essay celta skills assignment
Lead In/Prediction
Harmer explains that the lead in stage is “where we engage students with the topic of the reading and we try to activate their schema” or “pre-existent knowledge of the world” (Harmer, 2007:271) Questions and pictures or visual prompts are two of the best ways to elicit interest and discussion at this stage. This particular reading uses a question as the heading; “Is beauty in the eye of the beholder?” and is also visually supported by two pictures. Hence I chose to combine the Lead in and Prediction stages into one stage using the heading (question) and two accompanying photos as the prompts for predicting the topic of the reading, creating interest and setting the context. Harmer explains that “prediction is vitally important if we want students to engage fully with the text” (Harmer, 2007:271)
The students will be asked to discuss the question in pairs or in groups of three. I will also remind students that there are no wrong answers at this stage. The resulting group discussions will have the students forming ideas about beauty and attractiveness and whether they are subjective or objective and will act as a transition into the subsequent reading task.
This stage may also require a pre-teach vocab for the word “beholder”. If the students express confusion about the meaning of the phrase, there will be a quick clarification. This will be elicited from students initially and if this proves unfruitful, a brief and simple definition (someone who sees or looks at something or someone) will be given as text written on the WB. This will ensure students are able to discuss and predict in a meaningful way.
1st Reading Task
The purpose of the first reading task is to develop the sub skill of reading for gist or skimming. The students will be given the full text and asked to read quickly and choose the most appropriate summary of the text as outlined on the handout sheet. They will be given a five minute limit for reading and to peer check their
Harmer explains that the lead in stage is “where we engage students with the topic of the reading and we try to activate their schema” or “pre-existent knowledge of the world” (Harmer, 2007:271) Questions and pictures or visual prompts are two of the best ways to elicit interest and discussion at this stage. This particular reading uses a question as the heading; “Is beauty in the eye of the beholder?” and is also visually supported by two pictures. Hence I chose to combine the Lead in and Prediction stages into one stage using the heading (question) and two accompanying photos as the prompts for predicting the topic of the reading, creating interest and setting the context. Harmer explains that “prediction is vitally important if we want students to engage fully with the text” (Harmer, 2007:271)
The students will be asked to discuss the question in pairs or in groups of three. I will also remind students that there are no wrong answers at this stage. The resulting group discussions will have the students forming ideas about beauty and attractiveness and whether they are subjective or objective and will act as a transition into the subsequent reading task.
This stage may also require a pre-teach vocab for the word “beholder”. If the students express confusion about the meaning of the phrase, there will be a quick clarification. This will be elicited from students initially and if this proves unfruitful, a brief and simple definition (someone who sees or looks at something or someone) will be given as text written on the WB. This will ensure students are able to discuss and predict in a meaningful way.
1st Reading Task
The purpose of the first reading task is to develop the sub skill of reading for gist or skimming. The students will be given the full text and asked to read quickly and choose the most appropriate summary of the text as outlined on the handout sheet. They will be given a five minute limit for reading and to peer check their
Bibliography: Harmer J. (2007) The Practice of English Language Teaching, Pearson, Longman Kay and Jones