Mr. Danoff's FWE 8A Lesson 6

Focuses

 * Listening Set Skill = “D“ Listen for gist
 * Listening Curriculum Statement = “6“ Listen for gist
 * Listening Specific Skill = “d“ Use facial expressions and gestures in contact situations.
 * Speaking Set Skill = “A“ Awareness of Context
 * Speaking Curriculum Statement = “1“ Context & Register

Teaching Materials

 * FUN WITH ENGLISH 8A Textbook
 * Mr. Brown & Mr. Danoff 8A Chapter 5 Audio Clip

0) Before class
Make sure chairs are set up correctly, ask if everyone has their textbooks and pens. If they don't tell them to go get them, if they're at home, have them write their names in my notebook under “Class __ Grade ___ I forgot my textbook.” If not done already, have them rip the answers out of their textbooks.

1) Page 18 Let's get ready A&B

 * Students read instructions and complete on their own.
 * Teacher walk around, check to see everyone is working.
 * Ask, “What are the 4 languages of Singapore?” - English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil
 * Ask, “What are the 3 languages of Switzerland?” - Italian, French and German

2 Page 20 Let's Listen 2 B - Tapescript Page 81

 * Divide the class in half, one Mrs. Jones, one Mrs. Miller. Only read it through once.
 * Before they start, practice the pronunciation of “pronounce” and “accents”.
 * After “False“ answers, ask what is the correct statement?
 * Ask, “What are Mrs. Jones and Mr. Miller talking about?”

3 Page 21 Let's Listen 3 A - Tapescript Page 81

 * Ask a less able student “What would the American friends face look like when she was sad?“

4 Grade 7 Chapter 3 Dialogue
0:03 - 0:11 Mr. Danoff - Mr. Brown and Mr. Danoff just finished watching “The Hulk” movie. 0:14 - 0:17 Mr. Danoff - Wow that was an awful movie. 0:18 - 0:20 Mr. Brown - Why was it awful? I really liked it. 0:20 - 0:27 Mr. Danoff - Ugh. The writing was bad, the acting was bad, and I was bored. 0:28 - 0:32 Mr. Brown - But the Hulk is so scary. Which superhero are you scared of? 0:33 - 0:34 Mr. Danoff - Batman! [Hard to understand] 0:34 - 0:36 Mr. Brown - Batman? But, Batman is good. 0:37 - 0:42 Mr. Danoff - He has a scary mask, OK? Which super hero are you scared of? 0:42 - 0:45 Mr. Brown - I am scared of The Hulk. He is so angry.
 * Explain that now we are going to listen to a conversation between two teachers: Mr. Brown and Mr. Danoff. They are discussing “The Hulk” movie and what comic book characters they are afraid of. Do you know the Hulk? Do you know afraid? Please close your textbooks and listen.
 * Before it begins, go over the vocabulary of: awful, bored and scared.
 * Stop after each person speaks the first time through, making sure they understand.
 * Dialogue
 * Depending on their understanding, play it all the way through again and then ask questions, or stop and ask questions.
 * Possible Questions
 * Who is speaking British English?
 * How do you know?
 * What are they talking about?
 * Did Mr. Danoff like the movie?
 * Did Mr. Brown like the movie?
 * Who is Mr. Danoff scared of?
 * Who is Mr. Brown scared of?
 * Why is Mr. Danoff scared of Batman?
 * Why is Mr. Brown scared of The Hulk?

5) Mr. Brown & Mr. Danoff Grade 8 Chapter 5 Dialogue
Mr. Danoff - When I visited London my British friends said “Cheers“ a lot. What does it mean? Mr. Brown - Cheers usually means thank you. Mr. Danoff - OK. Can you give an example? Mr. Brown - If my mate carries my books, I would say cheers. Mr. Danoff - So, if someone gave me chips, I would say cheers? Mr. Brown - Yes you would, but chips are called crisps in England.
 * Questions
 * Are Mr. Brown and Mr. Danoff having a argument or a chat?
 * Explain argument as two people yelling at eachother and chat as two people talking about the weather.
 * What word did Mr. Danoff hear a lot when he visited London?
 * What does cheers mean?
 * What would their faces look like? Would they be angry? [make an angry face] or calm? [make a relaxed face]

6) Comic Strips

 * Hand around English comics from a newspaper or that you print from the internet for the students to look at. Have enough so each pair of students gets something.
 * Tell the students they can get a new strip if they come to the front.
 * Either walk around engaging with the students helping them, or sit at the front and let them work through them at their own pace.
 * Be sure to collect them when you finish.

Extra Time

 * Competitive Hangman
 * “How high can you clap?“ Game
 * Simon Says
 * Telephone

Lesson Review Notes

 * I decided to play as “hard ass” a role as I can, and it didn't do much.
 * The kids were not well behaved or interested.
 * That one group of boys on the right hand side talked the entire time. When I asked that one kid to stand up, he flat out said he couldn't.
 * Is it a matter of them being uninterested/unable to do the textbook, or is it a matter of the textbook being uninteresting to them.

Acknowledgments

 * The comics I used in class were from the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune, kindly sent to China by my father.

0.1 6 Oct 2009
Created in a meeting with Mr. Brown.

0.2 October 13, 2009 8:58 PM
Added before + after class sections, added extra time, changed the game to competitive hangman. Added 0, changed the conversation questions.

0.21 October 14, 2009 10:26 AM
Took out exercises I used from page 20. Added directions to Telephone. Changed the game to the comic strips activity.

0.22 October 15, 2009 8:55 PM
Changed instructions for Page 19 Let's Listen 1 A - Tapescript Page 80. Changed instructions for Page 19 Let's Listen 1 B - Tapescript Page 80. Added questions throughout focusing on the set skill of being aware of the context. Dropped the set skill “Be aware of the difference between formal and informal conversation.” Added language questions to the greeting. Changed directions for the comic strips.

0.23 October 16, 2009 9:19 AM

 * Moved the audio portion to after the textbook. Took out page 19,

0.34 26 August 2010 00:46 Finished

 * Modified the formatting to make it Mediawiki friendly.
 * Changed all the “#” marks to “*” expediting this process.
 * Removed what I felt to be extraneous information.
 * Removed the Copyright section at the end.

0.35 17 February 2011

 * Added detail box and other touch-ups for publication.

Page 19 Let's Listen 1 A - Tapescript Page 80

 * Divide the class in half, one half read David's lines, the other Dad's.
 * Before they begin reading, go over the pronunciation of “Miles” and “recess”.
 * Repeat, switching the parts.
 * Ask, “What are David and his Dad talking about?”
 * Ask, “Why does David know the difference between British and American English?”

Page 19 Let's Listen 1 B - Tapescript Page 80

 * Do not have them read the dialogue again, just have them answer the questions.

Contact Information
I am actively seeking feedback on how to improve this lesson, please email me at, danoff.charles@gmail.com