Integrated-Skill Approach Its Application in Designing English Textbooks

Integrated-Skill Approach: Its Application in Designing English Textbooks and Teaching Activities Lương Quỳnh Trang- Nguyễn Thị Lan Hường University of Languages and International Studies- VNU

OUTLINE Part 1: Overview of Integrated-Skill approach (ISA) (15 minutes) 1. What - Narrow view - Broader view 2. Why 3. How - Analysing different models of ISA Part 2: ISA in the new English textbooks (10 minutes) 1. Working with different extracts from the textbook 2. Discussing to identify different ways of integrating skills Part 3: Designing activities using TBI (35 minutes) 1. Overview of task-based instruction- TBI (definition, features, types of task, framework) 2. Making an activity become a task 3. Designing the stages to teach a grammar point

PART 1: INTEGRATED-SKILL APPROACH • What? • Why? • How?

Integrated-skill Approach: WHAT? • Narrow view: • Integration of four primary language skills • Broader view: • Four primary language skills + subskills (non-verbal, cognitive, linguistic knowledge, etc. )

Integrated-skill Approach: WHY? • In your opinion, why should we integrate skills in language teaching?

INTEGRATED-SKILL APPROACH: WHY? 1. We use more than one language skill when we communicate. 2. Ts can help students build new knowledge and skills on to what Ss already know and can do E. g. : Ss read a short story write their own story. 3. Ts can build in more variety into the lesson. • E. g. : Different skills together raise Ss’ motivation to learn English

INTEGRATED-SKILL APPROACH: WHY? 4. Ts can fully explore a topic and give an opportunity for Ss to practice and recycle topic-related vocabulary. 5. Above all, integrating the skills= working at the level of realistic communication all-round development of communicative competence in English A full language user.

INTEGRATED-SKILL APPROACH: HOW? • 1 st: from RECEPTIVE to PRODUCTIVE skills. • 2 nd: complex integration (through content-based /task-based /project-based instruction).

Integrated-skill Approach: Contentbased instruction • A specific subject matter content + a language. • The nature of the subject matter more important than language forms and sequences. • 3 models: theme-based, adjunct, and sheltered → The most useful and widespread: THEME-BASED

Integrated-skill Approach: Task-based instruction • Focus: TASK, not a grammar point or a lexical area • Language: instrument of communication • Different ways of using TBI: integrated into the existing syllabus, replace the syllabus altogether; an ‘extra’ to traditional classroom activities

Integrated-skill Approach: Project-based instruction - Shares many aspects with TBI - Emphasizes learning activities that • are student-centered • are long-term • are linked with real world issues and practices

PART 2: ISA IN THE NEW ENGLISH TEXTBOOKS -You are given extracts from the new English textbooks - In pairs/groups, discuss and say which model of ISA each extract follows

PART 3: Designing activities following ISA • Applying TBI in designing activities

TBI 1 st • Definition 2 nd • Features 3 rd • Types 4 th • TBI framework

Task-based learning: DEFINITION An activity A communicative goal An outcome

Features of a task • The focus of teaching is primarily on meaning • There is some kind of gap • Learners are required to use their own resources • There must be some communicative outcome • Learners’ use of communication strategies and interactional skills

A task or an exercise? Fill in the blanks with the simple past form of these verbs: write, go, have, study, buy. Yesterday, I______to school and ______English. Last week, Lan____ an interesting book about the history of Australia. We______a delicious breakfast this morning. A dangerous moment: Student A: Have you ever been in a situation where you felt your life was in danger? Describe the situation to your partner. Tell him/ her what happened. Give an account of how you felt when you were in danger and afterwards. Student B: Listen to your partner tell you about a dangerous moment in his/ her life. Draw a picture to show what happened to your partner. Show him/ her your picture when you have finished it.

Six types of tasks Sharing personal experience (story telling) Problem solving Listing Ordering and sorting TASKS Creative tasks Comparing (matching) (Willis & Willis, 2007)

Listing • List the kinds of transport available locally – a list of nouns • List the features of an ideal transport system – a mixture of phrases and sentences • List reasons for using (or not using) particular forms of transport – a list of quite complex sentences. • List recommendations for improving your local public transport system – a list of quite complex sentences. (Willis & Willis, 2007)

Ordering and sorting • In pairs, look at your list of famous people. Which people are most likely to remain popular and become 21 st century icons? Rank them from the most popular to least popular, and be prepared to justify your order to another pair. • Look at the four pictures. They are mixed up. Put the four pictures in a sequence so that they tell a story. Prepare to tell your story to another pair. (Willis & Willis, 2007)

Comparing- Matching • Tell your partner what usually do at weekends at this time of the year. Then find out what your partner does. Try to find at least three things in common or see how many things that you can find in three minutes you have in common. • Read the texts – each is about a famous person but the person is not named – and look at the photos. Match each text to a photo. Then talk to your partner, and say how you were able to match them. Prepare to tell the class how you did it. • Spot the difference (Willis & Willis, 2007)

Problem-solving tasks • Think of a town center where there is too much traffic. In twos, think of three alternative solutions to this problem. List the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative. Then decide which alternative would be the cheapest one, the most innovative one, the most environmentally friendly one. Report your decisions to another pair/ group/ the class, and discuss which solution would be the best one to put forward to the local government. (Willis & Willis, 2007)

Story-telling • Think of the most favourite teacher you have ever had. Work in pairs. Take turns to tell your partner about your favourite teacher.

Creative tasks • Work in groups. Create an international menu and perform in a role play giving and taking orders from the menu.

TBI framework Pre-task (exploring topic, useful words & phrases) Task Cycle(s) Task(s) >> Planning >> Report Language focus Analysis >> Practice

PRACTICE 1: Make an activity become a task • You are given some activities from the textbooks. • Work in pairs/groups to make the activities become tasks.

PRACTICE 2: Designing the stages to teach a grammar point • When you teach the structure “used to”, what are the steps do you usually follow? • Now work in pairs/groups, work out the stages to teach “used to”, following TBI framework.

Recaps • Integrated-skill approach: What, Why, How • TBI: definition, types of tasks, TBI framework • Practice 1 • Practice 2