Context:

Private classes of English;

A group of 6 children aged 5-6

Children attend the lessons once a week for 1h

1. Lesson / task description - before

TA aims : to see if the SS are able to choose objects in a given context, are they able to find fulfil a sorting task by themselves, are they able to group objects according to certain  features by themselves ???

In terms of subject matter: repeat (teach) food vocabulary, colors, thick – thin, big – small,

Materials I am going to use:

-  two prepared sets of mixed vegetables and fruits

Tasks I am going to use: Choose items for a soup for a princess, make a soup for a prince who likes to keep fit or a salad for a king who likes orange colour

2. Lesson / task description

Procedures: First I told children that we are going to make a soup for a princess and that they will have to choose what will be needed. I showed them vegetables or fruits, naming them. They repeated after me and told: Yes or No. Thus we had a group of vegetables. Then I told the SS that we are going to group the vegetables, so that they match. I wanted my SS to group them according to colour, or size, what they did. I had to help a bit, though. Then I grouped my SS into two teams and gave each team a set of mixed vegetables or fruits. I asked each team to prepare a salad for a king who likes orange colour  and a soup for a prince who likes to keep fit. I was surprised to see that some children coped with the task, but the others failed to do anything and threw the materials out of the table. Here I should have acted and took the materials away. May be they were not in a mood or didn’t accept the task. 

3. Overall reflection on the lesson / task

Aim aspect: I clearly saw, that it was quite easy for children to separate fruit from vegetables and to choose appropriate for the soup. Then they had difficulties, when I asked them to regroup the chosen objects. They didn’t know how and I put a context :a salad for a king who likes orange colour  and a soup for a prince who likes to keep fit. Here I didn’t put an adequate challenge for children of different age groups. Of course, for a 7 y.o. girl it was very clear and easy task, but for a 6 y.o. girl – it was not.

I gave them a homework from Pass worksheets (to add more food to three food trays. At first I asked them to add some items at the lesson and was surprised to see that they simply added one more fish, one more potato and a cheese slice. I understood, that I overestimated their comprehension of the task. I had to ask, what is potato, thinking of vegetables. What is cheese made of? The ss seemed to get my point. At the next lesson, I will see how they coped with the task.

I also involve parents into TA activities. I explained them the goals of the project and gave them a link in the net with PASS materials. So I rely on the parents when I give TA homework to the children.

 What concerns the homework. Everyone did the task, with parents’ help, of course. The next lesson I asked everyone to name the objects and tell me why did they divide the food items like this.