2. Transforming a Typical ESL Textbook Into a Tool for Communication Banjarmasin Department of Education Kitty Purgason, Ph.D. Department of Applied Linguistics and TESOL, Cook School of Intercultural Studies, Biola University, California

3. Overview of the seminar 1. Introduction to the problem 2. Seven templates for turning ESL textbooks into communicative activities 3. Experience 4. Dealing with issues, Q & A

4. Introduction to the problem ESL textbooks: Teaching point, explanation, exercises Often mostly reading and writing Not enough speaking ESL classes: Busy teachers Mixed ability students Where is the real communication?

5. Solution: Seven Templates 1. Question cards: mingle and switch 2. Question cards: double line (or circle) 3. Group discussion squares 4. Drill 5. Information gap 6. Chart 7. Student-made “people playing cards”

6. Experience 1. Food Language: food-related vocabulary, some/any, describing a sequence, simple present 2. Headway Beginner, Unit 6 Language: daily activities, simple present

7. Question cards: mingle and switch Each person has a card. Turn to someone near you and ask them the question on your card. After they answer, it’s their turn to ask you. Now switch cards. Find someone new to talk to. Ask your new question.

8. Question cards: mingle and switch Variations: Walk around the room vs stay in one place. Answer the question on the card yourself. Hold on to the same card.

9. Question cards: double line Row 1: turn around to face the row behind you. Row 2: stay facing forward. Odd numbered rows: turn around Even numbered rows: face forward You should look like this: ∨∨∨∨∨∨∨∨∨∨ ∧∧∧∧∧∧∧∧∧∧ ∨∨∨∨∨∨∨∨∨∨ ∧∧∧∧∧∧∧∧∧∧

10. Question cards: double line People in even-numbered rows have a question card. Read it to your partner opposite you. Partner, answer it. ∨ ∧ How do you make a cup of tea? First, you boil water…

11. Question cards: double line People in even-numbered rows with cards (facing forwards): When you hear the time signal, give your card to the person on your right. Person at the end: give your card to the runner who will take it to the other side. ∧  ∧  ∧  ∧  ∧  ∧  ∧  ∧

12. Question cards: double line When you hear the double-time signal, give your card to the person in front of you. Now you can switch roles for asking and answering.

13. Question cards: double line Variations & Issues Inner circle and outer circle: one stays in place and the other moves How much time to allow before signaling it’s time to move?

14. Group Discussion Squares Work in groups of 4 x x x x x

15. Group Discussion Squares Fold a piece of paper into quarters. Write your name in one quarter. Write the names of the other people in your group in the other quarters. name

16. Group Discussion Squares Think of a meal which had special significance to you and prepare to tell your group about it. In your square, you can write three or four words to help you remember what to say. After you listen to your group members, be prepared to tell the whole class what you heard. You may write no more than four words for each person to help you remember what to say. Ari baby relatives feast

17. Group Discussion Squares Make the sure the question is a good one for your students: Interest Proficiency Why use the squares? Why write cues? Why not allow more writing? Why have a “report” phase? Ari baby relatives feast

18. Drills Jimmy wants to make spaghetti but when he looks in the kitchen, he doesn’t have many ingredients. We don’t have any _________

19. Drills Can we make chicken curry instead? Do we have any ______?

20. Drills We can’t make curry either! What do we have? We have some _________. What shall we make?

21. Drills 1. Make them cohesive. Create a “story.” 2. Make them personal and local. 3. Use visual cues. Mine were from the DK images gallery at Longmanusahome.com 4. Have 6-8 items per sentence pattern.

22. Information Gap Work in pairs. A is at the market. B is at home. Don’t show your handouts to each other. Just ask and answer questions.

23. Information Gap Comments: Requires more teacher planning and preparation. Usually requires photocopying, but you can try having students write their own forms by means of a dictation or copying from the board. (Just save the forms for another week’s class.)

24. Charts Take out a piece of paper and copy this: Turn to people nearby and ask them “Do you like pizza?” etc. Write their name and answer on your chart.

25. Charts Comments: Requires no teacher preparation or photocopies. Very versatile. Usually requires photocopying, but you can try having students write their own forms by means of a dictation or copying from the board. (Just save the forms for another week’s class.)

26. People Playing Cards Ask your students to help you make packs of these cards by cutting out pictures of people from magazines and pasting them on playing cards. Thanks to Katherine FitzSimons and colleagues in Ukraine

27. People Playing Cards The cards can be used for many activities and games, using many teaching points.

28. People Playing Cards Students in groups of 4. Each group gets 12-24 cards, depending on time. Each student picks a card and makes a sentence about that person, following the pattern. He/she likes ____ because ____. He/she never/sometimes/always eats ______. When he/she comes to dinner I will serve _____. Do several rounds with different patterns.

29. One more experience: simple present to describe everyday activities 1. Drill 2. Information gap 3. Chart 4. Question cards 5. Personal question squares 6. People playing cards

30. Simple present to describe everyday activities: drill Alma is a nurse. She has a strange schedule. She _________ late. Remember: verb+s 

31. Simple present to describe everyday activities: drill Let’s talk about her schedule another way. She doesn’t _________ early. 

32. Simple present to describe everyday activities: information gap You are trying to arrange rides for friends. You want to find out their schedule to see if they can travel together. You and your partner know different information. Ask and answer questions to fill in the gaps. Talk—don’t show your papers to each other. Example: A: What time does Arti go to work? B: 1:00 pm. What time does she go to class? A: 10:00 am.

33. Simple present to describe everyday activities: charts Take out a piece of paper and copy this: Turn to people nearby and ask them “What time do you get up?” etc. Write their name and answer on your chart.

34. Simple present to describe everyday activities: question cards

35. Simple present to describe everyday activities: personal question squares What is something you rarely do? What is something you often do? If you can, talk about why.

36. Simple present to describe everyday activities: people playing cards Talk about work: He/she usually __________. Talk about home: He/she often _________. Talk about transportation: He/she takes the ______. drives a _______.

37. Dealing with Issues, Questions and Answers 1. “My students aren’t used to these kinds of activities in class.” 2. “How will I find time to prepare these?” 3. “How should I sequence these in my class?” 4. Your turn…

38. kitty.purgason@biola.edu http://tesolresourcesfromkittyindonesia.pbworks.com