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Nadejda Rahmanova
Uzbekistan,Namangan
September22-November3
Contents
I- introduction
a) Personal information
b) Reflections/impressions
c) Photo collage
II- 5 Lesson plans
III-5 Strategies and strategies of
other TEA participants
IV- Research mini proposal
V - Miscellaneous
Personal information
Hello , my name is Nadejda Rahmanova. One man once said: “What will others say about you
if you cannot tell yourself about yourself?”
Well, I’m an English teacher from Namangan, Uzbekistan. I was born on January 2, 1982. I’ve been
teaching English for almost 6 years and I really enjoy it. I have a 7-year-old son, Leonid, and I have
been patiently waiting for him to start going to school and be ready for me to leave him for almost two
months. I’m glad that he understands my wish to gain more experience and see the USA! As for my
work- I teach English to 9-12 grades at regional Academic Lyceum Dustlik in Namangan. I am a
secretary of NamUzTEA branch (Uzbekistan teachers of English Association) and a constant participant
at its annual conferences at the capital, as well as Forum conferences held in spring. I also have
participated at several workshops lead by PCVs and other specialists from the USA. Three times I
participated in republican the best English teacher of the year competition as a regional winner. I’m
always open to something new and interesting, anything that might be useful at my work or worth
teaching to my students. I like challenges and eager to expand my experience. That’s why I try to take
part in any course available. Thus I successfully completed two on-line courses two years ago:
- iEARN Distant learning course
- Business English international on-line course
At my lyceum I’m responsible for developing and improving curriculum, conducting workshops for other
English teachers, sharing news and information got from UzTEA and conferences, teaching gifted
students to prepare them for regional and national Olympiads in English, Resource center and I’m also
engaged into the staff aware of integrating computer/ internet into the lessons. All these require lots of
knowledge and skills and experience, but I do feel some lack of it. That causes me to constantly work on
myself and achieve higher levels at teaching and learning English as well .I want to get Master’s Degree
and be able to teach students at Universities to make the future generation of my country better and
more intelligent and eager to build a wonderful country-Uzbekistan.
I’m interested in lots of things: chess, hiking, table tennis, foreign languages (Uzbek, French, English,
German), internet searching, psychology, horoscopes, reading (Russian literature, philosophic stories,
books by O’Henry and H.L.Borhes, novels about love and life), and of course-making up my own
poems in Russian(some of you already know that I’ve recently published a book of my verse called Luch
Nadejdi- a Beam of Hope).
I’m very happy to be a part of this great program-TEA, and of this great team from 11 countries.
These are the pictures of my native city
Namangan and my lyceum where I work, Pictures from fieldtrips to Washington, Baltimore,
and also a picture of mine in a national dress. Philadelphia, Mount Vernon
Pictures with GMU and JEB Stuart High School teachers
Dr Steely ,IREX and other The BEST Head of ESOL department
TEA participants I’ve eve met-Ruth DeJong and my
wonderful mentor teacher Susan Parker
Dr Woody(Leadership)
Intensive technology training MrGeorge Flowers
experts- Abel, Sumanth, Mohan (WATESOL Conference)
My reflections and impressions of TEA program, GMU and JEB Stuart High
School
George Mason University is great!!!!Our As for the school we go to -nine of us were
teachers there- Dr Steely and Dr Shahrokhy are so arranged to go to JEB Stuart High School at Falls
experienced, kind and helpful!!! They provided us Church -it is also something unexpectedly great
with laptops(one for each room at the hotel-so that for me: each our day there is so well planned by
we could do our assignments and write letters and Ruth De Jong (the head of ESOL Department at that
reports in the evenings and on Sundays when we school)- we visited the meeting of community
have our days off).I really like the program which teachers on assessment system, we had a college
they give to us: twice a week we go to school, twice career development meeting, we trained at PLATO
a week we have computer-technology classes lab to get acquainted to the new electronic system
and three times a week we have of teaching reading skills, we have an opportunity
lectures/trainings/workshops at GMU, once a week to observe 5-10 different lessons a day of different
we have special guest-lectures, and on Saturdays teachers of ESOL department(not only those of our
we have extra curriculum activities-field-trips mentor-teachers ),we also enjoyed the pap rally at
(October 4- we went to WATESOL Conference in school on Friday, we visited a typical American
Annandale, October 11- Baltimore and Annapolis house of one of the mentors, we got information
(we were at dolphin show and inner harbor-they about Special Education and AVID, how to use OHP
were incredible!!!), October 16- Philadelphia, and Smart Board…And our mentors give us so
October 18 -to the Smithsonian, October 25- to many materials on lesson plans and strategies,
Mount Vernon!!!)-the organizers of the program handouts, assessment system at school, WIDA info,
really make our staying here sufficient, enjoyable and many others. All the teachers at ESOL are so
and unforgettable. The topics and the lectures they kind and helpful and ready to share everything
choose are so interesting, new and indispensable they know and do, they are wonderful! My mentor
at our future work as teachers that I can’t stop teacher, Susan Parker, taught me a lot how to teach
admiring all the things and knowledge and literature in English and helped me so much to
experience I earn every day. prepare and conduct my lessons in her classes
Our computer training also is something with American students. Those lessons are
incredible: the trainers (Sumanth, Abel, Mohan) unforgettable experience of once being a part of
explain Microsoft programs in such a way that I can this big system of education in this big country of
make wonderful things on computer myself when great opportunities. I really love to be TEA
just shown once!!! As if I’ve always had that participant and I’m so proud to be allowed to show
knowledge and skills. Now I can create documents what I know and what I learned here.
in Word, Power Point, Excel, my web-page and all
that I managed to learn for only 3-4 weeks! They
are magicians!!! And I was able to make this
portfolio myself after all!!
Lesson plans
Lesson#1 Activities –
PLANNING PHASE Four skills: listening and reading-
Topic: Adverbs and proverbs Teacher reads out examples and students must find appropriate
Identify Performance Objectives proverb from their lists
1. students will recall and remember better and know Speaking –students in groups try to come up with one situation
on any chosen proverb(preferably from their own experience)
how properly to use English adverbs and then share it with the class
2. students will work with proverbs and will try to
remember most of them Practice
3. students will develop their speaking and reading skills 1.paper on the overhead projector with incomplete proverbs(
Lesson Outline some have the beginning but not the ending,others have only
Content-90 minute-lesson the end but not the beginning).Students in groups discuss and
complete the proverbs and the teacher writes down the answers
National/State/Local Standards on that paper.
TEACHING PHASE 2.in pairs (the lists of proverbs are put aside so that the
Preparation students cannot cheat)- students try to recall as many proverbs
and write them down as they can:1)containing “all/well/man/any
Warm-up activity- adverbs”,2)names of animals/numerals/it/adverbs”,3)having the
Various adverbs are written on the big poster which is comparative degree/consisting of two rhyming parts/including
placed on the wall. Students in teams try to group those repetition /adverbs. Share the results to the whole class
adverbs by underlying each with a definite color (
adverbs of manner/ time/ frequency, etc.) Evaluation
1.for participating in each activity students are given
Prior knowledge reward-cards-points-which are counted by the end of the lesson
and added to their mark
Miming adverbs: each student is given an adverb(on a 2.reading,speaking and writing skills are evaluated
piece of paper) and in turns students act in according
with that adverb. The class tells the student at the - Other Activities:
blackboard to write something/to go to the door/open the - Follow-up
book, anything, and the student does it in appropriate if we have extra time-students will write equivalents to the
way(slowly, angrily, etc.) English proverbs in their native languages
Language Goals : Homework assignments - choose one of the following:
Illustrate 3 favourite proverbs from the lesson
vocabulary- more adverbs, new words from proverbs
Compose a short dialogue containing at least 5 idioms or
structure- recognise adverbs by their placement in proverbs
proverbs Recall your personal experience and write a short situation on
communicative language-integrated skills, group and one of the proverbs
pair activities Use of technology- overhead projector
Presentation Materials used-
Students(3-5 volunteers) at the blackboard tell in Posters with adverbs,paper with incomplete proverbs,list of
turns any proverbs or idioms in English they know proverbs,reward cards
Students (the whole class)study the list of proverbs
and idioms (10-20 proverbs with explanations or
examples)
Lesson#2 lesson plan#3
PLANNING PHASE
Identify Performance Objectives Intern: Rahmanova Nadejda Grade Level: esol
1.develop critical thinking of the students level 1C
2.check students’reading skills
3.enforce speaking skills through discussion
Lesson Outline Title: Time management Date: 29 october
Content 2008
1-bell work
2- prior knowledge and personal experience
3-reading the text in turns Objectives
4 – discussion
5- working on vocabulary and literature terms Introduce fables to the students
6-post-reading activities: writing a paragraph “how do I use my time?” Develop speaking skills
National/State/Local Standards Develop writing skills
TEACHING PHASE Lead students to be able to manage their time and reach their goals
Preparation
Warm-up activity-bell work on inventors and inventions(match and make up Materials for Learning Activities
sentences) Journal Forum(volume 20), white board and markers
Prior knowledge Procedures for Learning Activities
Ask questions:
How do you think those people lived? What was their usual day like?
Discussion:
What is yours? What is a fable ? Do they know any examples? What are important
Do you have any dreams or goals to reach? things in life? Do they have any dreams or goals? Do they know
Language Goals (vocabulary: manage, audience, priority, suspicious) how to make it come true? Will they have enough time for that?
(structure –word order in sentences) What is “time management”?
Presentation New vocabulary: fable/audience/crowd/pebbles/suspicious(not
Activities – trusting,hesitating)/priorities(sth that needs
Four skills: speaking, reading, writing attention,consideration,service before others)/achieve(ment) (to
Practice gain as the result of action, to finish successfully)
1.reading the text Read the text, Fable#1 The Rocks, out in turns. I’ll draw the
2.discussing the suggested theme illustration on the whiteboard meantime. Discussion while reading.
3.writing a paragraph
Evaluation
Discussion : what does it demonstrate?
1. correct sentences in bell work-2 cards Discuss the moral: why did I give that story to them?
2. correct reading(pronunciation and intonation) – 2 reward cards Write a short paragraph “how do I use my time? What is the most
3. at least 2-3 phrases incorporated into discussion-1 card important for me now?”
4. well-written paragraph- 3 cards( for writing-1 card) Assessment:
Expansion/Extension
1. write 5 most important things in your life now
Grades for participation in discussion and for the written paragraph.
Methods/Approaches/Strategies Differentiation
Prediction and appeal to personal experience, visualization(by drawing on the No group or pair work, active participation from everyone is required
whiteboard), making inferences(of unfamiliar words or notions), summarizing. both in discussion and writing tasks
Other Activities:
Homework:
Homework assignments: write an essay/a paragraph on how you see
your life in 10 years. Write an essay/a paragraph on “how I see my life in ten years?”
Materials used-whiteboard, a fable from Forum-2002,a sheet with Reflection
pictures for bell work.
( to be attached later)
Lesson#4 Lesson plan#5
PLANNING PHASE
Intern: Rahmanova Nadejda Grade Level: esol level 2
Identify Performance Objectives
1. The students will get to know with the famous American writer Edgar Allan Title: Famous people of Uzbekistan and their input into the world science and
Poe2. Improve reading skills(skimming, pronunciation, intonation, working on literature Date: 10/17/2008
vocabulary and elements of literature)3) Develop speaking skills through I. Objectives
discussion4) Halloween’s coming discussion -to introduce famous people of my country to American students
5) experience the work of their heart through authentic video (from my camera) -develop students’ reading skills (scanning and skimming)
Topic of the lesson: The Tell-Tale Heart -develop students’ speaking skills
Contents:
-encourage group work
Before-reading activities:
II. Materials for Learning Activities
Questions: what do you think small children are most afraid of?(the dark/large
strange animals/sudden loud noises/things they do not understand?) Are older A grid to fill in the facts, texts about famous people(see attached)
people afraid of the same things? Do most people talk easily about their fears? III. Procedures for Learning Activities
How are they going to frighten somebody tonight(at Halloween)? Why will they do 1 - introduction( about Uzbekistan)
this and why they won’t? Engage previous knowledge
Skimming and vocabulary: (p.40 #4)-take 60 seconds to skim the text(quickly read Model the group activity
the first 2/3 sentences of each paragraph). Look at the three groups of words
provided and decide which group fits the general idea you got from skimming the jigsaw group activities( groups A/B/C working accordingly with texts about
story – A,B, or C? Mirzo Ulugbek/Alisher Navoi/Al-Khorazmiy; groups A+B+C,A+B+C,A+B+C):
Show them the video I took in Philadelphia Franklin Institute inside the artificial scan the text, look for the necessary information, fill in the lines in the grid,
heart share within the group, exchange groups and share the information to
Reading activities- complete the grid; present the information on each person
I read paragraphs aloud(1-3 parag.) IV. Assessment
Students start reading in turns My own reward cards: for active participation and being the first/correct with
Post reading activities: every task a student gets a reward card.at the end of the lesson depending on
In written-Tests A on pp48-49(understanding the main ideas- cause and effect),peer how many cards students have they get their grades.
checking ,oral checking V. Differentiation
Discussion C: 1-the old man was dead but theyoung man believed that he could The first three groups were spread according to the seats(1/2/3rd rows),the
hear the old man’s heart beating. Why? 2- what do you think will happen to the man second group division was done in jigsaw manner(see above)
after the police take him away? 3- do you enjoy horror stories or movies? Why? VI. Reflection
Home work : write a Police Report following the instructions in the handouts At first some students were reluctant to do anything for the unfamiliar teacher,
TEACHING PHASE but gradually they got interested in the topic and the procedure and the
Preparation Warm-up activity-discussions and the video assessment system I used and as the result, the lesson appeared to be good
Presentation Activities : and all the objectives to be reached. I also got positive feedback from the
Four skills: listening-parts #1 and 2 of the lesson, speaking –parts #1 and 3 of the students.
lesson, reading – part #2 of the lesson, writing- parts # 3 and 4 of the lesson
Practice 1.reading2.discussion3.post reading activities Names Dat Field of Publishe Great
Evaluation 1. Tests A 2. Police report es study d works achievements
Expansion/Extension
1. Other post reading activities provided in the book(pp 49-52) Alisher
Methods/Approaches/Strategies: Navoi
Using authentic materials, communicative approach, reading strategies
Use of technology digital camera of mine Mirzo
Materials used- American short stories book with the story of E.A.Poe”The Tell-Tale Ulugbek
Heart”
AlKhoraz
miy
Strategies
strategy#1 Strategy#2
Name of method or strategy: Name of method or strategy:
Bell work Word wall
When is this method or strategy useful? When is this method or strategy useful?
At the beginning of each lesson In learning new vocabulary
Why or how is this method or strategy useful?
Why or how is this method or strategy useful? In a formal vocabulary program throughout the year
It helps to draw students’ attention to the lesson What are the steps involved in using this strategy or
immediately after the bell,helps students to shift onto
the English language smoothly and without method?
delay,helps to get students ready for the main Words need to be posted on a wall to help students
objectives of the lesson remember them and to remind teacher and students to
use them throughout the year.
What are the steps involved in using this strategy or
method? Words can be put in alphabetical columns or posted in
Before the lesson begins the teacher distributes groups as they were learned. Teacher or students can
appropriate handouts for the bellwork so that as soon be charge of adding the words.
as students come they will begin doing the tasks. When would this method or strategy be useful in your
Tasks may vary: either they will touch grammar
exercise or vocabulary, or the topic of the previous setting?
lesson. Usually it should be not a difficult and boring Each week a chapter from the vocabulary book is posted.
one. Periodically lists can be reviewed and students can be
assigned to use appropriate words in their speaking or
When would this method or strategy be useful in writing.
your setting?
Now I’ll try to use it every time.All I’ll have to do is to What would you like other teachers in your school to know
adapt proper tasks for my students. about this method or strategy?
It is extremely easy and requires no special materials. The
What would you like other teachers in your school to words or lists must be neat and large enough to read
know about this method or strategy? from a distance. It helps the teacher to remember to
It is the best alternative for the usual ”good use the words as often as possible and keeps them in
morning/sit down” beginning of the lesson in most front of the students so they can really become part of
ex-soviet countries.
their vocabulary. If they are in groups it helps students
associate the words with topics.
Strategy3# strategy#4
#1-Corners
Name of method or strategy: Process:pose a question that has multiple answers or ask
Scanning/selective attention students to rank order several options.Give students time to
When is this method or strategy useful? consider their own thinking about the topic, they move to a
When working with texts or any information
(reading,writing,listening) corner of the room which has been designated as the meeting
Why or how is this method or strategy useful? place of all those holding the same opinion.they discuss then
It helps to focus on specific content information or report out for their corner.
vocabulary as students read/listen or write. Sample topics: which professions are most id demand now?/
It develops reading skills, helps to memorize the which character in the book would you most like to meet?/name
information or the vocabulary. four inventions, which is most significant and why?/name four
It’s good for follow-on activities ( filling in grids, historical figures-who changed the world the most and why?
discussion, comparing)
#2-Frame of reference
What are the steps involved in using this strategy or
method? Purpose-these initial notations help students surface prior
Distribute the texts among students (either pair/group work knowledge or related experiences. Process –the topic to be
or individually)or turn on the tape in the recorder(actually it discussed is placed in the center of the matted frame( like
should follow the explanations) and give them the points darts). In five minutes students brainstorm about the topic-on
to be focused on. For example, if it is the text on famous
people-students will have to fill in the grid of different facts the mat area of the frame.then they write who or what
about them, and thus while reading students should look influenced their thinking and jot it down in the frame area of the
for those facts in their texts and jot down that information graphic.students share frame of references with a partner or
(either into the grids or into their notebooks). groups.
As a follow-on activity teacher may use discussion/sharing
the information, or group activities to complete the Variations: historical person in the center,and around-their lives
grid(jigsaw activity when each group had different /events/people. Or the same about students themselves.
information to look for and then to share with other #3-Graffiti
groups)
When would this method or strategy be useful in your Process –write problems,formulas,sentences to be translated ,
setting? ideas to brainstorm on pieces of large chart paper and post
When working with texts or tapes, group work around the room. Students move in small groups from chart to
What would you like other teachers in your school to know chart.each group works on a different question/topic and writes
about this method or strategy? It really enables students to responses/graffiti which can be short words,phrases,graphics
look for the necessary information themselves and be able on their chart paper.exchange the charts until all the charts are
to share it with their friends later, thus it also provides
developing speaking skills sometimes. completed. Discuss.
Variation: at the beginning students may find out what they
already know and can do; in the middle it is a useful way to
check on their learning. At the end students may predict what
will be on the exam.
Strategy#5 Strategies of other TEA participants
Name of method or strategy: #1(Marina’s)
using overhead projector with pictures/sentences and Name of method or strategy:
blanks to fill in with markers Project work
When is this method or strategy useful? When is this method or strategy useful?
As a warm-up activity,as a presentational or practice part It is useful as a way to revise and consolidate the material.
of the lesson
Why or how is this method or strategy useful? Why or how is this method or strategy useful?
To teach beginner level students,to develop speaking skills It is so because it is tended to develop listening, speaking,
and critical thinking,to reinforce vocabulary,to drill reading. The students are given enough time to be prepared.
spelling,for spatial and linguistic intelligent Moreover, this method is to contribute to the students’
students,requires little preparational time and saves time collaboration, group working. Also it helps them to work with
on learning process(instead of writing the same on the references, develops the ability drive to conclusions and makes
board) the decisions within a group. What are the steps involved in
What are the steps involved in using this strategy or using this strategy or method?
method? The teacher is to arrange the plan of the future project in
(there are lots of possibilities to use the projector-this is advance and to inform the students. The tasks are up to the
only one of many) teacher, but he/she should aim the student at them. For
Choose a transparent according to the theme or topic of example, to use active vocabulary, cover this or that topic. After
the lesson(eg. Furniture/nouns/verbs) the presentation the listeners are to comment on the
Put it on the glass of the projector presentation from different aspects – manner of presentation,
Ask students to name the object and you write the word usage of vocabulary, sequences of speeches, emotional
below the picture. environment an so on.
When would this method or strategy be useful in your
Ask students to suggest verbs(as many as possible) to
apply to the objects in the picture,and again write down setting?
those verbs near the objects. In the end of the unit. But it also helpful in the middle of the unit
Sometimes ask students to spell the words/drill the correct if the teacher is aimed at consolidation and revision of a definite
pronunciation/write a sentence with the object and the verb set of the material.
in the picture into their note-books. What would you like other teachers in your school to know
When would this method or strategy be useful in your about this method or strategy?
setting? It is very helpful to develop students’ independence in
Whenever it is possible for me to use a projector, to have communication, be able to express negative and positive views.
appropriate transparent, mostly when I need to work with But developing these abilities requires patience of the teacher
the vocabulary. and her/ his ability to manage the process.
What would you like other teachers in your school to know
about this method or strategy?
All that usefulness described above!!!
continued
#2(Rusudan’s) #3Name the method or strategy
Name of method or strategy: Video viewing
Dividing a group into 3 different working groups: (1) Small
group; (2) Independent group; (3) Computer. 2. When is this method or strategy useful?
It is useful if you have a short video on any topic in the
When is this method or strategy useful? curriculum.
While conducting a reading lesson. 3 Why or how is this method or strategy useful?
This method catches the interest of the children.It
Why or how is this method or strategy useful? gives variation to a regular class. It develops children’s viewing
It engages all students throughout a reading lesson. It is and hearing abilities.They also need to be alert as they have to
often difficult to get the attention of all the students during take down points.
a reading lesson. So, this strategy helps a teacher to
engage all the students in different group activities during 4.What are the steps involved in using this strategy or
the lesson. method?
The teacher gives a summary of the topic to be viewed.He
What are the steps involved in using this strategy or asks children to take down the main points as they view.The
method? teacher discusses the film and the children take down what
A teacher makes a list of the students already divided into they have missed.
3 different groups (A, B, C). These groups are then divided 5.When would this method or strategy be useful in your
by the working group activities: small group, independent setting?
group, computer group. At the same time, each group is It would be useful for any topic if the teacher is able to get a
assigned a different group activity. short film,no more than 20 to 30 minutes.The children can then
be given a worksheet where they put down the information they
When would this method or strategy be useful in your have collected.
setting?
It will be really a useful tool while teaching reading. 6.What would you like other teachers in your school to
know about this method or strategy?
This method would would generate a lot of interest and vary
What would you like other teachers in your school to know
about this method or strategy? a regural classroom teaching.But if overused,it could become
boring and probably put children to sleep.
I will introduce this strategy, and they will be able to use it
during a reading lesson.
continued
#5(Lyudmila’s)
Strategies for Teaching Writing
Explain to students that writing is a process. Students should not expect to sit
#4(Marina’s) down and 30 minutes later have a finished product. All Write can serve as a
Name of method or strategy: handbook with good information about the writing process.
Foldable It may be helpful to the students to begin the writing process as a class or in
small groups. Begin the writing project by showing students examples of the
form of writing the students need to produce. Another option might be to begin
When is this method or strategy useful?
prewriting in groups.
Teachers use foldable to enhance the study of words in their Have students explore where, when and how they write. For example, some
classroom. After learners have been introduced to a concept, students might prefer to write in a quiet library after school, while others might
the teacher facilitates the construction and application of this do most of their writing in their room at home with music playing. Some
three-dimensional organizer. As with all strategies, the creation students prefer to write by hand, others on a computer. As students discuss
process must be modeled . their writing preferences, they can begin to take ownership of their personal
Why or how is this method or strategy useful? writing process. You can use this activity as a class or group discussion or
Learners retain more concepts due to the process of creation with the Sample Writing Anticipation Guide.
and manipulation It might be useful to have writing groups for, where each student reads his or
Learners enjoy working with new words and concepts her writing out loud to the other members of the group and solicits feedback.
Alternately, students in writing groups can each be assigned a role in which
they look at specific aspects of the piece, such as topic sentences, verb usage,
What are the steps involved in using this strategy or or transitions.
method?
Try to incorporate vocabulary into writing as well as other units. Students
could write a paragraph using a word bank of new vocabulary words, or to
Learners use foldables to create tangible containers for their practice word families or different forms of words from the same root. Students
new words in a useable and hands-on format. Of course, the could write a nonfiction piece or a fictional story. Students could work alone or
strategy does not end with the construction. The foldable must in groups. You could also use this kind of writing as a tool for assessing
be used in some format to show application. Learners created vocabulary. Additionally, simple writing projects could provide opportunity for
the Matchbook by laying multiple sheets on top of one another practice at peer response. You will find more tips on incorporating vocabulary
at staggered lengths and folding over. This strategy enables into writing in Nonfiction Craft Lessons, pages 96 and 97.
what appears to be a single sheet of paper to contain layers of Have the students begin the writing process by prewriting. The following chart
information about words. Learners can organize words into lists some prewriting methods, as well as resources where you can find more
different parts or even write details information on a specific information, if available. Inspiration and Think Sheets are two software
word. programs that many schools have that are great tools for prewriting. Check
with your school about accessing these programs. Pages 19-32 (1998 edition)
or 36-50 (2003 edition) of All Write are dedicated to various prewriting
techniques.
When would this method or strategy be useful in your
setting? Sample Peer Response Sheet 1
It can be used not only esl classes you can use at any subject Author name _________Essay title_____________________
when you want your students have useful guide in their hand Responder name _________ Assignment____________________
What would you like other teachers in your school to know Directions: Read the essay you have been given before completing this
about this method or strategy? sheet. This peer response is worth 10 points. You will receive points for
This is strategy which really motivates your students to learn complete answers. Remember that your job is not to correct mistakes or to
new information write the essay for the author. Your only job is to give the author an outsider’s
perspective on his/her paper. If you cannot understand something well enough
to summarize it here, then let the author know!
continued
Part I: Complete the following checklist: #6
Does the essay have Name the method or strategy:
_____ an introductory paragraph? _____ the required number of Self-presentation
paragraphs?_____ a concluding paragraph? _____ the required
length? ____ an interesting title? _____ one inch margins? When is this method or strategy useful?
_____ 12 point Times New Roman type? (this peer response form is written in
12 points Times New Roman with one-inch margins)
When you get to know with a new group of students, at the
_____ a header with the author’s name, class period and the date?
beginning of school year or school term.
Part II: Introduction. Answer the following questions completely.
Does the introductory paragraph have a thesis statement? Underline the thesis
statement in blue on the author’s paper.
Why or how is this method or strategy useful?
Is the thesis statement well written (in other words, is it neither too general nor It gives you an opportunity to know about your students as
too specific, and does it give you a hint about the essay)? Tell why or why not. much as possible in a very short time and organize friendly
relationships inside the group
Does the introduction contain background information that prepares the reader
for the thesis statement? Underline the background information on the author’s
paper in green. What are the steps involved in using this strategy or method?
Does the introduction grab your attention? Tell why it does or does not here.
Sample Peer Response Sheet, continued At the beginning you give your kids small separate sheets of
Part III: Body. Answer the following questions completely. paper and ask them to draw in a simple way three most
Does each body paragraph have a topic sentence? Underline each topic important points of their character in a three or four minutes.
sentence on the author’s paper in orange. When the pictures are ready you ask kids to put them on the
walls or on the blackboard in the classroom. And afterwards you
Does each body paragraph have at least 3-4 sentences giving an example to
all have a gallery walk around the class. Some students guess
support the topic sentence? Write a one-sentence summary of each example
each other according to the pictures, the others try to guess.
here AND underline those sentences in purple.
And the teacher has a chance to see a piece of his kids’ inner
Body paragraph 1 world.
Body paragraph 2
Body paragraph 3 When would this method be useful in your setting?
Part IV: Conclusion. Answer the following questions completely.
Does the conclusion restate the thesis in different words? Underline the
When I begin to work with a new group of students, or if I’m
restatement on the author’s paper in yellow.
asked to give a workshop to my colleagues in order to create a
Does the conclusion have 3-4 sentences that effectively end the essay using a friendly atmosphere in the group.
method we discussed in class? Summarize the ending in one sentence here
AND underline it on the author’s paper in brown.
Part V: Other stuff. Answer the following questions completely.
What would you like other teachers in your school to know
about this method or strategy?
Does the author use transition words or phrases at the beginning and end of
each paragraph? Underline the transitions on the author’s paper in black. It’s very helpful!
On the essay, underline in red any sentences, phrases or words that do not
make sense to you.
Overall, what is the best part of this essay? (Be specific)
Overall, what part of this essay needs the most improvement? (Be specific)
Continued Some posters and photos
Name of method or strategy#7
Field Trip to Philadelphia.
When is this method or strategy useful?
This method is used when the teacher covers
materials in class about different topics from history
or other. She can take students on field trip to see
those places giving different tasks.
Why or how is this method or strategy useful?
When students learn different topics, seeing those
things or places at the same time makes their
understanding better. They can feel and see when
they learn. Students find field trips fun and while the
teacher also has tasks prepared for them.
What are the steps involved in using this strategy or
method?
When the teacher decides to take students on a filed
trip, s/he needs permission from the principal. H/se
prepares tasks fro students, what s/he wants her
students to observe or gather information about
during the trip.
When would this method or strategy be useful in
your setting?
This method will be very useful from my students as
well. I have tried it once and it worked well. I will try
to do it more often.
What would you like other teachers in your school to
know about this method or strategy?
I will share this strategy with teachers of different
subjects and I am sure they will also find it very
useful.
Action research mini proposal
Action research mini proposal
My name is Nadejda Rahmanova. I’ve been an English teacher for 6 . Not many people would love to reveal their thoughts and share their
knowledge and experience with others; not many people would like to spend
years. I teach 10-12th grades at academic lyceum Dustlik#1 at Namangan their time and perhaps money on internet to work for the project suggested.
Vocational Pedagogical Institute. There are about 1,500 students in our I’ll have to keep that in mind when I start working at my research question;
lyceum; each group consists of 30 students. According to the chosen direction I’ll also have to take into consideration my own lack of experience in this
of studying and the curriculum some groups have English classes 6 hours per field and the fact that not many teachers and students would be able to take an
active part at these collaborative exchanges in spite of their willingness to.
week, others 4 or 2 hours only. But knowledge of English is indispensable
Eventually, I’ve come up with the following possible steps and ideas
criterion when entering our universities and institutes. That’s why I try to do on how to conduct my research and how to implement it into practice in
all my best to help my students develop English skills, increase vocabulary future:
and improve their grammar knowledge. Yet the time allowed at classes is not Through interview I’ll find future partners among TEA participants in
sufficient. The process of acquiring a foreign language appears to be not so Virginia, Alabama and Nebraska;
easy and exciting for most of my students, and I’ve always been looking for I’ll get in touch with Tom Holmes, a teacher from South Dakota, who showed
something appropriate for them, something which would involve my students his interest in the same work of an international pen-pals project and who is
already ready to work with me on it( he might be very helpful in most
completely into the learning process and they would enjoy it. Gradually I questions);
came up with the idea of on-line projects with other schools from other I’ll reregister into iEARN on-line and look for any appropriate suggestions on
countries. I became a member of iEARN (international education and this topic in the internet (i.e. the work that is already being done or planned
research network) and took up two learning circles with a group of my among teachers and students of the world);
students together with 10 other countries. I found out that my students got Through interviews(oral or via-mail)we’ll discuss plausible projects and
interested into those projects, they loved to get and send letters to other possible ways to organize and lead these on-line collaborative exchanges
among us and our students;
students from other countries. They were especially excited preparing a
I’m thinking of inviting the following people into this project: Tom
package to send to other schools and were so glad to get one from the USA. Holmes(US), Ann Naurouz(US), Valeria(Ukraine), Lyudmila(Ukraine),
Their writing and speaking skills improved so much and so quickly! They Sojida(Uzbekistan), Svetlana(Kazakhstan), Sunita(India),
even acquired basic computer skills due to that program. Unfortunately I had Humoyun(Bangladesh);
to give up my iEARN projects because of the end of the internet grant at our Also on my coming back I’ll ask my students to make up a list of topics they
lyceum and also because of the fact that new groups of my students did not would love to discuss and work on with other students from other countries;
to describe themselves and make a summary of their life in lyceum and
have enough competence even to read to say nothing about composing and Uzbekistan and prepare a Power Point Presentation to share with other
typing letters in English on the computer…Last year the enrollment of participants;
students in our lyceum was of much better level and when I proposed to take I would suggest doing the same to my colleagues, so that we could settle the
up one of such projects (e-pals and pen-pals), my students immediately initial project for our students and organize the whole work in such a way
agreed and started learning English harder so that this year they would be able which will be appropriate, convenient and most useful for each participant of
those on-line collaborative exchanges;
to take part in international collaboration. Now I’m here, in the USA,
Perhaps some students would like to make video or prepare an electronic
studying EFL/ ESL research and assessment, designing portfolio and photo-album for other participants to see , and the other groups may follow
acquiring leadership skills. I think now I’m almost ready to conduct my own them in that;
research in the field I’m completely interested in and which will help me a lot I’ll design a new web-page devoted to this project (thanks to our trainers at
on my coming back to my country, to my lyceum, to my classes and to my GMU on Intensive Technology Training) so that the results will be available
students. So my research question is: for all participants in the quickest and most comfortable way.
As soon as this research work gets started and gets into the active process, I
How can I organize on-line collaborative exchanges among do hope that each participant will benefit a lot from that work and be able to
EFL/ESL teachers and students in other schools and other countries? share that experience with others, involving more and more newcomers, and
The world becomes smaller day by day due to numerous and various therefore enriching our collaborative exchanges. I’d love to make this
enormous, sometimes cruel, world smaller, pleasant, friendly, and amazing
international organizations, internet and means of communication. Meantime for as many people as possible. And what is now mostly important for me that
the world still remains rather enormous when you start thinking of other this project will definitely improve English knowledge and skills of my
cultures, other nations, other religions and values. But not many would like to students and help me (and other teachers I suppose) make the learning process
become a part of any collaborative work, they would prefer to stick to their for students easier, more interesting and provide sufficient evidence of rapid
improvement of EFL/ESL skills.
own small world inside their city and country
Miscellaneous
What elements are essential for successful group How can group work aid your teaching?
work? A lot!!! I always use group work at my classes and
After group discussion we came up with the following sometimes it is indispensable to. So,
answer:
WHY do I need this strategy?
Time aspect- no more than 30-40 minutes in one group(if
you switch the groups like in jigsaw activity-it’s OK),but Because I have multi-level classes of students
preferably this shouldn’t take much time at all Because I have 15-30 students at a time and want
The frequency and the variety of tasks and activities everyone to work at the lesson at least a little
Element of competition Because I do find it useful
Model the activity (students should definitely know how Because I need to develop such skills of my students
they’ll work and what result is expected) or explain quite as reading and speaking skills
clearly
WHEN do I use group work?
Enough handouts/materials for everybody in the group
Proper differentiation (level of knowledge, size of group, As a warm-up activity
mixed groups, different activities) To present a new theme
Mind the objectives both of the lesson and the group To reinforce the presentation/ practice part of the
work itself lesson
Assessment- who and how will evaluate group work(the When I especially need their speaking skills to
members themselves, the teacher, other groups) develop
Explain the benefits of group work to students When there is a necessity in discussion
- Motivation for students to work in groups A project work
- 5 “R”s- responsibility /respect/ relationship/
reliance/ reflection!!! A problem solving activity
Planning stage: what activities to use//how long/handouts A role-play
Implementation stage - examples, explanation, everyone HOW group work helps me?
is involved To keep time management
Assessment stage- get a feedback be sure that To get involved as many students into the learning
everybody contributed into the activity process as possible
Self evaluation To interest my students
- The teacher should be encouraging and motivating
To encourage communicative and cooperative skills
To have a checklist to concentrate on for the among my students
teacher(vocabulary ,grammar mistakes,creativity)
Set of rules(plus penalties for example for using Russian- To involve competition between students as a
green hand on the wall to touch) motivation
Use some extra group activities at the end of the lesson
as an alternative
It was a great pleasure to be a part of this great team
of TEA participants, of IREX people, of GMU
teachers, of JEB Stuart High School ESOL
department teachers.
Dare to dream!
Never give up hoping for the best!
Nadejda Rahmanova
Visit my internet page at:
http://nadejdateawinner.blogspot.com
