EDU 132 Gifts from CCCOnline

Teachers currently enrolled in EDU 132 online, which I am presently teaching, create many useful activities that the field can use with or without modification.

Instructors recently developed short, life-skills activities that integrate basic academic skills among different student populations. Following are a few from a longer list, published with permission from the authors. I'll add more activities in following issues, which will also include lesson plans and retention plans that will be submitted in coming weeks. The format changes slightly from one instructor to another, but the purpose remains the same, to focus on student interests.

FROM CAREE EDSON

1. Objective- Students will successfully plan, prepare and entertain a dinner party for nine guests. Students will need to create invitations for their guests (writing), follow a recipe (reading) and gather ingredients. They will double a recipe to feed more people at the party (math), properly measure ingredients (math) and cook for the appropriate amount of time. Students must greet and entertain party goers utilizing communication and conversation skills (listening and speaking). Optional Technology: Create and print invitations using a MS Office template.

2. Objective- To help students find confidence and success in interviewing for a job.

Students will discuss fears surrounding the interview process with their peers (listening and speaking) and together, compile a list of the most common fears associated with interviews (writing). Students will practice asking and answering interview questions with partners (listening, speaking and reading). Optional Technology: Record interviews on recorder or computer.

3. Objective- To help students write business emails that are clear, concise and professional.

Students will create email accounts (using technology, reading and filling-out forms) and ask for each other’s email addresses (speaking and listening) in order to send a peer a properly punctuated and grammatically correct email stating that they will be absent the following day (writing). Students will proof-read their letters before sending them off (reading).

FROM DEAN BROOKS

Student profile: ABE or upper level ESL who either have no car, or only recently started driving. I. Instructional Goals: Students will be able to.. read an RTD bus schedule on line, select routes, identify departure and arrival and times, and compare ticket prices. Competencies: Students will demonstrate.. how to use the RTD website (technology) to find round trip information on different starting and ending points, including location of bus stops, scheduled departure and arrival times, first and last scheduled buses in a day, schedule differences between weekdays and weekends. Academic Skills: Reading, specialized vocabulary, basic computer skills for basic search, web calculators, and web purchases.

II. Instructional Goals Students will be able to read a road map to find routes between points and estimate travel time.
Competencies: Students will find streets using the map index, calculate distances, estimate speed limits using the map key, identify features such as freeway exits, one-way streets, and toll roads, and propose different routes between points and estimate travel time.
Academic Skills: Reading, specialized vocabulary for local place names and map-specific vocabulary, index reading, basic math, logic. Optional Technology: open and modify maps on Websites.

FROM DANIELLE CARRE

I. Life Skill: Making a Doctor’s Appointment - Beginning ESL Objective: Students will use different scripts to practice making a doctor’s appointment. A performance -based assessment will be used. Academic skills: Speaking: talking clearly and being able to give a brief description of the health problem. Listening: applying the information the doctor’s office provides. Writing: writing information down to remember appointment. Basic concepts of time: entering information on  calendars and setting time frames. Human Anatomy: identifying names of basic body parts and describing basic symptoms. Optional Technology: create calendars using MS templates; download images that identify body parts.

II. Life Skill: Getting A Library Card - Beginning ESL
Objective: Students will fill an application to receive a library card and tour the library. Students will complete a short objective quiz on basic library lending policies.
Academic Skills: Reading: gathering information on the application and what information is needed and interpreting questions on quiz. Writing: printing personal information on application and completing the quiz. Listening: interpreting basic concepts during the tour and during the review of the tour in class. Speaking: forming and asking questions about the information given. Optional Technology: take quiz online; visit different library sites on the Web and order a book online.

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