DELTA2_LSA 3_5a

Delta 5a

Module TwoReport for the Assessed Language

Systems and Language Skills Assignments

Candidate name

Centre name

Centre number

Candidate number

Assignment focus Language Skills £ Language Systems x

Assignment title Raising Awareness of Adverbs of Frequency to low-level learners of English.

Date of assessment

Level of class Elementary £ Pre-intermediate x

Intermediate £ Upper intermediate £ Advanced £

Number in class 12

Length of lesson 60 Minutes

Tutor's / assessor's grade

Background essay Fail x Pass£ Merit £ Distinction £

Planning, Teaching & Post-lesson reflection and evaluation Fail x Pass £ Merit £ Distinction £

Overall grade Fail x Pass £ Merit £ Distinction £

Tutor’s / Assessor’s name Date:

Cambridge ESOL Moderator’s comments:

Assessment criteria for the background essay

1. Quality of writingSuccessful candidates demonstrate that they can effectively present an essay which:

Met Not metPartially

meta) is written in language which is clear, accurate, easy to follow and is

cohesive and clearly ordered X

b) uses appropriate terminology accurately X

c) refers to and references key sources x

d) follows the conventions of a standard referencing system for in-text referencing and the bibliography x

e) respects the word limit (2,000-2,500 words) and states the number of words used. x

Comment1a) The essay is clearly ordered and reasonably easy to follow but there some parts that are not expressed clearly enough such as page 1 ‘Lower levels …’, adverbs with negative emphasis, the second sentence of ‘Learners’ Issues’ etc. There are many grammatical errors such as ‘…despite of…’, ‘learners used to make errors’, …to show how luxurious is his friend’s life ..’ etc There are also typos such as ‘moth’ instead of ‘month’. It is very important to proof-read your essay for LSA4 and/or to get someone else to do it for you.

1b) Usually, your terminology is accurate but note that on one page you say that expressions like ‘every week’ are indefinite adverbs of frequency and on another page that they are definite adverbs of frequency. Strictly speaking, they are not adverbs of frequency anyway.

1c) You usually reference key sources but I think you should have referenced who defined adverbs of frequency as ‘definite’ and ‘indefinite’.

1d) You usually follow the conventions of a standard referencing system but note that on one page, you quote Scrivener but you don’t put the page number.

1e) You respect the word limit and state the number of words used.

2. Clarity of topicSuccessful candidates demonstrate that they can effectively make clear the topic of the essay by:


met

a) identifying for analysis a specific area of the grammar, lexis, phonology or discourse system of English, or a skills area (listening, speaking, reading or writing)

X

b) defining the scope of the area they will analyse with reference to e.g. learners, teaching approach, method, learning context, learner needs or text type

X

c) explaining with reference to classroom experience, reading and research why they have chosen this area

x

d) making all parts of the essay relevant to the topic and coherent X

e) following through in later parts of the essay on key issues identified in earlier parts.

X

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Comment2a) You have not put on the title page which system you are writing about.

2b) You have defined the scope by limiting yourself to adverbs of frequency and low level learners. However, the scope is too narrow. Check the title of your LSA4 with a trainer before you start writing it!

2c) You haven’t explicitly stated this. You’ve left it up to the reader to guess what your reason is. You should begin one of your first paragraphs with the words ‘The reasons I have chosen this topic are …..’.

2d) Given your title, in the body of the essay, there is too much about other types of adverbs and associated grammar such as ‘every day’, which isn’t an adverb of frequency. You also included in your essay aspects of adverbs of frequency that we wouldn’t teach low-level learners eg inversion after adverbs of frequency when they begin a sentence, or ‘I always do say thank you’. However, if you’d broadened your title to ‘Raising awareness of adverbs to low level learners of English’, you could have included some of these other things.

2e) There is follow on.


3. Analysis and issuesSuccessful candidates can effectively demonstrate an understanding of the specific area by:


met

a) analysing the specific area with accuracy, identifying key points X

b) showing awareness of a range of learning and teaching problems occurring in a range of learning contexts.

X

Comment3a) The area is analysed with accuracy most of the time though there are sometimes puzzling assertions such as ‘They (adverbs of frequency) add to the meaning of the verb, adjective and clause.’ I’m not sure about the ‘adjective’ here. Is this right? If it is, an example sentence would have helped the reader. Also, you have rather skimmed over the difficulties students have with the pronunciation of adverbs of frequency. ‘Occasionally’, ‘rarely’ and ‘usually’, for example, are all difficult for students because they contain unexpected sounds. You should have shown the phonemic transcription of all of the adverbs of frequency you talk about.

3b) You have referred to a range of learning problems but not in a range of learning contexts. What difficulties do Arabic speakers have compared to Spanish speakers, for instance?

4. Suggestions for teachingSuccessful candidates demonstrate that they can effectively draw on experience and research to:


met

a) Outline and show familiarity with relevant key procedures, techniques, resources and/or materials

x

b) evaluate how the selected procedures, techniques, resources and or materials might be used effectively in classroom practice

X

c) demonstrate how the procedures, techniques, resources and/or materials address points raised under 'Analysis and issues'.

X

Comment4a) You suggest a number of specific pieces of material. The timeline is reproduced and explained but you don’t say how it would be used. The next activity is called ‘How often do you?’. Unfortunately, I don’t understand how this works. You mention miming and flashcards but you don’t say what the students have to mime (is it activities such as brushing their teeth?) or what would be on the flashcards. Maybe you could have included as an appendix some examples of the flashcards and the ‘weekly schedule’. Ditto the ‘tabulated chart’ and ‘gapfill activity’ that you mention next. You go on to recommend a ‘learners’ debate’ but you need to say more about how this would work and how it would help learners to practise adverbs of frequency. Lastly, you say that ‘Using authentic conversation may help with stress awareness’. This is much too vague. You need to explain what the teacher would do and how it would help the students with adverbs of frequency.

4b) This is not dealt with adequately. See my comments in 4a)

4c) There is not a clear enough link between issues and suggestions for teaching. For example, you rightly point out in the ‘Issues’ section that students often put adverbs of frequency in th wrong position in sentences but you haven’t suggested an activity, procedure, technique or resource that might help students with this problem.


Overall comment on the background essay

The essay is not always easy to read and there are typos and grammatical mistakes. The scope of the essay is too narrow. As a result, in order to fill it out, you have had to include things that are outside the scope of the essay. Suggestions for teaching are either not explained clearly or too vague. There isn’t a clear enough link between suggestions for teaching and issues.


Assessment criteria for Planning and preparation, Teaching and Post-lesson reflection and evaluation

5. Planning and preparationSuccessful candidates have designed and presented a lesson plan and supporting documentation which:


meta) Includes

(i) a brief general overview of the group of learners and the course x(ii) information about individual learners relevant to the lesson X

b) sets out clear and appropriate overall aims and learning outcomes for the lesson in relation to language systems and/or language skills and learner needs

X

c) provides relevant analysis of target language in terms of meaning, use, form and pronunciation

x

d) outlines any relevant link(s) between this lesson and relevant aspects of preceding and subsequent lessons, and if relevant the course as a whole

X

e) states assumptions made about the learners’ knowledge, abilities and interests relevant to the aims and learning outcomes of the lesson

X

f) anticipates and explains potential problems in relation to the lesson’s aims and learning outcomes, the learners and the learning context, and the equipment, materials and resources to be used

X

g) suggests appropriate solutions to the problems outlined in 5f X

h) describes suitably sequenced procedures and activities appropriate to achieving the stated overall aims and stage aims

x

i) states materials and/or resources to be used, which are appropriate to the teaching and learning context, the learners, the lesson aims and learning outcomes, and the time available, and includes a copy/copies of suitably presented materials, sourced where necessary

X

j) assigns realistic and appropriate timing for each stage and/or group of stages in the procedure

X

k) includes a commentary, of between 500 and 750 words, which provides a clear rationale for the lesson plan with reference to learner characteristics and needs and the candidate’s reading and research in the background essay.

x


Comment

5a) You have provided a class profile and individual profiles but you need to say why certain students will find the lesson useful. For example, when we met the students, we identified that Celia has problems with grammar and is hoping to take the PET exam in the future. This grammar lesson will therefore help her.

5b) Your aim is clear but it is not appropriate because you have only said that the students are going to practise the target language. In your lesson plan, there is a stage in which introduce the target language so your aim should be ‘to introduce and practise adverbs of frequency’.

5c) You have provided the minimum here. A cline showing the relationship between the different adverbs of frequency, for example, would have shown that you had analysed the area more deeply. Also, you haven’t mentioned the position in the sentence with compound tenses, which students might ask about.

5d) You haven’t explained how this lesson links to the one after. If it doesn’t link, you need to explain why.

5e) You have mentioned one assumption about the students’ knowledge. Try to mention more then one in your LSA4. You haven’t mentioned any assumptions about the students’ abilities or interests.

5f) You have anticipated some problems. Try to think of more for your LSA4.

5g) You have suggested suitable solutions.

5h) There is some confusion in the plan with stage names and aims. You have a ‘pre-teach vocabulary’ stage at the beginning but this is something we do in skills lessons not in grammar lessons. Apart from this, the lesson is suitably sequenced.

5i) You have listed your materials and resources but you should say what the posters show. I don’t understand what ‘Word cut out’ means.

5j) Your timing is realistic.

5k) In general, the commentary is fine. However, but you mention that you chose your target language because it is ‘suitable and necessary for the elementary level’. However, the students you are teaching are pre-intermediate level and wouldn’t need to spend a whole hour revising 6 adverbs of frequency. I agree that at this level, it is best to stick to mid-position. You should explain why you think a PPP method will help you to maintain a communicative atmosphere. It is not clear to me. You say that understanding meaning may help noticing form. You need to explain how.


6 – 9 Teaching

6. Creating and maintaining an atmosphere conducive to learning

Successful candidates demonstrate that they can effectively: Met Not metPartially

meta) teach the class as a group and individuals within the group, with

sensitivity to the learners’ needs and backgrounds, level and context, providing equal opportunities for participation

x

b) purposefully engage and involve learners xc) vary their role in relation to the emerging learning and affective

needs of learners during the lesson x

d) listen and respond appropriately to learner contributions. xComment

6a) You are very sensitive to students’ needs etc. You have a good rapport with them although sometimes your comments can be a little ‘sharp’.

6b) The students enjoyed the lesson, worked hard and were engaged throughout.

6c) During the ‘guided discovery’ activity, you monitored discreetly while the students did the task. There was a variety of interaction, mingling, groups, pairs and individual.

6d) You listen and respond to students effectively. For example, A student said ‘this is the infinitive’. You said ‘No, this is not the infinitive. When do we add an ‘s’?

7. Understanding, knowledge and explanation of language and language skills


meta) use language which is accurate and appropriate for the

teaching and learning context x

b) adapt their own use of language to the level of the group and individuals in the group x

c) give accurate and appropriate models of language form, meaning/use and pronunciation x

d) give accurate and appropriate information about language form, meaning/use and pronunciation and/or language skills/subskills x

e) notice and judiciously exploit learners’ language output to further language and skills/subskills development. x

Comment

7a) Your language is usually correct but beware of errors on worksheets. You put ‘mob’ on a worksheet instead of ‘mop’

7b) Your language is well-pitched for the level.

7c) You used the pictures to elicit everyday activities but the students gave you the present continuous instead of the present simple. This is because they have been told that when you describe a picture, you use the present continuous. They seemed confused for a while and I’m not sure you really clarified this for them.

7d) You did some useful drilling of the adverbs of frequency. Maybe it could have been better to have drilled the adverbs of frequency in sentences so that the students can practise stressing them?

7e) Usually good but note that in the drilling part of the lesson, some of the students still weren’t pronouncing ‘usually’ correctly.


8. Classroom procedures and techniques


meta) use procedures, techniques and activities to support and

consolidate learning and to achieve language and/or skill aims x

b) exploit materials and resources to support learning and achieve aims x

c) deliver a coherent and suitably varied lesson xd) monitor and check students’ learning and respond as

appropriate. x

Comment

8a) Some of your materials helped to achieve your aims such as the ‘guided discovery’ worksheet but others didn’t help so much eg the ‘How often do you..?’ grid activity. The reason this activity didn’t work so well was because you hadn’t thought out what kinds of things the students were likely to say. To the question ‘How often do you wash (sic) the windows, the only possible answers on the grid are days of the week. I think you were hoping the students would mark, say, Monday, Wednesday and Friday and then tell their partner ‘I sometimes wash the windows.’ But what if they only clean their windows once a year? Another piece of material that I guess you found on the internet, showed an inverted triangle with adverbs of frequency showing their relative degrees of frequency. However, this piece of material also contained adverbs of frequency that you weren’t teaching so you had to tell students to ignore them. Despite this, you achieved your aims but your aims weren’t really appropriate as the lesson was too easy for the students.

8b) Effective use of technology. You designed a very effective worksheet using a text which you had written yourself and which included a ‘guided discovery’ task designed to draw students’ attention to where adverbs of frequency come in the sentence. However, you didn’t do a lead in and gist reading task first. You gave the students the text and immediately asked them to underline the adverbs of frequency. Getting students to understand something about what the text means is a pre-requisite to doing language work based on the text.

8c) The lesson was certainly varied and reasonably coherent. You used the projector with powerpoint, wallcharts, handouts, pictures etc

8d) Some of your questions at the end of activities aren’t always appropriate. ‘Nice?’ sounds like you are seeking approval. ‘Right?’ sounds like you are checking understanding but this is not an efficient way of checking understanding. A more efficient way is by asking concept check questions. ‘Did you all get the same answers?’ is something you can find out in more effective ways eg by getting students to raise their hands. When eliciting answers, make sure you write the answers on the board as you elicit them.

9. Classroom management


meta) implement the lesson plan and where necessary adapt it to

emerging learner needs x

b) manage the classroom space, furniture, equipment, materials and resources x

c) set up whole class and/or group and/or individual activities, as appropriate x

d) ensure the learners remain focused on the lesson aims and the learning outcomes. x


Comment

9a) You missed out some of the stages of the lesson eg you intended to do a gist reading about Kim and Peter. Maybe have a shorter lesson plan for reference during the class itself.

9b) Usually you managed the classroom effectively except in the group comparison of answers stage at the beginning of the lesson.

9c) The class are a lively bunch and sometimes you found it difficult to get their attention. As a result, in the activity in which groups compared their wallcharts to another group, the students weren’t clear what they had to do. While they were looking at each other’s charts, you were pointing out the answers on the powerpoint. This part of the lesson felt a little disorganised. Other activities were set up appropriately but setting up was a little bit patchy.

9d) Usually, you made sure that students were focused on lesson aims.


10. Reflection and evaluation


meta) reflect on and evaluate their own planning, teaching and the

learners’ progress as evidenced in this lesson x

b) identify key strengths and weaknesses in planning and execution xc) explain how they will (would) consolidate/follow on from the

learning achieved in the lesson. x

Comment10a) You have reflected on your planning and teaching.

10b) You have identified many weaknesses.

10c) You need to say here how you would follow on from this lesson if you were their permanent class teacher.

Overall comment (Please summarise strengths and weaknesses with reference to the criteria)

STRENGTHSTiming ( 5j) all criteria relating to ‘creating and maintaining an atmosphere conducive to learning’ (6a-6d) adapting your language (7b) giving accurate information (7d) noticing and exploiting language output (7e) delivering a coherent and varied lesson (8c) managing the classroom space (9b) ensuring learners remain focused on learning outcomes (9d) reflection and evaluation of planning etc (10a)

WEAKNESSESIndividual student profiles (5a) aims (5b) analysis of target language (5c) class fit (5d) assumptions (5e) anticipated problems and solutions (5f and 5g) lesson plan procedures (5h) stating materials (5i) lesson plan commentary (5k) your own language (7a) giving accurate models (7c) use of procedures, techniques and activities (8a) exploiting materials (8b) checking learning (8d) implementing lesson plan (9a) setting up activities (9c) identifying weaknesses (10b) explaining how you would follow on from the learning (10c)

University of Cambridge ESOL ExaminationsTeaching Awards1 Hills RoadCambridgeCB1 2EUTel: +44 1223 553997E-mail: [email protected]


Documents

DELTA2_LSA 3_5a