Unit 6 Blog Post

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of planning for language instruction for myself is the wide range of language skills within the classroom.  Unlike language classes, the classes that I teach are focused on work and does not have the focus or consideration that language classes have on grammar, structure, vocabulary and language skill practice.  Upon review, I thought that my current lesson plans do not necessarily cater to the learning needs of language learners, as it does not make an effort simplifying concepts to learners or give room for any predictions of what is to expect from the learners.

From the unit, I thought about 10 questions that I should answer while I re-plan my lessons:

1. What do they already know about the topic?
2. What should learners be able to do after completing the lesson?
3. What words or instructions should I simplifying when teaching the lesson?
4. How should I organize the topics within the lesson to enhance learning?
5. What activity/activities can I incorporate to assist in effective learning?
6. How should I introduce topics within the lesson effectively?
7. How would I be able to assess learning during and after the lesson?
8. How can I handle the wide range of language skills?
9. What extra materials can I provide for individualized learning plans?
10. Where can this topic be applied at work?

I also want to change the lesson goals into more specific and measurable goals and have specific language learning goals for my participants.  For example, instead of the goal "students will learn the basic parts of the sewing machine and jacket," I can change it to "By the end of the lesson, students will identify the parts of the sewing machine and different parts of the jacket appropriately and accurately at least 95% of the time."

I think that my main purpose moving forward is really changing the way that I deliver content by increasing language goals and supports within the classroom setting, either through change in instruction OR provision of extra learning materials.  I think that sometimes we take the program goals and then incorporate it into lesson goals, or perhaps treat it the same, and finishing this unit made me realize that we really have to take the time to pause and analyze what our learners need and want, and what should we do to make learning effective and engaging.