Week 7: Speaking (Whatsapp)







Whatsapp is a free application used to send messages, videos, audios and videos. All you need is a smartphone and internet to use it.

This application is really useful when it comes to engage students into the practice of English. Whatsapp can be used to record and film activities, something that students like to do. But is necessary to create interesting works, so students will participate actively and they will practice and improve their speaking skills, and not only that, since by recording themselves, students will practice a variety of soft skills such as standing and speaking in front of a small audience, reinforcing body language and self-confidence attitudes.

An obvious limitation of this tool is that students get easily  distracted, therefore, we must monitoring the class to check if they are using their cellphone for the activity or doing something else that is not related with the class. 

 
The following is a lesson plan made to use Whatsapp:

Unit 1: Feelings and Opinions
7° Graders

Objective:
  • Students will write about what they normally do during their weekend in order to record themselves
    • saying it.
  Materials:
  • Notebook, Cell Phone with an internet connection

Time: 90 minutes

Activity:
Introduction: The teacher will ask about the vocabulary learnt. Then, she will explain the activity
which consists of writing about activities they do during the weekend and then record a video saying it.

Then, she will project a set of questions.

  • What do you do during your weekend?
  • What time do you usually wake up?
  • What do you have for breakfast during the weekend?
  • Do you practice any sport?
  • Do you read books, comics, graphic novels, etc?
  • Do you go to parties?
  • Do you see your boyfriend or girlfriend?
  • Do you spend time with your family?
  • Do you go out with your family?
  • How much time do you spend online?
  • Do you play video games?
  • How do you relax in the evenings?
  • What do you do with your friends?
  • Do you see your best friend?
  • How many hours of TV do you usually watch?
  • What do you like to do?
  • Do you usually do your homework during weekends?

The teacher will write on the board the activities she does during the weekend, she will
use as a guide the same questions she projected to show students how to prepare their work.

Development:  Students will write what they usually do during the weekend. The teacher will be
monitoring the activity in order to help students if it is necessary.

Closing: The teacher will check the writings and will repeat the instructions about the activity and
the length of the video. The teacher will explain that the recording is pair work therefore, the
classmate will have to give feedback when they are recording. The idea is that during the video
they show those different activities described in short clips; the minimum required is 3 minutes and
the maximum is 4  minutes of recording.



Comentarios

  1. Anónimo23 de octubre de 2018 a las 9:17

    Este comentario ha sido eliminado por el autor.

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  2. Anónimo23 de octubre de 2018 a las 9:18

    Students spend the entire class hours with their cell phone so, I loved how you turned this problem into a learning opportunity and making it in groups or peers helps to overcome fears of speaking the English language and makes it more fun.

    ResponderEliminar

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