Original Instructional Plan

Title: Making On-line School newspaper

Level of English Proficiency: Intermediate
Duration : 1 week
Overview :
Pupils divided by groups will run an English newspaper on the school website. They will plan different forms of article to present.
Key vocabulary: Fact; Opinion, Promotion

Goal(s) :
1. Pupils will create an English school newspaper containing three aspects: Social news, Editorial, and Advertisement.
2. Pupils will post an English newspaper on the school website.

Objectives:
Content Objective: To write different types of writing related to news articles.
Learning Objective: To plan different types of writing pattern according to the purpose
Language Objective: To organize words and what words will be used in newspaper

ESL Standards:
Goal. To read, write, speak, and listen for information and understanding.
Standard 1
-compare and synthesize information from different sources.
-use a wide variety of strategies for selecting, organizing, and categorizing information.
-distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information and between fact and opinion.
-relate new information to prior knowledge and experience.
-understand and use the text features that make information accessible and usable, such as format, sequence, level of diction, and relevance of details.
-establish an reliable stance on the subject and provide references to establish the validity presented.
-develop information with appropriate supporting material, such as facts, details, and illustrative examples.
-use the process of pre-writing, drafting, revising, and proofreading (the "writing process") to produce well-constructed informational texts.
Standard 2
-analyze, interpret, and evaluate information, ideas, organization, and language from academic and nonacademic texts, such as textbooks, public documents, book and movie reviews, and editorials.
-evaluate their own and others' work based on a variety of criteria and recognize the varying effectiveness of different approaches.
Standard 3
-listen attentively to others and build on others' ideas in conversations with peers and adults.
-express ideas and concerns clearly and respectfully in conversations and group discussions.
-use verbal and nonverbal skills to improve communication with others.
-use appropriate language and styles for interests expressed by the person receiving the message.
-read and discuss social communications and electronic communications and electronic communications of other writers and use some of the techniques of those writers in their own writing.

Materials:
Overhead projector
School website that posts a school newspaper
School website programmed for school newspaper
List of group members
List of topics
Computers
Word perfect
Internet access
Paper & Pencil
Work sheet: A1-1 Social news-Fact ,A2-1 Editorial –Logicality, A3-1 Advertisement

Directions:
Work sheet A: Using current news story provided, analyze the content to write the article.
1. What is the main topic of the story?
2. Discuss in organizing the story.
3. Briefly describe the factual story related to the lead: 5 W’s and the H.
• Who:
• What:
• When:
• Where:
• Why:
• How:
4. How did the end of the story summarize the main ideas and provide closure for the reader?
5. Facts in a news story are supposed to be arranged from most to least important.
Work sheet B: Editorial- logicality
Directions: Organize your ideas for your editorial by answering the questions below.
Then write a persuasive one-page editorial that presents your position.
What is your position on Net Neutrality?
What three points will best persuade an audience that your position is the correct one, or
that the opposing side’s view is the wrong one? What reasons, facts, details or examples
best support each point?
1)
2)
3)
How do you want the audience of your editorial to take action?
Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/moyers/moyersonamerica/net_editorial_worksheet.pdf
Work sheet C: Advertisement- Persuasion
Directions: Consider writing how to create images to sell products.
1. Pick up a specific product to advertize.
2. Create the persuasive messages to emotionally hook the consumer.
3. Refer to other famous catch phrases.
4. To discuss how to arrange the writing.

Warm-up:
1. Have the pupils read the different types of articles.
2. Explore the newspaper
3. Group pupils by 6 (pre-arranged by teacher)
4. Each group has 3pairs who discuss which article to take (Each pair should create one article)

Procedure:
Task chain 1- Planning
1. Investigate articles that are written in different formats. Social news-Fact Editorial- logicality Advertisement- Persuasion
2.Each Pair determines which section will take.
3. Each pair should remember to make 3 different types of articles.
Task chain 2- Writing
1. Pupils will write a rough draft of each article.
2. Be sure each article is no longer than 1 page.
(Times New Roman, 12)
Task chain 3- Revising
1. Gather 3 final articles which are Social news Editorial and Advertisement to present.
2. Word perfect: spell check, grammar check and format check.
3. Review the criteria for each section of the newspaper with group members
4. Determine the order to place articles on the website and how they will link articles to school website.

Assessment:
Task chain 1
The pupils will have met the criteria for their determined topic.
The correct spelling and grammar, opinion or fact based, and organization)
Task chain 2
The pupils successfully link articles to school website.
Task chain 3
Articles on the Websites are good to look.

Graphic Organizer Sources:
A1: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/graphicorganizers/
A2: http://www.uil.utexas.edu/academics/aplus/edit_writing.html
A3: www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/persuasion.pdf
Citation of Sources:
Diaz-Rico, L.T. (2008). Strategies for Teaching English language Learners. Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
ESL Standards: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Retrieved February 6, 2010 from, http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/sec_document.asp?CID=113&DID=316

Work Sheet
-A1- Social news-Fact

-A2- Editorial –Logicality

-A3- Advertisement

-A4- Rubric: Assessment

Chapter 7 Literacy Instruction for English-Language Development and Response

Literacy instruction within a sociocultural framework features a highly interactive classroom, in which students talk as they read, collaborate as they write, listen to one another’s ideas, and give presentations about projects. When English learners are led to believe that only literacy in English is socially useful and acceptable-and are then given literacy education that emphasizes narrow decoding skills at the expense of their reading and writing about the world as they see it- the literacy that they acquire, often imperfectly, serves the interests of others. Macedo cautioned that educators of English learners must pay greater attention to sociocultural context for literacy to be transformational.

It is clear that some instruction in reading is better than no instruction in reading. A variety of instructional approaches is used to teach English learners to read. In summary, current approaches to literacy vary in emphasis, but the best teaching supports the following principles: integration of language and current teaching, use of authentic language and materials, recognition of student diversity and learning styles, development of cognitive strategies, use4 and support of students’ first languages and cultures, importance of interaction and collaborative learning, and student engagement in purposeful learning tasks.

Response to Inyoung Choi
Inyoung Choi mention about plagiarism at the end of her writing. She said instructor should be really careful with the plagiarism for the ESL students. In my case, I am not concerned about plagiarism so much before I am taking MA Tesol course because I didn’t have many chances to be instructed about how serious plagiarism can be. I was just told not to copy other’s writing. So I want to emphasize on how significant job for the instructors to show the way to students how to put the citation and in reference in their writing as she siad.

Response to Jua Lee
She divided reading processes into three: into, through, and beyond act of reading. As “Into” activities, teachers can use films, texts, field trips, visual aids, graphic organizers, brainstorming ideas, making predictions and so forth. I want to mention this part - as “Beyond” reading, recommendable activities are writing poems, reviews of literature works, letters to authors or pen pals and so forth. In my class I teach reading part focusing on how to choose right answers for the exam. In this respect, the method now I am taking for reading needs to be changed. Even though it is hard for me to make reading just aimed for exam to “Beyond” reading it is a necessary job of teachers!

Chapter 6 Oracy Instruction That Builds on the First Language and Response

Oracy skills are essential if English learners are to participate fully in a democratic society. Speaking involves in number of complex skills and strategies –not only the stringing together of words in proper grammatical sequence but also the organizing the words into coherent, powerful messages that help the speaker attain personal goals. Listening and speaking are integral to communicative competence. This ability begins with oracy training in English-language development.

Teachers of English must become aware that oracy is inextricably joined with cultural identity and social differences, and that opportunities to listen and speak are differentiated according to the individual’s relationship to institutions and sociocultural contexts. Part of the role of the teacher is to help students assimilate and produce discourse not only the purpose of basic interpersonal communication but also for the comprehension and production of cognitive academic language. Research shows that language learners develop best when they have opportunities to interact. It is therefore vital that teachers help students overcome their oral language quietude and help them to develop their speaking ability.

Response to Sujin Kim
She wrote in her writing to create many useful after listening activities can make students’ autonomy in listening. She totally agreed with this sentence: “….listening is only half the work; one must also learn to speak.” Recently, Korea government announced that listening part will be taken up to 50% in regular English exam. Whenever I think listening in English class it reminds me English listening test. But I think it is not a perfect listening. As she said learners must learn to speak based on listening.

Response to Jiyoung Moon
She said teaching listening and speaking is harder than teaching other parts. I I tfel the same a she thinks. In opinion, most students don’t have much experience to speak in daily life or school. Research shows that language learners develop best when they have opportunities to interact (p.153) If so, there are almost 30 students whose English level is different in average normal class in Korea. How teachers can give them a chance to speak with others? Is it effective? It is still also my open question^^

Chapter 5 Learner Strategies and Learner-Focused Teaching and Response

This chapter explores the concepts of learner control: how the learner takes responsibility for second-language acquisition and what strategies can be used to foster the ability of the learner to be in charge. Strategic teaching addresses the need for educators to promote high-level instruction that will allow English learners to extend their academic potential. Learner strategies are defined as “systematic plans, designs, procedures, or maneuvers used during learning.” So, to reach the learner’s ultimate goal in studying second language, they can utilize various strategies.

Utilize various strategies emphasis on learner autonomy places the education of English learners. Learner autonomy can be defined as “the learners’ feeling that studying is taking place due to their own volition. Autonomy enables students to feel pride in their own achievement. Equipped with strategies for language and use as well as academic and survival skills, students can take more responsibility for improving both their language abilities and their learning processes.

Response to Jiyoung Moon
I have the same idea as she has in this part. She wrote the learner autonomy must be supported in a systematic way by the teacher and curriculum for the learner to benefit. Most students are trained to memorize what they have been assigned in class. . Students may need explicit training from an instructor on specific required skills (Diaz-rico, p.131). That is, Learner autonomy can be defined as “the learners’ feeling that studying is taking place due to their own volition (p.104). Of course it must be accompanied by teachers’ systematic strategy for learners to maximize efficiency.

Response to Jua Lee
She also mentioned about learner’s autonomy in second language acquisition (SLA). She said it enables students to feel pride in their own achievements and becomes the basis for self-managed, self-motivated instruction. Many teachers have had the experience of facing a classroom of highly disciplined yet passive learners who will do everything necessary to achieve high grades but have little desire to learn anything that is not required. In this situation teachers try to make student have both self-motivated and self-managed attitude!

Chapter 4 Performance-Based Learning and Response

Teaching is both a humanistic endeavor and a science. It is a humanistic endeavor because many psychological and sociocultural factors must be balanced in order to evoke the highest-quality learning from each student. It is science because the current emphasis on outcome-based learning is based on careful research on teaching and learning over the past one hundred years. So teachers must help learners use psychological tools that are designed for contemporary minds.

A classroom lesson usually contains some content, whether a communication skills or a content concept. Using standards teachers give students an opportunity to acquire skills and knowledge. Assessment is a way of ensuring that students are making progress and that instructional activities are used wisely. No all learning is successful. The teachers who is a storehouse of success and failure, can take into consideration the struggles and triumphs of one year’s students in order to modify instruction next time.

Response to Sujin Kim
She showed many types of Assessment : Traditional measurement, Performance measure, authentic assessment, quantitative assessment, qualitative assessment(scoring rubrics OR rating scales), embedded assessment, formative and summative assessment(C+). And many types of test : Multiple choice, True/False, matching items, short-answer and fill-in-the-blank, essay, oral, self-assessment. In my case I prefer formative assessment to summative assessment for children but it requires much effort of teachers. On the other hand, summative assessment is more suitable for adults or higher level students I think..^^

Response to Inyoung Choi
After reading Inyoung Choi’s writing I thought of a relationship between objectives and assessment again. To be honest, sometimes I feel I teach students skills how to pick up the right answers to have a good grade without using assessment method. Even sometimes I feel hard to use assessment I should try it for more efficient English education. She said task chains also can be an effective tool for leading learners to accomplish given tasks of specific objectives step by step. I think so too. To make student understand the contents of class, well organized task chains are necessary.

Chapter 3 Views of Teaching and Learning and Response

Psychology provides a second main foundation for instructional practices. The most successful paradigm in the early days of educational psychology was behaviorism. Educators who devote their attention to the whole learner reap the reward of rich person to person interaction. Such education draws on philosophy, psychology, sociology, and anthropology.

The earliest type of language teaching was predicted on authorities having strict control over the learners’ behavior. Grammar-translation pedagogy can be seen as a traditional form of behaviorism. But there are drawbacks to traditional behaviorism. Chomsky claimed that language is not learned solely through a process behavioral reinforcement, but that the mind contains an active language processors the language acquisition device(LAD), which generates rules through the unconscious acquisition of grammar.

Response to Jua Lee
In her writing communicative language teaching, one of the cultural approaches emphasizes that language learners should know when, where, and how to use language appropriately beyond grammatical competence. ). In this point I feel sorry for my students because I have teaching students English mainly focusing on grade. Most English teachers who are teaching middle and high school students in Korea cannot help focusing on English grade. I need to think over my teaching style but if test grade is more significant to learners and parents I am not sure I can make it or not. It’s my dilemma..--;

Response to Sujin Kim
She wrote the teacher considers the various tasks that language users must be able to perform in the unit and make provision for learning the vocabulary and concepts needed in the discourse of the content areas involved. I have the same idea as she wrote. To learn a foreign language efficiently learners need to integrate various fields experiencing the units together like listening, speaking, reading, writing not focusing on one field like grammar or reading.

Teacher Interview on Grading Practices

As I had an interview with my cousin for Site-Visit, I talked with him again about the Grading Practices in his working place CDI. His mane is Eunseok (Riley) You. He a twenty-four year old Asian-American individual whose target-teaching level is from elementary school to middle school in Chungdahm Learning Institute. Luckily his teaching level is almost the same as I am so I expected it was helpful for me.

CDI http://cdi.chungdahm.com/chungdahm/ is one of the most renowned and well known private academies in Korea whose targeting students’ range is from elementary grade 4th to high school leveled based on placement test.

While CDL follows some fundamental methods when it comes to educating children, they have other various methods to bring out the potential within the students. The age old method of testing is still a very popular approach to properly determining the students’ academic levels. Although students might disagree, the pressure and motivation that derive from exams allow an individual to meet their potential. CDL is no different when it comes to administering exams to the students. For instance, the exams consist of both multiple choice questions and fill-in questions. In terms of format, the tests are pretty straight forward but the grading methods according to CDL are different.

CDL’s approach to grading is not so strict. CDI has two types of tests. One is regular weekly test which was conducted by section teacher. This test consists of reading, listening, speaking and grammar and each section point is 5. This test was aimed to check out how students are following the class. If a student could score as low as a 4 or 5 out of a 20 points and he or she will be rewarded with a passing grade such as a C. After test each student gets feedback from teachers which make students know about their English ability in each section. Another is a kind of level test that was taken place every 3 months. This test also consists of reading, listening, speaking and grammar and each section point is 25. Through this test students are arranged to go to a higher level or take a same course 3 months again. This test also does not have a strict cut off standard. If a student gets average 65 out of 100 points, he or she can go to the next level.

He said almost all students could pass the level test. I thought the tests didn’t have discrimination capacity. So I asked how easy the tests were. He said if students take class hard and do their homework well students can easily do well on a test. In other words this is in no way used to allow the students to discourage or divide excellent or poor but rather it is used to motivate a student and to build confidence in them. Getting low grades do not motivate a student to try harder because what would be the point in trying if getting an F was second nature to them. Instead, encouraging the student for working hard pushes them to work even harder. If he or she was not able to perform well on the first test, there is always room for improvement in the next.

I feel CDL follows traditional methods in educating students but they also implement new ideas as well. I have thought test is to find out who is good or poor or divide students low or high. After talking with him, I realized test can be also used to motivate students to study more or make them have confidence. Therefore, we have to shed our ways from those of the traditional style of the past into the brilliance of the future. The school system in the 20th century matched the style of our parents and our grandparents but with new bright minds that set out to make the world of tomorrow, we have to be out with the old and in with the new.^^