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The World Is My Classroom
Richard John Osborne (Cambridge DELTA)
richardjohnosborne.wordpress.com
@richardosborne1
Langage Forum, Paris
www.langageforum.com
A Practical Guide to Excursion-Based Lessons
Contents
Part 1
◦ The Classroom
◦ Dogme
Part 2
◦ Pre-Excursion preparation
◦ Excursion Activities
◦ Post-Excursion Follow-up
◦ Logistics and Risk
◦ Conclusion
The Classroom
“It is easy to forget how much stimulus there is around us. There is
space, to make our own. There is sound, inside and outside the room.
There’s the world, seen and heard through a window.” (1)
(1) Thornbury, S. & Meddings, L. 2009, “Teaching Unplugged,” p.24, Delta Publishing
• The classroom is, by nature, artificial
• Real stimuli make classrooms more authentic
IIs it
real
enough
?
The Dogme Approach
The Dogme “vows of chastity” (2)
◦ Abandon coursebooks
◦ Abandon pre-planned lessons
Students’ personal material drives the lesson
Teacher reacts to opportunities for language
learning – activities emerge
Grammar is a natural part of the conversation
Planning is retrospective
(2) Thornbury, S. 2000. “A Dogma for EFL.” IATEFL Issue 153 Feb/Mar
Part 2
From Classroom to the Real World
Two Excursion Examples:
• Pre-excursion Preparation
• Activities
• Follow-up
• Logistics and Risk Assessment
• Conclusion
Pre-Excursion Preparation
Big Towns / Cities
◦ Museums
◦ Religious sites
◦ Theatres
◦ Tourist hotspots
Small Villages / Rural Areas
◦ Walks
◦ Statues / Public art
◦ Local businesses
Content : on-site texts, listening, visuals
Ancient Greek Legends
• Lead-in activities
Interesting Greek legends
• Group work (gap-fills etc.)
Presentation preparation
• Grammar / Language
focus e.g. Past Tense
• Prepare for live
presentation in The
Louvre Museum
Santa María del Berrocal
A municipality located in the province
of Ávila, Castile and León
Population 486
… Ruta del Corneja y el Hocino
Pre-excursion lesson(s)
General lead-in themes
Specific study of the excursion items
Group / Individual tasks
Speaking, listening, reading, writing
Predict Language / Grammar points
Excursion Activities
Pre-excursion activates interest / schema
Ungraded written / audio materials on-site
or online form lesson content
Treasure hunt
Summary writing
Prepared presentation made on site
Interaction with physical objects
On-Site Communication
Venue dependent
Teacher does trial run
New level of realism
A push from the nest is needed
Public speaking becomes a dawdle
Follow-up Activities
Individual homework
Summaries / Emails / Reports
Language consolidation
◦ Trainer takes notes during excursion
◦ Find a quiet place to discuss afterwards
◦ On-site error correction
OR
◦ Type up and email language to students for
further consolidation activities
Logistics
What are the potential logistical problems?
The public
Weather / Environment
Group size / management
Site / Venue rules and restrictions
Risk AssessmentHazard Who’s concerned? Solution
Weather – outside work
in cold / hot conditions
Students and Teacher,
especially ones sensitive
to temperature
Check weather reports
and advise students on
appropriate attire, bring
water / plan a coffee
break
The public – moving
through crowded streets
or road traffic
Students, teachers for
group management, also
public safety
Choose spacious
meeting points away
from roads. Give
students emergency
phone number and
meeting points on paper.
Terrain – walking tours
with difficult climbs /
unpaved paths
Students and Teacher,
especially those with
mobility issues
Test route, advise
students of appropriate
footwear, plan breaks
… … …
Conclusion
“Is there no getting away from the fact that classrooms
are just not good places to learn languages in? And that,
instead of flogging the present perfect continuous to
death, it might not be better simply to take
a walk around the block?”
(1) http://scottthornbury.wordpress.com posted on 01/01/12 titled "A is for Affordance"
• Excursions needn’t be exceptions
• Foundation of a new type of syllabus
Thank you for your attention
Audience Questions
Richard John Osborne
richardjohnosborne.wordpress.com
@richardosborne1