DESCRIBING A COUNTRY: FACTS, OPINIONS, STEREOTYPES
Teacher: Irina Bučinska
Observer: Larisa Sardiko
Aim:
Thinking:
-    to show the relativity of statements we make; to show the limitations of the applicability of any thing; to develop the idea of a POV;
Subject matter:
-    to make pupils produce and evaluate statements describing Latvia: to distinguish facts, opinions and stereotypes
Materials: learner-generated sentences about Latvia
Abbreviations: T (teacher), P (pupils), S. (sentence), MT (mother tongue), POV – point of view, *vocabulary provided by the teacher, O (observer), TTF (thinking task framework)
Task 1
Procedures:
Step 1. Introduction
Pupils read the text at home. T. What was the text about? - - P1.  similarities and differences. - P2. stereotypes
Step  2:
Make up one nice sentence about Latvia (2 min)
Teacher collected sentences: O. TTF: step 1 – T. it can be Step 1- in terms of  collecting kid’s typical answers.
1.    Russian Lyceum is the best school in Latvia.
2.    Latvian neighbour is Russia – the biggest country in the world.
3.    Latvia does not have good professional sportsmen.
4.    Latvia is a little country with nice places to see.
5.    Latvia is a special country with many parks and interesting places.
6.    Latvia has many beautiful places.
7.    The capital of Latvia is Riga.
8.    In Latvia there are many forests and lakes.
9.    Latvia is a very beautiful country.
10.    Rich people go from Latvia to other countries.

Step 3. Pupils decide which sentences are stereotypes, facts or opinions.
S. 1. P. Stereotype.
T. Why is it a stereotype? – P. It is not true. We may (says the word in MT). T. It may be refuted*.
S. 3: P. ‘Little or big’  is an opinion (it is relative).
T. What is the difference  between a stereotype and an opinion?
P.Some people like it – some – not. P2. Stereotype – many people’s opinion.
S8.  P. It depends on the view we see.
S9. P. We don’t know are they tourists or immigrants. T. Not very clear. P: can be a fact, can be an opinion.
T. Summary:
T: we have come up with three things:  facts, opinions, stereotypes.
T. Difference? – P1: stereotype is the opinion of many people.
T. And a fact? – P2: True. Can be proved.
Step 4
T. Work with opinions. Say why this is good AND bad.
 (T’s comments after the lesson: I think it is TTF step 1 – kind of putting a challenge – because they wouldn’t think about bad/good sides of one and the same idea when they Express their opinion opinion)
1.    Latvian neighbour is Russia – the biggest country in the world.
Good: Russia can help. Bad: to go on a holiday people will choose not Latvia but to Russia.
2.    Latvia is a little country with nice places to see.
It is good because:  tourists will come to Latvia???
Tourists have money for more taxes
If t. Stay in Latvia it will friendship.
T.What is bad about it?( about Latvia being a small country)
Strange feelings, uncomfortable
Does not have many buildings* for tourists
3.    In Latvia there are many forests and lakes.
Good:        fresh air, for fishermen, for swimming
Bad: T. Situations when it is bad: why? We don’t have many roads; we can get lost and sink* ; not many people; could be fire – ash/smoke*; a lot of water
T. Conclusions:
(Comments: O: TTF - Step 2? – T. No, it isn’t step 2 – step 2 is about generalisation of the task and building an algorithm, here we just made some preliminary very wage conclusions about POV, not organised, not systematised.)
P1. One thing can be both + and -. T. What does it depend? P. On the POV.
P2. Different people think differently.
T: it is pretty important for us to consider that one thing can be both good or bad./ (positive or negative.)
Grammar revision: Task 3. Which form is it?
Grammar: thinking aim: to make pupils identify grammar tense structures by their descriptions via ENV models for them to focus on the communicative function of the grammar form
T. Shows models and pupils have to name the forms: e.g.
Time: Past specified
Vision: part of the action
Doer: non-subject
Factuality: fact
Pupils have defined the form (V+ be+ing + 3f) e.g. was being done – even the one they did not study yet
Teacher Reflection
Task 1. T. wanted them to focus on what it would depend  and continue to consider another POV. To break the inertia of thinking: to make them see things broader. This lesson was an introduction to the understanding of function. Her further intention is to  make pupils see reasons behind (lead to this idea: people and function). Teacher leads to considering opposites.  To make pupils see more sides.
Task 2. T. Wanted pupils to play with tense forms. Rationale: Forms are new combination of the known features. P.Should go not from the form but from the communicative function. Bank of forms (stage 2) – abstraction of forms. FUTURE CONNECTION: description + form, forms are combined depending on concrete communicative situation; formula should be filled with context.
O.:  the lesson was very dynamic. The pupils – active, thinking, willing to contribute.