Don_M_TP #11 (Adult Culture Class)

This is a multilevel lesson for all interested FSU CIES Students, but is targeted for Group 2 Level 3 and 4 (teach to the middle) and uses the following video clips: “NASCAR Top 20 Greatest Drivers - Jeff Gordon”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8iFbFcsX1c and “How NASCAR racing looks up close”, http://video.ie.msn.com/watch/video/how-nascar-racing-looks-up-close/2tc0shwgo.

Two CIES students showed up.  Marcos is at Foundation Level, and Jonildo is at Group 3 Level.

The instructional goals are:

1) Beginner students will be able to notice new  vocabulary when used in context .

2) Intermediate students will be able to use cultural knowledge to predict how a converstation will continue.

3) Advanced students will be able to understand TV programs that use conversational language.

The performance goals are:

1) Beginner students will be able to demonstrate comprehension of a 2 minute video by completing a Cloze exercise.

2) Intermediate students will be able to use context clues to guess fill-in the missing phrases from transcript after watching the video.

3) Advanced students will be able to take notes of a video without losing the meaning of the original transcript.

CULTURAL OBJECTIVE (What aspect/s of American/host/world culture that is focused on)

Perhaps the most common pastime among CIES students is watching T.V. in their dorm rooms, so they would have seen this sport.  This lesson introduces them to a uniquely American form of auto racing that has evolved from poor southerners who modified their cars to evade the police into the second most popular franchise in the U.S.

The Rationale is:

 This topic is important to CIES students to gain insight into the independent nature of all Americans regardless of where they originally came from to adapt, improvise, create, and succeed in the U.S.  Also, this activity will develop listening skills to enjoy TV and films in in English.

1. Pre Lesson Activity

-       Instructor starts the class introducing himself and the class topic. 

-       Instructor takes roll call and writes the unsual names on the whiteboard.  The instructor explains, “I am writing your name because it is a new word for me.  Writing new words helps me to remember them.”

-       Instructor asks student level and if they have taken TOFEL, watch T.V., have English speaking roommates, or listen to conversations around them.  Then he will add, “This class is for you” 

-       Instructor reviews class agenda.

-       Instructor asks and writes on whiteboard, “Who can drive a car?”  “What is the fastest that you have ever driven your car?”  “What is the longest distance you have driven?”  “Have you ever worked on your car to make it faster?”  “If so, then, what did you do to make it go faster?” 

-       Instructor plays “How NASCAR racing looks up close”, http://video.ie.msn.com/watch/video/how-nascar-racing-looks-up-close/2tc0shwgo and writes on the whiteboard, 255 kph (159 mph) 805 kilometers (500 miles)

-       Instructor asks and writes, “How fast were the stock cars going?” “How close were the stock cars?”  “How far do they drive?”

-       HAND OUT VOCABULARY LIST. 

-       Instructor briefly explains what NASCAR racing is and why it is uniquely American form of racing.  The instructor will use terms from the New Vocabulary.doc to introduce terms unique to NASCAR and play the “History of NASCAR.ppt

-       Instructor asks questions after each slide.  Instructor may ask students to read from the slide.

-       Instructor ask the class to listen to the 2 miniute video and listen for any new vocabulary words. 

Feedback:  The Pre Lesson Activity was scheduled for 15 minutes but went for 35 minutes.

2. Active Lesson

-       Instructor plays “NASCAR Top 20 Greatest Drivers - Jeff Gordon”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8iFbFcsX1c

-       Insturctor writes these questions on the whiteboard, “Who are they talking about?”  “Who is Jeff Gordon?”  “How many times did Jeff Gordon win the Daytona 500?”  “Why does Jeff Gordon win?”  “Why does Jeff Gordon race NASCAR?”

-       Instructor ask class to write down the answers to these questions.

-       The instructor hands out the exercises, give oral instructions, and then he replays the video.  He will stop and repeat upon request.

-       If necessary, the instructor will play the video a third time.

-       Working is pairs or small groups, the students will compare their exercise sheets to assist each other in completing their exercises.  (20 mins)

Feedback:  This exercise had to be cut short because I ran overtime in the Pre Lesson Activity.  Consequently the post lesson discussion consisted of returning to answer the questions written on the board in the Active Lesson using the new vocabulary words.

Overall, the material was too much and at too high a level for even the Group 3 student to handle.

This amount of material should be spread over two days, and a level appropriate listening video should be substituted.