A Student-Centered Learning Approach for Developing Depth of Understanding for Key Terms of Vocabulary or Concepts

The Natural Approach is all about using language in meaningful communication.

This happens easily when you give students tasks to complete – if those tasks require

them to communicate with others in order to complete the task.

OBJECTIVES: The students will - Discuss the meanings of teacher-selected key

terms of vocabulary or concepts for a unit or cumulative review

Analyze and discuss what the selected terms have in common, allowing them to deepen their

understanding of the terms and concepts

AGE RANGE: very adaptable

SUBJECT / COURSE: very adaptable to any subject material or any ESL level (beyond absolute beginner)

MATERIALS NEEDED: blank cards (paper or cardstock)

PREPARATION

Choose the terms you want students to analyze.

Ideas for beginners: foods, clothing, occupations, etc.

Ideas for advanced: literary elements (metaphors, similes, foreshadowing, personification, etc.), characters from a story, genres of writing

Choose terms to which your students have already been

introduced.

In this activity, you want to increase their comfort level with the terms

and increase their depth of understanding of the terms.

We want to push students just a little beyond their comfort level

(+1) to help them grow linguistically.

Remember the +1 principle.

You may write the selected terms on the cards, or you may have

students write the terms.

Bread

PROCEDURE

Put students in groups of 3-5. Have them arrange themselves so they can work together. Give each group one

set of cards

Option 1: Teacher-assigned topic categories

You then tell students to group the cards into categories which YOU have selected in advance. For

example. . .

Peas

Bana

nas

Gr apes

Pot at oesGreen BeansWat er melonOr anges

ApplesLet t uce

Tomat oes

Past aBr eadRice

Peas

Bana

nas

Gr apes

Pot at oes

Green BeansWat er melonOr anges

ApplesLet t uce Tomat oes

Past aBr eadRice

Will students in the group all agree? Probably not. Is that okay? YES! It will encourage discussion!

“Make one group of foods that are best COOKED and one group of

foods that are best RAW.”

MEANINGFUL discussion is the BEST thing that happens in this

activity.

Tomat oes

No, tomatoes are a LOT

better raw!

But have you ever TRIED

cooked apples? They’re really

good!

Ew yuck!

Best COOKED Best RAWPeasBananas

Gr apes

Pot at oes

Green Beans

Wat er melonOr anges

ApplesLet t uce

Tomat oes

Past a

Br eadRice

Some of this is opinion. How do I know if they the students did it

correctly?

http://superspark.wordpress.com/2007/02/16/

Tomat oes

http://www.kitchenconnaisseur.com/recipe_result.php?&rid=85

Apples

http://www.roadfood.com/recipephotos/mini_29.jpg

MS clip art

Bananas

http://www.ladylunchalot.com/wp-content/banana%20fritters.jpg

MS clip art

You visit each group and ask them to explain their decisions to you.

Remember: The goals are analytical thinking and authentic

language use.

So if they can justify their answers, they

are correct!

Option 2: Student-chosen categories

Teacher

Doct

or

St one Mason

EngineerSt or e OwnerLawyerBaker

Far merCar pent er

Paint er

Bar berMovie Act orExpor t er

In this option, you let students decide categories into which they can divide

the cards.

Teacher

Far mer

Doct

or Baker

Engineer

Expor t er

St one Mason

St or e Owner

Movie Act orPaint er

Bar ber

“Look over your set of cards. Then decide 2 (or 3 or 4)

categories into which you can place almost all of your cards.

Put them in groups and be prepared to explain how you

divided your cards.”

Lawyer

Car pent er

The students may come up with categories like:

Teacher

Doct

or

St one Mason

EngineerSt or e OwnerLawyerBaker

Far merCar pent er

Paint er

Bar berMovie Act orExpor t er

high salary medium salary low salary

lots of training some training very little training

Now let’s practice!