31st October ASSIGNMENT 1

a two-part portfolio

Le Nguyen Doan Hien

41.01.701.033
I. COURSEBOOK EVALUATION ............................................................................................................................. 2
A. Unit Map...................................................................................................................................................... 2
B. Course Book Evaluation............................................................................................................................... 2
1. Getting Started ........................................................................................................................................ 2
2. Vocabulary ............................................................................................................................................... 4
3. Pronunciation .......................................................................................................................................... 5
4. Grammar.................................................................................................................................................. 5
5. Reading .................................................................................................................................................... 6
6. Speaking................................................................................................................................................... 7
7. Listening................................................................................................................................................... 8
8. Writing ................................................................................................................................................... 10
9. Communication & Culture ..................................................................................................................... 11
10. Project.................................................................................................................................................. 12
II. REDESIGNED TASKS ....................................................................................................................................... 13
GETTING STARTED ......................................................................................................................................... 13
PRONUNCIATION ........................................................................................................................................... 14
READING ........................................................................................................................................................ 15
LISTENING ...................................................................................................................................................... 17
CULTURE ........................................................................................................................................................ 18
III. SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL ........................................................................................................................ 19
IV. SELF-EVALUATION ........................................................................................................................................ 21
......................................................................................................................................................... 22

1
I. COURSEBOOK EVALUATION
A. Unit Map

LANGUAGE
 Vocabulary
Words and phrases related to household chores and duties
 Pronunciation
Consonant clusters: /tr/, /kr/ and/br/
 Grammar
Review the present simple vs. the present continuous
SKILLS
 Reading
- Reading for general ideas about household chores and duties
- Understanding word meanings in context
- Understanding references
 Speaking
Expressing opinions about housework
 Listening
Listening for specific information about how roles in the family are changing
 Writing
Writing about doing household chores
COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE
 Family life in different cultures
PROJECT
 Doing a survey on family life of the students in the class

B. Course Book Evaluation

1. Getting Started

2
 In Getting
Started, use the
picture only

In Getting Started, the aim is to introduce the topic and arouse interest in the topic from Ss.
However, we can see that Ss are required to listen to the recording then read along a very long
dialogue which contains many unfamiliar lexical items to them. This may cause confusions on Ss’ part
and is not a good way to lead in a topic.
 Instead, what we can do is to use the picture ONLY. T can use the picture and ask Ss to guess
what the people in the picture are doing. After that, T introduce the topic and tell the
objectives of the lesson.
 Therefore, the next task (True, False, Not given) is unnecessary since this is not a reading
lesson. However, the next 2 tasks are very useful for learning new vocabularies and phrases,
so they should be put into the Vocabulary lesson.
Because putting vocabularies into a context facilitates Ss’ vocabulary learning, the whole dialogue
should be used to introduce new lexical items.

3
 Omit this part

Move to
Vocabulary
lesson

2. Vocabulary
The aim of Vocabulary part in this unit is to learn “words and phrases related to household chores
and duties”, and the tasks in the text book can be considered sufficient, so no tasks should be omitted.
However, as mentioned earlier, the dialogue and two language tasks from Getting Started should be
moved to Vocabulary to make Ss’ learning easier.
According to vocabulary teaching steps, Ss need to be familiarize with the spoken form of the new
lexical items first. That’s why they need to listen then repeat the words (Task 3 – Getting Started).
After that, they can move on to learn the meaning (Task 1 – Vocabulary) before learning collocation
(Task 4 – Getting Started).
 The new order in the new Vocabulary section: Task 3 (Getting Started) -> Task 1 (Vocabulary)
-> Task 4 (Getting Started) -> Task 2,3 (Vocabulary).

4
3. Pronunciation
In teaching pronunciation, we have to make sure to include two types of practice, aural drills and
oral practice. However, two pronunciation tasks provided in the text book only aim at identifying the
sounds (aural drill) and lacks oral practice.
 Therefore, one or two oral exercises should be added.
We can make a list of words contains /tr/, /kr/ and/br/ in different positions such as traffic and attract
then a list of phrases and lastly sentences (or a dialogue) with all three sounds.

Aural drill:
IDENTIFY the sounds,
not PRODUCE them

4. Grammar
The objective of Grammar lesson is just to review the old lesson (present simple and present
continuous), so two exercises, which are based on the theme of the lesson, are sufficient. Moreover,
most of the content in this unit is either presented in present simple or present continuous so Ss are
exposed a lot with the two tenses.
The text book actually does a great job on this language area.

5
5. Reading
Overall, the questions and tasks in the Reading section are very well-designed. T can use all of them
and ensure all of the teaching steps are appropriate (pre, while, post) - Task 1 is for lead-in, Task 2 is
the guiding questions, Task 3 for learning new language, Task 4 and 5 for comprehension and Task 6
for follow-up (focus on producing the language they have learnt).
However, the reading passage has a very rich language, so T can utilize it more properly.
 Instead of just introducing 5 words, Task 3 can be changed into a matching exercise to provide
more new lexical items to Ss.
 Additionally, to facilitate self-directed learning, homework for Ss should include a task in
which they are told to highlight any language they find useful in the text.
 After the discussion in Task 6, there can be a writing task to report what Ss have discussed
with their partner.

Replace with
a matching
exercises
with more
words

6
6. Speaking
Overall, the content in the Speaking lesson is very well-connected with the vocabulary Ss have learnt
so far, and there is a clear progress, since Ss now not only need to know and use vocabularies related
to housework, they also need to elaborate on the reasons why they like or dislike, which is clearly
stated in the unit map: “express opinions about housework”.
The pre-speaking activities are very well-designed. After Task 1 and Task 2, Ss have enough ideas and
language, and even a model to base on. Therefore, there is no need for alterations in this part.

7
7. Listening

Move to
post-
listening
Replace with
a small
discussion
about how
Ss’ parents
divide
housework

Need
modifications

Add a
discussion
in post-
listening

Overall, the listening material is quite academic and relates to the roles of husband and wife, which
may not look appealing to high school Ss.
One way to make the material look more related and approachable to the Ss is by making a
connection to their parents.
 In the lead-in, instead of giving a bar chart and tell Ss to analyze, T can have Ss discuss and
compare the amount of housework their mother and father do.
In addition, new language should be introduced in the pre-stage (if they hinder understanding) and
in the post-stage for language practice, not in while-listening, when Ss should only focus on the
content of the listening material.
8
  Task 3 should become a post-listening activity.
Task 4 requires a long answer and may be difficult for Ss since they have to listen then write down
the exact same thing.
 The questions in Task 4 need some modifications to make the answer shorter for Ss, or we
can make Ss take notes of what they listen, then also require a spoken answer rather than a
written for long answers, so they can answer using their own words rather than repeat what
has been said by the speaker.
For post-listening activity, a small discussion on the topic can be added to engage Ss “both affectively
and cognitively in the language experience” (Tomlinson).
 Before investigating the language use, an additional task to discuss on the view of the speech
can be useful since Ss can express their opinions whether they agree or not and become
engaged with the material that seems to have no relevance to their real life.

9
8. Writing

Overall, the Writing lesson is well-connected and resourceful. It provides Ss with enough language
input (vocabulary, structure, ideas), so Ss know what they are expected to do in their writing. The
tasks follow the correct procedure of a writing lesson, so T will have no difficulties using them for
his/her teaching.
The lead-in, “Explain the idiom ‘Many hands make light work’.”, is meaningful and represents the
writing topic (household chore distribution). Task 2 provides Ss with a model text while Task 3 gives
Ss cues for their writing.

10
9. Communication & Culture

Use as a
supplementary
material

Have a
discussion
on the
difference

The listening material in the Communication section should be considered a supplementary material
since it has the same theme as the Listening section (housework distribution between husband and
wife), while questions in Task 3 can also be used as a post-listening activity for the Listening section.
In the Culture lesson, simply reading the text of two different cultures then do a comprehension
exercise is not enough, since the aim of this part should be for practicing self-reflection, not for
checking Ss’ reading ability.
 Therefore, more tasks on discussing the differences and expressing opinions are necessary to
get Ss to think more, reflect more and produce more, rather than sitting in their seats and
complete some comprehension questions.

11
10. Project

Need some
modifications

The emphasis of this part should not be laid on survey itself but on the Ss’ report in front of the class
since they need to have the ability to draw some conclusions based on their survey then give
comment on that.
 Task 2 needs to be modified to suit the aim of this project. From “Compare your findings and
report to the class.” to “Compare your findings. Report your report to the class and give some
comments on the survey results.”

12
II. REDESIGNED TASKS

GETTING STARTED
Look at the picture and guess what each person is doing.

Time: 7-10 minutes

Rationale: The aim of the activity is to introduce the topic of the unit in a quick and simple
way.
Teaching steps:
T asks Ss to look at the picture in their text book then asks some questions (Ss can provide
answers individually since the questions are quite easy)
o Who are the people in the picture?
o What are they doing?

13
 PRONUNCIATION
Task 3: Write the names of the foods below in the correct column. Then listen and repeat
those words.

Brownie cranberry trout broccoli truffle

brioche crepe trifle cracker

/tr/ /br/ /kr/

Task 4: Listen then underline the words that have the consonant cluster sounds /tr/, /kr/,
or /br/. Then listen once again and practice the dialogue with your partner.
Chris: Hey Tracy, what’s your plan for Christmas?
Tracy: Oh, it’s tomorrow, right? Well, I’m having dinner with my brother Brian at the
Brioche. I’ve heard that they have the best trifles and truffles in town, you know!
Chris: Well, I personally enjoy crepes with some cranberries more. But I think you should
eat more healthily, you know. Crunching on crackers and all the time does you no
good, really.
Tracy: I realize that. That’s why Brian are cooking some seafood for me these days. Crab,
trout and all… He even tried to put broccoli in my ice-cream the other day!
Chris: *laugh* Such a troublesome but creative brother, though.

 Task 3
Time: 7 minutes
Rationale: Identify the sounds and learn some new lexical items with the 3 consonant
clusters /tr/, /kr/ and /br/
Teaching steps:
T has Ss work individually or in pairs on the task. Then Ss check their answer by listening
to T. T can teach Ss these words by showing pictures of these foods.
 Task 4
Time: 10 minutes
Rationale: Identify and practice saying /tr/, /kr/ and /br/ in sentences, with stress and
intonation (oral practice).
Teaching steps:
T reads out loud the dialogue while Ss listen and do the task. Then T has Ss listen once
again and practice each sentence, with stress and intonation before they practice the
dialogue with their partner.

14
READING
While-reading

Task 3: Match the terms in Column A with the corresponding definition in Column B
Column A Column B

1. responsible for a. the legal ending of a marriage

2. enormous b. easy to hurt or attack physically or emotionally

3. sociable c. to behave in a way that other people should copy

4. to put something on someone d. feeling happy about your life and your future

5. to contribute e. having the job or duty of doing something

6. vulnerable f. saying that someone or something is bad or wrong

7. to divorce g. enjoying spending time with other people

8. positive h. make someone do something

9. to set an example i. huge

10. critical of j. give something, especially money or goods, to help

somebody/something

Task 4, 5, 6 are the same as the text book.

Task 7: Write a short paragraph (about 100 words) about the problems and benefits of
sharing housework, based on what you have discussed with your partner.
Task 8: Read the passage again then underline or highlight any words or expressions that
you find useful for your future writing. Report them in front of the class.

15
 Task 3
Time: 6-7 minutes
Rationale: Help Ss to improve the ability to guess the meaning of unknown words in a
context
Teaching steps:
T has Ss read the text again and underline the 10 words in the text.
T asks Ss to work in pairs or individually to choose the appropriate meaning for each word
from the text.
T checks by asking Ss to provide answers.

Keys:

Be responsible for (line 2-3) “… who is responsible for the family finances…”

Enormous (line 6) “… realise the enormous benefits…”

Sociable (line 8) “…, become more sociable,…”

Put something on someone (line 12) “… doesn’t want to put all of the housework on me.”

Contribute (line 12-13) “… husbands do not contribute to the household chores…”

Vulnerable (line 13) “… more vulnerable to illness…”

Divorce (line 13) “… think more about divorce.”

Positive (line 14) “… creates a positive atmosphere…”

Set an example (line 15) “… sets a good example for the children.”

Be critical of (line 16) “… are not critical of each other.”

Keys: 1-e 2-i 3-g 4-h 5-j 6-b 7-a 8-d 9-c 10-f

 Task 7: (set as homework)

Rationale: Focus on producing language based on their oral preparation in Task 6
Teaching steps:
Ss work individually to write at home then T can have some Ss submit their writing to
check. While checking, T should focus on the message put across rather than accuracy.

 Task 8: (set as homework)

Rationale: Guide Ss to self-directed learning by having them look into the material
themselves rather telling them what to learn.
Teaching steps:
Ss work individually at home. T encourages Ss to use a dictionary to look up words and
collocation.
T has some Ss report the language that they find useful to let other Ss learn from their
peers.

16
 LISTENING
Pre-listening
Task 1: Discuss the questions
1. How do your parents divide housework between them?
2. Do you think your parents are happy about their roles? Why or why not?

While-listening
Task 2 is the same.
Task 3: Listen again and answer the questions
What are the four “domains of life” mentioned in “equally shared parenting”? What are
they about?

Post-listening
Task 4: Work with your partner and discuss the questions below
1. Do your parents practice “equally shared parenting”?
2. Do you think “equally shared parenting” is necessary to keep a family happy?

 Task 1:
Time: (7 min) 4 minutes for discussion + 3 minutes for report
Rationale: Get Ss to familiarize themselves with the topic and arouse Ss’ interest to make
them want to listen.
Teaching steps:
Ss work in pairs to discuss the questions. Then, T invites 2-3 Ss to provide their answers.
T should not correct their language mistakes except for serious ones since this is not the
speaking section.
 Task 3:
Time: 7 min
Rationale: Check Ss’ listening ability for major details
Teaching steps:
T asks Ss to read the questions carefully. T has to make sure that they understand what is
asked in each question. Have them underline the key words if necessary.
Ss answer the question while listening to the audio.

17
 T can play the tape many times if Ss did not get the answer in their first try.
T confirms Ss answers and gives feedback by playing relevant parts.
For long answers (“What are they about?”), it is better to ask Ss to take notes and answers
in their own way.
 Task 4:
Time: 7 min
Rationale: A small discussion for developing speaking skills and more importantly, get Ss
to think for themselves, reflect on their experience and express their opinions whether
they agree with the view in the audio or not.
Teaching steps:
T has Ss read through the questions carefully then discuss the questions freely in pairs.
T asks 1 or 2 pairs to report their discussion results to the class.

CULTURE
Task 2: Work with your partners. Discuss why there are such differences between Vietnamese
and Singaporean families.

 Task 2:
Time: 10 min
Rationale: A small discussion for developing speaking skills and get Ss to think for
themselves, reflect on their experience and express their opinions on the matter
mentioned in the text.
Teaching steps:
T tells Ss to base on the table they have completed in Task 1 to discuss the reasons for the
differences in a table or groups of three or four.
If Ss have difficulties with ideas, T can help by eliciting or making an example for them.
T invites representatives from one or two groups to report their ideas, or T can ask other
groups to add in different ideas.

18
III. SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL
READING
You might hate household chores but doing them brings about undeniable benefits. Namely, you get a
cleaner and neater home. Not to mention, it’ll leave you feeling more accomplished! Did you know that
doing these simple tasks can also boost happiness, lower stress and protect you from diseases? There is
no better reason to start doing chores other than these.

A. Making your bed

Studies have proven: those who make their beds each morning starts off feeling more productive and with
a greater sense of well-being. This is because most people feel a sense of accomplishment after making
their beds, translating to more motivation in completing tasks in the day.

Leaving your bed neat and tidy will result in you feeling more refreshed and invigorated throughout the
day. A messy bed can add to feelings of stress to your day.

B. Maintaining a garden

If your home doesn’t have one, you can turn your attention to owning a few plants which you can place
around your house. Doing such work, including DIY projects and housecleaning can reduce your risk of
suffering from a first-time heart attack or stroke by 30%. Working out a sweat tending to your plants helps
your body flush out toxins and energises you after cooling off.

C. Washing the dishes

This might be the most hated chore for some, but mindfully cleaning your plate can help you lower
nervousness levels by about 30%. Take the time to focus on the actions of your hands. Since it doesn’t
require much mental concentration, you’re free to let your thoughts wander. It’s also a great time to
practice some calming and breathing exercises.

D. Bathroom cleaning

This has benefits way beyond your body and its actions. The conditions of the bathroom make it an ideal
place for harmful bacteria to fester and grow. By cleaning it regularly, you are reducing the chances of the
disease spreading to places like your toothbrush. This practice also helps prevent mould from growing,
which can be a chore to deal with later.

E. Decluttering your kitchen

Believe it or not, this helps you keep your weight in check. A recent study shows that people with an
extremely cluttered house are 77% more likely to be overweight or obese. It is harder to make healthy
eating choices if your kitchen is a mess. Getting rid of those junk food helps. If you don’t see it, you won’t
think about it.

F. Vacuuming

This tiring activity has the same benefits as doing 15 minutes of kickboxing. Don’t split this activity by rooms
but try to vacuum the entire house. The activity of vacuuming helps in giving your arms, core and legs a
great workout.

There are no better reasons to start doing your housework! Get started now and reap the benefits.

(“6 Household Chores with Health Benefits,” 2016)

19
Task: You are going to read a passage about the benefits of doing household chores. For questions 1 –
15, choose the correct chores (A-F). The chores may be chosen more than one.

Which chore

1. cannot be divided into smaller parts?

2. does not need you to think about the task itself?

3. helps you to control something?

4. gives you more energy when looking at the result?

5. prevents something harmful from developing?

6. can accompany mental tasks?

7. can make you feel like doing other works after finishing it?

8. forces harmful substances to escape your body?

9. equals doing a certain sports for a certain amount of time?

10. prevents you from experience something you have never gone through before?

11. prevents you from making unhealthy decisions?

12. leads to another task if not done properly?

13. gives you more energy after finishing the task?

14. gives some parts of your body a chance to exercise?

15. can affect your mood negatively if not done properly?

Purpose of the task: to provide more language related to the theme of the unit
Rationale: The text may be difficult for Ss, that’s why choosing this type of “paraphrasing” task can help
Ss to learn more language and make their job become easier.
Teaching step:
T shows Ss the technique to do this type of task to make it easier for them (read one paragraph carefully
then work on the questions and choose the ones that they think are mentioned in that paragraph. Then
go on reading the next paragraph and do the same thing.)
After Ss have worked on the task, T has Ss exchange answers with their friends then invites Ss to provide
their answers.
T asks Ss to explain their answers and elicit from them the word or phrase equivalents of the word or
phrase in the questions.

Keys: 1.F 2.C 3.E 4.A 5.D 6.C 7.A

8.B 9.F 10.B 11.E 12.D 13.B 14.F 15.A

20
IV. SELF-EVALUATION

The tasks that are designed or redesigned, despite following closely the procedure of teaching in ELT
theories, can cause some trouble for slow learners, particularly activities in post-stage regarding production
of language.

The reasons are that Vietnamese Ss in general are influenced by the traditional way of teachers showing
everything and do everything. Another thing is their withdrawal from speaking or writing because of the
heavy focus on grammar and accuracy from the outdated course book that they’ve got used to. Therefore,
being exposed to a totally different teaching approach (mostly communicative approach) is not a good
experience for them.

One way to solve this dilemma is for teachers to tell the students beforehand about the purposes and
benefits of this communicative approach. Students have to understand the “What?” and “Why?” before they
are willing to follow teachers’ instructions and do the tasks assigned. Teachers also need to encourage
students every time they produce the language and show them explicitly what they have achieved and
improved after the lesson so that they find a reason to continue.

21
Tomlinson, B. (n.d.). Principles and Procedures of Materials Development for Languge Learning. 4.
6 Household Chores with Health Benefits. (2016). Retrieved October 31, 2018, from
https://biohomecares.com/discover-biohomekeeping/7-household-chores-health-
benefits/?fbclid=IwAR2WPe4JDAPXm1zAlJ7HzADRj1NYPOhdKUi-eE6Jtjw1M3rf7YxZ1JczEeg

22