Module 2: Vocabulary Instruction in CBI – Activities

PART I: The questions

Answer the following questions about your planned vocabulary activity. Remember, this should be for a
CBI course. If you do not have a CBI course right now, please create an activity for a CBI class that you
think you are likely to teach soon.

Context
1. What is the subject of the course? (Math, history, etc.)

Aircraft basics – Parts of an Airplane

2. What is your students’ grade level and English level?

A2 or higher (Common European of Reference for languages)

Adults

3. How many students are in the class?

4. Vocabulary lessons are generally connected to a specific lesson or unit. Please describe the
lesson or unit that this list of vocabulary words is associated with.

This is a lesson on parts of the airplane.

It is a lesson used at the very beginning of the course for Aircraft Technicians and Cabin Crew
Staff. The lesson is based on Career Paths AIR FORCE series (book 1) by Gregory L. Gross
and Jeff Zeter, Express Publishing 2011.

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Llist
5. Write the list here as you will present it to the students. There should be a maximum of 8 items;
fewer is fine. You may choose to include in your list not only words but short phrases (for
example, “with regards to” could be one item).

The list

Technical words: wings, nose, tail, elevator

Academic words: fuselage, cockpit, rudders, stabilizer

a. Categorize each of the words on the list into one of TWO categories: a) technical or
academic terms, and b) general English vocabulary. That is:

i. Which of these words are technical or academic terms?

1. Technical example: The word “product” is used in general English, but

for math, it has a technical meaning that indicates multiplication, as in,
“The product of 2 and 8 is 16.”

2. Academic terms are words that are not normally used in casual
conversation, but are not specific to the content area.

ii. Which of these words are general English words?

b. How will you indicate to your students which words are which?

I would put the words into two columns on the board.

Academic words would be written in blue (because they are new and the meaning
should be learned) and Technical words should be written in red (because students
need to pay attention to the new meaning of the word)

Technical words: wings, nose, tail, elevator

Academic words: fuselage, cockpit, rudders, stabilizer

6. How will you introduce these words to your students? (Note: If you are using a technique like
personal dictionary, describe how your students will choose the words themselves.)
1) I would present students with a photo of a plane and ask them to name the parts of the plane
that they already know how to say in English.
2) I would put the list of words on the board, technical terms in red and academic terms in red. T
would explain all the words.

Learning

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What opportunities will your students have to learn the words in class? Include initial presentation and
later practice opportunities. Students would read the list and write down the words they do not know in
their personal vocabulary list.

1) Students would, using the vocabulary list on the board, name all parts of the plane on their
worksheet.
2) They would read and listen to the text on the parts of an airplane and answer a) b) c) d)
comprehension questions.
Read, listen and choose the correct answer
Which structure sits behind the nose of the plane on the fuselage.
a) Cockpit
b) Tail
c) Wings
d) Elevator

Students would choose a) based on the sentence: “The cockpit sits behind the nose…” that is in the text
3) Students would match definitions with parts of airplane.

4) Students would listen to the description of the plane (different text as the previous one, using the
same key vocabulary,) and write down the words from our vocabulary list that they hear

5) We would write down all the words students had written down. Student would listen to the
same text again and would fill in the sentences with the words offered.

6) They would draw a card with vocabulary item from the list and make a dialogue with their
partner.

Text on the card:

Student A: You were traveling by plane from Geneva to Zagreb. Something happened

In the COCKPIT. Describe the incident to your colleague who asked you about your flight
home.

Student B: Ask student A about his/her flight. Show interest in his story by using expressions like
“Really?” “That sounds funny/interesting/scary.” “What did you do?” etc.

7. Do you expect your students to study the words on their own time, outside of class? If so, will
you give them ideas for how to study them?

I expect and encourage students to revise their personal vocabulary list at home by reading it at
least 3 times before the next class.

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 I would also give them a new worksheet with parts of the plane to fill in for homework.

8. How will you check your students’ learning of the words? Will you check their comprehension in
class during activities? Will there be a test or quiz over the words? If so, what kinds of questions
will you ask them?

At the beginning of the next class students would play a kahoot quiz with the vocabulary items or
if they are not comfortable using the technology we would play mine field.

Don’t forget to also do Part II of this activity: create a document or activity that will help the students
practice and learn these words.

This is a program of the U.S. Department of State

administered by FHI 360 and delivered by World Learning