When you have your lesson planned, remember that you do not have to stick to it rigidly. There may be occasions when some “event” has happened and the learners need to talk about it and their feelings. Learners may come into class with an important issue to deal with that is not in your plan for the day, but you know that they would benefit from instruction or discussion around the issue. It is important to deal with needs that emerge. However, learners should know that there is a program plan in place that you are following.


Facilitation tip

If you have more time, consider turning this into a lesson planning activity by using some of the tutors’ ideas as the basis for a lesson. The background information ti this activity gives you an example.


Facilitation tip

As this is the end of the ESL units, you could end by teaching a phrase such as “goodbye,” “see you again” or “good luck” in another language.


Practice, using profile

Materials and equipment

Handout 12.24: ESL Learner Profile: Chol Thung
Video: Creating Learning Partners – ESL Learner Profile
TV and VCR
Flip chart sheets with questions and notes from the previous activity on strengths/problems/needs
More flip chart paper and markers

Preparation

Before meeting with tutors, review the video or the written profile and brainstorm approaches or techniques that would be helpful, so you can help tutors as necessary.
Look over the information on Thematic Unit Planning and Planning the Lesson from the introduction to this activity.

STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

  1. Based on the needs and interests of an ESL learner in the video or the written profile that you used in the previous activity, pick a theme to focus on. Do this with your tutors.
  2. Return the flip chart sheets with the questions and strengths, problems and needs to the tutor pairs who worked on them originally. Tell the tutor pairs that based on the identified needs, problems and strengths written on their sheet, they will choose two approaches and/or techniques for their assigned area. They could brainstorm as pairs to get ideas and refer to the sections of this unit for ideas as well.
  3. Explain the following points:
    • Approaches are general in nature, such as the suggestion of not using grammar terms for all grammar work with learners who have little schooling.
    • Techniques are more specific in nature, such as using cut-apart sentences for grammar practice.
  4. Ask for two approaches and/or techniques per strength, problem or needs area that you had tutors work on in the last activity. Ask them to try to work within the theme that has been decided on.
  5. They should write their notes on the bottom half of the flip chart that states the strengths, problems and needs that the pair is working on or attach another sheet as needed. At the end of this activity each pair will have one or more sheets stating the following: