Video Tape #1

In the first part of the video I explain what an idiom is and the importance of idioms in our language learning, in order for the students to be able to learn and engage in the acquisition of English idiomatic expressions.

In the second video, students have an activity, illustrating an English idiom by acting out in a short conversation between them.

Video Tape 1: Reflection

After seeing the video, I realized many aspects about my teaching style. This kind of assignment was an extremely valuable experience. It allowed me to capture the dynamics over my movement, bodily expressions and emotion towards the students, giving detailed description of my abilities and development. Being able to watch and listen over a video helped me, for example: to study my students ‘reactions and responses to my explanation. As well, I was able to analyze the dynamics of my classroom, how accurate I was when I was explaining the topic and therefore starting to have my own perceptions on how well I taught that class, identifying different techniques that worked out and others that were not that successful and therefore they need improvement.

However, when a friend started videotaping me, at first, I got a little nervous and anxious to do well, in other words I felt like I was in the loop, especially when your instructor and some else is watching every little detail you do. Soon after I was more comfortable with myself dealing with students and the camera.

I consider this assignment as a “trial and error” method, trying to discover and solve the possible problems, to reach for a correct solution, in order to have positive feedback on my own performances and accomplishments.

I think my strengths were having an organize class, where the students did not feel lost with my explanation, everything was well planned. Besides, the students were always paying attention of what I was saying and always respectful towards me as the instructor of the class. Also I approached to every single student to see their progress with the activity.

On the other hand, I noticed weaknesses that I never thought I had before. For example, I think my explanation was a little short. I should have extended more with basic examples of any kind of idioms before the activity started. As well, the class was a little plain, not much of dynamic; as a result some students got bored.

For future lessons I will definitely try to create a more dynamic practice class. To create motivation from a different perspective and innovative strategies using all kind of educational means to reinforce my lessons, especially with adolescents who constant need interaction, to achieve the expectancy of having interesting classes.

Positively, I think videotaping was very useful tool to improve presentation skills for next classes that I will be teaching.

Idioms

How important are idioms in the language learning?

An idiom is an expression that is characteristic of a particular language, but that means something different from what it says. For example, “It's raining cats and dogs!”This expression does not mean that cats and dogs are falling from the sky, but it is a metaphorical expression (word picture) that means that it is raining very heavily.

It's very important to learn idioms. If people only learn proper English, they will never fully understand the language and it will be difficult to understand fully a conversation. It's nearly impossible to have a dialogue without using some idioms, whether you realize it or not. Idioms are a part of everyday speech.

Fun Activity

Instead of having students recite the idioms one by one. They will have an interative game.

First: students have to make groups of four people.

Second: the instructor writes one idiom, with its explanation, on a index card, give 3 idioms to each group, then,

Third: students illustrate an English idiom by acting out a small performance of their creation.

The idioms are:

1. As a rule: usually, generally
2. Be on the safe side: be in a happier and more favorable place
3. By all means: definitely, certainly
4. Come down with: become sick with
5. Cross the bridge when you come to it
6. Every now and then: occassionally, not often
7. A fish out of water: a person away from his/her usual environment or activities
8. From now on: for now, for the present
9. Get the ball rolling: start an activity, make a beginning
10. Had better: should, ought to
11. In the long run: looking ahead to the distant future
12. Make the most of: get the most possible out of a situation
13. Once in a blue moon: almost never
14. Quite a few: many
15. Take it easy: relax
16. The ins and outs of: all the details
17. Under the weather: not well (but not seriously sick)
18. Would rather: prefer to

Passive Voice

For this topic students study language used to express opinions in passive voice, reviewing the differences between the passive and active focusing mainly on the present simple, past simple and present perfect progressive.

Passive voice

Here is an interesting and fun exercise, called: Passive voice race game, in which students have to work together to change the active voice sentence to passive.

Readings comprehension: The Monkey’s Paw and McDonald’s boss surprisingly death

Basically, the first reading comprehension, students read the text and the instructor helps them to have a better intonation, pause and an improved pronunciation given of any mistakes while reading the text. Also, this kind of text, helps the student to predict of unfamiliar vocabulary in reading materials by using contextual clues and/or word analysis

Attached you may find the link of The Monkey´s Paw reading summary.

Meanwhile, for the second reading comprehension ( McDonald’s boss surprisingly death), students have to develop how to identify the writer's purpose, in order to summarize the main ideas and support details toreport and describe events with old and new vocabulary and using the grammatical structured already explained during classes.

Mcdonald's boss surprisingly death

View more presentations from carlavick20

Present Perfect vrs Present Perfect Progressive

Both tenses are used to express an action began in the past and is still going on or has just finished. In many cases, both forms are correct, but there is often a difference in meaning: We use the Present Perfect mainly to express that an action is completed or to emphasise the result. We use the Present Perfect Progressive to emphasize the duration or continuous course of an action.

After the explanation, I asked my students to create complete sentences using the Present Perfect or Present Perfect Progressive with any verbs.

Also, as a second activity, students had complete the sentences with the present perfect or the present perfect continuous tense of the verbs in brackets.

1. I ____________ (write) the letter, so perhaps you would post it for me.

2. For the last two years, he ____________ (write) a history of the Civil War.

3. A: What you ____________(do) for the last half hour? B: I ____________(sit) here working at this problem.

4. We always ____________ (live) in a bungalow, so it will seem strange when we move into a house.

5. How you ____________ (keep)? Well, I hope.

6. You look very upset. What _____________ (happen)?

7. He shouldn’t drive this evening. He ____________ (drink).

8. I’d better not drive. I already ____________ (drink) quite a lot.

9. The meat must be nearly ready. It ____________ (cook) for nearly an hour.

10. You ____________ (not finish) that book yet? You ____________ (read) it for more than a week.

11. I wonder if John ____________ (forget) my number. I ____________ (expect) him to call for the past two hours.

12. I’m sorry we’re late. You ____________ (wait) long?

13. A: How long ____________ (know) you the truth? B: I only just ____________ (find out), but I ____________ (find out) a lot of other things recently.

14. If he ____________ (ask) me that question once, he ____________ (ask) me dozen times.

Causative verbs

Causative verbs indicates sort of actions that people do not do themselves but allow, ask, or force other people to do.

Causative verbs: this website has different and very fun activities. It can used from primary up to secondary level.

Here is an easy practice for students to review the simple past and simple present using causative verbs.

Fill in the blanks with the suitable tense of the verbs in the box

Develop clean (x2) open repair(x3) shorten pay deliver(x3) take(2) fix send(x3) fill Write(x3)

1. If were the President I wouldn´t have the citizens_______ such high taxes

I never get my pictures________at a lab I do it myself

She has a cleaning woman________her house twice a week

I’m going to have my skirts________They’re too long

I´ll have my invitations___________ by the secretary

Jane had three teeth____________

The teacher had the students___________ a composition

I had the TV____________but it is broken again

I couldn´t get a mechanic__________ my car for the weekend, I had to rent one

I couldn´t have a mechanic__________ my car for the weekend,I had to rent one

I will have the children _________ their rooms before they go.

They need a copy of the report, so I will have the courier__________ it as soon as possible

They need a copy of the report, so I will have it________ by a courier as soon as possible

I got my suitcases__________ at the airport

This winter is so cold that I will have a new central________ heating

I would have some roses_________ to her if I had the money

You should have had it__________ a long time ago (They need the information urgently)

She had her secretary__________ the speech

She had her speech__________ by her secretar

I always have my shopping_____________

Past perfect vrs Past Perfect Continuous

This was the first topic I had to teach. Fortunately I was able find different and interesting websites where I could check concepts, reinforcing short factual texts, making use of new vocabulary in sentences and short descriptions, on how and when to use past perfect and past perfect progressive in order to have a correct verbal communication.

My English Teacher.net

Past Perfect Continuous

Activities

Teaching activities to try out in the classroom. For each exercise or activity you will find a simple guide for preparation and procedure and sometimes printable worksheets to use as a learning material for students.

You'll see different and diverse topics which are part of my teaching lessons.

Teaching and learning English

Teaching good English is not always determined by achieving language level, but how well the instructor can be a good mediator, that transfers his/her knowledge to students. In other words, to be able to find and create appropriate learning material for second language learners that meets students’ needs and levels.

Watch this video: how sometimes is good to emulate another teacher's technique in order to become as good as him/her or better.