Giving and Taking Directions

Objectives:

• The learner will differentiate between a declarative sentence and a command.

• The learner will complete a diagram by: 1) responding to the verbal commands "write," "draw," "fold" and "give," the prepositions "next," "under," "above," "below," "inside," "outside," and the ordinal numbers "first" through "tenth."

• The learner will follow written directions to a destination using a simple map.

• The learner will write directions from one location to another location in the Roanoke Valley.

Duration:

    4 hours

Materials:

• Blank sheets of printer paper

• Command strips cut from p. 154, Teaching Adults: An ESL Resource Book (see complete reference below)

• Computer

• Oxford Picture Dictionary Beginning Workbook, Marjorie Fuchs, Oxford University Press;1999, p. 107

• Teaching Adults: An ESL Resource Book, Laubach Literacy Action, New Readers Press; 1996, Activity 60, p. 151-154

• Yahoo!Maps

Activities:

1. Teacher introduces structure of commands, highlighting differences between simple declarative sentences and imperative forms using same verb and object.

2. Teacher assigns a verb to each learner; learner has three-four minutes to write a declarative sentence, then a command using the same verb.

3. Teacher conducts a review of prepositions of place using random objects.

4. Teacher pre-teaches vocabulary used in Teaching Adults, Activity 60, then follows directions on page 154. 

5. Teacher introduces map activity, part 2, Oxford Picture Dictionary, p. 107 (learners provided with enlarged copies of map without written directions).

6. Teacher pre-teaches vocabulary (i.e., "block, "tracks," "U-turn," etc.). 

7. Teacher reads directions aloud, learners follow directions with pencil/pen.

8. Teacher distributes written directions; learners trace their route using written directions.

9. As a paired activity, learners identify verbs used in written directions, then replace verbs with other verbs they know. Discuss responses as a class.

10. Learners choose one of four destinations provided by the teacher from the Yellow Pages of the phone book (destinations must have complete street addresses). Learners access Yahoo!Maps to find and print directions from the Literacy Volunteers office (5002 Williamson Road, Roanoke) to their selected destination. Learners print the directions, identifying all verbs. 

11. Learners use Yahoo!Maps, phone book and/or Internet sources to find directions between any two locations of their choice within the continental United States.

Assessment:

Teacher monitors verbal and written responses of individual students.