Incorporating Listening Skills in an Assignment Design
Learner Population
Class Grade: Grade 3, Aged from 9-10 years old
Number: 1 boys and 3 girls
Level: Internedent - high level in the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines
Situation:
- The students speak English as their daily langage and they are all Ethnic Chinese, they can read Pinyin.
- Students can understand Chinese and use Chinese for daily oral communication. Occasionally need the support of medium language.
- Students know about 300-500 Chinese characters, but cannot write them in the correct strokes.
- Students need to supplement their knowledge of traditional Chinese culture and customs.
NOTE: April 4 is the Qingming Festival in China. The teacher led students to explore the customs and origin of the festival through videos and text materials. Students could share the ways of their families to offer sacrifices to their relatives or share relevant content they know as oral practice
Timeline for the Assignment Process
April. 1st: Exploration and Introduction
The main purpose of this day is to introduce students to the Qingming Festival, its origins, customs, and significance, focusing on building foundational knowledge and understanding. Students will watch a video about the festival's origin, complete related questions, research for additional information, and share their findings with the class through presentations.
- The teacher synchronizes the story video of the origin of the Qingming Festival with the students, and the students use the iPad to watch the video and complete the relevant questions
- Students work in groups, read texts related to the Qingming Festival or collect information online, and use Padlet to share information related to Qingming Festival sacrifice, diet, customs, and so on
- Each group uses padlet's information to make a 3-minute introductory presentation to the class, Other group members can ask questions based on the speech and share group answers
April.2nd-Culinary Exploration
The main goal of this day is to explore the culinary traditions linked to the Qingming Festival, focusing on the foods consumed during this period. The emphasis is on hands-on learning about traditional foods and their cultural significance. Students will watch videos demonstrating the preparation of dumplings and Qingtuan, answer questions about the process, compare the two foods, and create visual aids to comprehend the steps involved.
- After the first day of exploration, students already know the diet and customs of Qingming Festival. The north will eat dumplings, the south will eat Qingtuan.
- The teacher shows the dumpling video and the students answer the questions about it
- Students search for information in groups, understand the way of making Qingtuan, compare with dumplings, and share orally in class
- The teacher led the students to learn the materials and verbs used in making dumplings and Qingtuan, and the students sorted out the steps to make posters and put them in the classroom
April. 3rd-Practical Application and Reflection
The main goal today is for students to apply their learning by making traditional Qingming Festival foods. Emphasis is on experiential learning, teamwork, and reflecting on the cultural significance of food. Students will work in groups to prepare dumplings and Qingtuan, share their creations, discuss challenges, and reflect as food critics.
- The students were divided into two groups. They prepared the ingredients according to the steps of the poster and made dumplings and Qingtuan respectively
- Students share the food, share the problems encountered in the preparation, and what they found interesting. Students turn into food critics, judging each other
Specific Listening Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the assignment, the student will be able to:
- Understand the information presented in the videos and complete listening-related questions with at least 85% accuracy.
- Actively listen to peers' presentations about the Qingming Festival and formulate relevant questions or comments based on the information presented.
- Identify key vocabulary and cultural concepts related to Qingming Festival customs, diet, and traditions mentioned in discussions and presentations with at least 80% accuracy.
Specific Speaking Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the assignment, the student will be able to:
- Use target vocabulary and accurate nasal sounds to express customs related to the Qingming Festival during discussions and presentations.
- Share their understanding of the changes in sacrificial practices during the Qingming Festival with the class and engage in a discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of electronic sacrifice.
- Utilize step-related vocabulary, such as "first," "then," and "next," to explain the food preparation process for Qingming Festival dishes accurately.
- Work effectively in groups to prepare and present traditional Qingming Festival foods.
- Provide constructive feedback as a food critic during group discussions.
The Assignment Steps/Sequence:
April. 1st: Exploration and Introduction:
Introduce students to the Qingming Festival and enhance their listening skills through a video and group discussions.
Time
Activity Description
Video Synchronization and Questioning with Edpuzzle
- Begin the class by briefly introducing the Qingming Festival and its significance.
- Show a video story about the origin and customs of the Qingming Festival with Edpuzzle.
- The video will pause at key points to ask multiple-choice or open-ended questions, encouraging students to reflect on the content and share their thoughts. This promotes active engagement and comprehension.
Group Research and Give One, Get One Activity
- Divide students into small groups (2 students per group).
- Provide each group with texts or online resources about various aspects of the Qingming Festival, such as diet, customs, and traditions.
- Instruct students to read the materials together and identify one interesting fact or piece of information related to the Qingming Festival.
- Each student writes their chosen fact on a sticky note or index card.
- Conduct the Give One, Get One activity: Each students circulate the classroom, sharing their chosen facts with classmates and receiving new facts from others in return. Encourage them to discuss the significance of each fact as they exchange information.
Group Presentations and Peer Interaction
- Ask each group to create a 3-minute introductory presentation based on their research findings.
- Each group presents their findings to the class. Encourage active listening among students and ask them to take notes.
- After each presentation, facilitate a brief Q&A session where other groups can ask questions or provide comments on the presented topic. This promotes peer interaction and deeper understanding.
Assessment:
- Formative assessment can be conducted throughout the activities by observing students' participation, engagement, and the quality of their contributions during discussions and presentations.
- Peer feedback during the Q&A sessions provides an opportunity for students to assess their understanding of the material and refine their communication skills.
Materials:
- Video about the Qingming Festival
- iPads or computers for students
- Texts or online resources about the Qingming Festival
- Padlet or similar online platform for sharing information
- Presentation tools (optional)
- Sticky notes or index cards
April.2nd-Culinary Exploration:
Explore Qingming Festival culinary traditions through videos, group discussions, and hands-on learning.
Time
Activity Description
Dumpling Video
- Start the class by showing a video demonstrating the preparation of dumplings, a traditional Qingming Festival food in northern regions.
- Ensure students are engaged by asking questions about the process to reinforce listening comprehension.
Group Discussion
- Divide students into small groups.
- Assign each group to research the making of Qingtuan, a traditional Qingming Festival food in southern regions.
- Instruct students to compare Qingtuan with dumplings and share their findings orally in class.
Poster Creation
- Guide students in learning vocabulary and verbs related to making dumplings and Qingtuan.
- In groups, students collaboratively create posters outlining the steps for each dish, fostering speaking and teamwork skills.
- Encourage creativity and attention to detail in the posters to enhance understanding.
Assessment:
- Group Discussion: Monitor students' engagement and understanding during group discussions comparing Qingtuan with dumplings, focusing on their ability to articulate differences and similarities.
- Poster Creation: Observe students' collaboration and assess the clarity, accuracy, and creativity of their posters outlining the steps for making dumplings and Qingtuan.
- Peer Feedback: During the Q&A sessions following each group presentation, provide opportunities for students to give and receive peer feedback:
Materials:
- Video demonstrating dumpling preparation
- Resources for researching Qingtuan (e.g., texts, online sources)
- Poster-making materials (e.g., paper, markers)
- Vocabulary and verb lists related to dumpling and Qingtuan preparation
April. 3rd-Practical Application and Reflection:
Apply learning by making traditional Qingming Festival foods, sharing experiences, and reflecting as food critics.
References:
- Facing History & Ourselves. (2015, February 20). Give One, Get One. Retrieved from https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/give-one-get-one
- Wikipedia. (n.d.). Qingming Festival. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qingming_Festival
Response to Reflection Prompt (Weiwei):
How easy/difficult was it to create an Assignment that integrates listening and speaking outcomes and opportunities for practice:
It is easy for me to create assignments that integrate listening and speaking skills, because the students are young and of Chinese origin, and they can understand and express basic daily expressions. The students have a foundation of Chinese expression, so it will be easier to practice. In addition, there is no strict class time limit for teaching Chinese as a foreign language. I can organically combine Chinese culture with the curriculum according to students' situations and Chinese festivals, and design PBL courses to allow students to practice. The only difficulty is that when students cooperate, due to the young age of students, there may be safety risks in the process of making food or handicraft, and students need to pay attention to the use of knives and electrical appliances
Strengths
- Students will be more willing to complete their assignments when they combine paper, online and hands-on assignments with a variety of activities
- The assignment is connected with students themselves. Students will combine visual, auditory and emotional perception to experience the festival customs and have a deep understanding of traditional Chinese culture
- Students have ample opportunities for group work, increasing the frequency of oral output
- The activities allow students to be creative, students can compare the past and the present, experience the changes of customs and culture and the charm of Chinese language
Areas of Improvement
- Students need to be given timers to avoid ineffective group chatter
- The exploration of anterior and posterior nasals is mainly about listening discrimination, and additional written training and comparison of multiple vocabulary groups are needed to help students master them
- Poster design teachers can provide templates or demonstrate what needs to be presented to help students be more productive
- Teachers can encourage students who finish the hands-on task earlier to support weaker students.
