Teaching Children English: How to Plan A Story-Based Lesson

Summary

This video outlines a lesson plan framework for teaching young learners through story-based lessons, highlighting key stages such as introducing key language, pre-reading activities, reading aloud, and post-reading activities. The process focuses on engaging students with context-driven language learning and practical life skills, using fun activities like role-playing. The presenter emphasizes the importance of adapting lesson plans and encourages teachers to create their own while offering a free downloadable story-based lesson plan to support teachers in their work. The goal is to transform English teaching for children with effective, engaging strategies.

Takeaways

• 😀 Start by identifying key concepts in the story that align with your students' context and interests.
• 😀 Define clear learning outcomes to guide the planning and assess the success of the lesson.
• 😀 Pre-teach only essential vocabulary or concepts that will support students in understanding the story.
• 😀 Select a story with appropriate challenge and age-level concepts to ensure engagement and comprehension.
• 😀 Plan a pre-reading stage that includes engaging activities like predicting the story and discussing the cover.
• 😀 Ensure students are focused and engaged during storytime, especially when teaching remotely.
• 😀 Use facial expressions, gestures, and tone of voice during the reading to aid understanding.
• 😀 Avoid testing vocabulary during the reading; focus on engagement and participation through gestures and reflective questions.
• 😀 After the reading, conduct a circle time to discuss the story and explicitly teach new vocabulary.
• 😀 Use the story as a springboard for creative activities, such as role plays, to reinforce learning and expand on the concepts.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The video focuses on how to plan story-based lessons for young learners, using a framework that includes key stages and strategies for effective teaching.

What is the first step in planning a story-based lesson?

The first step is to think about the key concepts in the story, such as the vocabulary, themes, and structures, and how they can be integrated into the lesson.

Why is it important to define clear learning outcomes before planning activities?

Defining clear learning outcomes helps make better decisions about the activities to include and provides clarity on how to assess the success of the lesson.

How can teachers support language learning during the story-based lesson?

Teachers can introduce or revise key language before reading the story, use images, gestures, and their voice during the reading, and engage students through prediction and reflection questions.

What are the benefits of dramatic play activities in story-based lessons?

Dramatic play activities, like role-playing the story's events, help students practice language in context and develop social skills by engaging in interactive, real-life scenarios.

What is the 'pre-reading' stage and why is it important?

The pre-reading stage involves preparing students for the story by discussing the cover, predicting the content, and activating prior knowledge. This stage builds anticipation and helps students focus on the upcoming language and concepts.

What strategies can teachers use during the 'wild reading' stage?

During the 'wild reading' stage, teachers should read the story aloud with expression, use gestures, and encourage participation through questions that help students predict or reflect on the story, rather than focusing on vocabulary testing.

Why should teachers avoid testing vocabulary during the story reading?

Testing vocabulary during the reading can distract from the overall understanding of the story. It's better to separate vocabulary assessment from the story reading and focus on understanding the context first.

What are some activities that can follow the story reading?

Post-reading activities can include circle time for discussing the story, reviewing vocabulary, or using the story as a basis for dramatic play, role-playing, or other activities that reinforce the language and concepts learned.

How does the presenter suggest adapting lesson plans for different contexts?

The presenter emphasizes the importance of adapting lesson plans to suit the teaching context, offering a basic framework but encouraging teachers to modify it according to their students' needs and available resources.