PART 1

Course 1: Foundational principles

Module 1: Making meaning clear

Lesson 1: Technique and content
Language is cake
Technique and content
- Learners often see technique before content  evaluate teacher’s competency based on
techniques
- Spectrum
+ high technique, low content: middle and primary teachers
+ low technique, high content: university teachers
+ low technique, low content: fun teacher (social time > educational time)
Build Intrinsic motivation for students
4 main needs of students that need to satisfy.
- belonging or connecting
+ classroom needs to provide a space where students feel safe and welcomed
+ teachers developing good relationships with students have fewer discipline problems
 more students are engaged and motivated in the work/

- power and competence

+ teacher students how to learn and what not to learn = provide them confidence,
skills, tools they need to be competent and successful individuals
+ modeling = clear demonstration of the correct technique and specific feedback are
important parts of mastering skills

- freedom
+ freedom to make choices + be a part of the decision-making progress
+ ex: students determine rules, essay topics  more invest in the work, more
motivated

- fun
+ playfulness and enthusiasm lead us to discovery and growth

Lesson 2: Teacher techniques

Making meaning clear
3 learner zones
- learner can do unaided
- learner can do with guidance  find this zone: a little bit hard, new
- learner cannot do

Skills to make meaning clear

Skill 1: Body language
- communication by word: 7%
- by tone: 38%
- by body language: 55%  hand

Skill 2: Teacher talk

- talk differently to different student groups  change what
- repetition
- reduce grammatical forms
+ use active voice
+ eliminate unnecessary phrases
- simplified vocabulary  recognize what students are likely to know
- signpost expression: first, also, for example
- common cultural references: use references familiar with students
- elaboration: break down the concept  use when students don’t understand
- clarification questions: give students time to answer
- tips: pay attention to learners’ eyes

Skill 3: Scaffolding
- model behavior  guided practice  independent practice
- students struggle  go back and forth

Lesson 3: Summary and essential questions

Anyone who speaks the language can teach the language
Disagree
- People who speak the language can only prove that they can use the language fluently and
they might lack many criteria to teach the language
+ teaching techniques
+ content building skill
+ body language
+ teacher talk

Bonus Materials: Teacher talk example, Articles

i  i+1
- Để hs đi từ i  i+1 thì cung cấp input i+1 mà hs có thể hiểu được
1. input hypothesis = acquisition not learning
2. understand i+1 by context, knowledge of the world
3. input is understood  i+1 âwill be provided automatically
chỉ cần người học hiểu input là ok rồi
không nên cố dạy i+1/structure, thậm chí có thể gây hại
4. production ability emerges, it is not taught directly
không thể dạy trực tiếp speaking fluency, nó từ từ phát triển.
cách duy nhất dạy speaking là cung cấp comprehensible input
early speech sẽ đến khi người học ready, và early speech sẽ không chính xác về ngữ pháp 
sự chính xác sẽ phát triển qua thời gian

How to make input more comprehensible

1. Slower rate and clearer articulation
2. More use of high frequency vocabulary, less slang, fewer idioms
3. Syntactic simplification, shorter sentences.

Teachers make these adjustments automatically when they focus on trying to make
themselves understood.  focus on comprehension and communication
- comprehension checking
- provide non-linguistic means of encouraging comprehension: pictures, realia
- take advantage of student’s knowledge of the world – making the input too familiar is a
danger

Module 2: Modes of Learning and Interaction

Lesson 1: Modes of Learning
- acquisition vs learning
+ learning = comprehend the information / understand the principles
+ acquisition = learning + applying those principles in the real world
  acquisition >> learning  acquisition is the only wat to measure student success

- two modes of learning

+ focused mode: focus on small linguistic form: vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation /
read a chapter for 25 minutes
+ diffuse mode: try to understand the overall meaning, convey a message without
worrying so much about every rule of GPR / let mind wander, make connections
 teacher: sometimes help students narrow in on a specific feature, sometimes have
them step back and not pay attention to every single mistake – move back and forth between
two modes of learning

Lesson 2: Mode of interaction

- Language is basketball
+ 20 for focused mode, 80 for diffuse mode
+ 20 for instructions, 80 for practice

- Practice in the Two Modes

+ focus mode: spaced repetition
+ diffuse mode: create general task – communicate in real, unscripted ways
- Accuracy vs Fluency:

Lesson 3: Summary and Essential Question

- Summary
- Essential Question: What is taught is what is learned

The Acquisition-Learning Distinction

two distinct and independent ways of developing competence in a second language
- acquisition = implicit learning = informal learning = pick up a language
+ identical to the way children develop ability in their first language
+ not aware they are acquiring language, only aware that they are using the language
for communication
+ not aware of the rules, only have a feel for correctness
- learning = explicit learning
+ aware of the rules, can talk about them
 acquisition is a very powerful process

Module 3: Taking risks and learner strategies

Lesson 1: Taking risks
- self-awareness = see yourself from someone else’s viewpoint
- high self-awareness  high affective filter  feel a lot of emotions
- low affective filter  aren’t nearly so stressed  flow of information come easily
- in classroom settings: affective filter is high  teacher must create an environment that help
lower that filter

How to lower affective filter

- relate to your learners: share your own failures, foolish mistakes  students see that you can
understand them
- describe mistakes as normal
+ use phrases: mistakes are okay, take your time, you almost have it right
+ praise process, get students away from thinking about finished polished product
- use formative evaluation
+ 80% of time spent on practicing
+ show students you aren’t a judge, but a coach
 + give feedback that is not a final grade but to help them along the way, perform better
under game time conditions
- willing to look ridiculous: wear a wig  students recognize they can take risks, get outside
their comfort zone

Lesson 2: Understanding mistakes

Language Learner Strategies
- adult learners off a language are accustomed to looking smart  they chose language
learning strategies that avoid looking foolish and taking risks
- in the absence of risk, these strategies are likely to increase learning but not acquisition

Good Language Learner Strategies

- predict: good at picking up social and contextual clues
- use selective attention: pay attention to only a particular aspect of a lesson
- prepare in advance: write down notes about what he/she wants to say
- look ridiculous: willing to look foolish
- practice
- monitor: correction of your own speech for accuracy and pronunciation, grammar and
vocabulary  pay attention to both form and meaning
- ask questions
- take notes: write down what they hear and discuss  remember and retain information
- use imagery: relate new information to a visualization
- find an answer in multiple ways: dictionaries, teachers, students
- use physical response:
- play

Lesson 3: Summary and Essential question

“People with high IQ’s are good language learners.”
I agree that IQ help people learn a language faster but it’s not the only factor.

First of all, I think we need to clarify the definition of IQ. Based on Wikipedia, “An
intelligence quotient (IQ) is the intellectual capability of humans to learn, form concepts,
understand, and apply logic and reason.

So, to me IQ is human’s ability to understand how things operate in the outside world and
give reasonable explanations. Definitely, having a high IQ helps learning a language as it
helps you see the patterns, the rules of grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary and remember
them better. But learning a language is also about absorbing a new culture and new
perspectives, constantly practicing with people. In this aspect, I believe a good language
learner needs to have high EQ as well. I define EQ as motional abilities and social skills,
including cognitive empathy, emotional regulation, and motivation. When you have a high
EQ, you can easily empathize in a conversation and therefore communicate more effectively.
For example, I did practice English with a lot of people around the world and got mixed
experiences. Sometimes, I talked with very smart, fluent speakers but having little empathy
and patience to me. Sometimes, I talked with speakers with broken English but they showed
great enthusiasm and actively listened to my stories. Although we struggled a bit to
understand each other with a lot of time asking “Can you repeat?”, we felt connected and
respected with a chance to express who we are through the language. Having that said, many
times I talked with fluent, smart and friendly speaker, which helped me learn a lot.

In conclusion, IQ is an important factor that helps people learn a language faster. However,
people with low IQ still can learn a language with a bit longer time as long as they have
patience, discipline and, as I mentioned, a high EQ to be willing to learn and grow.
Module 4: The flipped model of language learning
Lesson 1: Connecting students to resources

Language learning outside the classroom

- Teachers do not have enough time in class to help learners master a language
- Language is not learned, it is acquired
 give students enough time to practice in class
 help students believe that practicing a language is normal

Thinking outside the classroom box

- To learn English, we have got to help students realize that language isn’t in a book. It is on
the other side of the door.
- Encourage students to list their possible resources
+ people, places, things where they can use English
+ invite English speakers to your class
- Create English clubs
+ students go to speak and practice the forms they are using
+ watch movies, bring in music
+ be paired to engage in certain conversational topics

Lesson 2: Encouraging student autonomy

Language Learning Online
- many schools create language learning labs  students can go and get help from experts
- teachers should discover websites and apps to recommend students
- learning information anywhere on the Internet
- consider learning things happen to be in English  content and language integrated learning
CLIL  create lessons that teach any content, history, science, math

Student Autonomy
- A foundational on which you build your teaching style: your learners will leave you soon 
the more SKILLS and STRATEGIES you give them, the better
- One of the primary goals as a teacher is to help learns gain AUTONOMY: visit a country,
write a letter to a friend, find resources quickly

Open the classroom door

- English is the dominant language of the Internet  many learners with online access are
already engaging in subconscious learning acquisition – more powerful than conscious
learning
- subconscious learning: use at least some English for messaging, use English for social
media, use English while watching videos

Lesson 3: Summary and essential question

- Language learners should be exposed only to the forms they are taught

Hi, my name is Nam, and I disagree with this statement.

Firstly, I will clarify the word “forms”. Based on my online research, in general, form refers
to the shape and structure of something. It can also mean the organization, placement, and
relationship between things. As such, language form refers to the so-called surface features of
language and how these are arranged. The rules that govern how particular language features
are arranged are the grammar of the language
Therefore, this statement means students should only access resources containing grammatical
structures and rules that have been taught in class. I disagree with this statement due to my
personal experience and what I have learned in module 4.

In module 4, we learn two main points: connecting students to resources and encouraging
student autonomy.

Firstly, from lesson 1, connecting students to resources, teachers will never have time to teach
everything to students, and language is acquired, not learned. Therefore, telling students to be
exposed to only forms learned in class will limit their ability to access English forms that
meet their language-using needs and ability to discover new forms.

Secondly, from lesson 2, encouraging student autonomy, when students reach a certain level
of the language, it is better for them to learn anything in English that interests them, which is
the purpose of language learning. As a teacher, rather than restricting students from accessing
certain types of content, it is better to help them gain autonomy by providing skills and
strategies and encouraging them to soak up the language outside the classroom.

Lastly from my own experience, I have taught many students that appeared to be good in
English due to their own process of emerging in the language by themselves. It could be by
watching vlogs, animes, or playing video games. They all share some common things, such as
good pronunciation and vocabulary and good English usage in all skills, even though they
might not understand all grammar rules or structures. However, many students who remember
grammar rules cannot use English effectively. This makes me realize that subconscious
learning acquisition helps students improve their language better than conscious learning.
When exploring English content online, although you might be exposed to forms you have
not learned before, it is the meaning, usage, and context that helps you understand those forms
better and use them more naturally and correctly.

Thanks for your feedbacks.

Module 5: Avoiding teacher burnout

Lesson 1: Teacher Burnout
Teaching is a team sport
- have a network to ask questions
- attend conferences, form a network of people, who have become experts
Lesson 2: Lighting Fires instead of Burning out
Freaking out over control
- have a sense of control = focus on the things you can do not the things they cannot
+ cannot choose salary, equipment, books
+ can choose teaching style, material
 enjoy the opportunity to explore, experiment and teach in your style
- be an agent for change = don’t focus on the problem, find the solution
- find a balance
+ take a moment to step outside of the teaching world and be human again
+ the best teachers not only dedicated to their students but also dedicated to their lives
and to making themselves interesting.
- cherish the rewards of teaching

Lighting Fires
- teachers = actors – use their hands, body, face  impact students / audience
- teachers not = actors – should not pretend their emotions
 be the best of your teaching style
 find your core = why you do the things you do

- Teachers that work too hard are the ones that burn out.

My name is Truong Hoang Nam, and I disagree with this statement

In module 5, I have learned about ways to help teachers avoid burnout, which can also clarify
reasons why teachers got burnout during their teaching, and working hard is only one of those
factors or the result from those factors such as a lack of community support, a lack of sense of
control, or a lack of work-life balance.

On the one hand, it is clear that teacher who work too hard are likely to get burnout. It is very
easy for teachers to overwork while attempting to maintain their teaching quality. From my
observation, many teachers in my city have taken over 2-3 classes every day, which means
they teach in class for around 6-8 hours. However, we need to count the time they spend on
commuting to classes, making lesson plan and grading students’ homework. And this cause
them to work for 10-12 hours per day, if not they will need to sacrifice their teaching quality
by skipping grading homework or prepare their lessons carelessly. However, I also
acknowledge that at the current salary rates for English teachers and high cost of livings in my
city, this is very reasonable act if teachers want to obtain a decent living standard.
On the other hand, working too hard might result from other root causes. Many teachers
embark on teaching career without support from any community, which lead to great
frustration when they struggle to find solution to their teaching problems. This also causes
them to spend more time finding the answer from the Internet and online sources, which
means they need to work harder. In addition, many teachers who overcontrol their lessons
might burn out as well. There are many things that teachers need to estimate before class such
as activities, timing, outcome of the lesson. However, in reality, unexpected things can
happen and teachers who put much effort into their lesson and set a high expectancy for how
the class will take place, might feel disappointed and get burnout. I’m not saying that teachers
should not spend time preparing for their class, but they should adopt a mindset that problems
may arise and all they can do is to solve those problems as best as they can.
Course 2: Theories of Second Language Acquisition

Module 1: The Swing of the Pendulum: A brief of ESL History

Lesson 1: Purpose, content and technique
- Purpose
+ why you teach a language?
+ why a learner might want to learn English  who is learning a language  different
groups have different aims and reasons
- Content
+ what do you need: material, books, maps, audio
- Technique
+ strategies and activities
+ how should a teacher teach
+ how does a learner learn a language

Lesson 2: The Pendulum

Critiquing questions
- yes-no questions  elicit only factual information, not promote discussion
Do you recycle?
- open-ended questions  elicit factual information + opinions + perspectives
 Do you recycle? Why/Why not?
 If you were going to design a recycling public-service poster for your city, what would
you focus on, and why?
 Some cities offer refunds to people when they recycle and impose fines when people
do not. What kind of incentive program do you think your city should adopt to
encourage recycling?

- Small-group discussion ideas

+ choose a topic, one that promote discussion, students can express opinions
+ divide students into an even number of groups
+ groups write 2 open-ended questions about the topic
+ group 1 swap questions to group 2, group 2 review questions of group 1 and discuss
them.
+ review: did the question stimulate much discussions? how could the question be
improved to be a better discussion question.
Lesson 3: Review and Assessment

Module 2: A study in Contrasts: The grammar translation and direct approach

Lesson 1: The Grammar Translation Approach
Lesson 2: The Direct Approach
Purpose Content Technique
- why should we teach - what are the - how does a learner
languages? materials that are learn a language?
- who should we teach? required? - how should a teacher
teach?
- how do we help
students remember a
language
1. Grammar - to help people become - the best books - give them an entire
Translation more cultured (well- - the great books in chapter in the original
(1880) educated, able to the original language language  translate into
understand art, - contain the keys of students’ native language
literature) + to help understanding  translate back into the
 people be model - systematic and original language
individuals and speak ambitious amount of - ask questions to test
correctly instruction comprehension + give a
- young men from rich small list of verbs: 500
families who can afford verbs
the best scholars - students continue to
- read the books again and
again.
Useless:
- back translation  idea: every word in one language has a proper
substitute in another  not true
Useful
- reading comprehension questions  idea: a well-worded question can
help teacher know if students really understand the meaning of word,
sentence, paragraph or entire story
- use of antonyms and synonyms: create word lists that has strong
associative qualities  help with memory
- use of cognates: look for vocabulary that is similar to learner’s native
language  only apply to teaching students with similar language
backgrounds
- fill in blanks and writing compositions: summative assessment
Purpose Content Technique
- why should we teach - what are the - how does a learner
languages? materials that are learn a language?
- who should we teach? required? - how should a teacher
teach?
- how do we help
students remember a
language
2. Direct - to become one with - be taught the - by becoming explorers
approach native cultures and simple way that a of the world around us,
tribes child learns learn from what we can
- teach those who come - dialogues, touch, feel and see
our way conversations - conversation practice,
- passages about how reading aloud,
other cultures live. - no need to remember it
– ability to live in that
culture is the true test -
Useful
- Enactment: students enact a play or a situation + use gestures, pictures
and visual aids  support understanding of both culture and meaning
- Student self-correction: repeat an incorrect sentence + use a questioning
voice to help students catch the mistake  put learning squarely on the
shoulders of the learner  help leaners develop the ability to monitor his
own language
- Draw a picture based on a dictation: teachers dictate, students draw 
compare results with others
- Use maps and information gap: sharing information to help each other
complete the diagram without looking at the others’ diagrams.

Lesson 3: Review and Assessment

Please respond to the following prompts. Each response should be 5-7 sentences.
a. Discuss the differences between the Grammar Translation Approach and the Direct
Approach.
- Purpose
+ Grammar Translation Approach: teach culture and morality
 Purpose Content Technique
- why should we teach - what are the - how does a learner
languages? materials that are learn a language?
- who should we teach? required? - how should a teacher
teach?
- how do we help
students remember a
language
3. Reading (1930) - pass the test  read - books, list of words - pace yourself
enough, know enough and grammar - give students book to
vocabulary and read in the language 
grammar give a quiz
- real students = normal - keep reading
students = who sit in
class and then go home
and forget everything
they just learned
- Skimming and scanning = getting information with reading the entire
passage  useful for many types of learners
- extensive reading  reading something every day in the language they
are studying
- guided reading = explain part of the story in the native language  give
students tests and quizzes  help learn strategies
Purpose Content Technique
- why should we teach - what are the - how does a learner
languages? materials that are learn a language?
- who should we teach? required? - how should a teacher
teach?
- how do we help
students remember a
language
2. Audio-lingual - a war  get over to - sergeant - repetition = say words
method Europe and save the - recording of his and phrases over and
- teach a lot of world  speak to voice over
soldiers in a short allies, spy enemies - drill students over and
amount of time - teach soldiers over – have students
repeat
- make students learn the
language
+ understood how repetition helps students learn
+ phrases
+
- memorizing a group of phrases is not learning a language
-
principle:
- language learning as habit formation – don’t have to think about what to
say -> form habit
- overlearning  durable, long-term gain

Useful
- Drills
+ single-slot substitution drill = replace one word or phrase for another in
line they have already memorized
+ transformation drill = transform a line they have memorized into a
different grammatical form
+ chain drill = one student says a line  next student repeats that line and
adds their own
- Language lab
+ set up with technology that students listen to audio  repeat the phrases
or apply to those phrases + record their responses and send to teacher for
 + Direct Approach: teach students to experience culture, not just classic literature but
geography, history and people
- Content
+ Grammar Translation Approach: classical books
+ Direct Approach: dialogues and conversations
- Technique
+ Grammar Translation Approach: translation and back translation, reading
comprehension questions, memorization of vocabulary
+ Direct Approach: conversation practice, reading aloud, map drawing

b. Which approach most closely aligns with your current teaching style?
Currently, I mostly apply direct approach in my speaking classes. I let students do a listening
exercise and then ask them to practice the dialogue from the script in pairs. I also use
information gaps practice as a form of free-practice in many speaking classes. On the other
hand, some techniques in Grammar translation are also used in my reading classes, when I
prepared the handout with comprehension questions after students read a long passage. After
each classes, students are also provided a list of vocabulary they have learned throughout the
lesson and I assign students to make sentence examples with words in the list.

Module 3: A study in contrasts: The Reading and Audiolingual Approach

Lesson 1: The Reading approach
Lesson 2: The Audio-lingual approach
Purpose Content Technique
- why should we teach - what are the - how does a learner
languages? materials that are learn a language?
- who should we teach? required? - how should a teacher
teach?
- how do we help
students remember a
language
3. Reading (1930) - pass the test  read - books, list of words - pace yourself
enough, know enough and grammar - give students book to
vocabulary and read in the language 
grammar give a quiz
- real students = normal - keep reading
students = who sit in
class and then go home
and forget everything
they just learned
- Skimming and scanning = getting information with reading the entire
passage  useful for many types of learners
- extensive reading  reading something every day in the language they
are studying
- guided reading = explain part of the story in the native language  give
students tests and quizzes  help learn strategies
Purpose Content Technique
- why should we teach - what are the - how does a learner
languages? materials that are learn a language?
- who should we teach? required? - how should a teacher
teach?
- how do we help
students remember a
language
 2. Audio-lingual - a war  get over to - sergeant - repetition = say words
method Europe and save the - recording of his and phrases over and
- teach a lot of world  speak to voice over
soldiers in a short allies, spy enemies - drill students over and
amount of time - teach soldiers over – have students
repeat
- make students learn the
language
+ understood how repetition helps students learn
+ phrases
+
- memorizing a group of phrases is not learning a language
-
principle:
- language learning as habit formation – don’t have to think about what to
say -> form habit
- overlearning  durable, long-term gain

Useful
- Drills
+ single-slot substitution drill = replace one word or phrase for another in
line they have already memorized
+ transformation drill = transform a line they have memorized into a
different grammatical form
+ chain drill = one student says a line  next student repeats that line and
adds their own
- Language lab
+ set up with technology that students listen to audio  repeat the phrases
or apply to those phrases + record their responses and send to teacher for
grading
- Minimal pairs = a pair of words or phrases with only one sound that is
different
+ students are asked to first listen to one of the pairs / listen from their
friends and point out which one they heard
- Dialogues and memorization
+ get students speak the language initially
+ students feel a sense of accomplishment + be able to interact with another
students
+ can create dialogue on their own
- Gamification
+ learners are awarded for completing a task
+ rankings are kept

Lesson 3: Review and assessment

a. Discuss the differences between the Reading Approach and the Audio Lingual Approach.
1. Purpose
Reading Approach
- teach by using teachers who are not native language speakers
- teach a practical skill students might actually use
Audio Lingual Approach.
- teach soldiers to communicate with enemies and allies
- teach oral speaking
2. Content
Reading Approach
- reading passages that match students’ level
- vocabulary and grammar items from readings
Audio Lingual Approach.
- dialogues
3. Technique
Reading Approach
- deductive grammar instruction
- memorization of vocabulary
- evaluation through testing
Audio Lingual Approach.
- dialogue memorization
- formation drills
- overlearning

b. Which approach most closely aligns with your current teaching style?
Currently, I have applied these two methods into teaching English at basic level.
First, Reading Approach has been applied in teaching basic grammar and vocabulary for
students at very beginner level. Students at this level might hardly ever or never expose to the
language, therefore, reading approach can help them be familiar with basic structures and
vocabulary. However, I believe that along with this approach, students should also be
accessed to basic listening conversation to support memorization of vocabulary and deeper
understanding of grammar. In addition, in the long-term, students need to apply what they
learn in making examples to actually own these pieces of language.
Second, Audio Lingual Approach has been applied in teaching pronunciation and speaking at
beginner or intermediate level. From my observation, students tend to strongly follow their
pronunciation habit even after being corrected. Therefore, repetition to enhance memorization
of sounds and words is crucial to adjust students’ pronunciation. This approach can also drill
students to use new words or phrases that are unfamiliar with them. However, to help students
expand their speaking skills, free practice with specific context should be given.

Module 4: A study in contrasts: The cognitive and affective-humanistic approach

Lesson 1: The Cognitive Approach
Purpose Content Technique
- why should we teach - what are the - how does a learner
languages? materials that are learn a language?
- who should we teach? required? - how should a teacher
teach?
- how do we help
students remember a
language
The Cognitive - learn all the rules  - grammar rules: - they need to know the
Approach (1960) teach computers to talk when people make rules
 to program a mistakes  give - find all the rules 
computer to be like a corrective feedback write a book about rules
human - give students more
- observe humans  corrective feedback and
collect data on the knowledge about the
errors  predict errors language
and rules inside heads
Language learner strategies
- Learners have both cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies used to
 learn  study to accommodate different learning style (giúp hs có
khả năng nhìn ra được các vấn đề của mình và đưa ra giải pháp phù
hợp thay vì đâm đầu vào học theo lối mòn)
 books about learning strategies
 this apprach helps move away from teacher centered to students
centerer
- Example: practice strategy – rehearsal
+ pre-learning vocabulary: write down vocabulary to chunk ideas
together
+ slow down with difficult structures or difficult words to
pronounce
+ practice in front of a mirror / with a partner or group
+ thinking of location + audience gives learner better recall and
understanding
Feedback or errors and explicit grammar instruction
- Give feedback rather than punish or ignore errors. Errors that a
group make  give information on mental process + what rules
should be explicitly taught
- Students continue to make certain grammar errors  provide clear
grammar instruction
Pre-reading and listening activities
- To activate background knowledge
- Example: an activity that shows a simple picture  stimulate the
same part of the brain that
Purpose Content Technique
- why should we teach - what are the - how does a learner
languages? materials that are learn a language?
- who should we teach? required? - how should a teacher
teach?
- how do we help
students remember a
language
The Affective- - To hear students’ - music, pictures - free your mind – open
Humanistic feelings and reasons subconscious mind 
Approach they have decided to learn faster and better
learn English - role-play
- Students who are not - music, movement,
confident and think colors, pictures and
they can’t learn a costumes help remember
language

- Positive reinforcement = help learners to take risks and be comfortable to

make mistakes
- Multiple concerts = listen to a diaglogue or reading more than once
+ listen to a dramatic reading with a copy of script + music, rhythm
+ listen to a dialogue at a normal speed  take some notes afterwards
+ asked to complete an outlines of their notes
 not necessary to capture every single word the first time
 success can happen through repeated effort
- Dramatization = have stories and then act out those stories
+ help reinforce vocabulary and grammar items
+ loose themselves in a moment and embrace the silliness of a
dramatization
+ not all learners enjoy acting out in front of large groups 
 accommodation should be made – some students join the scriptwriting team

- The most enriching activities are those allow students to stop learning and
start creating

a. Explain why you agree or disagree with the Cognitive Approach.

b. Explain why you agree or disagree with the Affective Humanistic Approach.

c. What techniques can you apply in your classroom that align with your preferred approach?

a.
I agree with the Cognitive Approach in terms of giving students correct foundational rules
when learning a language. They can be rules of grammar, pronunciation, word forms and the
teachers' instructions should be concise, clear and organized. This application is extremely
helpful in terms of formal writing. In addition, this approach puts more emphasize on learning
strategies, which helps students understand better their learning style and enhance lifelong
learning ability.

I somehow disagree if this approach is interpreted in the direction that learners need to know
all the rules while learning a language. I believe that learning a language is an experimental
journey and you acquire a language through constant practicing without trying to deduct rules.

b.
I agree with the Affective Humanistic Approach as it emphasizes the importance of
maintaining an open and friendly atmosphere in the classroom and incorporating activities in
class. From my observation, besides knowing basic rules, language learners need
opportunities to overcome their fear of make mistakes and become aware of the fascination of
language learning.

I somehow believe that this approach should only be incorporated as a part of a lesson as
students still need time to learn small pieces of language. A sense of pressure and discipline in
forms such as homework, review test is necessary to help students retain the knowledge and
maintain their learning even after the class.

c. Currently I apply techniques of both approach in my classes.

The Cognitive Approach
- Pre-learning activities. For speaking classes, students will do picture describing and
listening activities before discussing questions with their friends so they can have a
sense of context and activate their vocabulary about the topic. For writing classes,
students will read articles about the topic and discuss questions before writing.
- Give corrective feedback: I believe that feedbacks needs to be concise and helpful, and
after receiving the feedbacks, I encourage students to practice again immediately to
reinforce the knowledge.
- Suggest various learning strategies: Different learning styles are introduced through
different types of homework I assign students. They vary from active recalling
learning (learning vocabulary through flashcards, mind mapping), active listening
(dictation), better sound sensitivity (shadowing),

The Affective Humanistic Approach

 - Free practice activities: games, role-playing activities. These activities are mostly used
in beginner level classes, where students need to overcome their fear of making
mistakes and be willing to take more risks

Module 5: A study in similarities: The comprehension and communicative approach

Lesson 1: The comprehension approach
Purpose Content Technique
- why should we teach - what are the - how does a learner
languages? materials that are learn a language?
- who should we required? - how should a teacher
teach? teach?
- how do we help
students remember a
language
7. The - we want students to be - physical objects - allowed to just listen –
comprehension able to understand what and realia (objects silent period  gain
approach they hear in the target for teaching confidence 
language  listening purposes)  things - give language input that
skills  increase the students familiar is just above the current
knowledge of with level of understanding +
vocabulary, grammar - observable actions make connections
and pronunciation by to teach verbs between what they are
listening  confident - chunks of hearing and what they
enough to speak and language: common already know
produce the language phrases or greetings - students learn by
- teach whoever wants  learners begin to connecting what they are
to learn a language + understand aspects familiar with to what
help them develop the of verbal they’re learning  hear
desire to learn a communication and use the language they
language for the joy of - know in very specific
it and not for external situations  reinforce
motivation  be what they’ve learned and
curious makes their language
knowledge more
automatic

Silent period
- Hypothesis: learning a second language is much like learning a first
language
- Essential for learners to form their own concepts of the language
and make those connections
Affective filter
- Emotional state can affective their ability to make connections in
their minds
- Effective filter is high  students focus more on their inadequacies
Using only the target language in the classroom
- Expose students to more comprehensible input
- Provide more opportunities for students to practice in the target
language
- Strict enforcement can raise students’ effective filters
 Find a happy balance between using the target language in the
classroom and allow occasional use of native language
Use of Visual Aids to convey meaning
 Use of simple questions and dialogues
- Use yes/no questions / questions where answer is chosen from a
list / ask about the picture  Limit the possible responses and
vocabulary choices  lower effective filter

Lesson 2: The Communicative Approach

Purpose Content Technique
- why should we teach - what are the - how does a learner
languages? materials that are learn a language?
- who should we required? - how should a teacher
teach? teach?
- how do we help
students remember a
language
1980 - language is a way to - people learn a - teacher should make
get to know people  language in different learning fun and
learning other cultures, ways interesting = use games,
create a global society  teachers need to high interest topics, field
of friends stay up on the latest trips + need to know a lot
- anyone who wants to in technology and of things as well
learn strategy - help students remember
a language by making
your lessons memorable,
make it fun
Authentic materials
- make language practice in the classroom as close to the real world
as possible
- teachers find authentic materials that incorporate the vocabulary and
grammar they are teaching
- teachers have to adapt authentic materials to fit the level of
students / find authentic materials that don’t have lots of language
in them but can be used for communicative activities
Sequencing activities
- to understand queues in the language
- give students dialogues or paragraphs with sentences mixed up 
put the sentences in the correct order / mix up words in a single
sentence to teach grammar
- students understand that ideas are connected for purposes
Language games
- have fun + help learn language + students have to work in teams
and communicate in target language
- sometimes, focus of the game is the language
Information gap
- students communicate to get information from another person
Role plays
- students communicate with others in a given context, acting out the
role they’ve been given
- focus on the communication and being understood by their fellow
students than on language itself or errors they makes’

a. Discuss the differences between the Comprehension Approach and the Communicative
Approach.
Purpose
- comprehension approach:
 + make input c
- communicative approach

a. Discuss the differences between the Comprehension Approach and the

Communicative Approach.

Comprehension approach focuses on allowing students to have comprehensible input by

reading so they gain confidence to produce language. The content in this approach focuses on
comprehensibility by using objects, visual aids and observable actions. The technique in this
approach focuses on lowering students’ affective filter.

Communicative approach focuses on clarifying the practical purpose of learning language and
helping students use a language for meaningful communication. The content in this approach
includes carefully leveled books containing 4 skills, important language elements such as
grammar, pronunciation presented in interesting themes.

b. Which approaches most closely aligns with your current teaching style?

I use both approaches in my teaching. These two approach presents the process of receiving
input and produce output when learning a language. At the beginning of the lesson, students
are exposed to materials including vocabulary, structure through listening, reading or
exercises. These materials need to be comprehensible to students at the level. After that,
students will be given context to apply what they have learned in producing languages
through activities such as discussion, role play, games. The difficult parts are finding the
suitable material that match students’ levels and evoke their engagement. In addition, it is not
easy to create activities that allow students to apply the language they have learned as much
as possible but still fun and engaging.

Course 3: Lesson design and assessment

Module 1: Basic instructional design

Lesson 1: Gaining attention, stating objectives and stimulating recall
Role of teachers – lesson designer – bridge the gap between the material I want to present and
how to convey that material so learners will acquire it

Robert Gagne – educational psychologist – helped pilots learn fly planes quickly and
accurately  theory of instructional design – influenced by behaviorists and cognitive
scientists  nine different learning events
- principle: learners don’t receive the information passively  stimulate learners and
make the learning process easier  make meaning clear
1. gaining attention
2. inform students of the objectives: give at the beginning / have students discover
inductively
3. stimulate recall of prior learning: avoid students receiving the information they have
already known + stimulate background knowledge

Positive language / Controlling a classroom

Complex socio-affective (relating to emotions and relationships with others) tasks
- correct errors and offer suggestions
- maintain discipline and enforce rules
- guide interpersonal relationships during group work
- nurture students’ confidence + motive students to progress
Classroom language
- verbal + non-verbal
 - should encourage students to choose positive behaviors and believe that they can make
such choices
Words
- problem  challenge, impatient  excited
- focus on specific behavior: calm down  return to your seats, sit quietly
Body language + tone of voice
- relaxed open body language
- calm, warm, professional tone of voice
- smiling, maintaining a calm and neutral face while enforcing rules
- never use “baby talk”, “sugary” language / a condescending tone
- don’t be sarcastic. not funny  hurt students’ feelings
-
Lesson 2: Displaying content, providing guidance, and eliciting performance

4. present the content

- demonstrate / share / speak / present  help leaners understand the material
- 20% of time = teacher talk – but vital to the success of class
- use warm language = share ideas that excite and help students anticipate a conclusion
5. provide learner guidance
- move from instructor  helper = provide assistance as learners attempt to recall, use
and apply the information given. = guided practice
- not do things on their own  in pairs, in groups or with teacher
6. elicit performance
= mixture + evaluation = independence practice
- assess = test / presentation / group activity / QnA
similarity 4-5-6
- involve direct interaction with the material  encourage long term learning,
acquisition
- involve exchange of information from teacher to student = pass a baton

Note
1. gaining attention
- turn up the volume
- do not draw attention to yourself
- give visual aid
2. objectives
- give language objectives, not test objectives
- give short-term objectives  weekly goals
3. connect new and old
- connect the new lesson to the pervious lesson
- give a list of words including old and new ones  point out new words

Which of the six events in Robert Gagne’s instructional design theory resonate the most with
you? Why?

All six events mentioned in Robert Gagne’s instructional design theory resonate greatly with
me as I have tried to include these stages in my class although sometimes, some stages might
be excluded due to the shortage of time.
1. I mostly skip gaining attention stage. Sometimes I give students a general question and
elicit ideas from them, and then lead them to the lesson theme. However, I somehow
lack knowledge of strategies to draw students’ attention at the beginning of the lesson.
2. I do inform students of the objectives by emphasize the practical values of the
knowledge and skills in achieving students’ goals
 3. To recall students’ prior learning, there are usually warm-up activities in the text
books so I can evoke student’s vocabulary and knowledge relating to the main theme.
4. Presenting the content can be executed in my different ways in my class. As an IELTS
instructor, this part usually involves introducing a specific type of questions in IELTS
and skills, tips related to deal with this type. Sometimes, I will pre-teach vocabulary in
this stage so students do not struggle with new words in practice stage.
5. I will provide learner guidance through mini-exercises, where students will practice
the question type under my guidance.
6. Lastly, students will completely do the exercise on the own with time limitation.
1. gaining attention
2. inform students of the objectives: give at the beginning / have students discover
inductively
3. stimulate recall of prior learning: avoid students receiving the information they have
already known + stimulate background knowledge
4. present the content
- demonstrate / share / speak / present  help leaners understand the material
- 20% of time = teacher talk – but vital to the success of class
- use warm language = share ideas that excite and help students anticipate a conclusion
5. provide learner guidance
- move from instructor  helper = provide assistance as learners attempt to recall, use
and apply the information given. = guided practice
- not do things on their own  in pairs, in groups or with teacher
6. elicit performance
= mixture + evaluation = independence practice
- assess = test / presentation / group activity / QnA

Employ good talk and warm language

Good talk
- interact with students
- have eye contact with all students
- routinely check that students are understanding
+ be aware of students’ facial expressions / body language: confused look or smiles /
nods.  if confused  rephrase your information
- move around the room
- learn students’ names
- allow students to ask questions
- speak clearly and carefully
- change the focus/activity every 10-12 minutes
Warm language
- talk about ideas, work through ideas together
- create an image/idea that students can relate to
- personalize class
- ask critical thinking questions that provoke thought
- use humor in the class
- bring the language down to the students’ level of knowledge.

Module 2: Activating background knowledge and objective discussions

Lesson 1: activate background knowledge
Students are not empty vessels
- brain is already packed with information
- language learning is not something wherein a teacher simply has to teach new
information while students obediently learn it
  teachers should engage students, fire up those neural receptors and introduce them to a
theme that connect to already formed pathways
 curriculum should be built in a spiral with many iterations from simple to complex
(learn to ride a tricycle  bike  car)
 when writing lesson plans, connect information to help students practice again and
again
 warm-ups help stir up past ideas + introduce news ideas + connect them
Lesson 2: objectives and objective discussions
Objectives
- teachers are tempted to follow published curriculum guides  different teachers over
different time had different objectives
- objectives / why  what / content + how / technique
Objective discussion
- start with a driving question  end with a concrete artifact / product / thing

Tips to write objectives

- do not confuse objectives and activities
+ objectives present results / the end of instructions – activities is the instruction
+ objective: students, when shown a rainbow, will correctly label all the colors –
activity: students will listen to a song about colors of the rainbow
- do not write vague objectives
+ do not use words like: know, believe, feel, understand  identify, state,
demonstrate
+ vague: students will know about vocabulary in English related to family – clear:
students will demonstrate their knowledge of family vocabulary by writing a
paragraph that correctly distinguishes relationships in their own families
- write worthwhile objectives = have connection to the real world
+ teach vocabulary about family not backpacking
+ teach 3 most common tenses more than other tenses
+ teachers decided based on student’s specific goal (business English, technical
English, public speaking ...)
- write objects that are something students can do, not something they know 
observerable, measurable
Lesson 3: review and assessment
Peer-graded assignment
- Think of a theme such as family, money, friendship, travel
- Write lesson objective + warm-up activity + objective discussion
+ warm-up: stimulate recall of prior learning + introduce new ideas + connect them to
prior learning
+ lesson objectives: include action words + description of how the objectives would be
measured
+ discussion: check for understanding, establish specific goals, discuss the importance

Theme: Money
Lesson objectives
- Students will be able to discuss various aspects of money, including saving, spending,
and budgeting.
- Students will learn and use vocabulary related to money and finance.
- Students will practice speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills.
Warm-up activity: Quick discussion
 - Recall Prior Learning:
+ Begin by asking students to recall what they learned in the previous lesson. For
example, "Last week, we talked about shopping and making purchases. Can anyone
remind us of some useful phrases or vocabulary we used when discussing shopping?"
+ Write down a few key terms or phrases on the whiteboard (e.g., "bargain," "receipt,"
"price tag").
- Introduce new ideas + Connecting to New Knowledge:
+ Introduce today’s theme by linking it to the previous lesson. For instance, "Today,
we will expand on that topic by discussing money in more detail. We'll look at how
we can save money, budget our expenses, and make smart financial decisions."

Objective discussion:
- Explain the objectives to the students:
"Today, we have three main objectives. First, we want to be able to discuss various
aspects of money, including saving, spending, and budgeting. Second, we will learn
and use new vocabulary related to money and finance. Finally, we will practice our
speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills."
- Comprehension Check: Ask students if they understand the objectives and if they
have any questions.
- Establish Specific Goals:
Ask students to set personal goals based on the objectives. For example:
"By the end of this lesson, I want to be able to talk about my monthly budget."
"I aim to use at least five new vocabulary words in our activities today."
- Discussion of Importance: Explain why these objectives are important:
+ Being able to discuss money is a crucial skill in everyday life, whether you are
budgeting for personal expenses or making financial decisions."
+ "Learning new vocabulary helps you express yourself more clearly and understand
financial topics better."
+ "Practicing different language skills will make you more confident in various
situations, from casual conversations to formal discussions."

Module 3: Presenting instruction and modeling

Lesson 1: present instructional activities: how to talk and how to shut up

make the material sticky

- memorable = students can recall the information
- usable = can use as a vital life skill
- durable = can recall after a long period of time

how teachers speak and present the information

- use teacher talk
+ repeat
+ have clear board-work
+ ask questions
+ relate information
+ use metaphor
 spend time thinking how you will present

- keep things conversational

+ use conversational tones
+ try to elicit reactions
+ get a little personal with learners: tell a personal story
Lesson 2: modeling language activities

Importance of modeling

Notes
- students shouldn’t follow models too closely  limit creative thinking
- provide more than one model

Three teachers
teacher 1: practice writing a haiku including gerunds
- instruct: what a haiku is
- model: two haiku poems
- questions: check for understanding of haiku rules

teacher 2: practice writing a dialogue between you and a celebrity

- model:
- instruct
- model with instruction
Lesson 3: review and assessment
Instruct and model
- describe how to use teacher talk
- describe how to keep things conversational
- describe how to make instruction sticky
- use which method
+ teach, model, question
+ model, infer, elaborate
- describe how to model the instruction

Instruct and model

- Instruct: introduce and explain key vocabulary
+ Write the following words on the whiteboard and explain their meanings:
Budget, Savings, Expenses, Income, Debt, Loan, Investment, Interest rate, Bank
account, Currency
- Model: Provide examples and ask students to create sentences using these words.

How to use teacher talk

-

Module 4: Guided to independence practice

Lesson 1: guided practice

Importance: students can’t simply do precisely what a teacher says immediately after the
teacher says it

Principle
- guided practice = take a proportion of a complete independent activity
- ex:
+ guided practice = work on a single body paragraph / introduction
+ independent practice = work on a whole essay

Forms of guided practice

- teacher lead activities
+ teachers ask students to contribute = Q&A
+ teachers prompt students to finish the sentence
 - group directed activities (less guided practice)
+ teacher = observer / advisor
+ ensure groups include high and low performers
+ give low performers more difficult tasks

Example
- teacher 1
+ remind the knowledge
+ practice: pair – 5 minutes
+ elicit students’ answers
 skip guided practice
- teacher 2
+ guide students to write the body paragraph
+ prompt students to repeat the knowledge
+ sample the topic sentence
 teacher led activities
- teacher 3
+ prompt students to repeat the knowledge
+ group work 3 – assign role: consultant (give feedback), scribe (write down),
spokesperson
+ assign roles for each group
 group directed activities

Sample activity: Backwards fading

- Hợp với các bài mà hs cần perform large language production: write essay/ speech
- Cho 1 full essay  Cho essay khuyết 1 phần, hs tự điền  Cho essay khuyết 2 phần

Lesson 2: independent practice

Forms of independent practice

- Ordinary shape: an essay, a test, a speech
- Perform an extemporaneous speech / give presentations
+ write expectation on the board
+ have students provide feedbacks with a checklist
- Homework: writing activity / worksheet / produce a video recording

Teachers should not be idle

- not sitting at your desk/reading/using phones
- walking around, ensure students understand the directions, ensure students stay
focused

Example
- Teacher 1: instruct – give handout, time – make herself available to students
- Teacher 2: assignment – read instructions – sit idly
- Teacher 3: do at home -

Sample activities
- Test
+ measure more than memory  measure the ability to use language in real situations
and in real time
+ pay attention to reliability and test accuracy
- Compositions (short essays)
+ theory suggests that essay writing is done over time: drafts  peer review 
conferencing (discussion) for best results  not a linear process
 + assignment sheets include due dates, activities: pre-writing, writing, revision, clear
teachers’ expectation
+ consider when you want to show a model essay  useful to show a model after
initial brainstorming and first rough draft / create a model in guided practice activity
+ make sure highlight / underline writing features in the model essay that you want
students to produce
+ use a rubric that identifies key categories that you will evaluate final product
- Presentations
+ students can demonstrate skills: speak, present clear and organized ideas, captivate
audience
+ students can practice language strategies: prepare notes and ideas, organize
information, control anxiety  important for language production

Lesson 3: review and assessment

Peer-graded assignment
- create guided and independent practice
- guided practice led by the teacher
- independent practice allows students to show their understanding

Guided Practice Activity: Role-Play with Teacher Support (10 minutes)

- Introduction: Explain that students will practice using the new vocabulary through a
guided role-play activity.
- Divide students into small groups of three or four. Assign each group a different role-
play scenario related to money and finance.
- Provide each group with a role-play scenario, such as:
+ Group 1: Creating a budget.
+ Group 2: Discussing the benefits of saving money.
+ Group 3: Talking about borrowing money for a big purchase.
- Guide the Conversation: Walk around and guide each group through their role-play.
Prompt students to use the new vocabulary and provide feedback and suggestions as
needed.
- Rotate and Repeat: Rotate through the groups, ensuring that each has the opportunity
to practice their role-play with guidance.
- Provide Immediate Feedback: After each group has practiced, provide immediate
feedback, highlighting good use of vocabulary and offering tips for improvement.

Independent Practice Activity: Unstructured Role-Play (15 minutes)

- Introduction: Explain that students will now practice on their own with a partner,
creating and performing their own role-play based on given scenarios.
- Provide Role-Play Cards: Distribute role-play cards with different scenarios, such as:
+ Discussing how to save money for a holiday.
+ Talking about the pros and cons of using a credit card.
+ Explaining to a friend how to create a budget.
- Instruct students to work with their partners to plan their conversation, using as many
of the new vocabulary words as possible. Allow them 10 minutes to prepare and
practice.
- Monitor and Assist: Walk around the room, listening to the conversations and
providing support as needed. Offer suggestions and encouragement, but allow students
to lead the conversation.
- Perform Role-Plays: Have pairs perform their role-plays in front of the class.
Encourage students to watch and listen for good use of vocabulary.
- Provide Feedback: After each performance, provide feedback, highlighting good use
of vocabulary and offering constructive criticism.
Module 5: Assessments
Lesson 1: Alignment

Alignment = objectives, activities and assessments point in the same direction

- activities are designed to help achieve the objectives
- assessments are designed to accurately measure whether or not students have
achieved those objectives

Good objectives = clear and measurable

 choose appropriate activities
 what assessment items should measure

Always begin with objectives in planning lessons

Two types of learning

- memory  memorization = ask students to recall information
+ objective: this type  assess: choose the correct definitions / write definition
+ memory learning tends to be short term  spaced repetition
- knowledge = memory + apply
+ assess through performance
+ assessment needs to be authentic = situations they are placed are similar to those
they encounter outside the classroom
+ objective: write a five-paragraph essay  assess: write a five-paragraph essay

Knowledge learning > memory learning

- students need to learn how to effectively use the language
- level of thinking: remember  understand  apply  analyze / evaluate / create

Lesson 2: Putting assessment into practice

Two types of assessment

- summative assessment: give grades  determine whether a student can proceed to the
next level in the program
- formative assessment: provide feedback to let students know how to proceed

Formative feedback > Summative feedback

- let learners know where they are in learning
- find gaps in their learning that need to be corrected

Principles of assessment
- Not everything students do has to be graded
+ ex: give students a reading assignment for homework  have a discussion about it
the next day  Pay attention to who comments and about what + notice important
points not being mentioned by students
- Have a clear rubric
+ arrange the guidelines into a matrix: grading categories + grading levels
+ helps communicate to students exactly how they’ll be evaluated and what is
expected from them.
- Save students’ work to give an example for each level.
- Peer assessment
+ have students discuss something you just taught  share main points of their
discussion
 + ask students to work together to create quiz questions
- Formative assessment (feedback + check for gaps in their understanding)  more
formal summative assessment
- Look for shortcut to save time
+ create a list of error codes
+ use technology: in-class polling to receive answers from students / call name
randomly

Video examples
- Teacher 1
+ before: teach about character, setting and plot
+ group of three – discuss 3 questions
+ come up to the board – answer
- Teacher 2
+ before: persuasion + role-play (2 minutes)
+ test: do a roleplay in front of class: 5 minutes long – vocabulary included

Lesson 3: Review and assessment

Peer assessment
- create an assessment activity + objectives on which the assessment is based
- assessment is aligned with the objective
- assessment is authentic
- assessment involves higher-order thinking skills

Initial objectives of the lesson:

- Students will learn and practice vocabulary related to money and finance through
structured role-plays
- Students can use these terms accurately and fluently in conversational contexts.
Assessment activity
- Have each pair or small group perform their prepared role-play in front of the class.
- Ensure that each group has a different scenario to showcase a variety of conversations
related to money and finance.
- Distribute evaluation forms to the students. Each student will evaluate another group’s
performance based on specific criteria.
+ Use of Vocabulary: Did they use the new vocabulary words correctly and
appropriately?
+ Fluency: Did they speak smoothly without too many pauses or hesitations?
+ Pronunciation: Was their pronunciation clear and understandable?
+ Creativity: Did they create a realistic and engaging conversation?
+ Overall Performance: How effective and convincing was their role-play overall?
- Provide overall feedback to the class, highlighting strong performances and common
areas for improvement.

Example Evaluation Form:

Criteria Excellent (3 points) Good (2 points) Needs Improvement (1 point)
Use of Vocabulary
Fluency
Pronunciation
Creativity
Overall Performance

Lesson plan
 - a list of materials (if any)
- objectives
- warm-up + objective discussion
- instruction and model
- guided practice
- independent practice
- assessment

- instruction, model, practice aligned to objectives

- assessment aligned to objectives

Lesson Plan: IELTS Speaking - Describing a Person (B1 Level)

Topic: Describe a person you know who is successful in their life.

Objectives:

 Students will be able to use vocabulary and structures to describe a person.

 Students will practice organizing their ideas coherently.
 Students will improve their speaking fluency and confidence.

Materials:

 Whiteboard and markers

 Handouts with vocabulary and phrases
 Pictures of various people (optional)
 Recording devices (phones or computers)

Warm-Up (10 minutes):

1. Objective Discussion:
o Start the class by discussing the objective: “Today, we will learn how to
describe a person who is successful in their life. This will help us prepare for
IELTS Speaking Part 2.”
2. Discussion Questions:
o Ask students to brainstorm characteristics of a successful person. Write their
ideas on the board.

Instruction and Model (15 minutes):

1. Introduce Key Vocabulary:

o Provide a handout with useful vocabulary and phrases (e.g., ambitious,
hardworking, role model, achieves goals, respected, inspires others).
2. Model Answer:
o Read or play a recorded model answer to the students. Discuss the structure:
introduction, main points (appearance, personality, achievements), and
conclusion.
Guided Practice (20 minutes):

1. Group Activity:
o Divide students into small groups. Each group chooses a famous person they
all know and uses the vocabulary to describe them. Encourage them to discuss
and take notes.
2. Presentation:
o Each group presents their description to the class. Provide feedback on
vocabulary usage and coherence.

Independent Practice (20 minutes):

1. Individual Task:
o Students individually prepare a 2-minute speech describing a successful person
they know personally. They should use the vocabulary and structure discussed.
2. Pair Practice:
o Students pair up and take turns presenting their descriptions to each other.
Partners provide feedback based on a checklist (use of vocabulary, structure,
fluency).

Assessment (15 minutes):

1. Recorded Presentation:
o Have each student record their speech. They should listen to their recordings
and self-assess using a provided checklist.
2. Teacher Feedback:
o Collect the recordings and provide individual feedback on vocabulary,
structure, and fluency.

Homework:

 Students write a short essay (150 words) describing the person they talked about in
class. This reinforces the speaking activity and allows for written practice.

Follow-Up:

 In the next class, review common mistakes and highlight good examples from the
homework. This will help students learn from each other and improve their skills.

Capstone project 1
Introduction

Teaching philosophy
1. Teaching purpose

Draft:
Why I want to teach
- Inside: struggle to learn English
+ live in the countryside  lack of facilities and supportive conditions
+ not aware of the right method and technique to learn English effectively
 bad grades at school, cannot use English properly
- Inside: have strong interest in instructing people
+ small: help my mom with her technical problems on laptop, word processing
application
 + older: help friends with lessons at school
- Outside: see my cousins or neighboring kids wasting money and time on ineffective
course, see many of my friends lose good job or foreign study opportunities due to
lack of English proficiency
Short-term goals (with students): teach IELT  help students understand IELTS criteria +
test format  improve English foundation  practice questions type + strategies  give
advice and provide additional materials to further improve any weak areas of students
- Retake ielts test to achieve 8.5 ielts: better score  better understanding of the test +
prove my proficiency in English and test criteria
- Achieve TESOL certificate

Purpose: Like many other Vietnamese children, especially those living in the rural areas, I
struggled to get fluent in English. Eventhough I studied English at school since grade 3, what
I learned was mostly vocabulary and grammar. When I could barely hear a clear sentence in
an English videos when I was in grade 10, I know that the high score at school did not
gurantee my fluency in English. Only after I got to know the method of AJ Hope and shifted
my focus more towards learning pronunciation and listening that I gradually improve my
confidence and proficiency. This change has opened lots of opportunities for me as I met
many foreign friends and opened my perspectives. I could help connect people and travel
abroad easily.

After finishing university, I decided to pursue this career so that I can go back to my
hometown and help the children there learn English propperly. I believe that a good use of
English could open many doors for Vienamese children, which could not limit to good
occupations but also opportunities to contribute to Vietname’s development.

At the momen, I am mainly teaching IELTS, which involves helping students understand
IELTS criteria and pratice question types and helpful strategies. For students at lower level,
my focus is to improve their english foundation and provide additional materials to further
improve any weak areas of students. However, my long-term purpose if to foster lifelong
learning among students. I want to help students to develop skills and habits that go beyond
the IELTS exam, such as critical thinking, effective communication, and autonomous
learning. My desire is to inspire students to value English not just as a test requirement but as
a tool for personal and professional growth.

Long-term goals: teach ielts

- inspire students to be a self-learner
+ why: so they can succeed in any areas – master in any areas
+ how: not only teach knowledge but provide space for students to practice skills:
researching, problem-solving, communicating,
- build students’ confidence in communication
+ why: students’ overfocus on tests like IELTS might shift them away from the real
purpose of learning a language, which is communication + the confidence and ability
to take risk is the key to be successful in language learning
+ how: include more activities that incorporates communication in real-life situations
instead of just practicing the speaking questions

Final 1

Purpose:
- Inside: struggle to learn English
 + live in the countryside  lack of facilities and supportive conditions
+ not aware of the right method and technique to learn English effectively
 bad grades at school, cannot use English properly
- Inside: have strong interest in instructing people
+ small: help my mom with her technical problems on laptop, word processing
application
+ older: help friends with lessons at school
- Outside: see my cousins or neighboring kids wasting money and time on ineffective
course, see many of my friends lose good job or foreign study opportunities due to
lack of English proficiency

Short-term goals (with students): teach IELT  help students understand IELTS criteria +
test format  improve English foundation  practice questions type + strategies  give
advice and provide additional materials to further improve any weak areas of students
- Retake ielts test to achieve 8.5 ielts: better score  better understanding of the test +
prove my proficiency in English and test criteria
- Achieve TESOL certificate
-

Long-term goals: teach ielts

- inspire students to be a self-learner
+ why: so they can succeed in any areas – master in any areas
+ how: not only teach knowledge but provide space for students to practice skills:
researching, problem-solving, communicating,
- build students’ confidence in communication
+ why: students’ overfocus on tests like IELTS might shift them away from the real
purpose of learning a language, which is communication + the confidence and ability
to take risk is the key to be successful in language learning
+ how: include more activities that incorporates communication in real-life situations
instead of just practicing the speaking questions

GPT version

Purpose:
Growing up in a rural area of Vietnam, I faced significant challenges in learning English.
Despite starting English classes in grade 3, the focus was heavily on vocabulary and grammar.
By grade 10, I realized that excelling in school exams did not equate to fluency. I struggled to
understand even simple sentences in English videos. Discovering AJ Hope’s methods and
shifting my focus to pronunciation and listening was a turning point. Gradually, my
confidence and proficiency improved, opening doors to opportunities I never imagined—
making foreign friends, traveling, and broadening my perspective.

This personal transformation inspired me to pursue a teaching career. After university, I

returned to my hometown with the goal of helping children learn English effectively. I firmly
believe that mastering English can unlock numerous opportunities for Vietnamese children—
not just better jobs but also the chance to contribute meaningfully to Vietnam’s development.

Short-Term Goals:
Currently, I teach IELTS, focusing on helping students understand exam criteria, practice
question types, and develop strategies for success. For students with lower English
proficiency, I prioritize building a strong foundation by focusing on grammar, vocabulary,
and listening skills. I also provide tailored materials to address individual weaknesses and
ensure steady progress.
 Long-Term Goals:
My ultimate goal is to instill a love for lifelong learning in my students. I aim to help them
develop transferable skills like critical thinking, effective communication, and self-directed
learning. Beyond preparing for IELTS, I want to inspire students to see English as a tool for
achieving their personal and professional aspirations. By fostering this mindset, I hope to
empower them to seize opportunities and create meaningful change in their lives and
communities.

2. Teaching style
- Which approach? (include Communicative approach) why?
- Like any specific ideas / aspects? why
- Teach who? Who your teaching style meet the needs of them?
Purpose Content Technique
Grammar Help people be more Best books Give an entire chapter in
translation cultured = well educated the original language 
+ understand art literature translate into native
language  translate
back to original
language

Ask questions to get

comprehension + give a
list of verbs

- Back translation
- Comprehension
questions
- Antonyms and
synonyms

Direct approach Become one with native Dialogues, Learn from what we can
cultures conversations, touch, feel and see
passages about
cultures Conversation practice,
read aloud
- Diagram
completion
-
Reading Pass the test Books, lists of words Give students books to
and grammar read  give a quiz
- Skim, scan
- Extenstive
reading
-
Audio-lingual Speak to allies, spy Recording Repetition
enemies
Drill students over and
over
- Drill
- Minimal pairs
- Dialogues
- Gamification
Cognitive Learn all the rules Grammar rules Write a book about rules
Approach  give students
corrective feedback and
knowledge
- Pre-teach
vocabulary / pre
activities
- Give feedback
- Give explicit
instructions
Affective- Hear students’ feeling and Music, pictures Role-play, music,
humanistic reasons to learn a movement, colors,
Approach language pictures
- Multiple concerts
= read, listen
many times
- Dramarization
- Positive
reinforcement
Comprehension Students understand what Physical objects, Allow silent period
approach they hear in the target observable actions, Give comprehensive
language chunks of language language input

Students connect what

they are familiar with
and what they’re
learning
- Silent period
- Affective filler
- Use only target
language
- Use visual aid
-
Communicative Get to know people, learn People learn a Make learning fun and
approach other cultures language in a interesting, memorable
different way  - Authentic
latest technology and materials
strategy - Games,
information gaps
- Role-plays in a
conte

Draft

My teaching style is a combination of the Comprehension Approach and Communicative

Approach. During the IELTS teaching period, I have recognized many students studying in
classes that were not at their level, therefore, they were exposed to incomprehensible
materials and failed to improve their English. Hence, I acknowledge the importance of
providing comprehensible input and giving students a comfortable space to absorb the
language. The comprehension approach really clarifies this matter and provides a guideline
for teachers to adjust their lesson plan to fit their students’ level.
Another issue that I witnessed from Vietnamese students is the fear of speaking and
expressing themselves in the new language. Therefore, I agree with the communicative
approach, which focuses on communicating and making lessons engaging and interactive.
Even though my classes focus on IELTS, I still include many activities that foster
communication and discussion among students. For example, instead of just asking students
to give answers to IELTS speaking part 2 in pairs, I required them to make a presentation
together about the topic and present it in front of the class. Sometimes, for speaking part 3, I
organize group discussions and then let them debate about a specific topic.

On the other hand, many ideas from other approaches also fascinate me. For example, the idea
of pre-teaching activities in the Cognitive Approach is helpful in all my classes in terms of
activating students’ background knowledge and allowing them to inquire about the
knowledge and skills step by step. In addition, the idea of positive reinforcement also reminds
me to constantly double-check their knowledge and encourage them as much as possible to
retain the information.

For my IELTS classes, I mainly teach high school and college students aged around 16-20.
Students in this age range have a strong need to express themselves and prefer to learn about
things that fascinate them. Therefore, I try to incorporate themes that are relatable to young
learners and activities that allow them to speak up and discuss relevant topics. On the other
hand, many students at this age still have confidence barriers and a lack of proactivity, so I try
to include many pairs, groups, and role-play activities and sometimes change their seating so
they can talk to all the people in the class.

Refined Version
Teaching Style and Approach
My teaching style combines the Comprehension Approach and the Communicative Approach.
Throughout my experience teaching IELTS, I have noticed that many students struggle when
placed in classes that do not match their proficiency level. This often leads to frustration when
they encounter incomprehensible materials, hindering their progress. Recognizing this, I
prioritize providing comprehensible input and creating a supportive environment where
students feel comfortable absorbing the language at their own pace. The Comprehension
Approach provides clear guidelines for tailoring lessons to fit students’ proficiency levels,
ensuring they can build confidence step by step.

At the same time, I have observed that many Vietnamese students are hesitant to speak and
express themselves in English. To address this, I integrate the Communicative Approach,
focusing on interactive, engaging activities that promote meaningful communication.
Although my classes are IELTS-focused, I design activities that foster collaboration and
discussion. For example, rather than simply practicing IELTS Speaking Part 2 answers in
pairs, I assign students to prepare presentations on the topic and present them to the class.
Similarly, for Speaking Part 3, I organize group discussions and debates to encourage critical
thinking and verbal expression.

Incorporating Other Approaches

I also draw inspiration from other teaching approaches. For instance, pre-teaching activities
from the Cognitive Approach are highly effective in activating students’ prior knowledge and
helping them acquire new skills in a structured way. Additionally, the principle of positive
reinforcement reminds me to continuously check students’ understanding and provide
encouragement, ensuring they retain knowledge and remain motivated.

Target Learners
My IELTS classes primarily consist of high school and college students aged 16-20. Learners
in this age group often have a strong desire to express themselves and are more engaged when
lessons include themes and activities that resonate with their interests. To meet their needs, I
incorporate relatable topics and design tasks that allow them to share their ideas confidently.
However, many students in this age range face confidence barriers and lack initiative. To
address this, I frequently use pair work, group activities, and role-playing exercises, ensuring
students practice speaking in a supportive and collaborative setting. I also rotate seating
arrangements to encourage interaction with all classmates, building a more inclusive and
dynamic classroom environment

3. Teaching technique
- Which techniques (scaffolding, warm language. 80-20, lowering affective filter)
- How much time – teaching vs allowing students to practice language
- How you motivate students on a daily basis
- Do you use warm language, teacher talk, language learning strategies? Yes, explain how you
use them
- Some warm up / guided / independent / assessment activity you use? How you integrate
them into lesson plans? How they are beneficial to students
- How you evaluate and assess students?

Draft
I use many techniques in my lesson planning and teaching. One of the most important is
scaffolding. In many writing lessons before, my students seemed to be confused and cannot
applied the knowledge into their homework or they made mistakes that I already pointed out
in the class. Learning about scaffolding made me realize that my instruction wasn’t clear
enough and I went straight from instruction to independent practice without giving any guided
practice. After making adjustment in my lesson plan and teaching techniques, my students
acquired the knowledge better and made fewer mistakes in their homework

Before learning the course, my typical lesson would be 50-50 for teaching and practicing, but
after applying what I learn, it is 80-20 now, which means 1 hour 30 minutes for practicing and
30 minutes for teaching

I motivate my students in many ways. One common way is constantly reminding them of
their goals: achieving the target IELTS band score, speaking English fluently. Another way is
giving complements or pointing out their progress.

I use warm language in my lesson. In order to do this, I believe that we have to really
understand the lesson and acquire the key points thoroughly. Using warm language means I
do not give out the knowledge immediately but gradually by asking them questions, letting
them think and stimulating their curiosity and thinking. One strategy that I find helpful is
integrating one game in every lesson usually in the middle of the period to gain students
attention and review knowledge before moving on to independent practice.

Because the IELTS classes are very heavy, so the activity is usually practicing the IELTS
questions without changing much. I know this is sometimes boring and limiting the chance
for students to practicing different skills. Therefore, at present, I try to change the format of
the activity but still ensure students are practicing the questions and skills needed for IELTS.
For example, instead of asking students to role-play answer IELTS speaking part 2, they will
be asked to make a presentation in groups for assessment part.

In class I give them immediate feedback and double check at the end of the class to ensure
they remember that feedback. Of course, I try to give compliments as much as possible. For
the homework, I give detailed feedback on google doc. In the next class, I open that feedback
and double check students to ensure they have read it and know how to fix it.

Refined Version
Teaching Techniques and Classroom Practices

I incorporate multiple techniques into my lesson planning and teaching to ensure that students
engage with and retain knowledge effectively. One of the most essential techniques I use is
scaffolding. Early in my teaching, I noticed that students often struggled with applying what
they had learned, even after explanations. They made repeated mistakes in their homework,
despite my in-class corrections. After learning about scaffolding, I realized that I was moving
too quickly from instruction to independent practice without enough guided practice. By
restructuring my lessons to include step-by-step guidance, students showed improved
comprehension and accuracy in their work.

Balancing Teaching and Practice

Previously, my lessons followed a 50-50 split between teaching and practice. However, after
refining my approach, I now follow an 80-20 model, where 30 minutes are dedicated to
instruction, and 1 hour 30 minutes is focused on student practice. This shift allows students
more time to actively engage with the material, apply their learning, and develop their skills in
a meaningful way.

Motivating Students

I employ multiple strategies to keep students motivated:

 Goal-Setting: I frequently remind students of their objectives, whether it’s achieving a

target IELTS score or improving their fluency.
 Positive Reinforcement: I highlight their progress and improvements, no matter how
small, to encourage confidence and persistence.
 Engaging Activities: I integrate interactive tasks and occasional games to maintain
energy levels and prevent monotony.

Classroom Language and Interaction

I use warm language to create a welcoming and engaging classroom atmosphere. Instead of
immediately giving students answers, I guide them through questioning techniques,
encouraging curiosity and deeper thinking. This approach helps students feel more involved
in the learning process and lowers their affective filter, making them more receptive to new
information.

Additionally, I integrate one game per lesson, usually in the middle of the class, to refocus
students and reinforce key concepts before transitioning to independent practice.

Lesson Structure and Activities

Since IELTS preparation can be intense, I strive to make practice sessions dynamic while
maintaining their effectiveness. Rather than having students simply role-play IELTS
Speaking Part 2, I sometimes require them to prepare and deliver group presentations.
For Speaking Part 3, I organize debates and discussions, which allow students to practice
argumentation, critical thinking, and fluency in a more natural setting. These adaptations
not only make learning more engaging but also improve their ability to think and respond
under pressure.
Assessment and Feedback

I assess students through a combination of immediate in-class feedback and detailed

homework corrections:

 In-Class Feedback: I correct errors on the spot and review key points at the end of
each lesson to reinforce learning.
 Homework Feedback: I provide detailed comments via Google Docs, pointing out
mistakes and suggesting improvements. In the next lesson, I review these corrections
with students, ensuring they understand their errors and know how to fix them.
 Progress Tracking: Over time, I monitor common mistakes and individual
development, adjusting lessons to address recurring challenges.

By incorporating these strategies, I ensure that students not only understand the material but
also develop the skills necessary to perform well on the IELTS exam.

Teaching observations

Questions to answer in peer review activity

- Which approach(es) do you think these teachers’ teaching style most closely aligns
with?
- Discuss some aspects of this teacher’s class that you liked?
- What are some techniques/activities that you might be interested in incorporating into
your own teaching?

Video 1 - Nancy
Comprehension apporoach
- give language input just above the current level of understanding + make connection
with what they already know (elicit a list of verbs at the beginning)
- Lower affective filter
+ give compliment: you guys are so smart
+ reassure students: if you have only 4 questions, no problem / Be is so hard right?
- Use visual aids to convey meaning: explain the meaning of present/gift

Communicative approach
- The teacher made learning fun and interesting by asking questions in high interest
topic (Do you like Mc Donald? everybody watches Breaking Bad)
- Sequencing activities: a list of verbs  make statements in past simple tense  make
yes/no answer  make WH-questions
- Language games: work in teams and communicate in target language

Some aspects I like

- The mobility of the students
+ at first, the seating with computers makes me feel a distance between students and
the teacher. However, after the teacher asked them to bring their chairs right in front of
her, the class looked more intimate and the connection was better.
+ the teachers’ order for students at first seemed to be awkward and slow, but once it
was done, the atmosphere was much better than the beginning. Therefore, it again
emphasizes the necessary of teachers making change in class to adapt to different
situations.
- The teacher’s effort to scaffold
+ many times, the teacher could give the answer directly, but she was aware that the
students might knew this or they can deduct this gradually, so she just gives them a
chance (passive form of dive, the reason not add “ed” to the verb in the question).
 + In one case when the students cannot give the answer, she made it easier by writing
down on the board and forming a rule for students. (the WH form of be)

Activities I’m interested in corporating into my lessons

- Class survey with WH-questions of past simple tense
+ the questions are written by askers, so it’s natural and not forced
+ students get a chance to talk with many students in class
+ students can practice a variety of WH-questions
+ for higher level students, I will ask them to add a follow-up question to extend the
conversation

Video 2 – Karen

Approach used
- Cognitive approach
+ students read an example paragraph and withdraw the rules under the teacher’s
guidance and then apply the rules to do exercises.
+ teachers gave explicit feedback
- Affective-humanistic approach
+ the teacher gave positive reinforcement by giving praise and encouragement

Assessment
1. Compare teaching styles? Similarity and differences
2. Approaches used by each teacher
3. Teachniques from each teacher you are interested in corporating into your lessons

Answer
1. Compare
Similarity
- Both teachers allowed themselves to look silly in front of the students.
- Both teachers tried to call out all students in the class and interact with them closely
- Both teachers gave immediate feedback to students and praise when they did well
Differences in teaching styles
- Nancy
+ talk more slowly
+ have various activities in class, allowing students to interact in groups
+ finish all activities in lesson plan
+ good handwriting
- Karen
+ talk faster, seem rushed, sometimes a bit confusing for listeners cause she delivers
too much information in a short time
+ students only work individually; she allowed them to work in group but no one did
+ lack time to finish the last guided activities
+ a bit messy handwriting

2. Approach
By Nancy
- Comprehension approach
+ give language input just above the current level of understanding + make connection
with what they already know (elicit a list of verbs at the beginning)
+ Lower affective filter: give compliment: you guys are so smart + reassure students:
if you have only 4 questions, no problem / Be is so hard right?
+ Use visual aids to convey meaning: explain the meaning of present/gift
 - Communicative approach
+ The teacher made learning fun and interesting by asking questions in high interest
topic (Do you like Mc Donald? everybody watches Breaking Bad)
+ Sequencing activities: a list of verbs  make statements in past simple tense 
make yes/no answer  make WH-questions
+ Language games: work in teams and communicate in target language

By Karen
- Cognitive approach
+ students read an example paragraph and withdraw the rules under the teacher’s
guidance and then apply the rules to do exercises.
+ teachers gave explicit feedback
- Affective-humanistic approach
+ the teacher gave positive reinforcement by giving praise and encouragement

3. Tecniques I’m interested in incorporating into my lessons

Nancy
- Increase the mobility of the students
+ at first, the seating with computers makes me feel a distance between students and
the teacher. However, after the teacher asked them to bring their chairs right in front of
her, the class looked more intimate and the connection was better.
+ the teachers’ order for students at first seemed to be awkward and slow, but once it
was done, the atmosphere was much better than the beginning. Therefore, it again
emphasizes the necessary of teachers making change in class to adapt to different
situations.
- The teacher’s effort to scaffold
+ many times, the teacher could give the answer directly, but she was aware that the
students might knew this or they can deduct this gradually, so she just gives them a
chance (passive form of dive, the reason not add “ed” to the verb in the question).
+ In one case when the students cannot give the answer, she made it easier by writing
down on the board and forming a rule for students. (the WH form of be)

Karen
- Her ability to maintain the energy during the whole class
- Her positive energy and her telling jokes to cheer students up (I know you’re excited)
- Incorporating technology smoothly into the lesson

Revised
Comparison of Two Teachers’ Teaching Styles
Similarities

Both teachers demonstrated a student-centered approach and engaged actively with their
students. Specifically:

 They were comfortable making themselves look approachable and relatable in front
of the students.
 They made an effort to call on all students, ensuring equal participation and close
interaction.
 They provided immediate feedback and offered praise to reinforce students’ efforts.

Differences in Teaching Styles

 Aspect Nancy Karen
Spoke quickly, sometimes appearing
Speaking pace Spoke slowly and clearly
rushed
Classroom Conducted a variety of activities, Primarily used individual work, even
activities encouraging group interaction when group work was allowed
Lesson Often lacked time to finish guided
Completed all activities planned
completion practice activities
Handwriting Neat and legible Somewhat messy and difficult to read

Teaching Approaches Used by Each Teacher

Nancy’s Approach

1. Comprehension-Based Approach
o Provided language input slightly above students' current level and connected
it to prior knowledge (e.g., eliciting a list of verbs at the beginning).
o Lowered the affective filter by offering reassurance (e.g., “If you have only
four questions, that’s okay.”) and encouragement (e.g., “Be is so hard,
right?”).
o Used visual aids to explain meaning (e.g., clarifying the difference between
“present” and “gift”).
2. Communicative Approach
o Made learning engaging by discussing high-interest topics (e.g., “Do you like
McDonald’s?” or “Everybody watches Breaking Bad.”).
o Sequenced activities logically: (1) listing verbs → (2) forming past simple
sentences → (3) making yes/no questions → (4) constructing WH-questions.
o Integrated language games that required students to communicate in the
target language and work in teams.

Karen’s Approach

1. Cognitive Approach
o Encouraged students to discover grammar rules independently by analyzing
example paragraphs under teacher guidance.
o Provided explicit feedback to clarify misunderstandings.
2. Affective-Humanistic Approach
o Used positive reinforcement through praise and encouragement to boost
students’ confidence.

Techniques to Incorporate into My Own Teaching

From Nancy’s Lessons

1. Increasing Student Mobility

o Initially, the seating arrangement (with computers) created a physical and
emotional distance between students and the teacher. However, by instructing
students to move their chairs closer, the classroom atmosphere became more
intimate and engaging.
o Although this transition felt awkward at first, it ultimately improved student-
teacher interaction, highlighting the importance of adaptability in the
classroom.
2. Scaffolding Techniques
 o Instead of directly providing answers, Nancy guided students to deduce them
on their own (e.g., leading students to recognize why “dive” in the passive
form does not take -ed).
o When students struggled, she simplified the question by writing on the board
and forming a clear rule (e.g., explaining the WH-form of “be”).

From Karen’s Lessons

1. Maintaining High Energy Throughout the Class

o Karen’s ability to sustain enthusiasm helped keep students engaged and
motivated.
o Her use of humor (e.g., saying “I know you’re excited” to lighten the mood)
created a positive learning environment.
2. Effective Use of Technology
o She seamlessly integrated digital tools into her lesson, making learning more
interactive and dynamic.

Lesson planning
Objectives
- Specific, tangible end goals
- Measurable
- Objectives that matter

One week lesson plan

Teacher tool box
Final

PART 2
Teach reading, writing and grammar

Reading difficulties

Types of students
Type 1: Learners who don’t have a lot of knowledge about reading  teach reading
knowledge
Automatic recognition skills
- can’t connect sounds and letters
- problem with second language learners with different alphabet
 teach phonics rules = how to connect sounds with letters
+ C rule = hard c (cat) vs soft c (city)
+ G rule = hard g (gate) vs soft g (gem)
+ VCe rule = silent e (nice, place, vote)
+ CV rule = long V (he, go, my)
+ R rule = r change the V (cat  car, feat  fear)
 focus on sound >< focus on meaning

Vocabulary and Structural knowledge

- lack vocabulary = don’t know the mearning
  teach vocabulary + simple sentence structure: noun, verb, adverb
 teach sight words = 2000 most common words

Discourse and knowledge of genres

- letters / text message / essay

World knowledge
- increase the capacity of prediction

Reading strategies
- reread / scan / look up words / form opinions
- extensive reading / intensive reading

Type 2: do not connect reading with active strategies

Pre-reading activities
- Have you ever questions
- Provide background information
- Share some shocking information
- Pre-teach vocabulary
+ viết định nghĩa – hs tìm từ trong bài tương ứng

- Tell a personal story

- cho hình nhân vật  viết cá từ miêu tả tính cách
- đọc 2 câu đầu / đọc title / đọc đoạn 1  sự đoán phần tiếp theo

 Increase interest + provide support

Reading
- Look for certain facts
- Take notes
- Highlight interesting sections to share later
- Stop after certain points  Discuss with a partner
- Weak classes: choral reading, small group, leader and response, fill in the missing
words (ko hiểu)
- Teacher tecnique: Pausing, ask questions, ask students to predicts
- Schema building = connect old knowledge to new knowledge
- squencing with pictures = sắp xếp hình theo trình tự diễn ra trong text
- đọc ½ text  trả lời câu hỏi  tầm quan trọng của guessing
Post-reading
- evaluate in groups
 learners apply, synthesize, evaluate reading
 teachers assess what students recall and comprehend
- words for exercises: do, choose, transfer, answer, condense, extend, duplicate, model
- viết phần tiếp theo của câu chuyện, hậu chuyện
- mỗi hs nghĩ 1 câu hỏi  gom lại, gv đọc cho cả lớp trả lờik

Type 3: students may not have a love for reading

Immediacy (tính thân mật) = cung cấp tài liệu đọc liên quan đến học sinh
Autonomy = cho học sinh tìm tài liệu đọc mình thích
Authencity
- cung cấp tài liệu mà học sinh sẽ tiếp xúc trong tương lai
- thêm yếu tố tương lai vào bài đọc
+ some of you will someday go to this place, it is an amazing place. Let me tell you
about it
+ have you ever imagined ...
Graded assignment
Chọn 1 reading material, tiêu chí
- tuổi của học sinh
- trình độ của hs
- title và author của material
- discuss why chọn tài liệu này

link: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/education/english-scores-lowest-among-all-subjects-
in-vietnam-s-national-high-school-graduation-exam-4771697.html
- age: high school (16-18)
- level: B1-B2
- title: English scores lowest among all subjects in Vietnam's national high school
graduation exam
- author: Le Nguyen, Duong Tam
- reasons
+ Familiar Context: The article discusses the results of the national high school
graduation exam, an event that all Vietnamese high school students are familiar with.
This familiarity allows students to connect the content to their own experiences,
making it easier to comprehend and discuss
+ Language Learning: The article is written in a way that is accessible for B1-B2 level
English learners, which is suitable for many Vietnamese high school students. The
vocabulary and sentence structures are challenging but not overwhelming, making it
an excellent resource for improving their reading comprehension skills.
+ Critical Thinking: The article can be used to encourage students to think critically
about their own learning experiences and the broader educational system. Teachers
can prompt discussions on why English scores are low and what could be done to
improve them, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Reading strategies
Extensive reading techniques
Purpose
- helps learner enjoy reading
- give learners a healthy amount of exposure
Newspapers corners
- Gửi báo cho hs đọc / gửi link cho hs chọn báo
- Hs đến lớp report lại theo cặp/nhóm / summarize / paraphrase ý chính
Reading zones = phòng đọc
Reading logs (records)
- Give a goal: number of pages  students read faster
Assessment
- book reports = summary of main ideas / explore favorite characters/setting/details /
give opinions
- fill out an outline  distinguish main ideas with details
- presentations

Intensive reading techniques = đọc chậm 1 đoạn text khó

Discussion of parts of speech
- SVO
- active/passive phrases

Morphology (hình thái học)

- parts of words = prefixes, sufixes
Jigsaw
- Chia lớp thành 4 nhóm abcd, mỗi nhóm đọc 1 phần của text
- Lấy người từ mỗi nhóm để tạo thành group của 4 người đã đọc 4 phần
- Mỗi nhóm discuss rồi trả lời câu hỏi
Cloze Passage Exercises

Peer-graded assignment

1. Materials:
- whiteboard
- projector
- printed copies of the article

2. Objectives
- improve reading comprehension skills
+ identify key information
+ understand vocabulary in context
+ summarize the article
- gain knowledge of the topic
+ understand challenges related to English education in Vietnam
+ discuss possible reasons and solutions for the low English scores.

3. Warm-up & Objective discussion

- Warm-up: ask questions: Why do you think English is an important subject in
schools?
- Objective discussion
+ we will read an article about the recent national exam result, focusing on English
scores
+ aim: improve reading skills + understand the real-world implications of the topic.

4. Instruct and model

- Pre-teach vocabulary (pre-reading)
- Model reading (reading + intensive)
+ read the first paragraph aloud to the class
+ highlight key points + unfamiliar words
+ explain how to use context clues to predict the words’ meaning

5. Guided practice
- Group reading (reading + intensive)
+ divide class into group of three. Give each group a section of the article
+ teammates read the sections together + highlight key points + unfamiliar words
+ after reading, each group present what they understood from each section + try to
use vocabulary from pre-teach activity

6. Independent practice
- Individual reading (reading + extensive)
+ students individually read the entire article, trying to underline key points + predict
the words’ meaning based on the context
- Worksheet completion (post-reading – intensive)
+ provide a worksheet with comprehension questions related to the articles
+ what are the main reasons for the low English scores?
+ how do urban and rural areas differ in terms of education quality?
+ what solutions are suggested to improve English proficiency?
 7. Assessment
- Class discussion: students share their answers to the comprehension questions +
support with evidence form the article
- Wrap-up activity: students write a summary paragraph (100 words) of the article main
points

Writing difficulties
Lesson 1: Less proficient writers

Students’ problems
- have no ideas  learn brainstorming
- unclear of teachers’ expectations  give expectations
- have terrible ideas  review ideas before writing
- isolate themselves

Principle of learning writing = writing is a process not a product

- pre-writing
+ reading / speaking / thinking
+ stimulate background knowledge
- writing
+ include rubrics / expectations
+ give models
- post-writing
+ share their writing = peer review

Two types of writing activities

- Focus on meaning
+ free writes
+ fast writes
+ brainstorming
- Focus on form

Lesson 2: Strategies for less proficient writers

Writing is recursion = students constantly look at their work and change things (add/take out
ideas, change idea order)
- change ideas, order, organization  change grammar
+ don’t fix grammar until students have a strong sense of organization, body, coherent
ideas
+ ask students to add evidence, examples, clarify a thought

- make students feel comfortable with the idea that they can challenge you
+ give clear instruction + clear models but leave space for students’ creativity and
thinking
+ help students feel that they are writing for themselves

- be positive by pointing out what they have done well

- avoid rewriting the whole sentence

Lesson 3: Review and assessment

Chuyển lesson plan của bài reading  writing dựa trên bài đọc đó, dài 50-60 phút, gồm
- pre writing
- writing
 - post writing

`1. Material
- copies of article:
- writing material: paper/pen/digital devices

2. Objectives
- be able to summarize the main points of a news article
- write a response that expresses their opinions on the presented issues
- use evidence from the article to support arguments in writing

3. Warm-up:
Ask questions:
- What do you think are common challenges students face in learning English?
- Why might English scores be lower than other subjects in Vietnam?

4. Pre-writing activities
Introduce the article
Read the article (10 minutes)
Article discussion
- ask questions:
+ What are the main reasons given for the low English scores?
+ Do you agree with these reasons? Why or why not?
- summarize the main points on the boards as students share their thoughts

Writing activities
Give prompt:
Based on the article, explain why English scores are low in Vietnam and suggest solutions to
improve English learning in schools.

Brainstorming:
- ask students to take notes on the following questions
+ What are some of the reasons English scores are low in Vietnam?
+ What solutions would you suggest to improve English education in schools?
+ How do these issues connect to your own experiences with learning English?

- Create an outline: guide students in organizing their notes into a basic essay structure
(introduction, body, conclusion)
+ introduction: summarize the issue
+ body: discuss reasons for the low scores and possible solutions
+ conclusion: summarize the ideas in body

Post-writing activities
Peer review:
- students exchange their essays
- provide feedback using these questions (check ideas)
+ Is the main idea clearly stated in the introduction
+ Does essay use the evidence from the article?
+ Are suggestions for improving English learning clear?
- check language = vocabulary, grammar

Teacher review and class discussion

- select a few essays and highlight good examples
- encourage students to revise their essays based on peer and teacher feeback
Assessment
Collect final versions of the essays to evaluate based on
- clarity and coherence of the response
- structure and organization of ideas
- correct use of evidence from the article
- grammar and language use

Writing techniques

Six traits of writing = characteristics of quality writing that teachers look for
- ideas
- organization
- voice
- word choice
- sentence fluency
- conventions = punctuation + format + spell

It is important to go global = focus on ideas and organization first

Pre-writing = ideas + organization

- ideas
+ reading = find articles on the Internet about the topic
+ thinking = brainstorming  free-writing = write all they know about the topic
+ speaking = share ideas with others
- organization
+ outline: ideas written in a note form
+ mind map =
+ paragraph blocks
Writing = ideas + organization + voice + word choice + sentence fluency
- voice
+ determine how reader would feel when reading  entertaining / neutral /
thoughtful / emotional
+ affect organization – choose which ideas to share
+ one of the hardest things to teach

Strategies to teach voice

- basic levels: ask students to write simple text with a specific audience in mind (family
members / sports players / romantic partner)
- intermediate: read and evaluate simple scenarios from different points of view  read
similar text for different audiences  rewrite texts
- advanced levels:
teach
+ give examples of strong and appropriate voice vs inappropriate and weak voice
+ reading poetry
+ knowing how metaphors are used
practice
+ rewrite the endings of news articles and stories  change the moral of the story
+ rewrite the texts from the third to the first or second person / experiment with active
vs passive voice
+ write on topics they have strong opinions or controversial topics
+ include humor or irony in their writing  evaluate the impact / quality
sample activity
 divide class into groups  give each group 1-2 sentence scenario + a list of adverbs
 each group rewrite the scenario for each adverb  other group label each scenario
with adverbs

- general tips
+ expand student vocabulary: the ability to use strong verbs, adjects, adverbs
+ do not rewrite students’ sentences when grading

Post-writing = revisions / conventions

Assignment: lesson plan for writing lesson (50-60 minutes_

- include reading + writing activities
- include components of a lesson plan
- include writing techniques

Lesson Plan: Writing Based on an Article

Material

 Article: “English Scores Lowest Among All Subjects in Vietnam’s National High
School Graduation Exam” (link: article link)
 Writing material (paper/pen or digital devices)

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Summarize the main points of a news article.

2. Write a response that expresses their opinions on the issues presented.
3. Use evidence from the article to support their arguments in writing.

Warm-up (10 minutes)

Objective Discussion:

 Begin by asking students:

o What do you think are common challenges students face in learning
English?
o Why might English scores be lower than other subjects in Vietnam?
 Discuss briefly and encourage students to share their ideas.

Instruct and Model (20 minutes)

1. Introduce the Article:

o Explain that the class will read a news article discussing why English scores
are the lowest among all subjects in Vietnam's national exam.
2. Read the Article (10 minutes):
o Provide students with either printed copies of the article or share the online
version for them to read silently.
3. Model Writing a Summary (10 minutes):
o Show an example of summarizing the article's main points. For instance:
The article discusses the recent national high school exam results, where
English scores were the lowest among all subjects. This has raised concerns
about the effectiveness of English education in Vietnam, with experts citing
various reasons, including outdated teaching methods and insufficient
 practice opportunities.
o Emphasize including key details without copying the text directly.

Guided Practice (20 minutes)

1. Summarizing Practice:
o Ask students to write a 3-4 sentence summary of the article on their own.
o Walk around the room, offering feedback and guiding them as needed.
2. Discussing the Issues:
o Lead a class discussion about why English is a challenging subject for many
Vietnamese students. Use questions like:
 What are the reasons the article gives for low English scores?
 Do you agree with the reasons mentioned? Why or why not?

Independent Practice (20 minutes)

Opinion Essay Writing

 Prompt:
o Ask students to write an essay responding to the question:
Why do you think English is a difficult subject for many students in
Vietnam? What solutions can you suggest to improve English learning in
schools?
 Structure:
o Introduction: Briefly mention the issue from the article.
o Body: Provide reasons why students struggle with English (using evidence
from the article). Suggest solutions.
o Conclusion: Summarize your opinion on how English learning can be
improved.

Assessment (10 minutes)

 Peer Review:
o Students exchange essays with a partner and provide feedback on whether
the essay:
 Summarizes the article accurately.
 Presents a clear opinion.
 Uses evidence from the article to support ideas.
 Teacher Review:
o Collect essays for a more detailed assessment based on content, structure,
grammar, and use of evidence.

Tham khảo: Activities cho Write – Read - Aladdin and the 1,000 Arabian Nights

1. Three wishes: hs viết 3 điều ước  share trong nhóm / vẽ tranh  trưng khắp lớp

2. Story starters (reading + writing fluency): all hs viểt story starter  (2-3 mins) chuyền cho
người bên cạnh  viết tiếp chuyện của người bên cạnh  done, original writer nhận lại
chuyện
3. Advice column: hs imagine being one of the characters  viết 1 problem lên note cards 
gv thu lại  gv phát lại  hs viết advice ra sau  original writer nhận lại  lớp discuss

Module 5: The princess and the pea

Writing activity for Princess and the Pea

- storyboard: hs viết lại chuyện, thay đổi bối cảnh, nhân vật, kết truyện  present theo
nhóm nhỏ
- viết thư cho nhân vật  hs khác làm nhân vật viết thư phản hồi
- finger puppet + tạo 1 vở kịch nhỏ

Peer-graded assignment
- thêm 1 bài grammar – highlight phần này
- tiêu chí
+ có đủ: reading, writing, grammar activities
+ có đủ: (business/materials, objectives, warm-up, objective discussion, instruct,
model, guided practice, independent practice and assessment)?
Lesson Plan: Reading, Writing, and Grammar

Lesson Title: Analyzing National Exam Results in Vietnam

Level: Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate (B1-B2)
Duration: 90 minutes

1. Business/Materials:

 Materials:
o Printed copies or digital access to the article: "English scores lowest among
all subjects in Vietnam's national high school graduation exam"
o Whiteboard and markers
o Projector (optional)
o Handouts for grammar practice (simple past and past perfect tenses)

2. Objectives:

 Reading: Students will develop comprehension skills by reading and analyzing an

article on national exam results in Vietnam.
 Writing: Students will write a short summary and express their opinions on
improving English scores in the exam.
 Grammar: Students will practice using the simple past and past perfect tenses in
context.
 Critical Thinking: Students will discuss the reasons behind the results and propose
solutions.

3. Warm-up (10 minutes):

 Activity:
o Write on the board: “What is the most challenging subject for students in
Vietnam?”
o Ask students to think for 1 minute and then share their thoughts with a
partner.
o Call on a few students to share their ideas with the class.
 Objective:
o Engage students in the topic of education and prepare them for reading about
exam results.
o Activate prior knowledge.

4. Objective Discussion (5 minutes):

 Explain that today’s lesson will focus on reading an article about Vietnam’s national
high school exam, with a focus on the English subject. After reading, students will
write about how English teaching and learning can improve.
 Share that they will also review some grammar points related to past tenses, which
will help in their writing task.

5. Instruction/Reading (15 minutes):

  Instructions:
o Distribute the article or display it on the projector.
o Instruct students to read silently for 10 minutes.
o While reading, they should underline any numbers or percentages
mentioned.
 Modeling:
o Read the first paragraph aloud and model how to underline key statistics
such as the average score (5.51).

6. Guided Practice (15 minutes):

 Comprehension Check:
o Ask students to summarize the main points of the article with a partner. Give
them 3 minutes.
o Discuss the answers as a class.
o Example questions:
1. What was the average score for English in the 2024 national exam?
2. How does this compare to other subjects?
3. What percentage of students scored below 5 in English?
 Discussion:
o In small groups, students discuss the following questions:
1. Why do you think English scores are low compared to other
subjects?
2. What steps can be taken to improve English proficiency in Vietnam?
o Bring students back for a whole-class discussion.

7. Grammar Lesson (15 minutes):

 Target Grammar: Simple Past and Past Perfect

o Use examples from the article to introduce the difference between simple
past and past perfect.
o Example: “Students scored 5.51 in English (simple past). The average had
increased from last year (past perfect).”
 Guided Practice:
o Provide 5 sentences with gaps. Students will fill in the gaps with either
simple past or past perfect tense.
o Example sentences:
1. Last year, 500 students ______ (score) a perfect 10.
2. By 2024, the number ______ (increase) to 565.

8. Independent Writing Practice (15 minutes):

 Instructions:
o Have students write a short paragraph (around 80-100 words) summarizing
the main points of the article and giving their opinions on how to improve
English scores.
o Students must use at least two past perfect verbs and three simple past verbs
in their writing.
 Peer Review:
o Students exchange their paragraphs with a partner and check each other’s
 use of the past tenses.

9. Assessment (10 minutes):

 Writing Assessment:
o Collect the writing pieces for assessment. Focus on:
 Clarity of ideas (summary and opinion)
 Accurate use of the simple past and past perfect tenses
 Grammar Practice:
o Review the grammar handout as a class, discussing the answers.

10. Wrap-up (5 minutes):

 Reflection:
o Ask students what they learned today and how they can apply these skills in
their own English learning.
o Encourage students to think about the importance of reading and
understanding real-life articles in improving their English proficiency.

Homework:

 Research another subject’s national exam results and prepare a 100-word summary
for the next class.

Module 6: Assessment

Peer assignment
- Chọn 1 phần bài giảng  thu lại 6-10 phút
- Thực hành nhiều lần
- Cười
- Nhớ rule 80/20, students center, use warm language

Teaching listening, speaking, pronunciation

Listening
What makes listening hard
Group 1: Giản lược để nói nhanh hơn
- blending = reduce two or more words so the sounds run together
- morphological reduction (rút gọn hình thái học) = contractions (he’s)
- pragmatic reduction (rút gọn ngữ dụng học) (baby talk, like texting)
- ellipses (tỉnh lược) (bỏ that, which, dấu ...)
-
Group 2: Biến đổi theo tình huống
- paralinguistics (beyond linguistics) = giao tiếp phi ngôn ngữ = accent, tone, stress,
body language., volume, fluency, pitch
+ speak too fast
+ unfamiliar accent
 - performance variables = fillers / redundancies
+ improvised speech = nói ứng biến
+ unexpected phone call
- type of oral discourse
+ monologue: planned / unplanned
+ dialogues: transactional (interview) / interactional (discussion)

Group 3: Từ địa phương

- slang / jargon / colloquialism = từ văn nói (vùng nào cx dùng)
- regionalisms = từ địa phương

Bad Listening teachers

- preferential treatment: focus nhiều hơn vào các HS giỏi
- focus vào definition, rules, vocabulary lists
- GV nói nhiều hơn HS
- GV truyền đạt không hiệu quả: nói quá nhanh, quá chậm, quá nhỏ

Peer-graded Assignment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTSSchYtAXk
The secrets to a healthy old age 6 Minute English

1. What is the age of the students you are planning this listening passage for?
high school students (16-18)
2. Describe your students' language proficiency. (B1-B2 level)
3. List the title and speaker(s) or characters (if fiction) of the listening.
title: The secrets to a healthy old age
speakers: Phil and Beth

4. Discuss why you think this listening would be appropriate for your learners.
provide vocabulary for students to note and learn
include a quizz so it’s fun and interactive
provide information básed on research  fomal language  suitable for ielts learners

Listening strategies

Nghe trực tiếp

- A request for repetition. = could you say that again
- A request for elaboration / clarification. = excuse me I didn’t understand what you
meant there
- Wait  seek clarification = wait till the end of the lecture  use notes / mental notes
+ OK vì nghe them thì có khi không thắc mắc nữa

Nghe gián tiếp = audio/video

- A request to slow things down
+ record lectures
+ watch videos again
- Take notes  visualize things easier

Listening activities (cặp – 1 listener + 1 speaker)

- cho A và B 2 đoạn của 1 passage – A đọc B nghe đoạn của A và ngược lại – show câu
hỏi – A và B trả lời câu hỏi dựa vào thông tin nghe được từ người còn lại
- A, B đeo tên 2 nhân vật trên đầu mà mình ko biết – A đặt câu hỏi cho B để đoán nhân
vật mình đeo và ngược lại
 - 2 truths 1 lie: lớp đặt câu hỏi đề người show 3 fact trả lời

Pre-listening activities
- Top-down = cho background knowledge trước để hs dự đoán content
+ dùng biểu đồ mô phỏng cấu trúc bài nghe  hs dự đoán 1 số detail  nghe và đối
chiếu với dự đoán
KWL chart
+ (trước khi nghe) What I know  What I want to know (sau khi nghe)  What I
learned

Speaking
What makes speaking hard
Giới hạn về thời gian, không gian
- five-hour problems
- classroom size
 HS được nói quá ít
Cảm xúc
- affective factors: vừa cái nhau, chưa ăn tối
- interlocutor effect (hiệu ứng người đối thoại): nói với thầy cô / với bạn bè
- interaction affect: thông tin nghe được từ người kia có thể làm thay đổi suy nghĩ của
mình

4 kiểu speaking
- imitative speaking
+ bắt chước GV
+ focus vào grammar, pronunciation
- intensive speaking
+ tạo câu ngắn
+ áp dụng grammar, pronunciation đã học
- responsive speaking
+ gv hỏi hs trả lời
+ thi ielts, toefl
- interactive speaking
+ nói tự do
+ chịu ah của nhiều yếu tố:

Speaking activities
- cho các hđ informal, unassessed để HS cb cho các formal events
- cho HS nói nhiều nhất có thể, focus vào generating ideas, conversing, practice 1 số
aspects của speaking

Peer-graded assessment
- edit lại lesson plan dạy listening: delete / add new activities  50-60 lesson plan
- add interactive speaking activities

Two kinds of learners based on speaking style

- focus on form
- focus on meaning
 balance
Speaking strategies for learners (for all types / tự học)
- prepare and practice
 + focus on form: write drafts  check for grammar, pronunciation
+ focus on meaning: write drafts  check for ideas
 do both / check for both

- imagery (ngôn ngữ tượng hình) and physical response (phản hồi vật lý)
+ imagery = associate names or words with an image / use mnemonic device (công cụ
hỗ trợ ghi nhớ) / mind palace

+ physical response = use hands to a great effect

- use others
+ why: create enough risk and pressure for students to focus carefully + create energy,
desire, fear to do well
+ students can receive critical feedback

Speaking strategies for teachers (trên lớp)

- principles
+ làm cho hs mở mồm / tìm ra language ego (nhận dạng ngôn ngữ) của mình
+ motivate hs thoải mái với việc shift identity

- ask questions of all minds matters

+ hỏi về preferences, hobbies, likes, dislikes / world around them
+ hỏi câu hỏi kích thích critical thinking / nghe có vẻ mẫu thuẫn
+ ex: would you be a better or a worse person without your family

Peer graded assignment

- 50–60-minute lesson
- include speaking activities related to techniques and strategies = mind palaces,
mnemonic devices

Pronunciation
Barriers to pronunciation
- first language: Cantonese có âm tạo ra ở cuối họng >< English có âm tạo ra ở trước
- age: học càng muộn, accent của first language càng nặng
- innate phonetic ability: some have a better ear for sounds than others
- language ego: identity tied up in the first language = proud of original culture
- intonation and stress
- reduced spoken language: lexical elision: sixth as /sɪkθ/
- perception of accent: some accents are considered prestige accents  teachers should
encourage students to keep their accent but make them more intelligible
(understandable)

Strategies for teaching pronunciation

- principles
+ often taught within listening and speaking type environment
+ can be taught either in a mini lesson format to an entire class or correction on the
sport for individual learners
+ discover that students struggle the most = look for overall patterns among students
 develop small lessons

- compare  identify  produce

+ introduce the target sound = minimal pairs  students compare the difference
between two sounds
 + put that sound into context = sentences / dialogs  students can hear the sound in
normal speech  identify the sounds in context
+ produce the sound = tongue twisters / dialogs / activities

- teach connected / reduced speech

- spot correction
+ done with care not to shame students
+ correct global errors rather local errors
+ repeat the sound you heard  correct

- monitoring = self-study / self-assessment

+ focus on things already learned = give a list of words / sentences  ask student to
pronounce  mark yes / no
+ focus on things not yet learned = rate their performance on a scale of one to ten / list
sounds they produce well and ones need more practice
+ focus on the way they pronounce vs the way they want to pronounce = record their
speech and compare

Assessment

LESSON PLAN
Level: intermediate (B1-B2)

1. Material
- Audio clip and transcript
- Pre-listening vocabulary handout
- Guided listening worksheet
- Post-listening discussion prompts
- Whiteboard and markers

2. Lesson objectives
- Identify and understand key vocabulary related to healthy ageing
- Develop intensive listening skills by identifying specific details
- Enhance extensive listening skills by summarizing the overall message of the audio
- Practice speaking fluently about health-related topics

3. Warm-up and objective discussion (5 minutes)

- Ask Ss:
+ What does it mean to stay young at heart?
 have a positive and optimistic attitude regardless of age
 stay curious, playful and open to new experiences
 feel energetic and avoid being overly serious and stressed

+
 maintain a healthy diet, such as eating more vegetables, fruits and fish
 exercise regularly, like walking, yoga, swimming
 stay socially positive by spending time with friends and family

- Write their ideas on the board

- Explain: today we’ll listen to a BBC programme about staying healthy as we age.
We’ll focus on listening skills and practice speaking about health tips
4. Instruct and model (10 minutes)
Pre-listening activity:
- Teach vocabulary

Vocabulary Match: Match the terms with their definitions.

1. Positive attitude a) Research using twins to study genetics and

2. Twin studies environment.
3. Mediterranean diet b) A lifestyle of eating fresh vegetables, olive oil, and
4. Communal meals fish.
5. Multigenerational households c) Meals where people gather to eat and talk.
d) A mindset focused on hope and confidence.
e) Homes where two or more generations live together.
- Key: 1-d, 2-a, 3-b, 4-c, 5-e
- Predict content
+ Ask Ss: What advice do you think the program will give for staying young at heart?
+ Encourage predictions based on the vocabulary
 eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly
 emphasize having a positive attitude and staying socially active
 follow a Mediterranean diet
 live with family or in a multigenerational household

5. Guided practice (25 minutes)

Intensive listening activity
- Play the audio
- Ss answer specific questions on the worksheets
+ What percentage of ageing is influenced by lifestyle?
+ What does Professor Harper mean by "cell and society?
+ What is one benefit of having a positive attitude?
+ What is the significance of twin studies in ageing research?
- Pause after key parts if necessary
- Ss compare answers with a partner
Pronunication activity
- Compare
+ Provide Ss with key phrases from the transcript (ex: Having a positive attitude can
make a big difference)
+ Listen the phrase again in the audio  Clarify the stress and intonation of the phrase
+ Ss repeat after the teacher, focusing on stress patterns and intonation
- Identify
+ Give Ss other phrases from the script and ask them to mark arrows to identify the
stress and intonation of each phrases
+ Ss listen and check the answer
+ Ss repeat after the teacher
- Produce
+ In pairs, Ss practice saying the phrases naturally
+ Encourage Ss to exaggerate intonation for better understanding
+ Monitor and provide on-the-sport corrections

6. Independent practice (25 minutes)

Post-listening activity
- Group discussion (10 minutes)
+ Ss form small groups and discuss:
 Which tip from the programme do you find most useful?
Are there similar traditions in your culture?
- Quick presentation (15 minutes)
+ Each group selects one ageing tip to present to the class
+ Groups explain why they think it’s effective and how it could be applied in their
culture.
+ After teach presentation, give brief and constructive feedback: highlight strengths,
suggest improvements and correct significant pronunciation and grammar errors

7. Assessment
- Students listen to another 6 Minute English episode and write a short summary, noting
new vocabulary they learned.
- Prepare a 2-minute presentation about one health practice from their culture to share in
the next lesson

Technology enriched teaching

3 tips for using technology

- curriculum and technology must be aligned
+ không dùng tech để giết thời gian
+ phải giúp trải nghiệm trên lớp và làm bài tập tốt hơn
- control technology
+ give guidelines
+ giúp hs có động lực hơn
- balance happens when you are outcomes driven
+ đặt ra mục tiêu đạt được rõ ràng
+ textbook và technology support đạt được goals

content  assessment  objectives / outcomes

- content / assessment is out of alignment with learning outcomes  learners cannot
achieve the goal
activities + content  assessment, but not  objectives

Learning management systems

Ask yourself 4 questions to decide if you want to use an LMS
- Am I ready for an LMS?
- Are students ready for an LMS?
- What LMS do I choose?
- How do I use an LMS?

9 categories of technology
 Soạn thảo Mindmap, Collect Giao tiếp, Video, Multimedia, Games, References, Game vật lý
văn bản visualize data, survey trao đổi media slide, Activities dictionaries
thông tin presentation
Warm-up Ask video slide
questions
Give Make a list Send
objectives objectives on
in LMS
before
Give
instruction
Practice + Doc, word Communicate
collaborate
(guided ->
independent)
Produce Làm bài tập Vẽ Làm Cho hs chơi
mindmap hệ project, game, làm
thống presentation activities
Feedback Doc, word
Technological pedagogical content knowledge
Content
- what to teach
- how content is used in the real world
- previous discussions about the content
- what information is important to teach
- teachers need to be an expert of content
Pedagogy
- how to teach
Technology
- how to apply technology to specific situations
- what types of technology

Content + Pedagogy
- some methods work well with specific content areas
Content + Technology
- certain technologies are better suited to teach specific content areas
Pedagogy + Technology

Combine 3
- know how to use technology to activate learner’s prior knowledge about principles
you plan to teach

Substitution, Argumentation. Modification, and Redefinition

Substitution
- replace traditional learning task with a technology based one
- no change in the function of the resource and the learning task
Argumentation
- make minor changes to the function of resource / learning task
Modification
- change the learning task
Redefinition
- create a new learning task

Substitution / Argumentation = Enhance learning

Modification + Redefinition = Transform learning

example
- learning task: reading a textbook  reading online textbook
- integrate video resources, online translators, dictionaries  incapable with a paper-
based textbook
- give a list of media resources – determine important information – construct
knowledge  done in groups to facilitate collaboration and communication
- ask students to review resources and create a video presentation on the topic

relevant to Bloom’s taxonomy: remember  understand  analyze  evaluate  create

apply
- learning task: practice one part 2 speaking topic: describe a cafe  record online
- argue benefits = có thể nghe lại để spot lỗi
- làm group: 5 best café in hanoi
- presentation
 Principles when making online teaching videos / teaching online (by Richard Mayor)
- multimedia principle (include visual elements)
- personalization principle (informal language)
- interactive principle (include different activities interspersed in the video)
- pre-training principle (give hint + metaphor  teach)

Apply mobiles in teaching in class

- Texting
+ give students dictation to text on their phones (dictations / text speak)
+ create short chain stories in group
- SMS reading
- Recording
+ record themselves  upload on blog/website

ASSESSMENT

Module 1

Objective (speaking class)

- recall and learn travel-related vocabulary
- practice incorporating travel-related vocabulary into IELTS Speaking responses,
- build confidence in discussing travel experiences and opinions by applying learned
vocabulary in their answers.

Technology evaluation form

GENERAL INFORMATION
Technology Name: Jeopardy Age/Grade Level: Technology Type:
Any Application Software
Device
Source: https://jeopardylabs.com/

Associated Learning Standard(s) or Objectives: The resource may be generally applicable; if so, simply
state that.
Students will participate in a travel-themed Jeopardy game to reinforce vocabulary in a fun and interactive
way.

RESOURCE DESCRIPTION
Give a brief description of the resource.
Jeopardy is a quiz game where players answer questions to earn points. It’s structured like a game
show and works well for classrooms, encouraging active participation and friendly competition.

The Resource Allows Students To: YES NO N/A

C Create: Students can use creative thinking or will create an innovative
product.
x
on
te Connect: Students can communicate with others outside the classroom. x
nt
an Research: Students can gather, evaluate, and use information. x
d Collaborate: Students can work together within the classroom or outside of
Pe the classroom. They can build upon each other’s knowledge and work.
x
 Contextualize: Students can make connections between content areas,
ideas, and/or solve problems in a real-world context.
x

Critique: Students must think critically, solve problems, evaluate

information, and make informed decisions.
x
da
go Build Technology Skills: Students must understand or be able to use
gy technology concepts, systems, and operations.
x

RECOMMENDATION

Given the information above, would you recommend this resource? Why or why not? Include any additional
considerations or notes you have.
This website which stimulates Jeopardy game is a great way to help students interact with other
classmates and reinforce the meaning and usage of new vocabulary. Highly recommend to
speaking classes where vocabulary could be taught by topics.

IMPLEMENTATION IDEAS
How could you use this in the classroom?
After the step of constructing and guided practice, this game can be used as a break and an activity to
activate students’ vocabulary range about the topic and reinforce learned vocabulary before moving forward
to independent practice step.

Note: The following criteria may also be considered in the use of this resource.
However, it is important to understand that these are secondary criteria to content
and pedagogy.

The Resource Allows Students To: YES NO N/A

Work at different levels or paces: Students work is differentiated through
the resource.
x
Imp Gather data about themselves: Students can see their progress because
lem the resource contains a tracking system.
x
ent
atio Work intuitively: Students work easily with the resource because it is user
friendly and intuitively designed.
x
n
Be motivated: Students are engaged and excited to use this resource. x

The Resource Is: YES NO N/A

Free: There is no financial cost for the students, teacher, or school. x

Lo Easily Accessed: The resource does not require licensing and is available
gist through the web.
x
ics Reliable: The resource does not have frequent bugs and may have some
kind of trouble shooting support available (either a “help” menu or a support x
team).

Module 2
- Technology được chọn rơi vào category nào trong 9 cái
 - Tech này dung được trong stage nào của tiết học
- Mô tả ngắn gọn cách dùng tech này trong tiết học

1. This game falls into category seven: instructional interactives

2. This game can be used in the stage: practice and collaboration
3. This game focuses mainly on reinforcing vocabulary so it is the best to be integrated into
speaking lessons. After teaching sentence structures and helpful vocabulary, this game can
help strengthen students’ memory of learnt words as well as activate words they might have
known. The format of separating words into different topics could make it easier for students
to remember

Module 3
Tool chosen from previous assessments: JeopardyLabs – Online Jeopardy Template

-Link: https://jeopardylabs.com/

-Brief description of the game: Jeopardy is a quiz game where players answer questions to
earn points. It’s structured like a game show and works well for classrooms, encouraging
active participation and friendly competition.

1. A brief description of how you would use the technology tool

selected in assessment of module 1

This game focuses mainly on reinforcing vocabulary so it is the best to be integrated into
speaking lessons. After teaching sentence structures and helpful vocabulary, this game can
help strengthen students’ memory of learnt words as well as activate words they might have
known. The format of separating words into different topics could make it easier for students
to remember

2. Challenges arisen when students working with this tool

Teachers are mostly the one controlling the website to show and monitor the game so
basically students are not exposed to technological issues. Therefore, I present some problems
related activity execution instead.

C1: Students do not understand the format/rule of the game as it’s a bit complicated

C2: In a team, some students might dominate the games while other stay passive, reducing
overall engagement

3. Solutions for each mentioned problem above

C1: Give clear instruction and double check to ensure all students understand the format

C2: Rotate team representatives for each question to ensure everyone participates. / Allow
group consultation to encourage discussion

Module 4
Tool chosen from previous assessments: JeopardyLabs – Online Jeopardy Template

-Link: https://jeopardylabs.com/
-Brief description of the game: Jeopardy is a quiz game where players answer questions to
earn points. It’s structured like a game show and works well for classrooms, encouraging
active participation and friendly competition.

1. Which stage of SAMR would your technology fall into?

Stage: Augmentation
The website I’ve chosen to create a Jeopardy game falls into the Augmentation stage of the
SAMR model. This is because it enhances traditional review sessions by replacing physical
flashcards or PowerPoint slides with an interactive and engaging digital tool. The Jeopardy
game allows me to input questions, organize them by categories, and add scoring features,
making the activity more efficient and enjoyable. Students can compete in teams, interact with
the game’s interface, and receive instant feedback, which supports their understanding of the
material in a dynamic way.

2. Describe another way you could use the technology tool in a different stage
Another
Stage: Redefinition
To use this technology at the Redefinition stage, I could modify the approach to include
student-created Jeopardy games. For example, students could design their own Jeopardy
questions and categories based on a topic they are studying, collaborate in groups to develop
their games, and then present these to the class. This shifts the focus from simply reviewing
content to actively creating and sharing knowledge, fostering critical thinking, creativity, and
collaboration. It transforms the learning experience into a student-led activity that would not
be possible without the technology.

This progression highlights how the tool can evolve from enhancing traditional tasks to
redefining how students engage with the material.

Substitution – Argumentation – Modification – Redefinition

Learning task: practice learning 10 words about topic Travel

The website to create Jeopardy game can be used in

Module 5

Lesson plan

1. Materials
- internet access and device to run Jeopardy game
- whiteboard
- handouts with travel-related vocabulary and sample IELTS Speaking questions

2. Objectives
- recall and learn travel-related vocabulary
- practice incorporating vocabulary into IELTS Speaking responses
- build confidence in discussing travel experiences and opinions

3. Warm-up + Objective discussion

- ask students to name one travel destination they would like to visit and why
- write down 3-5 travel-related words or phrases they mention on the board
- state the objectives and highlight the importance of using precise vocabulary in IELTS
speaking to achieve higher band scores

4. Instruct and model

Group brainstorm
- divide students into 5 groups and assign each group a category: destinations, transport,
accommodation, activities or problems
- ask each group to brainstorm as many words related to their category in 2 minutes
- each group share their lists with the class on the shared digital platform
- add any essential vocabulary students miss

Collaborative sentence creation

- provide each group with 5 words from their assigned category
- groups create sentences using that word, fitting a travel-related context
- ask one representative from each group to share their sentence with the class
- offer positive feedback or corrections if necessary

Model
- model how to answer an IELTS speaking question using these vocabulary items
+ Describe a place you visited on a holiday
+ Example: Last summer, I visited Bali, a beautiful island in Indonesia. It’s famous for its
stunning beaches and vibrant culture.

5. Guided practice
Jeopardy game
- create a travel-themed Jeopardy games with categories like
+ transport: name a mode of transport for long distances
+ accommodation: where do budget travelers usually stay?

6. Independent practice
- Practice in pairs a mini speaking task
+ task 1: answer part 1 questions – Travel
+ task 2: practice part 2: Describe a memorable trip you had
- Peer feedback

7. Assessment
- students present their answer to a part 2 question to the class
- teachers provide feedback on the use of vocabulary, pronunciation, coherence

Module 6

Lesson plan (Intermediate B1 – Speaking)

Material
- Whiteboard
- Digital presentation tool
- Role-play scenario cards
- Handout with script of the audio

Objectives
- Learn vocabulary related to travel
- Practice using vocabulary in simple real-life situations
- Practice arranging vocabulary into different categories

Warm-up – Travel word association

- Write the word “travel” in the center of the board
- Ask Ss to take turns saying the words of phrases associating with travel (passport,
luggage, sightseeing)
- Write their ideas around the central word to create a mind map
- Briefly discuss categories that emerge
- Lead to the lesson’s objectives

Instruction and modeling

Listening
- Prepare a short audio featuring 2 conversations related to travel
+ a tourist asking for directions
+ a customer booking a hotel room

- Play the audio once, Ss listen to get the general idea and answer these questions
+ What was the traveler asking for?
+ What problem did the speaker mention?
+ How did the tourist/customer handle the situation?

- Ss compare answers with a partner before checking as a class

- Play the audio twice, Ss listen to fill the missing words in the script (reservation,
boarding pass)
- Check the answer with Ss as individual + elicit the meaning + ask Ss to provide
another example
+ reservation = the act of keeping a place in advance for a service (transport /
restaurant / hotel)  I want to make a reservation for a table on tomorrow night.

Model
- Pair with a S role-play a travel scenario based on the script, modify some parts if
necessary
- Highlight and double check the vocabulary

Guided practice
Role-play in Pairs
- Distribute scenario cards
+ lose luggage at the airport
+ check in at the airport
 - Ss work in pairs, taking turns as travelers and the helper/service provider
- Walk around and provide feedback on vocabulary and pronunciation

Jeopardy
- Use the website to create a travel-themed game with categories: Airport, Destination,
Accommodation, Travel problems
- Divide the class into teams

Independent practice
- Divide students into groups of 4-5 and assign them a travel scenario: planning a
weekend trip to a city
- Groups discuss and decide: destination, transport method, accommodation type,
activities, possible problems
- One student from each group presents their plan to the class, using the target
vocabulary

Assessment: Travel advice panel

- Set up a “Travel Advice Panel”: one student act as a travel asking for advice, while 2-
3 others give recommendations using travel vocabulary
- Example
+ Traveler: I’m planning a trip to Danang city. What should I do there?
+ Panelist 1: You should visit the Golden Bridge and try some famous noodle dishes
+ Panelist 2: Don’t forget to visit the beach as they are magnificent.