REFLECTIVE EVALUATION

Team Activity

By the end of the activity students will be able to:

Main aim

To understand and interpret written texts connecting previous background knowledge and L2 knowledge (vocabulary, grammar, etc.) to new meaning and information provided in those texts.

Subsidiary Aims 1. Identify the characteristics of urban tribes linking the associated terms and definitions to the corresponding images of those groups. 2. Understand the meaning of words connected to Urban Tribes and their position in specific written texts. 3. Report their ideas about the content of short statements on Urban Tribes, through short written reflections prepared collaboratively in pairs. 3. Express coherent comments on cartoons associated to feelings experienced by members of different Urban Tribes.

Introduction

Reading in the EFL classroom context entails variegated factors affecting the interactions between

readers and EFL texts. As a process, reading goes beyond coding and decoding words. Reading is a tough

process (Snow, 2002) which implies a meaning making development in which the learners mostly work alone

and utilize their previous EFL language knowledge (Nutall, 1996). In the same sense Grabe and Stoller (2002)

refer to reading as the ability to understand information and interpret it appropriately (p. 17). This

interpretation is not only supported on vocabulary and grammar knowledge, but also on the learners

background knowledge. As highlighted by Harmer (1991), reading is a challenging task for L2 learners, once

as they struggle to achieve academic goals they are too learning the language while undertaking the reading

process. Henceforth, although the learner is undoubtedly strengthening and expanding his/her vocabulary,

grammar, sentence formation, and discourse production and understanding, he/she is also using EFL as a bridge

towards world knowledge (p. 190).

Goodman (1970, Cited by Nutall) makes a distinction between bottom-up, which entails a clearly

recognition of the specific linguistic text components or features, and the top-down processing where the reader

is to obtain the general meaning of the text by integrating his/her schemata into such a meaning making. L2

readers commonly use either of these top-down and bottom-up strategies indistinctively, primarily based on

his/her own experiences and reading strategies, and secondly based on previous reading tasks she/he has been

exposed to in order to grasp what the writer intends to communicate (Nutall, 1996).

Accordingly, this task is designed in order to assess Students Reading performance. In doing so, the

following factors were observed: language level, learners needs, teaching context, resources, and participants

interaction. We agree with Ur (1999) that [W]e gather meaning from what we read however understanding

a text does not fully depend on understanding the words on it (p. 57). Coding and decoding do not support how

the reading process takes place.

Alderson (2001) synthesizes Grabes reading functions as follows:

Automatic recognition of words

1. Vocabulary and structural knowledge

2. Formal discourse structure knowledge

3. Content/world background knowledge

4. Synthesis and evaluation skills/strategies

5. Metacognitive knowledge and skills monitoring:

a. Recognition of more important information in the text

b. Adjusting reading rate

c. Skimming

d. Previewing

e. Using context to resolve a misunderstanding

f. Formulating questions about information

g. Monitoring cognition

h. Self-regulation strategies: planning ahead, testing ones own comprehension, being aware and

revising strategies (p. 13)

The reading task proposed in this activity attempts to approach functions 1 through 5, and sub- functions

a, b, e, f, arranged in three different reading tasks that encompass vocabulary recognition, words in context, text

information, and questions about information. Writing and speaking are supporting skills which allow to

observe indirectly how students manage to understand texts. Alderson (2001) affirms that [W]hen we are

reading, we are clearly engaged in a great deal of mental activity, some of it automatic, some of it conscious

(p. 14). This principle supports this activity due to the fact that students are expected to read collaboratively but

not supported on the use of dictionaries or translators as they usually do.

Group Traits

Students in this group are in 9th grade, and belong to a 13-17 age range. They are in a basic CEFR A1.1

level, and they display different traits in their personal attitudes and learning performances. They already know

basic aspects of L2 syntax. They decode some specific vocabulary in a very limited range of contexts. They also

identify main ideas in a description and recognize basic connected ideas in it. They handle just a few reading

strategies like underlining, highlighting, circling vocabulary; listing words, pairing words and meaning. Also,

they understand some general classroom commands, and produce a few basic expressions.

Language Needs

A few student in the group have disruptive behaviors while some others are very disciplined and

collaborative. They also exhibit differences in their capacities to understand L2 systems together with the

corresponding L2 skills: about 40% of them do well in reading-focused activities, through individual and pair

work. Some others, about 35%, perform well in listening activities, even if they do not do well in reading. Their

writing permits to observe difficulties with basic grammar rules at the level of sentence formation and the use of

cohesive elements and connectors. Their speaking is the weakest of the four basic skills. This is an aspect that

needs more attention in the course. Many students exhibit a real interest towards activities that involve them in

active exchange of information, physical movement, acting, and, in general, action. A few of them are more

introvert, preferring written thinking activities that do not force them to be in front of the group.

On the whole, students cognitive needs in the group relate mainly to their self-perception in the

attainment of the lesson aims, as well as to how they fit their actions and decisions towards those aims. This

depends heavily on how clearly they understand the information provided and the procedures to follow during

the tasks proposed; also, on their ability to interact with their partners and assume a collaborative attitude,

which inevitably may affect the final results. Thus, it is not only a matter of their thinking ability to understand

L2 content and form, but from a more demanding view, how they get to understand their own role along the

steps proposed for the lesson.

Context

The school Pedro Jacinto Urrutia is located in Soacha. There are about 2700 students per shift. English

classes are scheduled 3 times a week. Teachers design their own resources. There are four groups in 9th grade,

with 42 students each. Students receive photocopies from their English teacher and most classes are held in the

classroom. Access to other conveniences are limited. For instance, the library is a small room where some

hundreds of books are stored. There are some English books, although not updated. A set of 20 dictionaries are

available for the whole school. Access to computers is not allowed to other subject areas. Under these

circumstances, teaching English is a bit of a challenge.

References

Alderson, J. (2001). Assessing reading. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Grabe, W. & Stoller, F. (2002). Teaching and Researching Reading. Malaysia:

Longman Pearson Education.

Nuttall, C. (1996). Teaching reading skills in a foreign language. Second edition. Oxford: Heinemann.

Scrivener, J. (2005). Learning teaching. A guided book for English language teachers. MacMillan.

Ur, P. (1999). A course in Language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Pre Task

What is the corresponding image?

Sources

http://translation.babylon.com/english/ http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Emo http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hippie https://sites.google.com/a/standreu.org/fashionpeople/urban-tribes/type-of-urban-tribes http://urbantribessocialnetworks.blogspot.com

Tribe Image Definition

Pokemons

Name of an urban tribe among Chile's youth that surfaced in the mid-2000s and began to decline in late 2009. They were readily identifiable by their angular and pressed hairstyles, reminiscent of characters from the Japanese media franchise Pokmon.

EMO

It is a type of subcultureloosely rooted around punk rock with its own distinct style of music, fashion, argot and other trappings in a desperate, though ultimately hopeless attempt to pronounce their uniqueness.

Grunges

This urban tribe was born in Seattle in the 90s and they are very interested in music and refuse the consumist society They have a dirty look and they wear stripped and colored T-shirts or "Scottish" shirts, ripped jeans and colored shoes.

Gothics

This urban tribe was born in the 80s from punk. They are sometimes in specifics bars. They use to be wearing black clothes of leather, spiked accessories and religious elements for example crosses or five-spiked stars.

Heavies

This urban tribe was born in England in the 70s from rockers with hippies ideology. Hardly ever, they're violent but they can be violent by musical excitement or alcohol and cannabis. They have a long hair and they wear jeans, spiked leather jacket and black T-shirt from their favorite music bands.

Posh

Originated from the acronym Port Out Starboard Home - based on the position of the more expensive cabins on a passenger ships from England to India. men and women wear different clothes such as tight trousers, tight stripped shirt and sweater. The women wear shirt, skirt and a lot of accessories.

Hippies

: a usually young person who rejects established social customs (such as by dressing in an unusual way or living in a commune) and who opposes violence and war; especially : a young person of this kind in the 1960s and 1970s They have long hair and use colorful clothes.

Punk

This urban tribe was born in the 70s in opposition of the culture decadence. They have big and colorful crests and a lot of piercings and tattoos. They wear spiked leather jacket, black T-shirts with a social slogan or symbols (anarchy, communist...).

Activity 1

What is the best image for each urban Tribe?

Sources

http://translation.babylon.com/english/ http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Emo http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hippie

Tribe Image Definition

Pokemons

Name of an urban tribe among Chile's youth that surfaced in the mid-2000s and began to decline in late 2009. They were readily identifiable by their angular and pressed hairstyles, reminiscent of characters from the Japanese media franchise Pokmon.

EMO

It is a type of subcultureloosely rooted around punk rock with its own distinct style of music, fashion, argot and other trappings in a desperate, though ultimately hopeless attempt to pronounce their uniqueness.

Grunges

This urban tribe was born in Seattle in the 90s and they are very interested in music and refuse the consumist society They have a dirty look and they wear stripped and colored T-shirts or "Scottish" shirts, ripped jeans and colored shoes.

Gothics

This urban tribe was born in the 80s from punk. They are

sometimes in specifics bars. They use to be wearing black clothes of leather, spiked accessories and religious elements for example crosses or five-spiked stars.

Heavies

This urban tribe was born in England in the 70s from rockers with hippies ideology. Hardly ever, they're violent but they can be violent by musical excitement or alcohol and cannabis. They have a long hair and they wear jeans, spiked leather jacket and black T-shirt from their favorite music bands.

Posh

Originated from the acronym Port Out Starboard Home - based on the position of the more expensive cabins on a passenger ships from England to India. men and women wear different clothes such as tight trousers, tight stripped shirt and sweater. The women wear shirt, skirt and a lot of accessories.

Hippies

: a usually young person who rejects established social customs (such as by dressing in an unusual way or living in a commune) and who opposes violence and war; especially : a young person of this kind in the 1960s and 1970s They have long hair and use colorful clothes.

Punk

This urban tribe was born in the 70s in opposition of the culture decadence. They have big and colorful crests and a lot of piercings and tattoos. They wear spiked leather jacket, black T-shirts with a social slogan or symbols (anarchy, communist...).

https://sites.google.com/a/standreu.org/fashionpeople/urban-tribes/type-of-urban-tribes http://urbantribessocialnetworks.blogspot.com

Activity 2: Reading / Writing Read carefully the texts below and fill in the blank spaces with the appropriate word from the Word Bank.

Then, read again and compare your choices with your partners. (Pair Work)

Check the words in the Word Bank

. Text 1

.

Text 2

Word Bank

Pokemons: Chilean term for crazy people

Fashionable: Latest in fashion

Look: physical appearance

Labeled: People that received the name of.

Paddle: Tennis.

Primp: Show an excessive care of personal appearance.

Loose: Not tight clothes and extreme styles of young people.

Classy: People that belongs to high level classes.

Known: Recognized

Bent: Liking

My ideas about the texts

(1)._________ are commonly (2) __________ as strange individuals who like to wear (3) ________ clothing. In Chile, they are considered to be strange people who love showing a strange appearance such as (4) _____________ and flashy piercing. Besides, they have a clear (5) _________ for insinuative dances.

Posh are individuals (7) _________ as and (8) __________ guys. Because they pay a lot of attention to their (9) _________ and_______ to be well-dressed and neat. In the United States and England, they are often seen in luxurious clubs playing (10) ________ with expensive and recent clothing.

Text 1.

We think that/we consider that

Ex. (We think that rock singers are extravagant people

who love showing their eccentric attitudes when they

sing)

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

Text 2.

We believe that/we think that

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

Activity 3

Read the cartoons

What feelings do they transmit? What do you think about them?

_________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

Sources

http://spudcomics.com/2009/10/14/punk-panda/ http://www.toonpool.com/cartoons/Punk%20Poser_158591 http://www.animationoptions.com/photobphi/emo-love-cartoons-pictures http://www.georgiatoons.com/the-happy-hippie.html

Speaking task: Prepare a poster where you and your

group show 3 different urban cultures and the

advantages or disadvantages belonging to each one.

Assessment Rubric

To calculate the final grade, select the criteria descriptor, then add the value of each row corresponding each one of the criterion on the left of the table, and

then multiply the result by 5, and then divide it into 2.

Criteria Little Evident 1 Emerging 2 Expressing 3 Excelling 4 Outcomes

Content

Evidences little or no coherent understanding of the topic since ideas, vocabulary and details are by far weakly connected to the Urban Tribes topic.

Reveals certain topic identification which is demonstrated throughout vague and varied but no strongly connected ideas, vocabulary and details regarding Urban tribes.

Ideas, vocabulary and details are coherently connected with the majority of the tasks. Although some facts are forgotten and/or not mentioned.

Responses and participation in general reveals a deep understanding of the ideas, vocabulary and details, which clearly, coherently, and satisfactory provides pertinent and accurate information and opinions.

Use of terms

Uses and incorporates rather a few of the words regarding urban tribes presented in the text without having a full meaning of those words in mind.

Uses and incorporates a limited number of words regarding urban tribes; however, demonstrates certain adequate understanding.

Uses and incorporates a great number of the words related to urban tribes and expressions presented and utilized in the text.

Uses and incorporates the majority of the vocabulary presented in the text and demonstrates a deep understanding of the keywords related to urban tribes.

Integrations of

background knowledge

Applies little background information that is not closely related to the reading passage.

Applies pertinent background information but not or little explanation is provided.

Applies a great deal of background knowledge that efficiently supports the reading tasks.

Efficiently apply and relates background information and besides pertinent support and examples are given.

Main ideas identification

Throughout the reading activities, lack of understanding and completion is revealed.

Identifies and recognizes some of the main ideas in the different tasks,

Efficiently identifies, recognizes and express the majority the main ideas condensed in the text.

Throughout the reading activities, great and outs understanding and completion is revealed.

Team and individual

work

Little or no active and individual participation is demonstrated throughout the most of the class.

Active performance is scarcely evident as to reach the goals of the lesson, resulting in rather little participation

Good average of individual and active participation that contributes to the successful development of the lesson.

Displays an outstanding individual and team active participation that efficiently contributes to the development of the lesson and achievement of the goals.