Classroom Language and Task Based Learning

This is actually the second time that I attended the TBL workshop by the British Council. The first one helped me a lot understand how the ideas and techniques of this communicative approach take shape in the real world. It’s really good I can refresh my memory and also gain new perspectives in terms of TBL, especially I know I’m on the right track after briefly talking about one of my TBL lesson plans with the Director English, Jamie. Also, he kindly offered some very useful suggestions of differentiating some of the activities in the main tasks :   

English Winter Camp with Travel English and French Toast

All the activities were set up using only English as the medium of instruction. The whole idea is to create an environment where students have to work in groups and complete all the tasks targeting travel English, including how to go through customs, take public transportation, check in at a hotel, order food at a restaurant, and so on in English. Of course, making French toast is always a popular activity which engages all the students while also helping them pick up some useful English expressions. Here are 6 activities used in the course.

Teaching Demonstration Filming Project

B2L8 Means of Transportation

https://youtu.be/g5tjEc7yVKY
B2L9 Reading Activities
https://youtu.be/5pRuoDwhq9E

It is my honor and pleasure today to film for the “Teaching Demonstration Project” with the National Changhua University of Education. The idea is to demonstrate some innovative teaching strategies targeting reading and grammar in textbooks for all the junior high English teachers. On top of that, it is also my privilege to work with those lovely students in雅心書軒for the very first time after its unveiling ceremony at PHJH.

A Little Happiness:小幸運與合作學習

Teaching Materials

The movie, Our Times (我的少女時代), is a blockbuster describing memories of Truly Lin’s high-school-years (林真心), with her struggles to become pretty and popular. It also nostalgically recalls romantic events and puppy love affair with a bad boy in the 1990s. The theme song, A Little Happiness (小幸運), has quickly gone viral on You Tube with more than 45 million views. Today, I decided to develop a worksheet and a few activities revolving around an English cover version with beautifully rewritten lyrics.