Lesson 3

Teacher Training Module VIII

Following A Narrative Sequence

Competency: To be able to teach narrative skills by using natural sequences of events.

Note: Language use includes many kinds of interactions. The major form of language employed in most second language teaching materials is the dialog with Question-Answer sequences. Yet most of our interactions in real life are not composed of a question followed by an answer at all. We use language to explain things, to tell about events in our lives, to tell stories, to describe things, to mention only a few.

Preparation:

Examine the lesson materials for lesson 3 and prepare the visual aids in Appendix C. The visuals are very helpful in eliciting the language. The narrative can also be elicited by pantomiming.

Teaching:

Step 1: Read through the narrative, pointing at each of the pictures as it is mentioned. Students listen.

Example:

Juan Gomez wakes up at six o'clock every morning. (Point to Juan waking up.)

He gets up, (Point to the picture of Juan getting up.)

takes a shower, (Point to him taking a shower.)

Etc.

Step 2: Read each line of practice one, point at the picture, and have students repeat.

Teacher: Juan Gomez wakes up at six o'clock every morning.

Students: Juan Gomez wakes up at six o'clock every morning.

Teacher: Then he gets up.

Students: Then he gets up.

Step 3: At the beginning, point at each picture and name a student. Students narrate the day's events.

Teacher: (Points to picture #1)

Student: Juan Gomez wakes up at six o'clock every morning.

Teacher: (Points to picture #2)

Student: Then he gets up.

Etc.

Step 4: Teacher transforms the narrative to the first person. Students listen.

Teacher: I wake up at six o'clock every morning. I get up, take a shower, get dressed and eat breakfast. (Teacher should either point to the pictures or pantomime each phrase.)

Step 5: Repeat Step 3 with the first person.

Teacher: (Points to the first picture)

Student: I wake up at six o'clock every morning.

Teacher: (Points to the second picture)

Student: I get up.

Etc.

Step 6: Have students rewrite the narrative using the first person and changing the events to be appropriate to their situation.

Step 7: Have students read narratives to the class.

Step 8: Repeat Steps 4 through 7 with past tense and/or future tense.