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Lesson Plan for Teachers

 Hobby course lesson 3 

This lesson focuses on helping students realise the importance of reading in English, understand the differences between reading and watching videos, and make use of existing tools (e.g. Google Search) to find reading resources to do their hobby.

Task 1: Why reading in English (Step 1) 

Purpose: The purpose of this task is to highlight the importance of gaining information from English resources to do the students’ hobby.

Background information: Wikipedia articles are available in different languages. Links from a Wikipedia page in one language to an equivalent page in another language are called “interlanguage links”, which can be found in the “Languages” section of the page..

Activity stages 

Handouts: - 

Answers/models/note: Reading in English not only promotes exposures to authentic input, but it also enables students to gain information that is more extensive and comprehensive.

Task 2: Reading authentic English texts (Step 1) 

Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to compare and contrast the differences between the information on Wikipedia written in an authentic and simplified language.

Background information: -

Activity stages 

  • Open the simple Wikipedia page on Origami (https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origami)

  • Ask students to spend 5 minutes to read the article, and compare the information available on both pages

  • Classroom discussion: (1) what are the differences between these two websites? (2) which one is more comprehensive? (3) which one would you choose to read to do your hobby and why?

Handouts: - 

Answers/models/note:  

Task 3: Reading vs. Watching videos (Steps 1) 

Purpose: Students will gain an understanding of the differences between reading and watching video.   

Background information: While reading is an active process, watching videos is generally believed to be a passive one. However, as reading requires a lot more attention than watching videos, this slowness usually results in more retention of information.  

Activity stages 

  • In breakout rooms, students discuss the differences between reading and watching videos (10 minutes) 

  • A volunteer from each group explains the differences 

  • Give students the survey of when to read and when to watch videos (https://forms.gle/darPWcaAaFmyGb6ZA)  

  • Allow them five minutes to complete the survey 

  • Ask for some volunteers to share the responses with explanations 

Handouts: - 

Answers/models/note: Generally, when students want to gain knowledge (e.g. materials to do the hobby, types of origami, and ethics and copyright issues), it is better to read. On the other hand, if they want to improve the skills (e.g. ability to make folds and the sequences of folds), watching videos will be much helpful. 

Task 4: Finding things to read (Step 2) 

Purpose: This task aims to help students to be able to use effective search techniques.

Background information: Google’s advanced search allows users to narrow down the results, and to have more control over their searches.

Activity stages 

  • Ask students to share how they make use of Google Search

  • Ask students to search the followings:

    • The price of 200 grams of gold in 1987

    • Find 5 people called Luke Shaw

    • How the term “ship in a bottle” is used in science

    • How the search results for “rock rolling”, “rolling rocks”, and “rock rolling” (with double quotations) differ.

  • Ask for some volunteers to share how they search

  • Explain to them how to search using Google’s advanced search (see handout)

Handouts: How to search handout (https://3d527928-cc79-4ee7-9c10-b738b111b2fd.filesusr.com/ugd/c7cbef_e1c20f8de53c419982900b4525ea97e4.pdf)

Answers/models/note:  

Task 5: Finding things to read (Step 3) 

Purpose: Students will share and discuss keywords to search effectively on Google and will be introduced to tools and strategies for reading. 

Background information: -  

Activity stages 

  • Give students some time to search for things to read for their hobby

  • On an online collaborative tool (such as Padlet: https://padlet.com/ioung/search-keywords-m1yl127fzhlqnntl), ask students to give examples of keywords they used to search

  • Ask for volunteers to share tips for choosing keywords to search and for choosing things to read

  • Give students 5 minutes to read. While reading, students are allowed to use any tools to facilitate their understanding.

  • Ask students to discuss how they use Google Translate or other tools (such as ChatGPT) and share with students the pros and cons of the tools

Handouts: Using Google Translate and Google Images (https://3d527928-cc79-4ee7-9c10-b738b111b2fd.filesusr.com/ugd/c7cbef_a8ed044649264a0090a535e8dd3c778a.pdf) 

Answers/models/note: Some tips for choosing keywords: (1) Basic Search (“Origami paper types”) (2) Exact phrase (“best paper for origami”) (3) Excluding keywords (“origami paper types -foil”) (4) Wildcard search (“origami paper character”)

Issues with Google Translate: Google Translate is good as an aid but problematic for some technical terms.

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