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Introducing Let's Teach EnglishThe Let’s Teach English video series offers free online training for English language educators worldwide. It is based on the Women Teaching Women English text for adult, beginning-level learners. Voice of America and the University of Oregon are partners on this project. The course includes:
- An introductory segment that summarizes the main topics of second language teaching and shows classroom examples of the topics.
- Ten 5-minute video episodes based on the units of Women Teaching Women English. Each of these episodes provides a model of communicative language teaching through simulated language classroom interaction.
- Updated digital downloads of the Women Teaching Women English student book, teacher’s manual, and audio files.
Unit 2 Listening Skills and Cooperative LearningIn this lesson, the teacher prepares students to listen to a recording and respond. She uses the learning strategy focus. By asking a question before playing the recording, she helps students to listen for a purpose.Then, she organizes a cooperative learning activity using cards that describe roles. The students work together to create and practice a conversation about food. The purpose of cooperative learning is for each student to play a different, but equally meaningful, role in achieving one overall goal.Giving students cooperative roles also helps ensure that everyone does an equal part in group work.
Unit 3 Speaking Skills and PronunciationIn this lesson, the teacher helps students to overcome specific pronunciation problems. We join the class near the beginning of the unit, as they are talking about photos of different women. They have learned the new words in a previous class.The teacher uses the learning strategy personalize. This strategy helps learners to relate new concepts to their own experiences. Students personalize as they identify their individual pronunciation challenges. The teacher offers methods to help them correctly pronounce their problem sounds.
Unit 4: Reading SkillsIn this lesson, we see the class working on a reading task. The homework for this class was for students to bring in pictures with examples of technology. They talk about them to prepare for the reading. Next, the teacher shows students how to make a graphic organizer to help them check their understanding of the reading.The teacher uses one student's late arrival as an opportunity for other students to summarize the story using their graphic organizers. Graphic organizers are especially useful when a story or article discusses complex ideas or processes.
Unit 5 Role-PlaysIn this lesson, the teacher sets up a marketplace to use in a shopping role-play. We join the class as the teacher is reviewing common phrases for shopping exchanges. Students separate into groups using a method that requires them to talk with each other.Students use new language in a authentic context through their role-plays. The shoppers and shopkeepers have different information. This creates a purpose for their communication.
Unit 6 Group ProjectsIn this lesson, the students are given a group project assignment and then present their work. They have two choices: open a restaurant or eat at a restaurant. Each member has a role to play. This helps guarantee that everyone contributes equally to group work.For this assignment, the students must also read their instructions independently of the teacher. This strategy can give learners confidence in their ability to use English outside of the classroom.
Unit 7 Critical Thinking SkillsThe focus of this lesson is teaching analytical thinking skills. The teacher leads the class through an exercise developed by Stella Ting-Toomey called “Describe, Interpret, Evaluate” (See-Think-Feel).The students move through the process of carefully examining an event before they form an opinion about it. The teacher compares this process to intercultural contact, and encourages thoughtful reflection on cultural differences.
Unit 8 Visual LiteracyThis lesson teaches students to work with a timeline graphic to show events in time order. They base the timeline on the hopes and dreams they remember from different periods of their lives. Creating timelines helps students develop visual literacy for academic charts and graphics.Then, they play a game called ‘Wheel of Futures.’ This lets students try out different future plans and possibilities and explain why or why not they may want to do these things. The game format makes learning fun and helps students think about their plans from a new perspective. It may also help reduce stress or anxiety around talking about possible future options.
Unit 9 English for Specific Purposes, Vocational LanguageIn this lesson, students work on an independent project. Each student researches a job and creates an interview dialog for someone trying to get that job. During class, the students practice their interview role-plays with one another. Then, they perform them with partners for other students in a small group.As the first pair is doing their role play, the teacher stops to ask them to predict what the next question will be. Predicting is a learning strategy that can help academically as well as in a real-life situation, such as a job interview.They also give each other feedback, using the checklist. Large classes can still do this type of speaking activity by performing in pairs and small groups.
Unit 10 Collaboration Through Persona Poems
In this lesson, students learn how to write a poem. They use a format the teacher calls a “persona poem.” Students ask each other questions. The answers to those questions become the poem. Students learn that not all poems have to rhyme.
This activity asks students to use English creatively to develop poems about their classmates. They now have a product that they can proudly show to their friends and family.
At the end of the class, the students display their work on a wall and do a "gallery walk" – they walk around and view and read one another's persona poems.
In this lesson, students learn how to write a poem. They use a format the teacher calls a “persona poem.” Students ask each other questions. The answers to those questions become the poem. Students learn that not all poems have to rhyme.
This activity asks students to use English creatively to develop poems about their classmates. They now have a product that they can proudly show to their friends and family.
At the end of the class, the students display their work on a wall and do a "gallery walk" – they walk around and view and read one another's persona poems.
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