the collaborative lesson plan project – fork handles
To paraphrase David Letterman, the teacher switch has no off position. Everything is fair game… newspapers, in-flight magazines, menus, tv commercials… all squirrelled away with the thought “Hmmmm, I can use that!”
I had just such a moment yesterday, meandering through youtube. But as I tucked it away, I had another thought… why not get other people to make something of this for me?
There are a number of great philanthropists out there giving us ready-formed and excellent lesson plans (props to strictly 4 my teacherz , Turklish Tefl , Breaking News English and Tefl Clips to name but four). But let’s say we are moving away from the knowledge transmission method to a more learner-centred model, web 2.0 of course, in which we all have a hand in what we create.
I have been thinking a lot recently about my Personal Learning Network, about the amount of time I spend on professional development, and about how much of that work has a direct effect on the things I do in the classroom. Maybe, just maybe, I think too much about the bigger picture. Perhaps, just perhaps, I should get back to basics. And it might be a good idea to get my PLN to work for me, more efficiently. So here is my plan. I give you a clip, you tell me what you would do with it, who you would use it with, what you would use it for, and if you have used it, how it went.
If other ELT bloggers would like to join in by posting their own ‘found’ raw materials and inviting collaboration, I think we can make something interesting. It needn’t be a video… snippets of text, pictures, whatever.
So, here is my first offering. I think it will be a familiar to any British readers… the Two Ronnies were an incredibly popular double act in the seventies and eighties, and Ronnie Barker (the big one who did more of the writing) was a huge fan of word play. In this skit, a shopkeeper is having trouble with his customer….
What do you think? Pick anything out of that?
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Hi Darren,
Interesting project and seemingly similar to something Jamie Keddie did on the SEETA How do You tube? course.
I think this clip obviously lends itself to raising awareness of liaison between consonant and vowel sound combination (and consonant-consonant combinations). Judicious use of the pause button, followed by a ‘what do you think he said?’ type question. And maybe ‘what do you think he (Ronnie C) thinks he (Ronnie B) said?’.
Great to show that even native speakers can be unsure of our wonderfully confusing language!
Mike
I guess I’m not the first, then. Actually, it sounded like the kind of thing Alex Case would think of.
It does seem to lend itself to presentation of pronunciation features. One thing that worries me is the vocabulary – some very specialised stuff which may get in the way. It is also interesting to note how different it looks on the page – when scripted some of the jokes are telegraphed, which leads me to think there might be some homophone activities there.
Oh, I agree. You’d definitely need to pre-teach some of the vocabulary – thinking hose, panty-hose, a hoe. Also agree that it could raise awareness of homophones. Also ellipsis (for example, when Ronnie C asks for a plug) due to assumed shared knowledge – just like when we say ‘Tea?’ as a question without saying ‘Would you like a cup of… ?’
Oh, it’s such a good sketch, laughed all over again watching it. I don’t think I could use this with my current group of learners though- language level waaay too high for beginners. I did however use a Yes Minister youtube clip (another Brit cult classic) the other week though with an advanced group for a one-off lesson on research skills- how to design a questionnaire. (I think it’s called Asking the Right Questions and it’s about bias/ leading questions. V funny sketch. Again, it’s for advanced learners). You can find it at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yhN1IDLQjo if you’re interested.
So true- I seem to spend huge amounts of time saving up bits and pieces just in case I can use them in class, so I think your collaborative project is a great opportunity for materials sharing on a global scale
Love the Yes Minister thing…. that really was a clever show. Got the dvd somewhere, too…. might try that.
I have a few more bits to share, I think I’ll keep plugging at this idea. I’m sure we can come up with some different ways of using materials with all the different perspectives.
Superb, what a good idea.
I’m currently wading through a mire of work hoping to get a TESOL Diploma at the end of it and can totally relate to Jennifer’s issue with spending too much time theorizing and perhaps not enough teaching.
I’m teaching in China at this time, so unfortunately can’t view the clip of the Two Ronnies, but immediately I recognize the skit.
In ESL class we frequently teach the shopkeeper/customer roleplay, so perhaps this could also be used for the higher level student to refresh that teaching and generate the important skill of compensation and mending communication after a breakdown. ie. my student goes into a shop and asks for a ‘snozzle’(invented noun thing) – ‘a snozzle?’ the shopkeeper replies, ‘you know, a snozzle. You use it for… it’s found in… it’s about this big.’
Thanks Tim. It’s a nice twist. And good luck with the Diploma!
…but who is Jennifer?
HAHA! Darren, apologies… at the top of the page I read an interview with Jennifer Jenkins… sorry mate.
;0)
I figured that…. If only I had her smarts….