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Assignment 3: Skills Related Task Course: Celta By: Syed Ahmed Submission date:15/08/2011 Rationale for lesson The reason why radio advertisement has been chosen is due to the following: • I would expect students listen to the radio everyday. They are exposed to radio advertisement whether it is in English or in their native language. It is a useful area to explore as students will pick up a few words used in advertisements and hence generate interest in learning the language. • This area will be interesting as some students may not like a particular advertisement and some may do.
This will encourage a healthy discussion amongst the students. A lead in/ warmer can be introduced regarding this subject followed by activities after the listening exercise that would encourage students to practice their productive skill (listening). • This exercise was chosen because students require a lot of concentration while listening to the task hence it demands listening. It also gives an opportunity for students to check their answers in pairs. (Scrivener 2005, p. 176). This lesson is appropriate to the upper-intermediate students as they should have the knowledge of lexis relating to advertisements. This means I can concentrate on a few words for lexis and therefore allow more time for the students to focus on their skills based part (listening) and their follow on tasks. TASKS Task 1: The pre-listening task (p. 64) This task is a good introduction to the topic of radio advertisements as it is easy. This will be a good lead in to the topic. Students will be asked to state their favourite advertisement and if they listen to the radio.
A top down method has been used in this exercise where we are making use of what we already know to assist us to foresee the content and structure of the text. This gives an overall impression of the message (Scrivener 2005 p. 178). (Scrivener, 2005) states that we cannot use a bottom-up method i. e. building up the messages from individual small pieces. Even though this may sound appealing, however to do this it is virtually impossible. Task 2: The first listening task (p. 65) Before handing out the task I would set the question first.
The question first technique is described as ”task before audio” (Scrivener 2005 p. 172). The students will have to match the following options to the advert being listened to. For example which advert? • Is selling soap powder • Is trying to recruit personnel. The students will have the chance to listen to the audio. The students will have a basic understanding on how to do the task. If students have not found the answers to a specific section of the task, it would be necessary to play the recording again (Scrivener 2005 p. 172). This task is useful to introduce the text to the students.
If students get the answers correct in the first attempt, this will help build confidence in them and students can move on to the next task. Task 3: The detailed task (comprehension check p. 65) Students will have a comprehension exercise in order to catch the specific details such as names, color and so on. I would assume that this exercise will be challenging to the students as they have to listen to the details carefully. However I feel that this exercise will help them pick up phrases such as ”wherefore art though” and students will be familiar with it.
As stated in Scrivener, 2005 it would be appropriate to play the recording more than once or sufficient number of times for the specific section the students are struggling on. As stated in Scrivener, 2005 it would be appropriate to play the part which the students disagree to. During the feedback session, the students will be allowed to check the answers in pairs. The recording would be played again until the students have reached an overall agreement to the answer and not just led by one student (Scrivener 2005, p. 176). Task 4: The follow on task (speaking skills)
Group work: Newspapers and magazines will be given out to each group. The groups will be asked to choose an advert that appeals to them and discuss why they like it. This task should take ten minutes. Task 5: Follow on task (Writing) Group work Students will be asked to devise a radio advertisement. They can choose their own product or service or choose from the following option: • A BMW sports car • A restaurant in town • A bank for students Students discuss this in pairs and will have to make a visual presentation on visual cards and write a slogan for the advert.
Task 6: Follow on task (Speaking) Group work (Pairs) Students will participate in an activity where students will make a radio advert on a product they will choose. Each group will make an advert and the class will decide which the best advert is. Task 7: Follow on task (Writing) Students should write an advert on the following options: • A car for sale • A job at Curries • A new computer Students will have 15 minutes to write this advert. I will then check each students answer for mistakes. Bibliography: Scrivener, J (2005). Learning Teaching. Macmillan.