Using a Novel for Uncovering Emergent Language and Retaining it.

A technique I have been using a lot this semester.

•Read a chapter of a graded reader to your students while they close their eyes and listen.

•Hand out a copy of the chapter and allow children to read silently and underline unknown vocabulary.

•Students go into groups and talk about unknown vocabulary and phrases.

•Groups swap and students share information about unknown vocabulary.

•Once group have circulated, have class feedback on the board around a spider diagram.

•The teacher then elicits each new word’s part of speech and how the word is used in the chapter.

•Teacher then uses information given by students to write a coherent sentence beside the word on the spider diagram.

•Repeat this for all words.

•Drill the sentences concentrating on word stress.

•In pairs students translate sentences into L1.

•When completed, rub the board and allow groups to chat in L1 to modify their answers.

•Back in pairs, students recreate the sentences from L1 to L2.

•When completed, students see the original sentences again and self-correct.

•Drill sentences and vocabulary for the final time

•Follow up homework: students have to write a present tense summary of the chapter using all of the emergent vocabulary from the lesson.