By: Amy E. Lingenfelter English Language Fellow 2013-14

From the Text to the Best: Adapting and Expanding

Textbooks for Greater Cultural Relevance and Communicative Language Teaching

BY: A M Y E . L I N G E N F E LT E R

E N G L I S H L A N G UA G E F E L LO W 2 0 1 3 - 1 4

About Teaching:• “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t force him to drink” – Old English adage

• How does this adage apply to teaching?

• Why would a horse die of thirst?

About Teaching:• The wind blows the dandelions

throughout the field, and some seeds stick and grow into flowers. Other seeds do not.

• Note: one seed that sticks and grows into a flower is better than none at all!

About Teaching:

• “My students! That’s the only reason that I am working. I am working for them because I want them to improve. I want them to learn.”

– Recent GO TEACHER participant

• Could you add to and improve this statement?

About Teaching:• We don’t get pleasure from other

people’s pleasure IF we’re suffering while helping others. You make others happy when you’re happy.

• We must enjoy what we’re teaching and make it meaningful to both ourselves and to our students.

• If you TEACH FOR YOURSELF, FOR THE MOMENT AND THE JOY OF IT, the rest will follow!

• Remember: teaching is a 50/50 effort!

• Limited time• Limited resources• Lack of technology• Textbooks are “boring”• Curriculum is not relevant to

Ecuadorian students’ real, everyday lives

• Lack of respect from school administration and other forces “in charge”

Teaching/Classroom Challenges:

• Lack of respect from society, parents, even students

• Student behavior problems• Excessively large class sizes

that make Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) difficult

• It’s so easy to take the “easy way out!”

• How do we save time and money, and still deliver the best lessons possible?

Teaching/Classroom Challenges:

Cultural Bias: Which object doesn’t belong with the others?

Cultural Bias: Which is the “best” answer to the following question?Log:

CATEGORICAL/ABSTRACT/LOGICAL FOCUS (This doesn’t belong in the abstract category of “tools” as we categorize and define them in our culture and language)

Ax:

PHYSICAL MATERIALS FOCUS (This is the only object that doesn’t contain the material wood)

Saw:

EMOTIONAL FOCUS (Example: the person has a negative emotional memory of getting hurt by a saw as a child)

Hammer:

UTILITY/CONCRETE FOCUS (You can’t use this object with the other three; the other two objects can be used to cut the log; a hammer is useless especially without a nail)

Cultural Bias: Which is the “best” answer to the following question?

1. Tall is to short as:a. Orange is to blue

b. Black is to white c. Green is to white d. Neon yellow is to gray

Cultural Bias: Which is the “best” answer to the following question?

a. Orange is to blue: b. Black is to white:

c. Green is to white: d. Neon yellow is to gray:

Challenges with Some Textbooks:

• Culturally biased, too “gringo,” and topics are irrelevant to students’ real needs and lives in Ecuador

• Layout is overwhelming, poorly organized, and/or boring to the eye

• Not enough practice or independent activities

• Not student-centered• Not enough focus on oral

communication/conversation skills

Challenges with Some Textbooks:

• Too much emphasis on grammar, reading, and writing

• Not enough supporting visuals to contextualize what it’s teaching

Things to Consider when Using Materials Somebody Else Made:

• How can I make this more practical, meaningful, and relevant to my students’ actual, everyday lives in Ecuador? Can they relate?

• Who made these materials? Are they culturally biased?

• Do students have prior background knowledge (content/skills) to understand and complete these tasks successfully?


• Does it allow for pair/group work?• Does it maximize student speaking

time and “keep them talking?”• Does it involve and keep engaged the

maximum amount of students possible?

• Does it involve speaking and writing practice of grammar?

• “A picture tells 1000 words:” are there are enough supporting visuals?


• Does it give students a choice and some learning independence?

• IF there is cultural bias, can you also use that as an opportunity to teach about English-speaking CULTURES?

• For example, for Unit 2, pg. 18 “Your Daily Routine:” compare/contrast the North American breakfast with the typical Ecuadorian breakfast


• Use pre-made, or draw on the board, graphic organizers whenever you can

• For example:http://peopleleap.com/resources/documents/ > “Writing Skills/Assignments > “Comparing-Contrasting T-Chart Template”

• Gestures and body language also go a long way!

http://peopleleap.com/resources/documents/




Example of Compare/Contrast Graphic Organizer:

Item A Only (Differences)

Item B Only(Differences)

Both A and B(Similarities)

Typical American Breakfast

Typical Ecuadorian Breakfast

What Both Have in Common

• Cereal with milk and/or fruit

• Pancakes or Waffles

• Eggs• Bacon• Oatmeal with

milk• Bread with

butter• Juice• Coffee

• Rice• Chicken broth• Ham and

cheese sandwich

• Bread and butter

• Coffee• Juice• “Ponche”• Oats with milk

• Oats with milk• Juice• Coffee• Bread and

butter

COMPARING AND CONTRASTING TWO THINGSITEM A: ITEM B:

Content vs. Skills in English:

Content vs. Skills in English:CONTENT/KNOWLEDGE SKILLS

• THE INFORMATION YOU ARE TEACHING (KNOWLEDGE AND FACTS)

• The WHAT• DEFINING things and terms• Background knowledge of the

topic students are reading and writing about (e.g. “Mother Theresa”)________________________________

• Cultural knowledge and awareness of English-speaking countries

• Knowledge of English, including:o Grammar ruleso Meanings and correct uses

of vocabulary words, transition words, expressions, idioms, etc.

o Labeling the components of a paragraph or essay

o Different genres of readingo Knowledge of informal vs.

formal language

• THE ABILITIES, METHODS, APPROACHES, AND STRATEGIES YOU ARE TEACHING

• The HOW (to apply your knowledge)________________________________

• Writing skillso How to organize an

essay/paragrapho How to write an

introduction, paragraph, and conclusion

o How to write a topic and concluding sentence

o How to use vocabulary in context of a sentence

o How to apply the grammar rules in a sentence

o How and when to use informal and formal language in writing

• Listening skillso Note –takingo Understanding

pronunciation and intonation

Content vs. Skills in English:CONTENT/

KNOWLEDGESKILLS

• THE INFORMATION YOU ARE TEACHING (KNOWLEDGE AND FACTS)

• Teaching WHAT and DEFINING things

• Background knowledge of the topic students are reading and writing about (e.g. “Mother Theresa”)________________________________

• Knowledge of English, including:o History of English and

etymologyo Linguisticso Physical structure of

mouth/throat during pronunciation

o Definition of skimming and scanning

o Difference between academic/formal and casual/informal written and spoken language

• THE ABILITIES, METHODS, APPROACHES, AND STRATEGIES YOU ARE TEACHING

• Teaching HOW to DO something and APPLY your knowledge________________________________

• Reading skillso Skimming/Scanningo How to guess unknown

vocabulary in contexto Predicting and using

background knowledge• Speaking skills

o Group speaking strategieso Pronunciation and intonation

strategieso How to use words and

phrases in a conversation in the right context

o How and when to use formal and informal language in speaking

o How to speak politely

Example Lesson: “Postcards”Book 1B 2nd Edition, Unit 6, pg. 54

Grammar Focus: Teaching Simple Past• What’s missing from the blue “Grammar

Focus” box?• What may confuse students about the

“Practicing Grammar” section that wasn’t covered right before?

• Is there cultural bias in the photos on this page? (Think of your students)

• Are there enough visuals provided?• What should I write on the board or

“copy” that’s already in the book?

Example Lesson: “Postcards”Book 1B 2nd Edition, Unit 6, pg. 54

Grammar Focus: Teaching Simple Past• Are there enough opportunities for

students to work collaboratively and practice their communication (speaking and listening) skills?

• What do I need to pre-teach? What background knowledge do students need to understand this?

• What do I need to do to alleviate and clarify these issues?

Possible Ways to Supplement and Expand on the Activity:

• Adding pronoun and indirect object “it” to the box and giving several examples of what “it” represents (e.g. “days of the week) and provide example sentences

• Pre-teach “there is/are/was/were”• Pre-teach or do a vocabulary lesson on

professional roles/labels/titles• Pre-teach or do a vocabulary lesson on

personality adjectives

Possible Ways to Supplement and Expand on the Activity:

• Expand on people in pictures and recreate the activity using famous people in the past known to Ecuadorian students

• Make it more fun! Do a guessing game both with famous people and the students in the class

• Make the connection between present simple and past simple of “be” (current famous people and past who are now dead).

Example Mini-Lesson: “Personality Adjectives”

English Adjective

Spanish Translation

English Adjective

Spanish Translation

•Friendly•Talkative•Quiet/Calm•Shy/Timid•Realistic•Practical•Traditional•Decisive•Organized•Responsible

•Honest•Good-looking

•Logical•Compassionate

•Kind•Serious•Cautious•Brave

•Amigable/Amistoso

•Locuaz•Silencioso/Tranquilo

•Tímido•Realista•Practico•Tradicional•Decidida•Ordenado•Responsable•Honesto•Guapo/a•Lógico•Compasivo•Amable/Bondadoso

•Serio•Cauteloso/Cuidadoso

•Valiente

• Imaginative•Creative•Athletic•Adaptable•Disorganized•Go-with-the-flow

•Carefree• Intuitive•Funny•Sensitive•Hard-working

•Spontaneous• Intelligent/Smart

•Cooperative• Independent•Confident•Clumsy•Talented

• Imaginativo•Creativo•Atlético•Adaptable•Desordenada•Flexible•Despreocupado• Intuitivo•Cómico/Divertido

•Sensible•Diligente•Espontaneo• Inteligente•Cooperativo• Independiente• Confiado•Descuidada/Torpe

•Talentoso


English Adjective

Guess the Face/Drawing:

English Adjective

Guess the Face/Drawing:

•Friendly•Talkative•Quiet/Calm•Shy/Timid•Realistic•Practical•Traditional•Decisive•Organized•Responsible•Honest•Good-looking•Logical•Compassionate

•Kind•Serious•Cautious•Brave

• Imaginative•Creative•Athletic•Adaptable•Disorganized•Go-with-the-flow

•Carefree• Intuitive•Funny•Sensitive•Hard-working•Spontaneous• Intelligent/Smart

•Cooperative• Independent•Confident•Clumsy•Talented

Is it EVER OK to Translate?

• ANSWER: Usually not, unless there are no other alternatives and it would be extremely time-consuming to explain in English

• It should be used as a last resort after attempting other ways to explain it!

Alternatives:• Think about how you learned your first

language: contextualized!!• Contextualize a word or grammar point

and give it MEANING

• For example: To teach the word “compassionate” do the following to contextualize the word:• Give synonyms in English (kind,

tender, sympathetic, understanding)• Give antonyms (cruel, unkind,

heartless)• Use in a sentence/s• Give examples of what a person does

when they are being compassionate• Show pictures or photos!!


• Have students draw a picture• Teacher or students act out facial

expressions• Yes, there are times when it saves time,

but is the end result worth it? Will students retain the information?

• Age, level, educational attainment, and learning preferences are a factor (they can justify native language use at times)



BE AWARE OF FALSE COGNATES, for example:

• “Realize” vs. “realizar”• “Estoy embarazada” vs. “I’m embarrassed”• “Actualmente” vs. “Actually”

• Use graphic organizers for vocabulary• Website Resources: http

://peopleleap.com/resources/documents/ > Reading Skills/Vocabulary






Name: Period: Part/s of Speech Synonym Antonym

Definition/s: (Include part of speech and two complete definitions from the dictionary) 1)

2)

Use the word in 2 sentences:

1) 2)

Draw a Picture:

Word

Write the word seven times: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7)

Example Mini-Lesson: “Descriptive Personality Adjectives”

1. “I am (adjective) because I ________.”• Example: “I am cautious because I think before I do things.”

OR . . .

2. “(Person/name) is (adjective) because he/she _________.”• Example: “My mother is friendly

because she talks to everybody.”

Example Mini-Lesson: “Descriptive Personality Adjectives”

3. “My ideal (best friend / significant other) is (adjective) because ________.”

• Example: “My ideal husband is organized because I don’t like extra work in the house.”

Example Mini-Lesson: “Profession Nouns”

Profession/Job Profession/Job

Singer / Musician Newscaster

Bodybuilder President / Politician

Football/Soccer Player

Example Mini-Lesson: “Profession Nouns”

Profession/Job Profession/Job

Liberator/General Doctor

Artist Nun

Football/Soccer Player Actors

Example Mini-Lesson: “Professions”

1. “I want to be a (profession) when I grow up because I like ________.”• Example: “I want to be a doctor

because I like to help people.”

OR . . .

2. “(Person/name) wants to be a (profession) because he/she likes ________.”• Example: “My brother wants to be a

singer because he likes to sing.”

Famous People of Now: Guess Who?

PRESENT:1. This person is an talented singer.2. This person is a serious

bodybuilder.3. This person is an athletic soccer/

football player.4. This person is a talkative newscaster.5. This person is an intelligent

politician.6. This person is a good-looking

musician.

Famous People: Guess Who? Reviewing Simple Present of “Be”

PRESENT:• Juan Fernando Velasco• Alexandra Escobar• Antonio Valencia• Tania Tinoco• Rafeal Vicente Correa Delgado• Gerardo Morán

Example Mini-Lesson: “Professions”

Famous People of Past: Guess Who?

PAST:1. This person was a brave general.2. This person was a creative artist.3. These people were hardworking

football/soccer players.4. This person was an independent female

doctor.5. This person was a compassionate nun.6. This person was a funny actor. 7. These people weren’t imaginative artists.

Famous People: Guess Who? Reviewing Simple Past of “Be”

Example Mini-Lesson: Famous People

PAST:• Simón Bolívar• Oswaldo Guayasamin• Chucho Benitez• Matilde Hidalgo de Prócel• Mother Theresa• Ernesto Alban Gomez “Don Evaristo”

PAST:1. Simon Bolivar ______ a general.2. Simon Bolivar and his lover, Manuel

Saenz, ______ liberators for Latin America.

3. Mother Theresa ______ an artist.4. Antonio Valencia and Chucho Benitez

______ women.5. Matilde Hidalgo de Prócel ______ the

first female doctor in Ecuador.

Past Simple “Be:” Singular & Plural

Some suggestions:• You don’t have to “reinvent the wheel!”• Use resources that others have made• Make students create and copy the

images/graphic organizers themselves (the students should be doing most of the work!)

• Simply writing the language on the board, having students both write it first and then speak it second, saves preparation time

But There’s No Time, Technology, or Resources to Supplement!

• Use chart paper to create materials on the spot that can be re-used and copied

• Act things out, use gestures, body language, and contextualize, contextualize, contextualize!!!

• IF you have internet access, do Google searches, go to my website, or: http://educacion.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2013/03/docentes_ingles-1.pdf


http://educacion.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2013/03/docentes_ingles-1.pdf



• IF YOU HAVE NO TECHNOLOGY, use:• Journaling• Art/drawing Images (teachers and

students both)• Paper never hurt anybody!• Again: gestures, body language, facial

expressions, etc.!


• How do you group students, maximize speaking time, AND monitor all of them with a class of 40-plus students?

Some suggestions:• “Butterfly teacher” is key!• Random selections (e.g. name cards) so

students must constantly be “on toes.”• Mingling, pair, and group work can work!• Students must be responsible for writing

down everything that their classmates and teacher are saying- to be “on toes!”

Help: Too Many Students in My Class!

• For pair and group work: requires students to constantly talk

• Pairings: strategically pair strong students with weaker students who get along well for certain periods of time

• Groups of 3 or more: strategic grouping is key (mixture is good!)

• Give each student a role for which they must be held accountable.

• Website resources: http://peopleleap.com/resources/documents/ > Miscellaneous




Group Roles

The Leader: Starts and leads the discussion. Makes sure that all topics are being discussed. Makes sure that all ideas are being discussed in a logical manner. Summarizes the discussion to the rest of the class.

The Moderator / Negotiator: Makes sure that everybody gets a f air chance to speak. Makes sure that everybody understands what is being discussed and

that everybody is speaking clearly. Makes sure that all ideas are expressed in a polite and appropriate

manner.

The Timekeeper: Makes sure that the group discussion is moving along in a timely

f ashion. Makes sure that all topics are being discussed within a proper

amount of time.

The Recorder / Organizer: Writes down all important ideas that are being discussed. Makes sure that all important ideas are being discussed in an

organized way.


• Students write a paragraph describing themselves, their personalities, and what they want to be when they grow up using all previously learned: 1) simple past of “be,” 2) personality adjectives, 3) profession nouns.

• Give them a choice: they can also right about their ideal best friend or significant other using the same information.

• Always model an example of what you’re expecting from students.

• Sometimes, it also helps to model a “non-example” (the opposite of what you want).

Follow-Up Writing Summative Activity: Myself and My Classmates

For the paragraph, students must use at least:

• 5 personality adjectives• 2 profession nouns• At least 3 example of simple present

“be” form• At least 5 examples of past simple

“be” form in singular, plural, positive, and negative

• Students can imitate the structure of teacher’s model paragraph


I am a student at ABC High school. I want to be a soccer player when I grow up because I like to compete and move my body. I think being a soccer player is a good profession for me because I am very athletic and cooperative and play well in teams. However, sometimes I want to be a politician because I want to change my country. I think I would be a good politician because I am hard-working, friendly, logical, and confident. Although many real politicians are not compassionate, I will be one of the few!

When I was a child, I used to play in a soccer league with children who were older and stronger than I was. However, I was very brave, and I learned a lot from them because I wasn’t cautious. Our team won the championship that year.


In my first year of high school, I was the student leader of my class. There were also two other leaders and we worked together. We were all decisive and organized, so we made a lot of good changes in the school. This experience gave me skills to be a confident politician in my country, Ecuador, when I grow up.

I hope that my dream comes true someday. Now, can you guess who I am?


Born on 29th, August 1958, this talented person started his entertainment career as the lead singer of a famous group. The band was made up of his brothers who were all older than him, and was run by his father Joseph. The group did very well and the star of the band was undoubtedly this person at only eleven years of age!

He started singing solo two years later and pioneered the entry of African Americans into the world of pop music. Many different types of people around the world started following his creative music, which gave him instant success. His fans numbered in the millions even though he was just in his teens. Three of his albums which records. The Guinness World of Records listed him as the entertainer who was the most successful and imaginative.

A More Advanced Example:

During his career he won 13 Grammies with singles that remained on the music charts for a very long time. This person's fame and fortune caused him to be the focus of billions of people and also led to his being followed by the paparazzi, the press, and the media constantly.

Sadly, he was sensitive about his appearance and was not confident about his nose, which his friends used to tease him about as a teen. This made him get surgery for his nose. This surgery was the first of many that he did throughout his life. His reasons for doing this are a mystery because he was born quite good-looking. In spite of the cosmetic changes that he did make to himself, this person kept being considered the greatest entertainer in the world.


However, he was always shy and sometimes had a strange way of relating to people. His life took a sad turn when he was accused of child molestation. He was followed by the media who continued to obsess about the topic even though his innocence was proved. His image in public eyes was destroyed and even his devoted fans could not stop this damage to his reputation.

His unique dancing, singing, and songwriting skills have led to many entertainers copying him. This person was a philanthropist and his charities have helped millions worldwide. His death is a huge loss to the entertainment industry and the entire world. He will always be remembered and will be in the hearts of his fans, forever.

Who is he??


• After writing and editing their paragraphs, students switch them with a student.

• In groups of 4-5, each student reads the other’s “secret” paragraph to his/her group mates and the others must guess who in the class it is!


• ANY QUESTIONS? (There will be more to follow on this topic next time!)

• MY CONTACT INFO:• My Website: www.peopleleap.com

(go to “Resources > “Downloadable Documents, Learning Links, Reading Links, and Teacher Teacher Links!”)

• My email: [email protected]• My phone number: 022-268-849

THE END!

http://www.peopleleap.com/

mailto:[email protected]