and distributed, and/or sent directly to students in digital format. All the relevant listening files are embedded directly in the page for immediate access without having to upload accompanying files. This means students can work directly off the digital page, or just refer to a paper version of it for classroom application purposes.
LEAP Speaking Sample 3a - Student Version
I've also made what I call a "lesson presentation version" as an alternative teachers might like to use on a beam projector or IWB for the whole class to see during class. This consists of six "slides" which present a basic lesson in the following stages:
1. Picture for initial discussion and predictions, plus audio version of the main dialogue
2. Main dialogue in written form, so it can be read as well as listened to
3. Main dialogue plus simple skill noticing ideas
4. Main dialogue, skill noticing ideas, plus listen and repeat/adapt practice
5. Main dialogue, skill notes, listen/repeat/adapt plus targeted pronunciation practice
6. Final open prompt and picture encouraging learners to communicate with classmates
LEAP Speaking Sample 3a - Lesson Presentation Version
So this version can be used with the whole class as a simple set of stages to create a basic speaking lesson, the core of which corresponds to the students' own printed and/or digital versions that have been kept to one page. Both versions have all relevant audio embedded into the documents at every stage.
Of course, this isn't supposed to represent a whole unit/approach (unless the teacher chooses to use it that way), it's more like a "core" that teachers can work around and add various things to in order to create their own brand of speaking lesson. It also represents (to me) what it might be most useful for students to take away for their own reference and practice based on this sort of lesson/material.
Late Edit!
I've just remembered that I have already blogged some extensive notes on a rich variety of application options for some of the main stages mentioned above and represented in the lesson materials:
Supplementary Speaking Activities (Part I): Warm-up activities
Supplementary Speaking Activities (Part II): Working with speaking dialogue models
Supplementary Speaking Activities (Part III): Using and expanding speaking drills
Supplementary Speaking Activities (Part IV): Pronunciation Activities
The ideas there should give you plenty to think about in terms of ways to really vary, expand and enrich those general content/activity areas featured on the worksheets/lesson materials!
Anyway, getting back to the materials at hand...
This is obviously a lot more work at the design and formatting end of things, but if this is the sort of thing that appeals to teachers, I'm more than happy to develop the materials in these two separate formats (one basically for teaching and classroom presentation, the other for printing and/or at home use in digital format).
So what do you think? Useful? Presentable? Practical?
Love to hear your thoughts!
=D
