ITEC 7330 Summer 2013

Mobile Learning

Stephen J. Keith

For this assignment, I chose to revise an English as a Second Language (ESL) lesson plan by Beare Kenneth found on the about.com website. The lesson plan titled Building Character Adjectives Vocabulary may be found here: http://esl.about.com/od/vocabularylessonplans/a/characteradj.htm

Building Character Adjectives Vocabulary

By Kenneth Beare, About.com Guide (Revised by Justin Keith, Instructional Technology Specialist)

This intermediate level lesson employs a fun questionnaire to focus on developing personal description vocabulary. Students can practice conversation skills while playing Words With Friends on their mobile device and also focusing on improving their command of refined character description. This first phase is then followed by a vocabulary development exercise sheet. During each phase, students will be asked to use their mobile learning device and the free Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Dictionary.com Thesaurus, and Words With Friends apps. These apps are free and can be used on any type of device. Students who do not have their own device will be supplied with the Scrabble game, a dictionary and thesaurus. Aim: Developing and broadening knowledge of character adjective vocabulary Activity: Questionnaire followed by vocabulary matching activity Level: Intermediate Outline:

Ask students to describe a family member, write descriptive adjectives on the board. Encourage the use of the dictionary and thesaurus apps as needed. Distribute questionnaire and ask students to pair up and ask each other questions contained in survey. Encourage the use of the dictionary and thesaurus apps as needed. Have students report back to the class on what they have learned about their partner's best friend. Divide students up into partners and have them play the Words With Friends game. Explain that students can use any words they wish, but that this will be a competition to see which student can use the most descriptive adjectives in a game. Explain that only descriptive character words will be awarded points for this assignment and each word played will get one point. While playing the words with friends game, students should use the messaging feature within Words With Friends to message any adjectives they have played in the game and the definition of the played adjective. Students should use the dictionary and thesaurus apps as needed. When students finish their Words With Friends game, they should take a screen capture of their final game and their communications within the Words With Friends game and email or text it to the teacher. Ask students to provide the opposite of each adjective listed on the worksheet - this activity can be done as a class or in small groups.

ITEC 7330 Summer 2013

Mobile Learning

Stephen J. Keith

As a follow-up exercise, have students write a description of one of their family members, friends or relatives with special emphasis on using the adjectives discussed during the lesson. What kind of best friend do you have? NOTE: The Speech with Milo app may also be used to help teach students these concepts. This app is currently available for all iOS devices and some android devices, but is being made available to all android devices soon. Exercise 1: Ask your partners the following question about his/her best friend. Make sure to listen carefully to what your partner has to say. 1. Is your friend usually in a good mood? 2. Is it important for your friend to be successful in whatever he/she does? 3. Does your friend notice your feelings? 4. Does you friend often give presents, or pay for lunch or a coffee? 5. Does your friend work hard? 6. Does your friend become angry or annoyed if he/she has to wait for something or someone? 7. Can you trust your friend with a secret? 8. Does your friend listen well when you are speaking? 9. Does your friend keep his/her feelings to him/herself? 10. Is your friend usually not worried by things, no matter what happens? 11. Does your friend think the future will be good? 12. Does your friend often change their opinion about things? 13. Does your friend often postpone things he/she has to do? 14. Is your friend happy one moment and then sad the next? 15. Does your friend like to be with people?

Exercise 2: Which of these adjectives describes the quality asked about in each of the survey questions? generous easygoing ambitious cheerful hardworking trustworthy impatient optimistic sensitive moody sociable indecisive reserved lazy attentive