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Lesson plan of Use of the dictionary and other resources

English

Original Teachy

Use of the dictionary and other resources

Objectives (5 minutes)

  1. Develop the ability to use the English dictionary effectively, identifying the pronunciation, grammatical classification, and meaning of words.
  2. Foster an understanding of how dictionaries are organized, presenting the different sections and available resources.
  3. Encourage the exploration of other learning resources, such as online dictionary apps, translation sites, and synonyms and antonyms dictionaries.

Secondary Objectives:

  • Promote student autonomy in seeking information and solving doubts, stimulating self-learning.
  • Stimulate students' curiosity about the English language and its vocabulary richness, encouraging reading and research.
  • Provide a solid foundation for autonomous language study, which is essential for success at any learning level.

Introduction (10 - 15 minutes)

  1. Review of previous content: The teacher should start the lesson by reminding students about the importance of vocabulary and the need to constantly expand it to improve reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in English. The review should also include a brief discussion on different ways to learn vocabulary, such as through readings, conversations, music, and movies. (3 minutes)

  2. Problem situations: Next, the teacher should present two situations that illustrate the importance of using the dictionary and other learning resources. For example, he can ask students how they would deal with the following scenarios: (5 minutes)

    • Situation 1: They are reading an English book and come across an unknown word that is crucial for understanding the text.
    • Situation 2: They are watching an English movie and hear an expression they do not understand.
  3. Contextualization: The teacher should then explain how using the dictionary and other learning resources can help students overcome these difficulties and expand their vocabulary significantly. He may mention, for example, that the dictionary can provide not only the meaning of a word but also its pronunciation, grammatical classification, usage examples, and synonyms and antonyms. (3 minutes)

  4. Introduction to the topic: To capture students' attention, the teacher can share some curiosities about English dictionaries. For example, he can mention that the oldest English dictionary still in use is the 'Oxford English Dictionary,' first published in 1884. He can also talk about the importance of using an updated dictionary since the English language is constantly evolving, and new words are regularly added. (4 minutes)

Development (20 - 25 minutes)

  1. Section 1: How to use the English dictionary (8 - 10 minutes)

    • Subsection 1: Reading definitions (3 - 4 minutes): The teacher should start this section by explaining to students that reading definitions is one of the most important parts of using the dictionary. He should then present some examples of definitions taken from an English dictionary, explaining how they are structured and what each part means. For example, he can show the definition of the word 'happy,' which can be defined as 'feeling or showing pleasure or contentment.' He should emphasize that definitions should be read carefully since they may contain words that students are not familiar with.

    • Subsection 2: Pronunciation (2 - 3 minutes): Next, the teacher should explain how to use the dictionary to check the pronunciation of a word. He should show students the phonetic transcription of a word and explain how it relates to the actual pronunciation. For example, he can show that the word 'happy' is transcribed as /ˈhæpi/. He should also emphasize the importance of listening to the pronunciation of a word since correct pronunciation is essential for effective communication in English.

    • Subsection 3: Usage of examples (3 - 4 minutes): Finally, the teacher should explain how to use the usage examples of a word that are usually provided in dictionaries. He should show students some examples and ask if they can understand the meaning of the word based on the context. He should also explain that examples can help students understand how to use the word correctly in different contexts.

  2. Section 2: Other important sections of the dictionary (6 - 8 minutes)

    • Subsection 1: Grammatical classification (3 - 4 minutes): The teacher should start this section by explaining what the grammatical classification of a word is and why it is important. He should then show students the grammatical classification of some words in a dictionary, explaining what each of the symbols means. For example, he can show that the word 'happy' is an adjective. He should emphasize that grammatical classification can affect how a word is used in a sentence and, therefore, it is important to pay attention to it.

    • Subsection 2: Synonyms and antonyms (3 - 4 minutes): Next, the teacher should explain what synonyms and antonyms are and why it is useful to know them. He should then show students the synonyms and antonyms section of a dictionary and use the word 'happy' as an example again. He should show that the synonyms of 'happy' include 'pleased,' 'delighted,' and 'content,' while the antonyms include 'unhappy,' 'sad,' and 'miserable.' He should explain that synonyms can help students find the right word to express what they mean, while antonyms can help them understand the opposite meaning of a word.

  3. Section 3: Exploring other learning resources (6 - 7 minutes)

    • Subsection 1: Dictionary apps and sites (3 - 4 minutes): The teacher should start this section by explaining that there are many other learning resources besides the paper dictionary, such as online dictionary apps and translation sites. He should show students how to use a dictionary app to check the pronunciation, definition, synonyms, and antonyms of a word. He should also show how to use a translation site to translate a word from English to the students' native language.

    • Subsection 2: Synonyms and antonyms dictionaries (3 - 4 minutes): Finally, the teacher should explain what synonyms and antonyms dictionaries are and why they are useful. He should then show students how to use a synonyms and antonyms dictionary to find words with similar or opposite meanings. He should use the word 'happy' as an example again and show students that the list of synonyms includes words like 'pleased,' 'delighted,' and 'content,' while the list of antonyms includes words like 'unhappy,' 'sad,' and 'miserable.' He should emphasize that synonyms and antonyms dictionaries can help students expand their vocabulary and make their English writing and speaking more varied and interesting.

Return (10 minutes)

  1. Group discussion (3 - 4 minutes): The teacher should start this stage by asking students to share their insights and thoughts on the lesson content. He can ask questions like:

    • 'What was the most important concept you learned today?'
    • 'How do you think using the dictionary and other learning resources can help you improve your English skills?'
    • 'What challenges do you anticipate when using the dictionary and other learning resources? How do you plan to overcome them?'

    The goal is to encourage students to reflect on what they have learned and make connections with their own learning experiences.

  2. Understanding check (3 - 4 minutes): Next, the teacher should ask students to explain, in their own words, how they would use the dictionary and other learning resources to solve the problem situations presented at the beginning of the lesson. He should also ask students to give examples of words they would look up in the dictionary and how they would use the information found to understand the meaning of those words.

  3. Individual reflection (3 minutes): Finally, the teacher should suggest that students reflect individually on what they learned in the lesson. He can ask questions like:

    • 'What was the most important concept you learned today?'
    • 'What questions have not been answered yet?'

    The teacher should encourage students to write down their answers and share them with him in the next lesson. This can help the teacher assess the effectiveness of the lesson and plan for future lessons.

Conclusion (5 - 7 minutes)

  1. Content summary (2 minutes): The teacher should start the Conclusion by summarizing the main points covered during the lesson. He should remind students of the importance of using the English dictionary effectively, identifying the pronunciation, grammatical classification, and meaning of words. He should also reiterate the relevance of exploring other learning resources, such as online dictionary apps, translation sites, and synonyms and antonyms dictionaries.

  2. Connection between theory and practice (1 - 2 minutes): Next, the teacher should explain how the lesson connected theory to practice. He should mention that throughout the lesson, students had the opportunity to practice reading definitions, checking pronunciation, using examples, understanding grammatical classification, identifying synonyms and antonyms, and exploring other learning resources. He should also highlight that the lesson provided students with the necessary tools to address the problem situations presented at the beginning of the lesson.

  3. Additional materials (1 - 2 minutes): The teacher should then suggest some additional study materials for students who wish to deepen their knowledge of using the dictionary and other learning resources. He can recommend, for example, English grammar books, language learning websites, and dictionary and translation apps. He should encourage students to explore these materials at their own pace and use what they learn to improve their English skills.

  4. Relevance of the content (1 minute): Finally, the teacher should reinforce the relevance of the lesson content, explaining how the ability to use the dictionary and explore other learning resources can benefit students in their daily lives. He can mention, for example, that this skill can help them better understand the texts they read, the movies they watch, and the conversations they have in English. He should also emphasize that the ability to learn autonomously is crucial for success in any area of life.

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