Mini Session

The following curriculum framework and pacing guide outlines LVRV's Mini Session, which consisted of just eleven class meetings from early October through mid-November, 2003. As with the other Everyday English sessions, the Mini Session emphasizes conversational activities, grammar and life skills while integrating computer and Internet skills into the session curriculum.   

Learner surveys for the Mini Session identified preferences for instruction and practice relevant to understanding and participating in casual conversation. To facilitate this, the grammar curriculum began with a review of the future, present and past continuous tenses,   and adjectives that enabled learners to discuss the weather. Subsequent lessons provided additional practice using gerunds and infinitives in "small talk" dialogues, along with vocabulary building activities and practice with prepositions, and count- and non-count nouns. Learners enhanced their computer skills through the completion of navigation, and "copy and paste" activities. 

Detailed descriptions of the lessons used throughout this session may be found by going to the E/L Civics Complete Lesson Plan Index and clicking on the appropriate subject. Tutors with questions about this session's activities, their sequence or how to apply them to single- and paired–learner environments may call the Literacy Volunteers ESOL coordinator at 265-9339, Mondays through Fridays, or use anytime.

Timeline

October 8: Introductions 
October 13: Socializing at Work
October 15: Socializing at Work

October 20: Small Talk Dialogues

October 22: Small Talk Dialogues

October 27: The Problem with Cellphones...

October 29: The Problem with Cellphones...

November 3: On the Job Prepositions Review

November 5: Making Generalizations

November 10: At the Park

November 12: At the Park and Final Evaluations

Session Objectives

The learner will define all session vocabulary.

The learner will identify individual interests and learning styles on an interest inventory/learning styles menu.

The learner will create and demonstrate original dialogues pertaining to social situations.

The learner will correctly use prepositions of time and place in verbal and written form.

The learner will copy and paste a preposition reference sheet from the Internet to a word processing file, save the file and print it. 

The learner will review changing singular nouns to plural nouns.

The learner will review using "a lot of," "some," "many," a few," "much" and "a little" with count and non-count nouns.

The learner will make generalizations using plural and singular nouns.

The learner will read, discuss and show comprehension of newspaper articles dealing with current topics in American life. 

The learner will distinguish between gerunds and infinitives, and the continuous tenses in written and spoken forms.