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.
Comments
- I suggest that you spend more time on getting your learners to play with objects. For example, if you want them to do something with vegetables, it is useful to play games to let them practice different features of vegetables you want them to work with (colour, richness in different vitamins, etc.). This will not only help them in future tasks but also make them more motivated to do something with objects;
- make sure that they challenge you select is useful for your aims. In other words, coping with the challenge should bring your learners to learning what you want them to learn. I am not sure it works here, eg when they are asked to make a soup for someone who likes the orange colour.
I'd also like to suggest that you divide aims in terms of competences of learners you want to change, being very specific regarding the aspect you need to focus on. Otherwise it becomes quite difficult to assess to what extent the task helps you with the aim.