Britney Pardue

Durham Tech, Spring 2020

Virtual Lesson Plan

Background
Due to Covid-19, Durham Tech has moved all classes online. After consulting with my
students, we opted for an asynchronous class using YouTube and Whatsapp. Both of these
platforms are mobile friendly, a necessity for many of my students. Furthermore, the
asynchronous nature of the video class would allow students to work at their own pace and
navigate their own covid-related schedule and responsibility changes. Students can repeat the
coursework as many times as they would like, encouraging them to control their own learning.
Upon watching the videos, students are asked to complete three homework assignments,
submitted to me via video/audio/text on WhatsApp. I then provide them with immediate,
personalized feedback through video/audio/text messages on WhatsApp.
Lesson Plan
Summary
Unit 4: Food
Dates: Monday, April 6 - Monday, April 13, 2020
Instructor: Britney Pardue
Students: 112 adult learners (ages ~18-60) from diverse linguistic and educational backgrounds
in three separate, beginning level classes.
Medium: YouTube and WhatsApp

Focus
Vocabulary Grammar
❏ Food ❏ “to like”
❏ Time Words ❏ “to not like”
❏ Yes/No Questions with “like”
Phonics/Pronunciation ❏ Open Questions with “like”
❏ Digraphs (th, ch, sh) ❏ Present Simple
❏ Sentence Stress ❏ Open Questions in the Present
Simple
Description of Activities

Activity Description

Vocabulary Video 1 - Food ​https://youtu.be/K6kw0TPdZ3E

Video 2 - Time ​https://youtu.be/RR9wNt6HXek

Using home language support and “repeat-after-me,” behaviorist underpinnings,

these two videos introduce basic vocabulary related to Food and to Time. All
vocabulary in this Level 1B class has been pulled from the top 600 frequent
words in English.

Our Unit 4 Lesson will incorporate food vocabulary and some aspects of the
time vocabulary (ie. in the morning, in the afternoon, etc.)

Lesson Video - Main Lesson​ ​https://youtu.be/wV-5kWmM1Bc

The videos I developed for my “virtual classes” attempt to build on a natural

language approach and to present spoken English in its natural spoken form. I
present the information in multiple formats - through spoken language and visual
representation, using TPR and realia to support understanding. In my videos, I
model a few “think-aloud” strategies and attempt to encourage students to make
predictions and guesses. I try to incorporate culturally responsive teaching, for
example I make note of the use of “y’all” in both southern and African American
communities.

In this lesson we review the following structures in relation to personal food

likes/dislikes and habits:
❏ “to like”
❏ “to not like”
❏ Yes/No Questions with “like”
❏ Open Questions with “like”
❏ Present Simple
❏ Open Questions in the Present Simple

Video - Digraphs (ch, sh, th)​ ​https://youtu.be/5GpzJJl3XPc

Each week, I present a new “phonics focus” for the class. Many of my students
have low literacy levels, so I tried to build comfort with reading and writing
through explicit phonic instruction. I use previously studied vocabulary (in this
case: family, adjectives, common verbs, and food) pulled from the 600 most
Phonics frequently used words in English to introduce the targeted phonics feature. We
then look at practice words and sentences. Though unrelated to this lesson, I
am particularly proud of the practice activity I designed for the “-ed” past tense
(​https://youtu.be/UULrLlLfhQI​).
 The Digraphs (ch, sh, th) video includes:
❏ Digraphs Defined
❏ Examples through Common Vocabulary
❏ Minimal Pairs
❏ Word Practice
❏ Sentence Practice

Rhythm Video - Sugartime​ ​https://youtu.be/E9HLUJ4-zns

Chant
I use rhythm chants in my beginning classes a lot. We focus on the
suprasegmental elements of language - intonation, sentence stress, reduced
words, linking sounds, etc.

We use the Sugartime rhythm chant to practice the “sh” digraph, time
vocabulary, food vocabulary, and sentence stress. I also point out the multiple
uses of the word “sugar” in the English language.

Extras Each week I send extra videos (not made by me!) that complement the target
learning goals of each Unit.

This week, I sent:

● Sugartime by the McGuire Sisters​ - ​https://youtu.be/bRvEHn6fKWE
This video expands on our rhythm chant and can be used to practice
“sh,” time/food vocabulary, and sentence stress. As a cultural artifact, it
presents a unique window into historic popular US music.
● The Hungry Caterpillar​ - ​https://youtu.be/btFCtMhF3iI
This read-aloud highlights the words as the speaker says them,
encouraging reading practice. It uses food vocabulary and time (days of
the week) words.
● Pronunciation “sh” and “ch”​ - ​https://youtu.be/3Efq8nDuaqs
This video provides additional pronunciation practice for “sh” and “ch.” It
is not my favorite video because it doesn’t have video of the mouth
positioning. Yet, many of my go-to pronunciation videos are for more
advanced learners. I like this video’s simple presentation. The use of the
“short i” and “long e” sounds would also benefit many of my learners.
● Pizza Bagel​ - ​https://youtu.be/So50EUl8wbc
This 90s commercial uses the McGuire sisters’ Sugartime song in an
advertisement for pizza-flavored bagel bites. Seeing the same material in
different contexts can help students more deeply process.

Homework Each week, students complete three homework assignments, submitted to me

via video/audio/text on WhatsApp. The homework has allowed me to assess
student learning and the effectiveness of my lessons. I provide students with
personalized feedback.

Homework 1 - Your Food Preferences

Send me a text/audio/video message to answer these questions:
1 - Do you like tea?
2 - What do you drink in the morning?
3 - What do you eat for dinner?
4 - What do you like to eat?
5 - Tell me more about the food you like!
Watch Main Lesson (Unit 4 - Food) , if you need help.

Homework 2 - Record The Rhythm Chant

Send me a video/audio of you reading Sugartime.
Watch Rhythm Chant (Sugartime) , if you need help.

Homework 3 - Read Digraph Sentences

Record a video/audio you reading these sentences:
1 - She's eating cheese and chips for lunch.
2 - My brother is a math teacher.
3 - My mother is thin and short.
Watch Phonics (Digraphs) , if you need help.
 Class Communication
Unit Introduction
At the start of each unit, I sent a Unit Introduction via WhatsApp to the group chat for
each of my three classes. Here is the Unit Introduction I sent for Unit 4.

Hi everyone!

Here are the videos for Week 4 - Food.

We will review: 1) like and 2) present simple.

1 - Main Lesson from Britney's English

Unit 4 - Food - ​https://youtu.be/wV-5kWmM1Bc

2 - Vocabulary

Food - ​https://youtu.be/K6kw0TPdZ3E

Time - h
​ ttps://youtu.be/RR9wNt6HXek

3 - Phonics

Digraphs (ch, sh, th) -h

​ ttps://youtu.be/5GpzJJl3XPc

4 - Rhythm Chant

Sugartime - ​https://youtu.be/E9HLUJ4-zns

5 - Extras (these videos are optional!)

Sugartime - "sh" - h
​ ttps://youtu.be/bRvEHn6fKWE

The Hungry Caterpillar - ​https://youtu.be/btFCtMhF3iI

"sh" vs. "ch" -h

​ ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Efq8nDuaqs

Pizza Bagel -h
​ ttps://youtu.be/So50EUl8wbc

Watch the videos and take notes!

You can share the videos and practice with friends and family.
Homework Assignment
Mid-way through each unit, I sent the homework instructions via WhatsApp to the group
chat for each of my three classes. Here are the homework instructions I sent for Unit 4:

Hi everyone!!

Here's the H
​ omework for Week 4.
The homework is due on​Monday (April 13).

Homework 1 - What food do you like?

Send me a text/audio/video message to answer these questions:

1 - Do you like tea?

2 - What do you drink in the morning?

3 - What do you eat for dinner?

4 - What do you like to eat?

5 - Tell me more about the food you like!
Watch Main Lesson (Unit 4 - Food) , if you need help.

Homework 2 - Record The Rhythm Chant

Send me a video/audio of you reading Sugartime.
Watch Chant (Sugartime) , if you need help.

Homework 3 - Read Digraph Sentences

Record a video/audio you reading these sentences:
1 - She's eating cheese and chips for lunch.
2 - My brother is a math teacher.
3 - My mother is thin and short.
Watch Phonics (Digraphs) , if you need help.
 Teacher Feedback
My students send me their homework assignments through WhatsApp audio, voice, and
text messages. I respond with specific and personalized feedback. I can use text, audio, and
voice to personalize their feedback. While many areas of the class have been impacted
negatively by going “virtual,” the quality of my pronunciation feedback has definitely improved.
WhatsApp has been an easy way for me to collect samples of student speech and provide
immediate feedback and individualized pronunciation practice. For example, one of my
students was having a hard time distinguishing the “short i” sound and the “long e” sound. I was
able to send her written text and some words/sentences to practice. She applied the correction
and resubmitted her homework. It was an excellent feedback loop! I have included below a few
samples of the feedback I have been able to give.
Samples
Here I have included a link to a sample of the type of video feedback I have been giving:
https://youtu.be/2569jzuGutc​. Additional samples of teacher feedback are below: