1. Personalizing your Teaching
Putting the student’s “map of the world”
into our lessons
St.Charles

2. WHY Personalize? CONTEXT! Why make it personal? BIOLOGY REALITY! EASE
MOTIVATION
Why make it personal?
BIOLOGY
REALITY!
EASE

3. 2 Principles

4. 1. It’s all about YOU!

5. It’s all about YOU!
The brain is hard wired for information which matches and engages “the ego”. We acquire language through this “filter” of our self.
Language taught through this prism, is language that will be learned!

6. 2. Students WANT to Learn!
Learning is a self organizing principle. Boredom = the absence of learning.
It is natural and only requires the right pre-conditions to activate student involvement.

7. The 5 Conditions

8. Personalized language
Language is produced “meaningfully”. Students generate language that is internally created.

9. The teacher relates all content to the student’s own “world” and life.
RELEVANCY
The teacher relates all
content to the student’s own “world” and life.
LINKING

10. Student Created Content
Students create the lesson content and materials.
In this process they are “committed” to the learning process.

11. Language learning revolves around tasks and activities.
Task Based
Language learning revolves around tasks and activities.
Activity and participation are paramount.

12. The focus is on Student Talk Time.
Simplicity - Talk Time
Lessons are low tech and recyclable. Used with any type of target language.
The focus is on Student Talk Time.

13. Let’s not Forget

14. It’s about being HAPPY!
Your Subtopics Go Here

15. OUR PRIORITIES! TEACHER FOCUSED ACTIVITIES
BASIC ACTIVITES FOR PERSONALIZATION
SHARING OUR OWN IDEAS
YOU DESIGN A “PERSONALIZED” LESSON
ASK QUESTIONS WHEN YOU HAVE THEM!
ADD YOUR OWN 2 CENTS WORTH.
LET’S HAVE FUN AND LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.

16. GETTING TO KNOW THE TEACHER

17. SOME IDEAS PICTURE PROMPTS INSIDE – OUTSIDE CIRCLES QUESTION MAKING
INTERVIEWS
WHO IS …..? GUESSING GAMES.
………………………………

18. PICTURE PROMPTS
Treadmill

19. Ask the Teacher
Students in groups brainstorm questions for the teacher. Or use “Spin the Question”. Or give students pictures about your life
The teacher should ALWAYS echo back the question to the students!
It’s all about THEM!

20. End Game 1 2 3 9 8 7 6 5 4
???
ASK! 1
Who? 2
What? 3
Where? 4
When? 5
Why? 6
Whose? 7
Which? 8
How ____? 9
How M…?
Spin Wheel
Points

21. ASK ME! Running TORONTO Pizza Dogs ACCORDION 1992 Toyota Wow
Speech Notes - Slide 18
Wow
Marvin Gaye
Czech
Produce
Prepare
Pronounciation
Personalize
Possibility
Pleasure

22. ASK ME The students ask the teacher using the word prompts.
The teacher answers and then asks them back.
The students then write their own sheet of prompts and ask each other!

23. ASK ME - FAMILY! FINI BRIGET WILLY RON JOE ME! CINDY KYLE KELLY
Speech Notes - Slide 18
KYLE
KELLY
KRISTIE
Who is ……….? / _____ is ____’s ______.
Produce
Prepare
Pronounciation
Personalize
Possibility
Pleasure

24. SOME IDEAS
The students ask about the teacher’s family using the target language. They must ask 1 additional question.
Who is ……? / Is …. your ……?
After, the students have 2 min. to write (in their own language) many names of family members. They play with other students. Asking additional questions.

25. Write a question

26. Personalized Bingo
Students go around the group or class and write the names of all classmates that say YES. BINGO means they can sit down.
Students ask 1 student who sits at the front. They try to get a bingo. Can be competitive with groups asking questions.

27. Interviews

28. Interviews / Roleplay
Interviews are an excellent way to start every class! Students interview one class member. Let them take on another persona! Start your own Radio Show. Invite guests!
In pairs, students can use “identity cards” to interview each other.

29. INSIDE - OUTSIDE S S S S S S S S S S S S

30. INSIDE-OUTSIDE Students write or draw on a small piece of paper.
One half of the class is on the “outside” facing in. The other half on the “inside” facing out.
On the teacher’s command, they ask and answer with the person facing them.
The outside group rotates on the teacher’s next command.

31. BASIC PERSONALIZED ACTIVITIES

32. WALKABOUTS Students write / draw prompts on a post it.
Students circulate to find “a match” – all those like themselves.
When they find a match they link arms to form a chain and continue.
The teacher calls the activity and reviews with the groups – their preferences.
Ex. All students write the month of their birthday. They find those with the same month of birthday and stand under a sign for the month that the teacher has put up.

33. Grammar Poems

34. Students write and brainstorm to share ideas!
Tag Writing
Students write and brainstorm to share ideas!
Take a blank piece of paper. Fold it in half (hamburger like), half again, half again. You have 8 lines.
The student writes the title on the first line.
The next student adds to it and folds the paper.
The next student reads and adds some more.
Continue to the last (8th) line.
The original student then reads the paper or share as a class!
Great for poems / stories / gossip / brainstorming!

35. First Word What’s the first word you think of when I say ………..?
Students can play for points. The student who hesitates longer than 4-5 seconds loses a point. Play to 3.
This game rewires the brain to “flow” the 2nd language

36. Story Chains / Writing Chains
Word Games
Story Chains / Writing Chains
Students take turns tell a story.
Students write words to make a chain.
Davidiomgranthillnessentialwaysamend
ZIP – ZAP
In a circle, one student in the middle who “chooses”.
When the person in the middle points and says a letter/word – the two opposite must point and shoot the other student by saying a word related to what was called. The losing student sits and is eliminated. Play until a winner is left.

37. Using Flashcards
Flashcards should be used not only for recall but also to prompt natural “student” language.
Write the target language on the board
ex. A. When did you last ………?
B. I last …………. on ……. day.
……………...
2. Students pick up a card and take turns asking, using their own creative language / mind.
Make flashcards/picture cards by photocopying and
cutting! Or print PPTs. Use books like “1,000 pictures
for Teachers” or “Communication Games” – Jill
Hadfield.

38. Communicative Bingo
The students speak about their own lives!

39. Communicative Bingo
Get the PPT – Bingo Basics and you can practice all the tenses using the same vocab!
Review the vocabulary with students
Draw a BINGO grid on the board.
One student sites up front. Each group in turn, asks the student a question. If the student answers “Yes”, draw an “0”, if “No”, an “X” in the matching square.
Groups continue to ask and find a 5 in a row BINGO to win. If no BINGO, the student up front wins!
Hand out the Bingo sheets. Students play the game the same way, with a partner.
Search “BINGO” to find a demo video of this…

40. Creative Thinking Games
Cooperative Learning games foster “REAL” language use. The students use language to convey personal and ingrained thought.

41. Not Like the Other Things
_______ is not like the other things because __________!
Search in our PPT Games Resources for this!

42. Only a Blank Piece of Paper!
SCC – student created content is the goal of all “personalized” lesson delivery. With just a blank piece of paper you can do many things!
Make graphic organizers! Teach higher level skills!
Play student created guessing games with controlled language practice.
Do arts and crafts activities. Handtalkers / Origami
Draw the vocabulary activities.
Student created bingo cards / wordsearches.
Storybook Making and sharing!
…………………………………………………………

43. Student Created Content

44. Student Created Content
Student created content is the highest order of teaching practice. When students create the content of the lessons they are learning!
Get them cutting, writing, designing and most importantly thinking!
Example: To review vocabulary, give students a blank wordfind. They can fill it in with vocabulary words from the lesson (and draw a picture beside each word). Give this to a partner and they race to complete each others wordfind. Great fun!

45. Student created Jeopardy
WHO / WHAT / WHERE / WHEN / WHY
ANSWERS
$ ____________________________?
$ ____________________________?
$ ____________________________?
$ ____________________________?
$ ____________________________?

46. Student Created Jeopardy
Brainstorm categories with students.
Next, in groups, have the student make 5 questions to ask. The teacher monitors and corrects/helps as necessary.
Play the Game! Each group asks their questions. Other groups respond by knocking on their table or you can have groups take turns .
A great way to review and have the lesson “about the students”!

47. Surveys

48. SURVEYS
Surveys capture the student’s curiosity about their peers/classmates. They practice all 3 modes of communication ( Interpersonal / Interpretive / Presentational)
-- Give students some target language to make their question. They ask others / record, then present.
Did you __________ this weekend?
YES NO
I I I I I I I
I I

49. Recommended Reading

50. The End
Speech Notes - Slide 68