Jenny Selvidge

U.S. Embassy Tokyo
Tokyo Metropolitan Board ofEducation
Ms. Jenny Selvidge has been dispatched by the U.S. Embassy Tokyo to the Tokyo Board of Education
based on the cooperation by the Memorandum of Understanding between the two.

moving towards acommunicativeapproachSession Goal: Identify one or two strategies thatyou could try to use in your classes.

Make a note of any strategies you might beable to use.

Initial Observationsof English Classes in Tokyo

Vocabulary
Things I observed:• central focus ofclasses• translation• meanings• choral pronunciation

Things I didn’t see:• part of speech• word families• usage• explicit pronunciation
correction

Reading
Things I observed:• sentence-by-sentencetranslation• information search questions• wide range of vocabulary
difficulty• many new words• worksheets in JapaneseThings I didn’t see:• warm-up• activation of prior knowledge• critical thinking• target vocabulary• target grammar• integrated skills (LSW)GrammarThings I observed:• sentence
diagramming• vocabulary focus• stand-alone• mostly teacher talkThings I didn’t see:• noticing how grammar isused in reading or listening• focus on context/usage• discussion about thegrammar

How to move forward…

identify target vocabulary

Vocabulary

identify part of speech andword families

use vocabulary inspeaking/writing tasks

Elementary School
sadhappyborednervous😔

😀

🙄

😬

What makes you feel ()?

Dice Activity (JH/HS)
In pairs/groups, students take turns throwing a dice. If they throw a:
1 – give the definition2 – give an antonym
3 – give a synonym
4 – give the part of speech
5 – give another word from the same family
6 – give a sentence using the wordbuild background knowledge

Reading:Warm-upuse multimedia sources (TEDTalks, videos, etc.)

engage with target
vocabulary

Discussion questions
before the reading:

Topic: Malala

Watch video before thereading:What do you know
about Malala?
She’s your age. Whatwould it be like to win
the Nobel Peace Prize asa teenager?
What does she fight for?
What do other young
people in the worldfight for?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIqOhxQ0-H8

highlight reading strategies(skim, scan, etc.)

Reading:Engaging withthe Text

discuss vocabulary in context

move from surface questions
to critical analysis

Reading Strategies
1. always read with a pen/pencil/highlighter
2. read aloud to the class à students mark any unknown
words but KEEP READING
3. discuss vocabulary in context
4. give meanings/translations as necessaryVocab in Context: Lower level
I am hungry. I didn’t eat breakfast.
What does hungry mean?
I am sleepy. I want to go to bed.
What does sleepy mean?

Vocab in Context: High School“Young girls have to
do domestic childlabor and are forced
to get married at an
early age.”
From Pro-Vision: English Communication I

What does domestic mean?
What kinds of jobs do young girls do(and not boys?)
What kinds of jobs would young girls
do once they get married?

Can you think of any other times we use domestic? What do we call a servant whoworks in a home? (Domestic servant)What do you think?

Reading:
Respond withSpeaking

Mini-debatePresentation

Elementary School
Topic: Where do you wantto go?
Student A: Rio de Janeiro
Student B: London”In pairs, explain to yourpartner why you want to go
to ( ). See if they agreewith you.”“Did your partner agreewith you?”Jr/Sr. High School
Presentation with ONLY PICTURES.
- poster- Pecha Kucha (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Sb-PnGB_Zs&t=107s)(20 ppt slides, 20 seconds each)Start with 3-4 slides à 1-minute presentation

paragraph response / free write

Reading:
Respond withWriting

write letterswrite an OpEd (opinion editorial)

write a blog postFree Writing Response
From Pro-Vision, Lesson 8: ”One Pen Can Change the World”

Assignment: Free write ½ page answering the question,“Do you think that teenagers can change the world?”
Completion Grade: content + length

Letter Writing Responseo Write a letter to (Malala).
o Write a letter to someone in your community about achange you’d like to see.
o Write a letter to a penpal in another country.

use reading/listening
materialGrammar

notice how grammar isused

use target grammar inwriting/speaking

Grammar is EVERYWHERE.
Put your “grammar glasses” on!

https://www.brsresults.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/shutterstock_270400172-810x360.jpg

Photo I took in Tokyo:

Please do not smoke whilewalking.
What is while walking?
A reduced clause!
Please do not smoke while you
are walking.

Photo I took on the bus in Tokyo:question form: Do you know…?
passive: The Help Mark was developed…
adjective clause: conditions that are not readily apparent…

New Crown English Series 1

What’s happening in this picture?

New Crown English Series 1“Underline all of the –ing verbs.”“What words come before thoseverbs?” (are, is)“That’s right, BE verbs. –ing action
verbs must have the BE verb beforeit.”“When do we use this structure?”Task: Go somewhere in your neighborhood and write threesentences about what is happening there. Remember to use theBE verb and the –ing verb.

Conclusion:
start with smallchanges to add morecommunicative
strategies to yourclasses.