Lesson 1 (I)

Establishing the Function of the Video.

Wednesday 27th November

Today, we met and focused on adapting the opening phase of the lesson. Whilst the original lesson already utilised a youtube video-a multimedia resource- we agreed that further IT support would benefit the learners in the classroom.

Instead of simply showing children a video, we researched the true purpose of using videos within education. We learned the importance of using media in a didactical manner. This involved firstly establishing the function of the video within the lesson. In this case it served as both an information broadcaster and a tool for motivation. This was because it intended to teach children content that they needed to know and it also intended to grasp their attention- this was particularly important as it was the first lesson of the entire project.

We learned that when showing a video for these functions it is necessary to divide it into three parts: before viewing, during viewing and after viewing. Each stage should involve discussion where learners understand the purpose of watching the video, the reason it was choosen and the activities children will partake in following its viewing. 

Therefore, our new lesson that utilises the support of IT will keep the video within it however it will follow these particular steps to ensure it is utilised correctly to optimise learning.

Reference: Cebrián, M. y Gallego M.J. (2011) Procesos educativos con TIC en la sociedad del conocimiento. Madrid: Pirámide

New Opening Phase:

Using the interactive whiteboard, introduce the Learning Intention (LI) and Success Criteria (SC).

Show a Spanish video of a fruit song on the interactive whiteboard or projector. Instruct the children to listen carefully and to remember as many Spanish fruits as they can, giving them a purpose before watching. Pause intermittently to emphasize "me gusta(n)".

This is known as the aural comprehension stage.

Through listening to native speakers, the learners should familiarise themselves with the sounds and correct pronunciation of the language and their comprehension should, in turn, develop.

Once the video ends, the teacher will ask the class what fruits they heard- accept and praise answers in both English and Spanish.

Then the teacher would reveal the correct meaning. Here, comprehension exceeds production, as the children’s understanding of the language is valued more than their ability to speak it.