ANSWER: Part of our year syllabus for our intermediate-and-above level teenage learners needs to focus on developing Study Skills Outside of Class. As we require parents' support to further this aim, it is important to encourage these learners to discuss their new study strategies with their parents.
Here we'd like to present activities designed to help teens make their homework practices more effective.
HOMEWORK -- KEEPING TRACK AND KEEPING ON TRACK:
Activity 1: "Why homework is good for us"
In this activity, ask your learners to work in groups of 3 or 4.
1. First, they will brainstorm reasons why homework is essential (not just 'important'!) To give them a start, name a couple of reasons (e.g. Doing homework will keep you "connected" to English throughout the week. Homework is your quiet and private revision of what we will have done in class.)
2. Second, report back and discuss/expand.
3. Third, back in their groups, learners make slogan posters to decorate classroom walls or their notebooks.
Activity 2: "My Repaired Errors: I learn from my mistakes."
To make sure that learners go through their mistakes on their corrected homework, ask them to create a Repaired Errors Page once every one or two weeks. The Repaired Errors Pages are created by the students. In the example below in brackets are 'tips for writing well' or a paraphrasing of 'rules to remember'; these can be provided by the teacher at first, until the learners are able to articulate them on their own.
An example of a Repaired Error Page:
1) Here's what I wrote:
Our school gives us for free the equipment.
[oops! Direct Object next to verb. It would be best to use a 'softer' verb form and more formal vocabulary, when making a proposal.]
Here I've fixed it (Good for me!):
Our school would provided the equipment for us to use with no additional expense.
2) Here's what I wrote:
We can organize something that everybody likes this.
[Find a more specific word for '...thing'. Omit the extra pronoun, as the 'that-clause' describes what 'it/this' is.]
Here I've fixed it (I'm getting better and better at English!):
We can organize an event that everyone will enjoy.
Before turning in any new writing, ask that they double-check their Repaired Errors Pages to make sure that they are not repeating the same mistakes.
Also, announce, from Day One, that learners may be asked to produce more than one draft of their written assignments and compositions. Have them keep their first and final drafts of these writing assignments in a folder or notebook. They can hold 'evidence' that their writing has improved!
Activity 3: "Make it your own!" Specify 7 to 10 vocabulary items (preferably new words with collocates or within noun or adjective phrases). Ask your learners to create sentences about themselves, their family and friends, their life in general and/or fictional characters, using these new vocabulary items. Allow time during class for individuals to share one or two sentences with their classmates.
November 2016
Suzanne & Lilika
