Creating Transitions in the Language

Classroom• Transitions are used to connect

one activity to the next• Transitions enhance “seamless”

teaching and learning• Transitions permit learners to

easily follow the sequential steps of a lesson

How To Create Transitions

• Usually predicated upon content of the lesson

• Objectives must first be established, e.g., What do you want the learner to be able to do?

• Look carefully at what is to be taught and then decide how to go about teaching it. Make a list!

Steps to Follow to Implement Transitions

1. Treat the Warm-Up as a point of departure.

2. From the Warm-Up use the last sentence/question as the lead-in to the first activity of the day.

3. Go to your list and make sure activities are in an order that connects each one.

Steps continued4. “Connecting” is what ties

together each activity.5. The last sentence(s)/question(s)

provides the transition to the next activity.

ExampleWarm-up:1. What day is today?2. What is the weather today?3. What do you wear when it’s

hot?4. What do you like to eat when

it’s cold?

Example continuedActivity # 1Introduce fruits and vegetables using a

video clip of an open-air market in a country where the target language is spoken.

Have students watch first w/o the sound. Ask questions.

Have students view with sound. Have students pair and discuss, naming foods they recognized.

Transition: In the video, what’s the weather like? Where does this video take place?

Example continuedActivity # 2Students use a color transparency to

discuss weather conditions in countries where the target language is spoken. Incorporate foods (fruits/vegetables) that may be grown in these countries.

Transition: What do you wear when you go to countries that are cold in December & January?

Example continuedActivity # 3Have a suitcase filled with clothing

items and a picnic basket filled w/ plastic fruits and vegetables and have students come up in pairs while the class gives them clothing and food items to select. Once these are selected, students create a scenario in which they utilize the vocabulary for clothing, food, and weather.