Dalveen Dalveen

Copy of Horoscopes, Reading & vocal, lesson 3
Pre-intermediate level

Description

In this lesson students will focus on their reading skills through a text about horoscopes. The lesson will start with a focus on pre-vocabulary by identifying the different horoscopes. Students will then discuss with a partner their opinions on horoscopes. Students will then read choose the best fitted title for the article by skim reading to get an overall gist of the text. Students will also complete a ‘fill the gap’ activity to practice reading for specific information. Finally, students will participate in a whole-class activity to reinforce their understanding and practice using the vocabulary.

Materials

Main Aims

  • To develop Ss gist, skimming and reading for specific information reading skills in the context of personality, specifically through learning about horoscopes.

Subsidiary Aims

  • To introduce and clarify Ss knowledge of vocabulary relating to horoscopes

Procedure

Lead-in (pre-reading) (2-3 minutes) • To introduce the theme of personalities with a focus on horoscopes and to elicit Ss vocabulary knowledge

T will present Ss with 12 images of all the different star signs on the WB, such as the symbol representing Taurus and so on. T instructs Ss to discuss what they know about the pictures with their partner. T will then get WC FB to elicit Ss answers and prior knowledge of the vocabulary such a horoscopes, astrology, star signs. T will check Ss understanding, for example, how do you know what your horoscope is? Practice drilling for pronounciation if needed.

Lead-in (pre-reading) continued (4-5 minutes) • To get Ss engaged in the lesson

T will give pairs a piece of paper with a star sign on and its corresponding date (e.g. Virgo, 24th August- 23rd September). T will demonstrate the task by placing the example piece of paper underneath the correct image on the whiteboard before. Ss will then be instructed to discuss whats on the paper with their partner and then stick it on underneath the correct image on the WB. T will check answers as a WC. Seeing as some star signs are difficult to pronounce, engage Ss in some quick drilling exercises if needed. T will then ask some Ss what their star sign is to engage them. T will ask Ss "How often do you read your horoscope? Do you believe what it says". T instructs Ss to talk with their partner then get WC FB.

While-reading (5-7 minutes) • To allow Ss to practice skim reading to get a gist of the text

T instructs Ss that they need to choose a title for the article from the 3 choices available. T will check that Ss understand the title choices, such as 'waste of time' and 'secret police'. If not T can explain in the following way: Waste of time - use an anecdote such as 'I walked 3 hours to get to the supermarket, but when i arrived it was closed, it was a waste of time' or define as spending time to do something without receiving a good return. For secret police, play devils advocate, e.g. Everyone know who secret police are, or simply explain its those who usually work for political people to stop oppositions. T will instruct Ss that they have 2 minutes to quickly skim through the text and choose the most suitable title. ICQ: how long do you have? are you going to read the text slowly? THEN T will handout the text. Ss will give WC FB. Ask them which one and why to check understanding.

While-reading (continued) (3-5 minutes) • To allow Ss to practice scanning for specific details

T will inform Ss that the article was badly torn from a magazine and so some of the words are missing. T will instruct Ss to scan the text quickly to find the missing letters of the words. T will use ICQs such as 'how long do you have to read the text?' Ss will be given 3 minutes to read the text and correct the missing letters. T instructs Ss to discuss answers in pairs. T will gain FB by reading the sentence and allowing Ss to shout out the word with the missing letter. For example, T says 'a horoscope is a good way to waste five...' and then gesture to Ss to finish the sentence with 'minutes'. Answers: For, minute, time, studied, future, like, people, presidents, successful, work, millionaires

While-reading (continued) (8-10 minutes) • to allow Ss to practice reading for detail and gain a better understanding of the text

T will instruct Ss to read the article again in more detail and then fill in the gaps in statements 1-5 using words from the text, working on their own. Give Ss 4-5 minutes. T will then place Ss in new pairs and ask them to discuss their answers. T can complete one of the statements as an example if required. T will check Ss answers by selecting Ss to gain FB. T will use CCQ to ensure Ss understand the words. 1. (waste) what does this mean? Do you think this means horoscopes are a good use of time? (verb) 2. (believe) What does this mean? Do only football managers believe in astrology? (verb) 3. (Decisions) use synonym such as choose/select (noun) 4. (Application) why might horoscopes be important when applying for jobs? 5. (Personality) A persons character, devils advocate: Star signs are used to find out about our appearance...

Post-reading (8-10 minutes) • Allow Ss the chance to practice speaking freely

Ss will play the game 'find someone who...'. T will instruct Ss that they will get a set of 9 questions and that they must go around the class and ask different questions to as many Ss as possible. T will check Ss understand the activity by using a demo. T will go to a Ss and ask them the question 'are you a virgo?' if Ss responds no, T will move to the next Ss and so on. If T finds a virgo, they will write the persons name underneath the question. ICQ: how many people are you going to ask? (As many as you can) T will hand out the questions and instruct the Ss to mingle around the class. T will then select Ss to tell the class what they found out.

If-time task (4-5 minutes) • To allow Ss to gain a deeper understanding of the text (inference)

T will put Ss into small groups. T will write a statement on the WB 'Millionaires don't use astrology. Billionaires do'. T will instruct Ss to discuss the statement in small groups. T will ask one Ss from each group to share their ideas with the group. T will check the answers. Answer: if you use astrology it will make you more successful. Very rich people are very rich because they have astrological information.

Web site designed by: Nikue